This post ranks every single ride and show at Walt Disney World–all 87 of them–with quick pros & cons. Previously, we’ve rated and reviewed every attraction at Walt Disney World, but never before have we listed them all from worst to best. (Updated January 11, 2025.)
At their pinnacle, Walt Disney World attractions are iconic and timeless classics with multi-generational appeal. At their weakest, WDW rides are indistinguishable from amusement park fare or direct-to-video sequels you’d skip over on Disney+ or Netflix. Then there’s a ton of middle ground of good stuff or nostalgic favorites in between.
Ironically, the best and worst attractions at Walt Disney World both debuted in the last two years. I’m not sure if this is cosmic justice of sorts, and Imagineering created one because the other was just a little too good, or if it’s simply coincidence. Fortunately, there are far more spectacular attractions than “watch this as penance for enjoying yourself too much” type ones.
January 11, 2025 Update: A lot has changed at Walt Disney World in the last year since we last ranked every attraction at Walt Disney World. Of course, there’s the newest addition to Magic Kingdom, with Tiana’s Bayou Adventure ranking highly despite not surpassing Splash Mountain.
In addition to that, there have been a couple of other reimaginings that have reopened in the last year, proving that change isn’t always progress. On the other hand, the entertainment and nighttime spectaculars that has debuted in the last year-plus have been upgrades and improvements over their predecessors.
The other story is everything that has closed in the last year as Walt Disney World gears up for its next development cycle. This includes permanent closures, but also shorter ones that should result in fully or partially reimagined rides, such as Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Test Track. As a result, the number of entries has dropped from 91 to 87 this year. That’s down from the all-time high of 94 in early 2020, but the number should exceed 90 by late Summer 2025 as more opens, and hit a new all-time high sometime in 2027.
We’ve also re-assessed and re-ranked other entries in an attempt to further minimize our personal preferences and opinions. As discussed below, we’re attempting to be as objective as possible, but that’s impossible–and potentially an exercise in futility. There’s a 100% chance you will not agree with every single one of our rankings–but there’s also a 100% chance that no one would agree with every single one of your rankings.
It is literally impossible to please everyone with lists like this, and we’d appreciate you taking that into mind before shouting at us in the comments or on social media. Respectful discussion and even debate are the whole point of this just-for-fun list, but keep in mind that it is for fun…and absolutely meaningless at the end of the day.
If you hate the American Adventure and think it bastardizes U.S. history, you’re certainly entitled to that opinion, and to disagree with our high ranking of the marvel of engineering and storytelling. If you think Frozen Ever After is the best ride at Walt Disney World, don’t view it as a personal affront that it doesn’t crack our top 10. These rankings have zero bearing on your enjoyment of any attractions at Walt Disney World! 🙂
Anyway, on with our rankings of all rides and shows at Walt Disney World, from worst to best…
87. Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along — This film is an offensively bad piece of revisionist lore that spews forth the untold story of LeFou, which should have remained that way. Far worse than a direct-to-video sequel, and proof that fanfic authors might someday see their awful dreams turned into our painful realities.
86. Star Wars Launch Bay – Glorified gift shop with a smattering of movie replicas, a couple of meet & greets, and photo ops. It’s especially sad now that Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge has opened, with the vibe of a Spirit Halloween on November 1.
85. Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival — Cartoon shorts that you could watch on Disney+ shown in a 3D theater with effects thrown into the mix. The shorts are delightful…when viewed at home.
84. Tomorrowland Speedway — Perfect for those who want to enjoy the stench and cognitive impairment of vehicle exhaust. Scores points among kids as it gives them a chance to drive, and preview the fun of being stuck in traffic.
83. The Magic Carpets of Aladdin — Spinner ride. Do Astro Orbiter or Dumbo instead.
82. Barnstormer — A roller coaster for kids who want mild thrills, but are too short for other coasters. It fills a role as a rite-of-passage roller coaster, but everyone else should avoid this due to short duration, lackluster visuals, and an overall unsatisfying experience.
