Motion sickness! What to avoid?

[eeg]

Hi! We are looking at doing our first Universal Studios - Orlando trip in July. We did US - Hollywood a few years ago and I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the park, EXCEPT the screen-based rides made me so, so sick. The worst offenders: Minions (surprisingly), HP Forbidden Journey (sadly, as it's an excellent ride), and, most of all, The Simpsons, which I will never ever ever ever ever ever ever ride again as I get sick just thinking about it. There is not a single ride at Disneyland / WDW that makes me sick and I love big roller coasters -- just could not handle the motion + screen.

My question is what rides should I avoid at the Orlando parks? Or any other suggestions for dealing with this? The problem with motion sickness is ... once you get it ... it's hard to recover.

 

[only hope]

A lot of ride have a screen/screens. A lot. Minions, Shrek (stadium style seating), Jimmy Fallon, Fast and Furious, Transformers, Gringotts, and Simpsons at Uni. Spiderman, Kong, and Forbidden Journey at IoA. Plus the Hogwarts Express. If no medications work for you I’m not sure it’s worth visiting unless you’d like everything else.

 

[RamblingMad]

Simpsons is the one that does my friends in that have motion sickness.

 

[eeg]

A lot of ride have a screen/screens. A lot. Minions, Shrek (stadium style seating), Jimmy Fallon, Fast and Furious, Transformers, Gringotts, and Simpsons at Uni. Spiderman, Kong, and Forbidden Journey at IoA. Plus the Hogwarts Express. If no medications work for you I’m not sure it’s worth visiting unless you’d like everything else.

Thanks for that list! Some of those have corollaries at Hollywood that I was fine with but I will look more into those to see which I should probably skip ...

 

[eeg]

Simpsons is the one that does my friends in that have motion sickness.

Never. Again. Loved the concept and the queue but absolutely miserable.

 

[davper]

I was fine with all of them except the simpsons. got quesy real quick. i just closed my eyes and waited it out.

 

[ruthies12]

Have you tried meclizine? It is sold over the counter. I take 2 pills in the morning with my coffee before heading to the park, then another pill at lunch, works wonders for my motion sickness

 

[eeg]

Have you tried meclizine? It is sold over the counter. I take 2 pills in the morning with my coffee before heading to the park, then another pill at lunch, works wonders for my motion sickness

no - does it make you drowsy? might need to try that. i really am not prone to motion sickness but the screen stuff is tough on me.

 

[ruthies12]

no - does it make you drowsy? might need to try that. i really am not prone to motion sickness but the screen stuff is tough on me.

It does not make me drowsy at all but you may want to try it out at home to be sure. I don't usually get motion sickness either but there's something about moving from the screens to non-screen sections then back to screens on those rides like spiderman and forbidden journey that just really get me. As soon as I started pre-dosing with the meclizine I felt sooooo much better. Could ride that stuff all day as long as I take the meclizine. Same for my sister, she only has to take it at universal but we always take it there and then we do great all day.

It is sold over the counter under the brand name Dramamine but dramamine also sells under that name as a different drug so read the active ingredient list to make sure you are getting meclizine and not the other antihistamine they sell

 

[eeg]

It does not make me drowsy at all but you may want to try it out at home to be sure. I don't usually get motion sickness either but there's something about moving from the screens to non-screen sections then back to screens on those rides like spiderman and forbidden journey that just really get me. As soon as I started pre-dosing with the meclizine I felt sooooo much better. Could ride that stuff all day as long as I take the meclizine. Same for my sister, she only has to take it at universal but we always take it there and then we do great all day.

It is sold over the counter under the brand name Dramamine but dramamine also sells under that name as a different drug so read the active ingredient list to make sure you are getting meclizine and not the other antihistamine they sell

thank you! I looked into it and I think it's marketed as "less drowsy Dramamine." There's also "non-drowsy Dramamine" but that's literally just ginger. I will try it!

 

[ruthies12]

@eeg Hope it works for you!

 

[ricosuave]

I never had motion sickness until I rode Simpson’s. Had to close my eyes for most of the ride. Jimmy Fallon was rough at one point but I just closed my eyes.

 

[DisneyGal24]

Simpsons is the one that does my friends in that have motion sickness.

Absolutely the worst ride experience I’ve ever had! Made me nauseous from the very beginning. Closest I’ve ever been to getting really sick on a ride!

 

[jeni1072]

Hi! We are looking at doing our first Universal Studios - Orlando trip in July. We did US - Hollywood a few years ago and I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the park, EXCEPT the screen-based rides made me so, so sick. The worst offenders: Minions (surprisingly), HP Forbidden Journey (sadly, as it's an excellent ride), and, most of all, The Simpsons, which I will never ever ever ever ever ever ever ride again as I get sick just thinking about it. There is not a single ride at Disneyland / WDW that makes me sick and I love big roller coasters -- just could not handle the motion + screen.

My question is what rides should I avoid at the Orlando parks? Or any other suggestions for dealing with this? The problem with motion sickness is ... once you get it ... it's hard to recover.

The Simpsons. Never again. And I will ride ANYTHING.

 

[Skywalker3]

I am very prone to motion sickness with the screen rides, but I'll still say FJ is the best ride in Orlando, even though I've never made it all the way through with my eyes open. Now I've learned to ride it 2 or 3 times (not in a row,) and alternate when I close my eyes. I finally saw the ending on my last trip. Anyway, Simpsons is the WORST, have to close my eyes almost the whole ride, but it's hilarious, kids loved it, Minions is bad, Transformers gets me, and sometimes Spiderman, and Fallon. Spiderman is such a fun ride though, I usually just close my eyes if necessary. If there aren't screens, I'm usually ok. I didn't get sick on Kong, Fast/Furious, Gringotts, Mummy, MiB (there is some spinning in a circle at the end of MiB,) etc.I keep saying I'm going to try dramamine and never do. I think I will next trip. Good luck. Hope you have a great trip!

 

[Lisa75]

I have issues with spinning-can’t do it. Can’t watch DS on the teacups even. Even a carousel can be problematic. But I’m ok (with Meclizine) on Soarin and even FOP.

Worried about Gringotts. I’ve read it “turns 360 degrees”. Is it all at once and a tight repeating turn or does that mean something else.

Thank you!

 

[Brett Wyman]

IoA isn't a great park for those prone to motion sickness. Universal loves their screens and herky-jerky ride maneuvers.

 

[NickC]

The Simpsons is one that I have to skip altogether. Minions and Jimmy Fallon I do because the family wants to do them, but I would prefer to sit out. The other 'screen' rides are more manageable for me. (Maybe because some of them actually move on a track??) I still do Transformers and Spiderman but they are borderline and I have no issues with Kong or Fast and Furious. The HP rides are enjoyable for me.
The strange thing is, we've been going to US for about 6 years, and the motion sickness only started about year 4. I guess it's a perk of getting older.

 

[Dockside Bayer]

So sad to hear about the Simpsons. I was looking forward to that one the most.

 

[chrissy92972]

I am 47 have always gone on everything at Hershey, Disney etc. Hulk 1st ride of the day. 1st time at Island and it did me in. My day was spent sitting outside each ride while my kids went on everything. Not sure if it was the heat, masks, empty stomach, or a combination but It was awful.