If you get panic attacks, you should stay away from:

[Doug M]

Despite the necro thread I will replay. Evidently the Tomorrowland Transit Authority People Mover based upon that very hilarious thread.

 

[scrapquitler]

Going with the theme here, I'd like to know about this. How do you control anxiety at the parks?

For me, the possibility of being late causes a huge amount of anxiety. So it was always key for me to plan plenty of time to get from point A to point B so I wouldn't worry about being late for a show, a FP, etc.

 

[SueM in MN]

This is copied from a post on the disABILITIES FAQs - won't help the original poster from 7 yrs ago, but might be helpful to recent readers
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.
• Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground has some small tunnels for climbing thru that you may want to avoid.

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

 

[Shanti]

Mission Space

 

[kiramay]

Going with the theme here, I'd like to know about this. How do you control anxiety at the parks?

It'll depend on your triggers. I have issues with claustrophobia, so Mission:Space was a no-go. I tried it in 2012 and it was awful! Crowds are also hard, but I was able to tolerate Wishes one night by standing next to the handicap area, which was not full, and gave me a "visual" of "not crowded". Haunted Mansion is also hard due to the stretching room, but I was able to ride once this trip.

We were stuck on people mover for 25 minutes and one of my 10 year olds had a panic attack because we were inside.

 

[Isildur's Bane]

done here

 

[Shanti]

you are ansering a question from 2008

So? Others are obviously reading and sharing now. I research topics on DIS all the time & saw the original post was old, but also noticed that others were currently discussing & posting on the topic, so it can be considered open. Comments left will help others who look this topic up.

If you don't like old threads, why are you posting on one? Trying to embarrass someone?

 

[horse11]

since this is an old thread but may benefit some one I would like to add that my husband has problems with crowds. The why I help relieve his anxiety is I have things well planned as best as I can. Rope drop was incredibly hard for him so I now plan a pre park breakfast getting us in before the crowds. We then can catch several rides before the crowds get to bad. When the crowds start to peak in the afternoon we do a table service lunch forcing us to sit and relax. I also plan FP for parades and for next year for the Fireworks so we do not have to try and find a place an hour and a half a head of time. In May in 2014 we were able to get to the FF section for the afternoon parade at MK ten minutes before it started and it worked out great.

 

[lovethattink]

It'll depend on your triggers. I have issues with claustrophobia, so Mission:Space was a no-go. I tried it in 2012 and it was awful! Crowds are also hard, but I was able to tolerate Wishes one night by standing next to the handicap area, which was not full, and gave me a "visual" of "not crowded". Haunted Mansion is also hard due to the stretching room, but I was able to ride once this trip.

We were stuck on people mover for 25 minutes and one of my 10 year olds had a panic attack because we were inside.

That's why I always carry something that lights up. A glow stick or something. We've been stopped on people mover and spaceship earth in completely dark scenes. My son panics in the dark.

you are ansering a question from 2008

On the previous page, I mentioned that even though it's from 2008, I'd keep it open.

 

[DOOM1001]

Different people have different things that freak them out and cause some sort of panic attack.Some freak out in large mob like crowds,some might be darkness or whatever,for me it's any ride where my legs are restrained with little movement,as long as the ride is moving and my mind is off the legs being restrained I'm fine but if I have to sit waiting to exit the ride for too long or if it were to break down with me in it I don't know just how bad my freak out would be,luckily it's never happened but there's a been a few occasions where I've had to force myself to think pretty thoughts to get my mind of it.If the only restraint is a bar coming down on my waist I don't really have a problem with it but if I can't move my knees or legs around then I'll have issues.The worst offender for me is Manta the flying coaster at Sea World or any other coaster similar to it like Superman in Six Flags Atlanta,in those rides your entire legs are restrained with no movement for the entire ride,it has nothing to do with the fact that you're placed in a flying position looking down to ride a coaster,I've been on the tallest fastest coasters out there and fear is not the issue,it's just the inability to move my legs, perfect example of why that's my problem is that the Seven Dwarves mine train is also a little restricting on my legs and that's not exactly a scary ride.Acros the park at Sea World is their other coaster Kraken which is a floorless coaster with an over the shoulder restraint but your legs are completely free to swing around if you wish,that coaster I could ride all day long if I could,completely different feeling with your legs hanging free.I still ride Manta once or twice at most on every visit but every second of it I'm just hoping they can get me in and out quickly and crossing my fingers that it doesn't get stuck or break down!!

 

[ALDisneygirl]

I'm afraid of heights, but I've managed to ride almost everything at Disney and I love most of the rides. However, Astro Orbitor was the one that almost caused a panic attack! I think it was the combination of being up so high, and also the fact that the rockets tilt when you move them up - the second I realized that it did that, I stopped immediately and just rode on the bottom the whole time! I also felt pretty cramped and not very secure in the rocket (I was riding with my mom, and I swear it's not designed for two adults to sit in it!) It wasn't so bad just staying on the bottom, but I know I would have absolutely freaked out and probably had a panic attack if I had been riding with someone who wanted to go way up!

