Motion sickness at Cedar Point: what's rough and how to cope

Photo: Jeremy Thompson, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Resized and converted.

Sandusky, Ohio, United States · Six Flags Entertainment (formerly Cedar Fair) · ~3.78M visitors (2024, industry estimate)

Cedar Point is America's coaster capital, and yes, the motion-sickness reputation is earned in the most straightforward way possible: pure physical force, virtually no screens. Steel Vengeance delivers record airtime over its 62 m structures, Millennium Force runs 150 km/h from a 94 m lift, Maverick snaps through a 95-degree drop off twin launches, Valravn dives vertically, and Raptor swings through six inversions. Tolerance here is a question of G-forces and repeated weightlessness, not visuals, which means simulator-sensitive visitors sometimes cope better than they fear, while airtime-sensitive stomachs get worked hard. The gentle layer is thin but real: the Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad, the Giant Wheel, and the Midway Carousel, plus the beach when your inner ear needs a fixed horizon.

The rides most likely to set you off

• Steel Vengeance: hybrid coaster with record airtime over 62 m structures.

• Millennium Force: 94 m giga coaster at 150 km/h.

• Maverick: twin-launch coaster with a 95-degree drop.

• Valravn: dive coaster with a 90-degree drop.

• Raptor: inverted coaster with six inversions.

Steel Vengeance works stomachs hardest: its record airtime and nonstop direction changes over 62 m structures never give your inner ear a straight section to reset on.

Where to reset between rides

When your stomach needs a break, head for Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad, Giant Wheel or Midway Carousel. Slow visuals, a fixed horizon and a seat that is not spinning give your inner ear time to settle before the next big ride.

Feeling queasy at Cedar Point right now?

Stop the nausea

Open Dizzout, plug in any headphones, tap play. Drug-free sound therapy, and most people feel better in about 90 seconds. No pills, no drowsiness, no waiting for a tablet to kick in.

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play

On a computer? Dizzout installs on your phone — scan the code, or open dizzout.com/get on your phone and it'll take you straight to the right store.

Your survival plan for Cedar Point

1. 1

   Ride Steel Vengeance and Maverick in the first hours and keep them apart; they are the two most relentless layouts in the park.

2. 2

   Alternate one big coaster with one flat, calm interval: the Railroad, the Giant Wheel, or a walk to the beach.

3. 3

   Keep meals light and after the morning block; airtime coasters and a heavy lunch do not mix.

4. 4

   If you can choose the order, do Valravn's single clean dive before Raptor's six inversions; one drop is easier to recover from than repeated flips.

5. 5

   On Millennium Force, fix your eyes on the track ahead rather than the blur beside you.

6. 6

   When the first wave of queasiness hits, sit facing Lake Erie, breathe slowly, and run a Dizzout sound therapy session; most people feel better in about 90 seconds.

7. 7

   Plan your last two hours on the midway rather than the coasters; ending on the Carousel beats leaving nauseous.

Going with kids

A classic midway and beach soften the day for non-riders.

Common questions