What rides to avoid for 10 yr old with motion sickness?

[Pumpkin910]

Hi,

I have read some ride descriptions but would prefer some feedback from those who have actually done the rides.

One of my kids (10 yr old son) has motion sickness and is ok with kiddy coasters but needs to avoid spinning, upside down and big drops,lol. We will be in both parks. Which rides are the ones to avoid? E.g. I read the description of Spiderman and Transformers and Universal say they are good for families but would they be ok?

Thanks!

 

[Hunterr]

Besides the obvious ones aimed at kids/families, I would say Spiderman may be fine.
Essentially, you're in a car that jostles you around and spins just a few times. But then again, the 3d screens may be a problem (or?).
I have yet to ride Transformers, but I believe the ride vehicle is a carbon copy of the Spiderman one.

And if he can handle Spiderman, maybe the Simpsons, too.
The motions are similar, but the screen is huge.

If he's fine with the kiddy coasters, I would imagine he'll be ok on these simulator-type rides.


Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey may be a bit much. While similar to Spiderman/Transformers, the ride vehicle throws you around a lot more and you're not sitting in a car-type vehicle.

 

[fwong]

Hi,

I have read some ride descriptions but would prefer some feedback from those who have actually done the rides.

One of my kids (10 yr old son) has motion sickness and is ok with kiddy coasters but needs to avoid spinning, upside down and big drops,lol. We will be in both parks. Which rides are the ones to avoid? E.g. I read the description of Spiderman and Transformers and Universal say they are good for families but would they be ok?

Thanks!

That's a tricky call. I think everybody is a little different.

At Disney, Have you tried Star Tours or Mission Space (the less intense version), or Soarin? If your son likes those - and does ok with them...he should be fine with the 3-d/4-d rides at Universal.

But if those make him queasy, you'll have to skip many rides at Universal - because many of them are similar to Star Tours/Soarin ... with a few being more intense since they are 3-d motion simulator rides on moving tracks (gringotts, forbidden journey, amazing spiderman, transformers)

Regarding coasters - My 10yo likes the disney Goofy coaster, and she loved the Harry Potter Hippogriff coaster at Islands of Adventure in Hosgmeade.

 

[Pumpkin910]

Thanks for the replies and comparison to Disney rides. He felt sick after Star Tours, so maybe we will just have to try Spiderman and see how he does, then take it from there.

We are a weird family when it comes to rides. My Dh can't do spinning so I do those with the kids, I can't do steep drops and upside down so he does those, and my other 10 yr old twin can do anything, loves Space Mountain etc.

 

[damo]

There is a lot of discussion about this topic here. We usually end up talking about what precautions we take to avoid the motion sickness. I'm not sure that you have tried things or that you even want to know what has been talked about here but I'll throw it in anyways. For me, I get sick on anything with screens. Star Tours does me in even with medication. At Universal, I find that if I take a Bonine (meclizine, less drowsy dramamine) in the morning, I can ride anything at the park and don't get sleepy. Others here do other things like Sea Bands and the scopolanine patch and even ginger with good results.

 

[Hunterr]

Another thing. Some people are fine with the 2D simulators, but can't handle the 3D ones.
So Simpsons or Spiderman would be good ones to see how he fares.

 

[phillymummer]

I have to second the Bonine. I start taking it the day before I want to control motion sickness and keep taking it everyday that I need it. It helps. I also cannot do anything moving in front of screens or too much spinning or upside down. I was able to get through FJ with only a slight bit of motion sickness (I was able to quickly recover.).

 

[johde]

I hadn't responded initially to your post. But, like others have said, it all depends on what exactly sets him off. For the most part, anything real I can handle in small doses. When you get to the simulators I normally need to take Dramamine (I find the less drowsy Bonine doesn't work as well for me, although I may try supplementing with some Ginger candy).

