(This is a guest post by my husband.)

I have medium to severe motion sickness, so Disneyland isn’t my number 1 choice for family time.

But it is for my family….

So, I have learned some tricks to not feel sick during or after the rides.

If you are like me and go to Disneyland because you are following your family, but you are concerned about getting sick from some of the rides which then ruins your day….this list is for you.

I would like to help you stay in Disneyland and engaged with your family enough and not worried about what you “can’t do”.

In this article I will show you 8 tips that have worked for me to deal with motion sickness in Disneyland. (Except the first tip….this has never worked for me)

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Don’t Go

If you have the choice, unlike I do, then don’t go to Disneyland. If you happen to ride a ride that “rubs you the wrong way”, you could regret the decision for a long time, and deal with your motion sickness for hours to come.

Like I did, and do.

But, if you want to experience your family enjoying Disneyland, then try these other tips:

Ride the Rides That Don’t Bother Motion-Sickness

Motion sickness effects each person differently.

I’ve been to Disneyland 968 times, wait, I mean 17 times. At least once per year for 17 years, so I have been able to experiment. You will respond differently.

My basic rule of thumb not to get sick: I avoid SPINNING RIDES

You can investigate each ride on the Disneyland site, or on the site of other amusement parks, to see what type of ride it is, and if it will cause motion sickness for you.

Or, if you are inside Disneyland or California Adventure, you can watch the ride for a few minutes to see if you can handle it.

These are the rides I am able to do without feeling sick at Disneyland & California Adventure WITHOUT a patch.

Disneyland Rides Ok Without A Motion Sickness Patch:

• Splash Mountain
• Big Thunder Mountain
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• It’s a Small World
• Haunted Mansion
• Finding Nemo
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• Pinnoccio’s Daring Journey
• Jungle Cruise
• Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

California Adventure Rides Ok Without A Patch:

• Guardians of the Galaxy Mission Breakout
• Radiator Springs Racers
• Monsters, Inc Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!
• Toy Story Midway Mania
• California Soarin’

Get A Motion Sickness Patch

A motion sickness patch can be helpful. You get these with a prescription from your doctor. The price has come down significantly from over $25 EACH to around $1.50 each now.

Each patch lasts about 3-4 days, and needs to be put on about 4-12 hours BEFORE you get there.

Be careful as you put them on NOT to touch the patch to bare skin! (Read the instructions!)

These have really helped me during cruises and at Disneyland & California Adventure!

I have been able to be a part of the festivities instead of throwing up and being miserable.

In addition, I’ve been able to go on roller coasters, on other rides at Disneyland, whale watching tours on a small bouncy boat, and large cruise ships that were swaying back and forth.

In Disneyland, I Was Able To Ride Only With A Motion Sickness Patch:

• Hyperspace Mountain
• Indiana Jones Adventure
• Materhorn
• Star Wars: The Adventures Continue

In California Adventure I Was Able To Ride Only With A Motion Sickness Patch:

• Incredicoaster

Even with the patch, I avoid and can’t handle the spinning rides.

I actually haven’t checked to see if this theory is true, but I’m assuming I will still get motion sickness from the spinning rides with or without a patch.

Eat Early, Eat Small Portions & Eat Protein—Not Sugar or Fat

When you have dealt with motion sickness in your life, learning what you can and can’t eat becomes a daily leaning process.

For me, I have learned that my body feels better when I avoid high sugary foods, fried foods or any foods high in fat.  Instead, I eat protein, but not too much.

One example of a snack I can eat without causing motion sickness is a cheese stick, a handful of nuts, a protein bar, or a shared burger (only 3-4 bites) are my go-to’s. These take away my “hanger” (if you haven’t heard this before…which I use to describe my wife daily…means “hunger and anger”). Yet, it’s not too much as to create nausea.

Of these, nuts are my favorite while a protein bar is my least favorite because of the high sugar. I really don’t do well with too much sugar on a normal day, so sugar before Disney rides is not a good idea.

You know your body and how you handle food & fast movements, so trust what you can and can’t eat/drink. Trust yourself.

Be the “Back Pack Holder” and Wait Outside the Rides

If you know that a ride might make you feel sick, volunteer to sit it out by the exit, and hold everybody’s stuff.

I wrote an entire blog post on why it’s great to be the “backpack holder”.

It’s great to have an adult sitting out for many reasons, and this way, you can BE the meeting place, hold all the water, jackets, snacks, etc. Plus, the group will know where to meet after the ride.

Definitely sit out the spinning rides at Disneyland and California Adventure, of which there are many:

Disneyland Spinning Rides:

• Mad Tea Party Tea Cups
• Dumbo The Flying Elephant
• Astro Orbiter
• King Arthur Carrousel

California Adventure Spinning Rides:

• Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters
• Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree
• Swings
• Ferris wheel

If you are in doubt, sit it out, OR, wait for the end of the day, so you won’t miss the entire day.

If You Get Nausea, Go Throw Up

During your time in Disneyland or California Adventure, if you start to feel nauseous, instead of suffering, or leaving, go right to the closest restroom and throw up.

This has helped me.

Instead of sitting there suffering with that awful gut feeling, I try to throw up, because I always feel better afterwards.

There are plenty of clean restrooms all around the parks, and you can make it there, be discreet and back with your family in no time.  Yay. 

Breathe & Stay Hydrated

If you even start to feel woozy, breathe!

Just breathe deeply for at least 3 breaths, preferably more.

Breathing always helps me feel better. Maybe it can work for you as well.

Staying hydrated, especially at Disneyland, also helps the day. I keep drinking a few sips of water every hour, and I remind my family to drink water, handing them water bottles after each ride.

Just one sip can really keep each person in your family (mostly you!) going!

There are several stations in Disneyland to fill up your water bottle with filtered water:

1) Autotopia-right outside of the exit between Autotopia and Submarine Ride

2) Star Wars Land by the restrooms.

 Try Acid Reducers & Ibuprofen or Ginger Candies

I am NOT a doctor.

I am a financial advisor, so I know about using acid reducers and ibuprofen for headaches and stomach acid. For me, these over-the-counter medications can sometimes help in Disneyland.

When I START to get motion sickness symptoms, taking these meds has helped my headache and my upset stomach stay manageable.

Again, keep your water bottle filled and your meds in your backpack, close by, to arm yourself with tools to be able to enjoy your family enjoying Disneyland.

Ginger chews aren’t bad, and have helped me with acid reduction and have helped some with motion sickness. I haven’t taken them for motion sickness, so I can only report what others have told me, and not from personal experience.

My wife likes how the Ginger Candies taste, and they seem to also help with digestion issues. You can order some here, or find them in most natural grocers. There is one close to Disneyland.

 Conclusion

If you have motion sickness and need to go to Disneyland, you can stay sick-free and stay engaged with some prep and planning.

Try the patch for motion sickness, eat wisely, volunteer to sit out, don’t ride the spinny rides, drink water, breathe, throw up if you feel sick, and use some meds & ginger candy to help.

Good luck. I hope you can enjoy Disneyland as much as I have through the years. ?

John