Motion sickness and Star Tours

[LBlovesM&WDW]

Does anyone with a propensity toward motion sickness have any advice for this attraction?

Here's my advice...don't have her ride it! Not only did I have nausea, but both my mom and niece did as well. I'll also add another favorite to skip, Everest because of the backward part.

 

[missnic]

Dh has found that sitting in the middle helps a lot. Same with Soarin.

 

[perkinsrose]

Harry Potter Forbidden Journey was AWFUL for me. I was soooo OFF for a good 45 min afterwards and I am normally not a "motion-sickness person". But.... I did go on again with my family 2 years later (call me crazy!) and this time I was prepared to close my eyes about 1/2 or more of the time and then I was fine when I got off.

I do not have problems with car/bus rides or rollercoasters in general. Sometimes 3d movies will affect me in that it may set off some migraine symptoms. Usually the 3d stuff at disney is so short (20 min or less) it is not a big deal so I can manage. I never opt for 3D option in theaters at home-- 2 hours is too much. I am usually fine with Philharmagic, Bugs Life, Muppets, and others.

All that being said, when I feel like Star Tours is too much, I remove the glasses and/or shut my eyes for a few moments and I feel better. I am always okay within a few minutes off Star Tours. Occasionally, when my family wants to ride a third (or more) time on Star Tours in one trip, I may sit out.

The jerky-ness (and it is there in FL's Star Tours) doesn't affect me/bother me as much as the visual aspect. I find when I am affected, looking away, closing eyes is the easy fix. However---I have heard that on Mission Space, you should NOT close your eyes this will not help and may make symptoms worse. I have not and likely will NOT brave Mission Space! Not worth it to me to be sick/nauseous/ affected for part of my day!

 

[TayjaDanger]

Harry Potter Forbidden Journey was AWFUL for me. I was soooo OFF for a good 45 min afterwards and I am normally not a "motion-sickness person". But.... I did go on again with my family 2 years later (call me crazy!) and this time I was prepared to close my eyes about 1/2 or more of the time and then I was fine when I got off.

I do not have problems with car/bus rides or rollercoasters in general. Sometimes 3d movies will affect me in that it may set off some migraine symptoms. Usually the 3d stuff at disney is so short (20 min or less) it is not a big deal so I can manage. I never opt for 3D option in theaters at home-- 2 hours is too much. I am usually fine with Philharmonic, Bugs Life, Muppets, and others.

All that being said, when I feel like Star Tours is too much, I remove the glasses and/or shut my eyes for a few moments and I feel better. I am always okay within a few minutes off Star Tours. Occasionally, when my family wants to ride a third (or more) time on Star Tours in one trip, I may sit out.

The jerky-ness (and it is there in FL's Star Tours) doesn't affect me/bother me as much as the visual aspect. I find when I am affected, looking away, closing eyes is the easy fix. However---I have heard that on Mission Space, you should NOT close your eyes this will not help and may make symptoms worse. I have not and likely will NOT brave Mission Space! Not worth it to me to be sick/nauseous/ affected for part of my day!

It's definitely NOT worth it! I heard even the green side was bad. I rode orange side with my family, and it was miserable and they had zero compassion. Jerks!

I feel you on the 3D front-- Forbidden Journey made me ill, too. In general the simulator type rides are a major turn off to me. I noted rather crankily in my last TR that I think it's a lazy way to have a new ride-- rather than needing to build an immersive environment like dark rides, they hand the reins to some computer software with instructions to shake you up and make you feel like you're having an experience rather than actually GIVING you an experience. And for those of us with the visually-stimulated motion sickness, it's not fun, even if it's in holding with our favorite themes or characters. Which makes it also a complete bummer, because you want to love it, and just can't!

Thanks for your reply!

 

[cmph]

However---I have heard that on Mission Space, you should NOT close your eyes this will not help and may make symptoms worse. I have not and likely will NOT brave Mission Space! Not worth it to me to be sick/nauseous/ affected for part of my day!

Don't try it!! I gave Star Tours 3 tries, as I said. I gave Mission Space one. And it's not getting another. And that was green. Never again. *shiver*

 

[rhondag508]

Sadly, I think we may all have different things that cause the motion sickness. I loved Star Tours with no motion sickness medicine at all. I loved Forbidden Journey with 2 Dramamine. I've never puked at Disney, but I've been sick after Tilt a Whirl type ride so I steer clear of the teacups. Mission Space looks like a claustrophobic thing for me. I've never been diagnosed, but it just seems like I would not enjoy it.

 

[ArielSRL]

I can do BTMRR, ToT, EE, even RnRC....but I can't do Star Tours or MS. I can do Soarin (even though it's a simulator type ride) but I occasionally have to look down to where I see it's a screen.

 

[perkinsrose]

It's definitely NOT worth it! I heard even the green side was bad. I rode orange side with my family, and it was miserable and they had zero compassion. Jerks!

I feel you on the 3D front-- Forbidden Journey made me ill, too. In general the simulator type rides are a major turn off to me. I noted rather crankily in my last TR that I think it's a lazy way to have a new ride-- rather than needing to build an immersive environment like dark rides, they hand the reins to some computer software with instructions to shake you up and make you feel like you're having an experience rather than actually GIVING you an experience. And for those of us with the visually-stimulated motion sickness, it's not fun, even if it's in holding with our favorite themes or characters. Which makes it also a complete bummer, because you want to love it, and just can't!

