Pandora ride does have drops.

[labdogs42]

I got motion sick on it, too. I wanted to love it, but it did make me queasy and I had to close my eyes during the plunging/dropping sequences, but I'd say that as soon as I closed my eyes and could only feel the real drop, I was OK. For me, the visuals of the dropping were much worse than the physical movement. So, there are "drops", but nothing like a roller coaster.

 

[JerseyJanice]

I dislike drops on rides. The only one I can tolerate is Splash Mountain, and that’s because of the buoyancy at the end. I never have (or ever will) gone on Tower of Terror because I would hate the drops too much to get any enjoyment out of it.

When FoP opened, the reviews were excellent, and it was said that the ride vehicle didn’t move very much. Imagine the shock and horror I felt when the sensation in my stomach was as if I were falling off the roof of a tall building.

Maybe FoP’s vehicle don’t move that much, but the feeling is akin to what I imagine sky diving feels like. Whether it’s real or special effects, FoP is not a fun ride for people who hate drops.

 

[Cinderella94]

Whether it’s real or special effects, FoP is not a fun ride for people who hate drops.

I don't know that that's true universally. I hate ToT because I'm afraid of heights and don't like the knowledge that I'm so far off the ground. That's the problem part for me - the physical drop and knowing what a 'drop' is. The feeling of falling on FoP is fine, though, because I know and can remind myself that I'm safely on the ground.

 

[disneyvoice]

Whether it’s real or special effects, FoP is not a fun ride for people who hate drops.

I think it's actually a very individual thing for each person. In general, I hate "drops." However, as I have forced myself to ride things I have discovered that what I really dislike are large drops where I am falling forward (as on a roller coaster). I was extremely surprised when I made myself ride ToT - I loved it! But then I realized that the drops didn't bother me at all because I was falling straight down in a sitting position, not falling forward as on a roller coaster. But then you have my husband and son who both LOVE big roller coasters - they both HATE ToT. I get very motion sick on Star Tours but had no problem at all on FoP. Although the ride makes it seem like you are falling forward while you ride the banshee I found the experience exhilarating. Even though I allowed myself to imagine that I was really flying, since I knew I was actually firmly attached to the ground I didn't feel sick at all.

 

[disneyAndi14]

I have been on this ride 5x and I did not realize it drops in an actual way vs. simulation. I hate rollercoasters with big drops and this is so different. I loved this ride. It is awesome. I am a ride chicken but I also do not get motion sickness easily so this ride was great. Way less scary to me personally then Harry Potter at US.

 

[JerseyJanice]

I don't know that that's true universally. I hate ToT because I'm afraid of heights and don't like the knowledge that I'm so far off the ground. That's the problem part for me - the physical drop and knowing what a 'drop' is. The feeling of falling on FoP is fine, though, because I know and can remind myself that I'm safely on the ground.

You’re right. I should have said that it’s not fun for some people who hate drops.

Folks were comparing FoP to a combination of Soarin and Star Tours so I went on it thinking I’d have no problem. I enjoy both those rides and never feel sick or terrified on them.

It was all I could do on FoP to fight back getting sick. I was so relieved when it was over, and my adult niece felt as sick and shook up as I did.

 

[Carolyn Louise]

I majorly dislike real drops (the ones on Space Mountain are about the limit of what I can tolerate) but absolutely love simulated ones, go figure! Even with the platform movement I find the drops on FoP are incredibly exhilarating rather than scary or uncomfortable.

 

[theSurlyMermaid]

Give me a roller coaster with a big drop any day over this simulated stuff.

 

[Disney_Princess83]

That seems so strange. ST moves as much, if not more. I guess it's just a difference in the movement that got you. Do you have to close your eyes on ST?

I absolutely hate drops on rides. It's not that I'm scared, I hate that feeling in my stomach and my body and I get motion sickness. I can manage Star Wars (sometimes I have to close my eyes) and Big Thunder but on Space I have to close my eyes. I think I'm going to skip this Pandora ride but we have FP for our trip just in case.

 

[Indio]

Isn't it funny how different ride types affect different people! Star Tours makes me queasy after 1 ride but FOP didn't affect me at all as far as motion sickness. I LOVE roller coasters but for years, I was freaked out by TOT. Finally gave myself a strong talking too and got back on it. Now I think it's great!