81. Disney Junior Dance Party! – A musical celebration featuring Disney Junior characters, including Doc McStuffins, Vampirina, Timon, and Mickey Mouse. If you have kids, it’s probably for you. If you don’t, it’s probably not.
80. Prince Charming Regal Carrousel — Ordinary carousel. Okay at night thanks to pleasant views of Fantasyland and Cinderella Castle lit up.
79. Mad Tea Party — A fun and iconic diversion, although there’s really nothing more to this experience than can be found at virtually any amusement park. Disney just dresses it up better.
78. Awesome Planet — A film that showcases Earth’s beauty and natural landscapes. In-theater lighting effects and an original musical score, plus narration from Ty Burrell as a realtor (ha!) pitching Earth is amusing.
77. Canada Far & Wide — Another film, this time showcasing the majesty and diversity of Canada in CircleVision 360. Beautiful musical score plus narration by actors Catherine O’Hara and Eugene Levy that offers a whirlwind tour of the country.
76. Mickey Shorts Theater – Home of the “Vacation Fun” Mickey Mouse short and a scattering of photo ops (including one dedicated to the fan-favorite “Potatoland”), the Mickey Shorts Theater is surprisingly well done, and just what Disney’s Hollywood Studios needs–more places to avoid crowds and enjoy AC.
75. Reflections of China — Another Circle-Vision 360 film, this time about China. Poetically narrated, and features scenes in China where Western camera crews typically are not allowed. It’s beautifully shot and scored, with a sweeping camera that envelopes guests in the action in a way not possible through traditional film.
74. Alien Swirling Saucers — The little green aliens pilot spaceships that spin and whip around guests in an attraction that is a mildly enjoyable 90 seconds, but a lack of details or quirk coupled with sometimes long waits drag it down considerably.
73. Astro Orbiter — Spinner ride similar to Dumbo. Elevated location in Tomorrowland makes this a fun diversion, especially at night if lines are shorter.
72. Frozen Sing-Along Celebration – Sing-along for kids, but there are a few moments of chuckle-worthy humor for adults. The Royal Historians of Arendelle weave the songs together with a loose retelling of Frozen. Better than it probably should be.
71. Rafiki’s Planet Watch — Board the Wildlife Express Train to Rafiki’s Planet Watch to see a petting zoo and a number of exhibits concerning animal care. It’s interesting, but not commensurate to the huge time commitment.
70. Journey into Imagination with Figment — Showcasing the power of imagination…with the least imaginative and obnoxious attraction possible. Still has its moments, but Figment deserves better.
69. Walt Disney Presents — A walk-through tribute to Walt Disney, with a film at the end. It helps put the parks in context, lifts the curtain, and in so doing makes the theme parks more impressive. Walt Disney Presents will make you appreciate Walt Disney World more.
68. The Seas with Nemo and Friends — A dark ride retelling of the Finding Nemo story with a few scenes projected into an actual aquarium. There are other high tech scenes and memorable effects, but this is probably overselling the attraction, which is just okay.
67. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh — Winnie the Pooh and his crew are low-key among Disney’s best characters, but even they cannot give sufficient heart or charm to this rudimentary dark ride.
66. Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire – A ‘smile and dance’ show on the Cinderella Castle stage with musical numbers via a fun festival with Mickey and various characters. The plot is flimsy, but the dancing, singing, and costumes are solid.
65. Beauty and the Beast: Live on Stage — A stage show retelling the story of Beauty and the Beast in condensed form. This show is old, but still does enough with its choreography, performances, and dramatic styling that it feels like it actually brings something new to the table.
64. Dumbo the Flying Elephant — The iconic Dumbo spinner ride is a classic and rite of passage for all kids, but thanks to improved lighting and short waits, it’s now a fun night-time attraction for guests of all ages.
63. Liberty Square Riverboat — Relaxing way to float around Frontierland. Like the Tomorrowland Transit Authority or the Walt Disney World Railroad, but on water.
62. Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse — 0% of children today will have seen this movie, but treehouses are universally fun.
61. Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor — A screen-based show during which monsters interact with and tell jokes to guests. Laugh Floor can be hit or miss, largely depending upon guest interaction quality. We find it far funnier than it probably is.
60. Feathered Friends in Flight! – The show replaces “Up! A Great Bird Adventure” and moves up over 20 spots in the process. It basically removed the sloppy writing and cringey character component to once again focus on the avian encounters. By themselves, those are majestic and enjoyable.
59. Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin — An interactive and competitive game-attraction to save the universe in this blast-em-up, ride-through adventure. It’s like a ride-through video game, and is fun but very imprecise, archaic, and poorly maintained. Would have a lot of potential if modernized.
58. Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail — Wildlife walking trail, with (you guessed it) gorillas as the highlight. There are also hippos underwater and being close to them and the gorillas is pretty awesome.
57. Hall of Presidents — Ah, finally! That point of the list where things get politically charged. Irrespective of your feelings on the presidents–any of them–this is a interesting and educational attraction that’ll make you feel less guilty about pulling your kids out of school for a Disney trip. Arguably a tad too long as each president is introduced and stands for applause and/or boos.
56. Disney Movie Magic and/or Wonderful World of Animation — Three different nighttime projection shows at Disney’s Hollywood Studios that celebrate movies. You can guess the content of each based upon the names, but they are very similar. These fall short of “fireworks show” or “nighttime spectacular” status due to a lack of pyro and shorter duration. That’s not a knock–they’re intended to be diversions. Fantasmic is the nighttime spectacular at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and it truly lives up to that status.
55. Mission: Space — Simulator that sends guests crashing on Mars in the more intense version and orbiting Earth on the less intense one. It’s an interactive thrill ride, but that oversells it. The story itself isn’t compelling and interactivity is phoned in. The thrills are the primary draw.
54. Kali River Rapids — Whitewater raft ride spinning freely down a river through rainforest, ruins, and deforested areas with message of conservation. Kali River Rapids has a pretty setting (minus the deforestation), but there isn’t enough substance to the scenes and it’s weak by raft ride standards. The best part might just be the line, so hooray for that.
53. It’s Tough To Be A Bug — 3D show about touting the benefits of inspects with the cast of A Bug’s Life. This is a prime example of how you use Disney characters to make an educational (at least partially so) film feel like pure entertainment. A cool setting and in-theater effects keep this relevant years after it debuted.
52. The Boneyard – There are only a couple of things (literally) that Disney did right with Dinoland and Dinorama, and this is one of the two. Even as adults, we’re huge advocates of play areas done right, and this is exactly that.
51. Tom Sawyer Island — An entire island play area for kids that harkens back to a bygone area. It’s really well done, and a great place for kids to blow off energy. Adults may enjoy the tranquility of the island, too. Worlds away from the chaos of a theme park.
50. Tree of Life Awakenings — Walt Disney World has an obsession with nighttime projection mapping shows, but this is nonetheless beautiful and majestic–the most easily digestible and moving of the bunch.
49. Gran Fiesta Tour — Boat ride featuring the Three Caballeros with Mexico’s culture as a backdrop in the search for Donald Duck. Weaves culture together with Disney characters–a fun experience for anyone who likes boats, Mexico, fiestas, or waterfowl.
48. Turtle Talk with Crush — An underrated interactive show that allows kids to talk with Crush from Finding Nemo in a screen-based attraction that mimics a water tank. Turtle Talk is just as enjoyable for adults, as part of the humor goes over kids’ heads, and there are a lot of “kids say the darndest things” type moments in every show.
47. Mickey’s PhilharMagic — A 3D montage film mostly from the “Disney Animation Renaissance” cleverly tied together with Donald Duck. The animation style is a bit dated now, but children of the 90s are still sure to enjoy this film (really, anyone should enjoy it).
46. Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room — Musical serenade of catchy songs from Audio Animatronics birds. It’s iconic, historic, and just the right duration to maintain guest interest. We love it.
