Rides to avoid if you are claustrophobic

[Disneylover99]

I am so glad I just found this thread!

I have never had an issue with claustrophobia until I rode Mission Space last year and had a full on panic attack. I have been thinking about that experience all year.

Yesterday I went to a theme park with tons of roller coasters (which I love). I had mild to moderate panic attacks on all of them. Finally, the last few roller coasters I couldn't even ride. I felt trapped by the restraints (mostly lap bars) and the lack of leg room.

I've rode RnR, SM and EE tons of time. Now I'm guessing I won't be able to handle them. This has got me thinking about restraints on BTM and Splash Mountain. My trip is in three weeks. I hope I'll be okay.

 

[tjmj9801]

I would say RockNRollerCoaster. We stopped just before the exit for a few minutes last time, in an enclosed tunnel, and there's very little room to move in those harnesses. I didn't like the feeling of being trapped at all.

 

[SueM in MN]

Here is a list from post 27 on page 2 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread. You can find that thread near the top of the disABILITIES Board or follow the link in my signature.

At MK:

• Haunted Mansion preshow room is a fairly small room called the Stretching Room. It has “No windows and No doors” (the Ghost Host reminds you of that). After the preshow, guests file into another very dark room for boarding and the space gets gradually narrower and narrower as you get closer to boarding. The doombuggies are a problem for some people because of the darkness, the ‘roof’ of the ride vehicle and the fact that for part of the ride you are going backwards down a ‘hill’. If you want to ride without going thru the Stretching room, talk with the CM at the entrance. you MAY be able to avoid, it, but they are not letting people bypass it very much anymore.
• Stitch’s Great Escape is not ‘tight’, but is dark and some people have problems with the over shoulder harnesses and feeling like they can’t escape. Parts of it are in total darkness.
• Carousel of Progress has a fairly low ceiling is fairly and once the show begins, it is not possible to leave without an emergency stop of the show. I have not heard of anyone having a problem, but the inability to leave may cause a problem for some people.
• Mickey’s Philharmagic and Laugh Floor have preshow ‘gathering’ areas where many guests are congregated to wait for the next show. The spaces are large and if someone has a problem being in the crowd, it is possible to hang back away from the crowd. The CMs will tell guests to keep moving forward and fill in all space, but if the CM tells your group to keep moving forward, just explain why you need to stay back.
• Space Mountain has a ‘tunnel’ with flashing lights that your ride car goes thru at the beginning of the ride. The ride itself is in near total darkness, which some people have issues with. The space rocket itself fits fairly tightly.
• Tom Sawyer’s Island has some narrow passageways to make your way through.
• Pirates of the Caribbean waiting area is themed as a connecting set of caves. It is dim and the ceiling is fairly low. The wait generally is short, so guests pass thru the caves quickly, which minimizes any potential problems. When exiting the attraction, guests go up a steep moving walkway. Guests who are not able to use this use a small elevator to get back to group level.
• Astro Orbitor in Tomorrowland is located above ground level. There is a small elevator to get up and down from the ride.
• Tomorrowland Transit Authority is an elevated tram that gives an overview of Tomorrowland. The track goes into some buildings, including a section going thru Space Mountain. This gives a bit of a Space Mountain overview, but is also extremely dark.

At Epcot:

• Spaceship Earth has a sort of narrow ‘hallway’ that your ride car goes thru at the start of the ride and another that your ride car will go down backward at the end of the ride. Both of those can cause a problem for some people, especially the backwards part near the end. There is an interactive touchscreen experience while going down, which helps.
• Ellen’s Energy Adventure has very large spaces, but some people are bothered by knowing that the ride is long and once it has begun, it can only be stopped in emergency.
• Mission Space has a small room for the preshow. The ride is a small capsule to begin with and the control panel advances toward you once the ride car has closed, making it even smaller. Interestingly, I have problems with claustrophobia and didn’t have a problem on Mission Space. The waiting area and the ride capsule is pretty much identical whether riding the original version or the more 'tame' green version.
• Test Track has a waiting line for both the regular line and the Fastpass line that snakes around quite a bit. The ‘music’ in the queue area includes a lot of clanging and banging sounds that might be a problem for someone with claustrophobia. The preshow area is a fairly small room with a fairly low ceiling. When it is crowded, it may feel more claustrophobic.
• Soarin’ queue is in a large space, but the line may feel very tight because there are high walls on both sides (both Fastpass and regular line). There is an interactive game occurring in the regular line, which means people may be jumping, waving, swaying next to you while playing the game.
• Guests entering the Land with a wheelchair or ECV need to use a small elevator to go from the entrance level down to the level where the food court, Soarin' and Living With the Land are located.
• Nemo ride at Living Seas had a darkened line with a lot of twists and turns. It is seldom busy, so guests move through quickly, which minimizes problems.
• Guests with wheelchairs at the Living Seas need to use a small elevator if they want to go to the second floor of the attraction.
• Sum of All Thrills at Innoventions is a 'design it ypurself' roller coaster. Guests sit in a self contained ride with a tightly fitting restraint and a screen that comes very close to the guest's face while the ride is in motion.
• American Adventure theater is on the second floor of the building. Guests can get up there using an escalator or a flight of stairs. Guests with wheelchairs or ECVs use a small elevator to get up there. When leaving, all guests go down a fairly steep ramp.

