Did They Really Ride the Roller Coaster in National Lampoon’s Vacation?

By Alice Nichols

If you are a fan of the National Lampoon’s Vacation movie series, you would undoubtedly remember the iconic scene where the Griswold family rides a roller coaster at Walley World. But did they really ride the roller coaster? Let’s dive into the details and find out.

The Roller Coaster Scene

The roller coaster scene in National Lampoon’s Vacation is undoubtedly one of the most memorable scenes from the movie. In this scene, the Griswold family visits Walley World, a fictional amusement park, only to find out that it is closed for maintenance. Determined to give their family a good time, Clark Griswold (played by Chevy Chase) decides to break into the park and ride all of its attractions.

Did They Really Ride The Roller Coaster?

In short, no – they did not actually ride a roller coaster. The roller coaster in this scene is entirely fictional and was built specifically for this movie. It was created by set designers and special effects teams to simulate an actual roller coaster ride.

However, just because it wasn’t a real roller coaster doesn’t mean that it wasn’t dangerous for the actors involved. The actors had to wear harnesses and perform various stunts while sitting on top of a platform that simulated the movement of a roller coaster.

Challenges Faced During Filming

Filming this scene was not without its challenges. For starters, filming on a set meant that there were limitations to how much movement could be simulated realistically. Additionally, working with harnesses required careful attention to ensure that none of the actors were injured during filming.

Despite these challenges, however, the final product was an incredibly realistic simulation of an actual roller coaster ride. From start to finish, it captured all of the thrills and excitement that one would expect from riding a real-life roller coaster.

Conclusion

The roller coaster scene in National Lampoon’s Vacation is undoubtedly one of the most memorable scenes from the movie. Although they didn’t ride a real roller coaster, the special effects team did an excellent job of creating a realistic simulation that captured all of the thrills and excitement of riding one. It is a testament to the creativity and ingenuity of the filmmakers involved in creating this iconic scene.