Every Disney World Ride Ranked

Since its inception in 1971, Walt Disney World has built its reputation on immersive ride experiences that push the boundaries of what a theme park can be. Like slightly-older brother Disneyland, it is designed to quite simply be "The Happiest Place on Earth," one where you can leave life's worries at the door and instead focus on your child's (or, your inner child's) all-consuming impulses towards which ride to line up for next. More often than not, the best ride is always the one you're about to go on. 

Now, with Walt Disney World celebrating its 50th anniversary, it seems like the perfect time to look back on the olden days of storytelling rides, the middle years of movie-tie-in rides, and the newer, technologically-advanced "Star Wars" rides. Taken as a whole, they represent the breadth of experience available in a day at Disney World for fans of all ages.

With that in mind, here is a list of all 47 Walt Disney World rides, ranked from worst to best.

This classic, created by Walt himself, has lost its luster as the years have progressed past it.

Another ride in the educational department, Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress is a poorly-aged relic from the 1960s, originally debuting at the 1964 New York's World Fair. In 1975, it arrived at the Magic Kingdom, and it remains one of the oldest rides in the park. Also, as you can see in the image above, one of the creepiest.

The rotating animatronic show guides you through history slowly ... very slowly. But on the bright side, you most likely won't encounter much of a line to get on this ride.

The most aptly-titled ride at Disney World has got to be the PeopleMover. Because y'know, it gets you around.

In Tomorrowland, you'll locate this elevated train ride, which will take you anywhere in Magic Kingdom. It offers some nice views of the Magic Kingdom, but ultimately the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover is less of a ride and more of a quick way to get to your dinner reservation. But hey, sometimes it's nice to give your feet a few minutes off and let something else do the PeopleMoving. 

Refurbished during the 2020 lockdown, the PeopleMover re-opened in April of 2021.

Have you ever wondered what's inside the giant ball at Epcot? Well, it may seem disappointing but the answer is another slow, information-spewing ride. 

Spaceship Earth can be a nice place to catch an air conditioned break — or quick snooze — after walking around the nations of the world. This 15-minute ride usually has little to no wait and takes guests on a journey through the history of the Earth, narrated by no less than Dame Judi Dench. Once you get through the ride, there are some fun games and activities for youngsters, making it a halfway-decent option for parents looking to take a load off and kill some time at Disney World.

For worse and (as you'll eventually see) better, the rides at Epcot don't typically conform to what you might think of as Disney World rides. 

There are no traditional roller coasters, and even the thrill rides are unique. The Sea with Nemo & Friends feels like an attraction ripped right out of Magic Kingdom. You board a clamshell in this mellow, child-centric ride through the story of "Finding Nemo." The ride is in the tradition of classic Disney rides like Winnie the Pooh or Peter Pan, but pales in comparison to those titans.

This "Little Mermaid" ride is the most recent of the animated Disney classic recreations to be added at Magic Kingdom. 

In 2011, after years of attempting to make a ride from this movie, Disney finally brought "The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure" to Disneyland's California Adventure. A year later, it was built in the Magic Kingdom with the name "Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid." Like most rides of this style, it's fine for kids, but only essential for adults if they love "The Little Mermaid."

Much like Aladdin and Dumbo, the Astro Orbiter is another one of the aerial carousels at the Magic Kingdom. 

This one is in Tomorrowland and takes its space theme all the way to the stars, or at least higher than most other outdoor rides. It lacks personality compared to its counterparts based on beloved Disney movies. However, the main appeal of the Astro Orbiter are the great views of not just Tomorrowland, but the entire park. It's definitely worth checking out at least once if you want to see Magic Kingdom from the best angles. it's also a great first ride to go on, giving you a chance to spy so much else that you'll hope to visit.

Hollywood Studios houses a to-scale recreation of Hollywood's celebrated and historic Chinese Theater. While up until 2017 it housed the Great Movie Ride (a tour guide led boat journey through the history of Hollywood's Golden Age), it is now home to a brand new ride — Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway.

Board a train cart on this high tech ride, which uses projection mapping and screen effects that are reminiscent of other newer rides like Avatar Flight of Passage and many of Universal's offerings. The Runaway Rail adopts the contemporary art style seen in "The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse" cartoon as well, which is a combination of old and new that might remind you of the "Cuphead" aesthetic. 

