Flight of Passage with child with disability

[Burgermom]

My DD7 has a ASD and a global developmental delay and has difficulty following and understanding directions. She sometimes has sensory issues but it is really inconsistent and difficult to predict what will bother her.
I was wanting to try Flight of Passage with her. She meets height requirements and does not have any physical limitations but my memory from riding it a few years ago is that the seat situation is a bit complicated. Has anyone had any luck physically assisting their child to sit in the seat? Will the staff allow me a minute to help her get settled into the seat before getting in mine? Does she have to wear the 3D glasses? (she has difficulty tolerating them sometimes).
If I can't get her successfully into the seat or she becomes upset will the cast members allow me to do a child swap situation (so if I or my husband have to leave with her will they allow me to return at a later time?)
Any tips to increase my success would be greatlyappreciated. I think if we can overcome the seating situation she will likely enjoy the ride.
TIA

 

[EmilyGahr]

You can certainly help her get situated in the seat, but all of the restraints won't close until you are seated as well. Will she remain seated until the restraints close without you standing there with her?
To play it safe, I would ask for rider swap before you get in line, just in case you'll need it! I'm not if the cast members on the ride can assist with that, as it's usually the cast members at the beginning of the queue that handle rider swap.

 

[lanejudy]

Can you let her try the practice seat to get the feel of it? Maybe try a couple of times -- once helping her and staying by her side, next time standing nearby but allowing her to remain on the seat alone.

 

[redberyl]

My daughter does not like 3D glasses, she rode fop twice our last trip without the glasses

 

[SueM in MN]

Has anyone had any luck physically assisting their child to sit in the seat? Will the staff allow me a minute to help her get settled into the seat before getting in mine? Does she have to wear the 3D glasses? (she has difficulty tolerating them sometimes).
If I can't get her successfully into the seat or she becomes upset will the cast members allow me to do a child swap situation (so if I or my husband have to leave with her will they allow me to return at a later time?)
Any tips to increase my success would be greatlyappreciated. I think if we can overcome the seating situation she will likely enjoy the ride.

I agree with the suggestion to try the ride vehicle outside with her. The restraints include a back piece and some pieces that come up behind the calves. The trial seat outside can’t lock the restraints in place, but the CM stationed there can raise them up to give an idea of how it works and how it will feel. Your daughter could also get an idea of how to get into the seat and get into position.
The preshows also have illustrations of people getting into position on the ride vehicle and the restraints coming up and locking in place.

My daughter can’t walk, so we need to lift her onto the ride vehicle and get her settled. We had ample time and have seen other people getting their children settled before getting into position themselves. The CM makes sure everyone is correctly seated before engaging the restraints and the ride will not start until everyone is in place.
If your daughter can’t get into position or decides not to ride before the CM leaves the room after locking the restraints, you will be able to leave. I have seen people decide to leave at that point - the CM unlocked their restraints and they were directed out.
Guests who leave without riding are directed to continue thru the ride room to a waiting room right outside of the ride room. The rest of your group can ride and will come thru that room after they are done.

If your daughter is certain she doesn’t want to ride before you actually enter the queue, you can ask for Rider Switch at that point. They may have you continue into the queue since she is tall enough or might put Rider Switch on your ticket.
If she decides not to ride at the end of the ramp where guests are assigned to preshow rooms, tell the CM there that you want to do Rider Switch - they will likely have you continue into the preshows, but assign 3 members of your party to one number to stand on.
If she isn’t sure, I would suggest not mentioning until you’ve actually finished the preshow and are proceeding into the ride room. That way, she will be assigned a ride seat and you can leave if she decides not to ride.

Expect that the person waiting with her will be directed to ride right after the rest of your group finishes riding. Also expect you may have to go thru the preshow again before riding.

As others mentioned, wearing the 3D glasses is not required; it may be disorienting not to wear them since everything will be blurry. Some other things to be aware of - it’s loud, so earplugs may be a good idea. Guests are also splashed with water in at least one point and will feel air breezes at times. The most immersive part is feeling the Ikran breathing under you - especially at the points where it’s perched on rocks ‘resting’.The leg restraints hold your legs in contact with the Ikran

 

[Burgermom]

Thanks so much everyone, really helpful. I'm not sure if she will be able to understand the point of trying out the vehicle (the demo outside) ahead of time but I might have my son demonstrate for her so she has an idea of what it looks like (she's very visual). Seeing how it works ahead of time will also give me a sense of whether it will be something she can tolerate. I think mostly we will have to see how it goes on the day. Hope for the best! But all this info is really helpful to know ahead so thank you!

