Vertigo - Soarin'?

[pianoronni37]

Hi there!

Now, I have a question that has probably been asked before, but I need some advice!

I have chronic vertigo - BPPV, to be precise. Some days I'm fine, other days just by turning my head I feel like I'm going to hit the floor.

I can do most rides - Splash Mountain, Test Track, etc... I cannot do Tower of Terror just because the long fall keeps my head in the clouds, and I cannot do Expedition Everest because I've gone backwards on rides before, and trust me, it leaves me loopier than ever!

I cannot seem to do "simulator" rides, such as Star Tours, Mission Space, things of that nature.

I've been told numerously that Soarin' is gentle and lovely, but to me, it is still a simulator ride!! However, this is DH's favorite ride, and he really wants to share it with me!

Help talk me into riding it, and if anyone has had an inner ear disorder and ridden it, please give me some feedback!!!

Thanks in advance!

 

[brendaziz]

I would most DEF NOT ride it. I'd say you prob have a 50/50 chance of u being totally fine in it- but I get motion sickness sometimes- mostly only in airplanes or simulator type rides (star wars) but am fine on Tower of Terror and any coaster- frontwards or backwards, but soarin def made me a little queasy. I loved it- cuz it was so different and interesting, especially the smells part of it- but i wouldn't do it again cuz it's not worth being dizzy and nauseous for the hour afterwards.

So my opinion is- don't risk it! u woudl hate to ruin your day at the park.

 

[csarenz]

I don't know how much this will help, but DSIL also can't do the simulator rides. She rode Soarin', and was ok with it generally, but did have some questionable moments. She said my DW, who does even worse on those type of rides should not ride it.

But I am not about to talk you out of anything you really want to do.

 

[mad hatter's girl]

It's a wonderful ride. If you decide to give it a shot, you MUST do this:

When you get to the CM who instructs you which row to stand in, request Section B, Row 2. This puts you in the center of the screen and will make you least vulnerable to vertigo. (And gives you the best views!) I've been on this ride dozens of times and always sit in this section. Except for once, and I got queasy.

Most CMs are nice about letting you sit where you want. Insist upon it. Section B, Row 2.

 

[SGB13]

I am a motion sickness person. Can't do simulator rides and planes and back seats in cars often bother me. I can do lots of roller coasters since they are so short, I just go with the feeling. But I loved Soaring. I know it's not much help, but good luck.

We were in row 2 when we rode too!

 

[jheigl]

One thing you can always try to do is to ride it as the last ride of your day. I realize this may be an inconvenience and it may upset the schedule you may or may not have, but if you try to ride it at the very end of the day, then if you do get sick, perhaps you can sleep it off. I have motion sickness as well, and I have never felt anything on this ride. I get sick in the back seat of cars, airplanes, etc... but I've been fine on this.

 

[HelenParr]

OP, I have BPPV as well. Also no way I can do Star Tours, M:S Orange (although I do M:S Green), teacups or Primevil Whirl without feeling sick for hours, if not days. I did Body Wars once -- that was perhaps my biggest WDW mistake! But I can do ToT, RnR, Space Mountain and even Everest having trained myself to tilt head specifically to guard against BPPV trigger -- not successful everytime. Other riders probably think I'm losing it being sort of bent out of normal sitting position.

The only problem I have on Soarin (and only every so often) is the visuals. The movement itself does nothing to create disequilibrium...I cannot watch any cinema verite (not the Office or any free camera motion). But the movements are very gentle, nothing like Star Tours.

I hope that helps!

 

[LisaS]

I have big problems with simulator type rides and anything that spins. I do ride Soarin and I feel a little woozy for the first few minutes after I get off the ride but recover fairly quickly. There are a couple of parts that bother me but the scenes change so quickly that if I'm feeling queasy I just close my eyes for 20 seconds and then open them again and they are on to the next scene. There is a gentle breeze blowing in your face most of the time (maybe the whole time) while you're on the ride and I find that helps a lot. I figure if I'm having a bad day and the ride is bothering me too much, I can just close my eyes and sit in my seat swaying in the breeze and I know I'll be OK with that.

 

[joan4mickey]

I have some right ear only issue-vertigo and I love Soarin'. Doesn't bother me at all. It is open with a large screen in front of you. I will never do EE again. I don't do spinning-Prim. Whrill. I love Splash Mountain, I love BTMRR, but it has to be a good time for me (ie. all the stars are aligned correctly). I do Space Mountain, but only once a trip just to be with the family, but don't like it (in Jan. I went solo and did NOT ride it). I like Test Track. Will never try Mission Space (I think that's the name of the ride like a space ship ride. Hate, Hate simulaters (ie. Stars Wars or make your own roller coaster ride at Disney Quest.). My DH wants to try Rockin' Roller Coaster-I rode with my two kids years ago and said I would never do it again, but might next week. Some times I take Bonine for motion sickness and I think it helps.

 

[Cool-Beans]

Hard to say. I thought of avoiding Mission Space right away, but Soarin? I dunno. It's pretty mild.

I have balance issues due to a head injury as a kid and used to get wonky in...(I can't remember the name of it) that stand-up movie thing in Tomorrowland...I'd have to look away from the screen to kind of ground myself. Mission Space totally threw me for a loop.

I do fine on Soarin - no issue at all.

