So you’re claustrophobic like me. Lucky for you, there are plenty of amazing attractions in Disney World that you can enjoy to the fullest without being confined to small spaces. But which ones should you look out for?
I’ve ranked the 4 most claustrophobic rides to skip if you hate small spaces so you’re totally prepared. Ready to dive into the specifics? Read on!
4 – Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run is an innovative Star Wars-themed flight simulator on board our favorite hunk of junk in the galaxy. In many ways, this attraction works like a standard simulator. What makes it unique in the fact that your actions in the cockpit (or the buttons you push) actually change the narrative of the ride.
How Intense is Smugglers Run?
Smugglers Run is not intentionally scary, but involves some moderate action and peril throughout its run time. Like Star Tours, it involves loud noises, explosions, gunfire, and rough landings. There are flashing lights – both on the screen and inside the cockpit – and some jarring movement at times.
While it does not technically have drops, this attraction is an action-packed simulator. As such, it contains its fair share of simulated drops and thrilling sequences. While you may feel like you’re plummeting downwards, the “cockpit” only moves up and down or side to side like a standard simulator.
Why Skip Smugglers Run if You’re Claustrophobic?
This attraction could feel very claustrophobic to some riders. Like any other simulator, this ride involves being strapped in with a seatbelt and confined in a small space for the duration of the ride. In addition, the queue can feel quite confining due to its various enclosed rooms and windowless hallways. However, the fast-paced action in this ride and the fairly average run time make the attraction itself more doable for even the claustrophobic among us.
For more specifics on Smugglers Run, go check out my in-depth ride review here! Also, if you’re looking for a visual of the ride and queue, be sure to check out this video from 4K WDW:
3 – Star Tours
Another George Lucas-inspired ride, Star Tours is a classic simulator ride that throws you right into the action in a galaxy far, far away. This attraction works like a standard mall simulator – thrusting its passengers up, down, and side to side (often roughly). What makes this attraction unique are the hundreds of ride possibilities due to various segments that mix and match. Like Tower of Terror, every ride is randomized and you could get any combination of the many possible segments on the ride.
How Intense is Star Tours?
Star Tours is not intentionally scary, but is still a very thrilling (and rough) ride that sometimes lends itself to sensory overload. Regardless of the variation you get, there are loud noises, flashing lights, jerky movements, villainous characters, and significant peril throughout the ride.
When I rode it a couple of months ago, I was really surprised at how intense it was. Having not ridden it in years, I told my husband that Star Tours would feel like a dinky mall simulator compared to the newer, bigger rides like Rise of the Resistance and Smugglers Run. I was wrong. While certainly not as technologically advanced as other rides, this attraction still packs in the action with some vibrant visuals, energetic movement, and (of course) its amazing soundtrack.
It should also be noted that the ride will definitely change depending on who you’re riding with. For example, last time we rode with a cabin full of excited kids and – with the screaming amplified in the small space – my husband and I both felt overwhelmed by the time we got off. Just be aware of this if you or someone in your party is prone to sensory sensitivity of any kind.
Why Skip Star Tours if You’re Claustrophobic?
Star Tours is extremely claustrophobic. While the ride vehicles – seating up to 40 passengers – may seem fairly spacious to some, the cabin feels very confining. Aside from there being limited air flow, the seats are very close together, making for a hot and stuffy ride. In my opinion – this attraction, Tower of Terror, and Mission: Space are easily the most claustrophobic in Walt Disney World. Do you agree? Let me know in the comments!
For more specifics on Star Tours go check out my in-depth ride review here! Also, if you’re looking for a visual of the ride and queue, be sure to check out this video from 4K WDW:
2 – Tower of Terror
Tower of Terror is a randomized freefall ride exquisitely themed to The Twilight Zone. The first half of the ride – lasting approximately 2 minutes – consists of a spooky, dark ride section while the randomized drops take up the remainder of the run time.
How Intense is Tower of Terror?
Tower of Terror is very scary. Whether it’s the intentionally spooky theming immersing you in the haunted hotel or the randomized freefalls you’ll encounter, this ride is unsettling to many riders.