At Hollywood Studios

• Voyage of the Little Mermaid has a fairly small room for the preshow area and they do pack guests in quite tightly.
• Twilight Zone Tower of Terror has a preshow in a library with a fairly low ceiling and many people will be in the room for the preshow. The ride car is a fairly large elevator, but the ceiling is fairly low and many people with claustrophobia or anxiety issues have problems with elevators in general.
• Rock N Roller Coaster is a very dark ride, which may cause problems for some people. It also has an over the shoulder restraint.
• Fantasmic waiting line and theater are outside, but some people have difficulty because of the large number of people and the closeness. If you have enough people in your party, they can act as a ‘buffer’ around you to keep a space around you.
• Toy Story Mania is a large space, but at one point of the line, you come to a steep set of stairs which leads to a passageway that goes over the ride track and then another stairway to get back down to board. There are windows in the passageway, but the ceiling is fairly low.
• Star Tours ride is in a fairly small theater with no windows, simulating a small space ship. A movie is shown out the front 'window' and your space ship moves in reaction to what is going on in the movie.
• Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground has some small tunnels for climbing thru that you may want to avoid.

Animal Kingdom:

• It’s Tough to Be a Bug has a low ceiling in the preshow area that simulates being underground. The theater itself is large, but some guests with claustrophobia may have difficulty with the the darkness and the fact that things are happening to you - some of them poking you in the back or bottom.
• Dinosaur has a tunnel sort of area that the ride cars go thru to be sent back to the past. Once in ‘the past’ , the attraction very dark, some in almost total darkness. There is a set of stairs in the boarding area. Guests who are not able to use the stairs use a small elevator to get to the boarding area.

The best way to avoid crowded preshows is to go during less busy times and to use touring plans, which will help you to be in the least crowded part of the least crowded park.

 

[LilyWDW]

I would say RockNRollerCoaster. We stopped just before the exit for a few minutes last time, in an enclosed tunnel, and there's very little room to move in those harnesses. I didn't like the feeling of being trapped at all.

Same thing happened with me. I was fine before we started and fine during the ride. But sitting there, stuck by the restraints, and hearing the next car on the ride... nearly a full blown panic attack. The thought that I would not be able to escape and the next car was going to hit us was what got to me. Not sure I will go on it again.

I have never been on Mission:Space because I know it would be a bad idea. I have seen video and it was WAY too confined for me. To give an idea, I hate elevators and being stuck in the middle of large crowds. I can handle being on the outside of a crowd (for example, for HM I simply find a wall so I can't be surrounded).

 

[Order66]

I guess it depends on how severe this is for you. There are several rides at WDW that crowd a bunch of people into a pre-show room and shut the door. PP's have mentioned Haunted Mansion, but they also do this at Rockn' Rollercoaster, Tower of Terror and Test Track that I can think off at the moment.

My issue with this is fairly mild. I don't panic but I start to get uncomfortable. I have issues more with being alone in a closed room, such as at the DR office I ask them to leave the door open while I'm waiting. I feel I have an escape....so I'm fine. Once the DR comes in and I'm interacting with someone....I'm OK. I also have issues with being crowded when I can't leave the spot I'm in. Such as at work when someone is hovering over me too closely and I have to stay where I'm at. I have to ask them to step back a bit and then I'm OK. The above mentioned pre-shows don't bother me because I can stand towards the back away from the crowding masses of people and I also feel OK because I can move around to get away if someone crowds me to closely. If your issues are more severe, you may not like these either.

regards

 

[tjmj9801]

Same thing happened with me. I was fine before we started and fine during the ride. But sitting there, stuck by the restraints, and hearing the next car on the ride... nearly a full blown panic attack. The thought that I would not be able to escape and the next car was going to hit us was what got to me. Not sure I will go on it again.

Oh I forgot about that happening to us the last time we rode. I could hear the car behind us and just prayed it would stop at the straightaway with all the lights and signs. This was our DD6's first trip where she could ride it and between me and DH, she rode it 9 times! The last one was the only time we stopped there for a while and I don't know how I would have reacted had it been longer.

 

[larryz]

What rides should I avoid in the MK if I am claustrophobic?

If you're also hagiophobic, I would advise that you avoid the Christmas parade...

 

[msjprincess]

Mission Space is the worst. I got stuck on it for over 45 minutes once after it first opened. It was horrible.

 

[Disneylover99]

Mission Space is the worst. I got stuck on it for over 45 minutes once after it first opened. It was horrible.

45 minutes?????I'm starting to hyperventilate just thinking about that!

 

[brios86]

Mission Space is the worst. I got stuck on it for over 45 minutes once after it first opened. It was horrible.

