Disney World Ride Rankings, Ratings, and Reviews

I wrote in my book, A Skier’s Journal, that “skiing’s typical portrayal as an outdoor adventure activity conceals that skiing at a resort is a more sterile, corporate, amusement-park-like activity than skiers tend to admit.” The similarities between amusement parks and ski resorts were unmistakable after replacing a weekend of skiing last month with a week at Disney World in Orlando, Florida. For example, they both require paying large sums of money for the privilege of waiting in lines for relatively safe, thrilling experiences.

I’ll take the similarities between amusement parks and ski resorts as license to publish an article ranking, rating, and reviewing the rides and shows at Disney World.

The following section discusses the potentially uninteresting context around my recent visits to Disney World. Feel free to skip to the ride rankings, ratings, and reviews below that section.

My Disney World and Amusement Park History

My parents brought my brother, sister, and me to Disney World in May 1991. By all accounts and my scant memories, I had an awesome time. Returning to Disney World became an obsession for my brother and me. Our obsession was fueled by both nostalgic memories of our first visit and discussions with a friend who was a frequent visitor because his uncle lived in Florida.

At the height of our Disney obsession in 1992 (or ’93 or ’94?), my parents sat us down and told us that we were going back to Disney World. Pandemonium ensued. I immediately called my friend to tell him the news.

But during or after that call, my parents revealed that our upcoming trip to Disney World was an April Fools’ Day joke. The endorphins swimming through our brains were flushed away and replaced by whatever hormones produce sadness and disappointment. The crash was hard. Much scolding, whining, and complaining ensued. I wanted so badly for the trip to be real. Alas, we were not going back to Disney World.

Thirty-three years after my first visit, I finally returned to Disney World last fall.

In October 2024, I joined my sister and her family for part of their trip to Disney World. I could only stay a few days and only visit two parks: the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT Center. (Hurricane Milton also cut the second half of their trip short.) A couple of months later, my brother and his family also invited me on their own trip to Disney World in February 2025. I was able to visit all four of Disney World’s main theme parks during that trip.

The only “thrill” rides I had ever ridden before these recent trips to Disney World were a small roller coaster (top speed: 23 mph) and a log flume ride with a steep but short drop (height: 40 feet) at the local amusement park near where I grew up. During my first visit to Disney World in 1991, I think we primarily rode the “theme” rides. I don’t remember riding anything more thrilling than Pirates of the Caribbean.

I don’t know exactly why I avoided rides. I wouldn’t say I was afraid of them, per se. I don’t seem to be afraid of heights or suffer from motion sickness, for example. Instead, I think I avoided them because of fear of the unknown (that is, being unsure of how I would react to riding them) and wanting to avoid the sick feeling in my stomach that some rides cause.

But I’m a lot older now, and during recent visits to the local amusement park, I found that I was, at least, more open to riding the park’s thrill rides. Still, I never got around to riding them.

Ultimately, I rode all the more intense rides at Disney World, except the Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster, which I regret not riding. We visited Hollywood Studios early in the trip with my brother. If we had gone later, I’m certain I would have ridden it. (I also recognize that Disney’s thrill rides are generally tamer than the most intense rides at other amusement parks.)

I was surprised that I so thoroughly enjoyed the type of rides I steadfastly avoided for so long. And riding many of them with my two nieces (ages seven and eight) and two nephews (ages nine and ten) was a significant part of the fun.

In some ways, choosing to ride thrill rides is similar to challenging yourself skiing. For example, they both require choosing to subject yourself to potentially uncomfortable situations and facing your fears for the sometimes-dubious prospect that you’ll have a rewarding experience.

I hope all of that background above will provide some context behind the following rankings, ratings, and reviews.

TL; DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read)

I went to Disney World once when I was kid, but I didn’t return until two recent trips, thirty-three years after my first visit. I hadn’t ridden many thrill rides before these recent trips to Disney World, but I found that getting older has made me open to trying and enjoying thrill rides.

Ride Rankings, Ratings, and Reviews

Ratings Key

5: Awesome and/or a must-ride or must-see
4: Also awesome, but just a notch below the best of the best
3: A good ride or show, but do the better ones first
2: It’s OK if you miss it
1: Avoid it

Note: The ratings won’t always line up with the rankings. For example, “it’s a small world” is a boring ride that I ranked low. But I also think it’s a classic that you shouldn’t miss, so I gave it a relatively high rating.

Spoiler Alert: I describe some of the rides in detail, and the links below are to YouTube videos of the rides.

