Top Disney's Hollywood Studios Thrill Rides

It features a great story based on the classic "The Twilight Zone" television anthology series. But the thrills, including repeated freefalls down and blasts up the haunted elevator shafts, make the Tower of Terror ride one of the most intense rides at Disney World. The freaky "fifth dimension" sequence, in which the elevator cars move horizontally, are especially effective in building anticipation (and generating sweaty palms).

• Thrill Scale (0=Wimpy!, 10=Yikes!): 7
  Multiple freefall drops and launches, sensations of weightlessness, psychological thrills.
• Height Requirement: 40 inches
• Location: Sunset Boulevard

While there are no huge butterflies-in-your-belly drops or soaring heights, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster does feature an attention-grabbing 0-to-57-mph launch in 2.8 seconds. The "limousine" trains immediately enter an inversion, but it's hard to tell upside down from right-side-up in the darkened ride building. The Aerosmith themeing, including pulsating onboard audio tracks from the bad boys of Boston, adds to the thrills.

• Thrill Scale: 6.5
  Fast launch, inversions, darkness.
• Height Requirement: 40 inches
• Location: Sunset Boulevard

Opened as part of the new Toy Story Land in 2018, Slinky Dog Dash is the featured attraction. As a "family" coaster, however, it doesn’t deliver too much in the way of thrills. It is similar in height, speed, and G-forces as the relatively mild Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at the Magic Kingdom. Still, it is a coaster, and a launched one at that (with two launches), so there are some wild (but, you know, mild wild) moments.

• Thrill Scale: 5
  Two magnetic launches, some mild airtime hills
• Height requirement: 38 inches
• Location: Toy Story land

Introduced in 2020 at the park’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Rise of the Resistance is a wildly ambitious and compelling attraction. In fact, it lands at the top of our list for the country’s best theme park attraction. It is not designed primarily for thrills, and most of the attraction is accessible to guests of varying thrill tolerance levels. But there is one (relatively brief) moment that can be challenging for those who are thrill-averse. You can learn more and determine whether you could handle Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance in our comprehensive overview of the attraction.

• Thrill Scale: 4.5
  Motion simulator and drop ride thrills
• Height Requirement: 40 inches
• Location: Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge

Another Galaxy’s Edge attraction, Smuggler’s Run puts guests into the cockpit of the famed Millennium Falcon. They get to participate in a mission in the highly interactive experience. Each ride is different, but regardless of the actions of the crew, it never gets excessively thrilling.

• Thrill Scale: 4.5
  Motion simulator thrills
• Height Requirement: 38 inches
• Location: Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge

One of the first motion simulator theme park attractions, Star Tours got a makeover in 2011 and is now even better. It capitalizes on George Lucas' popular mythology to blast riders into a galaxy far, far away. Thrill-seekers may be less than thrilled with the relatively mild ride, but the immersive themeing is quite compelling. And the randomly generated scenes makes Star Tours eminently re-rideable.

• Thrill Scale: 4.5
  Typical motion simulator thrills
• Height Requirement: 40 inches
• Location: Backlot

The only thing remotely thrilling about Toy Story Mania is the fairly gentle spinning that the vehicles engage in as they transition from scene to scene. The focus of the interactive attraction is on the game play experience. Riders are issued plunger-like shooting devices and try to rack up points by hitting 3-D targets. It's more cute, fun, and competitive—especially competitive—than thrilling. 

• Thrill Scale: 2
  Mild spinning
• Height Requirement: None
• Location: Toy Story Land

From the name of the attraction, you might assume that Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway is a thrill-filled ride, perhaps something along the lines of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at the Magic Kingdom. But it’s not a roller coaster. It is an innovative dark ride that cleverly uses projection mapping technology to transport guests into the manic cartoon world of Mickey Mouse and his friends. Instead of screaming, you’ll be laughing at the antics. And you’ll be wowed by the Imagineering achievement.

• Thrill Scale: 1.5
  Mild simulated effects
• Height Requirement: None
• Location: Hollywood Boulevard