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Best Disney World Rides & Attractions Guide (2027)

Ranking the best rides at Walt Disney World on one list is a truly monumental task. Many readers ask us: “What is the best ride at Disney World?” and with more than 100 attractions and experiences around the resort, it is an almost impossible question to answer.

Best Disney World Rides

That’s where we come in! In this post, we are going to rank 61 of the best rides and substantial permanent attractions at Disney World from worst to best. After all, with such a big choice of attractions to choose from, deciding which ones are must-do and which ones can be skipped can be a hard decision.

A list of the top Disney World rides is also very subjective and varies greatly from guest to guest. Some people are thrill-seekers and the faster and scarier the attractions are the better. Others like to take it slow and a nice relaxing boat ride or dark ride could be their favorite. And when nostalgia kicks in, anything goes.

Further complicating the issue is that Walt Disney World is always building new rides and attractions. As the new ones open up, we will continue to add them to our top rides rankings.

By ranking all the rides at the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and the Animal Kingdom, at least you have a guide to go by for all the potential must-do attractions when you visit. These are the attractions you keep coming back to Disney World to ride over and over again!

Before we get started, if you are looking for the best rides at a specific park and not all Walt Disney World, check out these individual attraction guides for each park:

Also, don’t forget to sign up for our FREE Weekly E-Mail Newsletter. There we bring you the latest updates on all the newest Disney attractions as well as vacation planning tips. You can sign up here: Join our E-Mail Newsletter!

Walt Disney World Rides Overview

Best Disney World Rides List

Before we look at our rankings, here are some basic questions that many people ask about Disney World Rides:

How Many Rides are there at Walt Disney World?

For the purposes of this guide, we count 48 moving rides across the four Walt Disney World theme parks. That total includes the Wildlife Express Train, which replaces the permanently closed DINOSAUR in our current ride inventory.

Our complete ranking is broader than the ride count. It includes 61 entries spanning moving rides and a curated selection of substantial permanent attractions with developed themed experiences, dedicated infrastructure, or interactive and show elements. We leave out live stage shows, nighttime spectaculars, parades, character meets, and minor exhibits.

If you count every ride, attraction, show, and experience under the broadest definitions, there are more than 100 attractions and experiences at Disney World.

Which Disney Park has the Best Rides?

This is very subjective and it will depend on your overall list, but in our rankings, it came out that Disney’s Magic Kingdom has the best rides in Walt Disney World. It has 2 of the top 10 attractions and 6 of the top 16. Again having so many more rides helps here.

As a surprise pick, Animal Kingdom was also very close to the top having 3 of the top 8 rides at Disney World. Obviously the fact there are so few attractions in this park speaks to the quality of the ones they do have.

Which Disney Park has the Most Rides?

Best Disney World Rides Jungle Cruise

If we are talking about just sheer numbers, Disney’s Magic Kingdom has the most rides of all the theme parks in Walt Disney World. It has 22 rides, giving it far and away the highest number.

EPCOT has 11 rides, Hollywood Studios has 9, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom has the fewest with 6. Within our curated 61-attraction ranking, there are 30 Magic Kingdom attractions, 14 EPCOT attractions, 10 Hollywood Studios attractions, and 7 Animal Kingdom attractions.

How Many Rides Can You Ride in a Day at Disney World?

Believe it or not, it’s possible to attempt every moving ride in Walt Disney World in one day. That means all 48 under the definition used in this guide. It requires favorable park hours, attraction availability, Park Hopper access, efficient transportation, and an extremely aggressive touring plan.

In fact, over at Parkeology, they have a challenge with official rules that people have actually completed.

What is the Longest Ride at Disney World?

The longest ride at Walt Disney World is the Carousel of Progress, which has a length of 20 minutes and 45 seconds. Since the whole room moves from each scene we are counting this as a ride.

The longest ride with a moving vehicle is Kilimanjaro Safaris in Disney’s Animal Kingdom with a ride time of between 18 and 22 minutes. Exactly how long your ride lasts depends on how fast your driver is.

The shortest ride at Disney World is the Barnstormer in Fantasyland only 1 minute and 3 seconds long.

The longest attraction in Disney World is the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular with a run time of approximately 35 minutes.

Our Ranking Factors

Best Rides in Disney World Spaceship Earth

As fun as it may sound to rank the best rides at Disney World, it turned out to be a lot more complicated than we thought. There are so many factors when considering the top attractions that it was overwhelming.

Some of the rides at Walt Disney World are amazing, some are good and others are just downright bad and on the level of a standard amusement park. Although we do encourage you to try each attraction at least once, it’s our goal for you not to waste your time with the bad ones as much as possible.

We didn’t use some scientific method with spreadsheets and charts, we went with our gut after our hundreds of visits to Walt Disney World over the years. In our rankings we considered how fun the ride is, re-rideability, storytelling, ride length, theming, thrills, and originality.

Disney World Rides Slinky Dog Dash Coaster

We broke down the rides and attractions into 4 categories: “You Can Skip These,” “If You Have Time,” “Must-Do Rides,” and “Best of the Best.”

Any rides in the first group we very rarely ride because they just aren’t very good. We do the ones in the second group if we have extra time and we make sure to do all the ones in the last two categories each and every time we visit, some of them multiple times as these are all “must-do.”

We aren’t saying our list is the end-all-be-all, it’s just our opinion of the top Disney World rides and completely subjective. Everyone who reads this will probably have a completely different list, and that’s what makes rankings so fun.

We encourage you to leave your favorite rides in the comments section below, at least your Top 10 so we can see how wrong we are!

Best Rides at Walt Disney World Ranked

Carousel of Progress Disney World

Some lists are stricter about what they count as a ride, while others combine every ride, show, parade, film, trail, and experience. We use a middle ground: all moving rides plus a curated selection of substantial permanent attractions with developed themed experiences, dedicated infrastructure, or interactive and show elements. Think The American Adventure, Country Bear Musical Jamboree, Journey of Water, and The Magic of Disney Animation.

We leave live stage shows with performers, nighttime spectaculars, parades, character meets, and minor exhibits off this ranking. That keeps the definition focused without limiting it only to vehicles that move.

In the end, we have two bonus lists with the best family rides and best thrill rides in Walt Disney World.

Now let’s get into the actual rankings…

“You Can Skip These” Group

61. Alien Swirling Saucers

Alien Swirling Saucers Disney World Ride

We had high hopes for Alien Swirling Saucers to be something unique in the spinner ride category, but those hopes were quickly dashed a few seconds into our first ride.

