I'm at a cross roads

[stemikger]

Has anyone else gone through this.

I'm 42 years old and this has happened since I hit my late thirties. I really can't handle rides any longer. I used to love the thrill rides. I bungee jumped and did any coaster around. The coasters were my favorate. But now even the milder rides get me sick. I'm not afraid, but my body just reacts totally different and it pretty much ruins my day. But my dilema is that the tamer rides like POC and Norway or the Mexico boat ride I find too boring.

For some reason TOT is fine and I can still do that. But even Big Thunder Mountain made me a little queasy last year.

I find I just like walking around the parks and enjoying the resort and not going on the rides so much. Do you think it is still worth to go to Disney when you can't enjoy a lot of the rides.

 

[daannzzz]

I had the same problem. Spinners started getting me sick when I was in my late teens but coasters and other thrill rides were fine until my early fourties. I am fifty now and can only do an occasional coaster. I get sick pretty easily..even on a teeter totter with my great nephew. I can still do the ToT and Space Mountain and such but I am ill for a bit afterwards and can not do another for a couple of hours or more. But I love Pirates, Haunted Mansion and even the little rides like Peter Pan so I don't get bored easily. I am happy looking at the architecture and gardens as well.

 

[eeyore45]

Me too!! I always did the coasters - then yuck!! I would take dramamine, or bomine for some relief, and then I started taking ginger tablets, again some relief, but when I did STAR TOURS - I was ruined for the rest of our journey!!

I started reading these boards, and others, like me, posted about getting the patch for motion sickness. I called my doctor, and he prescribed it for me! It made my trip! I got to do Space Mountain and RNR!!

 

[apirateslifeforme]

I'm a masochist...even when I know a ride is going to make me feel not-so-well, I still ride it. When I was 18, I had mono and lost my hearing in one ear. Spinning rides are out of the question, but I've noticed the last couple of trips that even Space Mountain gives me a raging headache. That hasn't stopped me, though!

 

[oobidoo]

I have (and have always had) issues with vertigo and problems with my eyes, in that what I "see" seems to affect how I feel as far as nausea goes. Luckily, DH and DD 12 care nothing about thrill rides , so I have been able to get out of it all together.

I think if you love WDW, the sites, sounds, smells, etc., it doesnt matter what anybody else thinks about it. I know people that just cant understand how we could go and not ride the wilder rides and still have fun (???), but it just isnt something that I care for. I, in return, do not understand why anyone would want to be slung around upside down, shaken up like a can of paint, or spun in circles until none of their insides are where they were origianlly supposed to be (but that's just me ) We just LOVE being there (and Pirate of the Caribbean!!). We find things that we all really like, and tend to do them over and over again. We have wonderful memories just the same. I think people get in the "rides rut" and get to thinking that is all there is to it, but there is soooo much more. The rides are only a small part of it.

 

[abeyst]

I'm glad I read this post. I am only 32, but I get queasy if I'm on swings with DD for too long. Slightly woosy and off balance after RnR or other coasters. From the sounds of it it's gonna get worse as I get older. Glad to know that the patch works, though!! I'll definitely remember that!

 

[Disneyaunt4]

I am the same way,but the roller coasters don't make me sick they scare the beejeebies out of me. Never used to, used to love them,now anything with a big drop can't do it anymore.

 

[DisneyChristmas]

Back to your question, there's lots more to enjoy than just the rides. I love all of the entertainment - parades, shows, fireworks, food, people watching. What about non-spinning things such as Jungle ride, Swiss Family tree house, railroad, Country Bears, Tiki Birds, etc? They're fun and the lines are shorter.

Jump on the buses and explore the hotels - lobbies, gardens, restaurants.

Take the boat to Wilderness Lodge, or GF, or Poly.

 

[bellebud]

SO glad you posted this!! I'm 38yo and have been getting worse and worse w/ each trip. the flight home last week even made me feel lightheaded and a little dizzy, something that's never happened before. TMRR makes me lightheaded and dizzy, so i just forget the 'bigger' stuff altogether now. my dh takes the kids on anything like that. I still love WDW and wouldn't consider not going because i can't handle the big rides. I love the other rides and everything else about disney!

but i seriously thought there was something wrong w/ me because of this. glad to know it's just "old age"

 

[deekaypee]

DH and I are the same way, at least in terms of interest. What used to attract us to Disney and what holds are attention are now different. We're going to DL in 9 days! and we've eliminated some of the rides because the whole thrill/rollercoaster aspect is no longer what thrills us. We find ourselves more engaged with a ride's narrative, the theming, the park layout and the many details (we're especially excited to go to DL for the 50th, although we hope to make it to WDW before the end of the year).

So in the past couple of trips we've started experiencing things we hadn't taken time for before: a guided tour, character breakfasts, the live entertainment. This trip, we've even planned part of a day in which we've actually planned nothing; we're just going to find a shady place to sit with a snack and spend some time people watching. (And not because we're tired from the rides!)

But back to your question of worth. It's your leisure time and I say embrace what you find most pleasurable. If you enjoy the sights, sounds, smells of Disney, then go and do those things. We do, and find all our new activities worthwhile. By doing so WDW constantly becomes a whole new world for us.

 

[THESCHULTZFIVE]

Has anyone else gone through this.

I'm 42 years old and this has happened since I hit my late thirties. I really can't handle rides any longer. I used to love the thrill rides. I bungee jumped and did any coaster around. The coasters were my favorate. But now even the milder rides get me sick. I'm not afraid, but my body just reacts totally different and it pretty much ruins my day. But my dilema is that the tamer rides like POC and Norway or the Mexico boat ride I find too boring.