I would die. Mission Spaces IS the reason I am claustrophobic.

 

[Disneylover99]

I would die. Mission Spaces IS the reason I am claustrophobic.

Me too! I believe Mission Space caused my claustrophobia as well.

I was reading about it last night. Claustrophobia is not hereditary, it is triggered from an experience where you feel trapped. About 20percent of people begin to experience claustrophobia after having an MRI.

 

[bearlyanne]

You can still do the Haunted Mansion. Just ask to enter thru the handicapped/chicken doors. Let the Cast Member know that you want to avoid the stretching room and you will be able to walk past it. That should take care of the bottleneck issues too, because you can time it so you aren't merging with a stretching room releasing the people into the line

 

[ADisneyQueen]

I got a little claustrophobic in the waiting area for it's tough to be a bug(AK). You are in a dark cave like area and the ceilings are low. They kept cramming more and more people in there and the a/c wasn't working well. When it's stuffy that sets me off.
Also, standing near the castle between the parade and wishes sometimes the crowds don't move and that can be scary when you are right up against huge crowds of people standing still and it's hot out.

 

[ArwenMarie]

To the OP, if you are really worried about this, it might be worth talking to your doctor about a Rx for Xanax or another short-acting anti-anxiety med, should you find yourself in a situation where you start to panic or feel claustrophobic. Any ride can break down as well, so just avoiding some rides isn't really the answer if you are prone to this. Sometimes just knowing you have a rescue med in case you need it is enough. Just make sure you test the dose at home first so you know it doesn't make you too sleepy. Just a thought! GL and I hope you have a great trip.

 

[indianalynn]

I, too, am clausterphobic and it gets worse every year. The thing that bothers me the most is the plane ride there!! My fear stems from being in a small space and having no way out. I have to sit in the front of the plane close to the exit. Then it's not so bad. I totally bypass Mission:Space. HM elevator ride isn't too bad. Sometimes I get a little twichy when I go on Star Tours. You get funneled into those smallish rooms and they lock you in for the ride. I'm OK if I'm on an end. I'm OK with Spaceship Earth as long as it keeps moving. I don't like feeling like I'm stuck!!!

 

[Arsenal1982]

I'm a mild to light claustrophobic and TOT at DHS has gotten close to pushing my limits. The drops combined with elbows bumping and tight seating space is enough to do it. The last time I rode it I was sweating massively when I got off and was about 3 seconds from puking if not for a coke that I bought immediately after getting off.

 

[MournNStar]

Rides/shows that have the fog/smoke really bug me, like Stitch at MK and It's Tough To Be A Bug at AK. I feel like I can't breathe.

 

[Cindy-rella]

Mission Space is the worst. I got stuck on it for over 45 minutes once after it first opened. It was horrible.

Wow, that is what I am scared of. We were delayed between five and ten minutes, and I can't get over that!

 

[orangefan15]

I got a little claustrophobic in the waiting area for it's tough to be a bug(AK). You are in a dark cave like area and the ceilings are low. They kept cramming more and more people in there and the a/c wasn't working well. When it's stuffy that sets me off.

I'm not claustrophobic, but I agree with this one hands down. That area is just dark, with relatively low ceilings, and walls jutting out, and lots of people... its plain old uncomfortable in there.

 

[pigletto]

Me too! I believe Mission Space caused my claustrophobia as well.

I was reading about it last night. Claustrophobia is not hereditary, it is triggered from an experience where you feel trapped. About 20percent of people begin to experience claustrophobia after having an MRI.

This. I was a little uncomfortable in tight spaces until one incident at Disney. We got stuck on Splash Mountain and I was wedged because the bar was pushed tight and I still had my park bag on (crossbody). All it took was one thought.. "Hmm.. I wonder if I could get out of here if I needed to?". When the answer was "No" I had a panic attack. I wasn't just anxious or worried, I had a fullscale panic attack. It is a horrible feeling. I was aware people were around me so I attempted to be quiet about it but I was hyperventilating. Blech

The rest of that trip I avoided anything at all that had restraints.

It's been years and 3 trips since then so there are many rides I made myself do, and once I had a positive experience I could go on them again.
There are a few I will never attempt.. Mission Space and The Sum of All Thrills.
The rest are varying degrees of fine. I did ask to leave Star Tours before it started once and they were very good about it.

The only other place I have a really hard time is the plane so I do get medication for that. It's the only place I use the meds, and I am grateful for them because it was getting really bad.

But honestly it all started from one small incident. It had never been an issue before that.

ETA) My issues stem from feeling "trapped" in restraints mostly. I am ok with things like HM, or It's Tough to Be a Bug etc because I can see the way out and could get there if needed. It's all about perceived freedom for me. The plane is hard because once those doors close I am not getting off until we land and it's completely out of my control. I realize it's mostly a matter of mind tricks but I am ok unless I am actually physically being restrained. So I'd even be fine on Star Tours but it's the combination of the doors being closed and the locking seat belt.