45. Country Bear Musical Jamboree — A stage show featuring Audio Animatronics singing bears, Country Bear Musical Jamboree is a recently reimagined show that now features Disney music. The song selections feature many “unexpected” country renditions of pop music by “unexpected” bear performers. This works well when used sparingly, and is even humorous.
The problem with Country Bear Musical Jamboree is that almost every single song is like this, and this approach loses its luster. While the new show has its moments and everyone is bound to have at least one song they enjoy, Country Bear Musical Jamboree is no substitute for the irreverence, charm and personality of the original.
44. Moana’s Journey of Water – A much-needed addition that embodies the spirit of EPCOT Center and its edutainment roots. This water exploration trail is wonderfully executed and much more fun than expected. For what it is, Moana’s Journey of Water is one of the best additions at Walt Disney World in recent memory and easily the best interactive play area that’s fun for both kids and adults.
43. Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular — Featuring a variety of different stunt styles, plus humor, and engaging narrative scenes. It’s like a behind the scenes look at the filming of iconic moments from Indiana Jones. It just works.
42. Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress — An Audio-Animatronics stage show with scenes in different eras showcasing technological innovations. The last scene is woefully outdated and this probably won’t appeal to average guests, but they are wrong–Carousel of Progress is a delightful blast from the past.
41. Impressions de France — Wide-format film highlighting the culture and natural beauty of France set to a hauntingly beautiful score. It’s surged here due to subjectivity and our sentimentality–Impressions de France is our favorite film in all of Walt Disney World. It has a beautiful, chills-inducing score, a digital projection, and breathtaking visuals.
40. Tomorrowland Transit Authority Peoplemover — A slow-moving ride with nice views of Tomorrowland, pure and simple. It’s hard to articulate what makes the Peoplemover so special–perhaps it’s the chance to relax and decompress while soaking up the sights and sounds of Magic Kingdom sans crowds.
39. Walt Disney World Railroad – Another transportation attraction, this one offering a relaxing railway ride around the entire Magic Kingdom. There’s not ton to see and an egregious lacking of dinosaurs, but trains are timeless, so this is solid.
38. Maharajah Jungle Trek — Walk-through animal exhibit with birds, bats, and tigers. Its scenes that bring you up close to various animals, all while traversing through an elaborate Asian environment. The animal encounters are great, but the themed design and environments are what sets this apart from an ordinary zoological exhibit. At one point you’re going through the ruins of a remote ancient temple–it feels reclaimed by nature, and an actual environment where these animals live, rather than just observing them in their pens.
37. Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid — New Fantasyland’s Little Mermaid dark ride is one of the most popular in the park, but it’s too much of a book report. There are a couple of cool scenes and Audio Animatronics, and the queue is really cool, but could be more imaginative and engaging.
36. MuppetVision 3D — If you have a sense of humor, you’ll love MuppetVision 3D. The pre-show is actually the highlight of MuppetVision, and can fairly be described as sidesplitting. The main 3D show is good, and uses the typical 3D show gimmicks, plus characters in the theater. Not loving MuppetVision 3D is distinctly unpatriotic.
35. Dinosaur — A high-speed, wild drive in a time rover through scenes with Audio Animatronics dinosaurs before the moment of extinction. Dinosaur has a humorous pre-show video and memorable scenes in a prehistoric world. Any ride with dinosaurs is great, but there is admittedly a lot of dead, dark space here. Enjoy it before it goes extinct in 2026.
34. Space Mountain — A dark roller coaster through outer space. Space Mountain is light on thrills, but has history and style going for it. There’s cool themed design, a blast-off tunnel, and music to enhance the experience. It also has interesting post-show scenes in space.
33. Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith — An intense (by Disney standards) roller coaster with a loop, featuring Aerosmith. The pre-show and queue help make it more interesting, but Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster is basically an ordinary rollercoaster in the dark. It’s short but fun–and the kind of ride you could find in any amusement park.
32. Living with the Land — Boat ride showcasing the future of agriculture that weaves together elements of a traditional Disney attraction with a heavy dose of “edutainment” components. I think gardening is pretty awful, but even I love the look this ride offers at experimental horticulture techniques. Living with the Land is a testament to human ingenuity, and it’s a shame that more people aren’t interested in a relaxing float through Epcot’s greenhouses.
