Best Disneyland Attractions & Ride Guide
Our Disneyland ride guide contains short reviews of our top picks, as well as numerical scores for every attraction in Disneyland. If you’re planning a Disneyland trip, you need to know which attractions are must-dos, and which you can skip. (Updated March 28, 2022.)
This list is broken down into three categories: Star Wars rides, iconic must-do attractions, and everything else. The first group is all of the recent additions in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and Tomorrowland. The top Disneyland attractions grouping includes plenty of recognizable names, along with a few sleeper-picks that many people overlook–but are actually really enjoyable. Finally, there’s everything else–the filler, more or less.
While we don’t recommend skipping any attractions based upon the advice of others if you have the time to experience them all, if your time is limited, here are the must-see rides and attractions in Disneyland. Note that this list only covers Disneyland, the park. We have a separate review of attractions at Disney California Adventure.
Not every attraction at Disneyland is a blockbuster, “E-Ticket” attraction that draws huge crowds. While we love these big-name attractions, we feel a day at Disneyland is about variety, and some of the lesser-known attractions are also very well done, just not in a ‘knock-your-socks-off’ way. The list of “top attractions” includes everything we feel makes for a well-rounded day at Disneyland.
Ideally, you’ll have more than one day to explore Disneyland and have a separate day for Disney California Adventure (read our Disneyland Ticket Guide to determine which tickets are best), so you will be able to experience everything, not just our top picks. If you are stretched for time and only have one day for both parks, you won’t be able to experience everything on this “top attractions” list.
Numerical scores are on a scale of 1 to 10, and only take into consideration overall quality relative to that specific type of attraction. In other words, dark rides are judged against other dark rides, coasters are judged against other coasters, etc., to create a relatively level playing field. We do not take into account how different demographics will like the attraction.
Obviously, if an attraction has a height restriction that precludes kids from riding it, its “score” for them wouldn’t be as high as what we’ve listed. Likewise on attractions that are geared towards kids but may not appeal as much to adults. Here, we only consider how well done the attraction is, overall, within its category.
Star Wars Rides at Disneyland
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance (10/10) – The blockbuster of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, this is a revolutionary feat of Imagineering that redefines what a theme park attraction can be. It blurs the boundaries of queue, pre-show, attraction, and puts guests in the middle of an intergalactic adventure. We could go on and on about this mind-blowing experience and its nonstop barrage of wow-moments. For that, you can read our spoiler-free Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance Review.
However, the purpose of this post is to offer ratings, reviews, and practical advice for best experiencing the attractions in an efficient manner. Without question, this is the most difficult to do ride at Disneyland. Due to its unreliability and downtime, it involves jumping through some hoops–which are all worth it. Reading our Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance Ride Guide & FAQ before your trip is essential.
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run (9/10) – The ‘supporting’ attraction for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is currently the only one open, which has perhaps resulted in unfairly elevated expectations for Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run. It’s definitely not a perfect attraction, with the interactivity being a mixed bag and a gameplay-centric ride not being everyone’s cup of tea. Moreover, not all of the roles are of equal enjoyment. In terms of “wish fulfillment,” pilot is definitely the best option.
However, there’s a lot to like about Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run beyond the game/ride experience. The queue is beautiful, the pre-show is impressive, and stepping foot into the Millennium Falcon while waiting to board the ride is arguably the highlight of the attraction as a whole. Read our Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run Review for more feedback on the attraction.
Hyperspace Mountain (9/10) – Hyperspace Mountain is a dark rollercoaster through space, themed (lightly) to Star Wars. There are some cool details here, a blast-off tunnel, space battle, and on-board music to spice up the experience. Hyperspace Mountain is a Genie+ Lightning Lane attraction, and it’s highly recommended that you utilize it. This is basically a “Star Wars consolation prize” if lines are too long for Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run.
Star Tours: The Adventures Continue (8.5/10) – Star Tours is a flight-motion simulator into the Star Wars world with digital 3D video, Audio Animatronics characters, and in-vehicle effects. Star Tours features multiple storylines, with some 64 different experience combinations, making it an attraction you can experience again and again. It’s even been updated to fit within the ‘universe’ of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge (one of the destinations is now Batuu!) Star Tours is a must-do.
