What with the Bugs Life Ride?

[lily2521]

I read it's scary. I watched a YouTube video, but when hopper comes out and smoke flies and there's buzzing sounds, it gets dark and I can't tell what's happening in the video.

What makes it so scary, something about bee stings?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I read it's scary. I watched a YouTube video, but when hopper comes out and smoke flies and there's buzzing sounds, it gets dark and I can't tell what's happening in the video.

What makes it so scary, something about bee stings?

It is a 4D theater. So there are things that occur that make it seem like actual bugs are "gonna get you".

I hate the "sting", so I inch forward in my seat when it is about to occur. It doesn't hurt or anything--I'm just a chicken.

 

[prudence64]

I could see a really young one finding it scary but we think it's hilarious throughout.

 

[Ellen]

Pokers in seats that are supposed to feel like bees. Dark and loud with what can be scary insects. End of show feels like bugs are running under your seat. Depends on age and what individual sees as scary.


My son was afraid of anything 3D when he was young. We even had to leave Muppet 3D Vision because of 3D, nothing most would find scary (throwing pies)

I would just find a seat at the end of row that way you can exit if it is too scary

Ellen

 

[lily2521]

It is a 4D theater. So there are things that occur that make it seem like actual bugs are "gonna get you".

I hate the "sting", so I inch forward in my seat when it is about to occur. It doesn't hurt or anything--I'm just a chicken.

So something comes out of the seat at you? What exactly happens?

If DD was on my lap and I lean forward I'd avoid this part? DD's terrified of bees

 

[lily2521]

Pokers in seats that are supposed to feel like bees. Dark and loud with what can be scary insects. End of show feels like bugs are running under your seat. Depends on age and what individual sees as scary.


My son was afraid of anything 3D when he was young. We even had to leave Muppet 3D Vision because of 3D, nothing most would find scary (throwing pies)

I would just find a seat at the end of row that way you can exit if it is too scary

Ellen

So if DD was on my lap, she'd avoid the 'sting' and the bug feeling at the end? She does okay with 3D stuff, but of course we've never done anything quite like this one...

 

[MakiraMarlena]

It's not a ride. 3d-4D "cinematic" experience. It is cartoonified but avoid if you have any kind of phobia regarding insects or arachnids.

if your child is terrified of bees do not take her at all. There will be 3d bees flying around. They are cartoon bees but still. That "sting" is in the back of the chair so you can arrange for her not to feel it but am always seeing parents carrying screaming kids out of there.

 

[SeilerBird]

Nothing comes out of the seat. At the end the announcer tells the bugs to leave first and you can feel something that feels like there is something running across your seat but it is harmless.

I have seen the show a lot and I really love it, but there are always little kids that get terrorized during the show and end up crying and screaming. If I took a kid in that was under six we would be sitting very close to the door. There is one part where the lights go out and large animatronic spiders decend from the ceiling.

It is my favorite attraction at AK.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Nothing comes out of the seat. At the end the announcer tells the bugs to leave first and you can feel something that feels like there is something running across your seat but it is harmless.

Unless they have changed it, there is a "sting" in the back of the seat. Doesn't hurt but it does poke you.

 

[kelconic]

I read it's scary. I watched a YouTube video, but when hopper comes out and smoke flies and there's buzzing sounds, it gets dark and I can't tell what's happening in the video. What makes it so scary, something about bee stings?

My 8 year old daughter (who is generally not one to get scared) started to CRY when large spiders dropped from the ceiling!

 

[erionm]

Unless they have changed it, there is a "sting" in the back of the seat. Doesn't hurt but it does poke you.

The 'sting' is nothing but air.

 

[chartle]

The 'sting' is nothing but air.

Not so sure about that. To me its something behind a flexible rubber sheet in the seat back. Don't think a shot of air would be that pointy.

 

[lily2521]

Thanks for all of your answers here, this helps a lot! I will have to decide if i will show DD the YouTube video before we go and tell her exactly what happens and let her decide, or just nix it altogether. I'd like to see it, but DH and I can go see it separately if we think it's too much for her.

 

[chartle]

My 8 year old daughter (who is generally not one to get scared) started to CRY when large spiders dropped from the ceiling!

Same here but 8 year old son.

Went a second time and he covered his face.

 

[chartle]

I think the issue is that the mood changes very quickly when Hopper comes out and it can take kids off guard.

 

[AngiTN]

It's not a ride. 3d-4D "cinematic" experience. It is cartoonified but avoid if you have any kind of phobia regarding insects or arachnids.

if your child is terrified of bees do not take her at all. There will be 3d bees flying around. They are cartoon bees but still. That "sting" is in the back of the chair so you can arrange for her not to feel it but am always seeing parents carrying screaming kids out of there.

DGD is terrified to the point of paralysis of flying insects of all kinds, but especially bees. We are talking major melt down. At almost 7. Bugs Life doesn't bother at all. She loves it. Figure that one out

 

[AngiTN]

Not so sure about that. To me its something behind a flexible rubber sheet in the seat back. Don't think a shot of air would be that pointy.

I agree, it's not air. It is something in the seat that pushes out. It is rounded on the end and it doesn't hurt but it does surprise you.

 

[lily2521]

I think the issue is that the mood changes very quickly when Hopper comes out and it can take kids off guard.

I noticed that in the video, I think that's why I'm wondering if maybe showing DD the video first might help, so there's no surprises. I would never want to frighten her intentionally, so If I think she can't handle it we will skip it.

 

[DVCcurious]

I took my 3.5 year old daughter to this show and it was a huge mistake.

She loved a bugs life. We watched the youtube videos of this attraction so she'd know what to expect. It didn't matter. The show is, frankly, terrifying.

The first half is fine. It's cute little 4d stuff with air/water/smells being shot at you. But even that is "scary" because we saw at least two families leave during the first few minutes before Hopper makes his appearance. So even if it's "cute" it can still cause problems for little kids.

But the tone of the show completely changes when Hopper comes out. Hopper jumps out and talks about "how bugs have been killed by humans for generations and it's time for bugs to get their revenge" or something. then a giant bug-kill spray shows up and the entire theatre is filled with "poison gas". During this time everybody is screaming, then the lights go off and there is more screaming. It's pitch black and the room is full of screams. Hopper is shouting threatening comments throughout this segment. Then the lights come on and directly above your head is a giant spider, probably 2 feet wide. There are giant spiders everywhere hanging from the ceiling, people are screaming, Hopper is yelling, etc. The show literally goes from "it's a small world" to "tower of terror" in one second.

Luckily as soon as Hopper started acting violent I told my daughter to put her fingers in her ears and I covered her eyes and hugged her, so she missed almost all of this. She was also on my lap when the bugs crawled under the seat so she missed that.

Bugs Life is entertaining but I am not going back until my kids are 6 years old at least.

 

[Micca]

I agree, it's not air. It is something in the seat that pushes out. It is rounded on the end and it doesn't hurt but it does surprise you.

Exactly! If I had to guess, it's probably something like the eraser end of a pencil. There's no pain, no sting, and you'd never associate the sensation with a bug if you weren't sitting in an auditorium full of insect sights & sounds. As Angi says, it may startle you in the same way that you might be startled if you had your cell phone in your back pocket and it began to vibrate.

This attraction is probably best enjoyed by fans of the film (which is excellent BTW).