Nausea Index: theme park rides
The worst Disney and Universal rides, ranked
The rides that flatten people at Disney and Universal parks are rarely the tallest coasters. They are the simulators and spinners that show your eyes one motion while your inner ear feels another. This table ranks every Disney and Universal ride our guides profile in depth, worst first, with the main trigger on each.
This cut of the Dizzout Nausea Index ranks 42 Disney and Universal rides. 2 entries sit in the top band, rated notorious: Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey and Mission: SPACE. Every rating is the one already published in the entry's own Dizzout guide, so a row summarizes a full guide, not a lab test.
Every ride links to its full guide: the operator's own posted warning, who tends to get hit, and the gentler version or nearby swap when one exists.
| Rank | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey | Universal Islands of Adventure & Universal Studios Hollywood | Robotic-arm dark ride (KUKA RoboCoaster) | Notorious 92 | Robotic-arm pivots: riding tilted back or swung face-down |
| 1 | Mission: SPACE | EPCOT, Walt Disney World | Spinning centrifuge simulator | Notorious 92 | Centrifuge spin creating ~2.5G your eyes never see |
| 3 | Avengers Assemble: Flight Force | Walt Disney Studios Park, Disneyland Paris | Indoor launch coaster (3 inversions) | Rough 75 | 0 to 57 mph in 2.8 seconds from a standing start |
| 3 | Crush's Coaster | Walt Disney Studios Park, Disneyland Paris | Spinning coaster (dark) | Rough 75 | Free car spin layered onto drops and turns |
| 3 | Expedition Everest | Disney's Animal Kingdom, Walt Disney World | Coaster with backwards section | Rough 75 | The backwards helix, felt but not seen, especially its dark stretch |
| 3 | Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind | EPCOT, Walt Disney World | Spinning indoor coaster (Omnicoaster) | Rough 75 | Controlled seat rotation layered on real coaster forces |
| 3 | Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout! | Disney California Adventure | Drop tower dark ride (randomized sequences) | Rough 75 | Repeated accelerated drops in one sequence, with no fixed pattern to learn |
| 3 | Jurassic World VelociCoaster | Universal Islands of Adventure | Double-launch coaster (4 inversions) | Rough 75 | Back-to-back launches with little recovery time between force blocks |
| 3 | Mad Tea Party | Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World | Spinning teacups | Rough 75 | Three stacked layers of rotation, turning in opposing directions |
| 3 | Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment | Universal Epic Universe | Robotic-arm dark ride (KUKA) | Rough 75 | Robotic-arm pivots and swings: the Forbidden Journey ride system |
| 3 | Pixar Pal-A-Round | Disney California Adventure | Eccentric wheel (swinging gondolas) | Rough 75 | Gondolas sliding along interior rails, adding swoop and swing to the wheel's rotation |
| 3 | RC Racer | Walt Disney Studios Park & Shanghai Disneyland | Half-pipe shuttle coaster | Rough 75 | Repeated forward-backward reversals, the pendulum-sickness input |
| 3 | Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring the Muppets | Disney's Hollywood Studios, Walt Disney World | Indoor launch coaster (3 inversions) | Rough 75 | The 0 to 57 mph launch, among the hardest accelerations at Disney |
| 3 | Star Tours: The Adventures Continue | Disney's Hollywood Studios & Disneyland | 3D motion-base flight simulator | Rough 75 | Sudden motion-base drops and banks |
| 3 | Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain | Disneyland Park, Disneyland Paris | Indoor launched coaster (3 inversions) | Rough 75 | Three inversions taken blind in show darkness |
| 3 | The Flying Dinosaur | Universal Studios Japan | Flying coaster (face-down) | Rough 75 | The pretzel loop's face-down dive into heavy g |
| 3 | The Incredible Hulk Coaster | Universal Islands of Adventure | Launched coaster (7 inversions) | Rough 75 | Seven inversions with short recovery gaps between them |
| 3 | The Simpsons Ride | Universal Studios Florida & Hollywood | Dome-screen motion simulator | Rough 75 | An 85 ft dome filling your entire peripheral vision with motion |
| 3 | Transformers: The Ride 3D | Universal Studios Florida & Hollywood | 3D screen simulator on moving vehicle | Rough 75 | Fast, close-up 3D battle footage filling your view |
