Is it worth going to Universal if you have motion sickness?

minnie1012

DIS Veteran
Joined
Nov 25, 2008
We are going to visit friends that recently moved to south Florida. To break up the ride we thought about stopping in Orlando. We went to Disney last year so my husband won't go again even for one day in MK
: (. I haven't been to Universal in about 15 years and I know a lot has changed.My kids (DD 14 & DD 10) are big Harry Potter fans so I thought about going to Universal. The only thing is they don't like roller coasters and have motion sickness. I wasn't sure if it was worth going? Do they have family friendly rides like Disney?
 
Generally, I would say, "go for it." I have motion sickness and I still go on everything, with a little help from my meclizine pills. It depends on their level of sickness. Yet, in thinking about it, there is tons to do that do not include shaking yourself up. Your kids are in a sweet age to experience the Potter lands. There are shows, the wand choosing, get an interactive wand and it gives the kids a new level of entertainment without riding rides.

Men in Black is like Buzz Lightyear. ET is like Peter Pan. Cat in the Hat is like Pooh.

Take the Hogwarts Express (not to be missed), make sure you get a park-to-park ticket. Take the castle tour (do not ride Forbidden Journey if you get motion sickness!). Explore the Jurassic Park Camp where the kids can run around on rope ladders and in dark caves.

Trust me, you will have fun.
 
Go for it!!!
Look into the different bands and motion sickness meds.
I bet they could easily spend a day just exploring the Harry Potter stuff. :)
 
Generally, I would say, "go for it." I have motion sickness and I still go on everything, with a little help from my meclizine pills. It depends on their level of sickness. Yet, in thinking about it, there is tons to do that do not include shaking yourself up. Your kids are in a sweet age to experience the Potter lands. There are shows, the wand choosing, get an interactive wand and it gives the kids a new level of entertainment without riding rides.

Men in Black is like Buzz Lightyear. ET is like Peter Pan. Cat in the Hat is like Pooh.

Take the Hogwarts Express (not to be missed), make sure you get a park-to-park ticket. Take the castle tour (do not ride Forbidden Journey if you get motion sickness!). Explore the Jurassic Park Camp where the kids can run around on rope ladders and in dark caves.

Trust me, you will have fun.
Thank you for the ride comparisons they are really helpful!
 


Go for it!!!
Look into the different bands and motion sickness meds.
I bet they could easily spend a day just exploring the Harry Potter stuff. :)
I get nauseated by simulated motion rides, so I checked into what was the best way to fight it off. My doctor told me that most anti nausea medication has a significant amount of antihistamine (think Benadryl). She recommended buying a generic equivalent to Benadryl and save a bunch of money. Some of the motion sickness meds are pretty pricey.
 
I get nauseated by simulated motion rides, so I checked into what was the best way to fight it off. My doctor told me that most anti nausea medication has a significant amount of antihistamine (think Benadryl). She recommended buying a generic equivalent to Benadryl and save a bunch of money. Some of the motion sickness meds are pretty pricey.
Wouldn't that knock you out? Come to think of if, they might have a non drowsy.
 


I have really bad motion sickness.
I tried Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey once, and that was my last time.
I had to go to a happy place, close my eyes, and breathe slowly...

Every other ride was fine for me, except for anything that goes upside down, I don't even make the attempt ;-)
 
A doctor can prescribe a patch, Transderm Scop (scopolamine). 1 patch behind the ear will work for 3 days!

I was previously using Meclizine, the active ingredient in the less drowsy version of Dramamine. You can purchase bottles of Meclizine at most drug stores, though it is kept behind the counter and you must ask for it. It's much cheaper to purchase Meclizine than it is to buy Dramamine, btw. I could ride the rides, but still felt a bit queasy afterwards sometimes.

But, I used the patch last month, and OMG - what a difference! I was able to ride EVERYTHING at Universal with no motion sickness feelings at all! I did suffer from the side effect of dry mouth and was drinking water like a fish.
 
