WDW ride suggestions for an adult with joint instability and mild motion sickness

[rachel333]

Hi! I'm new to DISboards. I have visited WDW almost once per year between the ages of 4 and 14. Now, many, many, many years later, I'm THRILLED to be planning another trip! My parents and I are staying at All-Star Sports from 12/31/18 to 1/6/19. The reason for the several-year-long gap between our most recent visit and our upcoming one is because I have since been diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, POTS, etc... and I was far too ill to travel for many years. Thankfully, my health has GREATLY improved and I can now safely (and happily!) travel to WDW once again.

I'm hoping to get some advice from you on which rides I can/cannot do. Between the ages of 4 and 14 (i.e. before my Ehlers-Danlos symptoms set in), I could ride most age-appropriate rides. Now, I know that I won't be able to do all of the rides that I used to. My main symptoms which are relevant to this discussion are significant neck instability, back pain, joint instability, and some mild motion sickness on overly spinning rides (like Mad Tea Party).

Here are the rides which I think I can handle during my upcoming trip. I bolded the ones I'm most uncertain about. I have done most of these rides before and don't recall having any issues with them but it's been a LONG time and I don't remember all of the details of the rides. I've researched which have health warnings, which have small drops, etc.

Hollywood Studios
- Toy Story Mania (Maybe too much spinning? I haven't had problems with it in the past, but like I said, that was a long time ago.)

Animal Kingdom
- Flight of Passage (I've obviously never been on this ride. Will it be difficult for someone with weak joints and mild motion sickness?)
- Na'vi River Journey

Magic Kingdom
- Peter Pan's Flight
- It's a Small World
- Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid
- Jungle Cruise
- Pirates of the Caribbean (I can't remember how big the "small drop" is to get under the MK train.)
- Haunted Mansion (I can't remember how long this ride takes you backwards and I wonder if it's dizzying at all.)
- Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin (If I don't rotate the joy stick too much, will I be okay?)
- Peoplemover

Epcot
- Soarin' (I've actually never done this ride before and I'm wondering how people with mild motion sickness react to it.)
- Living with the Land
- The Seas with Nemo and Friends
- Spaceship Earth
- Journey into Imagination with Figment
- Frozen Ever After

Am I missing any rides (not shows) that are gentle enough for me to manage?

Thank you so much for your time! Your thoughts are so appreciated.

 

[SueM in MN]

Hi! I'm new to DISboards. I have visited WDW almost once per year between the ages of 4 and 14. Now, many, many, many years later, I'm THRILLED to be planning another trip! My parents and I are staying at All-Star Sports from 12/31/18 to 1/1/19. The reason for the several-year-long gap between our most recent visit and our upcoming one is because I have since been diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, POTS, etc... and I was far too ill to travel for many years. Thankfully, my health has GREATLY improved and I can now safely (and happily!) travel to WDW once again.

I'm hoping to get some advice from you on which rides I can/cannot do. Between the ages of 4 and 14 (i.e. before my Ehlers-Danlos symptoms set in), I could ride most age-appropriate rides. Now, I know that I won't be able to do all of the rides that I used to. My main symptoms which are relevant to this discussion are significant neck instability, back pain, joint instability, and some mild motion sickness on overly spinning rides (like Mad Tea Party)?

Here are the rides which I think I can handle during my upcoming trip. I bolded the ones I'm most uncertain about. I have done most of these rides before and don't recall having any issues with them but it's been a LONG time and I don't remember all of the details of the rides. I've researched which have health warnings, which have small drops, etc.

Hollywood Studios
- Toy Story Mania (Maybe too much spinning? I haven't had problems with it in the past, but like I said, that was a long time ago.)

I haven’t heard a lot of complaints of motion sickness, but it’s a possibility. My son in law has motion sickness and didn’t have any issues with it, but that doesn’t mean you won’t.
After you finish one game, the ride car spins quickly around as it moves to the next game. Some people find the spin jarring. You can tell it’s coming, so can brace.
You might want to check out videos of this one on YouTube. A YouTube poster named Big Fat Panda does really good videos in general from the standpoint of showing guests with disabilities what to expect.
This ride is part of the new Toy Story Land, but other than the entrance and exit, it should be pretty much the same.

Animal Kingdom

- Flight of Passage (I've obviously never been on this ride. Will it be difficult for someone with weak joints and mild motion sickness?)
- Na'vi River Journey

There is a thread near the top of this board that has information about the Pandora attractions. The first few pages are gathering information before and right after Pandora opened.
Flights of Passage is really variable with reports of motion sickness. Some people have issues, some people had no problem if they looked away at certain points and some people had no problems because the motion you feel really seems to match the motion you see.
Na’vi River Journey is a very smooth and gentle boat ride.

