The Very Best Dark Rides at Disney World

Across the Walt Disney World Parks there are quite a few dark rides and I thought I would share my favorite Dark Rides at Disney World. Good dark rides will tell a good story, have a great theme with hopefully some good music and animation/effects too.

When on vacation at Disney World dark rides can be a great way of getting out of the Florida sun especially if it has a covered and interesting queue line too.

What is a Disney Dark Ride?

A dark ride is a theme park ride that uses ride vehicles to take passengers through an indoor structure (usually a building at most theme parks) where they will travel through different scenes with music, animation and other special effects.

A good dark ride will take passengers into the ride’s story using sights, sounds, movement and effects to create a fully entertaining and immersive experience.

More on Disney World Rides:

• All the Countries in It’s a Small World
• The Little Mermaid Ride at Disney World
• Water Rides at Disney World
• Minnie and Mickey’s Runaway Railway

The Very Best Dark Rides at Disney World

So, in no particular order here are my favorite dark rides at Walt Disney World.

1. Pirates of the Caribbean

Location: Magic Kingdom – Adventureland

Pirates of the Caribbean is normally one of the first dark rides we will ride on our first visit to the Magic Kingdom when we are on holiday. If we are in the park for rope drop we will head straight to Big Thunder Mountain first, then Splash Mountain and then ride Pirates of the Caribbean (you can walk straight onto all of these rides first thing in the day).

This ride tells a really great story and right from the start of the ride you feel like you are entering a world of pirates from long ago. There is great music, I love the humour and the animation and effects are great too.

It may have had quite a few updates over the years but what with it opening in 1973 and with the Disneyland park version being the last ride that Walt Disney worked on it really has the old school Disney parks feel to it and I love that.

2. Peter Pans Flight

Location: Magic Kingdom – Fantasyland

One of the Magic Kingdom opening day rides from 1971 (also an opening day ride at Disneyland park too) this ride is rail suspended to give you a feel of flight once you have been sprinkled with pixie dust of course. Again, this dark ride really has that old school Disney parks feel to it which I enjoy. The special effects aren’t the most advanced but with that the ride has a lovely charm to it that more modern dark rides sometimes can’t achieve.

Travel through the Darlings house, over London and off to Neverland again with the Peter Pan story being told very well in a short space of time. One thing I would say is make sure you book a lightning lane for this ride because it is consistently very popular, and it seems to always have long standby line.

3. The Haunted Mansion

Location: Magic Kingdom – Liberty Square

Now I must admit the Haunted Mansion is my favorite ride in Magic Kingdom. I absolutely love the Haunted Mansion, I can remember seeing this ride on TV specials as a kid and thinking that ride looks awesome and, in my opinion, it is absolutely awesome. The line is so much fun, you have the fantastic stone busts, the interactive spots on the tombs and the gravestones too and that’s before you even get inside.

Once through the double doors you will be guided into the famous Haunted Mansion stretching room with no windows and no doors before you get to the actual ride line and get seated in your ride vehicle. The ride itself is fantastic taking you through the mansion to the graveyard and back into the mansion.

The various scenes during the Haunted Mansion are spooky but in a very fun way, the music is great and there are some really cool features like the hitchhiking ghosts at the end of the ride. Full of great characters such as Madame Leota, the singing busts and the bride this really is a fantastic dark ride.

Wait times can vary but if you do get the chance to do go through the standby line and get the full Haunted Mansion experience definitely do so.

4. Dinosaur

Location: Animal Kingdom – Dinoland USA

I would say this Animal Kingdom attraction is the one of scariest dark rides at Walt Disney World. It is very dark at times, has lots of big scary dinosaurs and throws you about a bit so if you have little kids that are a little sensitive you might want to give this one a miss.

You have to go back in time in a time rover vehicle to rescue an Iguanodon before the meteor strike that wipes out all of the dinosaurs hits earth. My family always enjoy Dinosaur it is a fun thrill ride that makes you hold the ride vehicle’s grab rail whilst throwing you around in the time rover during the bumpy ride.

The darkness helps create a good atmosphere and works well with the various dinosaur animatronics. The Carnotaurus photo spot at the end of the ride is great at getting some fantastic photos of startled riders in your party too. 

5. It’s a Small World

Location: Magic Kingdom – Fantasyland

This is another of the classic Disney dark rides and another opening day attraction. Originally designed for the 1964 World’s Fair in New York it would then open at Disneyland a few years later and then at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World .

This is one of my daughters favorite dark rides and I can still remember taking her on it for the first time which is a great memory to have.

Yes, the music can become a bit of an ear worm but the innocent concept to the ride along with classic Mary Blair design makes this calm and slow boat ride one of the must do ride at Disney World dark rides. It has a reasonably fast-moving standby line too,so you should be able to get on this ride fairly easily.

6. Spaceship Earth

Location: Epcot – Tomorrowland

Spaceship Earth is the focal point of Epcot being a famous landmark and a great ride all rolled into one. Using an omni mover system you get to travel through time from early man to the modern-day exploring man’s technological advances through the centuries narrated by Dame Judy Dench no less.

I really enjoy this ride it’s calm, relaxed and a little educational too and the touch screen questions at the beginning of the ride that give you a glimpse of the future at the end of the ride are fun too.

My wife also enjoys this ride and openly admits that Spaceship Earth for her is a lovely 15-minute nap which it can be if you feel like a little break during a trip to Epcot.

7. Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid

Location: Magic Kingdom – Fantasyland

Journey of the Little Mermaid in Magic Kingdom is one of the more modern dark rides at Walt Disney World that does a really good job of using modern animatronics and effects. the ride takes you through various scenes of the Little Mermaid movie with another omni mover system.

The ride tells the story of the movie really well and this is ride is usually quite easy to get on without too much of a wait.

I enjoy this dark ride as it is another one that my daughter really enjoys and on a past trip to Walt Disney World my wife and son went off to partake in some Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom whilst I got to spend some time with daughter in Fantasy Land.

The fireworks were going off, so the crowds were low, and we managed to get onto Seven Dwarves Mine Train, Winnie the Pooh, then Journey of the Little Mermaid and finally went to Ariel’s Grotto to meet the Ariel in person. This was all in a short space of time and we had a great time riding soem dark rides and meeting Disney characters.

Overall the ride itself thoroughly very enjoyable using the movies songs very well and the sequence of the ride’s scenes work so well. Definitely one of the must do dark rides for any Ariel fans like my daughter.

8. Space Mountain

Location: Magic Kingdom – Tommorowland

Space Mountain is a dark ride roller coaster. It is in the dark, it is fast, a bit of a bumpy ride and lots of twist and turns as well as drops. You really don’t know where you are going which can be fun but can also be scary.

At times you feel like the ride vehicle has come of the tracks briefly which again is a thrill but might scare any less experienced roller coaster riders and the fact it is a literal dark ride really does create a sense of anticipation. Space Mountain is probably the scariest ride in Magic Kingdom as well as one of the most popular rides and that is why it makes my list.

For children that are tall enough to get on this dark ride do be aware that they will be sat on their own in the ride vehicle. Space Mountain ride vehicles consists of three seats in a row so you won’t be able to sit next to your little ones to offer any reassurances. During the dark ride you can’t really see anything so it is just a case of either holding on or waving your arms around in enjoyment so you won’t know how your other riders are doing until the end of the ride.

9. Rock n Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith

Location: Hollywood Studios – Sunset Boulevard

Rock n Roller Coaster is fast from the get go, it has inversions and it is a genuine dark ride for thrill seekers. If you aren’t fond of Roller Coasters but enjoy the more family friendly versions such as Seven Dwarfs Mine Train don’t expect an easy ride on this dark ride roller coaster attraction.

This is a launch coaster which before you know it you are off and most probably upside down. The dark ride experience is very dark with just glow in the dark road and street signs to give you some idea of what is going on.

If you have children that are just tall enough to ride the attraction make sure they know what to expect. Again my daughter was not a fan of this attraction and even now rides it with her eyes closed. If you are unsure try Big Thunder Mountain or even Space Mountain first before Rock n Roller Coaster.

10. Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway

Location: Hollywood Studios – Hollywood Boulevard

Based on the Mickey Mouse cartoon shorts this great trackless dark ride takes you into the zany world of a Mickey Mouse Cartoon. You ride in Goofy’s train following Mickey and Minnie on a car ride before the ride turns into a crazy runaway train ride through a world where the rules of physics don’t apply.

Expect unexpected twists, silly gags at every turn, as Mickey and Minnie try to save the day in this trackless ride system attraction. Also the only Mickey Mouse dedicated ride at Walt Disney World.

This trackless dark ride is so much fun with a theme song that is a real ear worm. You’ll be humming it for sometime after exiting the ride. This attraction replaced the Great Movie Ride at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

The Magic of Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway

11. Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (Hollywood Studios)

Location: Hollywood Studios – Sunset Boulevard

I don’t like drop rides and the only reason I am happy to ride this dark ride attraction is because you are enclosed in the ride vehicle. The backstory to Tower of Terror is told very well from the introduction video after the lobby right up to during the ride itself. Yes it is spooky and the last part of the dark ride experience is very dark and you never know how many drops and rises you are going to get which can make the drop ride quite scary.

I have found that Tower of Terror is one of the few scary dark rides that really gets you on your first ride during your Disney World vacation. You have been away from the Disney theme parks for probably a year or so (maybe more) and during that first Tower of Terror dark ride of your vacation the anticipation, theme and the ride itself can scare you. The great thing about Tower of Terror is that you think you have conquered it and  it gets you again with a really long spell in the lift shaft!

You never quite know what you are going to get with this dark ride. Sometimes the ride seems to go on for ages with lots of drops and rises. You don’t know if you are going to drop again or shoot up and drop again which is a thrill if you enjoy the ride. other times the ride can seem to be over quickly (I’m not sure if this is when it is busier in the park) so you really never know what you are going to experience.

The theming of the dark ride attraction is very good and the last part of the line in the plant room works really well along with the better cast members who really get into character when loading you into the elevator ride vehicle. This works really well in creating an atmosphere and building on the back story of the ride.

Honorable Mention – Splash Mountain (is it a dark ride at Disney World?)

Is splash Mountain a dark ride? Well in part it definitely is but it is also clearly a log flume too, so I guess it is a hybrid of sorts. The indoor dark ride sections telling the story of Brer Rabbit are very entertaining taking you through the story and I always enjoy the finale scene just before the end of the ride. I have had so many fun experiences on Splash Mountain that I have to give it an honorable mention on this list. The view of the castle just before you hit the big drop is fantastic too. Plus, it was my family’s very first ride at Disney World on our very first holiday too!

The Best Dark Rides at Disney World

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Thanks for stopping by.

Darren

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