 

[Bullseye]

Panic Attacks
1. Broke down for 40 minutes without AC on crowded monorail during lightning storm. When we finally got to TTC it was pouring rain...heavy winds...lightning, people were just piling over each other going down the ramp, it was nuts .
2. Crowds in the hub during wishes/parade at xmas
3. Summit Plummet
4. Major charlie horse in the calf muscle right as TOT is about to drop. The muscle coiled up and I can't stand up to alleviate it so I'm freaking . It was painful.

 

[TinkFan74]

The worst place for panic attacks is the WDW busses! I have had 2 panic attacks on them. Its horrible!

I think Tower of Terror is bad too. Because you know whats coming and once you get on there is no way to get off.

The buses are also my nemesis when it comes to coping with my anxiety. I now rent a car, or stay at resorts with open air boats as a transportation option.

 

[tinkerhon]

XANAX!

I dont miss a thing.

You took the words right out of my mouth !!! I take Xanax normally ---- in Disney, my blue pills are a must !!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

I spy a little insensitivity here That's okay, I am insensitive at times, too. Hard to understand an issue you haven't dealt with.

 

[tinkerdorabelle]

Panic Attacks
1. Broke down for 40 minutes without AC on crowded monorail during lightning storm. When we finally got to TTC it was pouring rain...heavy winds...lightning, people were just piling over each other going down the ramp, it was nuts .
2. Crowds in the hub during wishes/parade at xmas
3. Summit Plummet
4. Major charlie horse in the calf muscle right as TOT is about to drop. The muscle coiled up and I can't stand up to alleviate it so I'm freaking . It was painful.

WOW that #1 would surely give me a panic attack, holy cow. I myself have suffered from them. I never attempted Mission Space bc of it. Being stuck and not being able to get out brings them on. Even the plane ride down to WDW could cause them and I had to just go for it and eventually desensitized myself it. I definitely agree with having your own car helps, and not attempting rides where the lines are insanely long either. I only get them now on occasion. My last bad anxiety attack I was stuck on an overpass alone where they were doing construction work and there were large construction equipment and cranes all around, and a large tractor trailer was stuck and blocking the road ahead at the front of the bridge which caused dead stop traffic. After about 20 minutes or so I felt that horrible feeling of panic and terror, needing to run or get out of the situation but being stuck on the overpass had no where to go. Being alone in the car, I literally rolled up the windows and let out a blood curdling scream at the top of my lungs and the panic attack went away LOL. I never realized that by screaming it could actually stop it.

 

[megs1313]

I tend to have panic attacks when I feel trapped. The different movies at Epcot used to freak me out, until I realized you can leave if you want to. I won't go on Ellen's Energy Adventure, that ride is too long and there is no way to leave, unless you want to stop the whole ride and ruin everyones experience. There is no way I would ride Mission:Space.

Even waiting in line can set me off, but I just tell myself I can leave at any time.

this is me exactly. I was terrified at ellen's energy adventure when I realized I wouldn't be able to exit if I needed to, I sprinted out of there right before they were starting. freaked all the CMs out.

Other rides that trigger me:
The People Mover (it has a tendency to stall and we got stuck on it during the indoor part and I was claustrophobic as crap)
The Seas with Nemo and Friends (another one that stalled while we were in the tunnel, scared me to death)

And like others, I'm on meds if I'm at Disney!

 

[tinkerdorabelle]

I spy a little insensitivity here That's okay, I am insensitive at times, too. Hard to understand an issue you haven't dealt with.

As far as insensitivity goes, anyone who has ever had a real panic attack they are the most painful thing in the world to ever deal with. Just imagine your worse fear and that is the amount of fear that comes over you. It can set you up for all kinds of avoidance behaviors as the fear of having one itself becomes a real problem. As someone who has worked for doctors, panic attacks and anxiety are extremely common issue. Many people do not talk about them out of embarrassment, etc., I know I didn't. Luckily for me as time went on they got less and less.

 

[mousetravel]

I'm the OP and I'm so glad you all have chimed in recently!! I haven't been on the disboards as much lately and I didn't even realize the thread became "active" again!
I don't have panic attacks as much as I used to (maybe 1-3 a year now). Surprisingly, the latest one I had was last year when we went to Disney's Hilton Head Resort. Me and my daughter were riding bicycles from the beach, back to the resort, and we took a detour, seemingly lost, and mixed with the heat, I really thought I was gonna lose it!! I got really scared, but my daughter handled it very well!! Getting me back to the room, drinking lots of water, and cooling off and resting, and slow breathing. Then I was fine and we had a wonderful trip!

I've gotten better over the years with the rides at WDW. It took a few years, but finally rode a few things I was really afraid of. But still, I can NOT do Tower of Terror, Rock N Rollercoaster, or Mission Space!

 

[kandb]

I have had anxiety issues since I was a teenager. I have learned to live with it. I love Disney and do a lot but there are some triggers for me. I find less crowded areas during the parades. I get anxious in Spaceship Earth. It seems to be on the warm side and goes very slow and I feel kind of trapped as I am approaching the top. I feel that if it ever got stuck at the top it would take a long time to "get out". I also won't go on the monorail in case it gets stuck and I skip the haunted mansion stretching room. If a ride gets stuck, I am OK, just as long as I can feel like I can get out.