 

[Lilsia]

You are basically trapped in the seat, which is like a motorbike style, where you are straddling it. If she has any issues at all being trapped, then she might not like it. There is no stopping or getting up during the whole ride, which is 4.5 minutes long. It is probably ones of the most realistic feeling 3D rides, IMO. When you swoop down, even though technically you are not moving much, it FEELS like you are. Oh, and this ride also has wind constantly blowing in your face, which bothers some people. I put my hands over that area where the wind comes out but that means that you are not holding onto the handles. It also has a couple of times where things pop out at you that can be scary.
So to break it down, you are physically trapped in the seat, constant wind blowing in your face, very motion sickness inducing, and intense at times to younger people. I have seen many younger kids start to cry on the ride. So if any of these will be issues for your child, I recommend waiting until they are older. 7 is pretty young for that ride, even without your child's added issues. I know that you will get other opinions, these are just mine from my experience and observations.

 

[MomOTwins]

You are basically trapped in the seat, which is like a motorbike style, where you are straddling it. If she has any issues at all being trapped, then she might not like it. There is no stopping or getting up during the whole ride, which is 4.5 minutes long. It is probably ones of the most realistic feeling 3D rides, IMO. When you swoop down, even though technically you are not moving much, it FEELS like you are. Oh, and this ride also has wind constantly blowing in your face, which bothers some people. I put my hands over that area where the wind comes out but that means that you are not holding onto the handles. It also has a couple of times where things pop out at you that can be scary.
So to break it down, you are physically trapped in the seat, constant wind blowing in your face, very motion sickness inducing, and intense at times to younger people. I have seen many younger kids start to cry on the ride. So if any of these will be issues for your child, I recommend waiting until they are older. 7 is pretty young for that ride, even without your child's added issues. I know that you will get other opinions, these are just mine from my experience and observations.

I was about to type almost the exact same thing.

I don't see how trying out the seat on display outside the ride would help. It's not the seat itself that is problematic but rather being clamped/locked in place, separated from your parent unable to reach each other, then the lifelike feeling of flying/falling, getting sprayed by water, and the jump scare bits.

For me, we haven't taken our DS6 with ASD yet even though he qualified for the height ages ago (he is very tall for his age) because he likes to have the reassurance of me or my husband sitting next to him on rides to hold him if he gets anxious. It is a very intense ride from a sensory perspective.

 

[DisneyOma]

You can certainly help her get situated in the seat, but all of the restraints won't close until you are seated as well. Will she remain seated until the restraints close without you standing there with her?
To play it safe, I would ask for rider swap before you get in line, just in case you'll need it! I'm not if the cast members on the ride can assist with that, as it's usually the cast members at the beginning of the queue that handle rider swap.

If they request rider swap, then the child isn't eligible to ride, is she? You can ask for it at the actual ride vehicle if she won't ride, but if you do it before you get in the queue, then how is she going to try to ride?

 

[Burgermom]

I'm thinking i will probably have her sit this one out. My 10 year old really wants to ride it so I might send him to ride it with his dad while I grab a little treat or something with my daughter or maybe ride Navi and walk around a bit. I don't want to ruin her day by trying something that will just be uncomfortable for her. It's the not being able to be close to her that concerns me the most TBH.

 

[Lilsia]

I'm thinking i will probably have her sit this one out. My 10 year old really wants to ride it so I might send him to ride it with his dad while I grab a little treat or something with my daughter or maybe ride Navi and walk around a bit. I don't want to ruin her day by trying something that will just be uncomfortable for her. It's the not being able to be close to her that concerns me the most TBH.

For what it is worth, I think that you made the right decision. The ride is not going anywhere and will still be there in a few year. I can only ride this one once per trip because it is so intense. My nephew was 8 when he rode it and he came off crying.

 

[RoseGold]

FOP might not be a great idea. It doesn’t have an easier accesible option like a bench seat, which is baffling considering how new this ride is.

Maybe you could show her some videos on YouTube and talk through whether she thinks she can handle the seating.

 

[pregnantw4thprincess]

I'm thinking i will probably have her sit this one out. My 10 year old really wants to ride it so I might send him to ride it with his dad while I grab a little treat or something with my daughter or maybe ride Navi and walk around a bit. I don't want to ruin her day by trying something that will just be uncomfortable for her. It's the not being able to be close to her that concerns me the most TBH.

It would be the trapped thing for me. I remember when Stitch’s Great Escape was still a thing, I didn’t know what the experience would be like. I took my oldest, then 5y old on it. They were terrified! Stuck in that harness, absolutely traumatic - even for a NT kid - I actually had us both slide down and out of the seat and we left the show. I wasn’t even chastised by CM - that was not long before they shut it down. What a terrible attraction.

I digress (ADHD much?). If you aren’t already doing so, consider watching YouTube videos with your 7y old and gauging her reaction. Talk about the sensations that the ride gives you. Unsure what her method(s) of communication is/are, but as her parent, I am sure you will know whether or not she understands what to expect. And whether or not she rides this time, she will get to experience the video version, which will add to the experience of the land itself!

 

[Disturbia]

Have you tried Soarin? That would simulate the height and speed (although FOP is slightly more intense with drops/turns; and you can hold hands).