Talk to your doctor, of course, but Soarin isn't the big thrill Disney advertises it to be. It's a great little ride, but very tame. It doesn't spin or whoosh you around or jerk you or anything. If you got funky, you could always look down at your hands in your lap.

I'd give it a shot...but I give everything a shot, including Mission Space and ended up all kinds of funky during and after that.

Good luck.

 

[Disney_Villain]

TIP: If you have issues with IMAX films, you won't enjoy Soarin'.

 

[pianoronni37]

Ah! That was the post I was most looking for, the issue with IMAX films - YES I have an AWFUL issue with IMAX films, cannot even go to the ones in the pavilions at EPCOT!

So maybe I'll make DH ride alone, unfortunately, as I'm not sure I want to feel like with a mild case of all day!!!

 

[GoodFairies]

I think you should try it. If you start to feel funny, just close your eyes until the end of the ride.

 

[Sandy321]

It's a wonderful ride. If you decide to give it a shot, you MUST do this:

When you get to the CM who instructs you which row to stand in, request Section B, Row 2. This puts you in the center of the screen and will make you least vulnerable to vertigo. (And gives you the best views!) I've been on this ride dozens of times and always sit in this section. Except for once, and I got queasy.

Most CMs are nice about letting you sit where you want. Insist upon it. Section B, Row 2.

I respectfully disagree - this is the best view for most - but not for Vertigo issues like mine...

Ah! That was the post I was most looking for, the issue with IMAX films - YES I have an AWFUL issue with IMAX films, cannot even go to the ones in the pavilions at EPCOT!

So maybe I'll make DH ride alone, unfortunately, as I'm not sure I want to feel like with a mild case of all day!!!

Someone beat me to the iMAX punch - I can handle IMAX if - and only if I"m sitting way off on the side towards the back -

with soarin, I do ok - but mostly because I keep saying "I am NOT moving" and then look to where the guy is on the bottom working the controls - I have to see the edge of the screen and I cannot watch towards the end when it takes you at night down the highway - I have some difficulties in the beginning when you soar up and out of the river - but again, when I get that "sensation" I say outloud "I am NOT moving" and I look to the side!!

I take meds for my vertigo (Meniers) and I tried the patch for motion sickness one year - the patch was great until I got home and tried to do without - yikes I was sick for about 3 weeks!!

My vertigo is more related to misplaced "rocks" in my head (DD loves I have loose rocks!!) so I've had good luck riding RnR believe it or not (I couldnt believe it! But dh did Tot for me so he asked me to take 90 sec and do RnRc - he says afterwards he forgot my vertigo issues - but I was so amazed that not only I did not get sick - but I felt better!!)

 

[tmccullough]

I have Meniere's disease and get dizzy VERY easy... got sick as a dog on Mission Space and still have not forgiven DH for pressuring me to go on it. I absolutely loved Soarin. People are different with things that make them dizzy but your symptoms were identical to mine on any given day. I can turn my head a certain way and get dizzy or watch something that's in motion and get dizzy. I do plan on taking Bonine over the counter with me and now they make Bonine for kids which I usually try to take first so I'm not so sleepy. HTH!

 

[Sleeping Becca]

FWIW My sister felt like she was still moving an hour after riding.

She does not suffer from vertigo, but she does get car sick, don't know it this helps or not.

It affects people differently.

 

[Leajess99]

Hi there!

Now, I have a question that has probably been asked before, but I need some advice!

I have chronic vertigo - BPPV, to be precise. Some days I'm fine, other days just by turning my head I feel like I'm going to hit the floor.

I can do most rides - Splash Mountain, Test Track, etc... I cannot do Tower of Terror just because the long fall keeps my head in the clouds, and I cannot do Expedition Everest because I've gone backwards on rides before, and trust me, it leaves me loopier than ever!

I cannot seem to do "simulator" rides, such as Star Tours, Mission Space, things of that nature.

I've been told numerously that Soarin' is gentle and lovely, but to me, it is still a simulator ride!! However, this is DH's favorite ride, and he really wants to share it with me!

Help talk me into riding it, and if anyone has had an inner ear disorder and ridden it, please give me some feedback!!!

Thanks in advance!

I rode soaring back in October and I also suffer vertigo. I did not have a problem with it even though I started out really worried that I would. It was a smoothe ride and I was fine afterwards.

So sorry you also deal with vertigo. It so sucks.

 

[joan4mickey]

The movie in Canada and France get to me, but if I look down away from the movie to the wall, I get my head back together. I can also make myself car sick when I"M driving!

 

[ScrapperBelle]

I probably wouldn't ride it if I were you. I get motion sickness very easily but I've never had a problem on Soarin'. On the other hand, DH doesn't like heights. He has ridden Soarin' 3x. The last time he said was his last. He said he started feeling like he was having a panic attack. He kept telling himself that the ride is really not that high, but he was breathing really hard and sweating by the time we "landed". He was shaky and sick feeling for a good 1/2 hour afterward.

 

[tink576]

I wouldn't do it. My mom did it once and it just about killed her. I don't normally have motion sickness issues, and Soaring really bothers me as well. I can handle it but I have to close my eyes for parts just to stop it from being overwhelming...I have this problem with Mickey's Philarmagic as well...I think it's the visual thing on the big screens that gets to me.