Getting over fear of Tower of Terror

[Kakikomori]

I know that this is kind of an odd request for a strategy, but there's a part of me that really wants to experience the show part of the Tower of Terror, but the screaming, heart-pounding fear of the falling part is bigger.

Anyone have any suggestions for dealing with the ride? Something like what I learned for roller coasters last time--if you plant your feet and sit back in the seat, you move with the car. With that, I actually enjoyed Expedition Everest.

 

[Figaro972]

I used to be afraid of this ride also but then I saw a show some years ago about how the ride actually works and that got me over the fear. It was one of those "behind the scenes" shows on the travel channel.

if its a heights fear just close your eyes. you only see outside for a second. if you really just want to see the show though you could always take the exit out before you get on the elevator.

it really is a fun ride though. good luck.

 

[bookgirl]

ToT was the only ride I went to Disney saying I wouldn't ride. I do not like the feeling of 'jumpin' off something. I'm fine if the falling is part of a series of motions like rollercoasters and I've done the catapult type of bungies, but I have no desire to do an actual bungie and I won't dive off a swimming tower or do the Texas Cliffhanger type of rides.

However I got shamed into it because the little old lady I was walking with was talking about how it's her favorite and when she asked me if I was riding I said no because I didn't like things that jerked or the falling effect. She said it was all overstated and it was a great ride. I kept thinking about what she said and saw young kids going and frankly I kinda couldn't stand that I was wimping out so I did it.


LOVED IT! Really probably my favorite ride. I think if you do the sitting back and keeping your feel planted thing you'll be fine.

As a caveat, I will say that I'm not afraid of heights so it does not bother me to look out and see myself way far from the ground, if you have a problem with height you might not like this as you do get a pretty good look out before you start to drop and you are pretty high and ground is really far away.

 

[Kakikomori]

It's not so much the heights that bother me, it's the falling, and falling straight down. The looking out of the top of the ride is actually one of the parts I want to see.

It does seem kind of silly that the backwards part of EE didn't phase me at all, but sitting in a chair and falling down scares the heck out of me. But, I knew the backwards part was coming because of the info channel in the room. I watched a video on youtube and was a little freaked out just looking at it. I suppose the randomness also plays a part.

Thanks for the suggestions so far. I'll take a look around for some technical information on the ride.

The next challenge would be to see if I could work myself up to the Rock n Roller Coaster. On that one, it's the speed and upside-down that have me freaked out.

 

[TaraPA]

ToT terrifies me. Yet it's one of my favorite rides that I can't miss. To me it's a true thrill ride - I actually scream & cry through the whole thing (with the pictures to prove it!) yet I continue to get right back on & ride again. You might find you feel the same way once you try it. I think the suggestions here are good, watch some You Tube videos, maybe that will reassure you (or persuade you not to ride).

Now RnRC - ugh, you can keep that one - I rode it once & hated every second of it. I don't get motion sick but almost tossed my cookies on that one, and had a headache for about an hour after!

 

[becky23]

I ride it everytime and as I have gotten older (43) is more scary.it is the anticipation of the drop that gets to me. I always make promises to God on that ride.lol

 

[dgaston]

As I get older (60 and counting), ToT is scarier for me. I repeat my mantra "Mickey doesn't want to hurt me and give my family millions," and try to let my body figure out whether we're going up or down. If you have a lanyard or necklace on, it will float up -- that's kind of cool to watch for. Also remember that the ride is designed to scare you. It has Terror in the name for a reason. Bless those imagineers. The best drop sequences begin with a short drop right at the beginning.

HTH

 

[TaraPA]

I ride it everytime and as I have gotten older (43) is more scary.it is the anticipation of the drop that gets to me. I always make promises to God on that ride.lol

LOL me too!

I actually have tears when I get off that ride every time...and as I wipe them away & the gang asks "want to ride again?" I'm shaking my head yes!

Once they made me not hold on during ToT. Never. Again. It's a total free falling feeling which I hated! I grip those little handles like my life depends on it!

 

[blestmom]

I avoided going on Tower of Terror with my kids. But this last trip, my son and I rode it. It was fun! What helped was watching YouTube videos so that I knew when to expect the drop. That made it less scary.

 

[TaraPA]

I don't share this pic with many...but I want to show you what sheer terror looks like - it's blurry because it's a pic I took of the screen when you exit - of the pic they took of you on the ride. Notice how everyone has their arms up in the air & is laughing & smiling....except me...in the blue shirt in the front middle....I am gripping the handles so hard I can see my muscles & veins in my arm bulging!!

