Mission Space: Vomit Comet or Urban Legend?

[Darian]

I've been reading comments here on the DIS that some riders get off of Mission Space "covered from head to toe in vomit." That isn't true, right?

The implication being... that inside the dark confines of the some what cramped capsule, an orgy of horror in the form of vomit flying around inside, like a bee-bee in a beer can, often takes place; lathering its occupants with a coat of vomit as they scream their outrage to the darkness. The horror... the horror....

Is this true or only Disney urban legend? For the love of God, people I must know! I have NO desire to be trapped with 3 other adults and be immersed in a barf baptism.

I love Mission Space! I've ridden it 5 times!!!! I want to ride it again!!!! Tell me this doesn't happen please!!!!!

Darian

 

[mickeymule]

I have heard the stories as well, but I do not think it is that bad. Now that they have the bags available, I would say it is a lot less likely if in fact it did happen like that in the first place.

 

[DepCor0311]

Without getting to brainy about the issue....Is the physics of if possible? If one vomits during the launch sequence the centrifical force would just plaster the vomit to the "vomiter." In the short zero gravity portion I suppose it is possible for the vomit to "float" over to another rider...but that begs the question...Does Mission Space actually achieve true zero gravity, or just a relative feeling of zero gravity?....anyway...when the capsule stops spinning, the vomit should splash to the ground...so I imagine that the worst that could really happen is you get some vomit on your shoes/feet...Of course this all assumes that the "vomiter" is looking forward at the time they vomit...If the are looking directly at the "vomitee," I suppose it would be possible for them to project their vomit on to said "vomitee." Anyway...I have never heard of, or seen, it happening....It is an interesting question...

 

[LuvN~Travel]

It's possible. When I was in high school, I was in the audiovisual class. One of the boys had thrown up on the previous year's trip to WDW. Needless to say, no one wanted to ride with him after that.
Kim


OKAY.... I've either got to start wearing my reading glasses when I dis, or quit dising at 2:00am! I thought the original post was about Space Mountain....Sheesh! Getting old sure is tuff.....

 

[CamColt]

Someone throwing up in my capsule was my worst fear going into MS. I even made sure I was on an end next to DH, not a stranger for that very reason. I checked out the couple who got in with us before the ride...did they look like vommiters? I grabbed a bag for myself...just in case. The woman with us asked to pass her one too. THANK GOD!!!!!! Had she not had that bag, I might be able to give specifics to your question. Fortunately I can only tellyou that yes, people do get sick on it.

 

[beavismom]

You should have seen the look on the other riders face when I handed my DS a barf bag "just in case". Luckily, we didn't need it, but the other passenger was clearly worried.

 

[erikthewise]

No it does not achieve "zero gravity". You need Tower of Terror for that. Mission Space is actually fairly mild as far as G-forces go, but it's a different ride experience. That makes it difficult to predict who's going to have trouble with it.

 

[canucktyke]

No zero gravity on Mission space, just a feeling that you are "lighter" because the g-forces have eased up a little. I hate spinning rides intensely - can feel sick riding a carousel, but felt only mild discomfort in my eyes (believe it or not) when I followed the instrucions. The repeated signs and warnings about the possibility of sickness are the worst thing about the ride. We rode Mission 8 times during our last visit and did not see a single incident of sickness.

 

[Sinclare]

Urban legend...I think Disney likes it because it's good for advertising. Some people do get sick but to quote my sister the first time I took her on it "People get sick on THAT?"

 

[AspiringCindy]

I don't know what all the hoopla is about? I can see why people get sick, but the ride itself didn't thrill me like Test Track, Dinosaur and The Mummy does!!

 

[mickeymule]

AspiringCindy, it's funny because I find Test Track and Dinosaur to be kinda low on the Thrills end of things. I do like Mission Space tho.

 

[AspiringCindy]

That is funny! I guess it is like anything else!...different strokes for different folks!
Nickeymule, have you tried the Mummy at Universals yet? It is amazing!

 

[catsrule]

I felt more dizzy after watching Mickey's Philharmagic than riding Mission Space.

 

[Darian]

Thanks for all the input! My biggest concern would be a chain reaction of puking... along the lines of the following scenario:

Early in the ride one passenger (on the far right side) starts to feel a bit queasy. He turns to his left, toward the other three riders to tell the person he's riding the ride with that he's feeling sick. Looking and turning to the side causes him to "lose it" and vomit pours all over his companion, who in turn is so revolted by the situation, pukes as well. Trapped in the capsule with those odors, the sounds of wretching and horrific visual it would be difficult not to join the puking parties.

As DepCor0311 pointed out in a discussion of the physics of the ride, it does seem the vomit would tend to go to the back of the capsule. But what about rotational effects? I'm thinking it would also have a tendency to go to the side as well, especially if the puking occured during a period of deceleration or acceleration.

Hopefully with the new space sickness bags they have inside the ride, none of this will happen; the vomit would be confined to the bag. Which is bad enough. Ugh.

I'm getting queasy just thinking about it.....

Darian

 

[erikthewise]

Well, OK, if we're going to get technical...

the, uh, "substance" would only tend to move backward during the acceleration phase (startup). During the deceleration (slowdown) it would tend to move forward. When the rate of rotation is constant, it would tend to move neither forward nor backward.

HOWEVER, as long as the pod is rotating the substance will definitely tend to move to the outside of the cabin (left), as Darian has so delicately explained. This apparent "centripetal acceleration" is proportional to the distance from center of rotation (and the square of the rate of rotation). And let's not even talk about Coriolis acceleration...

 

[MsLeFever]

Spinning rides can do me in so I was really worried about MS - but not wiling to miss the ride!

I took Ginger Root for about a week before I rode and didn't have any ill effects at all...not sure if I would have without the pills or not.

I didn't even think about OTHER people puking.....EWW!!

Barbara