Let me preface by saying I hate roller coasters. With that said, this is NOT a roller coaster. You're 100% in control of the ride's speed and you don't necessarily get the stomach in your throat feeling. It definitely has some G force through the turns but you can control it if it is too fast. The brakes work well.
I took our 3 year old one evening to see how she would take it. She loved it and wanted to keep riding and go faster. We ended up coming back the next day, used no brakes, and she road it two more times! She could have rode it all day.
There are several sections so it's not a continuous downhill ride. For a first timer I think this makes it more pleasurable, and also allows you to gauge your child's comfort level. These sections also gradually increase in intensity as well as to what you will experience so you can gauge your own comfort level.
It is a bit pricey. They do offer a significant military discount on adult tickets which makes it more manageable for sure. I believe it's comparable to riding gokarts as far as price and excitement. The staff was nice and even funny. Evidently the sled only comes off the tracks on Sunday, and just my luck it was Sunday!
We will definitely come back!