Top 10 Rides at Walt Disney World

We’re the type people that like to ride as many rides as we can when we’re in the Walt Disney World theme parks. We’ve rode every ride in the parks, so we have our favorites by now and know which ones we’ll never ride again as well. Below is my Top 10 list of rides at Walt Disney World and they’re not all thrill rides – I’m sure a couple will come as a surprise.

• Soarin‘ – Most people love this ride, but I can see how those with severe motion sickness may not find it appealing (I get motion sick easily, but this doesn’t bother me). This ride truly epitomizes the goals that Disney has to immerse you in an experience by stimulating your senses. It’s also a really clever marketing too as well – every time I smell oranges or a pine scent, I immediately think of Soarin’ and long to go back to Disney World.

• Tower of Terror – I vividly remember saying to my friend who took me on my first visit to WDW “Why did I let you convince me to ride this?” I was absolutely terrified the moment the ‘elevator’ started moving. BUT, this is now in the Top 3 favorite rides list for me. I will ride it over and over if I can and have done that many trips before. Sure, you drop at some point in the ride, but it’s totally random and you go back up as well, so it’s not like you’re just making a huge freefall like some other carnival or amusement park rides. It’s a thrill for sure and the element of surprise is what makes it so great. But I get that it won’t be for everyone, especially some kids.

• Winnie The Pooh – I’m sure some will argue with me on this one, but this is one of my favorite rides at WDW! I love the way you get to ‘bounce’ with Tigger and ‘float’ through the rain waters at the end of the ride. When I made my first trip to Magic Kingdom several years ago, I was amazed at the technology that could make a ride car move like that, so maybe that’s why it’s still my favorite. And of course, it always makes me smile. The interactive que is pretty awesome as well, so this is a very family-friendly ride that will keep your kids entertained while you wait to board your ride vehicle.

• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – This ride had to grow on me, as I didn’t care for it the first few trips we made to WDW, but now I love it, especially at night. It’s not the fastest coaster by any means, but is a moderate thrill ride that is really a lot of fun and has nice scenery to enjoy along the way. Just a word of warning though, brace yourself as the ride is pulling back into the station.  99% of those who ride it don’t seem to brace themselves, so you’ll be in for a good case of whiplash if you don’t brace for that first sudden stop in the station.

• Splash Mountain – I love the varying drops in the ride, the music, the characters, just everything about the ride. Of course, if you’re not a fan of big drops, then you should avoid this ride, but it’s really not that bad. This is the perfect ride to cool down on a warm day and half of this 20 min ride is located indoors, so you stay even cooler.

• Expedition Everest – This is another one of those rides that not everyone can handle, especially those with motion sickness or those who just can’t ride coasters. I personally think this is the best coaster at WDW, but I know some will argue with that. There really isn’t a bad place to sit on the ride either since it goes forwards and backwards, so you don’t have to worry about not getting a good seat. We like to alternate riding in the front and back row to get the best of both worlds.

• Kilimanjaro Safari – This ride really is hit or miss with the number of animals you will see on your safari, so for some it just doesn’t seem like that great of a ride. The best times to ride are first thing in the morning or before park closing when the animals are most active. It’s amazing how close the animals get to the vehicles and some really don’t care that there is a vehicle there. I remember waiting for 5 mins one time while a rhino stood in the middle of the road before deciding it should move on. So be sure to have your camera’s ready to snap those photos if you happen to catch one of the beautiful animals next to your vehicle!

• Journey of the Little Mermaid – This is the newest ride in MagicKingdom and we love it. Is it worth more than a 30 min wait? I don’t think so, but I’m also not a kid, so that’s just my opinion. It is very well designed with vibrant colors, great music to sing along with and the scenery outside of the ride is gorgeous, especially at night.

• Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster – I remember how scared I was the first time I watched the ‘limo’ take off to start the ride. Now it’s my favorite part of the ride. The music is right in your ears, so you’ll find yourself singing along with Aerosmith and totally forgetting that you were ever scared to ride. I just wish the ride wasn’t as shaky as it can be. We’ve yet to find that one car that provides a smoother ride unfortunately. We usually request to ride in the front car, but if you get stuck in the back, then it’s pretty cool to see the rest of the coaster in front of you as you’re making those loops in the ride.

• Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros – This hidden gem is one of my favorite rides in Epcot and there’s never a wait to ride, so that makes it even better. The scenery inside the Mexico pavilion is amazing and you get to float past the beautifully re-created Mayan ruins. And of course, our favorite duck will keep you entertained throughout the ride. This ride will remind you a lot of ‘It’s a Small World’, but without the repetitive song getting stuck in your head.

Honorable Mention:

• Mad Tea Party – A Disney classic for sure and it is our ‘happy’ ride each trip. For whatever reason, once you start spinning you also start laughing – I’ve yet to figure that one out, but it happens every time and not just to us it seems. I’ve also gotten quite a few laughs while watching my husband try to get out of the teacup and proceed to exit the ride. He ran into a trashcan once, so now I just hold onto him tightly to make sure he doesn’t run into anything or fall. So, if you could use some laughter in your day, go ride the teacups!

So there you have it, my Top 10 rides at WDW. Did I miss any that are your favorites or include some that you think are overrated? Comment below to share your favorites!

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