ok..I hate heights....will this bother me?

Depends. You do have a seat belt on but if you are in the top row, you can be several (25-30) feet in the air, feet dangling. Even the bottom row, your feet dangle, giving the impression that you are up in the air as well.

Personally, I also dislike heights. But I find Soarin' to be one of my never-miss favorites. I never feel "unsafe" sort of speak.

I'm leary of height also. Our first ride, I requested the bottom row - I still squeezed my hubby's hand so hard. I had to keep telling myself I wasn't really that high.

However, the 2nd time was better, and the 3rd time was even better. I guess I just know now I'm not going to fall. :) And it is a great ride, so I wanted to do it again, and again. :)

I can't really tolerate rides that involve height, either, but I like Soarin'. You are very aware that you have the illusion of height, but can't actually look down and see anything, as you would if you were in a ride outside. It's basically like an IMAX movie, with some extra effects. I was not even aware that I was actually high up, until I saw a show about the ride on TV. It's not like a ride that actually lifts you up.

I confess, I was scared during this ride! I don't like heights, and a lap belt didn't do it for me, I would have liked a shoulder harness (unnessary in the ride, but I'm just squeemish) Also, even though the motion is mild, the movie has you feeling that you are soarin over the water and mountains. As a reference, I'm terrified of Ferris wheels. All that being said. I still take this ride multiple times each trip. It is stunning and worth the fear for me. I also am getting more use to it, like Mickeylover. I just put this in my "wee" column for rides I brave each time.

I hope if you try it (it is short) and breath deeply, it will be so worth it for the wonderful sites, smells and feeling of flying.

I'm hopeless at anything simulator like that makes you 'feel' something not real but this is one of my favourites. Try it out. If you don't like it as soon as you close your eyes you'll feel like you're on the sofa at home so I'd say there's no point not giving it a go. I know this isn't the case for all simulators - I closed my eyes on Back to the Future @ Universal years ago and was still looking at my breakfast hours later...

Depends. You do have a seat belt on but if you are in the top row, you can be several (25-30) feet in the air, feet dangling. Even the bottom row, your feet dangle, giving the impression that you are up in the air as well.

I don't think it is too bad, even if afraid of heights. In many cases, you will probably be too focused on the screen, and it is so dark looking down that you may not even realize you are "flying" high.

Just as a side note, during the UnDISCOVERed Future World tour, I found out that row 1 goes 40 feet up, 38 feet for row 2, and 36 feet for row 3. :)

I'll talk in more detail about these and other things from the tour in my trip report that I am still compiling. :)

When I first went on this ride in California, I had my DW2B actually go on first. I got nervous in the queue when Patrick said you shouldn't fly if you're afraid of heights. So I took the chicken exit as soon as the doors went open and told her to tell me how it was. I trusted her enough that when she came off the ride, we immediately got fastpasses for later. You can request the back row (the one that goes off the ground the least). I don't like heights because I have a fear of falling. But this still is a great ride. Admittedly, we both felt that the one in Florida feels like you tip forward a little more than the one in California, but it still feels really calm and is overall a great ride.

Have fun whatever you decide!

Cool Runnings!
Doc

I'll admit it. I'm a huge wuss when it comes to thrill rides, but I love Soarin'. Definately one of the more enjoyable rides at WDW. Plus, if you get one of the lower two rows, you can laugh as you watch the people in the row above you instintively raise their feet to avoid the trees/water only to realize you've done the same thing.

The first time I went on this ride at DCA, it was so real it made me cry. Honest to goodness real tears of terror. Over time, I've grown to love it. The feeling when you get raised up is pretty stressful, but it's over in seconds. I've learned to look for the hole in the film, and I can glance at it and remind myself that I'm not actually flying when I get too scared.

Actually, when I went on it at WDW, it just made me homesick. :)

I have a pretty big fear of heights also, but I have a tendancy to use that fear for an adrenaline rush though. I like climbing mountains and my first rollercoaster ever was the Aerosmith Rockin' Rollercoaster (none of that gets me over the fear, it's just that being more scared than eveyone else means I get a bigger endorphin/adrenaline rush so by my math, that means those of us who are scared ultimately have more fun than the people who are blase about it!) Soarin', on the other hand, is pretty tame. You go up in the air a little, but it's not bad really, and there aren't any sudden drops or anything like that. Definitely worth trying even if you need to request the back row so you're not too far off the ground... The best view is from the top (front) row though. Good luck and I hope you decide to try it (and I hope/am 99% sure that you'll love it when you do)! Nothing at Disney is too scary. They don't want to ruin the magic by making their guests spend the rest of their day trembling!

Bonus story you can feel free to laugh at me for: when I was 7 (1987) my family took our first trip to WDW and my mom took me on Spaceship Earth. I didn't like that I couldn't see the ride in advance (like from the queue or something) and I didn't trust my mom at all when she was telling me the ride was slow and mellow. I told her that I would never forgive her if it turned out to be a rollercoaster! I was so sure that it was going to be scary that I pretty much missed the whole ride waiting for it to speed up and go into a big scary drop or something!:p Had to go on it again the next day so I could see what I missed. (I have since apologized to my mother for being such a pain when I was little...I'm still working on apologizing for my teenage years!:rolleyes:)

Just as a side note, during the UnDISCOVERed Future World tour, I found out that row 1 goes 40 feet up, 38 feet for row 2, and 36 feet for row 3. :)

I think I need to dispute your math here. You're saying that each row is only 2 feet above the row below, and this just doesn't seem right. I know I'm looking up at the feet in the row above me, so it seems that it's at least 5 or 6 feet difference. I could be wrong, tho.

