Epcot questions: Strategies and how bad is Mission Space?

[KatieCharlotte]

We may have a day at Epcot on January 3, and I have a few questions. In the past decade, we've just park hopped there once during extra evening hours.

I have always skipped Mission Space, but most of my Epcot visits were before I conquered my fear of intense rides. So...how bad is Mission Space really? How does it compare to other Disney or Universal rides? I don't like my head jarred around, but I don't get motion sickness.

We want a relaxing day without rope dropping or hour+ lines, but don't want to splurge on LLPP. I will get a LLSP for Cosmic Rewind because it's the best ride ever. If we get LLMP and book Test Track for our top tier plus Soarin and Mission Space, do we have a realistic chance to add any after using the first? Thrill data shows no availability for any Epcot LL today or tomorrow? This is a holiday weekend, but Jan 3 is still winter break.

We're adults and we have zero interest in Frozen, but I loved Remy. Does it always have single rider and is that a good option? I love single rider at Universal, but it's usefulness varies. I would think not many use it on Remy?

 

[Minnie1222]

I have always skipped Mission Space, but most of my Epcot visits were before I conquered my fear of intense rides. So...how bad is Mission Space really? How does it compare to other Disney or Universal rides? I don't like my head jarred around, but I don't get motion sickness.

You can try Mission Space Green first and see how you feel.

Have you ridden Men in Black at Universal? Did your vehicle spin uncontrollably at the end? That was the sensation I felt on Mission Space Orange throughout the ride.

 

[VGCgroupie]

Mission Space isn’t rough like a coaster. Mission Space Orange to me feels like the old school graviton ride that spins in circles at local carnivals. Basically a very heavy feeling on your body and face and that you can’t move.

 

[Marthasor]

I agree with PP, try the green side of Mission Space first. Everyone is different, but after 100+ visits to WDW, I have not and never will try the more intense side of Mission Space. I already know I will not be able to handle the G force and I can get claustrophobic (I actually won't ride Mission Space Green at all now as well as my claustrophobia has gotten worse over the years).

 

[Skippyboo]

Green has no g forces but it’s very claustrophobic. 4 people, you are basically locked in a chamber the controls come down in front of you w screens. You are assigned positions in the flight crew and have various tasks like smuggler run. Only did orange one several years ago, felt very squishy afterwards. Never done it since.

 

[RivGirl]

I have always skipped Mission Space, but most of my Epcot visits were before I conquered my fear of intense rides. So...how bad is Mission Space really? How does it compare to other Disney or Universal rides? I don't like my head jarred around, but I don't get motion sickness.

The person above who said that Mission Space Orange is like the old school Gravitron at a carnival hit the nail on the head. The ride uses that exact same design to create the G force. The only difference between MS Orange and the Gravitron is that you can’t see that you are spinning while on Mission Space, whereas half the fun on the Gravitron was seeing everyone around the circle while you all went round and round and they dropped the floor out from underneath you and you stuck to the wall still. LOL. On Misson Space they put up paneling and put you in your little pod so that you are just focused on the screen in front of you. This disconnect is why so many people get sick on this ride. Your vision is telling you that you are blasting “straight ahead,” but the G force pinning you back into your seat is created by very fast spinning. And as I recall, if you were to look around to the side, you would get a glimpse of the spinning action.

I do get motion sickness, but for some reason I really wanted to “conquer” this ride. I looked straight ahead the whole time, I took slow, steady breaths, and I focused on the “story” of the ride. I was fine!

If you are worried about motion sickness, though, as others have said you can do Mission Space Green which has no spinning/G force. It’s just like being in a simulator that moves a bit and has a screen, but does not pin you to your seat (and doesn’t create the disconnect in your mind and body between spinning vs straight ahead movement).

We want a relaxing day without rope dropping or hour+ lines, but don't want to splurge on LLPP. I will get a LLSP for Cosmic Rewind because it's the best ride ever. If we get LLMP and book Test Track for our top tier plus Soarin and Mission Space, do we have a realistic chance to add any after using the first? Thrill data shows no availability for any Epcot LL today or tomorrow? This is a holiday weekend, but Jan 3 is still winter break.

It depends on how big your party is and how early you time your first LL of the day. The earlier you redeem your first LL, the better chance you have at booking other LL. This is why some people like to book a “burner” LL at 9am (for something like Spaceship Earth) if they can’t get one of their top choices in advance. Also some rides release extra LL throughout the day. (For example, a ride might drop extra lightning lanes at 1pm and 4pm….it depends on the ride and I don’t know the current details or schedule of LL refreshes, but if you Google you should be able to come up with reliable info. I think Touring Plans usually publishes that sort of thing, and you also might be able to find it on Thrill Data.)

