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Top Disney World thrill rides in each of the parks

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Home → Disney World Parks → Top Disney World thrill rides in each of the parks
  • Heather Thomas
  • September 7, 2018
  • June 5, 2019

We are all for soothing boat rides through villages of frightening adorable dolls singing songs of world peace, but sometimes we just want something a bit more...thrilling.

Disney World may be a family destination, but in each park you'll also find things that are guaranteed to get the adrenaline pumping.

Sound like something you might be interested in?

Here's where you'll find the Disney World thrill rides in each of the parks.

In this article (click for table of contents)

  • First things first
  • Kids and thrill rides
  • Magic Kingdom
    • Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
    • Space Mountain
    • Splash Mountain
    • Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
  • Epcot
    • Mission: SPACE
    • Test Track
    • Coming soon: Guardians of the Galaxy
  • Hollywood Studios
    • Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
    • The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
    • Slinky Dog Dash
  • Animal Kingdom
    • Avatar Flight of Passage
    • DINOSAUR
    • Expedition Everest
    • Kali River Rapids
    • Primeval Whirl
  • Ranking the Disney World Thrill Rides

First things first

  • All of the rides listed below have height restrictions which are strictly enforced, so don't try fudge your child's height. Disney knows all the tricks.
  • Some of the attractions below may make you motion sick, so if you love the thrills but the thrills don't love you, you'll want to do some advance planning before you get queasy.
  • If you are traveling with somebody that is too small to ride, make sure you take advantage of Rider Switch. Rider Switch makes it easy for everybody who is tall enough to enjoy the Disney World thrill rides.
  • Even though these are thrill rides, in nearly every case you'll be able to take your bag with you on the attraction so no need to worry about that.

Kids and thrill rides

If you have a child that is new to being tall enough to experience the thrill rides listed below, here are a few tips that might help.

  • Prepare kids ahead of time by watching ride videos. YouTube is a fantastic resource. You'll find point-of-view videos for every or nearly every attraction at Walt Disney World. Watching the attractions ahead of time can help ease some of the anxiety first-time riders might feel.
  • Don't start with the most intense thing first. Ease into the world of thrill rides by trying some of the less intense attractions first.
  • Encourage kids to try something new but don't force it. Yes, you know your child best and you may know all the way to the tips of your toes that they would "love" something if they just tried it, but forcing a crying child to ride something is often not a good idea and it likely won't make happy memories.
  • Be prepared to revisit a ride. Even adults may find that for some attractions it sounds like a good idea up until the point you actually have to walk inside. If you get close but your child decides at the last minute they changed their mind, have a plan in place for that. Often times, though, a person that "almost" walked inside summons the courage later in the day (or trip) so if your plans allow it, if that time comes when somebody says "I'm ready" give it another try!

Magic Kingdom

Mountains are the theme for the thrills in this park: Big Thunder, Space, Splash, and whatever the name of the mountain where the Dwarfs are mining is called.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Min. height required: 40"

They don't call this one "the wildest ride in the wilderness" for nothing.

Expect some sharp turns but no super high drops on this coaster. It's a bit bumpy at times but not as bad as its cousin, Space Mountain.

Big Thunder Mountain exterior

Space Mountain

Min. height required: 44"

Get ready to blast off into space on this classic indoor coaster.

Adding to the thrills of this nearly totally in-the-dark ride are the glimpses of the tracks you'll catch as you whiz by.

This coaster is known to be a bit rough. So, make sure the fillings in your teeth are secure before climbing aboard.

Space Mountain exterior

Splash Mountain

Min. height required: 40"

99.8% of this attraction is a peaceful, floating journey through lovely scenes speckled with silly animal animatronics.

0.2% of the ride are a couple smaller drops and then one heart stopping "OH MY GOODNESS I AM GOING TO DIE" drop followed by a dousing of water.

But don't worry, you get just enough time after the final drop to clean off your glasses and quiet your nerves while you listen to one last song before unloading.

Splash Mountain exterior

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

Min. height required: 38"

The newest of the thrills at Magic Kingdom, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is as smooth of a ride as Space Mountain is rough.

