Advice regarding simulator rides

[scoobydooby]

Hi I'm hoping for some help from Universal experts. I have been to I of A once 4 years ago when the HP stuff was new and Universal 17 years ago! We have a five day trip booked in August before we move onto our usual two weeks at Disney. We are staying at the HRH. My question is about the different simulator rides. I'm not very good on them and would rather just sit out any that are going to make me poorly. Here is my range based on previous ride experience. I cannot spin, at all on any kind of ride it makes me faint! I can manage Star Tours at Disney but definitely not Mission Space. I am fine on Spider Man if I shut my eyes occasionally. I was decidedly ropey after I got off Forbidden Journey and had to close my eyes at the end but managed it with a short recovery time. Years ago I rode the Back to the Future ride (well I think that's what it was called) at Universal. I was a wreck. Crying without even realising it. Couldn't stand up for over an hour afterwards. Can anyone suggest those simulator rides at Universal and IOA I might manage and those I should avoid please? My children will do them all but I'm happy not to. This part of our trip is for them not me..... Thank you in advance for your help.

 

[Belle0101]

At Disney my husband can ride Star Tours with no trouble. He tried Mission: Space, the tame version, years ago and he didn't do well. He's never ridden it since.

This past trip to US / IoA he rode Spider-Man once and was done with it for the rest of the trip. The same with Forbidden Journey, Revenge of the Mummy, and The Simpsons Ride. He was fine on Transformers and rode that quite often though.

He used to say spinning rides (like Storm Force) set him off but now he's not really sure what does it.

 

[johde]

Looking at your list, You already mentioned you were mostly fine on Spiderman so Transformers should be OK. Like the previous poster mentioned it's like Spiderman but not as intense. Gringotts should also be OK. It's sort of a Spiderman meets the Mummy but not as intense as either. The biggest one to avoid is probably the Simpsons. It is the same ride vehicles as Back to the Future that you said you had troubles on previously.

 

[flopnut2112]

Agree with the Simpsons being hard to take. I also struggle with the simulators but I can handle Mission Space barely. The Minion Mayhem was almost as difficult as the Simpsons so I probably won't ride these 2 again. I'm looking forward to Escape from Gringotts for our upcoming trip

 

[macraven]

you might have an issue at the ending portion of MIB.
you go into a fast spin at the very end of the ride.

 

[Kivara]

They do have stationary seats for the Minions ride. My mom gets terribly sick on most of the rides you mentioned & has to close her eyes frequently on Forbidden Journey & Spider-Man.
She said, for her, Minions was "doable" in the stationary seat, but still made her slightly queasy.
We stayed 6 days last time, rode Minions at least twice a day. I think my mom on rode it 3 times total (stationary every time.)

 

[flopnut2112]

They do have stationary seats for the Minions ride. My mom gets terribly sick on most of the rides you mentioned & has to close her eyes frequently on Forbidden Journey & Spider-Man.
She said, for her, Minions was "doable" in the stationary seat, but still made her slightly queasy.
We stayed 6 days last time, rode Minions at least twice a day. I think my mom on rode it 3 times total (stationary every time.)

Thanks for that info! I will try it again in a stationary seat for sure!

 

[johde]

I will say, I spent 5 days at Universal this trip and spread the simulator rides out and had much less troubles than I had in the past. I think part of the trouble can be cumulative. You ride one and feel not too bad, you rush off to the next one and feel a little bit worse. By the time you get to the back to the park and Simpsons it hit you full force. Also, I took 1 Dramamine in the morning to help keep things at bay.

 

[HM]

Have you tried taking Dramamine in the morning before doing park rides? It really helps me. As I get older I have a harder and harder time on most simulators and roller coasters.


I would definitely say to avoid Simpsons. That is a very hard one to take. The others you may or may not do well on.

 

[donnajherren]

I think part of the trouble can be cumulative. You ride one and feel not too bad, you rush off to the next one and feel a little bit worse. By the time you get to the back to the park and Simpsons it hit you full force.

I would agree with this. We haven't been to Universal yet, but I had this happen this past summer at WDW. We went to Hollywood Studios one morning and hit a bunch of the 3D stuff back-to-back. I don't do well with 3D anyway, but even those in our group who could handle it well were a little green by lunch time.

 

[schumigirl]

I can do anything in the parks except Simpsons. Even with Bonine, I was bad.

I'm fine with simulators that you have the glasses on for some reason. End of MIB I'm ok doing it once, but not twice. And FJ even with Bonine I only do that once maybe twice in a row, and never on an empty stomach!!

But everyone reacts differently to different things, hope you get to ride something and enjoy it

 

[jjas]

Bonine is my best friend at universal!!

 

[sharona]

Of course everyone is different but I don't think the motionless seats on rides like Minions make a difference for most people as far as getting nauseous goes. For me, it's the screen that causes it in that type of ride. The movement of the seat may make it worse but a non moving seat won't eliminate the issue. Well, then again at least with a non moving seat you can shut your eyes and wait it out...

 

[scoobydooby]

Thank you for all the replys. Still very unsure what I can and can't cope with!!!! I think I'll send my hubby on with the kids to test them for me. We have FOL passes so we should be able to ride some things twice over three full days.

 

[Kivara]

Have you tried watching the rides on YouTube?
I don't have any motion issues, so I'm not sure if watching it on the computer can give you any idea of whether or not you will be comfortable riding.

 

[richmo]

I'm not a big fan of some simulator rides. So you get where I'm at, here's my Disney perspective:

Mission:Space - green is OK, not even considering orange
Star Tours - mostly OK, but twice is about enough and there's a couple of the random sequences that make me glad when the ride is over, but it doesn't last
Body Tours (defunct, in Wonders of Life) - that one bothered me

My limited Universal experience (worst to best):
The Simpsons - never will I go on that again, bothered me for awhile afterwards too
Forbidden Journey - bothered me some during the ride, but was OK afterwards
MIB and Spiderman - didn't bother me at all

 

[phillymummer]

I am also hesitant to do simulators. I have never done Mission Space or Star Tours, but the screens in FJ made me nauseous. Hubby came off of FJ pale green!
I take Bonine (starting the day before a park). I like the YouTube idea. I want to watch some videos.

So.. the simulator rides are-
Simpsons
Minions
MIB
FJ
Gringotts
Spider Man
Transformers
Mummy
Any others?

Can someone put these in order of "intensity"- It guess by how much the car or seats move/ shake/ spin/ toss you upside down (FJ!)

 

[HM]

You left off Transformers. And I'm thinking you'd want to count in Mummy.

 

[phillymummer]

I knew I was forgetting one! This is a good list for anyone on the fence about the simulators.

 

[scoobydooby]

Ooh an intensity list would be good. Anyone ?!