What can one do for the few ques that are really closed in/claustrophobia triggering?

[ppony]

I saw the announcement for the regular ques in ROTR and it gave me an instant jolt of anxiety. I'm already in a wheelchair, so those that are know how it is being surrounded by close crowds at that level, but the thought of sitting in that que for a few hours freaks me the h*ll out. It's really tight and closed in. Any advice? I'd really like to ride it w/ my family.

 

[gap2368]

Would a DAS work for you

 

[mamabunny]

I saw the announcement for the regular questions in ROTR and it gave me an instant jolt of anxiety. I'm already in a wheelchair, so those that are know how it is being surrounded by close crowds at that level, but the thought of sitting in that que for a few hours freaks me the h*ll out. It's really tight and closed in. Any advice? I'd really like to ride it w/ my family.

Would it help if your family could help you create a "bubble" while in line?

All you need is one family member behind you - that person just moves a bit slower moving forward until you have a small bubble - try to keep it to 6 feet or less - that will allow you some space and the ability to move back and forth a bit if it helps. As the line ahead of you moves, you move forward as well, just maintain your "bubble" as you go.

I get it - I have issues with claustrophia as well, and when you are sitting lower than everyone around you, it feels worse.

 

[Bete]

Honestly, I would rather skip the ride then feel the stress. It's one ride.

Not sure if DAS will help but you can try it.

Would closing your eyes while waiting in the ride queue help?

Find ways to distract yourself like reading a book, playing a game on your phone or whatever while waiting in line.

Is there any medication that can be prescribed your doctor that would help?

 

[ppony]

Thanks guys. I do use my family as a bubble in other lines. It helps. It's just that that ride (and a few others) have such tight walls and low ceilings. You not only see it, but you can't help but feel and hear it. I never thought about a DAS for myself. I've gotten them for my autistic son plenty of times, but perhaps, if there is a way for them to tell me when I can come back and not have to go through those tight quarters. Hmmm I'd like to stay with my family or I'd not go. Honestly, rides don't mean much to me these days given my body size, but I really don't want them to feel bad leaving me behind.

thanks for the advice. I'll try the DAS, but if that doesn't work, well, we'll figure it out.

 

[DisneyOma]

I got a DAS for the first time last month. In the past I used FP a lot, and early entry, etc. I have severe claustrophobia (last attempt at an MRI had me whacking my head inside the machine so hard as I clawed my way out) and I found the Plexiglas in the queues to be very claustrophobic. Not sure how you can avoid that, as even with DAS you join up in the queue at some point. With Lightning Lane and Rider Swap and VIP tours all using that express queue along with DAS, you should probably count on a 20 minute wait to get on, IMO. I know that's better than hours in the standby queue, but just wanted to let you know it's still going to be tricky. Well, tricky for me at least, as I get anxious in the last part of the BTMRR queue, the part that goes down the ramp. Not sure how I'm going to manage RotR next year.

 

[MrBellatrixLestrange]

I've only ridden the ride once so others may be better able to chime in but I seem to recall that ride having some constricted spaces that might be problematic for a claustrophobic person in which case, as others have noted, it might be best to skip it anyway?

 

[Baytothemax]

MamaBunny’s bubble suggestion is really best, with or without a DAS. Even with the DAS, there are some tight lines you have to go through that could be triggering, RoR was very cave-like in line. While you could be ok one time, if you get that group behind you who don’t respect personal space, that could make it 100x worse.

 

[appleorchard]

We got stuck in the waiting room where they "match" you with your avatar on Flight of Passage. It's a fairly small room and after about 10 minutes it started to close in on me. My son was about to open the door and tell them I had to get out when the ride finally moved on. I'm always a little hesitant there now.

 

[maxiesmom]

I always tell myself if need be I can go out the way I came in. May not be super simple, but it is doable.

 

[DLgal]

This is the type of concern that DAS was created to address. Get a DAS.

 

[Evita_W]

This is exactly the type of thing the DAS is for.

There are still some instances where there will be tight spaces though, fo example the stretching room at Haunted Mansion, but there, politely ask the CM if they can not put as many people in the room as normal, feel free to let them know you have crowd issues, never had a problem with this.

 

[DisneyOma]

This is exactly the type of thing the DAS is for.

There are still some instances where there will be tight spaces though, fo example the stretching room at Haunted Mansion, but there, politely ask the CM if they can not put as many people in the room as normal, feel free to let them know you have crowd issues, never had a problem with this.

The OP would probably have to wait until the next stretching room gets filled though - and I know they alternate so it shouldn't take too much time, but the CMs are counting/estimating how many people they can cram in there, so getting them to stop that process my not be possible. But saying that you'd be willing to wait for the next loading, or asking to skip it completely might be a more successful option.

 

[murmer]

This is exactly the type of thing the DAS is for.

There are still some instances where there will be tight spaces though, fo example the stretching room at Haunted Mansion, but there, politely ask the CM if they can not put as many people in the room as normal, feel free to let them know you have crowd issues, never had a problem with this.