Iconic Disneyland Rides & Attractions
Pirates of the Caribbean (10/10) – Pirates of the Caribbean is a boat-ride back in time to the days when pirates ruled the Caribbean. The attractions features Audio Animatronics pirates engaging in swashbuckling mayhem. This is one of our favorite attractions at Disneyland.
Pirates of the Caribbean is considerably longer than the Walt Disney World attraction by the same name. It contains a considerable amount of detail (we recommend experiencing it more than once to take in everything), a catchy song, and lines usually aren’t too long due to its high capacity.
Indiana Jones Adventure (10/10) – Indiana Jones Adventure is a thrilling ride aboard a transport vehicle deep into the Temple of the Forbidden Eye on a daring journey in search of unimaginable rewards. Along the way you’ll incur the wrath of Mara, who will force you to encounter caverns of bubbling death, screaming undead mummies, erupting lava, evil wraiths, and giant snakes.
Everything about this attraction is excellent–it’s our favorite attraction at Disneyland. From the incredible queue to the humorous pre-show to the special effects-laden attraction itself, Indiana Jones Adventure is perfect and still cutting edge. As Sallah would (and does) say, “it is unlike anything you have ever experienced, I assure you!” This attraction is incredibly popular and routinely has long waits, making it a great use of the Lightning Lane.
Haunted Mansion (10/10) – The Haunted Mansion is a slow-moving dark ride that is home to 999 happy haunts that are dying to meet you. No further explanation should be necessary; if you aren’t familiar with the premise of the Haunted Mansion, you’re probably living under a rock. I have no interest in rock-dwellers reading this website.
For those familiar with the Walt Disney World version, a lot in the Disneyland version is the same or similar. Die-hard Haunted Mansion fans will disagree, but the vast majority of guests won’t notice many differences. If you visit between early September and the end of the year, you’ll see “Haunted Mansion Holiday,” which features a Nightmare Before Christmas overlay. It’s awesome.
Matterhorn (8/10) – The Matterhorn was Expedition Everest decades before Expedition Everest was even conceived. This rollercoaster through the yeti-guarded mountain is a thrilling attraction that most guests will enjoy. The Matterhorn received some new show scenes that are fairly cool. Genie+ is available at the Matterhorn, and it’s a good use of the Lightning Lane to avoid long waits.
Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage (8/10) – A relatively new attraction at Disneyland, the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage takes guests aboard actual submarines to find Nemo. It’s a relatively long attraction with some awesome sets and detail. The wait times can be long, the queue is incredibly boring, and there’s no Lightning Lane, but the payoff is well worth the boring wait, especially for Finding Nemo fans.
Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln (8/10) – Another Disneyland classic. This attraction is a hybrid film and Audio Animatronics performance by the famous U.S. President. It incorporates some of the best elements of Hall of Presidents and the American Adventure at Walt Disney World, including my personal favorite, the song “Golden Dreams.” Many guests, mostly communists, find this attraction boring.
We absolutely love Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. It’s not a thrill-ride, to be sure, but it is an incredibly well-done glimpse into the history of this great nation. If you have time beforehand, check out the Steve Martin (and Donald Duck) video in the lobby created for Disneyland’s 50th anniversary.
Storybook Land Canal Boats (8.5/10) – The Storybook Land Canal Boats are a Disneyland classic. Cast Member-led boats of guests float past miniaturized versions of villages, castles, and homes of Disney characters. It’s a cute, “peaceful” attraction, not a big-budget ride that will knock your socks off.
Our favorite scene is Pinocchio’s village, because the Imagineers have designed this scene so the Matterhorn appears as another mountain towering over the village in the background. This attraction may seem simple, and it is, but that’s part of the charm. Storybook Land Canal Boats isn’t especially popular, but long lines can form because it has very low hourly capacity. We recommend hitting it early in the morning or late at night.
Casey Jr. Circus Train (8/10) – Another Fantasyland staple, the Casey Jr. Circus Train offers a scenic view of Fantasyland as guests ride aboard cars or in cages (now is your chance to finally put the kids in a cage!). It’s simple, but has a lot of appeal thanks to the great views it offers of Fantasyland, the fun music, and the whimsy of the train, itself. Even as adults, it’s a favorite attraction of ours (and we have no childhood nostalgia towards it) that is difficult to articulate the appeal of. It has a real kinetic energy and is just good, clean fun.