As far as spinning goes, is if he can handle TSMM in terms of spinning I'm guessing he'll do fine on.
Cat in the Hat
Gringotts (although I've only seen the web videos including the now gone night vision one)

Spiderman, and transformers transformers to me have more spinning.
Men in Black, depending on where you sit and how good of a shot the other car is can have extensive spinning.

From a drop perspective, if you can handle Barnstormer, you should be able to handle Flight of the Hippogryph.

If you can handle Test Track and Big Thunder Mountain, You should be able to handle revenge of the mummy.

You probably want to leave DH and other kid to ride Hulk, Rip Ride Rockit and Dragon Challenge.

Ideally, I would say try to stay onsite for the express passes and the Fearless 10 year old and appropriate parent try out a ride first then report back to the ones waiting. With the express line, waiting twice for the iffy rides (with the more fearless pair riding twice) shouldn't be that bad.

 

[Pumpkin910]

Thanks for the additional replies and tips.

He throws up in the car anytime he is reading or electronics for more than 20/30 mins. He also gets very nauseated in moderate turbulence when flying. I don't like giving him much in the way of pharmaceuticals as many make him very alert What I usually give him is Gravol Ginger and we try to cool him down with air etc.


I will give him some ginger Gravol and see what happens with Spiderman. I should post when he is about to go on so you all can avoid the rides he is on,lol.

 

[fwong]

Thanks for the additional replies and tips.

He throws up in the car anytime he is reading or electronics for more than 20/30 mins. He also gets very nauseated in moderate turbulence when flying. I don't like giving him much in the way of pharmaceuticals as many make him very alert What I usually give him is Gravol Ginger and we try to cool him down with air etc.


I will give him some ginger Gravol and see what happens with Spiderman. I should post when he is about to go on so you all can avoid the rides he is on,lol.

Ok this is a long shot - but it happened to me so I'll ask.

When I was less than 10yo - dairy allergies weren't well known. I'd get queasy on car rides, school bus rides, subways, airplanes. If it moves, I'd feel nauseous. Then somebody suggested removing all dairy from my diet.

Back then - the slogan was milk does your body good - so all families felt obligated to give their kids milk as much as possible. But that's what made me sick.

So - my parents cut out milk, switched to juices ... And I was "cured" in two days. I no longer get motion sickness except for really spinny rides (basically I have a "normal" tolerance for rides). And if I want milk, real cheese, or premium ice cream - I just take a lactaid pill which is sold everywhere now.

 

[phillymummer]

As far as spinning goes, is if he can handle TSMM in terms of spinning I'm guessing he'll do fine on.
Cat in the Hat
Gringotts (although I've only seen the web videos including the now gone night vision one)

For what it's worth.... my hubby gets bad motion sickness, but yet he refuses to take anything. That being said, he is fine on TSM, but the spinning on Cat in the Hat made him dizzy and nauseous. I just wanted to put that out there.

 

[damo]

For what it's worth.... my hubby gets bad motion sickness, but yet he refuses to take anything. That being said, he is fine on TSM, but the spinning on Cat in the Hat made him dizzy and nauseous. I just wanted to put that out there.

Not sure if you've been there recently but they've totally changed the spinning in Cat in the Hat. It is a much tamer ride now.

 

[damo]

Thanks for the additional replies and tips.

He throws up in the car anytime he is reading or electronics for more than 20/30 mins. He also gets very nauseated in moderate turbulence when flying. I don't like giving him much in the way of pharmaceuticals as many make him very alert What I usually give him is Gravol Ginger and we try to cool him down with air etc.


I will give him some ginger Gravol and see what happens with Spiderman. I should post when he is about to go on so you all can avoid the rides he is on,lol.

Sounds like you are from Canada, like me. Normal Gravol (Dimenhydrinate) is a different drug than Bonine or Less Drowsy Dramamine (Meclizine) which we can't get in Canada.

I can't take Gravol as it puts me right to sleep. Bonine doesn't affect me at all alertness wise. It might be worth giving it a try but make sure what you buy is not normal Dramamine as that is dimenhydrinate as well.