And, like Splash Mountain, this is another thriller that tries to calm your fears with animatronics.

Again, no super-high drops here, just some mild drops, tight turns, and classic Disney character fun.

seven dwarfs mine train

Epcot

Currently home to 2 moderately thrilling attractions and 1 soon-to-be thrill ride, adrenaline junkies have a couple options here to make them happy.

Mission: SPACE

Min. height required: 44" (for the Orange Mission)

Original versions of this attraction made enough people ill that a milder version was installed. That should tell you all you need to know about this ride.

Those looking for excitement will want to check out the "Orange Mission" (not the "Green Mission"). And, if you have a sensitive stomach, you may want to sit this one out.

You have been warned.

Mission: space

Test Track

Min height required: 40"

There is a lot to love about Test Track and you don't have to be a car junkie to enjoy this attraction.

The thrills here come primarily from the outside loop where you accelerate quickly on banked curves, but even some of the stuff inside might make you go "Wheeee!"

test track

 

Coming soon: Guardians of the Galaxy

Just now starting to peek out above the construction walls are signs of the new Guardians of the Galaxy attraction that is coming to Epcot.

This giant of a ride has been confirmed to be a coaster which means Epcot is getting a new thrill ride.

The exact date of completion hasn't been released, but most people think it will be open by 2021.

Want to stay up to date on the construction at Epcot? Check out our Epcot Updates post for more information.

Guardians of the Galaxy exterior Epcot

Hollywood Studios

The 3 thrillers here all provide vastly different experiences making Hollywood Studios a great place to go if "danger" is your middle name.

Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith

Min. height required: 48"

Picture Steven Tyler and Aerosmith singing loudly into your ears.

Now, picture Steven Tyler and Aerosmith singing loudly into your ears while you are upside down.

If that sounds like an awesome time to you then this is something you'll definitely want to check out.

Rock 'n' Roller Coaster is totally indoors, has a killer launch, and pairs the loud rock sounds of Aerosmith with a silky smooth coaster-ride.

rock n roller coaster

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

Min. height required: 40"

Basements. Boilers. Breakaway elevators.

Put all that together and you have one of the most intense attractions on Walt Disney World property.

From the creepy basement boiler room to the elevator with a life of its own to being dropped - and then shot back up again - over and over, this ride has it all.

Not for the faint of heart, but a definite "must do" if thrills are what you are after.

Tower of Terror exterior

Slinky Dog Dash

Min. height required: 38"

It feels almost silly to follow-up a section on something as intense as Tower of Terror with something like Slinky Dog Dash, yet here we are.

Hollywood Studios' newest thrill ride, this adorable coaster is as fun as it looks.

With a couple of launches milder than those of Rock 'n' Roller Coaster and dips a bit more intense than those of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, this coaster is a good "in-between" option for people working their way up to the bigger thrills.

slinky dog dash

 

Animal Kingdom

Animal Kingdom may seem cozy and organic with all those plants and furry animals, but it has several attractions that are anything but "mild."

Avatar Flight of Passage

Min. height required: 44"

Flight of Passage is like a freaky cross between an amped-up version of Soarin' and Mission: SPACE (if Mission: SPACE had banshees).

Like the other 2, it's a simulator attraction, and while it is known for making people motion sick, its breathtaking beauty, unique ride "seat," and hyper-realistic optics make it a must-do for any thrill seeker.

flight of passage

DINOSAUR

Min. height required: 40"

If I had to describe DINOSAUR in 1 word it would be loud. If I had to pick 2 words, it would be terrifyingly loud.

Disney's mastery of realistic animatronics take you back into time where your survival depends upon avoiding becoming dinner.

This one can be a bit rough, and did I mention it was loud?

Dinosaur

Expedition Everest

Min. height required: 44"

This coaster is insanely unique and even though there are no inversions, the portions where you go backwards almost feels as if you're upside down.

Everything about this attraction screams: thrill.

Well, everything except for the Disco Yeti (but rumors are always swirling that he's going to be fixed soon).