It’s a clone of Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree in Disney California Adventure just with a Toy Story theme slapped on. They could have made the special effect much cooler and there was a lot of potential wasted here.

60. Wildlife Express Train

Train station to Rafiki's Planet Watch

The Wildlife Express Train takes guests from Harambe to Rafiki’s Planet Watch and gives you a few backstage views of Animal Kingdom along the way. It’s a relaxing ride and an important part of reaching the experiences at Conservation Station, but the train itself is mostly transportation.

Young kids and train fans will enjoy it, and you may even spot animals behind the scenes. Still, the round-trip time commitment keeps it near the bottom of our overall rankings.

59. The Magic Carpets of Aladdin

The Magic Carpets of Aladdin Adventureland Disney World

If you notice a theme, it’s that we aren’t super fond of the spinner rides. We put this one ahead of the previous two just because Adventureland is a cooler backdrop for a ride than the other locations.

If you don’t end up riding it, you aren’t missing much so don’t lose any sleep.

58. The Barnstormer

The Barnstormer Disney World Magic Kingdom

The Barnstormer is the smallest and worst roller coaster in Walt Disney World. It’s made for kids, so we don’t expect it to be groundbreaking, but it’s only one minute long and not worth the wait it takes to ride.

57. Main Street Vehicles

Main Street Vehicles Magic Kingdom Disney World

It’s fun to take a ride down Main Street U.S.A. in these vehicles and they are a trip down memory lane into the turn of the century. They are charming and it’s a nice way to start your morning, but there isn’t much to them so don’t expect big thrills.

56. Prince Charming Regal Carrousel

Prince Charming Regal Carrousel Magic Kingdom

Did you know that the Prince Charming Regal Carousel is the oldest ride in Walt Disney World? It was built all the way back in 1917 Philadelphia Toboggan Company. The horses and the painting are beautifully done, but there isn’t much to offer here for a ride experience and it’s pretty standard.

55. Mad Tea Party

Mad Tea Party Disney World

This is a tea cup spinning ride, similar to what you can find at any local amusement park. There isn’t much theming going on here except the painted cups.

This was a childhood favorite ride of ours that we no longer can go because it causes severe motion sickness. If you don’t have that problem then jump on and have a ball.

54. Journey Into Imagination with Figment

Journey Into Imagination with Figment EPCOT

The original version of Journey Into Imagination was an incredible dark ride with amazing characters, music, and a unique storytelling narrative. This however is not that ride and is a much watered-down version of the original attraction.

We still ride it from time to time, but it’s in dire need of refurbishing, and we hope they do it right the next time. Disney has announced that Dreamfinder will return and Figment will remain as part of a future Imagination project, though the exact scope and timing have not yet been revealed.

“If You Have Time” Group

53. Astro Orbiter

Astro Orbiter Disney World

Another one of the Disney spinner rides and pretty much the same as the rest. You go up, you go down and you spin around and around. Astro Orbiter takes it to a slightly higher notch with thrills since it starts at a high elevation on a platform.

You can get some good views of Tomorrowland and the Magic Kingdom, which are even cooler at night.

52. Tomorrowland Speedway

Tomorrowland Speedway Magic Kingdom

When I was a kid I loved the Tomorrowland Speedway. However, since they haven’t changed the ride vehicles since then, this ride has gotten pretty bad and is in desperate need of updating. It could be a fun ride, but the cars are underivable 90% of the time.

Small children will still probably have a ball though.

51. The Magic of Disney Animation

concept art for The Magic of Disney Animation Hollywood Studios

The Magic of Disney Animation is scheduled to open September 14, 2026 in the reimagined Walt Disney Studios area of Hollywood Studios. It is more of a collection of animation-inspired experiences than one traditional ride, but the scale and dedicated indoor environment make it substantial enough for our ranking.

The attraction is expected to include an enchanted art gallery, character and animation experiences, the Once Upon A Studio Theater, and Drawn to Wonderland, an indoor Alice in Wonderland-inspired play area for young children. It should be a welcome air-conditioned option for families, though we are keeping it in the “If You Have Time” group until we can evaluate the complete finished experience.

50. Mickey’s PhilharMagic

Mickey’s PhilharMagic Disney World

If you like Disney animation you will enjoy this show, especially if you grew up on the films featured. Some of the animations are a bit dated, but it’s still an entertaining attraction for guests of all ages.

49. Dumbo the Flying Elephant

Dumbo the Flying Elephant Best Disney World Spinning Rides

The best of the Disney World spinner rides (which isn’t saying much). This is a class ride that’s been around since the parks’ opening in 1971, though it has gone through some upgrades throughout the years.

The interactive queue is one of the coolest in any park and is a lot of fun for your kids while you are waiting in line. Try riding it at night for a better experience.

48. Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana

Moana Journey of Water EPCOT with Te Fiti figure

Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana is not a traditional ride, but it is one of EPCOT’s most substantial interactive walkthrough attractions. The trail shows the cycle of water through hands-on effects that respond to guests, with both wetter play areas and a dry path for anyone who only wants to explore.

The attraction is beautifully landscaped and works especially well for families with children who need room to move around. It isn’t a headliner, but there is enough creativity and purposeful infrastructure here to earn it a place above the basic spinners and several simpler attractions.

47. Swiss Family Treehouse

Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse Magic Kingdom Attraction

Let’s face it, kids love treehouses, and the idea of living in one is even cooler. Of course, most young people have never actually seen the Swiss Family Robinson film, but it’s still a fun walkthrough nonetheless.

46. Zootopia: Better Zoogether!

Zootopia attraction coming to Animal Kingdom

Zootopia: Better Zoogether! opened in November 2025, replacing It’s Tough to Be a Bug with a Zootopia-themed 4D show inside the Tree of Life.

While we enjoy this show and we think most families will, we generally prefer the former, It’s Tough to be a Bug show. It better kept to the original theming of Animal Kingdom, although it was a little outdated.

The new show is still full of funny moments and a few surprising gags that will have you on the edge of your seat. Kids will love this show, and it’s a way to introduce Disney characters without making it feel forced or out of place.

We love watching the animal carvings on the tree outside, and the theater itself is in a really cool location. Definitely a must-do for all age groups.

45. The Seas with Nemo & Friends

The Seas with Nemo & Friends EPCOT Disney World

The Seas with Nemo & Friends is a slow-moving dark ride in The Seas pavilion. It’s a basic re-telling of the Finding Nemo story and mixes in projection effects inside the aquarium.

Kids will think it’s cool, but there isn’t too much special about this ride and it’s pretty run-of-the-mill. This is one example of how not to insert characters into EPCOT.