It is fun and filled with cutting-edge tech — but to longtime Disney fans and cinephiles, nothing will ever replace the Great Movie Ride.

The most underrated attraction at Epcot, the Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros is hidden away in Mexico. 

Inside the Mexico Pavilion that looms over the region, you'll find shopping, dining, and a cooling boat ride all under a domed roof that emulates the night sky at all hours of the day. The Gran Fiesta Tour is a mellow river around the Pavilion featuring Panchito, Jose, and of course Donald Duck. 

The real stars here, though, are the views of the Pavilion ... and air conditioning. Sweet, sweet air conditioning. On a hot Orlando summer day, this ride is never a bad way to spend 10 minutes.

More or less a remix of the Mad Tea Cups over in Magic Kingdom, this Toy Story land counterpart can't be faulted for sticking to a tried and true formula. 

Like any good spinning ride, you can control the saucer's spin to make the ride as crazy or (relatively) relaxed as you want. Still, compared to all the other attractions in this more recent addition to Hollywood Studios, the Alien Swirling Saucers are the least innovative. Thankfully, wait times typically reflect this, so you can hop right in line and almost immediately find yourself saying "I have been chosen!"

This boat ride is one of the more recent additions to the Animal Kingdom. Based on James Cameron's "Avatar" and a part of the Pandora expansion to the park, the Na'vi River Journey is a slow-moving dark adventure through the world of Pandora.

The thing about the Na'vi River Journey — the thing that makes it really stand out — are the out of this world animatronics. The Na'vi you see as you travel down river are incredibly life-like; it truly is some of the best animatronics in the park. 

But, while these animatronics are on par with the best that the "Star Wars" rides have to offer, "Avatar" feels like yesterday's news. But who knows? With multiple sequels on the way, perhaps this ride is about to get a major injection of newfound relevance.

Some say Epcot doesn't have good rides — frankly, they don't know where to look. A great example of a newer addition to the park's lineup of hidden gems, Frozen Ever After, is one of the best kept secrets at Disney World. Plus, it features one of the most immersive queues in the park, so the frequently 60+ minute line goes quickly.

The ride has the storybook style of Winnie the Pooh, but as a rider it feels more similar to Pirates of the Caribbean. The sailboat makes a couple pretty big dips for a ride based on a kids movie. It's proof that not all rides for a young audience have to bore adults, but just make sure you get a FastPass for this one if at all possible.

Love it or hate it, you can't deny the staying power of "It's a Small World." 

The uniting message of peace and love will never go out of style — even if you may eventually get annoyed by the ear-worm signature song that propels the ride forward. While it's not a ride to do every single time you visit, there is an indescribable allure to "It's a Small World" that makes it worth recommending to everyone at least once. Quite frankly, it is impossible to imagine a first-time visit to Magic Kingdom that doesn't include time on "Small World."

While Toy Story Mania would eventually improve upon what Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin started, this space alien shoot-em-up is still well worth the wait. 

You and a loved one share a space pod equipped with two laser blasters and a spin stick, sent on a mission to find Emperor Zurg and eliminate his minions. This five minute ride goes fast as you compete with your partner for a high score by shooting targets on the walls of the tunnels. The buttons on the blasters can be a little imprecise compared to how newer rides have improved on this, but this older interactive ride still holds up. 

Entering the top 20 rides at Disney World, it's time for some truly great ones. Test Track is hands down one of the best rides at Epcot. It is also plagued with one of the longest lines and no FastPass option, however it does offer a single rider line if you want to exchange sitting next to your friends and family for more time at the park.

While in the line, design your own Chevrolet before taking a SIM car on a series of trials testing how the car holds up against braking issues, rugged terrain, and harsh climates. These tests culminate in a thrilling finale that whips you back to the start of the ride at an exhilarating 65 miles per hour.

Some people don't like the Kali River Rapids due to how incredibly drenched you can get. Others, however, say bring it on. 

Kali River Rapids is great because it is the rare water ride that promises you will get soaked. This raft ride delivers.

Located in Animal Kingdom's Asia region, the raft ride spins as the current pulls you and your boat mates forward. The rotation means that you never know when you'll be hit by one of the many interspersed fountains and sprinklers found throughout the ride. It also boasts some epic waterfall drops — and no matter where you're sitting, you're gonna get drenched.

