Across the 4 parks at Walt Disney World, there are a lot of rides to enjoy. Something that I started to think about was what were my Top 10 Best Rides at Disney World? I started writing a list of rides at Disney World that I always enjoyed and then came the hard part of reducing the list down to 10 rides.
For more information on the rides and attractions at Disney World do look at the articles listed below:
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My Top Ten Disney World Rides
Below you will find my Top 10 Best Rides at Disney World that over the years I have enjoyed the most when on vacation at Disney World.
10. Kilimanjaro Safaris (Animal Kingdom)
Who doesn’t enjoy seeing animals? Kilimanjaro Safaris is always one of the attractions we look to ride at Animal Kingdom. I always enjoy hearing about the animals from the cast member driving the safari truck and you never quite know what you are going to see or experience. Sometimes Giraffes might block the road and if you’re lucky you might see an occupied Lion Rock.
Our Top Kilimanjaro Safari Tip
Try to ride early in the day or later on in the day when it is cooler. During the hotter times of the day from late morning into the afternoon then a lot of the animals will head for shade or cover so to see the most animal activity ride early or late.
9. Spaceship Earth (Epcot)
Classic Epcot and Disney Dark Ride entertainment all enclosed inside the iconic Spaceship Earth. I love dark rides (especially Disney Dark Rides) and this one does a wonderful job of telling a story. You take a journey through time learning how the human race has communicated and shared information through the ages. Lot’s of animatronics are to be enjoyed along the way and you can get a glimpse of the future on the screen in the ride vehicle as you descend at the end of the ride based on the information you gave at the start. A great dark ride.
Our Top Spaceship Earth Tip
Try to ride Spaceship Earth later in the day. The crowds should have spread out across Future World and World Showcase meaning shorter wait times compared to earlier in the day.
For more information on all the Rides at Epcot take a look at our article here.
8. Rock N Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith (Hollywood Studios)
One of the few big thrill roller coasters at Disney World. I love Aerosmith but the theme and story of this ride is a lot of fun with Aerosmith offering you a limo ride and backstage passes (during your time in the standby line) to their concert downtown. The ride itself is a launch coaster that quickly has you corkscrewing upside down in the dark whilst listening to a soundtrack of Aerosmith hits. This one is a lot of fast paced rocking fun.
Our Top Rock N Roller Coaster Tip
Ask to ride in the back row if you are a thrill seeker. It is an awesome experience if you enjoy roller coaster thrills.
If you want to read more about the Best Disney World Roller Coasters take a look at our article here or by clicking the image below.
7. Pirates of the Caribbean (Magic Kingdom)
Pirates of the Caribbean is another classic Disney Dark Ride. I love this ride as it is full of amusing animatronic characters and of course Captain Jack Sparrow too. The music and humor really makes you feel like you are entering a world of pirates and starts off by setting a fairly dark atmosphere but this soon picks up as you make your way through the ride. This is one of the rides we will quite often ride first when visiting Magic Kingdom and I have some great memories of this ride.
Our Top Pirates of the Caribbean Tip
First thing in the morning from rope drop you can usually walk straight on to Pirates of the Caribbean as the rest of the crowds head to the hugely popular rides like Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.
6. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (Magic Kingdom)
You may have guessed that I love roller coasters and Big Thunder Mountain makes my list as the theming from the standby line to when you board the ride is great and the ride itself gives you what I call an old school roller coaster experience. When I say old school roller coaster what I mean is twisting turns and drops but also set it in a fantastic environment capturing the gold mine environment to great effect.
Our Top Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Tip
Ride this at night! It is such a different experience riding Big Thunder Mountain at night as you can see where you are heading like you can during the day and for some reason the rides seems to feel longer at night. It is so much fun in the dark.
5. Splash Mountain (Magic Kingdom)
Probably the best water ride there is anywhere in my opinion. Splash Mountain combines water ride with dark ride elements telling the story of Brer Rabbit. Great songs combined with a great story, water drops and a long ride time puts Splash Mountain into my top five Best Rides at Disney World.
Our Top Splash Mountain Tip
Another ride in Magic Kingdom that you can walk on if you head straight to it from rope drop in fact you can probably ride it twice if you want to.
4. Avatar Flight of Passage (Animal Kingdom)
This is one of the newest rides at Disney World (opening in 2017) and it is phenomenal. This probably would have ranked higher but as it is so popular, I haven’t had the opportunity to ride it as much as the other rides that are higher on this list. The motion of the banshee ride vehicle, with the effect of your Banshee breathing and the screen work makes this a very immersive ride experience if you allow yourself to escape into the ride. This is a fantastic ride which you definitely have experience if you haven’t yet. A smooth and thrilling adventure into the world of Pandora.
Our Top Avatar Flight of Passage Tip
This one is easy, try your hardest to get a Fast Pass or you must be prepared to head to this ride straight from rope drop first thing in the morning when visiting Animal Kingdom. This ride is extremely popular (which is probably an understatement).
3. Expedition Everest (Animal Kingdom)
Another one of the most thrilling rides at Disney World. The ride to the top of the mountain with the views of Walt Disney World are something else and that is before you get to the broken railway at the top of the mountain and start hurtling backwards before you experience the Yeti. This is a great roller coaster that uses a lot of different elements to produce a thrilling roller coaster experience.
Our Top Expedition Everest Tip
If you have a Fast Pass for one of the Avatar rides in Pandora and will be heading to one of the other areas of Animal Kingdom from rope drop, then head to Expedition Everest. We have often done this and from rope drop you can ride it at least twice first thing in the morning before the crowds to fill up the standby lines.
2. Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (Hollywood Studios)
This ride never fails to thrill as you never quite know what you are going to get when you enter that lift in the hotel plant room. The Twilight Zone story is carried throughout the ride from start to finish to great effect making this much more than your standard drop ride. As soon you enter the hotel lobby you get a feel for what this ride is all about. This is a spooky and supernatural theme looking to scare you and it works very well. As I mentioned you never quite know what you are going to get when it comes to the ride and sometimes you feel like you are getting dropped and catapulted up the lift shaft for quite some time. This uncertainty builds the anticipation of the ride making it exciting and one of my favorite Disney World rides.
Our Top Tower of Terror Tip
Be brave and don’t hold onto the hand bars for a really thrilling ride experience. I dare you!
1. Haunted Mansion (Haunted Mansion)
Haunted Mansion is my favorite ride at Disney World, I adore it. The standby line is great, the stretching room sets the dark but humorous tone of the ride perfectly and the rides itself is packed with so many great elements, effects and characters that I would happily keep riding this continuously to see all the details. For me this ride is pure escapism that is spooky but funny at the same time. The bride, the hitchhiking ghosts and even the ghost host make this ride so much fun.
Scary without being scary, dark without being too dark this ride is all about the supernatural and having grown up riding fairground and carnival ghost trains the Haunted Mansion is what I wanted all those ride to be and more. A brilliant ride and my Best Ride at Disney World.
Our Top Haunted Mansion Tip
Keep looking at the wait times for this ride on the My Disney Experience App as wait times can fluctuate. Don’t worry if the wait time is around 30 minutes as the standby line has a lot of interactive elements and interesting things to look at.
My Top Ten Disney World Rides
I hope you have enjoyed my top ten Best Rides at Disney World and if you have please share/pin the image below (sharing is caring).
Thanks for stopping by. You can find our previous article right here.
Darren
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