 

[rachel333]

I haven’t heard a lot of complaints of motion sickness, but it’s a possibility. My son in law has motion sickness and didn’t have any issues with it, but that doesn’t mean you won’t.
After you finish one game, the ride car spins quickly around as it moves to the next game. Some people find the spin jarring. You can tell it’s coming, so can brace.
You might want to check out videos of this one on YouTube. A YouTube poster named Big Fat Panda does really good videos in general from the standpoint of showing guests with disabilities what to expect.
This ride is part of the new Toy Story Land, but other than the entrance and exit, it should be pretty much the same.


There is a thread near the top of this board that has information about the Pandora attractions. The first few pages are gathering information before and right after Pandora opened.
Flights of Passage is really variable with reports of motion sickness. Some people have issues, some people had no problem if they looked away at certain points and some people had no problems because the motion you feel really seems to match the motion you see.
Na’vi River Journey is a very smooth and gentle boat ride.

Hi! Thank you so much for your response! I really appreciate your tip to watch youtube videos of rides I'm uncertain about. That's a fantastic idea.

 

[SueM in MN]

Magic Kingdom
- Peter Pan's Flight
- It's a Small World
- Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid
- Jungle Cruise
- Pirates of the Caribbean (I can't remember how big the "small drop" is to get under the MK train.)
- Haunted Mansion (I can't remember how long this ride takes you backwards and I wonder if it's dizzying at all.)
- Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin (If I don't rotate the joy stick too much, will I be okay?)

Peter Pan - gentle and slow elevated ride that flies in the air. You should be aware that there is a moving walkway that can’t be stopped to load and unload, so guests need to get on and off in a limited time. You can watch other guests as you get to the boarding area.

Small World - slow and gentle boat ride. The issue some people have is that boats sometimes get backed up and bump each other. The hit is pretty hard. The most likely place for it to occur inside the ride is during the last scene where everything is white. At the end of the ride, there is pretty much ch a 100% chance of boats hitting multiple times (at/after the signs that say ‘goodbye’ in multiple languages).

Journey of the Little Mermaid is a slow, gentle ride and I gave not heard of anyone having issues with it. There is a very short section where the clamshells turn backwards and tip back slightly to go ‘under the sea’. It’s pretty short, probably less than 30 seconds.

Jungle Cruise - have not heard of any issues

Pirates - the drop is fast and in the dark, but you can tell it’s coming. I’ve read it’s about a 14 foot drop, but it only takes a few seconds.

Haunted Mansion - turns around very slowly to take guests backwards down to the graveyard scene. It’s short - I’d guess no more than 45 seconds and turns back very slowly to face back to the front.

Buzz Lightyear has a fairly slow speed turn after boarding before getting to the game part of the attraction. It does the same thing before the final part of the attraction. Other than that, the riders are in charge of any turning.
One area that may cause motion sickness is toward the end of the ride where the ride cars enter a sort of tunnel room. As your ride car is traveling slowly forward, projections are coming toward you pretty quickly. Because your eyes make you think you are moving forward quickly, but your body feels you moving forward slowly, some people do experience motion sickness. People have told me that closing their eyes took care of it.

 

[SueM in MN]

Epcot
- Soarin' (I've actually never done this ride before and I'm wondering how people with mild motion sickness react to it.)
- Living with the Land
- The Seas with Nemo and Friends
- Spaceship Earth
- Journey into Imagination with Figment
- Frozen Ever After

Soarin’ is a very gentle simulated hang glider ride. Kind of like Flights of Passage, it’s kind of variable. Some people have no issues because the motion seems to fit the movie pretty well and some do, and some find closing their eyes at times takes care of it. The new movie includes rapid switches between scenes that dome people have said cause problems for the, if they don’t close their eyes for the Switch. You should be able to find YouTube videos that can help you to anticipate the changes.

Living with the Land - slow boat ride with no issues

The Seas with Nemo and Friends- slow, gentle ride. There is a section toward the end when you enter a sea turtle area. Your ride car is moving sideways forward and the sea turtle visuals are moving toward you at varying speeds. It also includes a swirling motion. Most reports say closing their eyes helped.

Spaceship Earth - slow, gentle ride. I’ve not heard of motion sickness, but be aware there is a slow downhill section going backwards. The switch from forward to backwards and back siding is slow and not jarring, but the backwards section lasts for several minutes.

Journey into Imagination - slow movement and stops completely at times. The only thing that some people find jarring is a blast of air as screen open in the last scene. You can anticipate it - you are entering a room where there are blanks in front of you and Figment says the word ‘blast’ just before.