| 20 | Avatar Flight of Passage | Disney's Animal Kingdom, Walt Disney World | 3D flying simulator (link-chair) | Manageable 50 | Sustained 3D flight visuals: diving, banking, canyon fly-throughs |
| 20 | Despicable Me Minion Mayhem | Universal Studios Florida | Motion simulator theater | Manageable 50 | Fast cartoon visuals filling a big screen while the bench pitches beneath you |
| 20 | Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure | Universal Islands of Adventure | Multi-launch story coaster | Manageable 50 | The backwards spike, a short reverse climb and fall with no visual preview |
| 20 | Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts | Universal Studios Florida | 3D screen dark ride with coaster drop | Manageable 50 | The opening drop, the ride's one real coaster moment |
| 20 | Incredicoaster | Disney California Adventure | Launch coaster with vertical loop | Manageable 50 | The 0 to 55 mph launch, if acceleration is your trigger |
| 20 | Indiana Jones Adventure | Disneyland & Tokyo DisneySea | Enhanced-motion dark ride (EMV) | Manageable 50 | Hydraulic cabin lurches layered on top of the vehicle's actual driving |
| 20 | Journey to the Center of the Earth | Tokyo DisneySea | High-speed dark ride (slot car) | Manageable 50 | The sudden 47 mph escape acceleration after minutes of slow scenes |
| 20 | Jurassic World: The Ride | Universal Studios Hollywood | Water ride (84 ft chute drop) | Manageable 50 | The 84 ft final plunge, several seconds of genuine falling sensation |
| 20 | Mario Kart: Koopa's Challenge | Universal Studios Japan | AR headset dark ride | Manageable 50 | The AR visor itself, for anyone with VR or 3D sensitivity |
| 20 | Matterhorn Bobsleds | Disneyland | 1959 steel coaster (bobsled trains) | Manageable 50 | Sharp lateral snaps through tight vintage-layout turns |
| 20 | Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run | Disney's Hollywood Studios & Disneyland | Interactive cockpit simulator | Manageable 50 | Motion-base lurches when the crew flies rough: collisions jolt the cabin |
| 20 | Remy's Ratatouille Adventure | EPCOT & Walt Disney Studios Park (Paris) | Trackless 3D dark ride | Manageable 50 | 3D glasses over large, close screens with fast chase footage |
| 20 | Revenge of the Mummy | Universal Studios Florida | Indoor launch coaster (dark) | Manageable 50 | Launches that fire from stationary show moments without warning |
| 20 | Space Mountain | Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World & Disneyland | Indoor coaster in darkness | Manageable 50 | Sharp turns you cannot see coming in near-total darkness |
| 20 | Test Track | EPCOT, Walt Disney World | High-speed slot car (outdoor sections) | Manageable 50 | Hard braking and quick swerve moments |
| 20 | The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man | Universal Islands of Adventure | 3D motion-base dark ride | Manageable 50 | The simulated 400 ft fall, felt almost entirely through your eyes |
| 20 | The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror | Disney's Hollywood Studios, Tokyo DisneySea & Walt Disney Studios Park | Drop tower dark ride (randomized sequences) | Manageable 50 | Repeated pulled-faster-than-freefall drops through 130 ft |
| 37 | Big Thunder Mountain | Tokyo Disneyland & Disneyland Paris | Mine train coaster | Gentle 25 | Repeated banked turns and helices, mildly cumulative over the lap |
| 37 | Soarin' | EPCOT & Disney California Adventure | Suspended glide simulator (dome screen) | Gentle 25 | A dome screen filling your whole field of view with swooping aerial footage |
| 37 | Splash Mountain | Tokyo Disneyland | Log flume (four drops) | Gentle 25 | The first drop, taken in cave darkness with less visual warning |
| 37 | Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance | Disney's Hollywood Studios & Disneyland | Trackless dark ride | Gentle 25 | One brief drop sequence near the finale: a real but short drop sensation |
| 37 | Tiana's Bayou Adventure | Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World | Log flume (52 ft drop) | Gentle 25 | The 52 ft, 45 degree final drop, if falling sensations are your specific trigger |
| 37 | TRON Lightcycle / Run | Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World & Shanghai Disneyland | LSM launch coaster (motorcycle seating) | Gentle 25 | The launch itself, if hard acceleration is your specific trigger |
42 entries. Equal ratings tie on purpose: the guides rate in four bands, and this table does not pretend to more precision than they carry.