 

[skyblue17]

I felt the "drops" on FOP more than I felt the actual drops on Expedition Everest! I actually really like the feeling of drops, I'm one who is actually a little bummed that most of the coasters at Disney don't provide that feeling, since they aren't really high or intense coasters, for the most part (EE is the closest). I thought it was amazing that FOP makes you FEEL like you're dropping so significantly even when you aren't really moving very much. But I did find it surprising when I checked in with what others were saying about the ride and didn't see a lot of mention of how significant that feeling can be. So yes, saying it has "drops" is accurate, if you're the type of person who is susceptible to that kind of feeling!

 

[Jaime4004]

I don't know that that's true universally. I hate ToT because I'm afraid of heights and don't like the knowledge that I'm so far off the ground. That's the problem part for me - the physical drop and knowing what a 'drop' is. The feeling of falling on FoP is fine, though, because I know and can remind myself that I'm safely on the ground.

Same here. I hate real drops, I skip Splash and ToT. I don't like the feeling of plummeting to my death. Fake falling is fine though, there's no where to actually plummet.

 

[hakepb]

Give me a roller coaster with a big drop any day over this simulated stuff.

I love a big, straight drop on a coaster. (And none of those boring curved drops like Cali Screaming)

It would have been epic if they could have done a wing coaster (with riders suspended below the track) flying around the physical Pandora.
But FoP IS an epic attraction in its own right, and possibly the best at WDW.

 

[jo-jo]

We've gone on it twice. I had no idea there were drops. Yes, I saw the screen and felt the pads on the bike moving, but didn't realize there was any real movement. The first time we saw a short clip of something in the hallway and I felt a little queasy, but on the ride... nothing. I can do ST fine. But tea cups with a crazy DH can finish me for the day.

 

[elaine amj]

I rode it a few times but had no idea it actually dropped 3 feet or so! Thankfully, my DS15 who absolutely hates the feeling in his stomach during drops was able to enjoy FoP. He loves Big Thunder but that's about it. He's even been on Space and RnRC because they don't have drops but concluded that he doesn't care for them enough to ride them again.

 

[Tomh]

I don't know that that's true universally. I hate ToT because I'm afraid of heights and don't like the knowledge that I'm so far off the ground. That's the problem part for me - the physical drop and knowing what a 'drop' is. The feeling of falling on FoP is fine, though, because I know and can remind myself that I'm safely on the ground.

I am troubled by heights, and by the dropping sensation as well. ToT is out of the question. I ride Splash, but the drop horrifies me. Had I seen the previous video before riding FoP, there is a fair chance I would have not tried the ride. However, I guess fortunately for me, I didn't see that video, and tried the ride. I have absolutely no problem with FoP. It doesn't make me sick, or scare me, I just get a feeling of exhilaration from it.

I think with situations like this, everyone is a bit different in what exactly bothers them, and you just have to know yourself what you can and can't handle, and sometimes the only way to find out is to just try it. You may like it, you may hate it, but at least you will know.

 

[DavidNYC]

I think the lesson to be learned from all the posts above is that you really need to understand what you like and what you don't like and how to express that accurately. New rides utilize all sorts of technology and can manipulate your senses in all sorts of ways. You cannot expect someone to answer a question you didn't ask so you need to ask the right questions (or look it up yourself) and not expect someone to guess what you meant to ask. Or just ask someone to explain what happens on the ride as opposed to a yes/no question. Whether a ride has drops is a pretty factual question based on technology. Whether it makes you feel like your dropping is a separate question. Some people can handle both, one of them, or neither and everyone is different. (But don't denigrate cast members who gave accurate information based on what you asked).

 

[cigar95]

On our trip next month I think I'll take one of our FoP rides and not wear my glasses or look at the screen, just watch the room around me, to get a better feel for what it's doing. (I've ridden it enough before, and I think we have four or five FP on this trip, so I'm OK sacrificing one of my rides.)

 

[hsmamato2]

I was wondering if the drops were real or not.... (they felt real!) and also wondering if they weren't real,how did they do that???

 

[DavidNYC]

On our trip next month I think I'll take one of our FoP rides and not wear my glasses or look at the screen, just watch the room around me, to get a better feel for what it's doing. (I've ridden it enough before, and I think we have four or five FP on this trip, so I'm OK sacrificing one of my rides.)

I was lucky enough to get on it three times during my trip so I did that a bit - it's seems like it's basically soarin on steroids. The seats definitely have a bit wider range of motion and obviously they're simulating a much more dramatic motion but the basic tech appears very similar.