Peter Pan’s Flight (9/10) – Peter Pan’s Flight was re-imagined a few years ago to modernize it and add some great new effects. It’s considered a Fantasyland classic, as it takes guests in “flying” ships above London and Neverland, but really, it’s not as impressive as it sounds, especially given the hour-plus waits it regularly attracts. Flying over London is cool (and small children might actually “buy” the flying part), but that’s its big draw. We enjoy Peter Pan’s Flight, but I wouldn’t wait more than 30 minutes in line for it. If you arrive right at park opening, this is the attraction to hit first.
Splash Mountain (9/10) – Splash Mountain is a log flume ride that features a story from Disney’s Song of the South film, and climaxes with a big drop into the briar patch. There are a ton of Audio Animatronics here, and those plus the detailed environments make the attraction. The only downside is that the pacing is a bit too fast, guests get too wet, and the story is a bit disjointed. Still, it’s a must-see, and one of Disneyland’s best attractions.
Jungle Cruise (9/10) – Jungle Cruise is a boat ride through the rivers of Adventureland that encounters hippos, lions, and piranhas, among other animals and natives, along the way. However, the real highlight here is the non-stop zingers of the skippers who pilot the boats. If you don’t appreciate dry, intentionally corny, or self-aware humor, you may not like Jungle Cruise.
We’ve seen a number of guests exit the Jungle Cruise with confused looks on their faces. Jungle Cruise skippers often break the carefully-crafted illusion of Disneyland (example: pointing out the “p” breed of snake is not a python, but instead, “plastic”). Most kids won’t get these jokes, so don’t worry about that. We love the Jungle Cruise, as do most guests, but some are not fans. It’s also an attraction that is highly skipper-dependent. If you get a poor skipper, your ride will be sub-par.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (9/10) – A guest favorite, Big Thunder Mountain a rollercoaster themed as a runaway mine train on a ride through the barren landscape of the Old West. Hang onto your hats and glasses, because Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is “the wildest ride in the wilderness!”
It was refurbished a couple of years ago to add some cool new effects, plus a smoother track. Big Thunder Mountain is a Genie+ Lightning Lane attraction, and it might behoove you to use that if lines are over 40 minutes for it. There are differences between this Big Thunder and Walt Disney World’s, notably the town of Rainbow Ridge (a remnant from the classic Mine Train Thru Nature’s Wonderland attraction).
Disneyland Railroad (8.5/10) – The Disneyland Railroad is, quite simply, a normal railroad that circles Disneyland in a scenic manner. However, the Disneyland Railroad is dramatically different. Not only does it have a scene with real, live (okay, Audio Animatronics) dinosaurs called Primeval World, but it has the history of being Walt Disney’s railroad. We covered the changes to the Disneyland Railroad post-refurbishment in our Grand Circle Tour of Disneyland post. By and large, we are fans of the more engaging scenery on the new route.
Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room (8/10) – Enchanted Tiki Room is a 15-minute musical serenade from Audio Animatronics birds and offers a celebration of island romance and wonder performed in a theater-in-the-round. You’ve probably heard these catchy songs before; the fun music of this attraction, and its history, makes it an attraction not to be missed.
Snow White’s Enchanted Wish (9/10) – With the recent reimagining, Imagineers took the weakest of the Fantasyland dark rides and turned it from something dated and disjointed into something with fun flow, impressive effects, and a few magical moments. Relatively simple, but shockingly effective, improvements cause it to jump up the list.
‘it’s a small world’ (9/10) – ‘it’s a small world’ is the iconic attraction featuring the children of the world and that oh-so divisive song. Again, unless you live under a rock, you’re familiar with it. ‘it’s a small world’ at Disneyland differs substantially from the Walt Disney World version; it features Disney characters tastefully inserted into several show-scenes, an outdoor queue and facade, and other scene differences. If visiting at Christmas, ‘it’s a small world’ holiday is not to be missed.
Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride (7.5/10) – Another Fantasyland dark ride favorite, this attraction goes into the irreverent world of Mr. Toad from the Wind and the Willows. Worth experiencing for the irreverence alone. On what other Disney attraction do you go to bar, crash into a truck, and go to hell?! It would never be built in today’s politically correct era, and is worth experiencing for that alone, although the attraction itself is woefully outdated.
