Mission Space - Please Help!!

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by drusba
Did it once. Before you get on they constantly broadcast that if you cannot take high spinning or enclosed spaces you should avoid the ride. You sit in a small tube like compartment that is then completely closed off so you are in the dark except for the TV screen and some other light effects inside. 4 of you are in the compartment. Each of you has a TV screen in front of you. You have a safety harness over you in your seat. You then lift-off. You feel yourself going backwards into a lay-down position and you look at the screen and watch as if you are in a rocket on the spacepad looking up into the sky. You start taking off seemingly slowly and as it gets faster you actually get the sensation of g-forces on your face and gut (and it can actually be painful -- a sting). What you do not realize is what is really going on to accomplish that sensation -- that tube you are in (along with several other tubes holding other guests) is going around in a circle at an extremely high speed; you don't realize it because you are staring at a screen in a dark enclosed space. Once into space, the spinning subsides somewhat so you lose that g-force sense but your stomach may still feel queasy (because you are still actually spinning and do not know it). You then flash off to Mars, avoid a metor shower before getting there, but that g-force sensation gets you again as you head into Mars for landing (and of course just miss several mountains and other crashes). I am not a fan of high spin rides although usually I recover quickly afterwards. After this one, my face ached and I felt disoriented for over an hour. It was my first and likely last trip to Mars via Mission Space.

GREAT description!!!! One thing that I cannot stress enough is look forward, don't close your eyes, do not move your head.
That causes extream motion sickness. Keep focused and whatever queesy feeling you may have subsides rapidly.
I loved the ride, did what I was told and had a great time.
Got off feeling just fine.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by drusba
From TeresaNJ: "I don't like dark or confined spaces, and I definitely don't like spinning."

The warning repeated over and over again as you approach the ride is that if you have problems with dark and confined spaces and high spinning you should not ride. They do not even fudge it by saying you should "consider" not riding. I have ridden teacups and don't really care for it either. Going upside down in Rock N Rollercoaster is also one of my least favorite activities. Nevertheless I survive those easily. Most often, I say about any ride like those that you should not be too worried, many make it sound worse than it is, and you will likely do just fine. I will not say that about Mission Space. This ride is the extreme. If you get queasy on spin rides and confined and dark spaces are a concern, then I highly, very highly recommend that you get yourself another husband if he won't give in to your pleas. I am not sure how long it actually lasts but total time inside the tube is much longer than 45 seconds -- the four minutes sounds more accurate.

When we were there last week, some idiot said they did not give enough warnings, I looked at him and said, just how many did you need? I swear there were about a dozen of them, not to mention the "are you sure" questions. Some people don't get it, it guess.

 

[LoveToDisney]

Is the ride loud? Did anyone feel their neck or spine being pulled too much during the G force?
Thanks...

 

[chrisp]

Is the ride loud? Did anyone feel their neck or spine being pulled too much during the G force?

No it's not loud at all.

You don't feel your neck or spine being pulled, you feel as if you are being pushed in the back.

 

[CarolynFH]

The G-forces felt to me like taking off in a commercial jet, a little more intense. You're tilted back in your seat and feel like you're being pushed back into the seat.

I get very sick now on the Teacups, even focusing on the middle wheel as I used to go doesn't help. But M:S doesn't feel like spinning the way the Teacups do. The first time I rode M:S I used motion sickness wristbands (acupressure), but I didn't really need them. They may be worth a try, though!

Maddle is right - keep your eyes on the screen, keep your head back and don't move it.

 

[DizBelle]

We rode it twice and thought it was fabulous. My DH does not like roller coasters or rides that drop you and his comment when we got off was "Is that it?"

Here is the sequence of events for those that are interested. I go into detail here so if you don't want the surprises spoiled, don't read this:

1. You are put into a room where you are divided into 10 4-member teams. You get a video briefing from Gary Sinese. Guess what? You're going on a mission to Mars.

2. You move into the centrifuge room where you get one last briefing and a last chance to take the chicken exit and go into the mission control training instead. This is where each member of the team is briefed on their individual tasks during the mission. Your tasks are to push the two buttons in front of you when they start blinking. Not rocket science.