 

[SAHMKC]

If you don't like pharmaceuticals, I would highly suggest the sea bands that Damo mentioned. I wore them while I was pregnant, because I had very bad morning sickness. They really helped me. My son has used them in the past for airplane turbulence and that seemed to help him. I'm not sure if his issue was truly motion sickness or fear. He rides all of the simulator type rides, but will not ride any coaster rides. He tried Flight of the Hippogriff and Revenge of the Mummy and hated both. He said the simulators don't bother him because there is something to focus on. It will be trial error for your son. Ginger candy helps too. I would say don't ride the intense simulator rides back to back. Give him a break between any simulator to allow his body to recover.

 

[phillymummer]

Not sure if you've been there recently but they've totally changed the spinning in Cat in the Hat. It is a much tamer ride now.

I haven't been there since Oct 2010.

 

[OOMHS]

Like your son, I get motion sickness reading in the car, or even on twisty roads not reading. I can't do anything that goes in circles. The rides I'd be most concerned about for him, in increasing order of concern:

Cat in the Hat- I was fine on this
Spiderman- I'm usually ok riding this a few times but if I do it more than 2-3 times it starts to make me sick, or if I do it after riding a bunch of other rides
The Simpsons- this usually makes me a little queasy anytime I ride it, but not to the point where I can't recover once I'm off
Men in Black- this one depends a lot on how often you get hit and made to spin around. I usually only ride this once per vacation
Forbidden Journey- I have been nauseated every time I've ridden this, and had to really use acupressure and deep breathing to keep from puking the last 2 times
Storm Force Accelatron- no chance I would even consider riding this, as I know it would make me barf

I haven't ever tried taking anything at the parks because I'm fine riding roller coasters and other rides so I just avoid the things I know will make me queasy, or plan to eat right afterward to quell any nausea. Good luck to you and your family!

 

[Pumpkin910]

Sounds like you are from Canada, like me. Normal Gravol (Dimenhydrinate) is a different drug than Bonine or Less Drowsy Dramamine (Meclizine) which we can't get in Canada.

I can't take Gravol as it puts me right to sleep. Bonine doesn't affect me at all alertness wise. It might be worth giving it a try but make sure what you buy is not normal Dramamine as that is dimenhydrinate as well.

Hi,

Yes, I am. That is good to know. I will pick up some Bonine when I am cross border shopping soon and see how he does with it.We aren't going to Orlando until December.

Thanks!

Oh, and to the milk allergy person- he has been tested for that and has no allergies but thank you for the suggestion.

 

[Davey Jones II]

This may sound unproductive, but I think that Universal is not the kind of place for someone with motion sickness. Too many rides are apt to make him sick. Disney is your best bet, lots of tame rides. Or Sea World, if you like shows and animal exhibits.

 

[schumigirl]

Like your son, I get motion sickness reading in the car, or even on twisty roads not reading. I can't do anything that goes in circles.!

I'm the same.........I can't read in the car at all......and don't go on anything that just spins! I'm fine with coaster and most simulators except Simpsons. Seems for me if the simulator involves glasses I'm fine, but Simpsons doesn't so I avoid it now.

This may sound unproductive, but I think that Universal is not the kind of place for someone with motion sickness. Too many rides are apt to make him sick. Disney is your best bet, lots of tame rides. Or Sea World, if you like shows and animal exhibits.

Disney is not always the answer for someone with motion sickness.

My fiends DD was responsible for a massive protein spill on both BTMRR and Buzz Lightyear last year. She was green coming off the carousel and not great on Dumbo.

I told her to try her daughter with Bonine and she is now ok to do most things she wants to..........of course once they went to Universal they didn't want to go back to Disney anyway!

So OP definetely give Bonine a try. There are so many fun things to do at Universal......hope he has a fantastic time

 

[Bluer101]

Motion sickness can effect everyone differently.