In the first half of the ride, you’ll find disorienting visuals, spooky ghosts, crackling lightning, many moments of complete darkness, and a haunting soundtrack beckoning you deeper into the Twilight Zone – not to mention, you’re trapped in a small elevator with 20 other guests! While these effects are truly stunning for those who may appreciate them, they might not be suitable for some younger riders or those prone to sensory sensitivity or who are claustrophobic.
In addition, this attraction involves some major heights. Most notably, when the doors are flung open at the top of the building, riders are left staring down the entirety of Hollywood Studios from 131 feet up. Fortunately, this only lasts for 3 seconds before you plummet towards the bottom of the hotel at a whopping 39 miles per hour. While each ride is randomized – meaning you don’t know which drops or how many you’ll get – every ride includes the full drop spanning 13 stories.
Why Skip Tower of Terror if You’re Claustrophobic?
Tower of Terror is extremely claustrophobic. Taking place in a small “elevator,” this ride truly feels like you’re trapped inside with 20 other passengers. While the ride duration is not terribly long (about 3 and a half minutes), the elevators feel very confining and often stuffy due to lack of air flow.
In addition to the ride, there is also a pre-show (lasting about a minute and a half) that involves watching a short video in an enclosed room. Like most pre-show rooms, there are no windows and you’ll find yourself packed in pretty tightly with other guests. However, it doesn’t last long and you’ll be on your way to the loading platform in no time.
For more specifics on Tower of Terror, go check out my in-depth ride review here! Also, if you’re looking for a visual of the ride and queue, be sure to check out this video from 4K WDW:
1 – Mission: Space
Mission Space is an intense spaceflight simulator launching guests into rigorous astronaut “training.” It works by spinning its ride vehicles at a high speed to provide the sensation of extreme G-forces and weightlessness. This attraction uses centrifugal force (much like the carnival ride that presses you against the wall) but you won’t be able to tell you’re spinning at all from inside.
How Intense is Mission: Space?
Mission Space is not intentionally scary, but is still a highly intense thrill ride. In fact, this attraction is one of the few rides in Disney World that is consistently too intense for many adults.
While the ride vehicles technically spin at 35 miles per hour, you can’t actually tell you’re moving. However, the 2.5 Gs you experience on this ride really sell the sensation of blasting off the earth and soaring through space at much higher speeds.
For reference, these are significantly less powerful G-forces than Rock n Roller Coaster (4.5 Gs at launch). However, this ride felt much more intense to me, as you’re exposed to these G-forces more than once and for extended periods of time – rather than for a few seconds on a coaster. In my experience, these forces are very disorienting and left my husband and I dizzy long after we exited the ride.
While this ride’s intensity is mostly due to the G-forces and thrilling simulator movement, this ride is also extremely claustrophobic and involves some loud noises, moments of peril, and darkness. If you or someone in your party is prone to being claustrophobic, sensory sensitivity, or motion sickness, I would seriously consider skipping out on this one.
Why Skip Mission: Space if You’re Claustrophobic?
Mission: Space is extremely claustrophobic. While most simulators (think Star Tours) are confining on their own, this attraction literally only gives you inches of space between your face and the walls. You are locked into place with an overhead harness and, in my experience, can’t even see the person next to you over the ride restraints.
The actual ride duration is pretty standard – at around 4 minutes long – but, like Flight of Passage, this ride can have a significant delay after boarding. This is due to the many other ride vehicles needing to be set and ready before the ride can begin. When I rode a couple of months ago, I ended up waiting in a delay for longer than the actual ride duration. While staring at a blank screen for 5 minutes might not bother most guests in the slightest, it was much more uncomfortable than the actual ride for me.
For more specifics on Mission: Space, go check out my in-depth ride review here! Also, if you’re looking for a visual of the ride and queue, be sure to check out this video from 4K WDW:
What do you think? Do you agree with my 4 Claustrophobic Rides to Skip if you Hate Small Spaces? Don’t forget to leave a comment and let me know!
