Astro Orbitor: The Most Painful Ride At Disney
Written: Sep 14 '05 (Updated Sep 21 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Kids love it, kids can sit with parents.
Cons: Uncomfortable to ride, hard to get in and out of vehicles.
The Bottom Line: A Disney ride that looks a lot better than it feels.
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| modernmarvel's Full Review: Astro Orbitor - Disneyland |
It is hard to miss the Astro Orbitor at Disneyland. It is located at the entrance to Futureland. The Astro Orbitor has a huge sculpture on top consisting mainly of gold orbs that spin around. The sculpture is very tall making it visible from a lot of places in the park.
THE LINE
The line for this ride moves very slowly because the ride takes a while to load and unload. The waiting area is similar to those in Fantasyland. The line is generally narrow and contained by railings or other barriers. It is quite claustrophobic and there is no place to sit. There is some shade during part of the day but there is no cover to protect from the elements. There is also no theming but you can see part of Futureland from the line.
Because the line moves slowly and there isn't much theming, this can be a difficult area to wait in when you are with small children. I wouldn't recommend this ride when the line is long because the wait can be boring and claustrophobic.
THE RIDE
This ride consists of vehicles that look like gold space ships. Each vehicle is attached by a bar to a central hub. The ride consists of the vehicles spinning around the hub. The front rider can also raise and lower the vehicle while you are spinning. The vehicles can go quite high and you get a nice view of part of the park from the top height.
Each vehicle can hold one adult and one child comfortably. I saw some people load one adult and two small children into one vehicle. The adult will get into the vehicle first. Instead of comfortable seats, you sit on a flat seat with you legs in front of you. This position probably won't be comfortable for those with back or leg problems. Also, when you board the vehicles, they are tilted to the left instead of level which makes them uncomfortable to sit in. The vehicles might be hard to board for people with mobility issues.
If you are riding with a child, the child will sit in front of the adult so they can control the height of the vehicle. A seat belt loosely wraps around both riders. When the ride starts, the vehicles lift up to the point where they are level and they start spinning. As I mentioned before, the front rider can control the height of the vehicle which adds some additional interest to the ride.
I was surprised at how fast the ride went. There was wind in my hair but the force of the spinning pushed me uncomfortably toward the outside of the vehicle. Since my five year old was sitting between my legs, his weight was also pushed onto my outside leg. This was surprisingly uncomfortable as my knee was pressed into the metal side of the vehicle and I had to make a concerted effort to stay centered in the vehicle. At no point did I feel like we could fall out, it was just an uneasy feeling to be working against the force of the spinning instead of enjoying the ride.
My son enjoyed moving the vehicle up and down a few times although it seemed most riders just moved immediately to the top level and stayed there. The riders don't interact with each other. You are just supposed to enjoy the spinning motion and the view.
I was relieved when the ride was over and me, my son and my sore knee got out of the vehicle so the next riders could board. The ride itself was fairly short. I didn't time it but would be surprised it if lasted more than two minutes.
My five year old like the ride but had no interest in riding again. My nine year old thought it was one big yawn. I was sporting a sore knee and didn't enjoy the ride at all.
FINAL RECOMMENDATION
I don't plan to go on this ride again. The line was too long and boring for the short ride. I would only suggest this ride for parents of toddlers or pre-schoolers when the line is very short. Even then, I think there are much better rides in the park than this one.
MY REVIEWS OF THE DISNEY THEME PARKS IN CALIFORNIA
Disney's California Adventure
Disneyland
MY REVIEW OF THEME PARK HOTELS IN CALIFORNIA
Disney’s Grand Californian
Marriott Suites Anaheim
MY REVIEW OF THEME PARK RESTAURANTS
Storyteller’s Cafe
Blue Bayou
MY REVIEWS OF INDIVIDUAL RIDES AND ATTRACTIONS IN DISNEY’S CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE
Soarin’ Over California
Grizzly River Run
The Sun Wheel
Orange Stinger
Mulholland Madness
Jumpin’ Jellyfish
Playhouse Disney Live on Stage
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Jim Henson’s Muppet Vision 3D
It’s Tough to be a Bug 3D
Princess Dot Puddle Park
Heimlich’s Chew Chew Train
Tuck and Roll’s Drive ‘Em Buggies
Flik’s Flyers
Francis’ Ladybug Boogie
Misson Tortilla Factory Tour
Boudin Bakery Factory Tour
MY REVIEWS OF INDIVIDUAL RIDES AND ATTRACTIONS IN DISNEYLAND
Pirates of the Caribbean
Indiana Jones Adventure
Storybook Land Canal Boats
Snow White’s Scary Adventures
Pinocchio’s Daring Journey
Peter Pan’s Flight
Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride
Alice in Wonderland
Matterhorn Bobsleds
It’s a Small World
Tarzan’s Tree House
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Splash Mountain
Autotopia
Honey, I Shrunk the Audience 3D
MY REVIEWS OF OTHER THINGS TO SEE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Legoland
SeaWorld San Diego
Birch Aquarium at Scripps
The San Diego Zoo
The San Diego Wild Animal Park
Balboa Park
San Diego’s Old Town
Cabrillo National Monument
The Museum of Making Music
Recommended:
No
Best Suited For: Families
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
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modernmarvel
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