Walt Disney World offers a variety of incredible attractions between its four theme parks, from family-friendly dark rides to intense roller coasters for the biggest thrill-seekers.
While there are several roller coasters offered throughout the parks that are all unique in their own way, we will take you through the five best ones that you won’t want to miss during your Walt Disney World vacation and what makes them stand out!
5. Slinky Dog Dash at Hollywood Studios is a family-friendly roller coaster that is one of the most popular attractions at the park!
The premise of the ride is that Andy has assembled his Mega Coaster Play Kit, and Slinky takes you on a fun journey through Andy’s backyard as you fly past giant toys, reaching a top speed of 40 miles per hour. While this coaster is not as intense as some of the others on this list, it offers a smooth ride with mild drops and turns as well as fun theming throughout the attraction and a detailed, immersive queue. This fun ride is kid-friendly and provides gentle thrills, making it the perfect roller coaster for families.
Because of Slinky Dog Dash’s popularity, Disney World Genie+ times will book quickly, so we recommend booking Slinky Dog Dash immediately in the morning to avoid the long wait times throughout the day. See our Hollywood Studios Rope Drop Morning Strategy for timing tips.
4. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Magic Kingdom is a fun swaying roller coaster that takes you on a journey through the diamond mine from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The experience starts with an engaging interactive queue, and the ride itself features thrilling turns and speeds of up to 34 miles per hour as it takes you across the mountain and through the mine shaft. Adding to the fun are the tilting ride vehicles that simulate the swaying of a mine cart!
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is a great family-friendly coaster that provides mild thrills as well as some captivating visuals when you encounter the Seven Dwarfs whistling and singing surrounded by glistening jewels. We consider this to be one of the best rides at Magic Kingdom!
3. Expedition Everest at Animal Kingdom is one of the park’s most popular attractions that offers intense thrills and an engaging storyline. The queue takes you through a Tibetan village and the “Yeti Museum,” where you’ll find information on the legendary snow monster who is said to live in the mountain. The roller coaster is famous for its broken track torn up by the Yeti that you encounter during your ascent before you plummet backward!
Expedition Everest features fast drops, backward motion in the dark, speeds of up to 50 miles per hour, and the massive 25-foot tall Yeti that appears near the end of the journey. The ride stands out as one of the best ones at Disney World due to its engaging storytelling and big thrills! See more of the best rides you won’t want to miss at Animal Kingdom.
2. TRON Lightcycle / Run at Magic Kingdom is one of the newer rides at Disney World based on the sci-fi film TRON: Legacy that takes you on a thrilling, high-speed race. Aboard your Lightcycle, you will dash through 8 energy gates as part of Team Blue to race against opponents. The ride features unique motorbike-like vehicles, with riders leaning forward and gripping the handlebars with restraints on their backs and calves.
The most famous part of this popular roller coaster is the thrilling zero to nearly 60 mph launch that takes place at the beginning. TRON Lightcycle / Run is one of the fastest roller coasters at any Disney theme park worldwide! The remainder of the ride races through the “Grid” from the TRON movie as you capture the energy gates. The immersive theming and thrilling high speeds of the roller coaster make it a can’t-miss experience at Magic Kingdom!
TRON Lightcycle / Run does not currently offer a standby line and uses a TRON virtual queue, and guests also have the option to purchase an Individual Lightning Lane for the attraction.
1. Guardians of the Galaxy – Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT is the best roller coaster at Disney World that takes you on a thrilling journey through space and time. Guardians of the Galaxy – Cosmic Rewind is Disney’s first reverse-launch roller coaster, and it’s one of the largest fully-enclosed coasters in the world! The experience starts with an immersive queue that takes you on a tour of the Galaxarium, an exhibition where you’ll learn about the similarities and differences between Xandar and Earth’s galaxies, then you are transported in a super cool effect into space to assist the Guardians of the Galaxy on an important mission.
During the ride, you’ll engage in a smooth, high-speed journey through space at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour with 360-degree rotations and backward motions through the dark. Guardians of the Galaxy – Cosmic Rewind stands out as one of these must-do best rides at EPCOT and features favorite characters and an engaging storyline, a list of six rotating songs, and an immersive, thrilling experience. I personally love this attraction!
This ride currently offers a Virtual Queue and Individual Lightning Lane—read more on its Virtual Queue and how to get a boarding group.
Be sure to check out these incredible top 5 Disney World roller coasters during your next trip! You can see our Magic Kingdom 1-Day Itinerary and EPCOT 1-Day Itinerary for some more of the best attractions you won’t want to miss and must-do experiences.
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