31. Luminous: The Symphony of Us – The new nighttime spectacular in World Showcase Lagoon, and features an assortment of songs from Disney movies, choreographed fountains, colorful lights, lasers, barges, fireworks, and more. Luminous is very good, and should stick around for years to come.
It delivers a contemporary nighttime spectacular that’s moving, powerful, and emotionally satisfying with unifying themes and music that will bring guests together, whether they’re longtime fans or first-timers. Luminous contains a fitting message that’s in the spirit of EPCOT Center, and is an excellent way for all guests to end a day at the park.
30. Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure – This newer ride is relatively average. While it’s fun to scurry around a Parisian kitchen as a mouse and there are a variety of things that enhance the attraction, its over-reliance on screens and their prominence knocks it down considerably as compared to other recent additions. Read our spoiler-free Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure ride review for more.
29. ‘it’s a small world’ — Possibly Walt Disney World’s most polarizing attraction, ‘it’s a small world’ is the iconic boat ride featuring the children of the world and that song. Again, unless you live under a rock, you’re familiar with it and already have an opinion of it.
28. Toy Story Mania — A 3D screen-based shooter game with Toy Story characters that is still a ton of fun. There’s nothing necessarily wrong with it, but it’s a bit one-dimensional. With that said, the average guest would likely rank it higher than this ‘objective’ placement.
27. Na’vi River Journey — It’s Living with the Land, but with alien plants imported from outer space. Oh, and one of the most breathtaking Audio Animatronics figure Imagineering has ever created. It’s good, but not as good as it should be.
26. Jungle Cruise — A boat safari through the rivers of Adventureland, with the real highlight being the non-stop zingers of the skippers. Jungle Cruise is somewhat taste-specific, as you’re not riding for the antiquated animal Audio Animatronics. If you don’t appreciate dry, intentionally corny, or self-aware humor, you may not like Jungle Cruise.
25. Spaceship Earth — A slow-moving dark ride through Audio Animatronics-heavy scenes depicting the evolution of how humans communicate and technological innovation housed in Epcot’s iconic geodesic sphere. The story is a compelling one, and besides a few cringe-worthy moments in the script, the first half is captivating and inspiring. The ride goes downhill on the descent, literally and figuratively, and the ride is now ~5 years overdue for a refurbishment, causing it to fall on these rankings considerably.
24. Soarin’ Around the World — A popular hang-glider simulator ride that offers a grandiose flight over amazing locations around the globe. The giant screen combined with the swinging and an epic score creates a believable experience, minus questionable CGI and bent architecture (if you’re seated off-center).
23. Festival of the Lion King — Acrobats, singers, and other performers in tribal attire and vibrant costumes, plus parade floats with Lion King characters and other creatures enact scenes inspired by the Lion King in a very lively theatrical show. There’s a lot of stuff going on, in what basically amounts to a lot of audio-visual stimulation. The show just flat out works, and its almost abstract nature allows the audience to just sit back and enjoy the wow-inducing performers.
22. Finding Nemo: The Big Blue & Beyond – Previously known as Finding Nemo: The Musical, this was renamed to make it less descriptive when it returned. Although a couple of scenes have changed, and the show is tighter, it’s fundamentally the same–in style, substance, and quality. Human performers are paired with creatively-made puppets in a condensed retelling of Finding Nemo. The big draw here is how the entertainers manipulate the puppets. Are the humans the focus or the puppets they’re controlling? (Why not both?!) It’s an interesting concept, and the presentation and music are excellent. This show brings enough novelty to the table to elevate what would otherwise be a retread.
21. Slinky Dog Dash — The crown jewel of Toy Story Land, which isn’t really saying a ton, but Slinky Dog Dash is still better than expected. It delivers pleasant thrills, a nice track layout, and queue details. The biggest weakness is its relative lack of Imagineering, with no show scenes—albeit a cute ending.
