Which Disney World Park Has the Best Thrill Rides?

Non-Disney fans believe something that simply isn’t true.

For whatever reason, these folks swear that Disney theme parks aren’t the place to go for excitement.

Photo: Universal

No, the adults should visit Universal Studios, while families with young children should head to The Happiest Place on Earth.

I’m shocked by how often I hear that, even though it’s patently absurd. Today, I’m going to prove it by settling a debate.

Photo:visitorlando.com

Which Walt Disney World theme park has the best thrill rides? Let’s decide today!

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Animal Kingdom Map

Here’s something you’re about to realize about Disney theme parks. Most of them host at least two or three excellent thrill rides.

I can prove this by starting at Animal Kingdom, a park that is currently in a transitional state.

Tree of Life

As we speak, Animal Kingdom only offers six rides. So, you’d expect it to be lacking in thrilling adult fare.

That’s simply not the case, as you’ll find Expedition Everest and Avatar Flight of Passage here.

I’d personally throw in DINOSAUR as well, but I’m aiming to avoid controversy with this list.

So, let’s simply focus on those other two attractions. Avatar Flight of Passage is often described as “Soarin’ on Steroids.”

Expedition Everest

Generally, when you say that something is juiced, that means it’s automatically aggressive in nature.

Then, we have Expedition Everest, which remains squarely in the conversation for the title of best Disney roller coaster.

Photo: Disney

So, we’re starting with a park that has two EPIC thrill rides…and it’s arguably the worst Disney park in this category.

This list isn’t a ranking per se, but I’m telling you right now that Animal Kingdom won’t win, which is amazing. Its top two thrill rides could anchor any theme park.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

How do I describe the thrill rides at this park? They’re all gas, no brakes. And someone has thrown fire into the gas tank.

Seriously, Hollywood Studios hosts two liquid-metal hot roller coasters, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith and Slinky Dog Dash.

Photo: Disney

I’ll ding the park a bit because Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster will re-theme soon as a Muppets experience, which I doubt is as aggressive.

Still, that’s not all you’ll find at Hollywood Studios. There’s also the generational Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, the best drop tower ride of all time.

Photo: Disney

I also consider Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance thrill rides.

And if Smugglers Run qualifies, then Star Tours – The Adventures Continue probably should as well.

Yes, that ride is a bit long in the tooth, but Imagineers have done a masterful job in keeping it fresh and modern.

So, yeah, that’s a lot, and Rise of the Resistance remains at the top of the conversation about best modern Disney ride.

Hollywood Studios definitely makes the shortlist as being Disney’s best park for thrill rides.

EPCOT

Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure

Here’s a park where several attractions fall into a bit of a gray area.

For instance, I wouldn’t describe Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure as a thrill ride per se, although it definitely features unusually exciting elements for a dark ride.

Mission: SPACE

Similarly, I’m not a big fan of Mission: SPACE, yet even its harshest critic (which may be me) would acknowledge it’s quite the thrill ride.

Guests face the debilitating physical challenge of achieving orbital escape velocity.

Mission: SPACE

Basically, to exceed the laws of gravity, you gotta push your body to the limits. The sensation isn’t for everyone, but its fans are passionate about it.

Then, we have the top two thrill rides at EPCOT, the recently rebooted Test Track 3.0 and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.

Cosmic Rewind

I won’t spoil the new Test Track for you, as it technically doesn’t even debut for another three weeks.

What I will say is that it once again exemplifies the finest in Walt Disney Imagineering.

Disney

Speaking of which, Cosmic Rewind may be Imagineering’s greatest recent achievement.

Disney has found a way to take a roller coaster and turn it into a kind of dark ride experience.

Cosmic Rewind

You watch a story unfold before your eyes as you zoom down the tracks. It’s absolutely exhilarating.

Still, I cannot put EPCOT at the top of the charts in terms of its thrill rides. Other parks do a little bit better.

Magic Kingdom

Disney

Here’s a park that hides the sheer depth of its number of thrill rides in plain sight.

Because you’ll find so much to do at Magic Kingdom, you may not even think about the attractions that move at breakneck speed.

Disney

Disneyland and Magic Kingdom have this behavior in common. We think of them as family-friendly theme parks.

However, Disney has seeded each one with some genuinely aggressive attractions over the years.

At Magic Kingdom, the most recent entry is obviously Tron Lightcycle / Run, the gorgeous and heart-pounding roller coaster.

I’ve already mentioned a couple of coasters that may be the best at Walt Disney World. This one’s in that conversation as well.

Remarkably, Magic Kingdom offers several of these, including two of my favorites, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.

Then, we have the kiddie coaster, The Barnstormer, and the icon, Space Mountain.

Photo: Disney

Those are just the roller coasters! You never think about it, but this park is overflowing with great ones!

We have other attractions that I could describe as thrill rides as well, but I don’t see the point.

Disney

It’s pretty obvious that the top two choices at Walt Disney World are Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom.

Personally, I favor Hollywood Studios, in a quality over quantity vote. That’s because I prefer Rise of the Resistance to Tron.

Tower of Terror

I also have never gotten tired of Tower of Terror after all this time, and I find Space Mountain long in the tooth.

So, that’s my vote. Hollywood Studios is the best park for thrill rides. If you disagree, please tell me why in the comments!

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