44. Turtle Talk with Crush

The Living Seas

This is a screen-based attraction where guests interact with Crush from Disney-Pixar’s Finding Nemo. It’s very similar to Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor and uses the same incredible technology that allows the interaction you see.

It’s really pretty amazing how they make it work and your kids will be speechless but the effect. It’s also a pretty funny show with some adult humor thrown in.

43. Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin

Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin Buzz Animatronic

This is a dark ride/game where you join Buzz Lightyear in taking down the evil Emperor Zurg. It’s still more rudimentary than Toy Story Mania!, but a major 2025–2026 refurbishment gave the attraction updated ride vehicles, improved handheld blasters, interactive targets, refreshed set elements, enhanced gameplay, and a new opening scene featuring Buddy, a support robot developed by Pixar and Walt Disney Imagineering.

The updates make aiming easier and give the attraction some much-needed new energy. It’s always fun to try to beat your previous score and compete against family and friends, although we still prefer Toy Story Mania! as the more complete interactive ride.

42. Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room

Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room Disney World

Another one of the only attractions remaining that Walt Disney actually had a hand in creating. In fact, all the audio-animatronics you love so much on other rides, started here in the Enchanted Tiki Room.

The song is catchy and the ride is a piece of Disney history. It’s a must-do for anyone visiting for the first time and a Disney classic.

41. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh Magic Kingdom

This is a typical Fantasyland dark ride featuring Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Piglet, and all their friends from the Hundred Acre Wood. The basic idea is Winnie the Pooh is having a nightmare and you are there along for the ride.

Some of the effects are neat, but most of them feel a bit cheap and the overall show scenes are not on par with some of the better Disney World dark rides. It’s a fun ride and nice if you are a big Pooh fan but don’t expect anything too grand here.

“Must-Do Rides” Group

This is where the rides at Disney World really start getting good. From here on, we consider all of the following attractions “must-do” on every trip, and some of them you should even do multiple times. Make these your priority and leave out the previous ones if you don’t have time.

40. Mission: SPACE

Mission: SPACE Disney World

Depending on how much you enjoy thrills, this could be up toward the top of your rankings or down at the bottom. For us, Mission: SPACE is somewhere in the middle. The ride experience is for sure one of the most unique in Disney World as you are loaded into a space shuttle and it simulates what it feels like to space travel.

The G-forces and sensations it gives you are unreal, but the story is not done very well and the interactivity is basically non-existent. This could be much better with a few changes.

39. Kali River Rapids

Kali River Rapids Disney World Ride

Kali River Rapids is a fun ride, but it’s very disappointing and doesn’t live up to its high potential. It starts off with one of the coolest and most detailed ride queues in Disney World, and that really makes you think you are in for something special.

Unfortunately, that is not the case. Sure the big drop is a lot of fun, but the whole ride is so short and it doesn’t do a great job in story-telling either. We still recommend doing it, but taper your expectations.

38. Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros 

Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros boat ride

The Gran Fiesta Tour is a simple boat ride through the pyramid in the Mexico pavilion in EPCOT. It takes you on a journey with Panchito Pistoles and José Carioca in search of Donald Duck. There are no thrills here and the special effects are low-tech, but it is a relaxing ride that lets you soak up some of the Mexican culture.

We wouldn’t be surprised if this is eventually replaced by something Coco-themed, but until then we’ll keep enjoying this EPCOT classic in-between laps around World Showcase during the next festival.

37. Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid

Under the Sea Journey of The Little Mermaid Disney World Fantasyland

This is a basic Disney dark ride based on characters from the Disney animated film, The Little Mermaid. It’s essentially a re-telling of the film in a shortened version and the main plot points in the story are shown.

This is one of the newer dark rides at the Magic Kingdom and overall it’s a pretty good ride. There are some cheesy moments and some, where they could have spent a little more to go the extra mile to take it to the next level. We love the queue and with a few tweaks and imagination, this ride would move up our rankings.

36. The Hall of Presidents

The Hall of Presidents Disney World presidents on the stage

If you are a fan of American history, The Hall of Presidents is for you. This attraction has animatronic figures for each president in United States history and is an impressive display seen together.

This one goes way back and continues to be an incredible feat by Walt Disney Imagineering and it doesn’t get nearly the love it deserves. It’s far more interesting than its reputation leads you to believe and definitely worth doing.

35. Walt Disney World Railroad

Walt Disney World Railroad Magic Kingdom

It only feels right that there is a ride in the Magic Kingdom based on Walt Disney’s own personal obsession, trains. The Walt Disney World Railroad is currently operating in shuttle mode between Main Street, U.S.A. and Fantasyland/Storybook Circus while construction affects the Frontierland portion of the route.

Disney says the full grand-circle tour will return when the new lands open, but no date has been announced. Even with the modified route, we still find the East Coast railroad highly entertaining and it gives you a connection with the man who was responsible for bringing theme parks to life.

34. Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor

Magic Kingdom Rides Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor

The idea behind Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor is pure genius. Using a unique screen-based technology, monsters interact with guests in the audience, in a hilarious comedy show that is completely different every time.

If the audience doesn’t participate it can be hit-or-miss, but we find that more times than not the show is “on” and very entertaining.

33. Na’vi River Journey

Na’vi River Journey Pandora The World of Avatar

The Na’vi River Journey is a slow-moving boat ride in Pandora The World of Avatar. We really like this attraction and think it has an incredible environment inside the bioluminescent forest and some of the coolest special effects of any ride. The Shaman of Songs is one of the most impressive animatronic figures anywhere in the world.

Unfortunately, it falls just short for us of what it could have been. It’s too short, there is no story, and there is no real point in the ride that really grabs you and pulls you in. It ranks in the middle of the pack for us and could have been much better.

32. “it’s a small world”

“it’s a small world” boat ride Britain scene

Love it or hate it, you knew “it’s a small world was coming up somewhere on our list. We ranked it this high because however much you don’t like it, you can appreciate its importance in the history of Disney rides and the incredible undertaking that went into creating it. That alone makes it one of the top rides.

We think somewhere secretly inside you actually like it, or at least you’ll be singing the song for the rest of the day after riding it.

31. Country Bear Musical Jamboree

Country Bear Jamboree Disney World

A lot of people find the Country Bear Jamboree old-fashioned and boring, and that’s ok, there are flat-out bad opinions out there and we accept that. We find the show extremely witty, clever, and just a downright fun time.

We’d are big fans of the latest upgrade to the Country Bears turning it into the Country Bear Musical Jamboree. If you are in the mood for a nostalgic Disney attraction, look no further, the Country Bear Jamboree is for you.

