How to get the middle on Soarin

[mdmama76]

We haven't seen the new Soarin yet but I see people saying you want to be in the middle to avoid the bend effect. How do you accomplish this? Is there a specific section to aim for in the queue?

 

[twodogs]

I think it is B1. We always just nicely ask the CM when we are being hearded into the cues if we can wait for B1. It sometimes results in a wait of one whole “show” which is about 5 extra minutes. It also sometimes generates a somewhat irritated look from the CM, but not always. I think for the new Soarin’, the middle section (even if not in the first row of it) is more important than the old Soarin, because otherwise the Eiffel Tower is curved!

 

[Robo]

To step back a bit...
since I know, going in that the Eiffel tower is going to look "bent" if I'm not in the center,
I just think, "Yup, that Eiffel tower sure looks bent." and that's about the amount it really affects my day.

It's not a positive, but as Disney things go, it's certainly not a game-changer.

 

[10CJ]

Ask if you can wait for B1.

 

[ninafeliz]

I know the middle technically looks much better. Having said that, i’ve Just chosen to do what Robo said and just go in knowing if I’m not in B some lines, In particularly the ones on the Eiffel Tower, will look very curved. To me, for some reason, waiting an entire additional ride here isn’t worth it to have a non curved Eiffel Tower. I know it’s only 5 min but I choose to take what I get and go with it. Last time we were the far bottom corner. Not ideal, but we still saw the movie and enjoyed the ride. I know for other people they would much rather wait and ask for B1. I’ll also add I think any B is fine, having feet in my view don’t bother me at all. I think they are kind of neat, I think B1 or B2 would be equal, or maybe B2 (I’m assuming that’s the middle across and down) would be better, right in the middle of the screen.

Having said that, if you really want B, or B1, just ask the last CM (the one actually putting you in the rows you ride in).

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

You could be like the lady in front of us a couple weeks ago...She and her family were assigned a side row on the bottom row. She looked at something on her phone then started throwing a fit and insisted that she needed to be moved to seats in the exact middle on the first row otherwise her son would get severely motion sick. She kept saying that any other seat would cause severe motion sickness, her husband looked harried and embarrassed which led us to think she read somewhere on the internet where the best seats were and she wanted the "best". The cast member had them wait for the next one but kind of rolled his eyes which I found hilarious. I don't really think one seat is so magical that it would cure motion sickness.

 

[robinb]

You could be like the lady in front of us a couple weeks ago...She and her family were assigned a side row on the bottom row. She looked at something on her phone then started throwing a fit and insisted that she needed to be moved to seats in the exact middle on the first row otherwise her son would get severely motion sick. She kept saying that any other seat would cause severe motion sickness, her husband looked harried and embarrassed which led us to think she read somewhere on the internet where the best seats were and she wanted the "best". The cast member had them wait for the next one but kind of rolled his eyes which I found hilarious. I don't really think one seat is so magical that it would cure motion sickness.

She was probably just BS'ing but I could see where swooping around a giant screen with images that are "off" might cause someone to experience motion sickness.

 

[Spaghetti Cat]

Only the best.

kidding

 

[Disnsyncey]

I think they are kind of neat, I think B1 or B2 would be equal, or maybe B2 (I’m assuming that’s the middle across and down) would be better, right in the middle of the screen.

Having said that, if you really want B, or B1, just ask the last CM (the one actually putting you in the rows you ride in).

I was thinking that B2 would be better.....I'm wondering why the top, I would think middle/middle would be best?

 

[Mome Rath]

I was thinking that B2 would be better.....I'm wondering why the top, I would think middle/middle would be best?

The top lets you have an unobstructed view of the screen (no feet hanging down in your vision).

 

[MHSweb79]

You don’t need any excuse to simply ask to be seated in the center section- people do it all the time. You may have to wait until the next show, but the CM’s certainly won’t think anything about it.

We had people ask for specific seats at FOP, which seemed ridiculous to me, but the CM’s accommodated them without comment.

