Magic Kingdom’s Astro Orbiter Accessibility Considerations

Written by Mariann Bell Posted August 19th, 2024

The great spheres of Magic Kingdom’s Astro Orbiter shine over Tomorrowland while the ride’s spacecraft circle the sky from an amazing height. The attraction’s views are spectacular, and the futuristic retro look fits well in Tomorrowland. Astro Orbiter can be a great experience, but it does present some accessibility considerations to be aware of before you ride.

Consideration: Physical Accessibility & Transferring

Cinderella Castle as seen from Astro Orbiter

The ride’s queue is near the Lunching Pad in Tomorrowland. The line leads to an elevator that takes guests to the upper ride platform. From there, you must transfer into the ride vehicle, which is a one- or two-person spaceship seat that includes a single seatbelt. To enter the ride vehicle, you step down and slide onto a low bench seat, with one leg on either side.

I don’t see this as a realistic transfer for most adults with physical disabilities. It should work for younger guests who are able to transfer with caregiver assistance. The Astro Orbiter transfer might be a little more challenging than transferring to the flume on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure (which is unchanged from Splash Mountain) because the seat is a little lower.

Consideration: Ride Fit & Safety

The ride vehicle opening is narrower than those on newer rides. Some riders may find it confining. However, the biggest Astro Orbiter accessibility concern relates to safety. Riders attempting to use a single vehicle will share a cloth seatbelt. The strap is secured by a simple clip, one that can be unfastened during the ride. Signage warns riders to supervise children at all times. Children under the age of 7 must ride with someone over 14.

The Bottom Line for Safety

Any rider who has difficulties with impulsivity, maintaining personal safety, independently understanding and following verbal directions from an unfamiliar speaker, or independently communicating verbally with an unfamiliar person must ride with a companion. That rule is applied regardless of chronological age or medical diagnosis.

To ride with a companion, you must be able to secure the seatbelt around you both. Usually, the taller person sits in the back. However, I’m 5’6″, and Noah is 6′. I needed to be able to hold him for his safety, so we reversed the order.

Per our doctors, Noah and I are both at reasonable weights for our heights. If either one of us weighed any more (or if we were any taller) we probably would not have been able to ride. We needed the CM to help fasten the seatbelt. I left the ride with some bruising on my arms and legs from banging against the sides of the ride while Noah was trying to get situated. He seemed unharmed.

The Astro Orbiter ride vehicle wasn’t comfortable. It wasn’t designed to be as most adults ride in separate vehicles. If you plan to ride as a companion, be realistic about the fit.

Note from Josh: The following two photos show my family and me on Astro Orbiter. We do not have accessibility concerns. I am 6’3″ and filled the ride vehicle. My wife and son (5′ and 5’11”) tried to ride in a single spaceship. They never stood a chance. My wife got the giggles because of how ridiculous it was. Mariann and Noah are troopers for securing that seatbelt!

Two guests trying unsuccessfully to fit in a single Astro Orbiter ride vehicle

Consideration: Ride Preparation

If someone in your party has difficulty with new routines or rides, you’ll want to prepare for Astro Orbiter. I recommend watching ride-through videos on YouTube. Several wonderful Disney World visitors record and share first-person ride perspective videos online. If I’m considering going on a new ride with Noah (or if we haven’t been on it in a while) I’ll watch one to preview it.

You can similarly preview the ride with individuals who struggle with new routines or changes. This can create a feeling of familiarity and comfort when you arrive at the park and it’s time to ride. If an individual uses social stories, you can create one geared towards riding Astro Orbiter, and potentially bring it with you to help reinforce the routine for the new ride.

Consideration: Fear of Heights

One reaction that is very hard to plan for ahead of time is fear of heights. If you know that heights are a concern, you should probably skip this ride. The elevated platform is very high, and the ride vehicles rise even higher than that. The height can be adjusted by a lever when the ride is in motion. Even though I’m afraid of heights, I felt very safe on the elevated platform and in the ride vehicle.

Consideration: Heat & Sunshine

The upstairs queue has minimal shade. The ride itself has no shade. Those with sensitivity to heat or sunlight should ride early in the morning or the evening. Wearing a hat or sunglasses can help. Make sure they have straps. It gets very breezy high in the sky!

Consideration: Sensory Challenges

Astro Orbiter provides a different type of sensory challenge than most ride queues. The queue is just a line that leads to an elevator. It’s a nice elevator, but there is nothing to look at, listen to, or touch that is related to the ride. The lack of sensory input can be as jarring as an overabundance to some individuals with sensory challenges.

As a solution, I recommend planning to provide preferred sensory input. Try listening to music or watching videos on a device (using headphones, not a speaker). If you made a social story and brought it, this is a great time to read it. Fidget toys like stress balls are also helpful in providing sensory input.

Using the Disability Access Service (DAS) on Astro Orbiter

The Astro Orbiter can be booked using the Disability Access Service (DAS) through the My Disney Experience app. There is not a Lightning Lane entrance. Instead, you’ll proceed to the ride’s exit where you’ll see wheelchair signage attached to the queue chain. The Cast Member will verify your DAS with the handheld scanner and clear you through to the elevator queue. It took less than 10 minutes from the time we scanned in until we rode the elevator up to the platform.

Summary

The Astro Orbiter is a gem of a ride with a consistently short wait time and excellent views high above Tomorrowland! If you or someone in your group has a physical or invisible disability, such as autism or ADHD, there are important factors to consider before riding and various strategies to help ease any concerns. Due to the ride’s design, Astro Orbiter is not physically accessible to the majority of individuals who need to transfer. Similarly, it is not accessible for individuals unable to safely ride solo once they reach an age or size that it is no longer feasible to ride with a companion. Despite the challenges, Noah and I enjoyed our second and final ride on the Astro Orbiter very much. My sincere hope is that it will be refurbished to be more universally accessible so everyone can enjoy the magic.