A claustrophobic rider

[Crystal824]

I'm not overly claustrophobic but Mission Space gets to me. I would avoid it.

 

[SueM in MN]

This is from post 27 on page of the disABILITIES FAQs thread. That thread is stuck near the top oh tte disABILITIES Board.
This is a list of attractions that guests with claustrophobia, anxiety or panic type symptoms have reported issues with.

At MK:

• Haunted Mansion preshow room is a fairly small room called the Stretching Room. It has "No windows and No doors" (the Ghost Host reminds you of that). After the preshow, guests file into another very dark room for boarding and the space gets gradually narrower and narrower as you get closer to boarding. The doombuggies are a problem for some people because of the darkness, the roof of the ride vehicle and the fact that for part of the ride you are going backwards down a hill. If you want to ride without going thru the Stretching room, talk with the CM at the entrance. It is likely not possible, but won't hurt to ask.
• Stitch's Great Escape is not tight, but is dark and some people have problems with the over shoulder harnesses and feeling like they can't escape. Parts of it are in total darkness.
• Carousel of Progress has a fairly low ceiling is fairly dark and once the show begins, it is not possible to leave without an emergency stop of the show. I have not heard of anyone having a problem, but the inability to leave may cause a problem for some people.
• Mickey's Philharmagic and Laugh Floor have preshow gathering areas where many guests are congregated to wait for the next show. The spaces are large and if someone has a problem being in the crowd, it is possible to hang back away from the crowd. The CMs will tell guests to keep moving forward and fill in all space, but if the CM tells your group to keep moving forward, just explain why you need to stay back.
• Space Mountain has a tunnel with flashing lights that your ride car goes thru at the beginning of the ride. The ride itself is in near total darkness, which some people have issues with. The space rocket itself fits fairly tightly.
• Tom Sawyer's Island has some narrow passageways to make your way through and a series of caves; these are dark and can be tight both in width and height. The floors are uneven, which can make the area more disorienting for some people.
• Pirates of the Caribbean waiting area is themed as a connecting set of caves that twist around into different passageways. It is dim and the ceiling is fairly low. The wait generally is short, so guests pass thru the caves quickly, which minimizes any potential problems. When exiting the attraction, guests go up a steep moving walkway. Guests who are not able to use this use a small elevator to get back to group level.
• Astro Orbitor in Tomorrowland is located above ground level. There is a very small elevator to get up and down from the ride.
• Tomorrowland Transit Authority is an elevated tram that gives an overview of Tomorrowland. The track goes into some buildings, including a section going thru Space Mountain. This gives a bit of a Space Mountain overview, but is also extremely dark.mwhike you are inside, you can't see light from outside, which can make some people feel trapped. Inside Space Mountain is the only area that is dark.
• Under the Sea - Journey of the Little Mermaid in New Fantasyland has a series of cave-like passageways to get to the boarding area. Some areas are narrow or have fairly low ceilings. The last part before boarding is quite dark.

At Epcot:

• Spaceship Earth has a sort of narrow hallway that your ride car goes thru at the start of the ride and another that your ride car will go down backward at the end of the ride. Both of those can cause a problem for some people, especially the backwards part near the end. There is an interactive touchscreen experience while going down, which helps.
• Mission Space has a small room for the preshow. The ride is a small capsule to begin with and the control panel advances toward you once the ride car has closed, making it even smaller. Interestingly, I have problems with claustrophobia and didn't have a problem on Mission Space. The waiting area and the ride capsule is pretty much identical whether riding the original version or the more 'tame' green version.
• Test Track has a waiting line for both the regular line and the Fastpass line that snakes around quite a bit. The preshow area is a fairly small room with a fairly low ceiling. People are grouped around computer touchscreens where you 'design' your own car. Guests stay in that room until a door opens that leads into the next waiting room. The line in that second room moves fairly slowly and when it is crowded, it may feel more claustrophobic.
• Soarin' queue is in a large space, but the line may feel very tight because there are high walls on both sides (both Fastpass and regular line). There is an interactive game occurring in the regular line, which means people may be jumping, waving, swaying next to you while playing the game.
• Guests entering the Land with a wheelchair or ECV need to use a small elevator to go from the entrance level down to the level where the food court, Soarin' and Living With the Land are located.
• Nemo ride at Living Seas had a darkened line with a lot of twists and turns. It is seldom busy, so guests move through quickly, which minimizes problems. The extreme darkness of the line may be an issue.
• Guests with wheelchairs at the Living Seas need to use a small elevator if they want to go to the second floor of the attraction.
• Sum of All Thrills at Innoventions is a 'design it ypurself' roller coaster. Guests sit in a self contained ride with a tightly fitting restraint and a screen that comes very close to the guest's face while the ride is in motion. It is possible to watch other guests riding, which may help with deciding whether or not it will be a problem.
• American Adventure theater is on the second floor of the building. Guests can get up there using an escalator or a flight of stairs. Guests with wheelchairs or ECVs use a small elevator to get up there. When leaving, all guests go down a fairly steep ramp.