Alice in Wonderland (8.5/10) – Another Fantasyland dark ride that was recently re-imagined and updated, this one takes guests into the world of Alice in Wonderland. This is our favorite Fantasyland dark ride, and we’re not even fans of Alice in Wonderland. Best hit early in the morning on a fast-paced tour of the Fantasyland dark rides, as lines can get long for it later in the day due to its lower capacity.
Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin (8.5/10) – Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin takes guests aboard a dark ride voyage into Toontown in interactive vehicles (guests can spin them). Lines are often long for Car Toon Spin, making it a good Genie+ Lightning Lane attraction. It’s the only attraction worth experiencing in the Toontown land of Disneyland. (TOONTOWN IS CLOSED UNTIL MARCH 2023.)
Sleeping Beauty Castle Walk-Through (8/10) – A simple, but fun walk-through of Sleeping Beauty Castle featuring interactive “window” scenes from the film. An often overlooked, but very cool attraction that takes little time to experience and should not be missed.
Disneyland Forever Fireworks (10/10) – Fun visuals from animated films and a memorable soundtrack coupled with a few original songs and nods to Disneyland’s past plus founder Walt Disney make this a well-balanced nighttime spectacular that appeals to locals and first-timers alike. The effects are dazzling, from the colorful bursts that fit the music to the flying Nemo and Matterhorn ‘eruption’ that induce plenty of ‘wows’ from the audience at various points. The movies featured are a diverse group, from Disney classics to Pixar to even Frozen, which does not feel shoehorned into the show.
Although the core of the show is “only” a montage, this works perfectly well. This fireworks show is pure Disney magic. My sentimentality aside, I think Disneyland Forever is far and away the best fireworks show to ever be shown in a castle park. Not only should you not miss it, but you should not miss it from a variety of vantage points. See our Disneyland Fireworks Viewing Guide for recommended locations (and where to avoid).
Fantasmic! (10/10) – Fantasmic! is a musical battle between the forces of good and evil set in Mickey’s dreams (and on the Rivers of America) with stunning effects, including pyrotechnics, water, lasers, fire, and a huge dragon. If you’ve seen Fantasmic! at Walt Disney World, you haven’t actually seen Fantasmic!
The Disneyland version is infinitely better, and features a Pirates of the Caribbean battle scene (on the Sailing Ship Columbia) replacing the Pocahontas scene, huge Maleficent dragon, and other things. The new version of Fantasmic debuted last summer–here’s our review of Fantasmic 2.0. Here are our other tips for the best places to view Fantasmic, and tips for photographing it.
The Rest
Astro Orbitor (4/10) – Spinner ride similar to Dumbo, except not iconic.
Autopia (7/10) – Kids might like it as it gives them a chance to drive; lush environments and large track. The addition of ASIMO and Bird to the attraction give it new life, and really improve the experience.
Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters (7/10) – An interactive and competitive game-attraction to save the universe in this blast-em-up, ride-through adventure. It’s like a ride-through video game, and is a lot of fun. We often find ourselves riding re-riding late at night when there’s no line to see who can get the highest score. This attraction is far superior to the Walt Disney World version of the attraction.
Disneyland Monorail (7/10) – A relaxing trip around Disneyland Resort, but with a lot of glimpses of the outside world. We love monorails, but in this case, we prefer the Disneyland Railroad.
Sailing Ship Columbia (7/10) – Another relaxing float around the Rivers of America.
Davy Crockett’s Explorer Canoes (7/10) – Paddle an actual canoe on the Rivers of America. Not for everyone, but a lot of fun for those who enjoy this sort of thing. Definitely not an attraction you’d expect in a modern theme park.
Tom Sawyer Island (6.5/10) – Fun and highly immersive play area for kids, now featuring pirates.
Mark Twain Riverboat (8/10) – Relaxing way to float around the Rivers of America. Great way to spend a peaceful afternoon, but we recommend the Disneyland Railroad over it if you’re limited in time.
King Arthur Carrousel (4.5/10) – Garden variety carousel.
Mad Tea Party (6/10) – Gets points because it’s iconic and somewhat fun if you have the time.
Pinocchio’s Daring Journey (6/10) – Decent dark ride based on Pinocchio. Very dated, but charming.
