rides to avoid?seizure disorder

[HOGFAN]

family is about to drive me nuts. saying I should avoid this ride, that ride.
I plan not riding BTMR cause its a rough ride anyway. Who else out there with this condition thinks avoiding certain rides might be wise? And which rides? thanks

 

[Mary976]

This comes up here from time to time, and the consensus seems to be that everyone has different rides that wouldn't be good for them. I think it depends on what your individual triggers are. For example, some rides/shows have flashing lights, others are just rough (as you mentioned), and so on. There are people here who can give you specific rides/shows that they stay away from, but it will also depend on what your specific needs are. The good news is that there are more rides that are okay than not, though.

Anyway, here are a few rides that come to mind.

DHS: Star Tours is jerky and has some flashing lights.
Tower of Terror is just scary (in my opinion, DD loves it)
Rock and Roller Coaster is a coaster that goes upside down.
I have not ridden the new Toy Story ride, so can't comment on that.

Epcot: Mission Space may cause problems for some people who have seizures.

MK: Buzz Lightyear has some flashing lights, but it's not too rough of a ride (you can spin your car around, or not, at your own choosing)
Big Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain, and Space Mountain are all of the thrill ride variety.

AK: Dinosaur has flashing lights AND is very rough.
Expedition Everest is a roller coaster.

Good Luck

Mary

 

[HOGFAN]

My disorder is caused by scar tissue from a bleed about 4 years ago so I guess Im more worried about rides that are rough and might cause another bleed. I dont think I have 'triggers', just an ever present condition which 'might' cause random future seizures. I am on Keppra.

 

[SueM in MN]

If you go to the disABILITIES FAQs thread, there are some links in post #3. One of them is to past threads about different subjects, including Epilepsy/seizures.
My youngest DD has epilepsy and doesn't skip anything because of it. She also has not had any seizures associated with riding anything. Her neurologist said that the more important things are to keep the medications as scheduled, keep hydrated (dehydration can lower the seizure threshold - or how easy it is to trigger a seizure) and to avoid becoming sleep deprived (which also lowers the seizure threshold).
I know of 2 attractions that have lights that bother her (but don't cause a problem). One is Maestrom at Epcot in Norway; it includes a pulsating light (not a strobe light). The other one is in Buzz Lightyear in the 'tunnel' before the last scene. Again, there are some pulsating lights along with an effect that makes the lights go by you and causes the ride car to feel like it's moving faster than it is. DD just closes her eyes during these parts.

In your case, since you are worried about bleeds, I would suggest talking to your doctor to see just how careful you need to be. The more 'wild' rides are well marked, both with an icon on the park map and with signs at the entrance to the queue and before boarding. Here is a list of those with warnings:
You can look at the park maps for the attractions with warnings - they are marked with a red triangle on the map and also on a sign at the entrance to the queue.
For Epcot here are the attractions with warnings:

• Mission Space has warnings for both the more tame (green side) and the more wild (orange side). The difference is that the orange sign spins as well as moving around. I have only been on the green side and would say it is quite turbulent.
• Test Track - there are some areas with bumpy 'pavement', sudden stops and you go around at the end at 60+ miles per hour. There is nothing that you would not encounter on a real road if it was rough.

For Magic Kingdom:

• Splash Mountain - most of it is a slow ride thru cartoon scenes with music. There are several smaller drops and the one you can see from outside is a very steep drop. I would be concerned with this one if you are at risk of bleeds. You start down the drop from a stop, quickly accelerate to 40 miles per hour and stop suddenly with a jerk at the end of the drop. The good thing is that you can watch the big drop from outside and see whether or not you think it would be a good idea to ride.
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad - this is a rough roller coaster that jerks you around quite a bit. You are able to watch some of the track from outside to give you an idea of whether or not it is for you.
• Tomorrowland Indy Speedway - these are little gas powered cars. The track is smooth. The problem is that your car might get hit from behind by other drivers. You can alleviate this by having members of your party in the car behind you (with orders not to hit you).
• Space Mountain - roller coaster. Fast, but smooth.
• Goofy's Barnstormer (this doesn't have a triangle warning sign on the map, but does say that pregnant women should not ride, so it is not totally 'tame')

For Disney Studio

• Star Tours - simulator ride. This has sudden changes of direction and does jerk you around a lot.
• Rock N Roller Coaster - a very smooth roller coaster. Has sudden acceleration when it starts and does go upside down.
• Tower of Terror - the first part is a slow ride thru ghost scenes. The 'scary' part is the elevator drop. Your car is taken rapidly up and then dropped. While it is still falling, it gets jerked up again. How many times this happens is random, so you can't count on what type of ride you will get.

For Animal Kingdom:

• Kilimanjaro Safari - you are riding in a rough 'dirt road' environment. There are bumps, depending on exactly which ruts your driver hits. It is a little less bumpy up in the front, but is still bumpy.
• Kali River Rapids - a rapids ride in a rubber raft. For most of the ride, your raft is free floating and goes where the water carries it. This can mean some rough bumps.
• Expedition Everest - I have not been on this, but I've been told it is very smooth. It is still a roller coaster though.
• Primeval Whirl - from outside, this looks like a fairly tame ride, but that is deceptive. It turns unexpectedly, can sometimes turn or stop very quickly and is much rougher than it looks (it's where I got my tag "It's like combining the teacups with a roller coaster").
• Dinosaur - as was already mentioned - VERY rough

One thing to keep in mind - all of these attractions have exits just before boarding where people who change their mind about riding can 'escape' withput riding. So, you would be able to stay with your companions, experience the queue (which in many cases, is pretty amazing) and then leave before riding.

 

[Belle1962]

The lights in the parade (at night) at MK used to be a trigger for me. I have learned to sit back a row or two and look OVER the parade into the skyline.

The 3D shows can "come at you" when you least expect it.

My number one piece of advice: avoid getting tired/over tired. I know my mind "plays tricks" when I get too tired.

You indicated you don't have specific triggers, perhaps you are trying to find out which rides have the potential to be jerky or make your "brain slush" in your head?

I can no longer ride ToT--last time I rode it I could "feel" my "brain slushing" around in my head.

Most of the coaster rides the front is less jerky--EXCEPT EE as it goes backwards also.

Sim rides (like Star Tours) can be very rough.

Another question to ask yourself is "not how rough the ride is" but "how rough will the stop be if there is an emergency stop?" I had a (re)injury to my neck several years ago when Test Track came to a sudden stop and I had that thrown forward/backward/whiplash motion. I had to add a few days to my stay to be able to get back into shape to even attempt the ride home.

 

[jmartinez1895]

My son has seizures and he did fine on everything we rode. If you are worried about a ride being rough and causing a bleed I would recomed not gettin on anything that has the 40" hight requriment. Those rides are normally intense. I hope you enjoy your trip.