 

[SueM in MN]

At Hollywood Studios

• Voyage of the Little Mermaid has a fairly small room for the preshow area and they do pack guests in quite tightly.
• Twilight Zone Tower of Terror has a preshow in a library with a fairly low ceiling and many people will be in the room for the preshow. The ride car is a fairly large elevator, but the ceiling is fairly low and many people with claustrophobia or anxiety issues have problems with elevators in general.
• Rock N Roller Coaster is a very dark ride, which may cause problems for some people. It also has an over the shoulder restraint.
• Fantasmic waiting line and theater are outside, but some people have difficulty because of the large number of people and the closeness. If you have enough people in your party, they can act as a 'buffer' around you to keep a space around you.
• Toy Story Mania is a large space, but at one point of the line, you come to a steep set of stairs which leads to a passageway that goes over the ride track and then another stairway to get back down to board. There are windows in the passageway, but the ceiling is fairly low.
• Star Tours ride is in a fairly small theater with no windows, simulating a small space ship. A movie is shown out the front 'window' and your space ship moves in reaction to what is going on in the movie.

Animal Kingdom:

• It's Tough to Be a Bug has a low ceiling in the preshow area that simulates being underground. The theater itself is large, but some guests with claustrophobia may have difficulty with the the darkness and the fact that things are happening to you - some of them poking you in the back or bottom.
• Dinosaur has a tunnel sort of area that the ride cars go thru to be sent back to the past. Once in, the attraction very dark, some in almost total darkness. There is a set of stairs in the boarding area. Guests who are not able to use the stairs use a small elevator to get to the boarding area.

The best way to avoid crowded preshows is to go during less busy times and to use touring plans, which will help you to be in the least crowded part of the least crowded park.

This is a resource for panic attacks, which may be helpful:
http://psychcentral.com/lib/how-to-halt-and-minimize-panic-attacks/0005992

 

[JenXMickey]

I suffer from pretty bad claustrophobia. I’m at the point where any ride with restraints gets me extremely anxious. I will never do Star tours, FOP, ToT, and many others because of it. I have to be very careful with any restraints and will actually put my toes down and knees up so there’s extra room (I don’t ride anything intense so not a safety issue). Had I not done that on TSMM, I don’t know what would have happened in September. I was riding alone with my two 3 year olds and the ride went down. We had to be evacuated - during the wait for our turn things would have gotten really bad if I hadn’t known I could easily get myself out.
So you really need to know and come to terms with how bad your claustrophobia is. Some people can handle restraints as long as its in an open room, then there are those of us who can’t handle restricted movement at all.

I'm fine with restraints
It is just small crowded rooms that are my issue

 

[JenXMickey]

This is from post 27 on page of the disABILITIES FAQs thread. That thread is stuck near the top oh tte disABILITIES Board.
This is a list of attractions that guests with claustrophobia, anxiety or panic type symptoms have reported issues with.