Thrill Rides

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (5) (Hollywood Studios): I loved the simplicity of the elevator plunge and the weightless feeling during the up-and-down parts. I was nervous about this ride because of the typical aversion to rides that give you that sick feeling in your stomach when you accelerate down. My brother helped alleviate some of the unknowns by telling me how the ride would go. The initial drop is surprising, even though you know it’s coming. Once it’s happening, there’s nothing you can do but try to enjoy it. The speed of the drop (39 mph) is less than the terminal velocity of a person falling feet-first from that height (about 45–56 mph, with 62 mph being the expected velocity without considering air resistance), so it’s perhaps not even as terrifying as it could be. The backstory and the Twilight Zone theme are small but integral parts of the fun.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (5) (EPCOT Center): It’s less intense than Tron (see the next item), but it’s a longer ride and more fun. At first, I thought I might skip this ride because of its rotating ride vehicles that also go backwards. It sounded like it might be a bit too much for me. I had assumed that the cars spun out of control during the ride, but that’s not the case. The comments on YouTube videos I watched of this ride were effusive. How could I not try a ride that caused someone to write, “This was the best thing I’ve ever experienced in my life”? The backwards start was less intense than I had expected. The rotating car and blasting music just added to the fun. I would not go so far as to say it was the best thing I’ve ever experienced, but it was definitely the most fun I’ve had on an amusement park ride.
Tron Lightcycle / Run (5) (Magic Kingdom): It’s more intense and unique than Guardians of the Galaxy, but it’s a much shorter ride and not quite as fun. I was the most nervous about this ride. Although the ride looked fun in a video I watched beforehand, seeing it in person gave me pause. The fast start was almost more intense than I could handle. It was shocking. (Of course, Tron was the first “real” roller coaster I had ever ridden, so that could have been a reason why the start was so shocking to me.) Then the ride is fun, but it’s over much too quickly. I want to ride this again to enjoy the start more than I did the first time.
Mission: SPACE (Orange Mission) (4) (EPCOT Center): The orange mission to Mars is the more intense one. It feels like a real rocket launch! The ride was intense but fun. I heeded the advice to just sit back and watch the screen without looking around. There was one moment at the beginning when I sensed we were spinning (the ride is a centrifuge), but I just kept looking straight ahead at the video, and I never had any moments of discomfort. The visual aspects of the simulation are a bit dated.
Expedition Everest (4) (Animal Kingdom): This ride had awesome mountain visuals and a good theme (a yeti guarding the mountain). It’s a fun and unique roller coaster that’s more traditional than, for example, Tron and Guardians of the Galaxy. The backwards section of this roller coaster is longer and more intense than the backwards blastoff at the beginning of Guardians of the Galaxy.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (4) (Magic Kingdom): This ride is just pure fun, with a great theme. It’s similar to the small roller coaster I have ridden at my local amusement park, except Big Thunder Mountain Railroad really has no drops. The ride climbs a couple of hills, but it never drops down the backside of those hills with any acceleration. The fun mostly comes from the fast turns and popping in and out of mine shafts.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure (4) (Magic Kingdom): This ride used to be called Splash Mountain. The new theme features scenes from Disney’s Princess and the Frog animated movie, which I have never seen. The animatronic scenes are all very well done (as usual). There are two or three smaller drops as you ride in and out of the mountain. The final drop is the big one, although it’s much less intense than you’d think from all the screams you hear as you walk past the ride (and less intense than the similar log flume ride at my local amusement park). At the top of the big hill, check out the great view of Cinderella’s Castle before you head down.
Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run (4) (Hollywood Studios): This is a fun simulator ride that never becomes too intense. A wide variety of ride-goers would enjoy this ride. Who wouldn’t want to fly the Millennium Falcon? Unlike Mission: SPACE, the controls for this ride actually work. Two pilots separately control the up-down and left-right movements of the ship. Two gunners, well, shoot the guns. And two engineers repair the ship during the flight (there will be a lot of damage!). At the end of the flight, your team is evaluated. The best we could do during our two tries was about 40%. The preride presentation sets the stage for the mission.
Avatar Flight of Passage (5) (Animal Kingdom): This ride’s immersive, three-dimensional visuals of Pandora are awesome. I ranked this ride a bit lower than it probably deserves because of its intensity. For the ride itself, you’re literally going nowhere. You’re sitting on a seat that tilts in different directions in front of a massive screen. (You’re supposed to be riding on the back of a banshee.) But the visuals are so realistic that I found this ride almost overwhelming. It’s surprising how much immersive visuals can impact your proprioceptive senses. About two-thirds of the way through the ride, you “land” in a cave for a few seconds. The break from flying was very welcome! Avoid this ride if you often experience motion sickness. Otherwise, everyone should try this ride at least once. I don’t think I would want to ride this more than once per day, though.
Space Mountain (3) (Magic Kingdom): Riding Space Mountain was framed as a rite of passage for us when we were kids. But none of us kids rode it during our first trip to Disney World. I was ready to ride it during my first trip back, but it was closed the day I went to the Magic Kingdom. Instead, it was the first ride we rode on my second trip back, with my brother. It’s a rough ride, but it’s fun. And it’s a classic. It was similar to the small roller coaster I have ridden at my local amusement park, except in the dark. My eight-year-old niece didn’t like the dark.
Slinky Dog Dash (3) (Hollywood Studios): This was more intense than I expected for a kiddie roller coaster. Although it climbs a couple of hills, it never descends them at full speed. The line was long when we rode it (I guess it always is). But it’s especially worth it if you’re riding it with kids. My eight-year-old niece didn’t like Space Mountain and didn’t want to ride either Tron or Guardians of the Galaxy, but she loved this ride.
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (3) (Magic Kingdom): This ride is similar to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, but I didn’t think it was quite as fun. A full minute of this two-minute ride goes slowly through a mine with music and animatronics, which are well done. But the “thrilling” parts of the ride are very short.
Star Tours — The Adventures Continue (3) (Hollywood Studios): It’s a fun ride that’s not quite up to the quality or interactivity of Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run.
Soarin’ Around the World (3) (EPCOT Center): It might be a bit much for people not accustomed to this type of immersive visual simulator, but it’s a relaxing, enjoyable ride with awesome scenery.
Mission: SPACE (Green Mission) (2) (EPCOT Center): The green mission orbiting Earth is a fine alternative for someone who doesn’t want to try the more intense orange mission. But it’s a relatively boring simulation compared to others at Disney World. And like the orange mission, the visual aspects of the simulation are a bit dated.
The Barnstormer (1) (Magic Kingdom): It’s a very short roller coaster for small kids. If your kids are up for any of the other roller coasters, then you can definitely skip this one.
Alien Swirling Saucers (1) (Hollywood Studios): This is mainly a ride for small kids. It’s like a Tilt-a-Whirl ride that never gets good.
Mad Tea Party (1) (Magic Kingdom): I don’t mind spinning rides, but I didn’t like this ride. It’s easy to get the teacup spinning very fast. It’s not much fun. It just makes you dizzy.