20. Peter Pan’s Flight — This is the Fantasyland dark ride done to near-perfection, taking guests in “flying” ships bound for Neverland. Peter Pan’s Flight’s age and poor condition prevent total suspension of disbelief; it could seriously wow audiences with a modernization (easily soaring into the top 10 in the process). Nevertheless, there’s still plenty of magic in flying above London’s busy streets and a pirate ship.
19. Frozen Ever After — This boat ride in Epcot’s Norway pavilion features characters from Frozen, taking guests to the fictional country of Arendelle, and immersing them in moments and music from the film. It’s a cute attraction with cool Audio Animatronics figures and fun songs. Read our spoiler-free Frozen Ever After Review for more thoughts.
18. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure – This boat ride is the reimagined replacement for Splash Mountain, using the same ride system and layout. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is an extension of The Princess and the Frog, with guests joining Tiana and Louis on a musical adventure as they prepare for their first-ever Mardi Gras performance.
The highlights of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure are the incredibly advanced Audio Animatronics, memorable music that brings the ride to life, and fun drop. Lowlights are a nonsensical story, too much dead space, low stakes, and reliability. That’s it in a nutshell. In actuality, this is one of the most polarizing Disney rides ever. See our Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Ride Review: Failure, Flawed or Fantastic? for full thoughts.
17. Festival of Fantasy Parade – Magic Kingdom went years (decades?) limping along with the same, tired daytime parade. Festival of Fantasy changed that, delivering an ambitious and large scale production. The parade floats are all large, detailed and have a lot of substance to them. There are tons of highlights, but the one everyone remembers is the steampunk-esque Maleficent float that breathes fire. Check out our Festival of Fantasy Parade Tips post for best viewing places and more.
16. Star Tours: The Adventures Continue — A 3D motion simulator montage ride through various locations in the Star Wars universe that was recently updated to include scenes from “Ahsoka,” “Andor,” and “The Mandalorian” and tie into Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Those updates have made Star Tours’ story more cohesive, and the attraction is arguably better than Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run. (We think Star Tours is the more fun ride, but Smugglers Run is the better overall attraction thanks to the full package. But it’s a close call, either way.)
15. Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run — The ‘supporting’ attraction for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is definitely not a perfect attraction, with the interactivity being a mixed bag and a gameplay-centric ride not being everyone’s cup of tea. However, there’s a lot to like about Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run beyond the game/ride experience. The queue is beautiful, the pre-show is impressive, and stepping foot into the Millennium Falcon while waiting to board the ride is arguably the highlight of the attraction as a whole. Read our Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run Review for more feedback on the attraction.
14. Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway – We find ourselves enjoying Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway more with each subsequent ride-through. Runaway Railway features a series of loosely-connected vignettes in a variety of environments, with a tremendous range in the settings. The pacing is fairly frenetic and disorienting at points, but in a sense, the ride is very much in keeping with how a cartoon would bounce around. It also boasts an earworm of an original song that’ll have you humming for hours afterwards. Runaway Railway probably is not destined to become a modern classic, but it’s a formidable new ride in a park full of them. Read our Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway Review for more.
13. Expedition Everest — This roller coaster takes a page out of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad’s playbook and improves upon it in nearly every conceivable way. Expedition Everest features a foreboding queue, incredible details, interesting ride vehicles, a spectacular ascent, and on-ride encounters with a yeti. Many effects on the attraction now do not work; the most notable of these is the large Audio Animatronics “Disco” Yeti. Despite this, Expedition Everest is still impressively fun and Walt Disney World’s most ambitious roller coaster.
12. TRON Lightcycle Run – The ultimate “wish fulfillment” roller coaster. It doesn’t matter if you’re a fan of the films, straddling the lightcycle and racing through the Grid is an experience that will be etched in your memory long after the specifics of TRON Lightcycle Run–and most other rides you did on vacation at Walt Disney World–fades away. The music, visuals, pacing, and sense of exhilaration are all top notch, even if the ride is just a tad on the short side.
