No Disney trip would be complete without the attractions, for most people it’s the biggest draw of their vacation. We’re a little different, the rides are certainly a highlight for us, but Disney rides tend to be very family friendly, and as a couple of adults with no kids in tow, we don’t really meet that target demographic. That’s not to say we don’t absolutely love a good, albeit tame, rollercoaster, but some of the magic is certainly lost on the 30 year olds who know that no matter how far we lift our hands in the air, we’re not coming out of that seat restraint, and we didn’t really almost get attacked by that (insert large animatronic character of your choice). But we’re not total scrooges about the whole thing, there are so many attractions that we really do enjoy at Disney! In fact, we had a hard time narrowing it down to our favorites because there are so few rides and shows that we DON’T enjoy. So ultimately, our “best of” list came down to a few factors.

1) are we bummed out if we end our trip and haven’t done it?

2) if someone says they saw/rode/did it and didn’t like it, are we a little offended?

3) would we wait in the queue without a fastpass?

To make things more difficult on ourselves, we decided to narrow it down to only one attraction per park. And to be fair, doing so knocked out a bunch of really amazing shows that just can’t compete with a thrill ride, and that’s really not fair because Disney has some absolutely wonderful stage shows that met the criteria on our list! So instead, we’re calling this our list of our favorite rides at each of the parks:

 

EPCOT:

Really tough choice here between Angie’s choice, Soarin’, and Chris’s, Mission Space(orange). But, since ultimately we both like Soarin’ and Mission Space usually gets the single rider treatment, we had to go with Soarin’ as our favorite aviator adventure. Plus Angie’s favorite sandwich is at the Sunshine Season’s cafe right next to Soarin’, so really this is a win for that whole pavilion. Soarin’ lost marks in the “would we wait in the standby queue” department, because it seems very cattle-trough like, and the game screens are kind of lost on us old folks. But the ride video is great and tells a fun story, and the ride tech itself is really ingenious. We’re also suckers for that soundtrack. And those smells! Disney knows how to put a very distinct scent memory in your brain, and this one is definitely high on the list of “don’t you remember, that smell, from that thing, you know? it’s just, so, ahh”

Animal Kingdom:

Expedition Everest almost lost this one to the brand new Flight of Passage, but ultimately, we’ve seen the Flight of Passage line reach all the way outside of Avatar land and into Harambe village, and there is NO WAY we would sit in any standby queue for upwards of 2 hours. Once that craziness settles down and there are easily accessible fastpasses and normal wait times, Flight of Passage may win top seat at Animal Kingdom. Which is saying a lot, because we both really love Expedition Everest! First, the theming is fantastic, from the moment you walk into the queue the excitement for the ride itself begins building and draws you into the story. We almost prefer to wait in the standby queue for Everest, it’s really that good! Then the ride itself is about as much of a thrill ride as they come at Disney, with turns, drops, and surprises all at just the right moments, and a nice top speed to boot (unlike our Magic Kingdom pick, stay tuned for that)

Hollywood Studios: 

Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. No question. Chris loves the Twilight Zone, and the ride itself is a really good drop ride. Excellent theming, great cast members… I mean yes there are other excellent rides at Hollywood Studios, but there’s no comparison.

Magic Kingdom:

Gotta be Space Mountain. And it doesn’t help that Angie worked her College Program at Space Mountain, but that’s another story for another day. It really is the perfect dark ride, even when you know where every twist and drop is. This one even meets a very special criteria:

4) have you ever made a trip to Disney just so you go on this attraction?

Yup. We did that. During the busy Christmas season even! But we were vacationing a few hours away and when you’re that close, and have an annual pass, why not? We know, it only goes 25 miles an hour, is incredibly jerky compared to modern coaster standards, and breaks down more often than a cast member gets asked when the 3 o’clock parade is, but it’s a classic. The absolute best kind of classic.

 

So there you have it. Our personal top pick for best ride at each WDW park. There are plenty more that easily could have edged out the top spot, but for us, these are the winners. And with only 2 days left until our next trip, we’re certainly looking forward to more than just these 4 attractions!