Its the patch for me. Without it I can barely handle the monorail lol. It's a miracle drug! I've tried everything else...sea bands, motion eaze, ginger pills, Dramamine, meclizine, bonine, etc. The patch works like a charm. I put it on the night before departure and change it every 3 days. I also stick a round band aid over it to prevent touching.
 
Another patch wearer here.

I have a meclazine prescription for bouts of vertigo, but it totally knocks me out - even half of a pill. If I keep moving around, I'm alright. But if we take an afternoon break or sit down to watch a show, I'm done.

I love the patch and get them before every trip - they are expensive, but I can do any rides I want and not have a problem. Well worth it for that.
 
For those that used the patch were you able to drink alcohol while using them.
 
For those that used the patch were you able to drink alcohol while using them.

I don't drink, so I'm not much help. You need a prescription for it, so you can ask your doctor when you see him/her.

There are side effects but they are far outweighed by how great it works. It can cause dry mouth, but I drink a lot of water on our trips anyway. It can also cause blurry vision (it can make your near vision blurry) if you touch the patch and then get any of the residue in your eye or even on your pillow and then in your eye (I avoid this by putting a round band aid over the patch). by putting it on the night before we depart I "sleep off" the intial drowsy effects it can cause but it doesn't really make me drowsy at all.
 
I get nauseated by simulated motion rides, so I checked into what was the best way to fight it off. My doctor told me that most anti nausea medication has a significant amount of antihistamine (think Benadryl). She recommended buying a generic equivalent to Benadryl and save a bunch of money. Some of the motion sickness meds are pretty pricey.
But those meds like Benedryl cause drowsiness, right?? Unlike non-drowsy meclizine?
 
For those that used the patch were you able to drink alcohol while using them.

I don't drink, so I'm not much help. You need a prescription for it, so you can ask your doctor when you see him/her.

There are side effects but they are far outweighed by how great it works. It can cause dry mouth, but I drink a lot of water on our trips anyway. It can also cause blurry vision (it can make your near vision blurry) if you touch the patch and then get any of the residue in your eye or even on your pillow and then in your eye (I avoid this by putting a round band aid over the patch). by putting it on the night before we depart I "sleep off" the intial drowsy effects it can cause but it doesn't really make me drowsy at all.

I don't drink, either, so I'm also no help.

I've never had the dry mouth, but have had blurry vision on a few occasions. Two times, I had blurry vision after I stopped using the patch. Nothing too serious, just a bit annoying.
 
But those meds like Benedryl cause drowsiness, right?? Unlike non-drowsy meclizine?
I have the prescription Meclizine (25mg) and it totally wipes me out - even half a dose. A quarter pill is even tough.

I use it when I get vertigo and I'll be out for hours.

The first time we went to Universal, I hadn't been dating my girlfriend, now wife, long. I took a 1/2 pill thinking that would be okay and I was fine until we took a mid-day break.

Back at the hotel, I laid down on the bed and was out in seconds (and normally it takes me a long time to fall asleep). I was out for hours. She went to the store, went to lunch, went to the pool, and spent 10 minutes trying to wake me up. I'd wake up for a few seconds, then fall back to sleep. She was starting to get scared because she couldn't get me to wake up. Wasted about 3/4 of that day.

I only take it now when I get vertigo - and it's great for that. Hard to be dizzy when you are in a zombie-like state ;)
 
I don't drink, either, so I'm also no help.

I've never had the dry mouth, but have had blurry vision on a few occasions. Two times, I had blurry vision after I stopped using the patch. Nothing too serious, just a bit annoying.

I don't drink, so I'm not much help. You need a prescription for it, so you can ask your doctor when you see him/her.

There are side effects but they are far outweighed by how great it works. It can cause dry mouth, but I drink a lot of water on our trips anyway. It can also cause blurry vision (it can make your near vision blurry) if you touch the patch and then get any of the residue in your eye or even on your pillow and then in your eye (I avoid this by putting a round band aid over the patch). by putting it on the night before we depart I "sleep off" the intial drowsy effects it can cause but it doesn't really make me drowsy at all.

Thanks for the replys. If I can have adult beverages then I'm calling my MD and getting this.
 

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