WDWGuide's Mission: SPACE first impressions

[Planogirl]

Originally posted by HorizonsFan
I would guess (and it's just a guess...) that if you're prone to motion sickness, you'll probably have trouble. I couldn't tell that the ride is spinning, but I tend to suspend my disbelief pretty willingly and let myself be absorbed into the illusion. My wife, on the other hand said she could tell that we were spinning. All four of our CM friends who rode last week said they felt queasy afterward and none of them are prone to motion sickness.
I hurl on the teacups but didn't have any real problems with M:S.
I don't think this helps to answer your question at all, does it?

Actually, it does help. I now expect to feel sick but I prefer to know it ahead of time if it's inevitable.

Based on the descriptions, I also don't expect to enjoy it as much as Spiderman and Indy but I'll approach it with an open mind and an empty stomach!

 

[pr surfer]

Ludicrous Speed!!

And then the pods turn plaid...

 

[JacksBack!!]

There is no way this two years from now that Mission Space will be rated higher then Spidy, ToT, or Indy. If so I will eat my hat. Your just caught in the hype of a new ride WDWGuide. Wait until the hype wears off. Spidy, ToT, and Indy are still running strong for years now.

 

[pr surfer]

I first rode M:S almost 4 months ago, and I still prefer it 4 months later to Spiderman...

 

[Testtrack321]

Originally posted by wdwguide
It's a bit ridiculous that you question my personal opinion of an attraction, as is the claim that I have never ridden on the Tower of Terror, being a WDW guidebook author... It's a bit like arguing over whether Pepsi tastes better like Coke or whether Elvis made better music than the Beatles.

I have ridden both Indy and the Tower of Terror (the latter well over 50 times), and I enjoy them both. They are excellently themed, although I personally think that the actual ride experience is overhyped.

Now, as for Mission: SPACE, the reason why I like it so much is because it delivers exactly what it promises. The Tower of Terror does not make me feel as if I am really in an uncontrolled free fall, Space Mountain certainly does not make me feel like I am flying through space, and Indy does not feel like I am actually in a real road vehicle. Mission: SPACE produces sensations that are unique to a theme park attraction, and I thought they were quite realistic given the obvious limitations. Thus, Mission: SPACE isn't just another ride, it is a true "experience". Others will disagree, and I will not question their judgement. I did notice some flaws that bugged me, and I bet they'll bug others much more than me (such as you). But I am quite confident that, once Mission: SPACE is open to the general public and I collect some survey data, that it will *objectively* rate as the top ride in Epcot and one of the top 5 rides in Walt Disney World, with ratings similar to the Haunted Mansion and Splash Mountain.

Go WDWGuide!

I'm a little amaized that our little "Disney Sucks" crew isn't around here now *cough*phenix*cough*

 

[raidermatt]

Obviously, I can't argue against an opinion, and since I also have not seen or experiences M:S for myself, I'm in no position to compare it to ToT or anything else.

That said, it does seem as if different standards are being applied:

The Tower of Terror does not make me feel as if I am really in an uncontrolled free fall,

Mission: SPACE produces sensations that are unique to a theme park attraction, and I thought they were quite realistic given the obvious limitations.

Perhaps M:S is the greatest thing since sliced bread, but I'm curious about exactly how ToT could come any closer to making one feel they are in an uncontrolled free fall? The obvious limitation for ToT is that you must be restrained, and the fact is that the restraint is the only thing keeping you from being in an uncontrolled free fall. The restraints don't even have to keep you in contact with your seat.

 

[hopemax]

WDWGuide or anyone who's experienced MS,

Epcot has a slightly different mission than the Magic Kingdom, in that not only are the attractions supposed to be entertaining, they also open your eyes to the world around you, and give you a greater appreciation of human acheivement. How does Mission: Space fair in this regard?

Because most of what I'm hearing so far is the weighless effect is very cool. There is more than that which makes this a great attraction, right?

 

[pr surfer]

Mission Space is a TRUE Disney Attraction in every sense of the phrase. Well themed in and out, well done, re-rideable, and fun for the family (before we get into the family debate... remember, a family now is much different from a family 30 years ago when WDW first opened).

 

[wdwguide]

Originally posted by raidermatt
Obviously, I can't argue against an opinion, and since I also have not seen or experiences M:S for myself, I'm in no position to compare it to ToT or anything else.

Perhaps M:S is the greatest thing since sliced bread, but I'm curious about exactly how ToT could come any closer to making one feel they are in an uncontrolled free fall? The obvious limitation for ToT is that you must be restrained, and the fact is that the restraint is the only thing keeping you from being in an uncontrolled free fall. The restraints don't even have to keep you in contact with your seat.

Maybe it's the fact that you are seated in the first place that impacts the experience. If they could have gotten a stand-up harness to work, or drop the floor of the elevator away in the drop shaft the experience would feel more complete to me.
But that's just my personal opinion - I think the Tower of Terror is an excellent ride, one of the very best at WDW.
Something like Phantasialand's Mystery Castle... now THAT is an excellently themed enclosed free fall ride that is REALLY scary.

 

[wdwguide]

Originally posted by hopemax
WDWGuide or anyone who's experienced MS,

Epcot has a slightly different mission than the Magic Kingdom, in that not only are the attractions supposed to be entertaining, they also open your eyes to the world around you, and give you a greater appreciation of human acheivement. How does Mission: Space fair in this regard?

