I used to ride everything at Cedar Point with no problems. They have extreme roller coasters but my favorite ride was a scrambler type that spun so fast that everyone was crushed to one side, laughing all the while. Hopefully you strategically placed the heaviest person on the correct side or you were in for a painful ride. At some point in my life, I realized I couldn’t spin in a circle with my children anymore, or read while riding as a passenger in a car. I denied it for years and then would attempt rides at theme parks that had me regretfully ill. I never lost a meal, but I would be dizzy, physically drained and shaky, having to sit with my head between my knees until I was forced to move on with the rest of the family. No rest for the mothers. My solution was to sit out for rides and be the holder of the stuff. The rides that impacted me the worst were Guardians of the Galaxy:Cosmic Rewind at Epcot in Disney World, and Cat in the Hat in Islands of Adventure at Universal Orlando. I didn’t expect either ride to be as triggering as they were, so I knew to avoid famously nauseating rides like Mission Space and Forbidden Journey. I can find a focal point in some rides, which means I find a fixed point to focus on across from me, so that my body is not affected by the motion. For example, I can ride the Mad Tea Party spinning cups and let the kids spin away, as I focus on one of their faces or the seat across from me. For the rides that impacted me the worst, I would be spinning while screens flashed images in an unpredictable way, so that I was unable to find one thing to focus my eyes on.

I began my research for a solution as theme parks seem to add more screens to attractions. I was able to close my eyes and smell something to assist with nausea. I used a small pad with rubbing alcohol to smell for a few moments after the ride, which I had heard about and helped slightly. I researched medications for nausea, however they can cause drowsiness and you cannot drink cocktails, which I do like to partake in while on vacation. I get vacation excitement and usually stay up late and get up early, causing me to already have a reliable level of fatigue in the afternoon. I’ve fallen asleep on buses and rides and I don’t feel I need another factor that could put me to sleep. Where have I fallen asleep, you wonder? Shows like the Little Mermaid musical and American Adventure and rides like it’s a small world and Living with the Land. I’m sure there’s more, but those are dark or relaxing. I wake before everyone to do laundry, get ready, pack park bags, refill the ice bucket, sign up for virtual queues, make coffee, and who knows what else. I’ve learned over time that it’s easier to do laundry while kids are swimming on an afternoon break or a rest day, but we haven’t always planned those in.

So coming back to motion sickness, what works for me? I was influenced by internet ads for a wristband for motion sickness. I was concerned with the high price tag with unknown success, so I purchased simple, inexpensive, pressure point wristbands as a test. I read you have to wear them all day for best effect, but I tested them by wearing them for 20 minutes and swinging on swings at a children’s playground. I still felt motion sickness and I didn’t like the impression and pain left on my wrist within such a short time period. I did not want to wear them all day. My husband decided the cost was worth an attempt, so he purchased two Emeterm electrode bands¹ online which arrived the day before our most recent theme park visit. There are many brands on the market, and some can even be purchased with a health savings account. The bands he purchased were not as expensive as the relief band ads I had originally seen, so we took the chance. They came with an electrode gel and had multiple levels of intensity, with a recommendation to turn on prior to the need and test it on both wrists. I wear my watch on my left wrist and put the Emeterm band on my right wrist. I didn’t have time to test it out and put it immediately to use on our trip. It feels like an odd sensation, but not painful. In online reviews, the only negative comments were that it stopped working after a few months of frequent use, or that the wearer could not tolerate the feeling. I feel that anything electronic will not last forever, and some things just need to be replaced if used frequently. It would be highly inconvenient for the product to fail while on a trip, but it’s nice that we have two in case that should happen. Since gel is used and I’m wearing it for hours, I could see needing to replace it but the time spent with it would be worth the cost for me. I’m happy to spend money on something that works, and it really did work. I rode any ride I wanted at Universal Orlando parks with no motion sickness, including Harry Potter’s Forbidden Journey and the Cat in the Hat ride. I figured out that I could keep it on a low setting of 1-2 all day, and increase to 3-4 while in line for a ride. The sensation is tingly and uncomfortable at times when the level is high, but it is localized to the lower portion of the extremity, including the fingers and arm. It’s not that dissimilar from when your arm is coming back into sensation after falling asleep. I was happy to turn it down as soon as the ride came to its conclusion, however I felt it was a worthwhile exchange for the motion sickness. I recommend it to anyone who wants to avoid medication.

I would love to test this type of band for an extended period like an ocean cruise and would enthusiastically trade my recommendations for travel perks or products. I’ve never been on a cruise so I can’t say that it would definitely cause motion sickness, but it has been a concern and deterrent to seriously considering a cruise. I’m looking forward to trying my band in Disney World for the first time this summer for rides that I had previously avoided, maybe even Mission: SPACE Orange.

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Footnotes

1. I have no affiliation with Amazon or Emeterm. I am not receiving any compensation for this recommendation. I am just a happy customer. ↩