Disney World's 10 Most Thrilling Rides

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

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

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

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.

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

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
• Fastpass: Yes

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

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

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

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

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.

• Thrill scale: 4. Simulated swooping and diving.
• Height requirement: 44 inches
• Location: Pandora the World of Avatar in Disney's Animal Kingdom