You can skip the stretching room!!! I did that at my most recent trip. As for ROTR most of the hallways have visible beginnings and endings (far better than Hagrids!!!!). With that said our most recent trip we were stopped for 1.5 hrs in one of the skinny cave sections but thankfully close by was an open spot and the people in front of us let me stand there with space around me.

 

[Evita_W]

The OP would probably have to wait until the next stretching room gets filled though - and I know they alternate so it shouldn't take too much time, but the CMs are counting/estimating how many people they can cram in there, so getting them to stop that process my not be possible. But saying that you'd be willing to wait for the next loading, or asking to skip it completely might be a more successful option.

No, if you ask them not to put as many people in the room due to a medical need, you may need to wait for the next load, but they will put fewer people in the room. We have done this many times and they generally put about 25% of the normal put of people, sometimes slightly more than that.

 

[Evita_W]

You can skip the stretching room!!! I did that at my most recent trip. As for ROTR most of the hallways have visible beginnings and endings (far better than Hagrids!!!!). With that said our most recent trip we were stopped for 1.5 hrs in one of the skinny cave sections but thankfully close by was an open spot and the people in front of us let me stand there with space around me.

Sometimes, sometimes not, but it is part of the story, so being able to experience it still is a nice.

 

[GusGus77]

I always do something on my phone in claustrophobic areas of ques. If I am looking at Facebook or engaged in a game on my phone, I am not focusing on my location and surroundings and so do better. Just thinking I have a small handheld Yahtzee game that might be a good distraction in the future as well. It works for short periods of time for me at least.

 

[Dispro1]

I have a DAS for issues other than anxiety/claustrophobia, but when my nephew who has those issues rode ROTR with me last week (using the DAS line with me) he started having a panic attack! Once you meet up with the other line, you enter room after room on the "ship" before you get on the actual ride part. I didn't even think about this being a problem for him until I saw my sister (his mom) doing some kind of calming techniques with him trying to get him through it...it was awful! Once he got on the actual ride part, he was fine and loved it, but there is one particular area of the line that bottlenecks that I wish there were a way to avoid if you have issues with enclosed spaces! I wonder if there is a way to skip all the pre-show stuff if you ask...otherwise, you may want to skip that one? So if you were able to get a DAS, it definitely wouldn't eliminate the enclosed spaces on ROTR, but it would cut it down in time so maybe you could manage it until you got on the ride??

 

[DisneyOma]

I have a DAS for issues other than anxiety/claustrophobia, but when my nephew who has those issues rode ROTR with me last week (using the DAS line with me) he started having a panic attack! Once you meet up with the other line, you enter room after room on the "ship" before you get on the actual ride part. I didn't even think about this being a problem for him until I saw my sister (his mom) doing some kind of calming techniques with him trying to get him through it...it was awful! Once he got on the actual ride part, he was fine and loved it, but there is one particular area of the line that bottlenecks that I wish there were a way to avoid if you have issues with enclosed spaces! I wonder if there is a way to skip all the pre-show stuff if you ask...otherwise, you may want to skip that one? So if you were able to get a DAS, it definitely wouldn't eliminate the enclosed spaces on ROTR, but it would cut it down in time so maybe you could manage it until you got on the ride??

If you are talking about the wedge shaped room, there seems to be more space if you hang back and don't enter first (or stay at the entrance and don't go into the pointy corner). My claustrophobia didn't kick in when I was in that room, luckily, but the shape of the room could be pretty claustrophobic in that one narrow section for sure.

To skip the preshow they'd have to save spots on the colored dots for you, otherwise there'd be no space in the ride vehicles. Or someone else would be left waiting for the next grouping, etc. I think that would ruin the point of the attraction for many, as you are put in groups to fit in the ride vehicles from the point that you exit the second 'preshow'. And thinking more about it, those 'preshow' segments are really part of the attraction - I don't want to ruin the surprise for anyone, but it follows a plotline and has lots of detail.

 

[Dispro1]

If you are talking about the wedge shaped room, there seems to be more space if you hang back and don't enter first (or stay at the entrance and don't go into the pointy corner). My claustrophobia didn't kick in when I was in that room, luckily, but the shape of the room could be pretty claustrophobic in that one narrow section for sure.

To skip the preshow they'd have to save spots on the colored dots for you, otherwise there'd be no space in the ride vehicles. Or someone else would be left waiting for the next grouping, etc. I think that would ruin the point of the attraction for many, as you are put in groups to fit in the ride vehicles from the point that you exit the second 'preshow'. And thinking more about it, those 'preshow' segments are really part of the attraction - I don't want to ruin the surprise for anyone, but it follows a plotline and has lots of detail.

Actually, the part that was the worst for him was the bottleneck that occurred right after the big room with the storm troopers (hope I'm not spoiling anything by saying that since there are pictures of that room everywhere anyway). We were stuck there waiting for longer than one would expect. We had not waited that long on previous trips which I suppose is why I didn't think about him having a problem. But the wedge shaped room you mentioned was a problem too, but we just talked him through it and showed him where the door was going to open. Fortunately, we were not in that pointy corner you were talking about, but hanging back would be a good idea for those with anxiety for sure.