For some reason TOT is fine and I can still do that. But even Big Thunder Mountain made me a little queasy last year.

I find I just like walking around the parks and enjoying the resort and not going on the rides so much. Do you think it is still worth to go to Disney when you can't enjoy a lot of the rides.

I have a question for you. Was there a period of time when you stopped riding thrill rides and then tried to again and had this "new reaction"? I am a 30 y/o thrill ride junkie( yep junkie) and I want to prevent this from happening to me. If there was a period of time that you stopped then I guess the way to prevent this f rom happeneing is to just keep riding, but if not then I need to prepare myself for the transition.

 

[Otimon]

Absolutely, it's still very much worth going to Disney World! You are just experiencing change which comes to each and every one of us in some form or other. I say, "Don't fight it, JOIN IT"!

It can be very enjoyable just walking around the parks taking in the atmosphere; enjoying each meal at a different restaurant; checking out the hotels; trying some new snacks or drinks you've heard about; take some of the behind the scenes tours that are offered; people watch to your heart's content; and, of course, go on whichever rides still please you.

Come on down and enjoy!

 

[sunnyd11]

If you miss enjoying the rides then try the "patch." My husband uses it, and is fine. He still will avoid 3D motion rides, such as Star Tours, but everything else he does fine with. He doesn't suffer any tiredness either with the patch.

 

[tmt martins]

DsF and DW are not ride people at all.

DsF would just go and hang at the pools early day ( Dw was sleeping mostly)

DM ,DD and myself would hit the parks ( DM not really big on rides either but likes to people watch)

We would all meet up and hit the Waterparks in the Afternoon ,then the parades and fireworks for the nights .

Most times after that DsF would go back to the resort sometimes the pool but we all had just a great time not forcing or rushing anyone letting everyone enjoy their vacation as they see fit.

Thats what I really love about Disney there's so much to choose from but you can get back together for group stuff.

 

[Mortlives]

I am the same way,but the roller coasters don't make me sick they scare the beejeebies out of me. Never used to, used to love them,now anything with a big drop can't do it anymore.

I was there. Use to love the rides, then became a ride chicken. I found, though, that one to two pints of beer, medicinally applied, took that away. We went to USO last summer, and I went on everything, not a problem, although ET was still a little disquieting.

This year, at the start of one of the more extreme rides at Wonderland, I did have a bit of anxiety, but I practised deep breathing (beer is harder to get at Wonderland, and impossible in the morning), and all was well. It also helped that I reminded myself that I had been on the ride before without any trauma.

 

[ItGirl753]

I'm not afraid of the rides, but I do get motion sickness. I always have so I could never really do the spinning rides, but now it's even worse. I still love roller coasters, but I need to sit and recuperate afterwards. I would still love Disney without those rides. I just love Disney. I always pick Disney for a trip! As you can see, I don't win....I'm trying again for the end of summer.

 

[nightowlky]

Has anyone else gone through this.

I'm 42 years old and this has happened since I hit my late thirties. I really can't handle rides any longer. I used to love the thrill rides. I bungee jumped and did any coaster around. The coasters were my favorate. But now even the milder rides get me sick. I'm not afraid, but my body just reacts totally different and it pretty much ruins my day. But my dilema is that the tamer rides like POC and Norway or the Mexico boat ride I find too boring.

For some reason TOT is fine and I can still do that. But even Big Thunder Mountain made me a little queasy last year.

I find I just like walking around the parks and enjoying the resort and not going on the rides so much. Do you think it is still worth to go to Disney when you can't enjoy a lot of the rides.

I know exactly what you mean.

I used to go to Ky. Kingdom several times a year with my daughters. I hadn't been in about 4-5 years until this summer. I went one day and rode several rides and I was feeling a bit queasy and beat up. Had to sit the rest of the big rides out.

 

[SnwflkCts]

It's a bummer when you find out you no longer can go on the BIG RIDES!! DH and I had annual passes to King's Dominion and rode all the upside down, huge, jarring coasters sometimes without stopping when that park wasn't crowded. NO MORE CAN DO!!! Somewhere between 38-42, it was all over!! I never saw it coming. I blamed it on medicine I take ... but DH is the same way and he takes nothing! Sooo, we skipped the annual passes for a while and now when we go to amusement/theme parks, we are careful about which rides we go on.

Luckily at WDW, none of them go upside-down and I don't seem to get quite as dizzy which makes me very happy. But there is SOOOO much to see at WDW ... and I enjoy walking around and people watching that even if I have to give up rides, I think I will just be HAPPY to be at WDW !!

 

[dawgsgirl]

The same thing happened to me with age! I used to love roller coasters, but no more. That is why I love WDW so much! There is so much I can do and I love the shows!! I took my 70ish mother last year for her first trip. She was amazed at all she could do and had a blast. She mostly liked all the flowers. There is something at WDW for everyone and I guess that is part of the magic.

 

[Hixski]

I guess my DH and I are on the other side on the coin. I am 46 (or 29 for the 17th time) and he is 47. We ride every thrill ride we can and act like children to see how fast we can get to the next one. I assume we both must have cast iron stomachs because nothing bothers us. We went on DCL 7 day cruise last year and never thought once that we might get seasick. And we didn't.

Sorry to everyone who wants to ride and can't. We will be there in September and promise to ride everything for those who can't.