30. Frozen Ever After

Frozen Ever After entrance

Frozen Ever After is located in EPCOT’s Norway pavilion and takes over the space formerly belonging to the Maelstrom ride. It’s been done over with a “Frozen” theme and features your favorite characters like Anna, Elsa, Olaf, Sven, and more.

We like the special effects here and think Imagineers did a very good job with the limited space given. New Audio-Animatronics figures for Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff debuted in 2026 with more expressive faces and smoother movement, making the characters more impressive than before. We would have preferred a total overhaul of the ride system as Frozen Ever After uses the existing one, but it’s still a fun ride that fans of the film will love.

29. Star Tours – The Adventures Continue

C-3PO animatronic at Star Tours – The Adventures Continue Disney World

This is the original Star Wars motion simulator and a ride that George Lucas himself actually had a hand in designing. It features randomized missions from all the Star Wars films and puts you right in the middle of the action.

The actual missions and ride experience is arguably better than Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run, though the queue and pre-show aren’t quite to that level leaving us to rank Star Tours slightly below it. It does stand the test of time though and remains one of the most popular rides at Disney World.

28. Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure

Remy's Ratatouille Adventure walk-in refrigerator

EPCOT needed to get some more kid-friendly rides in the park, and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure fills that role well. The attraction now operates as a 2D experience, so guests no longer wear 3D glasses. This is the headliner attraction of the new France pavilion expansion, and guests are led through the beautiful square, past a towering golden Remy fountain on their way to the entrance.

The ride itself is a clone of the version in Walt Disney Studios Park at the Disneyland Paris Resort. The trackless ride system and cute rat cars are the same and only the ride queue is different. We wish Imagineers improved on the Paris version and got around to fixing its flaws, alas, that is not the case.

Don’t get us wrong, this is a fun ride and if you are going with kids or fans of the Ratatouille film, they will love it. To us, it seems like they underperformed slightly here, and we prefer Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway which is a similar experience but done a bit better.

27. Living with the Land

Farm scene in Living with the Land EPCOT

Living with the Land is a slow-moving boat ride in EPCOT and a great example of the park’s “edutainment” mission statement. It explains the balance the human race has with our planet and how we are coming up with new and more efficient ways of cultivating plant life.

It isn’t the most exciting ride and there are no big drops or fast turns, but we don’t care. It features a real working greenhouse that supplies some of EPCOT’s yearly festivals and shows off cutting-edge horticulture techniques. If that sounds boring then so be it. We find Living with the Land a fascinating look into science and entertainment put together.

26. Jungle Cruise

Boat riding down the river in Jungle Cruise

The Jungle Cruise is a classic Disney attraction that goes all the way back to the opening of Disneyland in 1955. It takes you on a trip through some of the world’s most famous jungles where you see dozens of animatronic animals like elephants, crocodiles, lions, gorillas, and more.

While the animals are cool, the real show here is the skippers driving the boats. Sure the one-liners and jokes are corny, but you know you can’t help but laugh anyway. If you get a good captain, this is one of the best experiences at Disney World.

The Jungle Cruise has stood the test of time and the variations in the ride each time make it extremely entertaining and a can’t-miss.

25. Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway

Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway Disney World

Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway remains one of the most entertaining family attractions at Walt Disney World. It’s an interesting ride because it uses some breaking-edge technology to make everything happen.

First, it has trackless vehicles which make the ride very unpredictable not being able to know where you are going next. It also utilizes a new projection mapping technology that fills what are essentially empty rooms, bringing them to life and being able to change scenes at the drop of a hat.

While the new technology is really cool, we like to see more physical show scenes in rides that could use projection mapping to supplement what’s already there. That said, it’s still a great ride and one of the overall most “fun” ones at Disney World.

Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress Disney World Rides

The Carousel of Progress is often used for a 20-minute nap and continues to be one of the most underappreciated attractions in Walt Disney World. This classic ride is taken from the 1964 New York World’s Fair and is one of the only rides left that Walt Disney himself had a part in designing.

The attraction is filled with memorable scenes following an American audio-animatronic family from the early 1900s up until our modern day. The jokes are corny, and the last scene needs an upgrade, but it still holds one of the highest nostalgia factors of any ride and is a must-do for all guests.

“Best of the Best” Group

23. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Disney World

I had a hard time separating the next three rides. They are all roller coasters and to me, it’s really splitting hairs so I went with my own personal favorites. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is a great attraction, in fact, it’s the first ride in our “Best-of-the-Best” category.

The interactive queue is great, the storytelling elements are wonderful, and it has some of the most impressive in-ride show scenes of any ride. The reason we put it just behind the next two coasters is that it’s a little too tame for us and it’s really short. It’s a fun ride, but thrill-seekers won’t get much from it.

22. Slinky Dog Dash

Riding past T-Rex on Slinky Dog Dash coaster

Slinky Dog Dash is undoubtedly one of the most popular rides at Walt Disney World, and long lines start the minute Hollywood Studios opens up. While not the most thrilling ride, the thrills sneak up on your and it’s more intense than you think before riding.

The roller coaster trains are very large, comfortable, and the whole ride is incredibly smooth. We especially love riding Slinky Dog Dash at night, a very underrated experience and much better than during the day.

We wish it included more detailed show scenes and that it was a bit longer, but overall it’s one of our favorites.

21. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure

entrance sign Tiana's Bayou Adventure Magic Kingdom

With Splash Mountain officially closing back in 2023, it was replaced by the newest attraction in Walt Disney World – Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. While we think Princess and the Frog’s characters are great replacements for Splash Mountain, we don’t quite love it as much as the former, unfortunately.

While we are glad to see the new elements, some new technology, and fantastic audio-animatronics, the ride as a whole had massive shoes to fill. In our eyes, Splash Mountain was a must-do every time we visited Walt Disney World.

We think Tiana’s is a fun and enjoyable ride with some catchy music, but they missed the boat in making it as good as it COULD have been. But it’s still a good attraction that is worthy of a high ranking.

20. Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets

Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets audio animatronic Scooter

Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets opened on May 26, 2026, replacing the former Aerosmith theme. The Muppets have reinvigorated the queue and pre-show and given the experience a much-needed dose of their chaotic humor.

The physical coaster remains familiar. It starts with an incredible launch that accelerates from 0 to 57 mph in only a few seconds before sending you through tight turns and three inversions in the dark. The Muppets make the overall experience fresher and more entertaining, even though much of the on-ride scenery is still made up of colorful signs and lighting effects.

