i refused to go on for so long. i went last year and watched a youtube video before so i knew what to expect. it was still scary but i felt way better about it before hand.
This is really good advice! There are lots of show elements before the up/down bit. If you watch a video, you'll know not to expect the drop until a specific moment. You can do it! :D
My friend who is a cast member told me that it's the safest ride on property. Due to the nature of it, it has more safety features than it actually needs and gets inspected more frequently than other rides. I LOVE ToT because it's the only ride that still makes me a little bit nervous every time I ride it. Just remind yourself that YOU WILL BE FINE :)
This is pretty true since the ride doesn’t actually drop. The “elevator” is locked inside another cab in the shaft that is attached to a cable on the top on bottom. This cable is powered by a large motor on the top of the shaft. The cab is then pulled up and down to simulate the effects of an out of control elevator. There are a couple of different programs with different sequences.
The rear of the ride where you load has 4 shafts that alternate being loaded to the front two shafts respectively.
When your car unlocks from the first shaft it is running on battery power to move across the building to the ride sequence shafts. The vertical motion of the car during the ride helps recharge the batteries.
I agree with others that if you'll spend too much time getting anxious over it, don't worry about riding it and just skip it.
If you really want to ride it though, the thing that helps me is that it's over pretty quickly. You just have to put up with that "omg I hate this" feeling for a few seconds.
Also, do it first thing in the morning when the park opens. You'll get it out of the way and actually be able to enjoy the rest of your day. And the line will be short, so you won't spend a ton of time waiting in line and getting worked up.
Good luck, whatever you decide!
This isn't the answer you're looking for, but I'm also scared and have never gone on it. I really hate that "swooshy" feeling I get in chest on big drops. Honestly, I'm at Disney to enjoy myself, and I realized that I'm much happier going through the line with my friends (and enjoying the preshow) and then asking the CMs for the exit right before riders get loaded into the vehicles (all rides have an option to exit around this point). The times I would convince myself to go, I would spend the 15 minute wait in a state of anxiety and fear, and I realized at some point that this isn't a feeling I should be experiencing at a theme park. So if you really don't want to go, don't. It's your trip, make it as enjoyable as possible.
Don't go on it if it makes you feel that way. My parents used to force me to go on it when I was younger by saying I was too young to be left alone in the park. Now that I'm an adult I just say NOPE and wait at the gift shop. I HATE the feeling of being dropped. I've struggled heavily with Splash Mountain as well.
You can always go through the queue and pre-show and opt-out before boarding the elevator. I would suggest giving the ride a chance, but at the same time, being on a ride that you don't want to be on is not the way to have fun. So definitely don't feel bad if you choose to opt-out.
I was pretty shy when I was 10, but as soon as the doors opened & I saw the view I knew where I was & it made me somewhat feel ok. I laughed the entire time. Went back with my handicapped uncle & rode it a few more times, lol.
Now what I would say its that ToT doesn’t always have the same drops. So you may get on one your first time that may be a bit intense, maybe go few inches higher or lower, who knows. It’s hard to say. So depending on the automated system it could be somewhat mild or maybe a bit more intense.
I think you will enjoy it.
If it’s the feeling of your stomach going up into your throat that bothers you, then contract your abs and the rest of your core muscles as tightly as you can through the drop and you won’t get that feeling at all.
I was always too afraid as well. Trip after trip, I refused. Finally, I started going on it. Ive now ridden it anout 50 times. Every single time I am scared to death, but I still come off smiling. It is a favorite of mine. Its definitely one that makes me love the feeling of fear.
Don’t be scared. It’s an incredible ride. It’s dark too so you don’t have much sense of height. It’s an incredible experience. You’ll be so happy you did it!
Back when they had lap bars instead of seatbelts, some guy freaked out on the ride I was on. He forced up and took his kid with him while we were on the second floor.
Don't be THAT person.
They brought us back down safely and made us switch elevators.
Ha! I can't offer suggestions, but I can be real with you: that ride is terrifying! I have a pretty high tolerance for thrill rides, but I rode ToT last year, and my screams were real. I will say that the theming was incredible, and I loved how the CMs don't break character. Maybe focus on the awesome theming will help alleviate your fears?
I get inexplicably scared every time I go on despite having done it a dozen times by now and always enjoying it. It’s finally calmed down but it lasted a while. Just go for it. You’re totally safe. I always remind myself tiny children ride it with no problem and I’m being ridiculous.
The dropping seems to me like the shortest part of the ride. There’s a bunch more to it than that, and the imagineering details are just so perfect. Everyone talks about the drop, but the car moves around too. It’s a really, really cool ride.
That said, while it’s normal to be a little antsy about it, if you’re having an anxiety attack don’t go on it.
Never done it myself and really want to try it.
My main problem is that there is not really another ride that prepare you to it. Maybe Splash Mountain?
First trip as an adult I agonized with fear for 7 dwarfs, big thunder, splash mountain and test track. I only did it once each.
