Soarin' Info For Those With Fear of Heights

Hello all!

We just returned from a week long Diz vacation (fabulous!) and I wanted to pass along a little info to anyone who is afraid of heights.

All the times we have been to Epcot, I have always declined to ride Soarin' because of the warnings about people with a fear of heights not riding. Well, I FINALLY mustered up the courage, even with the signs posted inside and the safety warning, to ride this attraction yesterday morning, and it was great!

I asked the attendant beforehand how high the back row went, and he told me 15 or so feet-just to the bottom of the screen. So I sat in the back and did not have the least bit of anxiety when the ride rose up to this height. As an aside, I had asked before on a previous trip and the cast member told me the back row went up 40 feet! That is not true. I have a severe fear of heights, and I feel that if this ride did not bother me, others with a similar phobia will probably be fine as well. Just be sure to ask for the BACK ROW, THE LOWEST ROW. :thumbsup:

Thank you so much for your post. I have been wanting to try Soarin since it opened. I have actually waited on line and even sat in the seat, but before the ride started, I franticlly asked a CM to be let off. I did this twice :(.

What got to me was thinking 40 feet, 40 feet, over and over in my head. 15 feet sounds doable for me.

My fear of heights is strange, it all depends on how long I will be up in the air. I can do RNRC, TOT, EE and I'm fine. It's Soarin and Dumbo of all things that freak me out. :blush:

I think its great that you posted this information. I too have a fear of heights and sitting in the back row is a MUST for me. :) I always tell the attendant at the front that I have to sit in the back row.
Also, having the people's feet dangle above me makes me feel better :)

Dumbo and the Magic Carpets do me in. I often go with my girls and not my husband (trip with grandma.) They love those two rides and my mom can not do spinning rides. I literally hold my breath and bribe them to keep it down low. Thankfully, I do not think they realize the rockets over the people movers (TTA) are a ride ;) Most times I am able to say we'll get a mickey bar instead of Dumbo and believe it or not they usually jump up and down happy. I'm a lucky mom.

Soarin' I can do, though the "woosh" up into position always takes my breath away. I've rode it a bunch though, probably a dozen times...it is worth it!

I agree with Joannelet about seeing legs. It helps me also. My problem on this ride is not so much how high up I actually am, it's how high I feel like I am. The back row makes me feel better, but when we go over mountains to the plains my stomach goes up into my throat and I get a little dizzy. I ride it anyway and just close my eyes where I need to, but can still enjoy a lot of the ride. And every time I go on it, I get just a little better about being able to keep my eyes open more. Some scenes - no problem at all. Some - still working on. I'm actually hoping riding this will help my fear of heights. We ride it one to three times every trip.

The movie part of the ride didn't bother me at all...I am only concerned about how high I will physically be off the ground. :D If anyone has qualms with the movie, probably just close your eyes when they show the skiers, as that part when you "fly over" the mountain makes it seem like you are high.

As far as actual highness, I was on the end of the row and looked down and realized that you could actually jump down from this height (I'm talking back row here) without serious injury, though I wouldn't recommend it, LOL...that settled my nerves immediately and I was able to enjoy the movie thereafter.:thumbsup:

My wife has a serious fear of hights (me, just a little). We rode twice and she loved it! We were on a middle row both times and unless you make a point to look down, you really don't know how far up you are. 15 feet in the back row is comforting, however...:mickey:

I don't like heights at all & the only part that ever gets too me a little is the opening scene when you come through the clouds & are looking at the Golden Gate Bridge. After that the ride is easy. It's a great ride :mickey:

I, too, am afraid of heights. I actually love Soarin'. The first time I was nervous but now I always want the front row. It is a better experience. I will NOT go on Splash Mountain because of the drop or Tower of Terror either. NO WAY. But Soarin' has become my fave.

I've NEVER had a problem with heights or motion sickness but I avoid Soarin' now because I get the worse case of vertigo on it. I'm totally fine with every other ride (well, except the teacups :ack:) but just can't do Soarin' anymore.

~A~

I am glad you were able to ride it. I cannot I rode it once and it took my breath away! I cannot ride it again, but my kids loved it. DD accidentaly touched my foot when we were in the part of flying over the tops of the trees, I screamed it scared me to death. We are going to WDW in less than 3 weeks and I will skip this ride....:sick:

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Originally Posted by DNS

I agree with Joannelet about seeing legs. It helps me also. My problem on this ride is not so much how high up I actually am, it's how high I feel like I am. The back row makes me feel better, but when we go over mountains to the plains my stomach goes up into my throat and I get a little dizzy. I ride it anyway and just close my eyes where I need to, but can still enjoy a lot of the ride. And every time I go on it, I get just a little better about being able to keep my eyes open more. Some scenes - no problem at all. Some - still working on. I'm actually hoping riding this will help my fear of heights. We ride it one to three times every trip.

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:ditto:

I have a fear of heights, and vertigo, so Soarin should be a no-no, but I love it:cloud9:! The height thing doesn't seem to bother me, maybe because we're in the dark, and strapped in, not sure, and the vertigo only bothers me during the parts where you're 'turning', over the carrier ship for instance, so I close my eyes during those. I've done Soarin two times almost right in a row, have problems with vertigo more the second time around, so I don't do that anymore.

I am petrified of heights and I'm able to do Soarin' in any rows. I actually like not seeing feet and sitting up front.

I am terrified of heights too, but had heard so much about Soarin I got my nerve up and tried it in December....we were in the middle row and I did fine...a few little butterflies but it was well worth it

Thanks everyone for posting. I never realized there were so many of us who are afraid of heights. I too was one who made it all the way inside Soarin' and sat down but was unable to buckle my seatbelt and had to get off before the ride started (twice!). DS(5) finally got me on it saying if I got scared I could hold his hand and close my eyes.

I did ToT ONCE for DH and managed to A) nearly break the hand of DH and some poor woman beside me on the ride by grabbing them and not letting go B) nearly pass out because I held my breath for almost the whole ride and C) down a beer in about 2 minutes (when it usually takes me 30+ minutes) after I was finally able to walk further than the debarking area of the ride where that little bench is. Obviously, I refuse to ride it again :D.