As to the fear of heights, this attraction actually has two different issues to deal with - the actual height and perceived height caused by the film. If you're up on the ride and look down, you really are quite a ways above the concrete floor, which can be disconcerting. But the illusion of the film is so real that right off the bat I feel like I'm a mile above the Golden Gate Bridge. This for me is not a problem - it's a rush! But if you have a hard time looking out the window on a flight, this might not be the ride for you.

I think I need to dispute your math here. You're saying that each row is only 2 feet above the row below, and this just doesn't seem right. I know I'm looking up at the feet in the row above me, so it seems that it's at least 5 or 6 feet difference. I could be wrong, tho.



When actually riding it, you would think it is farther, but each row is also a little farther back too. When you look at it from the side, it is actually much close than you think. The reason you see the feet is because the top of your chair (the area above where the overhead light thing comes down just before takeoff) is actually is actually overlapping from the row above you.

I tried to recreate a chart of it, but it didn't work. :(

The height off the floor never bothers me, it is the perceived height of flying over the water and the Golden Gate bridge. I need to lean way back at he beginning to make myself feel secure and remind myself I am not really high up, the camera in the movie is. It is a favorite of mine once I remember to breathe and relax.

still don't know...I want to enjoy and not be too scared:(

i'm questioning my math too now... i know row 3 is about 7-10 feet off the ground. i thought row 1 was about 40 feet, but that makes it about 15 feet between rows. unless i'm missing something.

still don't know...I want to enjoy and not be too scared:(
Well... lets look at this another way... if when flying in an airplane, do you sit in the window seat? If so, does the view bother you? If not, then chances are you will not have a problem with Soarin'.

It may be thrilling for you but the scenery may be relaxing as well. Its really a fun sensation.

Well... lets look at this another way... if when flying in an airplane, do you sit in the window seat? If so, does the view bother you? If not, then chances are you will not have a problem with Soarin'.

It may be thrilling for you but the scenery may be relaxing as well. Its really a fun sensation.

plane??? its been 5 years since I flew as well as DH. We were regulars in the air (not thrilled with it but did it) up until then.We are hoping to fly next trip because 18hs and 22 month old equals :eek:....so to answer your question an aisle seat for me:D

I got the nerve to go this last trip,every other trip, I said NO! I hate to fly, will not sit by the window, and I have a huge fear of heights.............but nevertheless, I went. Once we sat down in row 1, my family tricked me by saying it was the lowest of the three rows. I KNEW I was in trouble when the lights went off, and I felt us jolting upwards..........then...........clouds........rush ing clouds......and I totally freaked out! My daughter kept touching my hand and told me to open my eyes.....I was screaming at her to just leave me alone..........I am sure I ruined it for everyone on the ride! I was able to open my eyes for the most part and I was bound and determined to see Disneyland at night at Christmas! I could not stop shaking after we got off. Have made up my mind, I did it once...but never again.......it was a beautiful ride, and the smells were wonderful, but my imagination is just too wild! Once home, I looked on youtube to see what I had missed, and have let my family know that I know we were the highest row! Like I said,,,,I should have listened to Kronk when he said its not for those who are afraid of heights! Will not do it again, but I am soooooooooo glad I did it once! I have heard its the best ride in all of the Kingdom. :rolleyes:

Is there an option where you can stay on the floor and watch the movie - such as for people who can't transfer to the seats? Maybe that'd be something to try for the OP? I honestly have never looked into that.

And gravette -that's mean of your family to do that. I'm all for verbally convincing adults to do things - but 'tricking' them, when they have a real fear (even if I think that fear is unfounded) is just plain mean.

Yeah, it was not a very nice thing to do, and the best part........for years they have known WHY I would not go on it..........so when I do get the nerve...........the could have at least asked for us to sit in row 3.............Youtube it MUCH BETTER!:fez:

Is there an option where you can stay on the floor and watch the movie - such as for people who can't transfer to the seats? Maybe that'd be something to try for the OP? I honestly have never looked into that.

They don't have a way to do that at this time. Also, you would have very limited viewing of the show. The reason it would not be feasible is because once the ride is over, the rows automatically move back to the "pre-flight" position. It would probably take longer for them to get the handicapped visitor out of that area than it would take for the rows to make it back, thus resulting in a "crash landing". I have seen the CMs actually help guests that need assistance into the seats for this ride. Even the park map and guide indicates on Soarin' that the guest must be able to transfer from a wheelchair to the seat in the "plane".

Even the park map and guide indicates on Soarin' that the guest must be able to transfer from a wheelchair to the seat in the "plane".
That totally answers the question! I didn't even think about looking at the symbols on the map!

My mother in law doesn't like heights and hates video screen rides like Star Tours, so we pratically had to force her onto Soarin'.

We knew she'd be fine, and she was, she loved it.

I think overcoming that one fear really gave her a lot of extra bravery, because she went on that trip to ride Everest and Rock 'n Roll Coaster.

She's 71!

My mother in law doesn't like heights and hates video screen rides like Star Tours

I used to love Star Tours and Body Wars, but I also now have problems with most simulator-type rides. I've been told by CM's that it has to do with the way your body perceives motion and, basically, if what you're feeling is even slightly off of what you're seeing, it can make you feel sick. A CM told me that with those old rides like star tours, the video gets slightly out of whack fairly frequently. Sadly I just can't do it anymore. It doesn't make me sick enough to have a personal protein spill, but I just don't like feeling icky... I think Soarin' doesn't do that because what you're feeling (what the simulator is doing) has much less to do with what you're seeing and there's much less sudden movement.