3. You get into the ride vehicles which are closed vehicles with 4 seats in them each with its own screen. The seats are side by side. You are not riding behind someone. You take your seat and pull the harness down. It is a shoulder harness with a broad plate that is over your chest - it is maybe 12 by 8 inches in measurement.

4. The vehicle doors close and the screens tilt toward you. I would liken this the distance that the front seat is from you when you are in the back seat of a car - maybe a little closer. The seats tilt back a little in preparation for launch.

5. Your screen shows the launch bay opening and you see the launch track and the sky. It is time for launch. The video shows you moving up the track toward the sky. The centrifuge is starting to move pretty fast. You feel no spinning but you feel yourself getting pushed against the seat. It moves up to speed very slowly so you don't feel the spinning. This is the first of three "thrusts" in the ride. It is pretty intense. You feel pressure mostly in your chest as you are pushed against the seat. I also felt pressure in my eyes.

6. Once you break the atmosphere, the thrust ends and you are in flying in space. This is where you feel the weightlessness and all this is is tilting you forward in your seat a little so you are supporting some of your weight on that broad plate (12 by 8 inches) that I mentioned before.

7. Then you head for the moon to do a sling shot around it to speed you toward Mars. This is the second thrust. It feels like the first but may be a little longer in duration.

8. Once you sling shot around the moon you are put into "hyper sleep" for the 3 month ride to Mars. All of the lights go out and the vehicle is pitch black to simulate "sleep." It is like this for a few seconds.

9. You are then woken up by alarms because there is trouble at Mars. There is an asteroid field that they weren't expecting so we have to maneuver around it manually. Everyone grabs their joy stick and does what Gary tells us to (LEFT!! RIGHT!! BACK!!!) until we get through it and go to land.

10. This is the third and last of the thrusts. It is felt as you land on Mars and feel the gravitational pull of the planet. Similar to the first two but not as intense and not as long.

11. We maneuver around the surface of the planet to get to the runway. We hit the runway and are all using our joysticks to try and stop but we are careening to the end and we stop just in the nick of time before falling over the cliff at the end.

12. Of course it isn't over, the cliff breaks free and we teeter on the edge and Gary says "Don't anyone move a muscle." We wait until we fall safely back and are no longer teetering on the edge. WE MADE IT!!! And the ride is over.

I really enjoyed this ride. It was quite an experience. It is not loud. I have neck troubles and this didn't cause me any neck problems at all. Aside from the "thrusts" I would say this ride is similar to Star Tours but it is MUCH more gentle in the movement but the movements are more extreme. Star Tours moves you from side to side and tilts you forward and backward but in a jerky way. Mission: Space does this as well but it is not jerky at all. It tilts you in each direction at a greater angle than Star Tours but in a much gentler and smoother fashion.

Hope this helps some of you decide if this ride is for you.....

 

[DizBelle]

Originally posted by lfontaine
See http://www.therideworks.com/gallery2.htm for an early rumored concept art of the centrifuge system. It probably looks something like this now.

It looks EXACTLY like this.

 

[LoveToDisney]

Ifontane, thank you so much for your ride report! I dislike roller coasters, as well, because of the drops so I can relate to your DH. Your detail is incredible. We appreciate you taking the time to report so clearly.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I felt sick on Mission to Space. Not enough to lose my cookies, but I sure felt something. I normally don't feel sick (just dizzy) on teacups, etc. I think that the older I get the easier I get affected by this type of ride. I didn't feel the spinning, though, and looked straight ahead. My sister, who is 60yo (don't know if her age has anything to do with it) felt pretty green for awhile after. She didn't feel like she was going to throw up, but didn't feel too good. It didn't last too long, though, and she is glad that she went on the ride.

I would not recommend that a person go on Mission to Space if they normally get motion sickness from simulator type rides or from the teacups, etc. Also, don't go right after a big meal.

Next time I will take bonine the night before riding Mission. I can't take it in the morning because it makes me very sleepy.

When Mission first started I started laughing because it was such a funny, unusual sensation. The rest of the ride I had a big grin on my face.

T&B

 

[jellydisney]

Great descriptions guys! I think I've made my decision, and I'll avoid MS when I go next month. I don't want to risk being ill afterwards. And I won't be sorry for having missed out. I'll just ride Test Track a few extra times

Hopefully MS is deterring some of the long lines away from TT now that it's no longer the newest ride at Epcot.

