Soarin question...

[amym2]

I have a terrible fear of heights and Soarin' is my absolute favorite ride at WDW! I actually love to sit in the top row! One time I did look down and wished I hadn't, but looking at the screen doesn't bother me at all. Like you mentioned op, I think of it as a way to experience things like hang gliding than I will never do in real life. Just knowing I'm buckled in (he could probably even use the additional strap they have for kids) I'm not bother at all. It does freak me out when my kids try to lean forward, but I'm just fine sitting back. Love, love, love it... could ride it all day long!

 

[kaligal]

The fear is all in his head, so if he thinks he will be fine, he probably will be!

Kids do sometimes outgrow irrational fears. I hope he is.

 

[maxiesmom]

OP--I want to ask, how is your son after he has a fear episode? Does he quickly recover, or does he need a while to be ok again? If he rides Soarin and has a fear epsiode, will he be ok again once he is off, or will it take him a while to recover? For me, that would make a difference. If you let him ride, could it possibly ruin the day? Or would he be ok after a quick break for a Mickey bar?

 

[North of Mouse]

At his age, if he wants to ride it, and is aware of what it does, then don't "protect" him too much from his fears (or you might "feed" them). He knows what he is doing and should be able to do what he can to face those fears. I know, I've faced some myself, and was able to overcome most of them. He seems like a remarkable young man, with a desire to to face especially irrational fears of heights (I say that because this is not a height thing so much as a "perception" of height). Let him make his own choice.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Has he flown on a plane before? If so, and he was okay, he most likely would be here also.

 

[KandyM]

It can hit some people oddly. My DH is not afraid of heights but had to keep his eyes shut through most of soaring and will not go back on it. He said it just felt like he was not secure in the seat and therefore was going to fall down into that ocean/field/mountain/etc I think he would have been fine with the visual heights part if there had been a more secure feeling in the seat, like a lap bar or something.

 

[maxiesmom]

Has he flown on a plane before? If so, and he was okay, he most likely would be here also.

Not really. I have flown every trip to WDW, and yet Soarin scares me.

And to the poster who stated that the fear is all in his head, and if he thinks he will be fine he will be, it doesn't always work that way. I know my fear of the height of Soarin is not rational. If I am on the lower row and strapped in, I'm way safer than I am when climbing our rickety ladders at work! However, fear doesn't always respond to a rational argument.

I agree that the OP's child should make his own choice, IF the OP agrees he can. However, some of the replies seem to be rather dismissive of the fear of heights. Saying if you just think you will be fine you will be, doesn't show much understanding of how crippling a fear can be. It isn't that easy.

Also, the ride is more like 5 minute long than 3. Not long at all, unless you are sitting there with your eyes closed the whole time. Then it seems really long!

 

[MikeandReneePlus5]

My answer would be an unequivocal YES, if he has a real fear of heights Soarin will freak him out. Totally.

The ride vehicle itself lifts you very high off the ground, and the screen makes it feel as if you are hundreds of feet above the ground.

those saying they have a fear of heights but love Soarin...well I would say they don't really have a true fear of heights ....but rather the natural aversion that almost every person has.

 

[LilGMom]

I have a fear of heights but enjoy Soarin'. The lowest row will be Row 3 and you are only about 10-15 fee of the ground. Even though I really enjoy the attraction, for any of the rows, I can't look down towards the ground and when the 'gliders' float back to their parking position I have to close my eyes. I also use the between the legs strap that is for the smaller riders just to give myself a little more peace of mind.

 

[ktlm]

I say if he wants to try it, let him. He has been warned that it will feel like he is high up and flying and still wants to do it. I'd be proud of him for being brave enough to give it a shot. If he hates it, it will only last a few minutes- he can just close his eyes until it is over. I applaud him for wanting to face his fear, and who knows maybe Soarin would be the first step to minimizing the fear somewhat. I would not hold a child back from trying something at WDW if they wanted to based on my fear that it would scare them. At age 4, DD wanted to do the Bug's Life 3-d show. I knew she would hate it, so I warned her that there were spiders and that parts of the show might be a little dark or scary. This is a kid who completely freaks out when a gnat flys around her she is so terrified of most bugs (true story- not an exaggeration). She insisted she still wanted to go, so we let her. She came out announcing she was NEVER going to see that show again! I'm still proud of her for trying it even though she hated it. She also doesn't like thrill rides (other than Soarin), but at age 5 she wanted to try Star Tours because all the boys in her kindergarten class like Star Wars and she wanted to be able to go back home and tell them she rode the ride. DH and I just knew that was going to end badly. I told her that it would feel like she was on a roller coaster (which she hates), but that really she was just in a simulator that wasn't going anywhere, but was just bouncing around. Something about knowing that it wasn't really going anywhere must have made it seem "safe" for her, because she got off and wanted to immediately ride it again. We rode it 4 times that day, and it is now one of her absolute favorite rides. You just never know.

Just give him the information (which it sounds like you already did)- don't overly emphasize that he won't like it - and let him make his own choice.

Just be sure that whatever row you are on that he is not the end seat. I will tell you that the thing raises you up higher than you would expect, especially if you are on the top row. You get no sense of it if you are in the middle. If you are on the edge and look over the side you realize you are pretty high up. DH, who is not even afraid of heights usually, was on the edge on the top row and he looked over the side and it made even him a little edgy about it for a minute.

 

[tinkerbellsmommy]

I think should try it. I am afraid of heights too. I did close my eyes a couple times but the ride itself is amazing. It is not something I would be able to do in real life.