Because most of what I'm hearing so far is the weighless effect is very cool. There is more than that which makes this a great attraction, right?

Excellent point, Hopemax!

Spaceflight is in my opinion one of the crowning achievements of human technological progress, but the actual experience is reserved to the extremely rich and the extremely skilled at this point. Mission: SPACE marks the first time that a broad audience has had a chance to experience what launching into space might feel like. Of course it's short, simplified and has a few science fiction elements tossed in, but in opinion Disney found a great compromise between realism and accessibility.
I think Mission: SPACE is a great addition to Epcot. The education factor is not very explicit - this is no rocket science lesson - but the attraction manages to be inspiring, entertaining, yes even magical. And it might even get some folks who don't really care about what NASA is doing get a bit more excited about the space program again.

 

[FriendsOfEeyore]

WDWGuide, Thanks for the report. I respect your posts and your opinions. I will have to try this myself come next Feb.

Question: Is TOT a good ride? Of course it is... But let's see, wasn't Marriot's that had "The Edge" about 20 years ago? Now that was a frighten ride as an 11 year old. You were completely outside, and I seem to remember the sense of free fall there.

BTW, I love TOT... just stirring the pot

 

[HorizonsFan]

There is no way this two years from now that Mission Space will be rated higher then Spidy, ToT, or Indy.

Rated by whom? Should I go to some website and find out whether I should like it better than ToT?
I rode another three times within 2 hours on Thursday and no sign of motion sickness (I was walking a little funny for awhile though...).
This ride exemplifies Epcot. It celebrates the achievement of space travel while giving the rider a very good feel for what astronauts experience. The themeing is Disney through and through.

 

[crusader]

Ludicrous Speed!!
And then the pods turn plaid...

Of course! Light speed and ridiculous speed would be too slow!

 

[Dad]

How close to your face is the monitor during the ride?
Will I need my bi-focals?

 

[wdwguide]

The screens are quite close, something like half an arm's length from your face if I recall correctly. They're certainly within easy reach since the buttons you are asked to push during the flight are mounted right below it.

 

[rangebob]

They are at a full arms distance from a kid at 48"??. I think that is the height limit.

 

[pr surfer]

sorry.. it's 44"

 

[dhogan614]

Gotta add my two cents here...
We were fortunate enough to ride M:S on Wednesday, June 11.
DH, DS9, and yours truly all thought it was absolutely awesome! You really can't describe the sensations-intense just doesn't work-and it is like no other ride I've been on.

The best part-for all of you who suffer from vertigo-is this: DON'T WORRY!
I've been under the care of a neurologist for the last 3 months thanks to some seriously debilitating vertigo. There are still things that cause me to have problems, like strobing effects and loud noises, but I was NOT going to miss this chance to ride M:S before the masses. I had no after-effects at all, and I had fully expected to pay for my ride with some dizziness and nausea. No problems at all! The CM's advise guests to look straight ahead and to sit straight-and it worked. I would not have missed this ride for anything! Neither should you!

 

[OllieDannyandMe]

Hello, everyone

I'm trying to figure out if I'll get motion sick on M:S.

Simulator rides and teacups make me nauseous. I've learned to deal with Star Tours and Body Wars by looking at a spot on the wall, instead of the screen. That way, I can enjoy the bounces with out getting sick.

However, I just can't hang with the teacups...probably never will.

From what everyone has decribed, this new ride might be similar to the rides I went on at smaller theme parks back in the 1980s.

Now, of course, I know M:S is a state-of-the-art attraction, and much more elaborate and exceptional than those carnival rides. I'm just trying to figure out if the experience will have a similar effect on me as far as motion sickness.

In those carnival rides, everyone would walk into a circular room, stand against a wall, experience the room spinning around and round, and then, the floor would drop a foot or so out from under you. Those rides never bothered me at all. Although, I walked a little funny afterwords.

Is M:S similar to that experience?

And please tell me this! If I start to get sick during M:S, can I just close my eyes or look away from the screen for help? Or is the safest practice on M:S to keep your eyes focused on the screen, even if you're getting sick.

I can't watch the computer game Doom, because I'll get sick watching the characters navigate the maze of walls.

However, I can ride any roller coaster, Tower of Terror, etc. with no problems.

Thanks for any advice!

 

[wdwguide]

I don't think Mission: SPACE can be compared to any attraction that has come before it. While technically you are spinning in a circle while seated in your capsule, you don't actually perceive the spinning motion in any recognizable way. You may notice your rocket launching in what feels like a bit of an arc that bends towards the right instead of straight up, but that's pretty much it.

The preshow puts quite a bit of emphasis on making sure that you look straight ahead during the ride, focusing on the screen. If you do anything else, your body won't be able to make sense of what it is feeling, increasing the potential of motion sickness rather than reducing it.

You might want to go for one of the over-the-counter motion sickness remedies like Dramamine or Bonine. Ginger supposedly helps as well.

I hope this helps you out a little bit. I am not really prone to motion sickness on theme park rides (although Body Wars does get to me), and Mission: SPACE didn't cause me any problems. I hope it'll be the same for you, it's a truly out-of-this-world experience in every sense of the word.