Top 10 Walt Disney World Thrill Rides

Known more for its charm, whimsy, and cuddly characters than for white-knuckle thrill rides, Walt Disney World nonetheless offers some exciting, scream-worthy coasters, and other attractions. And the most thrilling ride (as well as the ninth most thrilling ride) isn't even at one of the four theme parks. Use this guide to determine which rides are best for your thrill level—each one below is ranked on a thrill scale of 0-10, with 0 meaning "wimpy" and 10 meaning "yikes!"

01 of 11

Summit Plummet

Address

1534 Blizzard Beach Drive, Kissimmee, FL 34747, USA

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Phone +1 407-939-1929

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At 120 feet and with speeds up to 60 mph, Summit Plummet is one of the world's tallest, fastest water slides. Even though it is not a roller coaster and not even at one of the theme parks, this ride is, arguably, the single most thrilling attraction at Disney World. Even the heartiest thrill-seekers will test their mettle on Blizzard Beach's speed slide. Interestingly, Summitt Plummet may be Disney World's most thrilling ride, but it's not the most thrilling water park attraction in the area.

Thrill scale: 9. Insane height and speed for a water slide.
Height requirement: 48 inches
Location: Blizzard Beach Water Park

02 of 11

Mission: Space

Address

200 Epcot Center Dr, Orlando, FL 32830, USA

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Phone +1 407-939-5277

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The unique, groundbreaking attraction, Mission: Space, delivers sensations you have likely never experienced (unless you've been in training at NASA). Some roller coasters deliver higher positive G-forces, but it is unlikely that any ride at any other theme park or amusement park maybe G-forces at this intensity level for such a long duration. Note that if sustained G-forces sound too daunting for you or if you are prone to motion sickness on spinning rides, you can opt for the non-spinning, much less thrilling "Orange Team" Mission: Space experience. (Regardless, both versions include ride vehicles that place passengers in very tight spaces.)

Thrill scale: Up to 7.5. The sustained G-forces can be unnerving; the simulated liftoff and flight are very realistic; the capsule is quite confining.
Height requirement: 44 inches
Location: Future World in Epcot

03 of 11

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

The Hollywood Tower Hotel ride — Jack Toczek/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY 3.0

Address

351 S Studio Dr, Orlando, FL 32830, USA

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Phone +1 407-939-5277

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It's tough to say which is more thrilling aboard The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror: the random, multiple, faster-than-free fall drops and rises, or the freaky few seconds that passengers endure in the elevator shaft anticipating the drops that are about to ensue. In either case: yikes!

Thrill scale: 7. Multiple free-fall drops and launches, sensations of weightlessness, psychological thrills.
Height requirement: 40 inches
Location: Sunset Boulevard in Disney's Hollywood Studios

04 of 11

Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith

Address

351 S Studio Dr, Orlando, FL 32830, USA

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Phone +1 407-939-5277

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A launched ride, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster screams out of the station going from 0 to 57 mph in 2.8 seconds. That's plenty thrilling. It also is the only Disney world coaster to include any inversions. The classic-rock Aerosmith soundtrack adds to the thrills. Note: This ride will only be open until September 2, 2019, meaning summer 2019 is your last chance to enjoy this ride until it reopens.

Thrill scale: 6.5. Fast launch, inversions, darkness.
Height requirement: 40 inches
Location: Sunset Boulevard in Disney's Hollywood Studios

Continue to 5 of 11 below.

05 of 11

Expedition Everest

Address

Asia, Kissimmee, FL 34747, USA

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It is both a roller coaster and a themed dark ride. In both regards, Expedition Everest is thrilling. Passengers spend part of the ride soaring backward through the pitch-black mountain. Now that Animal Kingdom is open later, nighttime rides on the coaster are especially wild.

Thrill scale: 6. Fairly intense positive G-forces, backward coaster motion, darkness.
Height requirement: 44 inches
Location: Asia in Disney's Animal Kingdom

06 of 11

Space Mountain

Address

1180 Seven Seas Drive, Orlando, FL 32830, USA

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Phone +1 407-939-5277

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It is one of Disney's classic rides and (along with its Disneyland counterpart) probably the world's most famous indoor coaster—and one of the most famous coasters of any kind. You might be surprised to learn that Space Mountain pokes along at a top speed of only 27 mph. But because it operates in the dark, it amps up the fear of the unknown and makes the coaster seem faster and scarier.

Thrill scale: 5. More twists and turns than big drops. Darkness factor adds to thrills.
Height requirement: 44 inches
Location: Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom

07 of 11

Splash Mountain

Address

Splash Mountain, Orlando, FL 32836, USA

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It's a classic log flume ride (with one heckuva drop). And it's an animatronics-filled dark ride themed to the classic film, "Song of the South." You'll be charmed by the "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" post-drop finale—if you can brave the drop.

Thrill scale: 5. One giant splashdown.
Height requirement: 40 inches
Location: Frontierland in the Magic Kingdom

08 of 11

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Address

Orlando, FL 32836, USA

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It's actually a bit faster than Space Mountain. Because it is outside, however, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad feels slower and less thrilling. It boasts three separate lift hills, which makes it one of the world's longest coasters in ride duration.

Thrill scale: 4.5. More twists and turns than gut-wrenching drops
Height requirement: 40 inches
Location: Frontierland in the Magic Kingdom

Continue to 9 of 11 below.

09 of 11

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run, and Star Tours- The Adventures Continue

Kylo Ren in Star Wars- Rise of the Resistance — Steven Diaz, Disney

Address

351 S Studio Dr, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830, USA

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Phone +1 407-939-5277

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All three of Disney World’s Star Wars-themed attractions are different, but in addition to sharing a common theme, they also share a similar motion simulator ride system. Using projected imagery and ride vehicles that move in sync with the media, they purport to blast passengers to a galaxy far, far away. Star Tours - The Adventures Continue was one of the industry’s first major motion simulator attractions. None of them are overly thrilling; all of them are superb attractions. (In fact, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance just may be the best park attraction in the world, er, galaxy). It’s a little tricky to assign a thrill rating to Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, because the epic attraction unfolds in a series of acts over 17 minutes and uses multiple ride systems. Read our detailed breakdown to help determine whether you’d be able to handle the thrills of the Star Wars tour-de-force.

Thrill scale: 4.5. Motion simulator thrills.
Height requirements
Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run: 38 inches
Star Tours- The Adventures Continue: 40 inches
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance: 40 inches
Location: Disney's Hollywood Studios

10 of 11

Crush 'n' Gusher

Address

1145 East Buena Vista, Boulevard, Orlando, FL 32830, USA

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Phone +1 407-939-5277

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The lightly themed water coaster uses powerful jets of water to propel two-person rafts uphill. (Gravity sends riders downhill.) Crush 'n' Gusher offers three different ride experiences: the Pineapple Plunger, the Banana Blaster, and the Coconut Crusher. If you only have time to try one, the Banana Blaster offers the most thrills. (Although none of the courses are overly intimidating.)

Thrill scale: 4.5. Mild coaster thrills.
Height requirement: 48 inches
Location: Typhoon Lagoon Water Park

11 of 11

Avatar Flight of Passage

Walt Disney World

Address

Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park Entrance, Kissimmee, FL 34747, USA

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Phone +1 407-939-5277

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It is a "flying theater" ride like Disney's Soarin'. But unlike Epcot's fairly gentle travelogue attraction, Flight of Passage is more aggressive. The thrills are largely psychological because riders don't physically move all that much. It may be fair to say that the Avatar ride is more exhilarating than thrilling.