Alien Swirling Saucers

[Sara_H]

Is this ride similar to the Tea Cups? I can take some spinning rides but I HATE the Tea Cups...too much spinning. I know my kids want to do this ride but I don't want to attempt it...maybe we just send them on their own.

 

[EdnaMarieMode]

For me, it's less spinning than the tea cups. I find that the aliens swirl around but it's not the same spinning as the individual tea cup. I'm probably not explaining that well. The ride is outdoors open to view so you'd be able to peek at it first and see what it does before committing, or maybe a youtube ride video would help show it better.

 

[ellbell]

I can't ride the teacups because of the spinning but I can do swirling saucers with no issues. Rode it 3 times in a row the last time I was there.

 

[LRdismom]

Swirling Saucers is pretty mild. I actually love the tea cups and saucers doesn't even come close, so I'm sure you'd be fine.

 

[kwdw]

I can ride Alien Swirling Saucers with no problem. Tea Cups make me sick for the rest of the day. So - they are different. Nice part - you can watch this ride in advance and decide for yourself.

 

[BrianL]

Is this ride similar to the Tea Cups? I can take some spinning rides but I HATE the Tea Cups...too much spinning. I know my kids want to do this ride but I don't want to attempt it...maybe we just send them on their own.

The ride is what is described as a "whip ride" and produces a somewhat similar motion to the ride you may have seen as a "Scrambler" or "Twister" ride. It is exactly the same as Mater's Junkyard Jamboree at Disney's California Adventure. It is similar to the Mad Tea Party in that there is one large circular platform with inset circles that also rotate. You are off-center in the inner circle, creating the "whip" effect. Unlike the teacups, there is no third axis of rotation (the cup itself) so that reduces the overall motion of the ride. These are also pretty mild speed-wise, and don't go nearly as fast as carnival style "whip rides."

 

[Sara_H]

Thanks! I will check out some YouTube videos.

 

[monkyby87]

The whip-effect, which really is the most accurate descriptor, just whips you into the side of the car/passenger beside you. There really isn't much spinning. I can't do spinning rides like Tea Cups at all and get very sick on those types of rides. With Alien though, I didn't feel sick in the slightest. I truly do think you'll be fine.

 

[Farro]

The ride is what is described as a "whip ride" and produces a somewhat similar motion to the ride you may have seen as a "Scrambler" or "Twister" ride. It is exactly the same as Mater's Junkyard Jamboree at Disney's California Adventure. It is similar to the Mad Tea Party in that there is one large circular platform with inset circles that also rotate. You are off-center in the inner circle, creating the "whip" effect. Unlike the teacups, there is no third axis of rotation (the cup itself) so that reduces the overall motion of the ride. These are also pretty mild speed-wise, and don't go nearly as fast as carnival style "whip rides."

We went on The Scrambler at a carnival here in Chicago at a Catholic School a few years ago. I used to love that ride. This ride, that thing went so fast, I was crushing the person next to me (and I'm small) and it went on for so long that it was the first time I've ever become sick after a ride.
I'm pretty sure our operator was having an extra special good time with that ride.

So I was slightly nervous about this ride, but glad to read it's pretty tame.

 

[BrianL]

We went on The Scrambler at a carnival here in Chicago at a Catholic School a few years ago. I used to love that ride. This ride, that thing went so fast, I was crushing the person next to me (and I'm small) and it went on for so long that it was the first time I've ever become sick after a ride.
I'm pretty sure our operator was having an extra special good time with that ride.

So I was slightly nervous about this ride, but glad to read it's pretty tame.

Yes. It's not exactly like a Scrambler, but the basic motion is similar, one large circle with smaller circles. On a Scrambler the smaller circles are rotating in the opposite direction as the larger. I do not know how the Mater's/Aliens rotate, but that seems likely. That's what gives you the push/pull feeling and the slamming into the person on the outside of the spin. Form watching Mater's (I haven't really seen Aliens in motion), I would say they are definitely slower than a Scrambler and it's not being run by a "carny" who can crank it up if they want to. They seem relatively tame.

 

[nkereina]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but it looked to me like the teacups do a full 360 degree spin/rotation, while Swirling Saucers do not. They whip around as mentioned, but never spin in a full 360. I can't do teacups either, but enjoyed Swirling Saucers.

 

[BrianL]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but it looked to me like the teacups do a full 360 degree spin/rotation, while Swirling Saucers do not. They whip around as mentioned, but never spin in a full 360. I can't do teacups either, but enjoyed Swirling Saucers.

So, the teacups have 3 axes of rotation: the large platform, the smaller circles (each with 4 teacups) and then the cup itself (turned by the occupants). The Aliens (and Mater's and other similar rides) only have two axes, the circle that the ships rotate on, then a smaller inset circle you spin around. I actually just watched a video, and one unique thing is that these cars can change the larger circles, so you sort of move around the area but without the main floor rotating. It's still only two axes of rotation though. There may be some direction change involved though as I had never paid such close attention to these before.

EDIT:

I believe after looking at it that both Mater's Junkyard Jamboree and Alien Swirling Saucers are in fact clones of The Whirlpool, a ride in the Mermaid Lagoon section of Tokyo DisneySea. I remember watching that one from above and seeing the cars transfer from one rotating platform to the other. This may also be the same as Car's Race Rally at Disney Studios Paris, and possibly the same as the defunct Francis' Ladybug Boogie (though I feel like that one was much smaller than Mater's and Aliens). I never pay much attention to the spinners, though I should.

 

[rdaky]

I found it to be much milder than a Scrambler ride. Less whipping and spinning. I can't do teacups or any kind of scrambler or spinning ride, but I was fine on Alien Swirling Saucers.

 

[lovethattink]

I can't ride the Scrambler. I have no problems with Aliens. It's a whip ride. And very short.

 

[cmwade77]

It is not like the teacups at all, it is what is referred to as a "whip ride." If you have been on Mater's Junkyard Jamboree at DCA, it is essentially the same ride with different themeing.

 

[tiggerx3]

I can’t do the teacups either, but I was fine with aliens swirling saucers. It doesn’t spin as much IMO.

 

[DWillowBay]

It doesn't really spin...it does rotate a bit, but nothing like the tea cups.

 

[g-dad66]

To me, the whip action seemed pretty much like what Toy Story Mania does to get you from one target to the next.

 

[gharter]

I like it much better than Teacups. It has a little whip to it. It doesn't have the tight spinning that Teacups has.
I don't like tight spinning rides, but can do this one just fine.

 

[rhiansmom]

I can not do tea cups but alien swirling saucers is really fun!