Our biggest complaint remains the short ride time. At only about 1 minute and 20 seconds, it is over much too quickly, and it’s often not worth an extremely long wait. Still, thrill-seekers should absolutely try it, and the updated Muppets presentation makes the complete experience better than it was before.

19. Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run

Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run Cargo hold area of the queue

We struggled with where to put Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run and we settled here in the 20-ish range. The reason we don’t put it up higher is that it’s actually the queue that is the star and it outshines the actual ride experience.

This is all about the build-up to getting on board the iconic Star Wars ship and then when you finally step inside, it’s like a dream come true. The details here are unbelievable, and it really feels like you are walking the halls of the falcon.

The 2026 Mandalorian update gives the ride multiple destinations and a new mission involving The Mandalorian and Grogu. The engineer now chooses the destination and interacts with Grogu, which gives that formerly passive role more to do. The flying system can still feel clumsy and the pilot roles remain the most exciting, but the added variety significantly improves its re-rideability.

18. Peter Pan’s Flight

Over London on Peter Pan's Flight

This is the quintessential Fantasyland ride and one of the most popular in the Magic Kingdom. When you think about classic Disney dark rides, Peter Pan’s Flight has to be at the top of the list. It’s just plain iconic.

The beauty of this attraction is in its ride system, an overhead track making it appear as if you are flying over the streets of London and then Neverland. All the Peter Pan characters are in here for fans of the film. Yes, it needs some updating to make it even more incredible, but for an attraction based on a ride system from 1955, it still is a must-do ride at Disney World today.

17. The American Adventure

The American Adventure Disney World

I can hear it already…”Great Ziggy, another boring attraction for us.” While many would disagree and our own family members enjoy The American Adventure as a great nap time opportunity, we find it to be one of the most gripping and interesting shows in any Disney theme park.

In a nutshell, it’s a brief look into the most important moments in American history, done with a mix of video and elaborate audio-animatronic sets which are extremely impressive.

The American Adventure has stood the test of time and remains one of Walt Disney Imagineering’s greatest feats and one of its top attractions.

16. Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover

Tomorrowland Transit Authority Peoplemover robot scene

Don’t judge us, but we can’t get enough of the PeopleMover. From the outside, it may seem like a “boring ride.” It isn’t fast, there are no sharp curves or loops, but that doesn’t really matter, it’s beautiful in its own way and needs to be appreciated for what it is.

The PeopleMover was designed as a first ride and tour of Tomorrowland, giving guests a glimpse of what’s to come. We love riding it as a way to sit back, relax and do some of the best people-watching and views at the Magic Kingdom.

It’s especially awesome at night, as the last ride before going home since there are no crowds and you can just walk right on. The opportunity to see the Progress City model and go inside Space Mountain are gravy!

15. Test Track

High-speed loo on Test Track Disney World

Test Track is a thrill ride that reaches approximately 65 mph, making it the fastest ride at Walt Disney World. Test Track 3.0 reopened on July 22, 2025 with a renewed focus on mobility, innovation, and the past, present, and future of transportation.

The former design-your-own-vehicle experience is gone. In its place are new environments and show scenes focused on vehicle technology, automated systems, and the ways transportation connects people and communities. There are also plenty of references to World of Motion, the attraction that originally occupied this space.

We are big fans of this newest iteration. It feels more in line with EPCOT’s original mission while preserving the high-speed outdoor loop that everyone loves. If we were talking about the original version of Test Track, it would rank even higher, though this one is still one of Disney World’s best rides without a doubt.

14. Toy Story Mania!

Mr. Potato Head Animatronic Toy Story Mania!

Toy Story Mania is basically a hybrid ride and 4D video game, all put together in one shiny package with Toy Story characters. We have to admit, this is our guilty pleasure of Disney World rides, and we go multiple times during every visit hoping to beat our high score.

The nice thing about it is that it has an easy learning curve, and even guests with no video game experience will still have a ball. It also gets the competitive juices flowing in the family (The loser pays for Mickey Ice Cream bars in our family!)

Some think that it’s overrated, but we can think of few rides that have such re-rideability as Toy Story Mania! Even though you will no doubt have an arm cramp after riding, it’s well worth the pain and you’ll find yourself going on again and again.

13. The Haunted Mansion

Haunted Mansion entrance Magic Kingdom

The Haunted Mansion is no doubt one of the most popular rides in Disney World and has a faithful following. This slow-moving dark ride is one of the crowning achievements of Walt Disney Imagineering and uses tricks that still amaze guests today.

The Stretching Room is one of the coolest effects in any Disney ride, and this is only one of the dozens of effects you’ll see. It uses a good mix of scary effects, yet at the same time, it uses silly gags to keep it light and fun.

There are an endless amount of theories and books written about the ride, attesting to its iconic status. There is no doubt this is one of the most complex and intricate rides ever created.

12. Space Mountain

Outside the entrance to Space Mountain

Space Mountain was the first real thrill ride at Walt Disney World and remains an icon of the resort down to today. Through the eyes of a child, this is the absolute coolest ride. The whole roller coaster is in the dark and you can barely tell when the next turn or drop is coming.

The space theme in the queue and after-show area is awesome, the special effects are great, and the nostalgia factor is undeniable.

Sure it’s rickety, uncomfortable, and makes your head feel like a milkshake when you get off, but we still can’t help but love Space Mountain. We prefer the Disneyland version, but Space Mountain is still a classic.

11. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Disney World Rides

We had a hard time deciding between Big Thunder Mountain and Space Mountain since they are both such classic attractions. After its extensive 2025–2026 refurbishment, we are giving Big Thunder the slight edge.

Is there anything not to like about a runaway mine train in the Old Wild West that takes you through caverns and an abandoned mining camp? It’s not a scary coaster and is pretty tame compared to some, but it’s all about the theming here, the stunning visuals, and the overall experience.

The attraction recently returned from its biggest refurbishment in years, with major work on the ride system, trains, track, and other essential components. For the best experience, ride it at night during the fireworks show. You’ll never forget it because it’s “the wildest ride in the wilderness!”

10. TRON Lightcycle Run

TRON Lightycycle Run coaster Magic Kingdom

TRON Lightcycle Run remains one of Disney World’s newest roller coasters, and it’s not surprising that it made our top 10. Think of it as a more updated Space Mountain. It’s definitely the most thrilling ride in the Magic Kingdom, and probably number 2 behind Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster in sheer thrill factor.

With a top speed of 59 mph, it is the second-fastest roller coaster at Walt Disney World behind Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, and it’s a blast to ride. The ride vehicle is totally new and instead of sitting like a regular coaster, you are riding something similar to a motorbike which gives you an incredible feeling of freedom, almost like you are flying.