At MK:

• Haunted Mansion preshow room is a fairly small room called the Stretching Room. It has "No windows and No doors" (the Ghost Host reminds you of that). After the preshow, guests file into another very dark room for boarding and the space gets gradually narrower and narrower as you get closer to boarding. The doombuggies are a problem for some people because of the darkness, the roof of the ride vehicle and the fact that for part of the ride you are going backwards down a hill. If you want to ride without going thru the Stretching room, talk with the CM at the entrance. It is likely not possible, but won't hurt to ask.
• Stitch's Great Escape is not tight, but is dark and some people have problems with the over shoulder harnesses and feeling like they can't escape. Parts of it are in total darkness.
• Carousel of Progress has a fairly low ceiling is fairly dark and once the show begins, it is not possible to leave without an emergency stop of the show. I have not heard of anyone having a problem, but the inability to leave may cause a problem for some people.
• Mickey's Philharmagic and Laugh Floor have preshow gathering areas where many guests are congregated to wait for the next show. The spaces are large and if someone has a problem being in the crowd, it is possible to hang back away from the crowd. The CMs will tell guests to keep moving forward and fill in all space, but if the CM tells your group to keep moving forward, just explain why you need to stay back.
• Space Mountain has a tunnel with flashing lights that your ride car goes thru at the beginning of the ride. The ride itself is in near total darkness, which some people have issues with. The space rocket itself fits fairly tightly.
• Tom Sawyer's Island has some narrow passageways to make your way through and a series of caves; these are dark and can be tight both in width and height. The floors are uneven, which can make the area more disorienting for some people.
• Pirates of the Caribbean waiting area is themed as a connecting set of caves that twist around into different passageways. It is dim and the ceiling is fairly low. The wait generally is short, so guests pass thru the caves quickly, which minimizes any potential problems. When exiting the attraction, guests go up a steep moving walkway. Guests who are not able to use this use a small elevator to get back to group level.
• Astro Orbitor in Tomorrowland is located above ground level. There is a very small elevator to get up and down from the ride.
• Tomorrowland Transit Authority is an elevated tram that gives an overview of Tomorrowland. The track goes into some buildings, including a section going thru Space Mountain. This gives a bit of a Space Mountain overview, but is also extremely dark.mwhike you are inside, you can't see light from outside, which can make some people feel trapped. Inside Space Mountain is the only area that is dark.
• Under the Sea - Journey of the Little Mermaid in New Fantasyland has a series of cave-like passageways to get to the boarding area. Some areas are narrow or have fairly low ceilings. The last part before boarding is quite dark.

At Epcot:

• Spaceship Earth has a sort of narrow hallway that your ride car goes thru at the start of the ride and another that your ride car will go down backward at the end of the ride. Both of those can cause a problem for some people, especially the backwards part near the end. There is an interactive touchscreen experience while going down, which helps.
• Mission Space has a small room for the preshow. The ride is a small capsule to begin with and the control panel advances toward you once the ride car has closed, making it even smaller. Interestingly, I have problems with claustrophobia and didn't have a problem on Mission Space. The waiting area and the ride capsule is pretty much identical whether riding the original version or the more 'tame' green version.
• Test Track has a waiting line for both the regular line and the Fastpass line that snakes around quite a bit. The preshow area is a fairly small room with a fairly low ceiling. People are grouped around computer touchscreens where you 'design' your own car. Guests stay in that room until a door opens that leads into the next waiting room. The line in that second room moves fairly slowly and when it is crowded, it may feel more claustrophobic.
• Soarin' queue is in a large space, but the line may feel very tight because there are high walls on both sides (both Fastpass and regular line). There is an interactive game occurring in the regular line, which means people may be jumping, waving, swaying next to you while playing the game.
• Guests entering the Land with a wheelchair or ECV need to use a small elevator to go from the entrance level down to the level where the food court, Soarin' and Living With the Land are located.
• Nemo ride at Living Seas had a darkened line with a lot of twists and turns. It is seldom busy, so guests move through quickly, which minimizes problems. The extreme darkness of the line may be an issue.
• Guests with wheelchairs at the Living Seas need to use a small elevator if they want to go to the second floor of the attraction.
• Sum of All Thrills at Innoventions is a 'design it ypurself' roller coaster. Guests sit in a self contained ride with a tightly fitting restraint and a screen that comes very close to the guest's face while the ride is in motion. It is possible to watch other guests riding, which may help with deciding whether or not it will be a problem.
• American Adventure theater is on the second floor of the building. Guests can get up there using an escalator or a flight of stairs. Guests with wheelchairs or ECVs use a small elevator to get up there. When leaving, all guests go down a fairly steep ramp.

