Avatar Flight of Passage too scary for 4 year old?

[1st*toright]

I knew it was mostly simulated (augmented with some motion) but the simulation worked on me - I "felt" like I was really flying. I think it would have really scared me if I was afraid of heights or didn't like thrill rides - some people can draw a distinction and say "it isn't real, therefore it isn't as scary as Splash", but for me, it was a more intense experience than the "real" drop of Splash. So, I'm reluctant to advise people who don't like thrill rides to ride it.

 

[randumb0]

It depends on the child. My 4 year old loves it and would ride Space Mountain if I let him.

 

[OffToDWD]

Thanks, everyone! Very helpful!!

 

[KimBean]

You do actually drop. Maybe about 8-10 feet. The whole room goes up and down while your personal seat turns from side to side.

I don't understand how this happens. Can you explain more?

Big chicken

 

[ucfknight]

I don't understand how this happens. Can you explain more?

Big chicken

You are in a room with 8 individual motion base seats. One for each person assigned to that room. Each of those bases moves on its own.
All of these bases are mounted on the floor of the room you are in, but the room isn't a solid structure like it seems. The whole room, except the back wall where you place your belongs, is also a motion simulator which can move up and down.

So your individual chair is a motion simulator that mainly twists back and forth.
The whole room is a larger motion simulator that mainly moves up and down.

They combine these motions to make you feel like you are flying. So if on screen you are diving the whole room will be moving down. If you are diving and turning the room is moving down while your individual seat twists. They also have a fan blowing in your face, so as you dive and "pick up speed" they increase the fan to add to the illusion of speed.

Each of the 4 theaters has 6 of these rooms. They are stacked 3 rooms high and 2 rooms across.

 

[bizeemom4]

I think it's too much for a 4 year old.

 

[KimBean]

You are in a room with 8 individual motion base seats. One for each person assigned to that room. Each of those bases moves on its own.
All of these bases are mounted on the floor of the room you are in, but the room isn't a solid structure like it seems. The whole room, except the back wall where you place your belongs, is also a motion simulator which can move up and down.

So your individual chair is a motion simulator that mainly twists back and forth.
The whole room is a larger motion simulator that mainly moves up and down.

They combine these motions to make you feel like you are flying. So if on screen you are diving the whole room will be moving down. If you are diving and turning the room is moving down while your individual seat twists. They also have a fan blowing in your face, so as you dive and "pick up speed" they increase the fan to add to the illusion of speed.

Each of the 4 theaters has 6 of these rooms. They are stacked 3 rooms high and 2 rooms across.

Thank you. This is more info that I had not seen before.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Each of the 4 theaters has 6 of these rooms. They are stacked 3 rooms high and 2 rooms across.

So 192 positions?

To go to the top or middle floor, do you walk up steps or a ramp or similar?

 

[DLgal]

So 192 positions?

To go to the top or middle floor, do you walk up steps or a ramp or similar?

There are steps to the upper levels.

 

[ucfknight]

So 192 positions?

To go to the top or middle floor, do you walk up steps or a ramp or similar?

Yes. 192 seats total if you combine the numbers from all 4 theaters, although at any one time there may be many individual seats that are malfunctioning. The CMs who assign you to a specific room with a specific seat number carry a clipboard which shows them which seats are non-operational so they don't accidentally put a guest there.

After the FP+ / Standby merge you are either sent up a ramp or down a ramp.
Those sent down the ramp are put into rooms on the first level of the theaters.
Those sent up the ramp are put into rooms on the 2nd or 3rd level of the theaters. If you are assigned to one of the 2nd level rooms you don't go up or down from that point to get to the theater as you are at that level when you reach the top of the ramp. Those sent to 3rd level rooms go up steps to reach the 3rd level.

 

[bryanb]

There are no drops like Splash. It's a motion simulator. You will feel like you're dropping (the 3D movie shows a "drop" and the wind will blow more intensely in your face), but you go nowhere on this ride, other than side to side a bit.

You do actually drop. Maybe about 8-10 feet. The whole room goes up and down while your personal seat turns from side to side.

Yeah, oh boy... exactly as you both said. Don't do this on your first ride, but if you have a chance on your second ride, take a moment to look around to the other seats in the theater, and watch just how far they move up and down. Even look behind you at the cubbies where you stored your personal belongings. There's a reason why they tell you to make sure your backpack is completely stowed into the space. Your chair is moving (not like Splash)... but compared to Soarin' it's a lot! It's very impressive.

