Soarin - do the seats move after up in the air?

[PSUamanda]

My son (5yo) and I watched a soarin ride video and he thinks he wants to go on the ride on our trip next week. I love rides and coasters so am very excited to ride big rides with him, but he has been hit or miss with being scared of rides in the past.

I told him that it just looks like you are flying but you are sitting in a seat and if he gets scared he can close his eyes and it'll just feel like he's sitting there. Is that true? Or do the seats tilt and move a little with the video?

I've been on the ride many times before, but never with my eyes closed so I'm not sure! Hopefully he's brave enough to keep them open. Just want to prepare him with a way to make himself feel better if he gets scared mid ride.

 

[NHGoofy]

The seats move slightly with the video. It's not like you're swinging back and forth in the air. You'll be seatbelted in and there are handles to hold if you want to. It's very smooth. Enjoy!

 

[wdw_dine_junkie]

For kids (or adults), there is a strap you can run though the loop between the legs, if you want to feel a little more secure. The movement during the ride is slight.

 

[PSUamanda]

Thank you!!

 

[HopperFan]

"As the camera banks and turns through the scenery, your moving theater also banks and turns...In fact, each individual seat moves, banking you left and right, and angling up and down, in perfect synchronization with the camera angle on the screen."
https://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/guides/epcot/epfw-soarin.htm

 

[ktlm]

It is extremely smooth. The motion would be very subtle if he closed his eyes. Just be sure he is not sitting on the last seat in the row as if you look over the side you realize how far up you are- I made that mistake once.

 

[ars0525]

Don't sit on the end of the row, put the strap between your legs & sit back in your seat. It's very smooth & enjoyable!

Tell him to also take some big deep breathes cause they have smells in different scenes & that can help if he gets a little nervous.

 

[GoingSince1990]

My wife is a total scaredy-cat when it comes to rides but she has been riding Soarin’ with me and loving it since 2002. So smooth and relaxing and has always been one of my favorites.

 

[glocon]

Are any of the theaters in Soarin’ not as high up as the others?
Just wondering since since there are theaters A, B and C and then you split up into 1,2 and 3.
If there is one that doesn’t go as high, that might be an option.

 

[RoseGold]

You can ask to be on the lowest row. This is easy to accomadate.

 

[lovethattink]

I always get the feeling that I’m going to fall out. Sometimes I’ll use the kiddie strap and I feel more secure. Being 5, unless he’s really tall for a 5 year old, he’ll be required to use that extra strap.

 

[NHGoofy]

A 1, B1,C1 are the highest rows.
A2, B2, C2 are the middle rows (height)
A3, B3, C3 are the lowest rows.

We always ask to wait for B1. And they always accommodate us. Not likely to see any feet hanging if you look up. Plus, it gives a straight on view of the movie. If you're sitting on A's or C's you get a curved view of the Taj Mahal and Eiffel Tower.
At least that is our experience.

 

[godfather927]

A 1, B1,C1 are the highest rows.
A2, B2, C2 are the middle rows (height)
A3, B3, C3 are the lowest rows.

We always ask to wait for B1. And they always accommodate us. Not likely to see any feet hanging if you look up. Plus, it gives a straight on view of the movie. If you're sitting on A's or C's you get a curved view of the Taj Mahal and Eiffel Tower.
At least that is our experience.

Yep, I thought they'd grumble about our request to sit in B1 after we got stuck in A1 on our previous ride but it was no issue at all. Such a different experience when viewing straight on compared to getting stuck on the far end of an A or C row.

 

[PSUamanda]

Great advice! Thank you everyone! Maybe we'll ask for B3 for him

 

[musicguy856]

I’m a grown man and use that middle strap when I ride. It makes me feel more secure in the seat.

 

[DebbieB]

Are any of the theaters in Soarin’ not as high up as the others?
Just wondering since since there are theaters A, B and C and then you split up into 1,2 and 3.
If there is one that doesn’t go as high, that might be an option.

Each theater is the same.

 

[gharter]

Agree with others that it is very smooth. Each seat doesn't move, it is the entire row moves as a group.
Its a lot of fun.
While the B section is considered the best, as it has the least distortion with the vertical structure, all are still very good.
Also agree with both ends of each row have more movement.