Getting rid of the "dropping sensation" fear...

[missminniemouse]

One "trick" I find helpful for Splash is to look out over the great view of the park at the top of the drop, rather than looking down. By the time you've finished soaking in the view, you'll be at the bottom and possibly soaked yourself!

Personally, I love both Splash and ToT. My DD11 is deathly afraid of trying ToT, so I'm looking for some good hints to get her over her fears.

 

[Grumpy_Disney_Dad]

I have the same stomach drop feeling on ToT but the last trip I made, I found a sure fire cure for it. Board the ride with my DD10 and DM58. They both didnt want to go on the ride but I made DD so DM went along with us. When DD got scared and DM found out about it, DM dug her newly manicured nails into the soft part of my arm for the entire ride. As much as my arm hurt, I did nt even have time to THINK about my stomach. If you want to try this method, I will gladly let you borrow my DM for your next trip

Edited to add: DD10 loved the ride after it was over, DM had to get a new manicure and i had to go to first aid to get a band aid for the holes in my arm

 

[JRMPoppins]

ToT is such a slick, Disney-produced experience that it doesn't even seem the same as other free-fall rides, which I have found jerky and awkward. ToT is smooth and not as bad while still being exciting and producing a great back-story of haunting fun.

If you are scared, don't do what this random woman did sitting next to me the first time I rode it in 2000. She clamped down on my arm the whole time! After the ride was over she realized it and apologized profusely.

 

[JRMPoppins]

Only clamp down on someone you know.

 

[KimR]

A couple of martinis at Brown Derby did the trick for me.

 

[Dis-Wiz]

I remember I went on ToT when I was 6 yo. and was terrified to go on it again! At least until this past summer. I was forced on by some friends from the DIS , and I am so glad they made me go on! It really wasn't as bad as I thought/remembered.

I was terrified! Completely! I was shaking uncontrolably and thought I was going to freak out! LOL. But, it felt SO good when it ended, and I realized that it was actually an AWESOME ride! Of course, I screamed the entire time (unknowingly) and I think it took some of the feeling away.

Also, a piece of advice I don't has been mentioned yet, is to LEAN BACK! On both Splash and ToT. The best thing to do is put your hands up (almost completely gets rid of the feeling), but I still have not built up the courage to do that yet .

The further back you lean on Splash, the less of a stomach feeling you get. I love Splash Mountain SO much, and could never go to WDW without going on it! I have gotten so used to the drop now, that I can actually stage a certain pose for the picture. (Like last time, I pretended I was asleep. Stupid, I know, ROFL! )

With each of the 8 years that I went to WDW without going on ToT, I kept thinking that if I went on it, I would get sick, because I couldn't stand that feeling. Had I known that Splash Mt. had more of a stomach feeling than ToT (which it does, at least for me), then I would have gone on ToT in a heart beat!

Good luck with conquering your fear! I promise it is totally worth it!

 

[Rustysmom]

The TOT is our DS's favorite ride. He's got an odd form of CP, and has low muscle tone and is quite under-reactive ... practically, this means the rougher the ride the more he enjoys it; he's also a big fan of BTMR, EE, MS and TT.

My DS has PDD and low muscle tone too and maybe that's why he loves rides like this. You know that kiddie ride they have at Six Flags where you sit in a row of seats and it goes up tot he top and drops and then goes up and down several more times? He loves that so much. I would probably throw up on it. I can't wait to get him on ToT.

 

[LPZ_Stitch!]

My DS has PDD and low muscle tone too and maybe that's why he loves rides like this. You know that kiddie ride they have at Six Flags where you sit in a row of seats and it goes up tot he top and drops and then goes up and down several more times? He loves that so much. I would probably throw up on it. I can't wait to get him on ToT.

We have something like that in a couple of local parks, it's called a "Frog Hopper" around here. I goes up and then "bounces" back down a little at a time.

DS loved that, too!

 

[LibertyLover]

I'm glad to know I'm not the only one with problems riding ToT. I can do Splash and EE, but those drops are at an angle. The drop in ToT is straight up and down and my stomach does not like it at all. FWIW, I'm the same way in regular elevators. When I worked in New York City, the offices I worked in tended to be on the top floors of 25 and 30 story buildings. Sometimes the elevators would drop quickly and my stomach didn't like that either. I've ridden ToT 3 times and, as far as I'm concerned at the moment, will not ride it again. I've done it, I don't like it and don't need to ride it to feel like I've experienced WDW in toto. But I hope that for those who want to ride ToT and have problems, that they can find a solution.

 

[wdwnut4life]

I remember I went on ToT when I was 6 yo. and was terrified to go on it again! At least until this past summer. I was forced on by some friends from the DIS , and I am so glad they made me go on! It really wasn't as bad as I thought/remembered.

I was terrified! Completely! I was shaking uncontrolably and thought I was going to freak out! LOL. But, it felt SO good when it ended, and I realized that it was actually an AWESOME ride! Of course, I screamed the entire time (unknowingly) and I think it took some of the feeling away.

Also, a piece of advice I don't has been mentioned yet, is to LEAN BACK! On both Splash and ToT. The best thing to do is put your hands up (almost completely gets rid of the feeling), but I still have not built up the courage to do that yet .

The further back you lean on Splash, the less of a stomach feeling you get. I love Splash Mountain SO much, and could never go to WDW without going on it! I have gotten so used to the drop now, that I can actually stage a certain pose for the picture. (Like last time, I pretended I was asleep. Stupid, I know, ROFL! )

With each of the 8 years that I went to WDW without going on ToT, I kept thinking that if I went on it, I would get sick, because I couldn't stand that feeling. Had I known that Splash Mt. had more of a stomach feeling than ToT (which it does, at least for me), then I would have gone on ToT in a heart beat!

Good luck with conquering your fear! I promise it is totally worth it!

The Splash drop is a but scary but I need to stop ducking in the pic! I luv Splash & am riding it @ Disneyland in July w/my friends!

 

[Tink422]

I rode TT 2 years ago for the first time. I was scared because I hate the dropping sensation. I found out that when I scream, I feel better and don't feel the stomach in your throat sensation. Believe me, I wasn't the only one screaming on that ride. My husband was laughing so hard at me the entire ride. He though it was hysterical that I was screaming like a little kid. Hey it got me through it and I'm a big TT fan now.

 

[leahlovesdisney]

Hi everyone! Its been quite a while, but I just wanted to say thanks for the tips and wanted to add a few things!

My DSis said she always hated the sensation...until she started holding her breath down the drop?? I'm pretty sure I don't remember anyone saying this, but does it actually work? I first thought that sounded kind of weird with everyone saying you should exhale...but has anyone tried holding their breath? Did it work?

Second thing...how bad/big are the "little" drops on Splash Mountain? Like the one in the dark, before the final plunge? I've seen some people talk about this one...my stomach does worse in the dark (I've been on Jurassic Park at IOA... )!

 

[Disney.07.FOREVER]

ToT scares me but I love the feeling of dropping. Just hold onto the handles and scream as loud as you like!