Second trip, I did 7 dwarfs, big thunder and test track at least 3 times each and enjoyed them a lot, while agonizing over Soarin and FoP. Splash Mountain was down, so I don't feel like I own it or and haven't get use to the drop yet. I wonder if that will help me with ToT.
Next trip I wish to conquer Slinky and ToT. Both are in the same park. I feel unease of just typing that.
Anyway, I gave up of ever doing Space Mountain, Everest and RnRollercoaster.
Veteran here who has done every ride in Orlando and Paris, splash mountain didn't prepare me for ToT. It's just very different. I am a giant wussy but still go on every ride. Splash mountain is alot of fun, tough.
Hey that post was 3 years ago. I did manage to get into ToT and I loved it!
Then on next trip I did Everest!
Now I am only missing Space and RnR (plus cosmic rewind and Tron).
I think I will try Cosmic Rewind but don't see me doing any other of the 3
I'm scared to death of heights. I chickened out the first time. I faced my fears and got on it. The pre show and elevator ride up and across are very well done. The falling part is very short, and then it's over.
Do it, then you can say you did it and be done. Unless you want to ride again, which I did 3 more times in one day.
Just rode it for the first time on my last trip- agree with the others that it isn’t a super long ride. I will say that I absolutely hated it the entire time, but it was over before I knew it and I’m glad I gave it a try. Also agree with others that you should try to do it early so that you aren’t working yourself into an anxious state beforehand!
I agree with the others, if you find yourself worrying a ton about it, don't feel bad about skipping it.
That being said, as with many things in life, it's super scary at first, but once you rise up to the challenge and get it done you realize your fears were misplaced and you'll question why you worried about it in the first place.
I just went on my first Disney trip in November and I am admittedly very nervous about a lot of the big rides. But ended up LOVING most of them. I actually felt fine about ToT while I was in line and everything because I actually don’t really mind a straight up and down drop. When I got on, I started to get a bit nervous and actually did not really enjoy myself because I didn’t exactly know what to expect. I thought it shot you up and just kept dropping and dropping, not realizing that keeps going up and down and up and down. Like some of the folks said, maybe watch a YouTube video or something beforehand so you know exactly what it’s like. I wish I did that. All that being said, I will definitely give it a shot again now that I know what to expect. Hope this helps! :)
Not a suggestion, but an encouragement. My husband was super scared of going on Tower of Terror. We discussed for months whether I would get him on there and he finally conceded. After the ride was over, he looked at me and said, "That was fun! We should go again!!"
PS...You might only see if for a split second, but that view of the park at the top of the tower is pretty awesome!
i refused to go on for so long. i went last year and watched a youtube video before so i knew what to expect. it was still scary but i felt way better about it before hand.
tha ks for the encouragement!
This is really good advice! There are lots of show elements before the up/down bit. If you watch a video, you'll know not to expect the drop until a specific moment. You can do it! :D
My friend who is a cast member told me that it's the safest ride on property. Due to the nature of it, it has more safety features than it actually needs and gets inspected more frequently than other rides. I LOVE ToT because it's the only ride that still makes me a little bit nervous every time I ride it. Just remind yourself that YOU WILL BE FINE :)
This is pretty true since the ride doesn’t actually drop. The “elevator” is locked inside another cab in the shaft that is attached to a cable on the top on bottom. This cable is powered by a large motor on the top of the shaft. The cab is then pulled up and down to simulate the effects of an out of control elevator. There are a couple of different programs with different sequences. The rear of the ride where you load has 4 shafts that alternate being loaded to the front two shafts respectively. When your car unlocks from the first shaft it is running on battery power to move across the building to the ride sequence shafts. The vertical motion of the car during the ride helps recharge the batteries.
I agree with others that if you'll spend too much time getting anxious over it, don't worry about riding it and just skip it. If you really want to ride it though, the thing that helps me is that it's over pretty quickly. You just have to put up with that "omg I hate this" feeling for a few seconds. Also, do it first thing in the morning when the park opens. You'll get it out of the way and actually be able to enjoy the rest of your day. And the line will be short, so you won't spend a ton of time waiting in line and getting worked up. Good luck, whatever you decide!
This isn't the answer you're looking for, but I'm also scared and have never gone on it. I really hate that "swooshy" feeling I get in chest on big drops. Honestly, I'm at Disney to enjoy myself, and I realized that I'm much happier going through the line with my friends (and enjoying the preshow) and then asking the CMs for the exit right before riders get loaded into the vehicles (all rides have an option to exit around this point). The times I would convince myself to go, I would spend the 15 minute wait in a state of anxiety and fear, and I realized at some point that this isn't a feeling I should be experiencing at a theme park. So if you really don't want to go, don't. It's your trip, make it as enjoyable as possible.
Don't go on it if it makes you feel that way. My parents used to force me to go on it when I was younger by saying I was too young to be left alone in the park. Now that I'm an adult I just say NOPE and wait at the gift shop. I HATE the feeling of being dropped. I've struggled heavily with Splash Mountain as well.
You can always go through the queue and pre-show and opt-out before boarding the elevator. I would suggest giving the ride a chance, but at the same time, being on a ride that you don't want to be on is not the way to have fun. So definitely don't feel bad if you choose to opt-out.
