Top 10 Disney World Rides You Must Do Each Visit!

Pirates

When I was younger I was a big Disney World thrill seeker. I could ride Splash Mountain all day long, take the trek to the top of Everest every hour on the hour, and spend enough time on Rockin Roller Coaster to make Aerosmith question my sanity. As I got older and had kids my ride choices changed. I would have to spend more time on family friendly rides and sneak off to ride Space Mountain when the little ones would be napping in the stroller. No matter what your situation the fact remains there are some rides you Must Do ever visit.

Here is a list of my Must Do Disney World Rides:

  1. Soarin’ – This virtual hang glider ride over California is located in the land pavilion at Epcot. The combination of sight, smell, and sensation will leave you breathless! Make sure as soon as you get off pick up a Fastpass to do again later. Did you hear it is going under Refurbishment soon?
  2. Pirates of the Caribbean – This classic ride located in Adventureland in the Magic Kingdom will take you through a swash buckling tale that will make everyone in your group smile! You will also be guaranteed to be singing “Yo Ho Yo Ho, a pirate’s life for me” for the rest of the day! Now featuring mermaids!
  3. The Haunted Mansion – Head over to the Magic Kingdoms Liberty Square for this gem. The 999 happy haunts that live in this mansion are always happy to entertain! Make sure to spend a little time in the play area before you jump on the ride!
  4. It’s a Small World – This ride is a classic. Probably one of the most memorable rides at the Disney Parks.
  5. Kilimanjaro Safari: This scenic ride through the Animal Kingdoms menagerie is so incredibly awesome. Each time you ride it is a little different. You will see elephants, hippos, rhinos, lions, gazelle, giraffes, zebras, and so much more!
  6. Voyage of the Little Mermaid –  If you love the Little Mermaid your gonna love this ride. I have this on my list mainly because it is the newest ride in the Magic Kingdom. The ride itself is very similar to Nemo but with Little Mermaid Characters. Still a must do for little Disney Princesses!
  7. The Jungle Cruise – This ride is worth going on for the cast members alone. The scripts are hilarious. It is a great way to see some fun animatronics animals while you are entertained with a little stand up comedy! Watch out for Trader Joe… Did you hear about the Jingle Cruise going on now?
  8. Toy Story Midway Mania – Head over to Pixar Place in Hollywood Studios for this adventure through Andy’s room. Play interactive midway style games with your pals from the Toy Story movies. I can’t wait for the 3rd track to be complete!
  9. Space MountainNot much to say about this classic ride. For me it has stood the test of time and still kicks booty! Probably my second favorite ride in all of Walt Disney World next to…
  10. Expedition Everest: My favorite ride in all of WDW. Everytime I ride it I have to be in the front seat. The view from the top is breathtaking and when it goes backwards is my favorite part!

I have 2 honorable mentions. They reason why they are not in my Top 10 is because I didn’t want to load the list with all of the coasters. I still think they are something you Must Do every visit if you have time.


  • Star Tours – I liked Star Wars classic just fine but when they added the reboot I fell in love all over again. If you are prone to motion sickness I would avoid this ride.
  • Splash Mountain – One of the more perfect rides at the Magic Kingdom. Songs, Sights, and Sounds! Just a great ride. The only reason it is not in the top 10 is because it is closed and I am mad at Disney cause I will be at WDW in a few days.

So that is my Top 10 Disney World Must Do Rides. Would you agree with my list or did I miss something? Let me know in the comment box below.

Top 10 Disney World Rides You Must Do Each Visit!
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Chip is the owner, editor, and writer of Chip and Company. When he is not writing about Disney News or Planning Tips, you will find him counting down the days to his next Disney Vacation.
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7 thoughts on “Top 10 Disney World Rides You Must Do Each Visit!

  1. Those are basically the ones I HAVE to ride when I go to Disneyland. Except Kilmanjaro Safari and Expedition Everest since they aren’t at Disneyland. I MAY be going to Disney World for the very first time in March but will only have two days. Pirates of the Caribbean and Splash Mountain are two of my favorite rides, plus Magic Kingdom is a must for a first trip to Disney World (right?) So I know we are for sure going to Magic Kingdom. But I can’t decide if we should do Epcot or Hollywood Studios (we’ll save Animal Kingdom for a week long trip with the kids in the future). I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Tower of Terror at California Adventure probably my most favorite ride of all, and I hear the one at Hollywood Studios is like ten times better…but Epcot has booze…what’s a girl to do!? Any suggestions would be most welcome!

  2. I know it’s not the most popular, but I always have to ride “Dinosaur” in Animal Kingdom (or Countdown to Extinction, as I still stubbornly call it). I actually disagree with Soarin’. I rode it when it first came out, and my friends and I found it a bit boring. I do like Toy Story, but the lines are so long I usually just write it off and use my time for other things. (Although, maybe it’s not as crowded in Florida anymore? In Japan, it’s more like a big trap that sucks all the guests away from other things first thing in the morning, so I can enjoy other rides without lines).

  3. Voyage of the Little Mermaid is a show in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The newest ride in Magic Kingdom is called Under the Sea: Journey of the Litle Mermaid.

  4. I’d swap out Expedition Everest for Tower of Terror (can’t handle the backwards part) and maybe Soarin’ for Rock’n Roller Coaster (again, l I get motion sickness). My absolute favorite is the Haunted Mansion, which is weird because I don’t like scary stuff usually.

  5. I would swap out Kali River Rapids for Expedition Everest any day. I don’t think Expedition Everest lives up to the hype that accompanied the launch of the ride. I enjoy the chance to get wet on a hot Florida day than another roller coaster.

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