If adrenaline is what you run on, you can definitely fuel up here.

expedition everest

Kali River Rapids

Min. height required: 38"

"Surprisingly short but not lacking a punch of fun" is a good description for Kali River Rapids.

Prepare to get soaked. This is the one thrill ride where you'll want to store your stuff in the lockers found just outside the entrance.

kali river rapids

Primeval Whirl

Min. height required: 48"

Not-so-lovingly nicknamed "Primeval Hurl," this attraction has drops. And spins. And g-forces that make you regret that snack you ate before you got on.

This one is also pretty rough, so prepare yourself if you decide to give it a try!

primeval

Ranking the Disney World Thrill Rides

Ranking these attractions in order of intensity was downright tough.

What makes an attraction a "thrill" ride?

Is it the drops? The darkness? The g-forces? The surprise elements?

Suffice it to say we struggled with coming up with an order to these 14 attractions that Disney classifies as "thrill rides."

So, from least intense (Seven Dwarfs Mine Train) to most intense (Rock 'n' Roller Coaster), this is what we decided on:

Disney World Thrill Rides

 

Think we got the ranking of the Disney World thrill rides wrong? Tell us how you'd rank them in the comments. Who knows, if your argument is good enough, maybe you'll change our minds!

Change my mind

 

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9 Comments

  1. Megan Reed February 14, 2019 Reply

    I was surprised at how mild Big Thunder was. It brakes when you think there’s going to be a drop. It’s bumpier than Mine Train, but less intense, I think.

    Flight of Passage made me so sick, though not bad as the GREEN version of Mission Space. So that to me makes them more intense.

  2. Flex November 24, 2018 Reply

    Why is everything so uncomfortable?

  3. David Fitzsimons October 14, 2018 Reply

    I agree with most of your list but is Mission Space a thrill ride? I just find it a very odd non-thrilling experience. Never felt sick on it just felt odd but certainly walked off every time feeling anything but thrilled.
    An awful ride in my opinion and the worse in Disney World
    I suspect I might be alone on that

  4. Maria C September 10, 2018 Reply

    I literally thought I was going to die on Mission Space before they added a mild version. NEVER AGAIN.

  5. Kathy M September 9, 2018 Reply

    My stomach cannot handle sudden drops like Tower of Terror, so that is the most thrilling to me and you won’t catch me on it ever.
    That being said, my ‘must-do, absolute favorite’ ride is Rockin Roller Coaster!! I am feeling pretty proud of myself since I have become a wimp on most ‘thrill rides’ and roller coasters in my ‘later years’.
    Thanks for the run-down! Can’t wait to ride Slinky Dog Dash soon!!

  6. Kathy September 8, 2018 Reply

    I love all the rides on your list. By far the scariest thrill ride in Disney is Summit Plummet at Blizzard Beach. 120 foot drop with just your body and the water. We love waterparks and have been to Blizzard Beach twice, but still don’t have the courage to do it.

  7. jack September 7, 2018 Reply

    Oh, and by the way, my daughter, who loves every other thrill ride at WDW, can’t endure Dinosaur!, which I do and laugh off.

  8. jack September 7, 2018 Reply

    This sort of ranking is really meaningless, because it doesn’t take into consideration the nature of the thrill. For instance, if you’re afraid of heights, Big Thunder is easy because it never leaves the ground. Flight of Passage, on the other hand, is undoable because it feels like it’s in the air. My daughter famously reassured me that Tower of Terror was “just an elevator.” “It goes up and down. Ever been in an elevator?” she asked; “Then you’ll be fine.” Almost died of fright–she doesn’t have a fear of falling, I do.

  9. TM September 7, 2018 Reply

    We were just there last week. The Slinky Dog Dash is a super mild coaster and belongs lower on the list! It is a smooth ride and even easier than Big Thunder Mountain and 7 Dwarfs Mine Train.

Leave a Reply to Kathy Cancel reply

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Instagram post 2195165576133294818_547098091 How to tour Hollywood Studios with an 8 a.m. scheduled opening:
✨
1.) Arrive by 6 a.m. if you want the shortest standby waits and Rise of the Resistance boarding group with a low number.