 

[ninafeliz]

I was thinking that B2 would be better.....I'm wondering why the top, I would think middle/middle would be best?

The top lets you have an unobstructed view of the screen (no feet hanging down in your vision).

I personally think B2 would be better, the feet don’t bother me and in fact seem like part of the experience. I know some promo photos for the ride showed people riding with feet in their upper view. It’s not like I really think I’m hang gliding and not on a ride . Then you are in the middle of the screen, not toward the top. However, none are absolutely terrible and the general consensus seems that most people prefer B1 if they have a preference.

 

[ninafeliz]

You don’t need any excuse to simply ask to be seated in the center section- people do it all the time. You may have to wait until the next show, but the CM’s certainly won’t think anything about it.

We had people ask for specific seats at FOP, which seemed ridiculous to me, but the CM’s accommodated them without comment.

FOP is the same idea, you can end up in the bottom corner of the big screen and have to crane your neck to see the middle and see the edge of the screen easier. Nothing bends, though, like the Eiffel Tower. However, with FOP I would have no idea which section to requeat if I did care that much, because it is so hard for me to get my bearings on how the screen and ride relate to that dark loading area!

 

[scrappydew]

Since I hate heights, I asked to be seated on the row that goes up the least in the air, and they were happy to accommodate me. Still didn't like it, but at least I wasn't hating it.

 

[Disnsyncey]

FOP is the same idea, you can end up in the bottom corner of the big screen and have to crane your neck to see the middle and see the edge of the screen easier. Nothing bends, though, like the Eiffel Tower. However, with FOP I would have no idea which section to requeat if I did care that much, because it is so hard for me to get my bearings on how the screen and ride relate to that dark loading area!

strangely enough, I can really tell on FoP.....I really like the middle.....I mean, I can't ever figure out what level I am on to care that way, but the middle of the row we go on is more "immersed" for me....

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

If you don't happen to get the middle just ask a CM if you can wait for the middle.
We'll often encounter a joking CM that says "No!' and then laughs and says sure just stand against the wall here.

 

[StageTek]

I agree with Robo - it's not a game-changer but is sure is nice to sit in the middle. I find it well worth the wait. I have never had an "eye-roll" from a CM, or if I did I didn't notice.

 

[AMusicLifeForMe]

We had people ask for specific seats at FOP, which seemed ridiculous to me, but the CM’s accommodated them without comment.

I have started asking for the middle on Flight of Passage even if I am usually placed in the "single" line at the merge point. I only say that because I am usually either given seat number 1 or 16. Those are the very sides of the FoP theater. I never want to ride on the sides of Flight of Passage again. You have a great view of the screen still, but the motion of the ride with the seats is best viewed from the center (seats 8 or 9). The motion doesn't look right from the edges on FoP.

In regards to Soarin, I am one who usually always asks for B1. I'm ok with waiting an extra 5 minutes, and I always ask the CM when I get up there. Sometimes I am lucky since I am a single, but I'm usually not. I much preferred the California film though!

 

[Jasperann]

I actually do get motion sick on Soarin and it is less in the middle rows. I just ask if i can wait for the next showing to get a middle row. It is never a big deal. And worth it to not ruin my whole day from being sick.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

To step back a bit...
since I know, going in that the Eiffel tower is going to look "bent" if I'm not in the center,
I just think, "Yup, that Eiffel tower sure looks bent." and that's about the amount it really affects my day.

It's not a positive, but as Disney things go, it's certainly not a game-changer.

I get that point of view - my DH would totally agree with you, but it drives me batty. I have done a fair amount of playing around in Photoshop, did a lot of drawing and painting when I was younger, and a bad image will immediately attract my attention. It takes me forever to put together photobooks because I spend too much time trying to make the pictures perfect. I love a ride where I feel like I'm flying/gliding but the bad images throw me right out of the experience. Does it ruin the day for me? No. But I can't help wondering how a company that earns it's bread and butter by making movies could have screwed up that movie so badly.