Let’s Talk Disney Roller Coasters
We’re in the heart of summer now, and that means Disney vacation time!
When we’re on a Disney trip, what matters most to us? Okay, there are lots of good answers here, but let’s focus on one.
Disney
Specifically, let’s talk Walt Disney World roller coasters. There are now a bunch of them, and they’re all great!
The Barnstormer
Hey! Don’t be a roller coaster snob. Junior roller coasters still count.
We all have to start somewhere, and Disney designed the perfect thrill ride to account for its younger fans.
Barnstormer
Guests must be 35 inches tall to ride The Barnstormer. That means that most two-year-olds are technically welcome.
Since I’m overprotective, I’d suggest that parents wait until their kids are four or five before they begin their roller coaster playing career.
Barnstormer
Once children are ready, the Great Goofini will pilot them through a rollicking course filled with countless twists and turns.
As far as training roller coasters go, there aren’t many better than the Barnstormer.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Technically, nobody will be riding Big Thunder Mountain Railroad this summer or during the rest of 2025, for that matter.
Disney is currently overhauling “the wildest ride in the Wilderness” as part of the Beyond Big Thunder expansion.
Photo: Disney
One day soon, parts of this roller coaster will overlook Disney Villains Land at Magic Kingdom.
In the interim, Disney has torn apart the old tracks and added entirely new ones.
I’m a bit bummed about this for the strangest reason possible. Medical research has proven that this roller coaster can move kidney stones.
The one at Disneyland doesn’t do that, and now the rebuilding of the tracks may have negated this novel phenomenon.
Photo: Disney
We won’t know for sure until the ride reopens in 2026, but if not, it was fascinating while it lasted.
Expedition Everest
Not all roller coasters are created equal. That’s true even at Disney.
Twenty years ago, Imagineers received the assignment they’d anticipated for countless years.
Even though Disney designed two of the most iconic theme park roller coasters anywhere, the park still faced a stigma.
Many casual fans believed that Disney couldn’t create a gripping thrill ride, one that would leave guests on the edge of their seats.
Expedition Everest
Feeling fighty, Imagineers worked together to build the most aggressive Disney roller coaster of all time.
Not coincidentally, Expedition Everest qualifies as a masterpiece. Never challenge Imagineers, as they’ll always make you look foolish.
Photo: Disney
If you don’t believe me, hop on Expedition Everest. The instant you enter the pitch-black cave, you’ll know. You will KNOW.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
More recently, Imagineers wanted to try something different.
They hoped to combine their love of Marvel storytelling with a thrilling theme park adventure.
Cosmic Rewind
Thus, Imagineers coined the phrase “Storytelling coaster,” which is what Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is.
You’ll enjoy a frenzied roller coaster journey into the unknown, but Disney controls your line of sight.
Cosmic Rewind
That’s worrisome since you’re often staring up at a floor-to-ceiling sized Celestial, a galaxy-destroying Marvel foe.
Somehow, the experience isn’t terrifying, which has something to do with the soundtrack.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
One of six different pop music hits will play during your ride. Aim for September by Earth, Wind, and Fire. It’s the best one.
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
In a few weeks, we’ll lose this version of the attraction forever.
Disney will soon re-theme Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster to remove the ties to Aerosmith, a decision that makes sense.
Photo: Disney
Aerosmith recently announced its retirement, and the band’s last hit song came nearly 25 years ago.
You may not even remember that one as it’s Jaded, which nobody would describe as top-five Aerosmith music.
So, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster has become a vestige of a past generation of music. Still, as a thrill ride, it’s dynamic.
You go from zero to 57 miles per hour in less than three seconds, which was admittedly a much bigger deal in the days before electric cars.
Photo: Disney
While not a long ride by any stretch, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster overwhelms you with its thunderous fury.
This is a ride that undeniably ROCKS. Soon, Disney will update the theme with The Muppets, which will undeniably change the vibe.
So, enjoy the explosive version of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster while you still can!
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Pure joy, thy name is…
Walt Disney World is always changing. That’s just the reality of the situation.
Photo: Where We Going Next
Still, some of our best vacation moments remain frozen in time. For me and mine, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train embodies the best of the 2010s.
Magic Kingdom changed for the better when Disney unveiled this gentle, well-intended ride.
Credit: Disney
Suddenly, families could ride a roller coaster that included dark ride elements…and adorable ones at that.
After a few twists and turns in the swaying ride cart, tourists enter a dark cave where shiny jewels surround them.
Credit: Disney
Eerily happy miners ply their trade as they liberate the jewels, and these hard workers sing all the while. And you KNOW the song.
There’s a kindness to Seven Dwarfs Mine Train that elevates it over the overwhelming majority of attractions, even Disney ones.
Slinky Dog Dash
Then, we have another relatively new roller coaster that slows in the middle.
Actually, Slinky Dog Dash comes to a full stop, teasing riders with the promise of a sudden burst of velocity.
Slinky Dog Dash
Moments later, this attraction catapults people down the tracks, teaching everyone what it feels like to be a Slinky.
Nobody but Disney could so aptly encapsulate the vibe of a toy that’s fun for a girl and a boy.
Space Mountain
All the other Walt Disney World roller coasters we’ve discussed today owe a debt to Space Mountain.
This roller coaster changed everything, causing theme park designers to reconsider what’s possible in the industry.
In the 1970s, Walt Disney World existed before the opening of Space Mountain, but everything changed in 1975 when the ride debuted.
Fifty years ago, Space Mountain demonstrated the fear and awe of sensory deprivation, all disguised as a thrill ride.
Photo: Disney
Most of the time, you’ll travel less than 30 miles per hour on Space Mountain, which would feel slow in your call.
When you’re trapped alone in the ark, the sensation is something quite different, though.
Space Mountain
Space Mountain is past its prime a bit in terms of the best roller coasters at Walt Disney World.
However, this science fiction thrill ride maintains its status as the most iconic roller coaster in Disney history.
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