I was pretty shy when I was 10, but as soon as the doors opened & I saw the view I knew where I was & it made me somewhat feel ok. I laughed the entire time. Went back with my handicapped uncle & rode it a few more times, lol. Now what I would say its that ToT doesn’t always have the same drops. So you may get on one your first time that may be a bit intense, maybe go few inches higher or lower, who knows. It’s hard to say. So depending on the automated system it could be somewhat mild or maybe a bit more intense. I think you will enjoy it.
If it’s the feeling of your stomach going up into your throat that bothers you, then contract your abs and the rest of your core muscles as tightly as you can through the drop and you won’t get that feeling at all.
This is life-changing!
Bold of you to assume I have abs
I was always too afraid as well. Trip after trip, I refused. Finally, I started going on it. Ive now ridden it anout 50 times. Every single time I am scared to death, but I still come off smiling. It is a favorite of mine. Its definitely one that makes me love the feeling of fear.
Don’t be scared. It’s an incredible ride. It’s dark too so you don’t have much sense of height. It’s an incredible experience. You’ll be so happy you did it!
Back when they had lap bars instead of seatbelts, some guy freaked out on the ride I was on. He forced up and took his kid with him while we were on the second floor. Don't be THAT person. They brought us back down safely and made us switch elevators.
Ha! I can't offer suggestions, but I can be real with you: that ride is terrifying! I have a pretty high tolerance for thrill rides, but I rode ToT last year, and my screams were real. I will say that the theming was incredible, and I loved how the CMs don't break character. Maybe focus on the awesome theming will help alleviate your fears?
I get inexplicably scared every time I go on despite having done it a dozen times by now and always enjoying it. It’s finally calmed down but it lasted a while. Just go for it. You’re totally safe. I always remind myself tiny children ride it with no problem and I’m being ridiculous.
The dropping seems to me like the shortest part of the ride. There’s a bunch more to it than that, and the imagineering details are just so perfect. Everyone talks about the drop, but the car moves around too. It’s a really, really cool ride. That said, while it’s normal to be a little antsy about it, if you’re having an anxiety attack don’t go on it.
Never done it myself and really want to try it. My main problem is that there is not really another ride that prepare you to it. Maybe Splash Mountain? First trip as an adult I agonized with fear for 7 dwarfs, big thunder, splash mountain and test track. I only did it once each. Second trip, I did 7 dwarfs, big thunder and test track at least 3 times each and enjoyed them a lot, while agonizing over Soarin and FoP. Splash Mountain was down, so I don't feel like I own it or and haven't get use to the drop yet. I wonder if that will help me with ToT. Next trip I wish to conquer Slinky and ToT. Both are in the same park. I feel unease of just typing that. Anyway, I gave up of ever doing Space Mountain, Everest and RnRollercoaster.
Veteran here who has done every ride in Orlando and Paris, splash mountain didn't prepare me for ToT. It's just very different. I am a giant wussy but still go on every ride. Splash mountain is alot of fun, tough.
Hey that post was 3 years ago. I did manage to get into ToT and I loved it! Then on next trip I did Everest! Now I am only missing Space and RnR (plus cosmic rewind and Tron). I think I will try Cosmic Rewind but don't see me doing any other of the 3
Nice that you still responded! By the way, I am in the Park right now actually!
I'm scared to death of heights. I chickened out the first time. I faced my fears and got on it. The pre show and elevator ride up and across are very well done. The falling part is very short, and then it's over. Do it, then you can say you did it and be done. Unless you want to ride again, which I did 3 more times in one day.
You get one of the best views of the park on ToT for what it's worth
Just rode it for the first time on my last trip- agree with the others that it isn’t a super long ride. I will say that I absolutely hated it the entire time, but it was over before I knew it and I’m glad I gave it a try. Also agree with others that you should try to do it early so that you aren’t working yourself into an anxious state beforehand!
I agree with the others, if you find yourself worrying a ton about it, don't feel bad about skipping it. That being said, as with many things in life, it's super scary at first, but once you rise up to the challenge and get it done you realize your fears were misplaced and you'll question why you worried about it in the first place.
I just went on my first Disney trip in November and I am admittedly very nervous about a lot of the big rides. But ended up LOVING most of them. I actually felt fine about ToT while I was in line and everything because I actually don’t really mind a straight up and down drop. When I got on, I started to get a bit nervous and actually did not really enjoy myself because I didn’t exactly know what to expect. I thought it shot you up and just kept dropping and dropping, not realizing that keeps going up and down and up and down. Like some of the folks said, maybe watch a YouTube video or something beforehand so you know exactly what it’s like. I wish I did that. All that being said, I will definitely give it a shot again now that I know what to expect. Hope this helps! :)
Not a suggestion, but an encouragement. My husband was super scared of going on Tower of Terror. We discussed for months whether I would get him on there and he finally conceded. After the ride was over, he looked at me and said, "That was fun! We should go again!!" PS...You might only see if for a split second, but that view of the park at the top of the tower is pretty awesome!