Thanks for your reply!

Yes- I agree on the perhaps laziness of the 3d and sometimes 4D rides at "the other parks". Sometimes they are changed but really its just the same "ride" with a different theme/video screen. I did not thoroughly enjoy my 2 trips there --too much of the simulator type rides--but it was a must-do experience to see the Harry Potter worlds. Likely we will stick to the confines of Disney when looking for theme park experiences now.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

My husband gets terribly sick from Star Tours. He also gets car sick, if he is reading in the car or rides in the back seat.

I can ride it. I get motion sickness if I watch a first person game or movie. For example, I can't watch the movie "Cars."

My son can ride it time and time again with no ill effects. But nothing really effects him.

 

[Walker24]

How about this ride and making toddlers "feel off". Would closing their eyes help them?

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

According to my husband, closing his eyes doesn't help at all.

 

[PlainJane]

I've never been on the one in DL, but Star Tours in WDW definitely sets off my motions sickness.

Nothing else in WDW sets it off. I think I've even been on Mission Space Orange side, but I've definitely done green with no ill effect. I've done the roller coaster simulator at Disney Quest and every roller coaster, besides Mine Train, with no problem. Soarin ToT, TSM and TT are fine.

Motion sickness varies from person to person. Being a car passenger under the wrong circumstances and 3D stationary rides that simulate movement are pretty much all that bothers me. I would just make sure your friend knows what she is getting herself into for each ride. Just because going backwards or dropping up and down, etc. bothers some with motion sickness, it doesn't bother all of us.

 

[JeninTexas]

This and the tea cups are the only things that get to me. I rode ST last night with my kids because I didn't want them going alone. I closed my eyes during most of it and it was fine, but otherwise I would have been very sick.

 

[perkinsrose]

Don't try it!! I gave Star Tours 3 tries, as I said. I gave Mission Space one. And it's not getting another. And that was green. Never again. *shiver*

My family went on Mission Space (green) for the first time a year or so ago. (I sat out). I think a big difference between Mission Space (orange) and Star Tours is the G-forces or lack there of in star tours. Mission Space uses centrifugal force to let you sense to a certain extent what it might feel like to be exiting/entering earth's atmosphere in a shuttle; thus why closing your eyes will not help. The g-force and physical sensations will still be there. Some say focussing on the screen actually helps calm the vertigo.

Although I understand every "body" is different and many people have diff types of motion issues, Star Tours is largely a simulator with some movement to coincide with visuals. So, if you close your eyes, you may be able to trick your brain into "calming down".

 

[TXAKDisneyFan]

The old version of ST at WDW didn't bother me at all. However, I felt sick for about an hour after riding ST:TAC at WDW for the first time. I avoided the ride after that, but did end up riding at DLR a couple months ago and didn't feel even the slightest bit nauseous.

I don't recall the WDW version being any different than the DLR version. My previous issue with it could have been bc I sat in the front center, etc. (We were in the second row, all the way to the left at DLR, so maybe not being front and center helped?)

ETA: None of the other rides at WDW or DLR have ever made me nauseous, whereas I tend to get carsick pretty easily.

 

[GillianP1301]

Simulator rides always make me nauseous and Star Tours is no exception. My son loves the ride though, so I needed to find a way to cope. Closing my eyes for the entire thing works, but that's not a ton of fun. Last trip I found that staring at one spot on the screen and not moving my eyes from that position helped quite a bit. I didn't see the whole screen, but could catch enough in my peripheral vision to get the gist of it.

 

[FancyNancy]

My DD12 and I always take Dramamine about an hour before riding Star Tours because if not we do feel sick after riding.

 

[deedeezee]

I can do BTMRR, ToT, EE, even RnRC....but I can't do Star Tours or MS. I can do Soarin (even though it's a simulator type ride) but I occasionally have to look down to where I see it's a screen.

I am the same way!! As soon as MS and Star Tours started, I knew I would be sick for hours.

 

[blackpearl77]

I guess I was lucky. I didn't get any motion sickness on star tours. I get very car sick. But this ride didn't bother me. The old body wars did make me sick though (and that's the same kind of ride). I can't do roller coasters and spinning rides since they make me sick. Tried splash mountain only once....the little drops made me sick before even getting to the big drop.

 

[Delilah1310]

I have benign paroxysmal positional vertigo - which means I am susceptible to getting motion sick pretty easily.
I take Bonine pill each morning at the parks ... its an over the counter medicine you get at any drug store. This keeps me feeling normal on most rides (including Star Tours at both WDW and DLR) and on occasion ,if I feel queasy after a ride, I will take a second pill.
It is similar to Dramamine, but I found Dramamine makes me drowsy.
Your friend might need to experiment with some of these very safe medications. Or perhaps ask her doctor about them?

Some people on cruises use something called "Sea-Bands" but I have no personal experience on that.
Star Tours is fun ... especially if you are a Star Wars fan. Hope you guys can ride it.
good luck!