[Nimbus]

Originally Posted by HarryJPotter

Dream holiday is fast approaching! Getting very excited now.

The 'problem' is, none of us like big rides, 2 adults and 2 children. In fact 2 children can be reluctant with medium rides although my 9 year old is keen to try some more medium size rides. DH and I definitely don't like big roller coasters which looks like most of Universal is out as they all seem big. I feel ill being a passenger in a car so I have to be careful with rides (definitely no going in circles).

Are we going to get a good enough holiday through not going on big rides? I've been looking on YouTube and at rides lists etc and big rides seem to be such a focus, maybe less so at Disney? Is this correct? We are keen to go to Universal as well as DS and I are Harry Potter mad but those rides look big so looks like it's more just the experience. We also like the Simpsons but I've watched the YouTube video and that looks like a big coaster. I'm now wondering if we are going to get a good enough experience (I expect just being there will be enough and porbably means not as much queueing for us).

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Currently, there are only 2 big rollercoasters at Universal, one in each park. The Mummy ride and Escape from Gringotts are also types of indoor rollercoaster and can be quite thrilling (so perhaps might be too much for you).

Simpsons is a simulator. You sit in a ride vehicle and it tilts and pivots in time to the events on a screen, but it doesn't actually move anywhere. Some people find it a bit rough but we love it.

The two main Harry Potter rides - Escape from Gringotts and Forbidden Journey - also use screens. They are advanced simulators. They are very thrilling and may be too much for your family. There's also the Flight of the Hippogriff which is a small rollercoaster and the Hogwarts Express which is a fairly gentle train journey (that uses screens). These latter two rides should be ok for you.

Disney's rides do tend to be aimed more at families with younger children. Disney still has some big rollercoasters (Expedition Everest and Rock'n'Rollercoaster, for example) but it also has lots of gentler rides. The Disney parks and rides aren't like the theme park rides here in the UK that try to be the highest/fastest/longest/most loopy-est. There are lots of attractions - shows, events, performances, as well as rides - that are suitable for everyone.

(If you look at this old Rides For Any Age page it shows the attractions in bold that are suitable for anybody to experience, even the youngest child. Unfortunately its a little out of date but it gives you an idea).