 

[ucfknight]

Yeah, oh boy... exactly as you both said. Don't do this on your first ride, but if you have a chance on your second ride, take a moment to look around to the other seats in the theater, and watch just how far they move up and down. Even look behind you at the cubbies where you stored your personal belongings. There's a reason why they tell you to make sure your backpack is completely stowed into the space. Your chair is moving (not like Splash)... but compared to Soarin' it's a lot! It's very impressive.

Yep. It is quite impressive to see. And equally impressive is how they've masked it all when you are in the room. You can see the crack in the floor to the right of the person in the following picture. Everything to the left of the crack is actually a part of a large motion simulator and moves up and down. Everything to the right (where the storage bins are) is solid structure. But you wouldn't really know it.

 

[madelyn]

Recently at Disney World with my 10 year old daughter and her 9 year old friend. The 9 year old friend loved FOP but my daughter did not like it. My daughter loves Splash, likes Big Thunder Mountain, Space, and Everest. Has ridden but won't ride ToT again. Isn't fond of Haunted Mansion and Dinosaur. Has not tried Rockin' Rollercoaster. Likes Soarin' and thought Star Tours and the tame version of Mission Space were ok. Have not ridden the other version of Mission Space. The friend who loved FOP wasn't crazy about Everest or Dinosaur. I think darkness may contribute to their dislike of some of those rides. I get motion sickness and did not go on FOP. We only had 3 FP for it so I let my daughter's friend use mine. My sister who usually doesn't get motion sickness felt that FOP didn't make her sick but it might have if the ride was "warm" rather than having a cool breeze. So it really does depend on the child. I don't think any of my kids were tall enough to ride any of the "big" rides at 4 years old but I probably would have waited until they were 6 to 8 years old since they weren't that daring.

 

[Dan Murphy]

There are steps to the upper levels.

Yes. 192 seats total if you combine the numbers from all 4 theaters, although at any one time there may be many individual seats that are malfunctioning. The CMs who assign you to a specific room with a specific seat number carry a clipboard which shows them which seats are non-operational so they don't accidentally put a guest there.

After the FP+ / Standby merge you are either sent up a ramp or down a ramp.
Those sent down the ramp are put into rooms on the first level of the theaters.
Those sent up the ramp are put into rooms on the 2nd or 3rd level of the theaters. If you are assigned to one of the 2nd level rooms you don't go up or down from that point to get to the theater as you are at that level when you reach the top of the ramp. Those sent to 3rd level rooms go up steps to reach the 3rd level.

Thank you both for the good explanation.

 

[Cinderelly911]

Yep. It is quite impressive to see. And equally impressive is how they've masked it all when you are in the room. You can see the crack in the floor to the right of the person in the following picture. That's the everything to the left of the crack moves up and down. Everything to the right (where the storage bins are) is solid structure. But you wouldn't really know it.

Thanks for the picture! I've been trying to envision this! One question ...how do the restraints work? It looks like you just sit/straddle on the little bike things. We got fastpasses for our trip (Yay!) but I'm slightly concerned about my 5 year old son - he did fine on soarin' but I'm worried about the dragon thing.

 

[KateP85]

FWIW, I was actually pretty happy with how "close" the banshee things are to each other for this very purpose. When the restraints came up I needed to reach over to sort of position DD6's arms in a better spot and I could easily do it. The separation factor is definitely a consideration depending on the child, but I did have some level of "closeness" that made me feel a bit better. Not that I could have done anything if he did truly freak out half way through!

That would be my concern, that he would freak out and try to climb out to get to me!

 

[GADisneyDad14]

That would be my concern, that he would freak out and try to climb out to get to me!

Well, for better or worse - there's no getting out once the restraints are on! You're along for the ride at that point.

 

[KateP85]

Well, for better or worse - there's no getting out once the restraints are on! You're along for the ride at that point.

Lol, that is indeed true! But the other guests might hate us; if I've waited up to 4 hours for a ride, I would not want it ruined by the shrieking of a 4-year old trying to get off his banshee! I think I'm glad my little guy is still a bit too short to ride!

 

[friendofeeyore]

Would love to ride, but not this girl. 1st drop I would be screaming my head off & motion sickness also! Love to hear the excitement you experienced.

 

[pooh2001]

I dislike all roller coasters - including splash - so I am going to sit this one out.
I will stick to the boat ride in Avatar land