Single Parent with motion sickness and child swap

[kate11]

I am a single mom taking my 2 boys (ages 9 and 7) to the WWoHP. They love thrill rides and would love to ride everything. I, however, have terrible motion sickness. Would I be able to go through the lines with my kids on rides like Forbidden Journey and Escape from Gringotts, have them board the ride together while I wait for them in the child swap area? I don't actually want to do a swap, just wait out the ride and meet them when they get off? Thanks for your help!

 

[PoohIsHome]

I'm certain they'd let you wait at the exit for your boys.

Have you ever tried Scopolamine? Scopolamine is the patch that you wear behind the ear to combat motion sickness. I can't do even the simplest of rides without it.

 

[kate11]

Thanks so much for the response!

Scopolamine makes me incredibly dizzy. It's such a bummer because I know it is a lifesaver for many.

 

[Disxuni]

You also need to consider height requirements, as it depends on the height on whether they'd be able to ride alone, or not.

Here's the list of the height requirements on their website:
https://www.universalorlando.com/we...urs-information/ride-height-requirements?v=a6

 

[kate11]

Thanks for the link!
Fortunately they are both tall enough to ride.

 

[imprint]

Thanks for the link!
Fortunately they are both tall enough to ride.

Yes, it's no problem for you to go through the line with them and then let them ride while you wait in the child swap area/room. Considering their ages, I recommend spending a few seconds with the Team Member telling them what you want to do and make sure the kids know where you will be when they get off the ride. For example, on Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, they will get on the ride, and you will walk a few feet to a side room. The room has a Potter movie running, but you can stand at the doorway near the stairs and see them get off the ride (if I remember right, the ride is about 4 minutes). Just don't want them to be so excited about the ride and forget to pick up Mom!

Here's a video on YouTube that shows what I'm talking about for Forbidden Journey. First, the video is way darker than reality. You can actually see much, much better there, so don't worry about that. The short video clip shows where the line enters and loads into the ride. Then the cameraperson walks a few feet into the child swap area and pans around. Then the camera comes back out to show the riders getting off the ride and walking past the child swap room. Then you all just walk down the stairs into the gift shop!

 

[kate11]

Thank you so much for the information and the video! It's very helpful to know that I will be able to see them when they get off the ride. As you mentioned, I was worried about them not being able to find me. Thaks again so much!

 

[kate11]

Also, does anyone know if the child swap room is similarly positioned near the ride loading/unloading at the Escape from Gringotts? I'm also curious about it's position at the new Hagrid rollercoaster but I realize that information may not be available. Thank you everyone for your help!

 

[Disxuni]

If anything, you can get familiar with the unloading areas, or the areas right outside the loading areas instead of not necessarily waiting in the child swap area. As those seem pretty cut and dry.

This is typically did with my father since we'd do SR lines (so sometimes we'd be in the same ride vehicle, sometimes we would not). As AP it was easy to find out what the typical unloading process was, as well as the exiting portion, so you'd probably have to watch videos on what it looks like. However, what we typically did was once we got off, we either stood in the unloading area, as off to the side as possible to not block people from leaving, or if TMs seemed to want that area clear we'd just start moving towards the exit and during the exit part (which typically was a hallway) we'd just off to the side to wait.

Typically it was fine to just stand in the unloading area off to the side (especially since it's only one of us). I only mention you might need an alternative, because I would imagine there might be a TM someday that might want you to move along, or get out of the way. However, I doubt it, as you're waiting for your children (they'll know that) and it's easy to stand and not be in anyone's way.

Also a good reason to have an alternative is, because for example, some immediate unloading areas you wouldn't be able to meet them at. The Mummy (for one ride) technically two unloading areas, as there's two coasters. So, typically, we'd meet at the area in which there is a doorway that leads down the ramp off the ride (as one rider is able to walk right to that door way immediately and another would have to walk over stairs in order to get to the doorway).

I mention this as being an option, because if you prefer to see your children as soon as they get off this might be the best method, because once your children get off the ride, they'll need to have a TM to escort them to the child swap area, as some of them are right when you get off and some are not. However, the child swap option is good too, because regardless of where your children end up, they can ask a TM to escort them to you.

Also, to answer your question about Gringotts I do not know where the child swap is, as I never personally noticed it in the many times that I've exited the ride. So, it's either not in the path of the exit, or it is during the exiting process, but they do not make it obvious. When I googled images of it, where the sign is, is also where I see wheelchair signs for in the background, so it's more than likely off to the side in another hallway that most of the exiting guests do not enter.

 

[bumbershoot]

I wouldn't wait at the child swap. That's not in an intuitive direction on any ride I've seen, and it's often (always?) going against the traffic flow. I would wait right at the spot where the exit takes you.

Since they are tall enough for the rides, they are 48" at least, and THAT is the solo rider mark (48" and meeting the specific ride requirement for height). At Universal it's not age-based.

When my son first rode solo at UO, he was 6.5 years old, and it was Woody's Nuthouse coaster. He went in the EP line and rode 15 times in a row and each time he exited he would say hi to me because I was seated on a bench so I could watch him get into the ride vehicle.

At Hippogriff I sit or stand so I'm in sight of the entrance again, and he just waves hello as he loops around again and again.

Just establish where you'll be, and head to the exit. I think the swap areas won't be as easy as you want them to be.

 

[Seeker615]

Have you tried Meclizine or brand name Bonine? I take it the night before I am doing a park and then the morning before we head out. It works wonderful! Maybe try it on one of the less intense rides and see if it helps. The HP rides are amazing!

 

[kate11]

Just a quick update for anyone else who might be interested. At the Escape from Gringotts I waited while my kids boarded the ride. When the next unloading group stopped I exited with them. I followed the exit line to the bottom of a staircase and waited there for my kids. All ride exiters must go past this point but it is not as confusing as waiting in the store at the final exit. At the Forbidden Journey my kids boarded and then I moved into the child swap room (to the left of the boarding area) which is directly across from the unloading area. I waited in the doorway and caught my kids just as they got off the ride and we proceeded to the exit together. Thank you to everyone who gave input. It was extremely valuable. I hope this helps someone in the future who may have a similar problem.