 

[OKW Lover]

...can anyone tell me if this is going to TOTALLY freak someone with a fear of heights out? My 13 yr. old son is terrified of heights but thinks Soarin will be this amazing thing he can do to experience it safely. I worry it might still "ping" his fears and he'll be stuck there, terrified.

Thoughts??

Hmmm, he's afraid of heights but he thinks Soarin is going to be amazing. Sounds to me like he's already convinced himself that this isn't an issue. Just don't do anything but project confidence yourself and things will be fine.

 

[SapphireMarie]

OP--I want to ask, how is your son after he has a fear episode? Does he quickly recover, or does he need a while to be ok again? If he rides Soarin and has a fear epsiode, will he be ok again once he is off, or will it take him a while to recover? For me, that would make a difference. If you let him ride, could it possibly ruin the day? Or would he be ok after a quick break for a Mickey bar?

Recovery instantly after the situation is over. Then he's all "leave me alone, I wasn't that scared..."

 

[SapphireMarie]

Has he flown on a plane before? If so, and he was okay, he most likely would be here also.

Yes, he is totally fine on a plane as long as he isn't near a window. He can *know* he is high and be ok as long as he doesn't see it. Which makes me think that if he does flip out shutting his eyes will actually help. He knows he's not really high and can just sit and wait.

Thanks for all the advice!!

 

[maxiesmom]

Recovery instantly after the situation is over. Then he's all "leave me alone, I wasn't that scared..."

That is good! I've read other posts from people stating that a riding a certain ride can wreck the day for them. You wouldn't want to risk that, I wouldn't think. But if he is ok right after, at least you won't have that as a problem.

 

[buffettgirl]

I am going to have to be the naysayer. I have a mild fear of heights, and Soarin does me in. The last 2 times I was on it (I rode it for other family members) I had my eyes closed the whole time, and was shaking like crazy.

I climb ladders at work that go up higher than 10 feet all of the time with no problems at all, yet Soarin gives me the shakes.

It is NOT like being in a chair in a room. You swing a little in time to what is showing on the screen. Plus your legs dangle, there is nothing at all under your feet. Also you only have a seat belt holding you in, so as you sway it does give you the feeling of not being that securely in your seat. And all this happens at a minimum of 10 feet up in the air.

I do agree that you should ride it first, if you son really wants to go on. If he decides he wants to ride it make sure he knows once he is on, he is on. There is no getting off once you are buckled in. If he panics, he will have to tough it out for the rest of the ride time.

Yep, this is me. I really don't have a fear of heights, I have a feel of falling. First, if you do get stuck in the top row you are REALLY high off the ground with nothing more than a lap belt (which..lets not forget that someone got out of last week before the ride took off) but once you're up there you have no choice but to sit there with very little to hold onto.

Has he flown on a plane before? If so, and he was okay, he most likely would be here also.

I can fly on a plane just fine, I can go to the top of any tall sky scraper too. Because I am in a protected, enclosed space and I'm not physically going to fall out of the space.

It can hit some people oddly. My DH is not afraid of heights but had to keep his eyes shut through most of soaring and will not go back on it. He said it just felt like he was not secure in the seat and therefore was going to fall down into that ocean/field/mountain/etc I think he would have been fine with the visual heights part if there had been a more secure feeling in the seat, like a lap bar or something.

yes, this. This is exactly what I mean.

I can't go on anymore.

 

[Disney Sheri]

Hi! I am terrified of heights but can ride rollercoasters but not some of the high rides. Soaring was fine with me. I really didn't feel any fear-although after I looked down the first time, I decided it was best to just concentrate on the movie. I enjoyed it. I hope you guys can enjoy it too!

 

[ars0525]

I am not scared of heights, but Soarin' does bother me. I think it's because of the seat. My tush just doesn't seem to fit right! I always feel pitched forward which then contributes to the "I might fall out" fear (even though I KNOW that is not going to happen) & then I start to panic a little.

I am sure your son is smaller than me so his tush will fit fine, but I use the lap belt AND the inbetween your legs strap as well. Then I lean waaaay back. I also don't sit on the end. I avoid looking down (cause then I am leaning forward) & really focus on the picture/scenes once the show starts. Mind over matter cause all that matters is I want to see the ride! lol

Is the seating designed to make you feel pitched forward or is it just me?

 

[North of Mouse]

Actually, Soarin' is only 4:18 min. take off to finish, not near long enough for me - rode it 5 times on our trip in mid April. Hope they don't require more than a lap belt after the recent experience with someone deliberately getting out, and taking their child with them when they didn't consult a CM first. The seats seem very comfortable to me, and I have no sense of falling as some have mentioned. Never even feel the need to hold on to hand rests as a lot of people do. You WON'T fall if your seat belt is fastened (there are safety things in place to make sure they all are before takeoff). The long "race walk" from entrance to the Land shows that this is the most popular ride there Just get out of people's way LOL. Regarding the former post, actually I feel like I'm leaning back some and fit great, maybe it's because I'm so relaxed. Another pp, you're not going anywhere, why would anyone feel the need of a lap bar or shoulder harness. I can understand with "real" fear of falling like on coasters, etc. to have harness lap-bar type things for safety.

 

[DisneyHardin]

My ex was afraid of heights when we rode Soarin the first time. It has just opened and I didn't really know what it was either, so we just got on. Needless to say, he was a little freaked out, but did enjoy the ride.