Thank you so so much for this! I've been on most of these rides and have been fine

 

[Randomsoulshine]

I cannot do Mission Space at all. Almost had anxiety attack on it. The stretching room of Haunted Mansion is doable if you focus on the stretching up part and it is a very short time in that room. I found out this last trip that the backwards part of Everest makes it a no go for me as it is hot and pitch black. Heat and pitch black seem to give me the same issues as tightly packed spaces. Which stinks because I love roller coasters. I didn't have difficulty with any other ride. I also never push lap bars down crazy super tight on my legs which also helps.

 

[Disneylover99]

Don't go near Mission Space. I think it MADE me claustrophobic.

It absolutely brought out the claustrophobia in me. I had no idea I had a problem til I rode it. Now I have a difficult time with any type of restraint.

 

[dreamit]

Spaceship Earth causes issues for me. I feel trapped.

 

[DOOM1001]

My issue is having my legs restrained or just not being able to move them freely,this for whatever reason was never an issue for me but about 5 years ago it started becoming one,I dont know if its claustrophobia or not,maybe someone knows.Most of the rides I've had an issue on are luckily not at Disney but it did bother me one time on FoP since it does have restraints that lock your legs in place,as long as the rides start and get going quickly I'm fine but if I'm just sitting there thinking about it then I start having issues.Other rides where I have issues with this is the Mummy and Gringotts at Universal since they both use the same train cars and the restraints on your legs leave them in there tight,about three months ago I rode the mummy and at the end of the ride it just stopped and didnt move for like 12 minutes,I almost lost it,I had to try and make chit chat with those around me to get my mind of just being stuck there,if it was a coaster with just overhead restraints and my legs dangling I would be fine but immobile legs and I freak out,Manta at Sea World is another one that locks your legs with restraints,I used to ride this ride and Mummy 4-5 times in a row,today I'll ride it once and I'm done,risking getting stuck like that time in Mummy is a definite fear.The ride position on FoP also helps me not have this issue as much since you're like in a motorcycle ride position for whatever reason keeps me from thinking about the leg restraints.

 

[Amy11401]

My issue is having my legs restrained or just not being able to move them freely,this for whatever reason was never an issue for me but about 5 years ago it started becoming one,I dont know if its claustrophobia or not,maybe someone knows.Most of the rides I've had an issue on are luckily not at Disney but it did bother me one time on FoP since it does have restraints that lock your legs in place,as long as the rides start and get going quickly I'm fine but if I'm just sitting there thinking about it then I start having issues.Other rides where I have issues with this is the Mummy and Gringotts at Universal since they both use the same train cars and the restraints on your legs leave them in there tight,about three months ago I rode the mummy and at the end of the ride it just stopped and didnt move for like 12 minutes,I almost lost it,I had to try and make chit chat with those around me to get my mind of just being stuck there,if it was a coaster with just overhead restraints and my legs dangling I would be fine but immobile legs and I freak out,Manta at Sea World is another one that locks your legs with restraints,I used to ride this ride and Mummy 4-5 times in a row,today I'll ride it once and I'm done,risking getting stuck like that time in Mummy is a definite fear.The ride position on FoP also helps me not have this issue as much since you're like in a motorcycle ride position for whatever reason keeps me from thinking about the leg restraints.

@DOOM1001 Though I have never rode any of those rides; I too get claustrophobic if my legs feel trapped.