The 2000 CGI animated movie "Dinosaur" has been largely forgotten, but the ride at Animal Kingdom is keeping the franchise alive. Seriously, the "Dinosaur" ride is a highlight of the park. 

The mission? Board your time rover to head back to the late Cretaceous period and rescue a live dino. It doesn't go as planned and the ride gets more hectic and exciting as you make your thrilling escape from the asteroid that is about to cause mass extinction. 

[Fun fact: The ride itself is an exact replica of the "Indiana Jones" ride over at Disneyland, just re-skinned to fit the "Dinosaur" theme.]

Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin was Magic Kingdom's early attempt at blending arcade games with dark rides. It was a success, but Toy Story Mania! takes this idea a step further.

Once you don some stylish 3D glasses and get in your cart, you are taken on a ride through a series of interactive digital games. Each is a variation on the shooting range. You use a pull-string connected to your firing mechanism to shoot digital projectiles at the various screen. There is a great variety to the games, but it only works because of the ample visual and tactile feedback that makes the whole thing feel great to play. You'll want to leave time for multiple visits at this one.

The longest lines across all parks are often found at Peter Pan's Flight. Tucked away in Fantasyland, this original Disney World ride typically maintains a 90 minute wait, but here's the kicker — it's worth it. Even if Peter Pan isn't your favorite of the Disney animation classics, you have to give the ride a shot.

Unlike Winnie the Pooh or other similar rides, the track your boat rides in Peter Pan's Flight is attached to the ceiling. This gives a unique sense of flight, and the ride plays with this, giving you a tremendous sense of scale as you soar over London. The animatronics are decades old, but still look great. Peter Pan's Flight is a beautiful, quintessential part of the Magic Kingdom.

Rarely does a simple ride serve as the inspiration for a multi-million dollar movie franchise. But Pirates of the Caribbean is no simple ride, it is a Magic Kingdom icon — a ride that captures the Disney magic perfectly. 

The boat journey takes riders through a world of animatronic scenes, filled to the brim with tiny details and jokes. Pirates is not without its fair share of dips and drops, so it never bores. It has been updated in recent years to include Jack Sparrow and other references to the movies, but by and large Pirates of the Caribbean remains the same jaunty journey it has always been. 

Disney World's premiere rickety old roller coaster, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is another must-ride attraction at Magic Kingdom. One of the trio of mountains located across the park, Big Thunder is a mostly outdoor roller coaster that is fast, full of twists and turns, and reminds us just how much fun an old-fashioned coaster can be.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, it was one of the rides to get refurbished and was closed for a period of time in 2021. Big Thunder Mountain was re-opened to the public in June.

It's difficult to place Rise of the Resistance on this list. Technologically, it is the most advanced ride at Disney across all parks worldwide; however, it is still relatively new and due to the pandemic very few people have been able to experience it.

According to early buzz on the ride, those who have ridden it are thrilled. 

The ride has multiple, distinct phases. After riders are given their mission by a very realistic-looking Rey and Admiral Ackbar, it is time to board the first transport vehicle. This is all preamble to the actual motion simulator ride, which concludes the nearly 20 minute immersive experience. There is plenty for "Star Wars" fans to fall in love with during that lengthy runtime, but since this is still relatively new it seems unfair to spoil the best parts.

Soarin' is an incredible experience, and the best ride at Epcot. 

Previously Soarin' Over California — a transplant from Disneyland — the flight simulator ride lifts you high above the clouds as you take an international journey through the skies that will enrapture your senses. It really feels like flying, as your feet dangle in the breeze taking you from one majestic vista to the next. Waits can be as long as 90 minutes for this, but it is worth it.

Once you "Soar" for yourself, you'll want to experience it again and again. Do yourself a favor and add this to your FastPass list.

Space Mountain is an undisputed classic, but the best coaster at Disney? That honor belongs to Expedition Everest: Legend of the Forbidden Mountain — located in the heart of the Animal Kingdom. Like all iconic Disney rides, the great coaster towers over the rest of the park, mimicking Everest herself.

The ride is a fast-paced escape from the Yeti of the mountain that takes you in every which way. Down, up, upside down, backwards, Expedition Everest doesn't care what you think you know about coasters, it wants to show you it's here for the long haul. With a perfect mix of suspense, terror, and speed Expedition Everest is what modern roller coasters should be. It also happens to be the tallest ride at Disney World.