Not sure what to think after riding RNR and hearing about Mission Space...

[greenyskp]

Rock N Roller coaster is (was, but then I rode Everest...) one of my favorite Roller coasters at Disney. I could ride it again and again, and never get sick. I love Aerosmith.

But the last time I was at MGM something strange happened.

I was there with my friend Michelle, back in February. It was late in the day, and we headed over to ride Rock N Roller Coaster and TOT. There was only a 20 minute wait for RNR so we went for it. We got on. Buckled in. And then our car started to take off... only it was different than normal. I felt like someone punched me in the face and was holding me down.

Ive ridden RNR probably at least 40 times. I know each twist turn and G force feeling. And i love it.

But this time, I felt the most intense G force pressure ever. When I got off the ride I was light headed and Dizzy. I asked michelle if she felt okay, and she reported to me the same symptos I was feeling. Slowly in the next 5 min. I got the most intense headache of my life.

We didnt think much of it at the time. But as we were getting ready to leave, I asked her, do you have a headache. And she nodded, and we traded info back and forth, only to realize we had the same symptoms and were feeling just as bad.

We drove home, and for the next 2 days, I experienced a terrible migrain.

Upon thinking about taking off on the ride, it didnt feel normal. It felt too fast, like it took off too fast...

I dont know, Michelle and I were talking about the whole Mission Space thing, and I was thinking, what if one of us had come home and died or something?

I mean the headaches were clearly from riding RNR. And we had the SAME symptoms. And I've ridden it several times since then. But i fear that take off... each time I ride, I wince, hoping it wont be like it was before. And it hasnt been.

But.. i dont know.. why did it do that?

Just wanted to share. Has anyone else ever experienced anything like this?

 

[bicker]

Not me, but there is no question that any thrill ride stresses your body (otherwise there would be no thrill), and it is up to your body whether it will permit such stressing without exacting retribution. RnR and ToT are probably two of the worst in that regard. However millions of people can enjoy these attractions without any problems. It is up to you to decide whether you're willing to take the risk that, someday, your body will reject your efforts to have fun, with predjudice.

 

[JESW]

I rode RNR once and only once and will not ride it again. I experienced exactly what you reported and it really scared me. I did not feel "right" for quite some time. I will not even try MS because I am afaid of how my body will react. I know there are many people who can ride these rides and not have any problems, but I am not one of them. I cannot ride the teacups anymore as I got so sick the last time I did. Not sure if the changes are due to age or something else..

Jill

 

[ADisneygirl]

I think age does have something to do with it. I have always been a thrill ride/roller coaster lover. But now, at age 42, I feel them differently then I used to. I can ride RnR without any outward symptoms so far, but I rode MS when it opened and I felt pretty dizzy after it. I have only been on MS one other time, and that was only because I was with a newbie to WDW and didn't want them to ride alone. I would not choose to go on that one again. I wish they hadn't made that MS ride so intense with the spinning. It would have been exhilirating to have felt the feeling of liftoff using the same methods they used at Universal's Back to the Future ride, where it is really only a huge screen immersing your mind in the feeling of movement. That would have been a better design I think.

Anyway, I believe that as I get older, I should think a little more carefully what stresses I choose to put my body through!

 

[Christine]

At 42, I have stopped riding those rides. I actually started to get "symptomatic" on rides when I was about 37. I guess it's age and your body doesn't recover as well. Now with all the reports, I definitely won't get on. Who KNOWS what "underlying" medical conditions I might have.

OP, as for your experience, maybe the ride was going faster than usual. I would imagine that technical things can happen that cause these rides to be a little wacky.

 

[MAKmom]

I love RNR. Hate TOT DD11 too, I do not like the dropping.

I am afraid of Mission Space. We have not done it. I'm not afraid of dying just getting sick. DH says he is doing it this year. This is the same man who can not watch his daughter on a ride that spins it makes him ill. LOL

I am still on the fence about Mission Space.

 

[GeorgeG]

As I understand it, the people who died after riding MS had medical conditions they had not been aware of. If you suddenly feel ill after riding something that had never bothered you, you should probably have your doctor check you out. It could be as simple as a mild bug or something more serious coming on.

As you get older, and that doesn't always mean "old," you find yourself not enjoying thrills that you loved in younger years. WDW has plenty for those of us who get our thrills just being there.

 

[TnKrBeLlA012]

My husband rode Mission Space last year. My daughter and I backed out at the last minute. When my husband got off the ride I asked him if it was bad. He said it was not. He felt fine. He didn't see what the big deal was. I personally will not ride that ride.

 

[Daxx]

Daxx's Wife here. I have a "tough" time w/RNRC! I don't know where to put my head b/c it gets banged around. I know they *tell* you to put your head straight back ... but when I put it back, it hits into the head rest and hurts. If I put it forward, it doesn't hit but feels overly battered around. I don't want to tense my neck b/c I'm afraid it'll injure my neck nor do I want to "fight" to keep my head to one side.

I stopped riding it b/c I don't like how my head gets slammed around! That can't be good! Daxx says he can only ride it once a day.

Funny thing is, we're people who love coasters! We can do the rest of them (MS, BTMRR) w/o a problem ... and can't wait to try E:E!

ETA: I have no prob. doing MS! Daxx can only ride it once a day ... but I have no problems w/it! It doesn't "beat me up" nearly as badly as RNRC does!