Walt Disney World rides, ranked for motion sickness
Mission: SPACE is the only Walt Disney World ride in our guides rated notorious. Rated gentle: Soarin', Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Tiana's Bayou Adventure and TRON Lightcycle / Run.
| Rank | Ride | Park | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mission: SPACE | EPCOT | Notorious 92 |
| 2 | Expedition Everest | Disney's Animal Kingdom | Rough 75 |
| 2 | Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind | EPCOT | Rough 75 |
| 2 | Mad Tea Party | Magic Kingdom | Rough 75 |
| 2 | Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring the Muppets | Disney's Hollywood Studios | Rough 75 |
| 2 | Star Tours: The Adventures Continue | Disney's Hollywood Studios | Rough 75 |
| 7 | Avatar Flight of Passage | Disney's Animal Kingdom | Manageable 50 |
| 7 | Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run | Disney's Hollywood Studios | Manageable 50 |
| 7 | Remy's Ratatouille Adventure | EPCOT | Manageable 50 |
| 7 | Space Mountain | Magic Kingdom | Manageable 50 |
| 7 | Test Track | EPCOT | Manageable 50 |
| 7 | The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror | Disney's Hollywood Studios | Manageable 50 |
| 13 | Soarin' | EPCOT | Gentle 25 |
| 13 | Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance | Disney's Hollywood Studios | Gentle 25 |
| 13 | Tiana's Bayou Adventure | Magic Kingdom | Gentle 25 |
| 13 | TRON Lightcycle / Run | Magic Kingdom | Gentle 25 |
Calmer rides to reset between the big ones, from our park guides:
- Magic Kingdom: Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover and Peter Pan's Flight
- EPCOT: Spaceship Earth and Living with the Land
- Disney's Hollywood Studios: Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway and Toy Story Mania!
- Disney's Animal Kingdom: Na'vi River Journey and Kilimanjaro Safaris
Universal Orlando rides, ranked for motion sickness
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is the only Universal Orlando ride in our guides rated notorious. None is rated gentle; the calmest here are rated manageable.
| Rank | Ride | Park | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey | Universal Islands of Adventure | Notorious 92 |
| 2 | Jurassic World VelociCoaster | Universal Islands of Adventure | Rough 75 |
| 2 | Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment | Epic Universe | Rough 75 |
| 2 | The Incredible Hulk Coaster | Universal Islands of Adventure | Rough 75 |
| 2 | The Simpsons Ride | Universal Studios Florida | Rough 75 |
| 2 | Transformers: The Ride 3D | Universal Studios Florida | Rough 75 |
| 7 | Despicable Me Minion Mayhem | Universal Studios Florida | Manageable 50 |
| 7 | Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure | Universal Islands of Adventure | Manageable 50 |
| 7 | Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts | Universal Studios Florida | Manageable 50 |
| 7 | Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge | Epic Universe | Manageable 50 |
| 7 | Revenge of the Mummy | Universal Studios Florida | Manageable 50 |
| 7 | The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man | Universal Islands of Adventure | Manageable 50 |
Calmer rides to reset between the big ones, from our park guides:
- Universal Studios Florida: E.T. Adventure and Hogwarts Express: King's Cross Station
- Universal Islands of Adventure: Hogwarts Express: Hogsmeade Station and Caro-Seuss-el
Disneyland Resort rides, ranked for motion sickness
3 Disneyland Resort rides in our guides share the top rating here, rough: Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout!, Pixar Pal-A-Round and Star Tours: The Adventures Continue. Rated gentle: Soarin', Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Tiana's Bayou Adventure.