TRON Lightcycle Run also adds a ton to Magic Kingdom. Simply standing under the Upload Conduit canopy gazing up and around at night is an experience that’s excellent for anyone who can’t ride. The unique nature of the ride plus the kinetic energy of the canopy and vibe it adds to Tomorrowland makes TRON Lightcycle Run a strong addition to the Walt Disney World ride roster and Magic Kingdom’s atmosphere.
11. The American Adventure — An Audio Animatronics-driven “montage” stage show of key moments in American history.The American Adventure is a powerful show that may make the eyes of patriotic Americans leak a bit. For being a theme park attraction (and not a history book), American Adventure is surprisingly introspective–the epitome of edutainment that acts as a catalyst for further conversation and learning.
The American Adventure is also a technical marvel if you pay attention to how the scenes rise and come into view thanks to the “war wagon” that powers it. Even decades later, this is one of the all-time greatest achievements of Walt Disney Imagineering, and has aged incredibly gracefully. Those with short attention spans may not appreciate it, but the same could be said for Avengers: Endgame. Seeing the Voices of Liberty perform before American Adventure and a meal at Regal Eagle Smokehouse afterwards is the ultimate in distinctly patriotic experiences at Walt Disney World.
10. Happily Ever After — There is no more fitting of a way to close a day in the Magic Kingdom than with fireworks, and Happily Ever After is pure perfection. After being “permanently” replaced by Disney Enchantment at the start of Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary, Happily Ever After (which itself placed the also-great Wishes!) made its triumphant return earlier this year.
As we write in our Happily Ever After Review, this is one of the best fireworks shows Disney has ever done, anywhere. Happily Ever After is absolutely not to be missed. We recommend viewing it on Main Street with the fireworks exploding behind Cinderella Castle (best spots are recommended in our Magic Kingdom Fireworks Viewing Guide).
9. Fantasmic! – Happily Ever After fans might not be so happy about this, but Fantasmic is the best nighttime spectacular at Walt Disney World. Sorry, as great as Happily Ever After is, the recently reimagined Fantasmic is even better. This ambitious production takes you into Mickey Mouse’s dreams in a show featuring mist screens, characters on stage, boats, fire, and fireworks is better than ever.
Fantasmic is completely unlike the fireworks and projection shows elsewhere, and the new heroes sequence with an Aladdin chase, Elsa’s “Show Yourself” song, and stirring moments with Pocahontas, Moana and Mulan brings far better balance than before. We’d go as far as to call this the definitive version of Fantasmic, which is not something we would’ve written ~5 years ago.
8. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train — This family roller coaster’s strengths are its Audio-Animatronics, themed design, music, and novelty level. Its weaknesses are duration and show lighting. Despite its popularity among the general public, we’d argue that Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is underrated among Walt Disney World fans–it’s destined to become a modern classic. Read our spoiler-free Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Review if you want to know more.
7. Kilimanjaro Safaris — Animal Kingdom’s flagship safari ride through environments virtually indistinguishable from the African savannas. Kilimanjaro Safaris is an amazing attraction, showcasing a multitude of animals in what appears to be their natural environments. It proves that sometimes the best Imagineering is the invisible kind that fades into the background, and the most thrilling experiences aren’t high tech thrill rides, but the real world.
6. Avatar Flight of Passage — This thrill ride is like Soarin’ on steroids, done to perfection. Riders climb aboard the back of a banshee and link to an avatar flying through Pandora for a simulator experience that is far more ‘active’ than any past attraction of its nature. You can feel your banshee breathe, the wind and spray of the ocean in your face, and smell plenty of scents along the way. Even though Avatar Flight of Passage is a screen-based attraction, that fades away during the experience. You are fully immersed in the experience, and fully suspend disbelief and embrace the action over Pandora. Flight of Passage has a certain je ne sais quoi that provokes an emotional response unlike many other attractions.
5. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind – An incredibly satisfying attraction from start to finish, with a queue and pre-shows that provide depth, a couple of wow-moment effects, hilarity & hijinks, and a compelling story set-up. The roller coaster itself is satisfying in duration and has fantastic flow and fluidity–better the music and the motion, it feels a bit like dancing.
