Madeira toboggan

[Greenfingers37]

We’re booked on a cruise in April which takes in Madeira. I love the thought of the toboggan but am a total wuss! Has anyone done it and survived???? 😳🤣 Talk me into it!

We did it about 20 years ago - it's pretty tame, my grandma was 87 and joined us, as did my 2 year old brother 😂

🤣🤣🤣🤣

I've seen it, but not done it. Looks fairly gentle. Be prepared to queue, because it can get very busy.

Did it about 13 years ago, it was a rather underwhelming experience I must say.

You won't have much time in Madeira, I wouldn't waste it queuing for that.

We were there a few weeks ago … got the cable car up but couldn’t get toboggan down as it was too wet. This happens quite a lot apparently.

Yes, it was brilliant (not very fast or scary) and a lot of fun. I would definitely recommend that and the cable car. Also find a shop that sells the Madeira bread with garlic butter. It is delicious.

It's fine, I don't like anything too fast or scary but enjoyed this.

Yes, it was great fun.

I must be the only one who hated it then! The two guys who took us went really fast, and I didn’t enjoy it. Plus they stopped half way down the hill leaving us to find our own way back.

But given everyone else seems to have enjoyed it, then for for it

Not just survived, went up in the cable car and down in the toboggan as an engaged person (since the cable car!)

It was fine, it does slide, but not too fast, like on snow, it will go for a few metres and then they have to keep pushing to give more umph. There were a few steeper bits but nothing too hairy.

I’ve done it twice and survived it’s a fun thing to do.

I've seen it but not done it. Would definitely recommend the cable car and gardens next to it though.

Yes, fabulous fun. We did it in 2018, mid June time, and queued for about 20 mins.

word of warning: The sledge only takes you half way down and then its a taxi the rest of the way (10 euro when we did it). Don't do what we did and attempt to walk. Its so steep you are pretty much walking on tiptoes and my calves cramped up so badly I couldn't move after about 5 mins. Had to come down backwards to stretch the backs of my legs out.

I haven't done it but have watched it.

We were in Madeira last week and the cable car is off until some time in April for maintenance. We had planned to get it up to Monte gardens but ended up getting an Uber.

We did it last year - it was a lot of fun. One word of warning though -it does get very busy. We were on a cruise, and docked fairly early, so we got off promptly and walked to the cable car to be there when it opened at 8.45am. By the time we got to the toboggan, it had just opened, but the queues already looked quite long. It wasn't too bad though, we waited probably about 30 minutes. Tip - send one of you in to buy the tickets while the other joins the queue.

It was worth it - we did walk back down from where it dropped you, which was a difficult walk (with a beer stop on the way!), but lovely views! But we could have got a taxi, there are plenty around at the end of the toboggan ride.

I ddn't think it was that good tbh, but the whale watching we did was epic. If you have time go on the magic dolphin catamaran trip.

Get an uber or bolt when you get off the toboggan … I heard lots of stories about taxis there charging triple.

As others have said, pay for the full way down - we did it about 8 years ago and didn't have to worry about taxi/uber etc so unless it's changed do that. Cable car up. Also recommend the dolphin catamaran.

We did a cruise which stopped at Maderia.
Queue was 2 hrs for toboggan.

That is where it is meant to stop!

Yes i realise that @m00rfarm - but we weren’t told that when we set off from the top!

About 55 years ago, my father took us to Blackpool - we went on one of the carriage rides (paid in advance). They took us for about 15 minutes out of town, and then told us to get out or pay double to be taken back again!

Thanks for all your replies, advice etc! I’ll be brave and go for it!

It will be about 55 years since my parents took us to Blackpool and I nagged to go on the carriage ride. My dad said no, they'll cheat us out of money, they'll rob us blind.