Please describe Soarin' to me

[Cynister]

We've never been on Soarin' & I'm wondering if someone can give me a good explanation of what to expect & how intense of an experience it is. For some reason last year when we went to Disney I suddenly started feeling motion sick on some of the rides. I've never been motion sick in my life. Never had an issue with rides of any kind. The year before I did Niagara's Fury in Niagara, Canada with no issue. It was a blast! I've done IMAX theaters with no problem. For some reason the stupid shooting stars in the Star Tours ride along with the jerky back & forth of the ride got me. I had to look away & hope it was over soon. I did Mission Space a few days later (the mild one) & had to keep looking down. Now Mission Space I think had a lot to do with being locked into something & completely enclosed. I definitely didn't like that. Star Tours I think it was a combination of what I mentioned earlier & in the dark etc. The rest of the movie part of the ride I was fine with. I've looked for videos of Soarin & have seent he movie. It doesn't look like it moves fast or jerks so I think I'd be ok with it. However where is the screen? The big canopy thing over your head doesn't drop down in front of you does it? How high are you off the ground? If you look sideways can you see people in other carts?

 

[scoker]

The motion of Soarin is very gentle. It is supposed to roughly simulate hang gliding. After loading into the seats they raise off the floor and move closer to the screen. If you are not looking straight at the screen you can see the other "pods" around you. The Canopies do not move in front of you at any time. Depending on what row you are in you may see dangling feet above you. I believe that a significant amount of the motion feeling comes from the movie and not the movement of the seats so if you were not feeling good I'm guessing closing your eyes may help significantly. I am a motion sick person and I've ridden the DLR version at least 20 times.

 

[msdaisy]

Are you afraid of heights? I wasn't quite prepared for how high up we would be on my first time - we were on the top row. I had a slight melt down as my family watched. It is not jerky. You can see people to each side, but the screen is so huge you mainly focus on that. I mainly had the sensation I was going to fall, and I looked on in horror as my family inhaled the smell of the orange groves. We all have a good laugh about it now, but I wasn't laughing that day. I love to ride it now. I think of it as a very peaceful ride.

 

[sethschroeder]

You are up in the air a little bit but not bad even though I get a little height anxiety from time to time.

Its probably the tamest ride you ever will be on. The local kiddie train ride is likely more "extreme" than soarin and while lots of people love the ride the video is very outdated the the "scents" your supposed to experiences don't always come through. Cant wait for them to update it again to get a good experience out of it.

Personally I wouldn't worry about feeling sick at all.

 

[MeanestMomEver]

I get motion sickness very easily (even in IMAX films) and it typically sets in 3-4 times each time I go on Soarin'. However, I just close my eyes for about 3 seconds and remind myself that I am not actually moving and the motion sickness quickly stops and I can go back to enjoying it.
Good luck.

 

[nkereina]

I get motion sickness as well. Star Tours gets me and I avoid Mission Space all together. I feel it during the backwards part of Expedition Everest also. However, Soarin has no effect on me. In fact, the ride is very minimal movement and the moves are actually staggered so there's no jerking, etc. I don't think you'd have an issue. There'd be more of a concern for someone afraid of heights.

 

[disneybliss2]

I get motion sickness very easily, but Soarin' doesn't have any negative affects on me. I love this ride! I also don't like heights, but it doesn't bother me on this ride. I've avoided Star Tours because my DH who knows me well said there's no way I could handle it. My best friend left it and said she was ill for 30 min. afterwards, so I don't even attempt it. She too enjoyed Soarin' and didn't get any motion sickness problems from the ride. The ride doesn't move fast or have any sudden jerks. You can see all the people on your row and the feet of the people in the sections above you. The screen is in front of you. You will feel open and not confined in the least.

 

[ampersand]

I get motion sick just laying on my back and watching television sometimes. Soarin' didn't make me motion sick. It did scare the bejeesus out of me when it lifted up (I was in the middle row) because I wasn't expecting it. And I was expecting it to swoop me into that pit and felt like I'd gotten on something that was about to make me wee myself.

There was no weeing involved and I love Soarin'. It's just a giant lift seat that takes you up and gently dips you around a few times over some pretty scenery projected below you. Really nice to just hang out. Literally.

 

[Bluegrrl]

I get motion sick just by sitting in the passenger seat of a car - but Soarin is gentle ride. The beginning of the ride does give me some butterflies (the good scary/tingling ones) as it swoops up into the movie. But if you don't look down or up (nothing spoils the illusion like peoples feet hanging in front of you) it's a great ride.

You feel like you are hangliding - just swooping along. Sometimes I've even picked up my feet because I think I'm going to get them hit by a branch or gotten wet by the ocean! The only scene that I would worry about is the end where you swoop over Disneyland. I did get a little woozy during that part. But overall, I think you will like it.

 

[DOOM1001]

My grandmother has ridden it several times,last time at 88-89 years old.

 

[SoarinSC]

You feel like you are hangliding - just swooping along. Sometimes I've even picked up my feet because I think I'm going to get them hit by a branch or gotten wet by the ocean!

I do this too!

The ride is very gentle...no sudden jerks or dips. Like others have said, it might be more of a height concern than motion. But you're belted in and the seat never dips forward and down as far as I can remember...so you never feel like you're going to fall out of the seat. Enjoy the ride!