Buses and Minnie Vans are NOT operating early enough to get you there by 6 a.m., so you would need to have your own car, Lyft, or walk to get there by 6.

Have little ones? Uber Car Seat is an option as well.

Arriving a bit later will likely still be ok, but increase your wait times and boarding group number slightly.

2.) The park is likely to open way before the scheduled 8 a.m. time. The opening time was 6:26 a.m. for us this morning.

Once open, you’ll scan your MagicBand/park ticket to enter, and then immediately open the app to snag a boarding group.

Scroll through the pics for info on how to get a boarding group.

3.) After getting a boarding group, it’s time to start riding rides. This order should allow you the shortest standby times:

First hour: Slinky Dog Dash, Alien Swirling Saucers, Toy Story Mania

Second hour: Rock n Roller Coaster, Tower of Terror (could also do Star Tours if you like)

Third hour: Smugglers Run and hope that your Rise of the Resistance boarding group has been called so you can head there next (higher boarding group number? you can leave the park and come back when you’re called if you’d like).
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Of course, if you have a FastPass for a ride, you may want to skip that attraction (or ride it in the standby line and again later with FastPass).
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Keep in mind that characters and most dining won’t begin until park opening, so you’ll want to hit those after 8 a.m.

Hopefully that helps those of you traveling over the next few weeks. What questions do you have? 📲Click the ribbon to save this post for future reference.

#riseoftheresistance #hollywoodstudios
Instagram post 2193115991424601780_547098091 Here’s a recap of what we’ve learned about Hollywood Studios w/Rise of the Resistance so far:

1.) 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲. This week it’s 6 a.m. (like today), and next week is likely to be 7:30.

After that, we don’t know, but Flight of Passage has been available early for 2+ years, so it might continue for awhile (or not).
.
🚌 Transportation: buses will be running that early, but Skyliner won’t. It didn’t start until 8:00 today.

2.) 𝙎𝙣𝙖𝙜 𝙖 𝙍𝙞𝙨𝙚 𝙗𝙤𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙥 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙖𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙠. ALL members of your party must be in the park to get a boarding group.

All groups were full by 8 a.m. today (an hour before official park opening!). Get there early to ride.

According to sources, this virtual queue system will be in place for at least the next several weeks before Disney moves to using the FastPass system.

3.) 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐚 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 (we were told “morning”), but there is no guarantee, especially as the ride goes down often.

Our group ended up being called at 12:52.

Once called, you have 2 hrs to return. No need to stay in the park. You can leave, get the notification, then return to Studios.

4.) 𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 which allowed us to go on all Toy Story Land rides, Rock n Roller Coaster, & Tower of Terror in 90 minutes w/no waits. No characters available during this time.

5.) 𝙍𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙎𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙘𝙝 & 𝘿𝙞𝙨𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝘼𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙎𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙤𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 at Rise, but everybody must have a boarding group.

Since everybody will be in a boarding group, we aren’t sure we see the value of Rider Switch for most, but it won’t hurt to snag it JUST in case.

However, if the 1st members of your party enter toward the end of your boarding window, you will definitely want to snag a Rider Switch pass for the 2nd group to use.

DAS varies in how it’s handled. Participants should inquire at the ride.
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WHEW. That’s a lot to take in.

What questions do you have? #waltdisneyworld
Instagram post 2192428562363229697_547098091 Moved over to the Boardwalk Inn today where it’s looking as gorgeous as ever with Christmas decor everywhere you look. 😍
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(You know how Epcot looks its best during Flower and Garden Festival and it’s a tough transition to see the park without all the extras? So many resorts are like that with Christmas decor.)
✨
Lots more on my stories as we explore the hotel and Boardwalk area.
Instagram post 2191647241818984579_547098091 Hello from Galaxy’s Edge where we’ve been able to ride Rise of the Resistance multiple times (and we know what a privilege that is!).
✨
It is indeed an incredible new attraction and will be the star of Galaxy’s Edge. Answering questions about it in my Stories so feel free to follow along and ask us anything you want to know.
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