 

[disneyfanforever]

I think my DH and I experienced something similar to the OP. I have ridden RnR several times. Then we rode it one time when we were on a trip by ourselves and it just felt different. It got to me much more than it did the other times I had ridden. It felt like it almost hurt on take off. DH also said it seemed faster and more intense than normal. We attributed it to the fact that we just hadn't ridden it in awhile. The next time we went a few months later everything seemed normal again when we rode it. Luckily, we did not experience any of the symptoms that the OP had but I really feel something was different with the ride that time we went on it.

DH and I both love Mission Space. However, I will not let my kids (ages 8 and 5) ride this ride anytime in the near future. I think it is too much for small kids.

 

[SC Minnie]

I experienced the same thing after Expedition Everest last week. As I have gotten older I can't handle 'thrill' rides like I used too. I get a headache and the G forces make my chest feel like it is going to cave in. I have ridden MS twice-- 2 different trips-- and decided I would never ride it again because of the G Force pressure. DH and DD rode it last week while I sat outside.

 

[theSurlyMermaid]

Daxx's Wife here. I have a "tough" time w/RNRC! I don't know where to put my head b/c it gets banged around. I know they *tell* you to put your head straight back ... but when I put it back, it hits into the head rest and hurts. If I put it forward, it doesn't hit but feels overly battered around. I don't want to tense my neck b/c I'm afraid it'll injure my neck nor do I want to "fight" to keep my head to one side.

I stopped riding it b/c I don't like how my head gets slammed around! That can't be good! Daxx says he can only ride it once a day.

Funny thing is, we're people who love coasters! We can do the rest of them (MS, BTMRR) w/o a problem ... and can't wait to try E:E!

ETA: I have no prob. doing MS! Daxx can only ride it once a day ... but I have no problems w/it! It doesn't "beat me up" nearly as badly as RNRC does!

I TOTALLY agree with you. I've read how people think RnR is the smoothest coaster and I think what am I doing wrong? The back of my head gets slammed around so much I can almost feel my brain rattling around. I don't like it at all. And I used to ride it without any complaints.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Daxx's Wife here. I have a "tough" time w/RNRC! I don't know where to put my head b/c it gets banged around. I know they *tell* you to put your head straight back ... but when I put it back, it hits into the head rest and hurts. If I put it forward, it doesn't hit but feels overly battered around. I don't want to tense my neck b/c I'm afraid it'll injure my neck nor do I want to "fight" to keep my head to one side.

I put my head all the way forward on RnR. I look a bit like a chicken, but at least my head doesn't get banged around. I get coaster induced migraines and can get through the ride with just a little bit of pain this way. As long as I don't go on it two times in a row (or at least three) I can usually keep a migraine from starting.

The only real problem I had was the trip that my then 11yo son decided that he wasn't going to be a coaster weenie any more and he insisted that we ride 17 times...

 

[RitaZ.]

I don't do those rides, I've always been prone to motion sickness. My DH, my 14 yr. old DS and 8 yr. old DD do like those rides and so far haven't had any ill effects, not even dizzy. DD has gone on M:S and was fine with it. My 10 yr. old DS is just like me.

 

[cardaway]

IMO the RnRC's trains have got loose causing them to jerk during the maneuvers. I really love the ride but I noticed that it got rough on our last ride and we chose not to repeat it. It used to be real smooth... used to be.

Not a good idea to keep your head forward. Better not to ride if you can't take the back and forth. The jerking on your neck is very dangerous.

 

[momof2inPA]

I remember about a year and a half ago, Disney made a change in the way they designated maintenance. Instead of having a maintenance area specific to each park, it was centralized, in part to provide the ability to interchange maintenance personnel more easily throughout rides/parks. I wonder if this change hasn't had a detrimental effect on some of the rides, because it seems preferrable to have a maintenance staff dedicated to specific rides. That way would know their designated rides more thoroughly. Or maybe, there are just a lot of people at the parks causing a lot of wear and tear.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Not a good idea to keep your head forward. Better not to ride if you can't take the back and forth. The jerking on your neck is very dangerous.

It doesn't strain my neck at all. Not on that ride, at least. There are some coasters that I wouldn't do it on for sure. I have to know the coaster, the loops, etc.

 

[ahutton]

I'm funny about thrill rides too. I've not had a problem on RnRC, but TOT about kills me. I rode MS once and was dizzy after it, but was otherwise okay. I have terrible motion sickness problems and don't do well on many rides.

Is it possible that that time you were a bit dehydrated, or overheated, and that in conjunction with the ride may have given you a headache? I know those factors make it worse for me, so I make sure I'm very well hydrated, I am careful about what I eat (limit junk-type food) and am very cautious about heat. That seems to help.

 

[Sylvester McBean]

everyone's different with what they can tolerate. MS does nothing to me, but if the teacups or storm force get spinning too fast my stomach can't take it. I lean my head out of the side of RNR to watch the launch. I agree that age and conditioning probably contributes, but secretly I hope not. plus and minus G forces are sooo much fun.

 

[disney junky]

I know what I can do and what I can't. Can't do spinning, but I didn't have a problem with Mission Space. The first time I rode Space Mountain, I felt awful afterwards. I decided I was too tense, resisting the natural movement of my body in the ride. The next time, I let go a bit and had no other problems. RiRC is the same for me, but smoother. Don't like the backwards thing. I live near Hershey Park and they have an out and back coaster called side winder. Out is a loop forward, back is the same loop backwards. That gives me a headache. I keep going back though......DW just watches, though she did RiRC last summer, once with eyes shut and the second time with eyes open and me narrating. She loves ToT though....even got the shirt.