Frozen Ever After - seems like it would be gentle, but the ride track is very bumpy. You can feel repeated jerking at times when your ride boat is being pulled up inclines. At times, the boat is free floating and hits against the side of the track.

 

[rachel333]

Soarin’ is a very gentle simulated hang glider ride. Kind of like Flights of Passage, it’s kind of variable. Some people have no issues because the motion seems to fit the movie pretty well and some do, and some find closing their eyes at times takes care of it. The new movie includes rapid switches between scenes that dome people have said cause problems for the, if they don’t close their eyes for the Switch. You should be able to find YouTube videos that can help you to anticipate the changes.

Living with the Land - slow boat ride with no issues

The Seas with Nemo and Friends- slow, gentle ride. There is a section toward the end when you enter a sea turtle area. Your ride car is moving sideways forward and the sea turtle visuals are moving toward you at varying speeds. It also includes a swirling motion. Most reports say closing their eyes helped.

Spaceship Earth - slow, gentle ride. I’ve not heard of motion sickness, but be aware there is a slow downhill section going backwards. The switch from forward to backwards and back siding is slow and not jarring, but the backwards section lasts for several minutes.

Journey into Imagination - slow movement and stops completely at times. The only thing that some people find jarring is a blast of air as screen open in the last scene. You can anticipate it - you are entering a room where there are blanks in front of you and Figment says the word ‘blast’ just before.

Frozen Ever After - seems like it would be gentle, but the ride track is very bumpy. You can feel repeated jerking at times when your ride boat is being pulled up inclines. At times, the boat is free floating and hits against the side of the track.

Thank you SO much for your detailed responses!!! I truly appreciate your help and time. You have equipped me with the info I need to plan a safe and happy trip! Many, many thanks once again.

 

[johnsgrl]

Haunted Mansion - turns around very slowly to take guests backwards down to the graveyard scene. It’s short - I’d guess no more than 45 seconds and turns back very slowly to face back to the front.

I am going to add a caution here that may or may not make a difference for you depending on how unstable your neck is. I have a C3-C7 cervical fusion and mild instability in the levels above the fusion. The period when the cars go backwards is also going down hill and there is no neck or back support in the Doom Buggies. It is uncomfortable for my neck.
I know it is coming so I can tense up and put my hands behind my neck to support for the short duration and get through it. It is my favorite ride at MK, if not I would skip it just because of the discomfort, it is something to be aware of if you have not been in a while.
The day will come where I don't ride it anymore, but I am hoping I can continue to brace myself on it for as long as possible.

 

[meagarunt22]

I want to caution you for toy story mania. I'm not sure the extent of your neck instability, but I had to hold my 3 1/2 year olds head on both sides each time the cart spun to switch screens because she would smack her head with the abrupt and fast spins.

 

[meagarunt22]

Also, the people mover is wonderful, but maybe like johnsgrl suggested, when the cars speed up after getting on, clamp your hands behind your neck?

I have horrid motion sickness and dramamine naturals (a really big dose of ginger) makes it possible for me to do all the spinning rides. So if that helps you to be able to ride more things then I definitely suggest it. I can only ever find it online.

 

[rachel333]

I am going to add a caution here that may or may not make a difference for you depending on how unstable your neck is. I have a C3-C7 cervical fusion and mild instability in the levels above the fusion. The period when the cars go backwards is also going down hill and there is no neck or back support in the Doom Buggies. It is uncomfortable for my neck.
I know it is coming so I can tense up and put my hands behind my neck to support for the short duration and get through it. It is my favorite ride at MK, if not I would skip it just because of the discomfort, it is something to be aware of if you have not been in a while.
The day will come where I don't ride it anymore, but I am hoping I can continue to brace myself on it for as long as possible.

I completely forgot about the lack of neck/back support during that part of Haunted Mansion! Thank you so much for bringing it to my attention. I am hesitant to ride HM because I don't want it to cause symptoms which in turn affect the rest of my day at the park. I will have to put some more thought into this. Perhaps I will watch a youtube video of the ride and memorize when I need to brace myself.

I'm very sorry to hear about the issues you have with your neck. I can certainly empathize. Wishing you good health.

 

[gap2368]

So you will be at Disney for one night and 2 days and this will be a very busy time of year I did MK last NYE and let me tell you it was crazy busy like FP lines here 30+ minutes long, so make sure you are prepared for this. If this is the case I would plane on doing more people watching and your 3 FP rides

 

[rachel333]

I want to caution you for toy story mania. I'm not sure the extent of your neck instability, but I had to hold my 3 1/2 year olds head on both sides each time the cart spun to switch screens because she would smack her head with the abrupt and fast spins.

Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I truly appreciate all the input I can get. Are the Toy Story Mania carts tall enough that I can lean my head against the back of them? Perhaps the combination of bracing myself and having a "headrest" of sorts would make it okay for me.

Also, the people mover is wonderful, but maybe like johnsgrl suggested, when the cars speed up after getting on, clamp your hands behind your neck?

I have horrid motion sickness and dramamine naturals (a really big dose of ginger) makes it possible for me to do all the spinning rides. So if that helps you to be able to ride more things then I definitely suggest it. I can only ever find it online.

I forgot about the Peoplemover! I know it doesn't have much back/neck support. Does it accelerate quickly at some point?

Also, I will certainly keep dramamine/gravol in mind! Thank you so much for the tip I'm sorry to hear about your motion sickness, though!!

 

[rachel333]

So you will be at Disney for one night and 2 days and this will be a very busy time of year I did MK last NYE and let me tell you it was crazy busy like FP lines here 30+ minutes long, so make sure you are prepared for this. If this is the case I would plane on doing more people watching and your 3 FP rides

Oops - there was a typo in my original post (which I just fixed now!). I am actually staying from Dec 31st to Jan 6th. I will have 5 full park days (2 in MK). I'm quite worried about the crowds.

 

[gap2368]

Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I truly appreciate all the input I can get. Are the Toy Story Mania carts tall enough that I can lean my head against the back of them? Perhaps the combination of bracing myself and having a "headrest" of sorts would make it okay for me.



I forgot about the Peoplemover! I know it doesn't have much back/neck support. Does it accelerate quickly at some point?

Also, I will certainly keep dramamine/gravol in mind! Thank you so much for the tip I'm sorry to hear about your motion sickness, though!!

Yes you can put your back against the ride vehicle for TMM it does turn quite fast sometimes ( my friend with jaw problems has to premed for this ride

the people mover has a control start but sometimes ( ok every time I ride it ) the ride stops quite fast some where it is not enought to bother me but with someone with neck problems it might

 

[gap2368]

Oops - there was a typo in my original post (which I just fixed now!). I am actually staying from Dec 31st to Jan 6th. I will have 5 full park days (2 in MK). I'm quite worried about the crowds.

ok I was going you are going to all 4 theme parks on those 2 days. I have a friend with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and she did the college program and then extended and then worked part-time So she was a CM for a little over a year if you have any question that people her cannot answer I can ask her what she thinks

as fair as crowds go what park will you be at NYE. This is a day that I would do your FP and just do a lot of people watching ( they also have a lot of inertanemt or at least at the MK and EPCOT) if you need to sit down you will need to bring your own set ( a wheelchair ECV roller) with you as place to sit even on the ground will be hard to come by. after the 31 it will slowly get less crowded

 

[rachel333]

Yes you can put your back against the ride vehicle for TMM it does turn quite fast sometimes ( my friend with jaw problems has to premed for this ride

the people mover has a control start but sometimes ( ok every time I ride it ) the ride stops quite fast some where it is not enought to bother me but with someone with neck problems it might

Thank you for the info! How does Peoplemover compare to the bumper-car effect toward the end of it's a small world (when all the boats ram into each other)? Which would you say is a more gentle ride?

 

[rachel333]

ok I was going you are going to all 4 theme parks on those 2 days. I have a friend with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and she did the college program and then extended and then worked part-time So she was a CM for a little over a year if you have any question that people her cannot answer I can ask her what she thinks

Thank you so much!!! You just made my day!

 

[gap2368]

Thank you for the info! How does Peoplemover compare to the bumper-car effect toward the end of it's a small world (when all the boats ram into each other)? Which would you say is a more gentle ride?

when the people mover stops it stops fast ( I am talking about when it stops mid-ride) you get on the people mover from. moving walkway and then it is a slow acceleration to full speed and there are a few times it will slow down and pick up ( these really are not bad

 

[gap2368]

Thank you so much!!! You just made my day!

I am so glad I will have to add that I do not think she has been back since the pandora opened and I am almost sure she will not be back for TSL ( she still know a few CM and TM at universal and has been down to Orlando a few times a year so she might have been to Pandora. I do know everyone is different and it might depend on your pain level that day on what you can and cannot do.

 

[rachel333]

I am so glad I will have to add that I do not think she has been back since the pandora opened and I am almost sure she will not be back for TSL ( she still know a few CM and TM at universal and has been down to Orlando a few times a year so she might have been to Pandora. I do know everyone is different and it might depend on your pain level that day on what you can and cannot do.

That is so true - my health changes from day to day quite a bit.

Also, if your friend with EDS ends up riding Flight of Passage before my trip in January, could you please let me know how she felt? I would really appreciate it!