Soarin' while Pregnant?

[Gypsysmak]

We will be leaving for WDW in 2 days. I just returned home from an OB visit (I'm 17 wks) and specifically asked her about riding Soarin' because I've read so many differing opinions. While I will be avoiding all of the jarring rides, I didn't think Soarin' was enough of a dangerous ride to avoid. I'm not sure how much she knows about the ride specifically, but she told me not to ride it considering it makes you feel like you're flying. My response was that it wasn't like Star Tours where you lose your sense of gravity or like ToT where you have a falling sensation, so she said she was going to have to look it up and find out. Her explanation was that any sense of falling or flying will pull at the arteries and nerve endings surrounding the placenta.

Can anyone who is very informed about the pregnancy warnings explain if this is the reason that Soarin' is on the black list for pregnant women?

Thanks for your help!

[Georgesgirl1]

I rode Soarin' during both pregnancies (around 25 weeks each time) without issue. My OB is a huge Disney fan too (he was at WDW the week before ODS was born)! Before my trip when I was pregnancy with ODS, he was able to talk to me about each ride and the risks involved and he actually knew what the rides were like. He had no concerns with Soarin. I don't think there is a pregnancy warning for Soarin anyway.

[Aurora]

There is no pregnancy warning for Soarin'. The only warnings are for those who have a fear of heights or are prone to motion sickness.

You do not feel like you're falling; there is no dropping or sudden up or down movements. The first lift is a soft glide up, no worse than if you're driving over a hilltop.

Your OB/GYN was advising you from an abundance of caution, based on the information you gave her, and it sounds like she heard the word "falling" and knew that most amusement park rides that give you that sensation are not safe for a pregnancy. But the "sense" of flying you get from Soarin' is primarily from watching the huge movie in front of you, coupled with movement in the actual ride. Your brain is telling you there's much more movement than there actually is.

My father, who is blind, has ridden Soarin' and has a completely different experience than someone with vision. He still enjoys the movement and the music, but it's much less like flying to him.

[Jeri]

I rode soarin while pregnant as well. I was 22 weeks and had no issues.
I had asked my OB about all rides because I wanted to make sure since I had a low lying placenta & she said that Soarin was fine. I even rode the Safari too.

I can't think of anything on Soarin that would be bad, unless you're having some morning sickness.

[Goofy4TheWorld]

My wife rode both Soarin' and the Safari with our second pregnancy, I can't see any reason it would be a problem.

Heck, IMO, Pirates has a bigger drop than Soarin'.

[ILoveMickey'77]

I had severe morning sickness my whole pregnancy, and I rode Soarin' several times at 24 weeks and had no issues.

I was super cautious about everything being pregnant and avoided every.single.thing you are "suppose" to avoid and I had zero concerns riding this ride.

[Gator]

This was a slam dunk for my wife who was pregnant on our last trip. She was mad about everything else, but she could ride Soarin'

[BrerGnat]

Soarin' is no worse than sitting on a porch swing.

It doesn't have a pregnancy warning. You will be fine. Just be sure to secure the safety belt under your belly.

[Gypsysmak]

Thanks for the input. I did read that there is a caution against riding Soarin' for expectant mothers, but that must be outdated. It is one of my favorite rides, so although I'm sacrificing Splash Mountain this trip, at least I can have Soarin'! I just can't wait to be there, away from responsibility and immersed in magic.

1 day, 6 hours, 55 minutes!

[BrerGnat]

Thanks for the input. I did read that there is a caution against riding Soarin' for expectant mothers, but that must be outdated. It is one of my favorite rides, so although I'm sacrificing Splash Mountain this trip, at least I can have Soarin'! I just can't wait to be there, away from responsibility and immersed in magic.

1 day, 6 hours, 55 minutes!

Honestly, I think every ride that has a safety bar or seatbelt will have some sort of pregnancy caution. However, in the case of Soarin, the seatbelt is there just to prevent people from falling off the seat, and it's just a lap belt. As long as you make sure it's low enough on your hips, you'll be okay. I rode this ride while pregnant a few times.

[Victor Kelly]

As a non-pregnant male, I cannot see a reason you cannot get on Soarin. It does not bounce, or jar you, nor does it go fast in anyway shape or form.

If my wife were pregnant, I would have no issue with her riding it.

[Butters]

My wife had no issues while pregnant... If you ride KS my only suggestion is wait for a front row seat... Much less bouncing

[diz_girl]

I rode Soarin' at about 20 weeks and had no issues.

Basically, Soarin' is half a ferris wheel, but there's nothing under your feet. You go up the ferris wheel and then watch the movie (with a little bit of gingerly swaying to mimic flight), then you come back down the way you came instead of completing the circle. If you explain it to her that way, maybe she'll be OK with it.

[ginger19]

Agreed. I was extremely cautious during my pregnancies and I would not think twice about Soarin. There is no jarring movement at all besides the swoop (that's best way I know how to describe it) up. Equating it to a ferris wheel motion is pretty accurate but you only go up once and down once.

[Buttercup]

You go over more bumps and take on more speed in a car driving in a residential neighbourhood at home. Soarin' is fine for pregnancy.

[thatkindofday]

I rode Soarin' about 7 times in a row while I was 30 weeks pregnant and the worst part was the walk to get to the ride and back.

[K8screen]

I am an actual glider pilot, and I flew up until the birth of all 3 of my children with no problems, and no advice against it from the medical profession. I cant see Soarin as being any sort of problem, as a previous poster said, you get more bumped about driving a car.

[Goes4FastPass]

Riding the Soarin' attraction at EPCOT at EPCOT while pregnant would be a fine idea.

Hang gliding over a volcano during a thunderstorm? Maybe not.