What's so bad about the Sun Wheel ride??

[alicenwonder99]

I've read alot of posts from people who said they didn't like the Sun Wheel. I've never ridden it myself, but I know my dh took my ds on it when he was 2 1/2 years old.

Is this something I should just skip? Or is it something that really isn't too bad? I'm kinda a ride wimp, but not too bad...maybe somewhere in the middle (I won't do CA Screamin' again, I've done ToT once and may do it again, I hate the rides that spin fast and just get you dizzy).

TIA

 

[robinb]

I love coasters and ToT, but the rocking of the moving cars on the Sun Wheel can make me a bit sick, so I stick with the stationary cars. The view is quite nice. I would recommend the stationary cars first and then you can try one of the moving cars later.

 

[thedarksyde]

The line is HORRIBLE. It moves so slow. Then the cars have like no handles, you are in this cage, and there are no handles. So you like try to grab onto the cage. Then you like slide toward your death. It's so calm, yet extremly scary, it truly feels like death. It's not exiciting scary fun, like ToT, it's like you are going to plunge to your death unfun. I went on it once, never again. Oh then the ride, is kinda slow and doesn't move a lot, because it is loading everyone else.

 

[ScooterL]

Whether or not it's "bad" depends on how you feel about heights and swinging...the swinging cars slide in and out on their rails and then swing back and forth. The rocking has the potential to cause motion sickness in a fair number of people, though it doesn't bother me. Like others have said, it loads *very* slowly - that's really frustrating. After they get everyone loaded you get one full revolution where you keep moving, and then they stop/start you for the next one as they load/unload again. If you're in doubt, you might want to try the stationary (red) cars - those don't swing, though you're still stuck with the slow loading process.

 

[ter-moo]

I'm with darksyde on this! I'm rarely afraid of thrill rides--I'll try 'em all. I must admit I thought the Sunwheel looked very cool when I first saw the concept drawings and I couldn't wait to ride it, since I really love ferris wheels.

AAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!! This was THE most frightening ride I've ever been on! The lack of handles or anything to grab or strap you in, the sudden "disconnected" feeling of the cars, the whole thing--TERRIFYING!

My advice: Go on a stationary car. The line is shorter, the view is better and you won't have to go through the terror.

 

[daannzzz]

I get motion sickness pretty easily and have been very careful for the past 10 years. The swinging cars on the Sun Wheel have a unique feeling to them. It may be a bit disconcerting. I rode once on Bonine (less drowsy formula of dramamine) and I was fine. Last year a friend talked me onto to the Sun Wheel with out any medication. I was fine. We both found the swinging cars very relaxing and pleasent.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Slow loading
You get about 30 seconds of genuine ride time and a long long time loading and unloading while you're sitting in the car.
Terrible theming
Ugliest Queue in the place
Carnival ride
Completely beneath Disney.

What's not to hate?

About the only thing good about it is it takes a good picture at dusk.

 

[DangerMouse]

Two words:

PURE EVIL!

 

[DLR29]

I personally don't see what the big deal with the ride is. The rocking, I thought,was boring and definitely not worth the never ending line.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

im not going. i dont like them to much and this one just looks scary. I wont do screaming eather not yet..i like tot and rocking roller coster but since no one will go on screaming with me im not gona waste half day in line and dont relly want to but never to the sun whell

 

[noryglory]

LOL, okay this is funny....when we went on our first trip to DCA, we were in the above-mentioned NEVER ENDING LINE--which is deceivingly short-looking...after watching countless cars load and unload and then noticing people walk right up and get into certain cars from the other side of the line (I was like "what is that? Handicapp access??") I observe some more and it suddenly dawns on me that the other (non)line is the non-rolling cars.

Uh, honey, let's go get in that short line over there. So we do so with our 5 yo, jump literally on the next car, ride the entire ride and GET OFF before we would have gotten on in the other line. My son was like, "that was fun"...he had NO idea he had missed out on the THRILL of the ride despite all the screaming surrounding us.

After reading what you all have said, I am SO glad the line was long and I finally figured it out before we all died a tragic 'death' on the Sunwheel. The signage is very unobvious so I think people really don't necessarily know they can opt-out of the moving cars.

I think the ride is very worth it just for the views of everything. I got my bearings up there and saw how they had placed DCA right smack in the middle of the old parking lot, you can see the part of the old parking lot they didn't use for park (yet)...pretty neat.

 

[ktulu]

I think people will always find a reason to pick apart Disney, even if Walt was still around and running things, someone would find fault.

I like the sun wheel, moving cars or stationary cars, although riding in the stationary cars is a good way to get pictures of the park or just check things out.

 

[Leofoenget]

I've read alot of posts from people who said they didn't like the Sun Wheel. I've never ridden it myself, but I know my dh took my ds on it when he was 2 1/2 years old.

Is this something I should just skip? Or is it something that really isn't too bad? I'm kinda a ride wimp, but not too bad...maybe somewhere in the middle (I won't do CA Screamin' again, I've done ToT once and may do it again, I hate the rides that spin fast and just get you dizzy).

TIA

I went on it for the first time, and I was totally bored. I will not waste my time. But that's just me.

 

[Jennifer03]

I went on one of the stationary cars and didn't think it was too bad until I reached the very top. That's when I closed my eyes and waited for the ride to be over.

 

[grumpyvet]

That sums it up in one word. I can ride EVERYTHING at DL and DCA with minimal stomach issues...I have to stop at 3 rides of California screamin', but the first two are no issue...but I made it one,yep ONE, time around on a swinging car, and I was green. Luckily the CM's are super accomodating at letting you off early!! (of course, they saw my greeness and didn't want a "clean up on aisle 9!). We have never tried the stationary cars since our first experience was so unpleasant...but the ride is beautiful to look at and one day we will be braver again!! The motion is kind of like a playground swing (which as an adult, makes me a little queasy!). So, everyone is different, but NEVER AGAIN will I swing!!

 

[victorandbellasmom]

i agree with thedarksyde. Lines are long and the ride itself is short. We did the stationary cars the first time and found it moved too slow and that you only went around once and then it was time to unload and relaod. Not worth the wait in line. The view was nice but you could also see that view from PPH, Maliboomer or Screamin'. The second time we rode it was for the slider cars and we HATED it. It made me feel nauseous. My kids love thrill rides but hated this. We will definitely not be doing the SunWheel again.

 

[stagemomx3]

To high, to high, to high!

 

[ktulu]

To high, to high, to high!

nah, come ride the Texas Star at the State Fair of Texas sometime

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

No way. Just looking at that ride I knew it would make me deathly sick! LOL I can barely handle a regular ferris wheel. Those swinging cars? Not enough money on the planet to get me on! LOL

 

[JessiCali]

I think the Sunwheel is the only ride I've ever noticed with "barf bags" in DL or DCA
The line does move slowly, and you only get one actual turn on the wheel. The rest of the time is stopping and starting while the other cars load, which is pretty dull. I'm not the best person to ask as to whether the ride is scary, because I've yet to find a ride I won't go on, nor do I get motion sickness. However, I was there about a week ago, and eight of us crammed into one car (and none of us were small children, haha.) This made the car swing more than usual, and it terrified some of my family. It was more enjoyable for me, as I'd prefer the cars to swing so the ride is a little more interesting, but my sister was nauseous the rest of the day. If you get motion sick, I'd definitely steer clear of the swinging cars.