Theme Rides

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance (5) (Hollywood Studios): I don’t want to spoil the surprises, so I won’t discuss any of the details. There are a few thrills, but there’s nothing too intense. I would encourage people who don’t like thrill rides to still give this one a try. This one raises the bar for theme rides.
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure (5) (EPCOT Center): Just a fun, modern, immersive theme ride that anyone can enjoy.
Pirates of the Caribbean (5) (Magic Kingdom): A classic Disney theme ride. The theme is great, with tie-ins to the movies, and there are a couple of small thrills along the way.
Kilimanjaro Safari (5) (Animal Kingdom): How could you not love seeing exotic animals roaming quasi-freely? The landscapes are organized in such a way that it appears completely wide open. The lions can’t approach the vehicle, but it looks like they could. On our tour, we saw rhinos, hippos, zebras, lions, cheetahs, giraffes, warthogs, okapis, flamingos, crocodiles, ankole cattle, and ostrich eggs that are almost certainly fake or placed there.
Mickey’s Runaway Train (4) (Hollywood Studios): Another fun, modern theme ride. Similar ride technology to Ratatouille and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
Frozen Ever After (4) (EPCOT Center): A short but fun ride showcasing the Frozen movie music and characters. There are even a couple of small thrills, but almost anyone would be fine riding it.
Haunted Mansion (4) (Magic Kingdom): It has a cool theme and fun gimmicks.
Spaceship Earth (4) (EPCOT Center): A dated but classic ride through human history.
Toy Story Mania (4) (Hollywood Studios): This is an interactive ride that was more fun than the Buzz Lightyear Ranger Spin. On this one, you wear 3-D glasses and shoot at targets to rack up points.
Jungle Cruise (3) (Magic Kingdom): A lazy ride through the jungle with a joke-telling tour guide. Fun and pleasant.
PeopleMover (3) (Magic Kingdom): An enjoyable ride around Tomorrowland, including inside Space Mountain.
Buzz Lightyear’s Ranger Spin (2) (Magic Kingdom): This is a dated interactive ride that wasn’t quite as fun as Toy Story Mania. On this one, you shoot lasers at targets for points. You can also use a lever to rotate your vehicle.
Na’vi River Journey (2) (Animal Kingdom): It’s not bad, but it is very boring. The Avatar theme doesn’t interest me much. I’m actually surprised that Disney devoted a whole section of Animal Kingdom to the Avatar series. The movies broke records, but they don’t have the cult-like fandom of something like Star Wars. Maybe I’m underestimating their popularity.
Under the Sea — Journey of the Little Mermaid (2) (Magic Kingdom): It’s similar to the Nemo ride (see below), but with a better theme experience.
Peter Pan’s Flight (2) (Magic Kingdom): It’s fine. Kids might like it. I don’t think Peter Pan is an interesting theme or story.
Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana (2) (EPCOT Center): A walk-through area that describes the water cycle with a few engaging, “magical” water exhibits that my nieces and nephews seemed to enjoy.
Dinosaur (1) (Animal Kingdom): My brother warned me about this ride, but we rode it because it’s closing soon. There are a few thrills, but there’s not much to like about this ride. You’re supposedly driving on rough ground in a four-wheel drive vehicle, so it just bounces you around like crazy.
“it’s a small world” (3) (Magic Kingdom): A classic Disney ride that is both boring and annoying. But definitely go on it once!
Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse (2) (Magic Kingdom): You climb up a treehouse on stairs and climb back down. There are some good views of the park from up there, at least.
The Seas With Nemo & Friends (2) (EPCOT Center): I think even small children might find this ride too boring. But I gave it a 2 rating because at least some of the charismatic Finding Nemo movie characters show up.
Journey Into Imagination With Figment (1) (EPCOT Center): A dated and boring ride. But the Figment character has a cult following. Everything about the Imagination! pavilion is dated. Even the once-famous jumping-water fountains need a refresh.
Tom Sawyer Island (1) (Magic Kingdom): Ah, the joys of breathing diesel exhaust during a journey to a pointless attraction on a motorized log raft. I can’t even imagine liking it much as a kid. But Disney is closing this attraction soon, so we did it.