 

[southernwingz]

All the warnings, all the hype, and some extra warnings from friends that work there about how ill they felt afterward had me feeling prety uneasy before we went on the ride. That being said.....we loved it! It was great, and I think I will enjoy it even more next time, because I won't be frightened half to death imagining how 'scarey' it is.

 

[tabby1964]

Hi, I have always had extreme motion sickness. (ex: car, 3d video games and even on an airplane) We did Space Mountain when we first arrived at DL last year and I was very sick for about 2 hours after that. My question is: has dramamine every really helped someone to enjoy these type of rides. I feel bad that I can't enjoy these rides with my children but I hate the nausea, dizziness and cold sweats. We are going in March and I want to have a good time but Mission Space sounds like something that would make me sick for a week. I can still remember every detail of riding the Minder Bender at Six Flags and that was 25 years ago. I got so sick on that one that I won't allow my kids on it.

Thanks for any info,
Janice

I just notice my counter said from my kids...it should say with my kids. oh well

 

[DznyDreams]

Originally posted by tabby1964
My question is: has dramamine every really helped someone to enjoy these type of rides.

Hello! Although I have NOT ridden MS yet, I am prone to extreme motion sickness on simulator-type rides. The visual experience just makes me want to heave.

Disney Quest/Star Tours/Body Wars, etc. have always been problems for me until I tried a little miracle pill called meclizine. It has been around for a long time and has been used in the past by folks who have vertigo. The description on the bottle itself claims it to be an antiemitic (anti-nausea medication). It is OTC...not prescription.

I just start taking it a few days before our trip so that my system will be adjusted to it, and then I'm good to go.

Warning: It does cause drowsiness when you first begin. (As for myself, the drowsiness subsides once my body adjusts to the med.)

 

[DizBelle]

Originally posted by jellydisney
Great descriptions guys! I think I've made my decision, and I'll avoid MS when I go next month. I don't want to risk being ill afterwards. And I won't be sorry for having missed out. I'll just ride Test Track a few extra times

Hopefully MS is deterring some of the long lines away from TT now that it's no longer the newest ride at Epcot.

Both time we went on MS, the wait was 15 min or less while TT had waits up to an hour. I think a lot of people are opting out of MS and getting in the TT line.

 

[mickeyfan9194]

Of course, no one else can say for sure whether you should or shouldn't try it. And no one else will experience the ride the exact same way as you would, so you'd have to decide for yourself.

As for me, I was scared to death to try it the first time. I had told my kids and DH that I'd ride it at the end of the day, so just in case I felt ill it wouldn't ruin everything. However, the line was really short first thing in the morning, and we just couldn't pass up the opportunity. Personally, I think the warnings were WAY overblown--I do get motion sickness, I am claustrophobic, and I HATE rollercoasters. Basically, I stick to the weenie rides. I know, why would someone like me even try Mission Space? But I truly have to say that listening to the warnings were the worst part. It had me so psyched out and nervous. However, there is light in there and plenty of room to move so the claustrophobia didn't really hit. I just tried to keep my breathing even (the cool air blowing on you helps), and telling myself that it's just a ride--nothing bad can happen. And again, listen to the instructions--keep your head back, keep your eyes open, and look straight ahead at your own screen monitor. And as it turned out, I LOVED this ride! It was a piece of cake compared to what I had imagined. I am so glad I gave it a chance. We rode it two more times. I felt a little off balance my third time, so I guess I should stop at two rides a day, but even that didn't last more than a few minutes. Actually, it was more my DH that noticed me walking sideways, while I said "I feel fine, not dizzy at all." He made me sit down while the kids went through the gift shop.

I guess my advice is to try it (maybe at the end of the day), and make your own judgement without all the preconceived notions.

 

[mmeb144]

Do it with your family chanting "Go! Go! Go!" all the time during launch. It is too fun to pass up. I rode it 4 times this past week.

The Mission Space Race after the ride is an awesome way to pass the time while you wait for the weak knees to pass.

Marie

 

[pouncingpluto]

I get really bad motion sickness, too. Body Wars and Star Tours are just awful for me. Most roller coasters are fine and enjoyable for me; it's just ones that have a whole lot of loops that bother me.

Anyway, I'm going to take Bonine and give Mission:Space a try. I've been looking forward to it for much too long not to!