 

[Kakikomori]

Thank you for sharing, Tara. I can't imagine what a 6'5" big guy would look like doing the same thing.

 

[bumbershoot]

You aren't *falling*.

You are *being pulled*.


Makes all the difference in the world to me. I won't go on the rides where you are falling and they have to apply the brakes to get you to stop. But in this ride, if the motor fails, the ride stops, because the motor is *pulling* you down.

And while the height thing gets to me while looking out on the park, when I realize how many steps I would have to take to actually GET to the opening and then have a risk of falling, I realize that the fear is completely false; I will not fall out of that opening because it's so relatively far away.

 

[Robin K]

Tara-
I am the same way! I grip the handles so tight I think my fingers are going to be stuck one of these times. Once I was squeezing "the handle" and it turned out to be a older gentleman's pinky finger!

OP-
The first time I rode-I was told to get a coin or something small. Keep it on my knee and focus on it. The forces of the ride make the coin look like its floating. It doesn't go up and down like people do. It was kinda cool watching that and not worrying about "dying"...

It's one of my favorite rides now!
Good luck

 

[DisneyFamily123]

Great Thread! Thanks for sharing that picture TaraPA! That was me without the screaming! Did TOT with DS when he was age 4 and 5. Both times I held on for my life! Left hand on the handle, right hand across DS... pushing my back against the seat and my feet against the floor in a lame attempt to brace myself. I made excuses for not going on TOT this past September.... but we are going to WDW again in a few days and I promised myself I'll take DS (now 6) on it. DW will not get on TOT at all. I'm DH

 

[dprincessmom]

Getting told by my 5 year old (immediately after riding for the first time) that she would hold her hand is what my sister needed. She's not one for the jerky rides and my daughter assured her it was two big drops (the luck of the draw in the sequence).

On we go, loaded in, everything great. Everyone having a good time and then the drop, and the stop and the rise and the drop and the stop and the rise - the second time we rode it we ended up on the 7 drop cycle. My sister was ok with it and actually ended up liking it.

She was thinking freefall (6 flags type of jerking) but this didn't bother her.

***Also, if you decide to take the "chicken" exit know that is an elevator also. When my niece was little she thought we were tricking her to go on the ride when we did rider swap.

 

[kaligal]

I know that this is kind of an odd request for a strategy, but there's a part of me that really wants to experience the show part of the Tower of Terror, but the screaming, heart-pounding fear of the falling part is bigger.

Anyone have any suggestions for dealing with the ride? Something like what I learned for roller coasters last time--if you plant your feet and sit back in the seat, you move with the car. With that, I actually enjoyed Expedition Everest.

If you're that scared, just don't ride it. Easy peasy.

If you want to ride it, then do that. But if you have to analyze and ask for strategies and have "screaming, heart-pounding fear", then just avoid it.

Vacation is supposed to be fun! Go with the fun. Avoid the stress and the screaming, heart-pounding fear.

That's my advice.

 

[Kakikomori]

***Also, if you decide to take the "chicken" exit know that is an elevator also. When my niece was little she thought we were tricking her to go on the ride when we did rider swap.

I did that on the last trip. I actually thought it was kind of neat to see a little bit of background stuff. Though, I did feel kind of silly watching all of the little kids filing past me while I waited.

Also, I think the concept of being pulled vs. just falling is helping me. Imagining a motor or a really fast elevator is a lot better than free-falling for sure.

 

[dvcHammer]

I am terrified of TOT but ride it every trip as long as the line is short or we have a fastpass.
I always tell myself the following as I get in the elevator:

1. Disney would not kill me on purpose.
2. Small children ride this and love it.
3. If it was malfunctioning in any way, Disney would shut it down immediately.

Always a great ride, then it's time for a beer!

 

[Kakikomori]

Ok, so I've decided to test my boundaries on this trip. On the evening that I arrive, I'm going to do Big Thunder (which closes the next day) and Splash Mountain.

I guess that will also count as preparation for ToT the next day at HS. With the idea of being pulled vs. falling and the knowledge that Disney won't kill me on purpose I should be able to handle it. I still don't think I'll do the RnR coaster though.

 

[Cap'nJack'sMum]

For me the most terrifying part is right after the show ends and they wheel you in front of the doors. The wait between that point and the first drop almost kills me. I literally feel like I'm going to die!!

The thing that I found that works for me is, on the first drop....SCREAM!!! I don't care if you're a kid or a 6'3" man, it helps. I told my DD (11) the same thing because she was terrified, too. Now she begs to go on TOT. We call it the Cathartic Elevator from H*ll. After screaming at every drop, you feel totally at peace as you run to the line again.