Rides that we should avoid? Spine/MS

jandmmom

Mouseketeer
Joined
May 25, 2010
Hi all,
We are going to WDW next week & bringing my mom (her first time in about 30 years). She has MS, so she is wanting to avoid "jerky" rides because of spinal issues. Basically anything that moves the body back and forth for a prolonged period in a jerky movement. I haven't been on every ride, so I am not sure which ones she should definitely avoid. Does anyone have ideas?

I'm thinking BTMRR and Space Mountain are a no.

Thanks!
 
When we went in September I was 2 months out from cervical fusion surgery. I avoided all the mountains. One ride that surprised me was test track. I’ve been on it a lot but never realized how jerky it is. I ended up having to brace my head by holding the head rest.
 
All the roller coasters. 7 Dwarves may be ok because it isn't so much jerky as it sort of sways; however, I found it a rougher ride this past December than the previous times I have ridden it and for some people it would be an issue; for me it was just below the edge of being a problem. Space Mountain I find particularily jerky -- it gives me a bad migraine if I ride it.

Test track is quite jerky.
 
Follow the link in my signature to the disABILITIES FAQs thread (you can also find it near the top of this board).

Posts 18-21 have information about attractions that might be difficult to transfer into.
Post 23 of that same thread has information about attractions with warnings, which would include the types of things you are asking about.
It includes more than just a list of warnings and has info about what the reason for the warning might be.
 
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You can go to Disney website go to each park and then to rides and attraction and then on the top there is filter you can drop down and on the right-hand side is accessibility and advisory this has a lot of option like must remain in an ECV, and so on. I think you have to do this for each park.
 
The mountains, the safari, Dinosaur, test track, are all ones that are jerky just off the top of my head.
 
Thank you all! I hadn't even thought of the safari:( I haven't been on Mine Train yet, so I wasn't sure if that was jerky or smoother.
 


I copied the information from post 23 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread for you.

WDW has marked some attractions with warnings. They are marked with a red triangle on the map and also on a sign at the entrance to the queue and at least once before boarding.
The wording for the general warning is:
WARNING! For safety, you should be in good health and free from high blood pressure, heart, back or neck problems, motion sickness, or other conditions that could be aggravated by this adventure. Expectant mothers should not ride.

The warning they use is general and doesn't give any information about what the specific warning or that attraction, so Im adding a few notes regarding each ride that is listed with warnings on the maps.
This will help you decide if you want to consider any of the attractions with warning.
Anyone with a significant health problem will want to discuss it with their doctor.
If in doubt, you can ask the CM at the attraction for more information, have someone else in your party ride to give an opinion, or sit it out.
(but don't send a thrill ride junkie on for an opinion - my DH feels all the thrill rides are "nothing; no problem at all", but he loves thrill rides, the worse, the better.)

For Epcot here are the attractions with warnings:
  • Mission Space - Minimum height 44 inches. Both the more tame (green side) and the more wild (orange side). They are both turbulent with the biggest difference that the orange side spins on a centrifuge as well as moving back and forth. Sudden changes of direction that jerk you around a lot. The Orange side does produce G force due to the centrifuge spinning. Shoulder harness over shoulder.
  • Test Track - Minimum height 40 inches. This has sudden stops, swerves and goes fast. Little neck support. Seat belt in middle seats. Outside seats have seatbelt and car style shoulder harness.
  • Sum of All Thrills - in Innoventions. This is a 'design your own thrill ride'. Because the ride you design can have extreme motion, it is on the list with warnings. Shoulder harness over shoulder.
For Magic Kingdom:
  • Splash Mountain - Minimum height 40 inches. This has several small drops and one very large drop. The big drop takes you down at a very extreme angle at a high rate of speed (I think you get to 40 mph). At the bottom, your ride car stops abruptly. Most of it is fairly smooth, but during the drops, you can get jostled. It is also difficult to get in and out of because the ride car has very small openings and you would need to lift her up quite far over the side. Individual lap bars
  • Big Thunder Mountain Railroad - Minimum height 40 inches. A roller coaster. Has no head or neck support and you get jostled a lot side to side. Sudden changes of direction that jerk you around a lot. Lap bar that serves both seats. If one person is larger than the other, it will be loose for the smaller person.
  • Tomorrowland Indy Speedway - Minimum height 32 inches. Small, low to the ground gas powered cars. They are loud and smell of gas. Because kids are driving some of the cars, you can get bumped from behind. Even if you dont get bumped, it can be a jerky ride. No neck support. Seat belt.
  • Space Mountain - Minimum height 44 inches. A roller coaster in the dark. Guests ride single file in separate seats. T bar lap bar.
  • Goofys Barnstormer - this was recently renovated. It is a short roller coaster. WDW does not give the usual general warning, but just says "Expectant mothers should not ride." Lap bar shared between 2 seats. Largest person stops bar, so it might be loose for a smaller person riding along.
  • 7 Dwarfs Mine Train - like Barnstormer, this attraction does not have the usual WDW warning. It just says "Expectant mothers should not ride." This is a short, smooth roller coaster. The mine cars swing freely, which sounds like they would be moving a lot. What actually happens is the swinging allows them to stay more stable on turns, which makes it very smooth. Some guests have reported a bit of a jolt when it starts, stops or comes to emergency stop. Individual lap bars
For Disney Studio
  • Star Tours - Minimum height 40 inches. A simulated spaceship ride with sudden dips and other movements. Sudden changes of direction that jerk you around a lot. No neck support. Seat belt.
  • Rock N Roller Coaster - Minimum height 48 inches. A roller coaster. Fairly smooth, but very fast and does an inversion. Shoulder harness over shoulder.
  • Tower of Terror - Minimum height 40 inches. You sit in an elevator and get dropped. It is fairly smooth, but arms and legs will move around. No neck support. Seat belt.
For Animal Kingdom:
  • Kilimanjaro Safari - this is a tram ride through a simulated African wildlife preserve. It can be bumpy and my DD is bumped around quite a bit in her wheelchair. No neck support. No seat belt
  • Kali River Rapids - Minimum height 38 inches. A river raft ride. The raft is free floating inside a channel and there are several places where the raft can get dropped rather hard. You may get wet or completely soaked. No neck support. Seat belt
  • Expedition Everest - Minimum height 44 inches. A roller coaster which goes backwards at one point. No neck support. Lap bar
  • Primeval Whirl - Minimum height 48 inches. This looks pretty tame from the ground, but it is a small roller coaster combined with unexpected and quick turning. There is little restraint and you can get whipped around a lot. Shared lap bar
  • Dinosaur - Minimum height 40 inches. This is a very rough, noisy ride in the dark. It is a simulated time travel ride in a Jeep-like vehicle that goes up and down over simulated hills. Sudden changes of direction that jerk you around a lot. No neck support. Seat belt
  • Pandora - Navii River Ride is a slow moving boat ride with no warnings.
  • Pandora - Flight of Passage is a simulator attraction with a 3D movie. It is a very immersive attraction. The ride movements are smooth, but there are some intense dives, which feel more intense because of the movie and motion of the ride car.
  • You can find more information about both Pandora rides on this thread:https://www.disboards.com/threads/pandora-rides.3593133/

