Claustrophobia

[WDWNY]

I get a little claustrophobic in the elevator to get to Astro Orbiter

 

[SueM in MN]

There is/was a warning when entering spaceship earth about claustrophobia. I know because I never thought of it until I read the sign. When you get to the top of the ride, it is rather enclosed, and the ceiling is low. Look for the sign the next time you enter.

yes.
I was thinking of the sign at the top of the ramp that instructs you that the ride car will turn around. (That was added because someone panicked at that point and tried to get out.

Because my daughter can't walk, we board at the exit, so don't see the sign at the entrance. There is not a warning listed on the website.

I am claustrophobic and am OK with Spaceship Earth now, but had issues with it for a long time - something about the combination of dark, the headrest and the voice coming out behind your head.

 

[SueM in MN]

This is a list of attractions people have reported caused claustrophobic feelings (it's from page 2 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread)
This is a list of attractions that guests with claustrophobia, anxiety or panic type symptoms have reported issues with.


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. It is likely not possible, but won't hurt to ask.
• 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 dark 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 and a series of caves; these are dark and can be tight both in width and height. The floors are uneven, which can make the area more disorienting for some people.
• Pirates of the Caribbean waiting area is themed as a connecting set of caves that twist around into different passageways. 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 very 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.mwhike you are inside, you can't see light from outside, which can make some people feel trapped. Inside Space Mountain is the only area that is dark.
• Under the Sea - Journey of the Little Mermaid in New Fantasyland has a series of cave-like passageways to get to the boarding area. Some areas are narrow or have fairly low ceilings. The last part before boarding is quite 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. Parts are dark, which can intensify the feeling of claustrophobia. During one section, you are traveling thru a dinosaur scene. That area is dim and has a musty, earthy smell.
• 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 preshow area is a fairly small room with a fairly low ceiling. People are grouped around computer touchscreens where you 'design' your own car. Guests stay in that room until a door opens that leads into the next waiting room. The line in that second room moves fairly slowly and 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. The extreme darkness of the line may be an issue.
• 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. It is possible to watch other guests riding, which may help with deciding whether or not it will be a problem.
• 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.

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 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.

This is a resource for panic attacks, which may be helpful:
http://psychcentral.com/lib/how-to-halt-and-minimize-panic-attacks/0005992

 

[kandb]

This is a list of attractions people have reported caused claustrophobic feelings (it's from page 2 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread)
This is a list of attractions that guests with claustrophobia, anxiety or panic type symptoms have reported issues with.


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. It is likely not possible, but won't hurt to ask.
• 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 dark 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 and a series of caves; these are dark and can be tight both in width and height. The floors are uneven, which can make the area more disorienting for some people.
• Pirates of the Caribbean waiting area is themed as a connecting set of caves that twist around into different passageways. 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 very 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.mwhike you are inside, you can't see light from outside, which can make some people feel trapped. Inside Space Mountain is the only area that is dark.
• Under the Sea - Journey of the Little Mermaid in New Fantasyland has a series of cave-like passageways to get to the boarding area. Some areas are narrow or have fairly low ceilings. The last part before boarding is quite 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. Parts are dark, which can intensify the feeling of claustrophobia. During one section, you are traveling thru a dinosaur scene. That area is dim and has a musty, earthy smell.
• 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 preshow area is a fairly small room with a fairly low ceiling. People are grouped around computer touchscreens where you 'design' your own car. Guests stay in that room until a door opens that leads into the next waiting room. The line in that second room moves fairly slowly and 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. The extreme darkness of the line may be an issue.
• 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. It is possible to watch other guests riding, which may help with deciding whether or not it will be a problem.
• 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.

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 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.

This is a resource for panic attacks, which may be helpful:
http://psychcentral.com/lib/how-to-halt-and-minimize-panic-attacks/0005992

Thanks for the info Sue. To be honest with you, I never felt claustrophobic in the ride until I read the sign and then started to think about it. I am fine except for when you get to the top, seems kind of confined up there. I am fine at all other parts of the ride.