 

[Klismania]

I concur with the heights thing. I'm terrified of heights, did Soarin' once last year, and couldn't work up the courage to do it again. And this is coming from a person who did EE three times in a row once I got my courage up to actually get on that ride. Maybe I'll try it again on my next trip now that I know what to expect.

The ride itself is very gentle. I found myself simply closing my eyes at some points because of the height thing. You could try that if you feel yourself getting dizzy or queasy.

 

[MannyB]

I am sure some Soarin superfan will get mad at this but:

Wait entirely too long.

Sit on a long metal bench and remove your flip flops

Metal bench lifts up into the air and your legs dangle.

Giant outdated movie screen is in front of you.

You "fly" through scenes from California that are grainy and dated... they blow air at you and pipe in some smells.

You think to yourself "well at least it feels nice and cool in here, but this was not worth the wait"

Metal benches come back to the ground.

You leave and say to yourself... "I will only ride this again with a fastpass".



Fast forward a year and you are back at Epcot... you realize there isn't really a lot of "fun" rides so you find yourself waiting in line to repeat all over again.

 

[MeanestMomEver]

I am sure some Soarin superfan will get mad at this but: Wait entirely too long. Sit on a long metal bench and remove your flip flops Metal bench lifts up into the air and your legs dangle. Giant outdated movie screen is in front of you. You "fly" through scenes from California that are grainy and dated... they blow air at you and pipe in some smells. You think to yourself "well at least it feels nice and cool in here, but this was not worth the wait" Metal benches come back to the ground. You leave and say to yourself... "I will only ride this again with a fastpass". Fast forward a year and you are back at Epcot... you realize there isn't really a lot of "fun" rides so you find yourself waiting in line to repeat all over again.

I'm a Soarin Moderatefan

Agree with everything you said. But everyone should try it once. I mean, even Carousel of Progress must be experienced once.

 

[maxiesmom]

I do this too!

The ride is very gentle...no sudden jerks or dips. Like others have said, it might be more of a height concern than motion. But you're belted in and the seat never dips forward and down as far as I can remember...so you never feel like you're going to fall out of the seat. Enjoy the ride!

I've tried Soarin a few times, and I always feel as if I'm going to fall out of my seat! So much so that I won't ride it anymore. I really wish they had a lap bar of some kind, instead of just a seat belt.

Also, if you are afraid of heights at all, the lowest level goes 10 feet into the air. I believe the top level is 40 feet up. You can choose a level if you want, but may have to wait a little extra for it.

 

[Maleficent Dragon]

Go to YouTube and look up "Soarin'" and watch a few videos. It is quite smooth and relaxing. And, if it bothers you too much, you can just close your eyes.

 

[TeachTink]

It made my stomach have butterflies at the very beginning when we were lifted. It really wasn't that bad throughout. I had to close my eyes once because I am a big wimp.

Even with a FP+, we waited 20 minutes to ride. I wouldn't ride this again unless I had FP.

 

[P00H1010]

Soarin' is more of an illusion of movement than anything IMO. Yes, there is movement during the attraction but it is slow and gentle not fast and jerky like Star Tours.

It is a large room with a big screen. There are sections of seats and each section has different rows. When you enter the room the seats are at a normal level. There are seat belts and I want to say there are handles on each side if you want to hold on. It does not close in like Mission Space....if you look to your side you will see the other sections of seats.

When the attraction starts the lights dim and the seats rotate upwards. The row closest to the screen goes the highest and the others follow. If anyone in your party has height issues, you might want to request the last row as it is the lowest when raised. The roof above your head has controls in it for effects. During the ride you will feel air and smell different scents that make you feel like you are right there during that scene. Over the course of the film your row of seats will slowly tilt to go with the scenes....this will give you the illusion of going higher, dipping down, going from side to side etc. The only actual movement you have during the ride is the rotation of the seats up at the beginning of the ride and down during the end and the tilting during the film itself.

Hopefully this is helpful as it is kind of hard to explain exactly what happens

 

[michsig]

I am sure some Soarin superfan will get mad at this but:

Wait entirely too long.

Sit on a long metal bench and remove your flip flops

Metal bench lifts up into the air and your legs dangle.

Giant outdated movie screen is in front of you.

You "fly" through scenes from California that are grainy and dated... they blow air at you and pipe in some smells.

You think to yourself "well at least it feels nice and cool in here, but this was not worth the wait"

Metal benches come back to the ground.

You leave and say to yourself... "I will only ride this again with a fastpass".



Fast forward a year and you are back at Epcot... you realize there isn't really a lot of "fun" rides so you find yourself waiting in line to repeat all over again.

While I do love Soarin', this is ACCURATE!

 

[anniebean]

I'm probably minority, but I HATE this ride! Scares me to death! No problems with motion sickness on it, and I'm actually a coaster junkie...having been on Millennium Force, Banshee, and Wild Eagle at different parks this year. I know this isn't a coaster, but I get the feeling I'm slipping thru this ride and hate it! Last time I even did the child middle strap and still white knuckled it.

I've ridden it a total of twice, but never again.

So, if you are like me, and like to feel secure in a seat, this won't be an enjoyable ride. However, motion sickness shouldn't be a worry.