| Rank | Ride | Park | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout! | Disney California Adventure | Rough 75 |
| 1 | Pixar Pal-A-Round | Disney California Adventure | Rough 75 |
| 1 | Star Tours: The Adventures Continue | Disneyland | Rough 75 |
| 4 | Incredicoaster | Disney California Adventure | Manageable 50 |
| 4 | Indiana Jones Adventure | Disneyland | Manageable 50 |
| 4 | Matterhorn Bobsleds | Disneyland | Manageable 50 |
| 4 | Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run | Disneyland | Manageable 50 |
| 4 | Space Mountain | Disneyland | Manageable 50 |
| 9 | Soarin' | Disney California Adventure | Gentle 25 |
| 9 | Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance | Disneyland | Gentle 25 |
| 9 | Tiana's Bayou Adventure | Disneyland | Gentle 25 |
Calmer rides to reset between the big ones, from our park guides:
- Disneyland: Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion
- Disney California Adventure: The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure and Turtle Talk with Crush
Universal Studios Hollywood rides, ranked for motion sickness
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is the only Universal Studios Hollywood ride in our guides rated notorious. None is rated gentle; the calmest here are rated manageable.
| Rank | Ride | Park | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey | Universal Studios Hollywood | Notorious 92 |
| 2 | The Simpsons Ride | Universal Studios Hollywood | Rough 75 |
| 2 | Transformers: The Ride 3D | Universal Studios Hollywood | Rough 75 |
| 4 | Jurassic World: The Ride | Universal Studios Hollywood | Manageable 50 |
| 4 | Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge | Universal Studios Hollywood | Manageable 50 |
Calmer rides to reset between the big ones, from our park guides:
- Universal Studios Hollywood: The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash and Super Nintendo World (walkaround)
How this table is ranked
Each ride inherits the rating already published in its Dizzout ride guide. A guide rates a ride in one of four bands, gentle to notorious, from the ride system itself (centrifuge, robotic arm, motion base, coaster), the operator's own posted warnings, and what riders consistently report. The bands map to fixed scores (gentle 25, manageable 50, rough 75, notorious 92), and equal ratings tie.
Worst here means motion sickness likelihood, not ride quality. Several of the highest rated entries are among the most loved rides in their parks, which is exactly why knowing the trigger and the gentler option matters more than skipping them.
The data behind this table
- The full Nausea Index: every rated journey on the site in one cross category list.
- The World Nausea Map: the same ratings placed where they actually are.
- Motion sickness statistics: who gets motion sick, and how often, with sources.
Park day coming up?
Settle ride nausea
Ride the gentler versions, skip the spin if you know it gets you, and keep a reset between rides in your pocket: Dizzout is drug-free sound therapy through any headphones, relief in about 90 seconds.
Free to download. Paid subscription for full access.
Questions people ask
Which ride ranks worst for motion sickness?
Our guides rate 2 entries notorious, the top band: Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey (Robotic-arm pivots: riding tilted back or swung face-down); Mission: SPACE (Centrifuge spin creating ~2.5G your eyes never see). Equal ratings tie on purpose, and each name links to the full guide behind its rating.
Can you ride these without getting sick?
Often, yes. Several have an official gentler mode or a milder sibling: Mission: SPACE runs a no spin Green Team, and the 3D simulators ease off when you drop the glasses to your lap during the intense stretches. Each ride's guide lists the specific swap. Beyond that: ride early on a settled stomach, fix your eyes on stable elements, and leave recovery time between intense rides.
Are these the only rides that trigger motion sickness?
No. This table covers only the Disney and Universal rides our guides profile, at parks in the United States, France, Japan and China. The rides hub covers coasters and flat rides at other parks too, and the theme parks page profiles the roughest rides and calm zones at the 50 biggest parks in the world.
Keep going
- Every ride guide, warning by warning
- The 50 biggest theme parks, park by park
- Roller coaster motion sickness: the full guide
Other cuts of the index: roughest sea crossings, bumpiest road trips, biggest cruise ships.
Updated 2026-10-04. Ratings and figures come from the Dizzout guides linked in each row and change only when a guide changes. This page is educational and is not medical advice.