Is Pixar Pal-A-Round (Mickeys Fun Wheel) Scary?

Yes! I am terrified of heights, and the rare time I have to be up high I have to take medication, close my eyes and tell no one to touch me or talk to me. I did the wheel ONCE in a stationary car back when it first opened because it was my mom's birthday and she begged. The freaking thing broke down and we were stuck three from the top for 45 minutes. I went catatonic and had to be carried off the ride by my intelligent father who had waited on the bottom and woke up in first aid with an EMT tending to me. Never freaking again, even for 10 billion dollars and getting to ride with Tom Hiddleson and Chris Hemsworth.
 
The moving cars are fun. I would equate it to a similar feeling of a swinging ship at a carnival. Not sure if it was mentioned up thread, but when you get on it stops every 3 cars for loading and once they load all the cars you make a full circle all the way around and then go through the 3 car stop to unload.
 
I don't like the "beginning" feelings of a fear of heights--that is, I'm okay once I'm "up" but until I am there, I'm freaked out.

I've been on the wheel of death twice, in stationary cars. For me, the worse part is the initial loading phases. They load your car and two others, then move the wheel to allow the next 3 cars to be loaded. And around it goes, until every one is loaded. I hated the go-stop-go-stop-go of it. For the one continuous loop after everyone was loaded, I didn't mind it at all; it was a smooth go round.
 
I love the swinging gondolas! I scream and cry and hang on to the tiny chicken wire coop like cages but I LOVE it! It's exhilarating and it's SUCH a good view of the parks
 


My adult daughter will ride EVERY ride in the park (SM, Screamin/Incredicoaster, BTMRR, GOTG, etc) EXCEPT for this ride. For some reason this ride is scary to her and she's not afraid of heights. We did the stationary one and she said never again.

My dd18 is the same. Rides everything else at DLR and WDW, as well as our local 'Six Flags' but we rode the sliding ones a couple of weeks ago, and she freaked out. I've never seen her that scared. I had to hold her hand and her other hand was holding the cage. The rest of us were ok but this ride scared her to death. Swears she will never ride it again, sliding or not...and she has no fear of heights normally.
 
I am not afraid of heights. I like the swinging gondolas. But this ride is a time suck. The line is slow and long. The ride moves and stops, moves and stops, booorrrrrrring. You don't really get a ride—you just wait and wait and wait.

So we don’t ride it anymore.
 
I am not afraid of heights. I like the swinging gondolas. But this ride is a time suck. The line is slow and long. The ride moves and stops, moves and stops, booorrrrrrring. You don't really get a ride—you just wait and wait and wait.

So we don’t ride it anymore.

Agree. It took much longer than we thought it would and I regretted we used the time on it (though I really enjoyed it the swinging!).
 


1. It is known as "Mickeys Wheel of Death".
[For most the swinging cars are OK and fun, others are scared out of their wits]
2. The lines are kinda long and slow.
3. It is the only ride in DLR that has BARF BAGS!
[If you easily suffer from motion sickness do not go on, you will use the Barf Bags]
4. The non-swinging cars not a problem and give a better view, as they go all the way to the top.
 
I am probably the only person to say this but I prefer the swinging cars to the stationary ones. I don't mind heights so that part isn't a problem. But I had an issue in the stationary cars when I could feel the whole structure shifting around when we were stopped (which is perfectly normal given the swinging cars were still moving and that caused the whole structure to shake a bit). I didn't notice it when I was in the swinging cars because we were swinging, LOL. But in the stationary car, it is an unsettling feeling to me.

I have never had that issue on any other ferris wheels because all the cars are moving the same way (either all swinging or all stationary).
 
Also, you’re not just belted in but in an actual cage, which always makes me feel relatively safe in the stationary gondolas, even when all the way up. I love getting the birds’ eye view when riding it.

I rode the swinging gondolas a few years ago and was absolutely terrified. I rode them again last year & was incredibly surprised that I didn’t experience them to be as scary as I remembered. One factor for me seems to be on which side I sit. In one direction I can see the swinging being about to kick in & mentally prepare myself. In the other direction, it catches me by surprise.
DH always said the ride was terrifying and I never got it. Last time he put 2 and 2 together that we each of us always picks the same side when riding... his being the side where you can't see the swings coming. Now I'm being told that I MUST ride on that side in order to feel his pain. Haha... we will see how it goes.
 
My family has a love-hate relationship with Mickey's Wheel of Death. We have to go on it once a trip to "face our own mortality" we always joke. We usually spend the ride plotting what we will do to survive if the gondola slings off the rails and into the lagoon.

The first time I went on it, my sister and I had no idea there were swinging gondolas and it terrified us! Like, nearly in tears and praying for it to stop, terrified. But, we still had to drag everyone else on to experience the terror...

It seemed more mild on our June trip ... Maybe we are finally getting used to it after all these years? My two year old went back and forth between loving it and being a little worried, my four year old (who is NOT a dare-devil...his favorite ride was Dumbo) was fine with it.

And just for reference, we get motion sickness. Pretty bad. My husband takes Dramamine, wears Sea Bands, and still has to avoid too many rides, and we are all prone to feeling dizzy and a bit ill after rides,but none of us have ever felt sick from the Wheel of Death.
 
I only go on the stationary cars because I get motion sick, and I do enjoy riding it. I rode it this past Saturday, and judging by the young children screaming in the swinging cars around us, and the woman saying "get me off of this!", they are absolutely terrifying! Lol
 
I love Tower of Terror, and I love roller coasters. When I say that I love roller coasters, I'm not just talking Disney ones. I love the big ones like at Six Flags parks. So I had no fear getting on the swinging side. I HATED it. I would never do that side again, NEVER.
 
I will ride pretty much anything. But the moving gondolas on the Wheel of Death were a “one and done” for me.:crazy2::crazy2:

Also, don’t ride early in the morning after a late night at Trader Sam’s. :worried::worried:
(Saying for a friend....)
 
I have ridden in the swinging cars three times and the stationary cars many times.I get motion sickness easily...very easily. The first time we rode the swinging car was a bit disconcerting at first. It is an odd feeling but was fun. A bit scary. I didn't get sick. The second time was early in the morning and it was so relaxing, like swinging in a hammock with a great view. The last time it was fun but I did get motion sickness. I think after the first time the car rolls and swings you know what to expect and it is fairly pleasant. The stationery cars do have a higher view of the surroundings and are very nice unless you are afraid of heights. Try riding on a dark and stormy, rainy, windy night...that was a trip!
 
We have ridden in the stationary cars and the moving gondolas. The gondolas made me very pukey. The stationary cars were no big deal. The issue now is I have developed problem with heights due to a inner ear unbalance. Just looking at the pics makes my head spin. No more MWOD for me.
 
If you have a fear of heights, Mickey's fun wheel of Death is not for you.

OMG!! My husband and I started calling the Fun Wheel of Death too!! Hysterical! Our kids, 9 & 7, thought it was a ton of fun. They were dying over how their parents were white knuckling it. Like the poster of this thread, we go to WDW often (live in FL) and have done EVERY ride there and have to say that we have zero interest in going on the Fun Wheel if we get back to Disneyland!
 
ive been on it twice...both times i cried. #deathwheel
(im also afraid of heights, my mom who isnt afraid of heights thought it was fun)
 
We always ride MWoD every visit. We create our own anxieties and fears. Great view and pleasant break. Everyone should try it once atleast

Jack
 

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