Above all else, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is just flat-out, fantastic fun. It’s one of the most fun attractions in all of Walt Disney World. It hits all of the right notes, and is just a non-stop hoot from start to finish. In large part, this is owing to the Marvel characters, humor, and use of music. It’s exactly the blockbuster attraction that EPCOT needed, and is another great modern hybrid of story and fun from Imagineering. (Read our spoiler-free Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind Ride Review for more.)
4. Pirates of the Caribbean — A boat-ride back in time to the days when pirates ruled the high seas. Pirates of the Caribbean features Audio Animatronics pirates, including Captain Jack Sparrow, engaging in swashbuckling mayhem. It’s degenerate fun for guests of all ages, with great detail, amusing visual gags, fully immersive environments, and catchy music. While the Walt Disney World version is the weakest at any Disney park, it’s still a timeless classic.
3. Twilight Zone Tower of Terror — A free-fall thrill ride set in the Twilight Zone with an elaborate lead-in and excellent story. Tower of Terror’s mood, the atmosphere, and the environments before the ride are all top-notch. It’s ominous, intimidating, and foreboding from the moment you set eyes on the Hollywood Tower Hotel looming at the end of Sunset Boulevard. From there, the build-up continues in the queue and pre-show, right down to the moments that the randomized drops begin. While it features a ton of nods to Twilight Zone episodes, the attraction’s masterful use of suspense is downright Hitchcockian.
T1. Haunted Mansion — If Tower of Terror is Hitchcockian, then Haunted Mansion is Lynchian. It’s part surreal dream, part beautifully imaginative and impressionist nightmare. Haunted Mansion is so interesting because it works on multiple levels. Each of the scenes can be taken at face value for what it offers in terms of spooky and/or humorous imagery, or attempts can be made at deeper analysis.
Like an especially vivid dream, guests want to make sense of Haunted Mansion. This is why so much has been written about the attraction, why there are so many fan theories explaining it all, and why visual elements of Haunted Mansion are so meaningful to so many. Haunted Mansion is an experience that etches itself in your memory, even if you’re not entirely sure why. It’s Walt Disney World’s only transcendent attraction–a work of art that will be discussed and debated for generations to come.
T1. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance – While it lacks Haunted Mansion’s artistry and timelessness, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is a revolutionary feat of Imagineering that redefines what a theme park attraction can be. It blurs the boundaries of queue, pre-show, attraction, and puts guests in the middle of an intergalactic adventure.
What makes Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance so mind-blowing, in large part, is massive set pieces and a slew of how did they do that moments. The Imagineers used everything in their proverbial bag of technical tricks, and executed them all flawlessly. The result with Rise of the Resistance is something epic in scale that feels more like an interactive blockbuster film than it does a traditional theme park ride like Haunted Mansion. (Read our spoiler-free Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance Review for more.)
Admittedly, placing Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance in the top spot (or anywhere near it) requires overlooking its reliability woes, which led to daily downtime and unpredictable wait times–but ones that are usually long–as a result. There’s also the fact that it’s pay-to-play via the Individual Lightning Lane, which is more relevant here than the other 3 attractions that sell that line-skipping option due to the aforementioned breakdowns and way Lightning Lane guests are prioritized.
The two #1 attractions use very different approaches to evoke very different emotions, both with similarly high degrees of success. It’s for this reason that we view Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Haunted Mansion as the yin and yang of Walt Disney World attractions. Two complementary counterparts, separated by decades and storytelling styles, but together representing the range of perfection in Walt Disney World attraction experiences.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Your Thoughts
Obviously, no one is going to have identical rankings of every single Walt Disney World attraction. With that said, which rankings on our list do you really agree or really disagree with? Which Walt Disney World rides and shows do you think are overrated or underrated? What makes your top 10 and bottom 5? We’re ready to hear friendly and spirited debate about a lighthearted topic that ultimately doesn’t matter, so please share your thoughts in the comments–even if you disagree with all of our Walt Disney World ride rankings!
