Motion sickness at Universal Studios Hollywood: what's rough and how to cope

Photo: CrispyCream27, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Resized and converted.

Universal City, California, United States · Universal Destinations & Experiences · ~8.7M visitors (2024, industry estimate)

Universal Studios Hollywood is the most screen-dependent major park in the United States, which flips the usual advice. Coaster tolerance barely matters here; screen tolerance is everything. Forbidden Journey pivots you across wraparound scenes, Transformers jolts a motion base through 3D battles, The Simpsons Ride wraps a dome screen around your whole field of view, and even the Studio Tour, the park's signature relaxed activity, includes King Kong 360 3-D, where the tram itself shakes inside giant screens. Jurassic World adds a 26 meter drop. If 3D films or car reading make you queasy, this park will find that out quickly, and the tram is not the safe haven it appears to be.

The rides most likely to set you off

• Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey: robotic-arm seat pivoting in front of wraparound screens.

• Transformers: The Ride 3D: 3D screen dark ride on a jolting motion base.

• The Simpsons Ride: dome-screen motion simulator with a strong queasiness reputation.

• Jurassic World: The Ride: river ride with a 26 m drop plus screen encounters.

• Studio Tour: King Kong 360 3-D: tram segment surrounded by giant 3D screens with simulated shaking.

The Simpsons Ride is the standout: a dome screen fills your entire field of view while the cabin pitches, and it regularly beats real coasters for making people ill.

Where to reset between rides

When your stomach needs a break, head for The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash, Super Nintendo World (walkaround) or Universal Animal Actors show. 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 Universal Studios Hollywood 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 Universal Studios Hollywood

1. 1

   Treat the Studio Tour as a motion ride, not a rest break; the King Kong 360 3-D segment shakes the tram inside wraparound screens.

2. 2

   Choose two screen rides for the whole day and hold that line; simulator effects accumulate across exposures.

3. 3

   Ride Forbidden Journey early if at all, and use the seated non-moving alternative queue option if you are already wobbly.

4. 4

   On The Simpsons Ride, sit dead center and look at the cabin frame when the dome starts to swing.

5. 5

   Use Super Nintendo World's walkaround areas and the Animal Actors show as your recovery zones; both involve no motion at all.

6. 6

   Keep earbuds handy and start Dizzout at the first wobble; about 90 seconds of drug-free sound therapy on the lower lot beats surrendering your ticket.

7. 7

   The escalators between the upper and lower lots take real time, so plan your rides by lot and avoid ping-ponging while queasy.

Going with kids

Even the family rides lean on screens; kids who get queasy in the car may prefer the shows and Nintendo walkaround.

Common questions