What really seals the deal for us though is the incredible atmosphere in and around the attraction. Guests are launched onto The Grid which starts in the Upload Conduit (the huge canopy) outside. It lights up all colors and uses a myriad of special effects as guests whizz by.

Our only knock on TRON is that it’s really short (under 2 minutes long), otherwise we might bump it up even a couple more spots on our list.

9. Spaceship Earth

Spaceship Earth Disney World

Spaceship Earth the ride is located in the iconic geosphere dome of the same name. It’s a classic, slow-moving dark ride that takes you on a trip through time to see the evolution and history of communication and the human race.

It has dozens of audio-animatronics and some of our all-time favorite show scenes in any Disney ride. Just the fact they could put all this into a wonder of engineering is amazing in itself.

Even though it is a bit outdated and could use some upgrades, this is one of the only remaining opening day attractions at EPCOT, and it still holds true to the park’s original mission statement. Disney has announced a future reimagining focused on human connection, but it has not announced a closure date, reopening date, or complete scene details. For now, Spaceship Earth remains open and a must-do on every EPCOT visit.

8. Soarin’ Across America

Soarin Around the World sign EPCOT

Soarin’ Across America is no doubt one of EPCOT’s best attractions and right near the top in all of Walt Disney World. The updated flight motion simulator debuted in May 2026 and takes guests on a hang-gliding tour across the United States rather than the former trip around the world.

The stunning visuals and epic soundtrack are paired with one of Walt Disney Imagineering’s best ride systems. Unique scents, wind, and other effects from each location further immerse you in the experience and make it feel like you are really flying.

The best part is the flight simulation doesn’t make you sick and just about anyone can ride without any problems. It has great re-rideability and even if you do it hundreds of times, it never gets old.

7. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind on ride going through jump points

Even though this is one of the newest attractions in Walt Disney World, the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind Roller Coaster is rising up our list and already made it into the top 10 which is quite a feat! It’s also our second-favorite roller coaster only behind the next ride on our list.

What makes it so good? Think of this as a mix of Space Mountain and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, taken to the next level.

Cosmic Rewind is a flat-out blast to ride, and we like practically everything about it. The ride system is ultra-smooth and we love the way that the cars rotate with the turns. Going around the corners makes it feel like you are gliding through space. In fact, it’s probably the smoothest coaster we’ve ever been on.

We also LOVE the soundtrack for the ride. There are 6 different songs on the Awesome Mix Tape, so each time you ride it’s like getting a totally different experience. All of them will have you bopping your head and singing along throughout the entire ride.

Cosmic Rewind delivers all the fun you would expect from the Guardians of the Galaxy theme, and from start to finish, there isn’t a moment you won’t have a smile plastered all over your face!

6. Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain

roller coaster going up the hill on Expedition Everest

Expedition Everest is definitely at the top of the list of best roller coasters at Walt Disney World and one of the best in Florida. It may not be the tallest or the fastest, but its mix of gripping storytelling, anticipation, thrills, and suburb execution put it right near the top of the list.

Like any epic Disney ride, the experience starts in the queue, well before you board your train. You are on a hiking expedition in the Himalayas and the “base camp” shows off the Nepalese culture from the architecture, artifacts, and the legend of the mythical Yeti.

The ride itself is a steel coaster and is like an upgraded version of the Big Thunder Mountain coaster. It’s incredibly smooth and though there are no loops or inversions, Everest has plenty of thrills with a backward drop going into a 250° turn at high speeds, and another 80ft forward drop.

Disney has confirmed that the long-broken Yeti animatronic will finally receive attention, though an exact closure and repair timeline has not yet been announced. Even the current limited Yeti effect doesn’t stop Expedition Everest from being one of the best coaster experiences you will ever have.

5. Kilimanjaro Safaris

Kilimanjaro Safaris at Walt Disney World

If you’ve ever wanted to go on a real African Safari, this is your chance! Kilimanjaro Safaris is as close to that experience as you will get and is a Disney World must-do ride.

To see animals is the reason you go to the Animal Kingdom after all, and there are dozens of species here to see. Lions, giraffes, zebras, hippos, rhinoceroses, elephants, and crocodiles are just some of the animals you’ll run into. Some animals like the giraffes will come right up to your vehicle for a close-up.

The expert guides on the tour are also great at explaining all sorts of interesting facts about the animals and keep your attention the whole time. Kilimanjaro Safaris is like a living version of the Jungle Cruise and fulfills Walt Disney’s dream of having an attraction where guests can see live animals up close.

This whole ride is done brilliantly and is one we can do over and over again without ever getting tired of it.

4. Pirates of the Caribbean

3 prisoners asking for key on Pirates of the Caribbean

Pirates of the Caribbean is the quintessential Disney dark ride and a masterful job of storytelling. Even though this ride is decades old, it continues to captivate generations of guests over and over again.

There are dozens of audio-animatronic figures throughout the ride as it tells a swashbuckling story of pirates invading a port town somewhere in the Caribbean. It mixes adventure, fright, and comedic relief perfectly. It’s so popular that it spawned a wildly successful film franchise.

Pirates is able to set the mood so well and the iconic music will be stuck in your head as you leave. Even though the Magic Kingdom version is the worst version of the ride worldwide, it still lands near the top of our list of best Disney World rides.

3. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror Disney World Rides

For pure thrill rides, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror might be the best in Disney World. Disney Imagineering did everything right when designing this ride. The fact that from way down on the street you can see other guests plummeting 13 stories before you even get in the queue, sets the stage.

The extreme detail in every room of the queue is unmatched and helps create the eery and spooky mood. All of this makes the spectacular build-up almost unbearable. The “fourth dimension” sequence where your ride vehicle moves back and forth before the drop is great. The randomized drop sequence is also top-notch and you never know you you are going up or down.

The Tower of Terror is a Disney classic and a masterpiece in storytelling. As long as you aren’t terrified of heights, you can’t miss the Tower of Terror!

2. Avatar Flight of Passage

Avatar Flight of Passage Pandora the World of Avatar Disney World Rides

Deciding between the #1 and #2 rides was extremely difficult, but ultimately we decided to put Avatar Flight of Passage in second place. Up until only a couple of years ago, this was our top attraction at Disney World and many people do have it #1.

Flight of Passage is a 3D flight simulator ride and has everything you want. That description doesn’t do it justice. It’s like “Soarin’ on steroids”, and is truly a life-changing experience. It starts out with an amazing backstory and a great build-up to the attraction, taking you through perhaps the best ride queue in any park.

