It’s true that many Disney World visitors are there to experience the seemingly endless array of rides.
From slow moving rides in the dark like Haunted Mansion to thrill rides that’ll give you a supercharged boost of adrenaline like Tower of Terror, Disney World is a fan-favorite destination for those seeking a mix of both nostalgia and thrill.
However, Disney World can be a miserable place at times — especially for those of us who experience motion sickness. It can be hard to turn down a ride experience, especially when the rest of your group decides to go on the ride. Then, you’re often standing in the heat and holding bags for half an hour — and experiencing a severe case of FOMO. If that statement sums up your Disney World experience, and you’re hoping to try a NEW ride at Disney World, this post is for you!
TRON: Lightcycle / Run is Disney World’s newest ride, located in Magic Kingdom. This ride reaches high speeds, has sudden drops and turns, and some of it is in the dark. There are also some flashing lights. To experience the ride and head onto The Grid, you’ll straddle the seat like you would a bike. This is your Lightcycle! You’ll then race Team Orange to a series of eight checkpoints in an effort to lead Team Blue to victory.
The beginning of the ride is often the trigger for most people. The ride goes from being totally still to moving at nearly 60MPH in a little less than five seconds. The initial launch provides riders with that feeling of their stomach being left behind them — and can definitely trigger motion sickness. The ride starts inside, and within the first five seconds, you’re outside. If you’re light sensitive, this could be a trigger as well if you ride during the day.
You’ll go around a series of curves and an incline before heading back inside. Once you’re inside, there are several projections that continue to tell the “story” of the ride. Your eyes will automatically want to focus on these as you’re heading down hills and around curves. This is what especially triggers motion sickness for a lot of folks.
The good news is, the ride is very smooth and not very jerky at all. That’s a huge plus if you’re typically triggered by sudden movements.
Our best advice is to take a motion sickness medication at least half an hour before you ride if you suspect that any part of it might bother you. We also recommend having something on your stomach — just a light snack — so that hunger isn’t causing you to be extra dizzy, queasy, or nauseous. We also recommend going easy on the caffeine before you ride, as it can cause extra jitters, anxiety, and nausea.
We hope that this post helps prepare you and that you can experience TRON: Lightcycle / Run without feeling motion sick. We’ll continue to give you our best Disney advice for situations like these, so make sure to follow along for more!
Curious about how Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind can impact motion sickness? Click here!
Do you experience motion sickness while at Disney? Let us know your best tips and tricks on managing it in the comments below!Â
Dianne says
Thanks for the info! I am interested in trying TRON, but am concerned. How does it compare to Guardians at EPCOT in terms of likelihood of causing motion sickness?
Tracy says
There is a product called Sea-Bands, which are marketed as providing relief from sea sickness but will actually help with all forms of motion sickness. It’s a simple pair of wrist bands with a plastic bead on the inside that presses against a pressure point on your wrist that helps to prevent nausea. I’ve never used mine at Disney World because I usually just avoid rides that I know will make me feel sick, but I use them for car sickness all the time and they really do work. You can find them in drugstores, Walmart or Target, and on Amazon.
Joe B says
Take this warning article seriously! I, a 79-year-old passholder, just HAD to try the spectacular Tron ride for myself, despite disliking coasters in general and having bad experiences on others– including a really bad one on the Potter ride at Universal. So after the worst experience with waiting (over 7 hours from the 1PM group join until riding AFTER the fireworks that night, I tortured myself with the ride which took me 15 minutes to recover from. Stupid ME!
I do NOT blame the intense ride for my discomfort nor Disney who posted sufficient warnings that even an aging fool could comprehend. Riding Tron was MY choice and my bad experience was MY fault.
Moral: Be wise! If you have ever experienced this kind of discomfort on a ride, ship or the like, STAY OFF TRON and the other “thrill rides” for your own sake.
You’ll be glad you did even if your friends call you silly names for not riding! And the rest of your day at the parks will be lots more pleasant.