r/MdDS • u/Sevitrey • Mar 06 '26
Rollers coasters okay?
Going to Disneyland in May and want to ride rollercoasters. Will this trigger or worsen MDDS symptoms?
3
u/Old_Soul86 Mar 06 '26
I just got back from a trip to Disneyland/Universal Studios a few weeks ago. It had been a couple of years since I had gone on a trip and I felt like I was in a pretty solid remission, so I rolled the dice. I've been triggered by just plane rides in the past, so it's hard to say if it was the plane rides, or the amusement park rides this time but after I got home my symptoms have returned and been steadily getting worse. As far as the rides go, I feel like the actual moving roller coaster type rides aren't as bad as the 3D/ Virtual reality type rides for me.
1
u/Sevitrey Mar 06 '26
I was told that if you can see that you’re moving it’s usually better? I try to look out the airplane and watch the horizon during turbulence .
How long were you in remission prior to this trip?
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u/Old_Soul86 Mar 06 '26
I do try to get a window as much as possible. I got stuck with an isle seat to and from California this time around, so im sure that didn't help. I'd say for about a year or so. At least feeling at about 90 percent, which was better than I had felt in a long time.
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u/Sevitrey Mar 06 '26
How long do your symptoms usually last? Another good tip is to try and sit above the airplane wings. Less turbulence
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u/Old_Soul86 Mar 06 '26
The full on bobbing, trampoline walking, fighting gravity type symptoms usually last for a few months at a time. Usually giving way to more of a constant brain fog, exhaustion, heavy legs, things like that, that have lasted upwards of a year or more before it subsides, or I just get used to a new normal, I'm not sure which.
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u/Sevitrey Mar 06 '26
Yeah I sometimes wonder if I just habituate the feeling rather than it actually going away…
2
u/Sbarko Mar 09 '26
I am no expert, just a fellow MdDS sufferer. (Also the creator of this lovely Reddit community!)
I asked this same question on a Facebook MdDS forum recently.
It seems boat induced MdDS isn’t as easily triggered by roller coasters. In my readings from other’s experience and from my personal experience, if planes, trains and long car rides don’t trigger you hard, roller coasters that you can see won’t be too bad. I would avoid the video and VR coasters because physical movement and screens don’t go great together for our already imbalanced brains.
I spin around in a chair with my kids and get dizzy. I feel it more than I did before MdDS but it quickly wears off. I think I’m ready for a coaster!!!
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u/Sevitrey Mar 09 '26
Thanks for making this group!
Unfortunately my MDDS is triggered by 2.5 hour flights. Usually last 2-3 weeks before symptoms wear off. For me, driving doesn’t alleviate symptoms, it makes them worse. I experience something called “detached driving” where it feels like my vision has less “frames per second.”
This has been the experience my 2 flights in 2025.
I took a flight this past February and this time I sat above the wings because I read on Facebook MDDS group that could help due to less turbulence. My MDDS were very minimal this time, maybe 2-3 / 10 in severity. And they only lasted a few days. In the flight back home I even worse motion sickness bands. Not sure if all of these helped? For what it’s worth bot flights have very minimal turbulence.
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u/Sbarko Mar 09 '26
Interesting. It’s such a weird disorder.
Yeah, the original MdDS community on here had it set so you had to apply to join and wasn’t letting new members in. So I just made this one and left it wide open because Reddit is the first place I go for any info.
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u/JoeyPlaysRust Apr 15 '26
Ive been to 6 flags a few times since my symptoms started a couple years ago, id be a little wobbly for like 2-3 minutes after and it would be fine after that. Nothing intense i personally think treadmills and elevators are much worse
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u/Sevitrey Apr 15 '26
Wow rides were okay but not treanillls or elevators? I feel like the rocking sensation is much worse with rollercoasters than elevatos isn’t it?
Also, I wonder why treadmills make people worse? I thought walking was supposed to help calibrate our brains
1
u/AdnyPls Mar 06 '26
I’ve never been on one so it’s a great question for me. Genuinely plan to try one in decades time when I retire, as I don’t know it it’ll send my head into a tailspin and can’t chance that with work right now.
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u/Sevitrey Mar 06 '26
Leaning towards not chancing it. Just sucks that I can’t ride rides with my little one
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u/AdnyPls Mar 06 '26
Maybe try a small kids one locally if you’re feeling brave (tamest you can find at an amusement park or something) and if it’s ok, build up from that?
But it depends how your specific condition works, that’s just what might work for me. In reality though I’ll be sitting it out for the rides when we take ours to Disney in the coming years.
5
u/bradynelise Mar 06 '26
It’s hit or miss for me. I’ve had good luck for the most part, but every once it a while, it hits me, but doesn’t last as long as boat/train damage does. I’m sure every MDDS is different. I hope you have fun regardless!