I don't think there's any reason to be afraid of rollercoasters. I'm nearly blind and I've gone on rollercoasters throughout my teens and twenties (nowadays I don't feel like it anymore). If you're scared of sudden surprises like that waterfall, you might want to have a person next to you who can warn you ahead of times. However, I should also tell you that the element of surprise is partially what makes rollercoasters fun. Don't believe sighted people see everything come, because they don't. Especially on the crazy ones where you go really fast, there's usually not enough time to properly register what's coming at you, even as a fully sighted person.

The only legitimate issue that you should be paying attention to is glaucoma. I suffer from severe glaucoma and so I've always had to be careful. There were certain types of rollercoasters I couldn't do because they would've temporarily increased my pressure too much. The ones that mainly swing you around in violent ways so that you get nauseous are even worse. But if glaucoma is not an issue for you, you should be fine.

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Sounds like roller coasters may not be your thing.

I'm personally a big fan of not knowing what to expect, but generally they're all similar. You should be able to predict what will happen. I mean, if you've spent the last 10 seconds climbing a hill, you know what happens next.

I'd assume that knowing your on a roller coaster may make it more enjoyable now than it was when you were five. I remember having fears of certain rides when I was very little, but I don't know why. After my dad got me on some roller coasters, I became a big fan of them and have been ever since.

To be honest, I don't know how to help other than to say just go on one. I used to be terrified of roller coasters too, but then I got dragged on one and immediately fell in love. I think fear of the unknown is a big part of the problem for people sighted or not, but you can't get over it without doing it once.

And keep in mind that a lot of sighted people don't really know what's going on on coasters too. Sometimes the track is too complicated or the view is obstructed so they can't see where they're going, but people usually see that as part of the fun. Hell Space Mountain at Disneyland is entirely designed for that exact purpose.

Oh man! I've always wished I could fly too! That's the thing about rollercoasters, they make you feel like you're flying for a while. For me, not knowing what comes next is part of the adrenaline rush! The long, fast freefalls, are especially fun!

I went to Universal Studios last fall. The Hulk Coaster was fantastic! I stood in line with everyone else, and handed my cane to the staff right before getting on the ride. Afterward, they gave it back to me with no questions or awkwardness whatsoever.

Not knowing what's coming next is definitely part of the fun for people with and without visual impairments! But I understand how that could make it much scarier. I would suggest asking someone to order the rides at a park by how crazy or surprising or intense they are and start from the easiest ones. That way you'll only get to the craziest ones if you were okay with the ones before.

I love them a lot! The surprise is the fun part.

not knowing what comes next is part of the experience. As others said, sighted people can't see that much due to the speed.