Did I mention you get to ride a dragon?? Well, really it’s a banshee, but it’s basically Pandora’s version of a dragon. The details here are unbelievable and you can actually feel it breathing beneath you. The visuals are spectacular, the music is amazing, and you actually feel like you are flying!

The whole thing leaves you speechless and makes Flight of Passage right at the top of anyone’s list. If you want to make the case this is the real best ride at Disney World, you won’t get an argument from me.

1. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance Disney World

That means the overall best ride at Walt Disney World is…Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. Was there any doubt this is where we were going with the number one position? Some other lists don’t have it as the best attraction just because it’s relatively new. We don’t find that to be a good excuse to deny Rise of the Resistance its rightful place at number 1.

Rise of the Resistance is more than just a ride, it’s an entire experience. What makes it so special is its ability to wow you. It’s an 18-minute adventure that is almost more like being in a film than on a theme park attraction.

It’s the most advanced and ambitious ride ever built with gigantic show scenes that are flat-out mind-blowing. I’ve never had a reaction like that to a ride before and it’s something that must be experienced first-hand.

The only negative is that the ride at times has technical problems due to its extremely ambitious design. It has so many moving parts that at times not all of them are working perfectly. Even so, it remains the most popular ride at Walt Disney World and our personal favorite.

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is not only the best ride in Hollywood Studios, but it’s also the best ride in Walt Disney World and absolutely can’t be missed. Read our How to Ride Rise of the Resistance Guide for more touring advice. Rise currently uses a traditional standby queue and is also available through Lightning Lane Single Pass; a virtual queue or boarding group is no longer required. You DON’T want to miss riding this!

Best Family Rides

Best Family Rides at Disney World

Walt Disney World has some of the best family-friendly rides you will find anywhere with dozens that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. After all, you don’t always want a thrill ride, some people like a nice and relaxing ride instead.

Here are the best family rides at Disney World in order:

  1. Kilimanjaro Safaris
  2. Soarin’ Across America
  3. Rise of the Resistance
  4. Toy Story Mania!
  5. Pirates of the Caribbean
  6. Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway
  7. Peter Pan’s Flight
  8. Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
  9. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
  10. “it’s a small world”
  11. Zootopia: Better Zoogether!
  12. Frozen Ever After

Best Thrill Rides

Best Rides at Disney World

While there are other parks in Orlando more dedicated to high-flying, high-speed attractions, Disney World still has a decent amount of thrill rides if you’ve got the need for speed. These include roller coasters, flight simulators, and rides with high drops.

Here are the best thrill rides at Disney World in order:

  1. Avatar Flight of Passage
  2. Tower of Terror
  3. Expedition Everest
  4. TRON Lightcycle Run
  5. Test Track
  6. Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets
  7. Mission: SPACE
  8. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
  9. Space Mountain
  10. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure

Read the full list of Height Requirements at Disney World so you know which ones of these attractions your kids can go on.

New Attractions Coming to Disney World

Cars Land concept art Magic Kingdom

Just as Walt Disney himself said, the Disney theme parks are never completed, but they are living things and continue to grow and change as time goes by. Walt Disney World has recently refreshed several major attractions, and even bigger projects are on the way.

Recently Opened and Refreshed Attractions

Recent updates include Test Track 3.0, Soarin’ Across America, new Audio-Animatronics figures for Frozen Ever After, Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets, the Mandalorian and Grogu mission on Smugglers Run, the major Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin overhaul, the reopened Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and Zootopia: Better Zoogether! Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana is also one of EPCOT’s newest substantial walkthrough attractions.

The Magic of Disney Animation is scheduled to open September 14, 2026 in Hollywood Studios. Its planned components include animation and character experiences, an enchanted gallery, the Once Upon A Studio Theater, and the Drawn to Wonderland play area. Its opening and complete operating lineup still need to be verified after September 14.

Attractions Expected in 2027

Encanto ride concept art for Tropical Americas land Animal Kingdom

At Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress is expected to reopen in late spring 2027 after a major transformation with a Walt Disney Audio-Animatronics opening scene and updated family scenes.

At Animal Kingdom, Pueblo Esperanza is expected in 2027, replacing DinoLand U.S.A. The land includes Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent in the former DINOSAUR building, Antonio’s Fiesta de Encanto, and El Carrusel de los Animalitos. Disney has not announced exact opening dates or confirmed whether every component will open together.

At Hollywood Studios, Disney says parts of Monstropolis will open in 2027. The land includes Welcome to Monstropolis at The Glob Theater, restaurants, shops, and the Monsters Inc. Doors Coaster. The coaster is the headliner, but Disney has not confirmed that it will be ready with the first phase.

Longer-Term Projects

Maleficent Coaster ride concept art Villains Land Magic Kingdom

In Magic Kingdom, Piston Peak National Park is replacing the former Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island area. It will include Cars Ridge Run Rally and Miss Fritter’s Daredevil Spin-Along, but Disney has not announced an opening date.

The Villains Land expansion will include a Maleficent roller coaster and a Magic Mirror Realm dark ride, along with dining and shopping. No official opening date has been announced.

EPCOT also has two major future projects. Spaceship Earth will eventually receive a reimagining centered on human connection, and Dreamfinder will return alongside Figment as part of a future Imagination project. Disney has not announced the closure or opening dates or complete scope for either project.

These are exciting times for the future of the parks, although some of these projects are still years away. For a more detailed look at more Disney attractions in the next few years, read our post on the Best New Rides Coming to Disney World.

How to Avoid Long Lines for Rides at Disney World?

If there is one thing we hate is waiting for hours in queue for an attraction, even if it is a great ride. With so many awesome rides to do at Disney World, saving time by avoiding long lines is crucial.

Top Disney World Rides Splash Mountain

Here are our best tips to avoid long lines:

Go Early in the Morning – We always suggest doing this for every theme park at Disney World. By showing up at least 30 minutes before the parks open, it will give you an advantage over most guests and you will be able to do all the best rides right away in the morning before the masses arrive.

Go When the Crowds are Low – Try planning your trip during a time of the year when crowds are lower. This means avoiding big holidays and going more on weekdays than weekends. To help you out, use our Disney World Crowd Calendar to find when there are fewer people in the parks.

Use Lightning Lane Passes – Walt Disney World currently offers Lightning Lane Multi Pass, Lightning Lane Single Pass, and Lightning Lane Premier Pass. Lightning Lane Multi Pass lets guests make up to three initial advance selections at one park. Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, and Hollywood Studios use attraction tiers for those initial selections, while Animal Kingdom currently does not.

