I can have fun on just about any type of theme park ride, but thrill rides hold a special place in my heart – the more intense, the better! The Walt Disney World Resort has its share of great thrill rides, and I have ranked my ten favorites below. These are not necessarily in order of intensity – I considered more than that when coming up with the rankings. Let’s get to the list!

10. TRON Lightcycle / Run, Magic Kingdom

The initial launch combined with your body’s positioning on the lightcycle vehicle is a unique and thrilling experience. The launch and outdoor section of the ride are my favorite parts of the / run (can anyone explain to me why there is a slash in the name?). But after that, it’s over so quickly. I wish there was more to it. Although, I also find the ride vehicle to be a little uncomfortable, so I’m not sure how long I really want to be in that position. Still, it’s absolutely worth riding, especially if you’ve never ridden it before. It’s just not a ride I have to ride every time I’m in Magic Kingdom. I do still need to try it at night, though!

9. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Magic Kingdom

Is it worth waiting the typical 60+ minutes in the standby line to ride Seven Dwarfs? Probably not, in my opinion. But if you can get a shorter wait first thing in the morning, or if you are willing to pay for a lightning lane single pass, it’s a very enjoyable ride, and it’s super smooth. It’s also a great first thrill ride for younger kids to get their feet wet on roller coasters. I just wish it was a little longer… this is another one that is over too quickly, especially if you’ve invested a lot of time waiting in line. But I have to admit, we always find a way to ride this on every visit, because it is a crowd pleaser for our family.

8. Space Mountain, Magic Kingdom

My first memory of riding space mountain was during a 7th grade field trip to Disney World for a band competition (side note – my two years of playing trombone in my junior high band is not where “Bandy” came from). I had a blast back then, and although it’s not the smoothest ride, it’s still a must-do for me to this day. And I always seem to step off the ride feeling like it was more intense than I remembered. It doesn’t go all that fast, and it doesn’t have any big moments that stand out, but the short drops and quick turns in the dark always hit me more than expected.

7. Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, Hollywood Studios

If you want to go upside down on a roller coaster at Disney World, this is your only option! It’s a fast and fun indoor coaster, including a thrilling initial launch. Some people would probably have this ranked higher in their top ten, but for whatever reason, it’s never been one of my must-do rides. It’s a good ride, I just never seem to prioritize it. I am looking forward to the re-themed Muppets version that is scheduled to open on May 26, 2026, though! Maybe that will get me more hyped up for Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster in the future. I’ll definitely be looking to ride the Muppets version on my next trip.

6. Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain, Animal Kingdom

I, like many people, never got to see the working yeti animatronic, so the strobe light “disco yeti” is all I’ve ever known. That’s ok, I guess. I still really enjoy this ride, especially the big drop, which is the tallest of any roller coaster at Disney World. Going backward in the dark inside a mountain also makes Everest stand out from other coasters.

5. Slinky Dog Dash, Hollywood Studios

It never fails – every time we visit Hollywood Studios, my daughter feels anxious about riding Slinky Dog Dash. The one big drop toward the beginning of the ride seems to be what makes her nervous. Then, after we finish the ride, she always declares it her favorite ride of the trip. Slinky Dog continues to be one of the favorites for everyone in our family. The launches are really fun but not too intense for younger kids, the design of the Slinky Dog train is really cool, and the themed props around the ride and queue are very well done. I know some people consider Slinky Dog to not be worth the long line, but it’s worth it every time I see the big smiles on my wife and kids’ faces at the end of the ride. It doesn’t hurt that we’ve been fortunate enough to use the lightning lane every time we’ve ridden, but I think it would still be worth it, even if we had a long wait!

4. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Magic Kingdom

One of my earliest childhood theme park memories is riding BTMRR for the first time with my family (I was 5, maybe?). I fell in love with it the first time we rode it, and I remember asking my parents if we could ride it again that day. It has never gotten old (well, ok, the track got old and had to be replaced in 2025-2026, but you know what I mean). No, it’s not all that intense, but it’s thrilling enough for a family coaster, and it deserves its spot on this list. Sadly, we just missed being able to ride the newly refurbished version during our last visit in Spring 2026. We were in Magic Kingdom on April 1, and BTMRR was scheduled to reopen on May 3. I’m already anxiously awaiting our next trip so we can ride it with the new bells and whistles!

3. Avatar Flight of Passage, Animal Kingdom

Does Flight of Passage count as a thrill ride? Based on each of my kids’ reactions to it the first time they rode it – they cried in fear – I’m counting it. As they got older, the kids have grown to love it, and it’s now one of their favorites. It’s one of mine, too. Some of the, uh, flight is actually kind of relaxing like Soarin’, but the bigger drops, along with the independent ride vehicle, definitely add a thrill aspect that exceeds the calmer Soarin’. There are lots of little details that make Flight of Passage a truly immersive experience, and if you are a fan of the Avatar films, this is a must ride, in my opinion. Parents with young kids – if you take your children on FOP and they start crying in fear when the ride begins, just tell them to close their eyes until it’s over – it worked for both of ours!

2. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, Epcot

What makes this ride so enjoyable? It has to be the unique ride system and the way the vehicles rotate, sort of drifting like Mario Karts through the turns in the track. The ride is ridiculously smooth, the visuals are really cool, and once it gets going, it never lets up until the end. It’s not super intense in my opinion, but it’s intense enough, and it’s just very very fun. Guardians is one of my all-time favorites.

1. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Hollywood Studios

There is just something about the Tower of Terror. It’s one of the few rides where, no matter how many times I’ve ridden it, I continue to feel that sense of nervous anticipation as I’m making my way through the queue and into the boarding area. The queue, the theming, the unpredictable nature of the ride – it all adds up to one of the most thrilling attractions I’ve ever ridden. I find myself smiling and laughing and yelling on this ride more than any other. The sad thing is my laughs and yells occur next to total strangers, because I have only ever ridden this by myself… my wife does not do intense thrill rides, and my kids haven’t built up the courage yet… one of these days someone will ride it with me!

Let me know what you think! Am I way off? Did I miss any attractions that should be on the list? Test Track is one that just barely missed the cut. I had a hard time leaving it off, since it has the fastest top speed of any ride at Disney World. But I felt more strongly about the other rides I included. Also, I considered including Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, but ultimately it didn’t feel right categorizing ROTR as a thrill ride. I know it has a minor thrill component to it, but I still decided to leave it out. I have some other rankings planned for the future, so stay tuned – ROTR is sure to make a future top ten list!