 

[Best Aunt]

The Splash Mountain ride itself is fine for me, but one time we were waiting in line and had to stop for a long time in an area that bothered me.

I had a Fastpass for the Lion King show, and the area where we waited would have bothered me if I has followed the instructions to fill every available space. I found a place near the wall where I was confortable and stayed there.

I’m not a big fan of the place where you wait inside for the Frozen ride either.

 

[SwanVT2]

I feel like Star Tours is claustrophobic but it also gives me motion sickness so that might play a part

Also remember that you also have to be ok with any ride stopping and being stuck there for a while at any point of the ride

Oh yes, Star Tours! Definitely felt it there.

 

[ericf70]

My issue is having my legs restrained or just not being able to move them freely,this for whatever reason was never an issue for me but about 5 years ago it started becoming one,I dont know if its claustrophobia or not,maybe someone knows.Most of the rides I've had an issue on are luckily not at Disney but it did bother me one time on FoP since it does have restraints that lock your legs in place,as long as the rides start and get going quickly I'm fine but if I'm just sitting there thinking about it then I start having issues.Other rides where I have issues with this is the Mummy and Gringotts at Universal since they both use the same train cars and the restraints on your legs leave them in there tight,about three months ago I rode the mummy and at the end of the ride it just stopped and didnt move for like 12 minutes,I almost lost it,I had to try and make chit chat with those around me to get my mind of just being stuck there,if it was a coaster with just overhead restraints and my legs dangling I would be fine but immobile legs and I freak out,Manta at Sea World is another one that locks your legs with restraints,I used to ride this ride and Mummy 4-5 times in a row,today I'll ride it once and I'm done,risking getting stuck like that time in Mummy is a definite fear.The ride position on FoP also helps me not have this issue as much since you're like in a motorcycle ride position for whatever reason keeps me from thinking about the leg restraints.

I have the same issues with Mummy and Gringott's. I also won't go on any ride with an over the shoulder restraint, so I miss out on RnR, Forbidden Journey, etc... Thinking about riding FoP is making me nervous because of the leg restraints.

 

[Disneylover99]

I have the same issues with Mummy and Gringott's. I also won't go on any ride with an over the shoulder restraint, so I miss out on RnR, Forbidden Journey, etc... Thinking about riding FoP is making me nervous because of the leg restraints.

The leg restraints didn’t bother me, but the back restraint did. It felt way too tight.

 

[bigbabyblues]

Spaceship Earth causes issues for me. I feel trapped.

I do too.

 

[WillowRain]

I AM NOT Claustrophobic and Mission Space gave me a panic attack. I am not a huge fan of RnR either because I am short, the harness freaks me out a little. Maybe I am a bit claustrophobic anyhow.

 

[disneyworldsk]

so if we all share this problem, how can we solve it?! I'm tired of avoiding things because of thisproblem. and i'm tired of not avoiding things and experiencing this problem because I didn't avoid it! I try little tips and tricks but in a real situation it sneaks up on you. The worst was the simpson ride in universal for me, that was a bad one. I think simulators are worse I guess for me. I don't know why. Would love to get rid of this annoying problem for me for sure.

 

[disneyworldsk]

Honestly, for once I would like to not ask my family members to sit in the booth of a restaurant (like garden grill) and I choose the outer edge of it.

 

[Newcastle]

Further to the previous comments about FoP, I have no issues with the restraints whatsoever but for some reason this last time, I started to feel claustrophobic in that preshow/preride room where they set you up with an Avatar. I haven’t had issues with claustrophobia in years but for some reason it was taking them longer than usual to complete that phase of the ride and although it’s not an overly small space, those old feelings of panic started to set in. I think what made it worse though is that when we went to leave the room, we were prevented from doing so as someone had been sick on the ride so we had to go back and do the whole preshow again in a different theatre. I’m hoping that that was just a one-off and it’s not going to prevent me from going on the ride again in the future but it wasn’t something that I thought would cause me problems at all until this most recent experience.

 

[Jetta8300]

My husband is very mildly clausterphobic and had a full blown adult man meltdown on Mission Space.