Eligible Disney Resort and select hotel guests can generally purchase and make selections beginning 7 days before check-in for the length of their stay, up to 14 days. Other eligible date-based ticket holders generally begin 3 days before their first park day or ticket period. Availability is never guaranteed.

Lightning Lane Single Pass is a separate per-person purchase for selected headliners that are not included with Multi Pass. Premier Pass provides one-time access to participating Lightning Lane attractions in one selected park without choosing individual arrival windows, but it is significantly more expensive. Prices and availability for all three products vary by park and date. FastPass+, Disney Genie+, and the former Individual Lightning Lane name have been discontinued.

Make sure to look at the Disney World Attractions Refurbishment Calendar while planning your trip to see if any of your favorite attractions are scheduled to be closed while you are there.

FAQs

How Many Rides are in all of Disney World?

For the purposes of this guide, we count 48 moving rides across Walt Disney World’s four theme parks. Our broader ranking contains 61 selected rides and substantial permanent attractions, while the resort has more than 100 attractions and experiences under broader definitions.

How Many Rides can you Ride in a Day at Disney World?

Attempting all 48 rides in one day requires favorable park hours, low downtime, Park Hopper access, efficient transportation, and an extremely aggressive plan. Refurbishments and operating schedules can make the challenge impossible on a given date.

What is the Best Ride at Walt Disney World?

It’s hard to narrow down the list to just one ride, and it depends a lot on personal preference. There are rides for everyone though including thrill rides, roller coasters, dark rides, boat rides, and educational rides.

Best Disney World attractions

That finishes our rankings of the best rides and attractions at Walt Disney World. We hope you share your favorites with us down below in the comments section.

If you are thinking about going to Walt Disney World in the coming future, make sure to read our Disney World Planning Guide. There you will find all the info and tips you need to plan your trip.

Your Thoughts

I want to know what you think about our rankings of the best rides at Walt Disney World…

  • What are your favorite rides?
  • What is your Top 10?

Let us know in the comments section below!

If you enjoyed this article, as always I appreciate it if you’d share it with others via social media.  I work hard at making this website into a useful resource for you and your family to plan your visit to the Disney Parks and I hope it can help you! Thanks 🙂

Chris Allen

Saturday 27th of December 2025

Ziggy, a lot to unfold here, I've been there about 40 times starting back in the mid-90s, and was just there Thanksgiving week. I'll give your list it's due, I think it's definitely realistic, but I don't agree with some of the things that you say should be avoided though, because they're obviously geared for kids. like the barnstormer, the the carousel like you said. But they're just Disney staples that are never going to change - nor should.

While I agree with your position, there are definitely 4 strong comments on them.

First, that absurd ride that replaced splash mountain - strictly for the fact of the whole DEI, "woke" movement Disney went through, so be it. But the actual structure of the ride itself was filthy. there was delaminating rubber gasketing and things along the riverbeds, cracks in places, leaks dribbling out all over the place. I mean they JUST rebuilt the thing!!! I can't believe how poorly it's held up over only a year. It was terrible. I'll NEVER go on it again they've ruined splash mountain for me.

Secondly, inside the "golf ball" as we call it, the ride has two extreme weaknesses. They actually Closed it and were doing a gut-rehab on it as you know, but it got stopped in the middle of covid for budgetary reasons. A. The facial recognition in the beginning when it takes your picture going up the incline is the most laughable, hideous, outdated technology in the history of DW. WHY they haven't fixed that 15, 20 years ago, I have no idea. half your head and face are completely chopped out. B. In the last section where it goes into the Computer World they should just simply put some props there that modernize it, it's still 1970s look of computers, I mean it's ridiculous LLOOLL.

The third comment is rise of the resistance, while it is great, I've been on it about a dozen times and the experience definitely varies depending on the actors. They make or break it. As just one example, when they break you out of the jail cell, I've had people with a nonchalant, ho-hum attitude and it just doesn't read well, the acting definitely makes or breaks that one.

Lastly, as far as test track - I wouldn't know how the new version is cuz I can never get on it. EVERY single time I'm there, it's down for several several hours. I don't know why they can't get their act together on this one attraction, but they just never seem to be able to.

PS: the Hall of Presidents it's not a moving ride, it's in my top 10 attractions of All Time, and I've always loved it, but I thought it wouldn't be on this list as it's not an actual "ride", it's clearly a show. Could say same for the Bears, but at least that's interactive. So you confused us a little on these.

Keep up the good work as always.

Lindsay

Thursday 26th of December 2024

My #1 & #2 were the same when I was in 9th grade (2000) and in 2021 when I was 37 and had 2 girls of my own. I wondered if they were as cool as I remembered, and they were! I think I enjoyed Tower of Terror even more. I did not get to ride Rise of the Resistance which was my greatest regret, but I will make sure I do in about a month! I also have not ridden Soarin, The 7 Dwarves, or any of the newest attractions, but I am so excited for Guardians, Moana, Tron, Ratatouille, and Tiana’s Bayou!

I did ride Avatar Flight of Passage and , Millennium Falcon, but my Kindergartener got scared, so I was more worried about her. Excited to ride those again now that she is a few years older!

I somehow missed that Na’Vi River Journey existed, and Frozen kept breaking down.

I appreciate this article. It has helped me make my “must ride” list. My current rankings are:

1. Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster 2. Tower of Terror 3. Little Mermaid 4. Slinky Dog 5. The Safari 6. Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway 7. Flight of Passage 8. Millenium Falcon 9. Pirate’s 10. Buzz (because my family loves it). Excited to try Toy Story Mania!

I also really enjoyed watching the Beauty and the Beast show, eating at Cinderella’s castle, and just seeing Magic and Animal Kingdom. I know these are not rides, but were highlights to my trip!

marion

Wednesday 14th of August 2024

Gotta say, love Guardians ride. Absolutely a great description of the feeling it creates. Tron is great. But you have to love the old timers for rides too. Thanks Ziggy. Good artilcle and informative.

Keaton

Thursday 21st of December 2023

My favorite ride personally is Toy Story Midway Mania, It's just so fun to play!

George Mells

Saturday 25th of November 2023

This is my third comment on what turned out to be a rerun article. My previous comments still apply. I have not seen the Alien Swirling Saucers ride but I was actually impressed with the coordination of the Mater version at Disneyland. I have to assume that by now that a version of Trump has been added to the Hall of Presidents and wonder home they are keeping it from trying to take over the show. I still regret that my trip to Galaxy's Edge n 2019 was about four months too early to experience "The Rise of the Resistance". But considering all I have read about the Genie+, reservations and Lightning systems I doubt I would enjoy another visit even if the wife would permit it.