These attractions have no warnings, but some people have reported problems with them.
Magic Kingdom
Pirates of the Caribbean - Does have one small drop in the dark.
Haunted Mansion - At one point, the doombuggy turns around and goes down an incline backwards. Some people have reported that this short sequence caused an uncomfortable pressure on their back or neck. The doombuggy does have neck support.

Disneys Hollywood Studios
Toy Story Mania - this is a ride car that goes thru a video game with a number of different scenes. In between each scene, the ride car makes a quick turn which some people find a bit jerky.

Epcot
Spaceship Earth - this is a very gentle, slow ride. Toward the end of the ride, the ride car turns around and goes down a steep incline backwards. Some people find that this sequence is uncomfortable because they are resting on their backs and necks (there is good neck support).

Many people think that Soarin has warnings, but the only warnings are for fear of heights and possible motion sickness. It is a very gentle simulated hang glider ride. The seat is supportive and feels like a comfortable lawn chair. It has a 40 inch height requirement.
 
For the Mine Train while we find it a smoother ride, remember that if you hear a clicking sound as your coming into platform area it will be an extremely hard stop. We usually lean as forward as possible and then let the hard stop pull us back.
 
If you do go on Kilimanjaro Safari (I have a bad back, but I'm such a KS fan), tell the CM that you need a seat in the first couple rows. Whenever I've asked, they've been very accommodating and usually out me in the first row-MUCH smoother! One time I didn't ask, got the next to the last row and I thought I'd die with pain! VERY bumpy back there.
 
Personally found Primeval Whirl at AK to be the worst following Thoracic fusion (even years later) I pass on it now. Space Mountain is pretty rough too, I'll go once per trip and try to do it at the end of the day. The others were rough but didn't "whip" like these two and didn't cause me discomfort.
 
Definitely avoid the Safari! I injured my back over the summer, thought it was improving and went on the safari - very, very bad idea.

Big Thunder was also bad, Space, Dinosaur and Everest I knew I should avoid. I was OK on RnRC, possibly as it's my favourite ride the the whole of Orlando and I needed it to be fine! :rockband::rotfl:
 
Can someone tell me more about RNRC, Test Track and Expedition Everest? Just super fast? Does it whip your head around? Is your head forced back with pressure from the speed? I have a herniated desk (from 20 years ago) in my neck and I have pain when my head is whipped from side to side or there is extreme force pushing my head backward. I have been fine on Big Thunder & Tower of Terror . I do recall Dinosaur bothered me a bit.

I skipped RNRC and Test Track years ago in fear. I went on Space Mountain years before the herniated disk and not sure what it's like though since my injury.
 
RNR moves your head around a good bit if you are in the back ( I do not like to sit there) it is a farly smoth roler coaster but you do get pushed back in your set ( you go from start to full spead in like 1 second) You go upside down 3 times ( for the longest time I thought it was just 2, but you do one loop at the begging then a corksecure, then what most thing another loop but you do not go upside down then latter on another corksecre. And yes the ride does push your head back.

TT there are a few hard side to side turns some quick stops ( one that will jerk you side to side some) and there is some prosser when you go out on the track but not as much at RNR

TOT is just a drop ride really you get pushed in your set then lifted up.
 
Can someone tell me more about RNRC, Test Track and Expedition Everest? Just super fast? Does it whip your head around? Is your head forced back with pressure from the speed? I have a herniated desk (from 20 years ago) in my neck and I have pain when my head is whipped from side to side or there is extreme force pushing my head backward. I have been fine on Big Thunder & Tower of Terror . I do recall Dinosaur bothered me a bit.

I skipped RNRC and Test Track years ago in fear. I went on Space Mountain years before the herniated disk and not sure what it's like though since my injury.

On RnRC you need to have your head against the back of the seat before you start or it will whip it around a lot. There is still some force even if you do this.

IMO if you are fine with BTM and TOT then you will be fine with TT and EE, as these are no worse. I would definitely suggest you avoid Space, that is more jerky.
 

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