Shows, Tours, and Movies

Happily Ever After (5) (Magic Kingdom): The nightly shows at each of the theme parks are all good, but I thought this show was on another level. It was amazing how they could project onto Cinderella’s Castle to make it look completely different and turn it into a gigantic screen showing all kinds of different scenes.
Luminous, the Symphony of Us (4) (EPCOT Center): A big production that involves a lot of lights, lasers, and fireworks spread across a large area. But it’s more like a typical fireworks show than the others.
Fantasmic (4) (Hollywood Studios): A lot of Disney characters take part in this show. I might have liked it more if it wasn’t cold and I wasn’t continuously getting misted with pond water.
Muppet*Vision 3-D (4) (Hollywood Studios): This 3-D show (and its preshow) was hilarious. My favorite part was when a Muppet scientist was describing the 3-D technology. Meanwhile, Beaker is in the background flailing around (as he does) and setting things on fire. Disney is closing this movie permanently in June 2025; however, the Muppets are taking over the Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster’s theme.
Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular (4) (Hollywood Studios): I vividly remember this show when I went to (then) MGM Studios as a kid. That speaks to the quality of the show, which includes acted scenes from the Indiana Jones movies and the crew and actors describing how they perform their movie magic.
Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor (3) (Magic Kingdom): This show was funny, but I wouldn’t want to be one of the audience members they pick on during the show.
Beauty and the Beast — Live on Stage (3) (Hollywood Studios): Very good performances of a CliffsNotes version of the movie. It’s also a great way to get out of the rain or the sun and, perhaps, catch a nap.
The American Adventure (2) (EPCOT Center): This show probably had the best animatronics. The show is good, but your time at these parks is scarce. It might be used better elsewhere.
Carousel of Progress (2) (Magic Kingdom): This is a dated animatronics show where the seating rotates to different stages showing scenes of technological progress through time. The show’s not too long and the line was short. We watched this show when it was raining.
Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire (2) (Magic Kingdom): A music show in front of Cinderella’s Castle. It was a nice show, but it’s more for kids.
Festival of Fantasy Parade (1) (Magic Kingdom): If you have young children, this is a must-see parade; otherwise, it can and should be avoided. Instead, use this time to get on rides that may have shorter lines because people are watching the parade. The parade starts in Adventureland, passes through Liberty Square, and then parades down Main Street, U.S.A.
Festival of the Lion King (1) (Animal Kingdom): The performances were all very good, as usual, but this show was just kind of big mess. Thankfully, it was short.
Hall of Presidents (1) (Magic Kingdom): A boring animatronics show celebrating the high-minded ideals that no longer exist in the American presidency, if they ever did in the first place. I heard that this show and all of Liberty Square are being removed soon (it was closed when I was there in February 2025).
Enchanted Tiki Room (1) (Magic Kingdom): The tiki, tiki, tiki room is lame, but small children might like it.