A mother and son visited a theme park in Fayetteville, Georgia, and got to ride a very popular roller coaster, or at least they tried to. The ride ended up malfunctioning right as they reached the top of its lift hill, and, as a result, they were left to descend a set of stairs that those afraid of heights would call torture.
The clip was shared online by TikTok user screamifyoulovecoasters, which is run by a mother who, alongside her son, is a roller coaster enthusiast. This time around, they visited Fun Spot America Atlanta, and they clocked many rides on ArieForce One, which is Fun Spot America’s most iconic roller coaster. The video attached above went viral, garnering 5.9 million views, 513,200 likes, and more than 1,600 comments.
With that being said, the last ride on top of the Georgia roller coaster didn’t go as planned. As shown in the clip, the mother, son, and other passengers were left stuck on top of the lift hill after an apparent mechanical issue. For reference, the ride’s height is clocked at 154 feet, leading to a 146-foot drop.
And while such a drop is certainly nerve-wracking, so is standing still at such heights, especially for those suffering from acrophobia (fear of heights). One park employee understood this and began comforting the boy right after climbing onto ArieForce One himself.
“Look at the view, man,” the man told the boy, whose name is James. The mother answered, “I know. It’s gorgeous.” Another passenger interjected, saying, “By the way. Best birthday ever. Today is my birthday.” Everyone wished her a happy birthday.
Vertigo Descent
With everyone at least slightly nervous, the staff member then gave out specific instructions. They were all going to exit the roller coaster and walk down all the 154 feet worth of stairs.
In a follow-up clip, the mother showed her slow descent toward safety. Her son was way ahead of her, and she was taking her time, trying to chit-chat with the staff member while grabbing the handrails to her right.
“I felt safer with the train there,” the mother said as she descended past it.
Reactions
While all passengers were safe and sound after the roller coaster malfunction and subsequent descent, viewers online were more or less freaked out over it. One said, “My legs would literally stop working.” Another one commented, “Y’all better find me a Xanax or something if ima go down those stairs.”
Others complimented the staff member for how reassuring he was to James. One wrote, “That man deserves a raise. He didn’t have to be that kind and understanding.” The mother agreed, saying, “Honestly, he made the experience totally calm.“
Thankfully, mother and son got to enjoy ArieForce One before it malfunctioned. Sadly, the whole theme park will close permanently on August 2, 2026, Fun Spot America announced.