We're adults and we have zero interest in Frozen, but I loved Remy. Does it always have single rider and is that a good option? I love single rider at Universal, but its usefulness varies. I would think not many use it on Remy?

Single Rider at Remy is supposed to be good. FWIW, Test Track also has Single Rider and it is also supposed to be good.

 

[RuntheMouse]

It’s the claustrophobia that got me with Mission Space. I got in the pod and had my first ever panic attack and had to get out. I won’t try it again.

DH loves it so I get in line with him and then do the walk of shame

 

[MPD]

Both sides are very claustrophobic. Green is pretty tame otherwise. I have not ridden Orange as I have vertigo and don't want to chance it. My husband, who will ride pretty much anything, said Orange was a one and done for him since he felt woozy afterwards. This was before there was a green option so a long time ago!

 

[KatieCharlotte]

I have ridden Men in Black many times and often twice in a row, but I always feel like the spinning is just long enough and wouldn't want it to continue.

I don't get claustrophobic, but my husband has, so that's something to consider.

You can try Mission Space Green first and see how you feel.

Have you ridden Men in Black at Universal? Did your vehicle spin uncontrollably at the end? That was the sensation I felt on Mission Space Orange throughout the ride

 

[Micca]

My husband, who will ride pretty much anything, said Orange was a one and done for him since he felt woozy afterwards. This was before there was a green option so a long time ago!

I also rode orange a couple of times before there was a green option. Orange was too much for me so I was excited to try green...boring (to me) Now the entire pavilion is one I can just pass by

 

[elvispursley]

Did Mission Space Orange when it first opened and I haven't ridden it since. I didn't get sick (not sure if they still have barf bags in the ride but they did when we rode). I could manage the claustrophobia but when I saw that I had a bunch of ruptured blood vessels in my eyes, it was crossed off my list permanently. I've done Green and it's ok.

 

[Wood Nymph]

I have always skipped Mission Space, but most of my Epcot visits were before I conquered my fear of intense rides. So...how bad is Mission Space really? How does it compare to other Disney or Universal rides? I don't like my head jarred around, but I don't get motion sickness.

Do not ride it if you get claustrophobic. I came very close to a panic attack when the seat restraint lowered down over me and the screen moved forward. I had to keep repeating that it would be over soon. I will never go on that ride again.

 

[patty57]

Green is fine, unless you're claustrophobic. I got really sick on orange, as did my husband and two sons. Never again for me.

 

[BrianL]

Note the with Mission: SPACE, there are G-forces created similar to a Gravitron sytle ride, however these only occur in small bursts throughout the ride - it is not constant for the duration, and altogether only total up to a few seconds. It is not rough and will not jar your head around. Motion sickness on the other hand is very real, and it's the only ride that has air-sickness bags onboard.

If you ride it, keep your head facing dead forward - do not turn to look to the side as that will really mess with your equilibrium. Keep your eyes forward and focus on the screen. You do not have to hit the buttons if you don't feel like you can or need to look away to do so. They blow cold air on you too, so that helps.

 

[Eastern]

I went on Orange once. It made me feel extremely claustrophobic and I can understand it being panic-inducing as you are stuck in that very small space. Never again, not fun.

 

[BrianL]

I went on Orange once. It made me feel extremely claustrophobic and I can understand it being panic-inducing as you are stuck in that very small space. Never again, not fun.

Note that Green is the same as far as that goes - it's the same pod, so if you get claustrophobic, riding Green won't help.

 

[ghtx]

Orange is very intense, barf-wise. Lots of people (myself included) who don't usually get motion sickness on roller coasters have troubles with this one (I also get sick from Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, but GotG at Epcot doesn't bother me).

I've started taking dramamine every morning that I visit a park no matter what, which seems to help.

Green is not intense, but also therefore pretty boring. (imagine standing in a port-o-potty and playing a stupid video game on a 10-inch screen in front of your face)

Regarding claustrophobia, they're both equally bad.

 

[BrianL]

Orange is very intense, barf-wise. Lots of people (myself included) who don't usually get motion sickness on roller coasters have troubles with this one (I also get sick from Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, but GotG at Epcot doesn't bother me).

I've started taking dramamine every morning that I visit a park no matter what, which seems to help.

Green is not intense, but also therefore pretty boring. (imagine standing in a port-o-potty and playing a stupid video game on a 10-inch screen in front of your face)

Regarding claustrophobia, they're both equally bad.

Interestingly, Mission: SPACE doesn't really bother me, but Forbidden Journey is one that I am always counting the seconds until it is over!

And yet, I will still ride it....