The Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida is known for some of the best rides and attractions of any theme park throughout the world.
Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a seasoned Disney fan, these rides are sure to provide an unforgettable experience that will leave you wanting more. From classic boat rides to thrilling roller coasters, there’s something for everyone at each of the four theme parks.
In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at the best ride in the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom as of the summer 2023. So if you find yourself with time for only one ride at each park, these are the ones you should choose.
Best Rides at Each Walt Disney World Theme Park
- Magic Kingdom – TRON Lightcycle Run
- EPCOT – Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios – Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom – Expedition Everest
Magic Kingdom – TRON Lightcycle Run
The best ride at the Magic Kingdom is undoubtedly the all new TRON Lightcycle Run. Located in the Tomorrowland area of the park and first opened in spring 2023, this indoor / outdoor roller coaster gives riders an immersive experience into the world of TRON while going on an exhilarating thrill ride.
Riders board a motorcycle style ride vehicle before a high-speed launch that will take them on speeds of up to 60 miles per hour on a 3,100+ feet track. The ride is fairly quick as compared to other attractions at the Magic Kingdom but definitely worth the wait (in a virtual queue).
Other top rides at the Magic Kingdom include:
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Space Mountain
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
EPCOT – Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
The best ride at EPCOT, if not all of Walt Disney World, is the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind roller coaster. This attraction first opend in May 2022 and is a great compliment to the adjacent Mission: Space and Test Track attractions within the World Discovery area and a welcome addition to the current line up of rides at Epcot.
Guests board 4-person 360 degree rotating roller coaster ride vehicles that is themed after the Guardians of the Galaxy movie franchise. The rotating coaster takes riders on a thrilling ride at speeds of up to 39 miles per hour while listening to one of six songs from the “Awesome Mix” (from the movie).
Other top rides at EPCOT include:
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
Located in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is the top ride at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This is one of the longest and most impressive attractions at Walt Disney World as the guests join the “Resistance” and become part of the story.
Rise of the Resistance is a multi-phase attraction with a trackless ride through the Star Destroyer as the final act. The entire experience (not including the time in the queue) takes more than 15 minutes from start to finish.
Other top rides at Disney’s Hollywood Studios include:
- Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
- Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
Click here to see our Ultimate Guide to Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Disney’s Animal Kingdom – Expedition Everest
At an initial cost of $100 million, Expedition Everest: Legend of the Forbidden Mountain was one of the most expensive theme park rides at the time it was been built. As a result, it is our top ride at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park.
This thrilling roller coaster takes riders up to a height of 200 feet and speeds near 50 miles per hour – both forwards and backwards. There also an 80 foot drop but this attraction does not have inversions so it’s good for most novice coaster riders.
Other top rides at Disney’s Animal Kingdom include:
- Avatar: Flight of Passage
- Kilimanjaro Safaris
- Kali River Rapids
Click here to see our Ultimate Guide to Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Learn More about the Walt Disney World Resort with our Theme Park Guides
- The Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World
- EPCOT at Walt Disney World
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- Disney Springs
Where Should We Stay When Visiting the Walt Disney World Resort?
The Walt Disney World Resort has a number of great on-site hotels and each and every one of them have their own benefits, characteristics and price points.
There are multiple “categories” of hotels which are as follows:
- Deluxe Resort Hotels
- Deluxe Resort Villas
- Moderate Resort Hotels
- Disney’s Campgrounds
- Value Resort Hotels
Deluxe resort hotels include the Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, Disney’s Boardwalk Inn, Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, Disney’s Beach Club Resort and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.
These resort hotels are all located adjacent to a Walt Disney World theme park (Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT and Disney’s Animal Kingdom) and offer easy access to that park as well as superior amenities and accommodations.
In addition Disney’s hotels and resorts, there are a number of other on-site hotels options. Click here to learn more about hotels at the Walt Disney World Resort.