Tarzan’s Treehouse (7/10) – Fun area that can be quickly explored as a nice change of pace from doing rides.
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (6/10) – A newer Fantasyland-style dark ride located in Critter Country that’s enjoyable, but still feels dated.
This leaves out random pieces of entertainment, character meet & greets, and a few other seasonal offerings, but it should cover every attraction listed on a Disneyland park map. We’d strongly encourage you to try everything for yourself, as your opinions might differ from ours, but if time is an issue, skip the attractions on the lower list.
Planning a Southern California vacation? For park admission deals, read Tips for Saving Money on Disneyland Tickets. Learn about on-site and off-site hotels in our Anaheim Hotel Reviews & Rankings. For where to eat, check out our Disneyland Restaurant Reviews. For unique ideas of things that’ll improve your trip, check out What to Pack for Disney. For comprehensive advice, consult our Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide. Finally, for guides beyond Disney, check out our Southern California Itineraries for day trips to Los Angeles, Laguna Beach, and tons of other places!
Your Thoughts…
Which Disneyland attractions are your favorites and which do you skip? If you haven’t visited Disneyland yet, which ones are you most excited about? If you have any questions about what else you should do at Disneyland, let us know! Share your questions and thoughts in the comments!
Hi, you write “Many guests, mostly communists, find this attraction [the Lincoln ride] boring” – what would make me a communist so I should not bother?
Thanks,
Christoph
It’s a joke.
went there yesterday. still here 🙂
I have been having a blast reading through your blog! I am taking my 8 year old to dl early next year for her first time and am doing everything I can to hopefully make her trip as special as it always has been for me! Something I’d like to add is that there are certain rides that are way more fun if you ride in front, and that I have found over the years that big thunder is immensely more enjoyable if you ride in the very back. Hope that’s still true anyway, as I haven’t been since the referb. Thanks for all the fun reading!!
thats my dogs name
brownie is my dogs name
I’m going to Disneyland in October and I want to say that I like your rating system. I’ll be using it as a guide when we go! THANX!! ☺
Hi Tom, super happy to find your blog. Am planning a 4 day trip to see Disneyland and California Adventure end of October 2014. I am very excited as we are all first timers on this trip. My parents, hubby and 2 daughters aged 2 and 6. Any tips to save tickets? Would my 2 yr old daughter enjoy any rides at all? My daughters are looking forward to go trick or treating. Is it worth to pay the additional price to attend the after party? Thanks. So many questions. Excited much.
Man, this is the 2nd time today I’ve read/heard someone say they don’t like Captain EO … I guess it’s the nostalgia talking but I love it! I’m taking my wife to Disneyland next month (her first time ever) and the more I read of this blog the more excited I get .. I cannot wait 😀
Hi and thanks for your site
For a French family having visited Disneyland Paris more that 40 times since 1992, do you recommend to do “duplicate rides” like Space Mountain (sorry to say that but the Paris version is far better :-D), Pirates of the Carribean, or Haunted Mansion (phantom Manor at Disneyland Paris). We will be visiting DLR in June 2015 and we will only have two days, so the question is important for us.
You just listed 3 of my favorite attractions at both parks, and I think each of these three differs substantially enough between the two parks to make it worthwhile to do them at Disneyland when you visit.
The Paris version of Space Mountain is definitely cooler, but it’s also more painful. That ride is rough!
I hurt my neck on the Space Mountain ride in Disneyworld as did my doctor. Is the Disneyland ride any gentler?
Thanks for the tip on the Gadget’s Go Coaster. I wanted to double check if DCA and DL have their Fastpasses connected. In other words, can I have a Fastpass in DCA the same time I have a Fastpass in DL? I seem to be getting mixed answers from people. My idea is to go over to DCA on my own and get Radiator Racer passes (I hear they go in the first couple of hours) and then meet back with my family and we go over to Disneyland and do Fastpasses there. We then go back over to DCA later and ride the Racers. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
We visited Walt Disney World last year and loved it. Our 6 year old loved the Goofy Barnstormer ride. Are there any of these type of roller coaster rides for his age at Disneyland? We are going in 2 weeks. Thanks.
Gadget’s Go Coaster in Toontown at Disneyland.
I’m planning to visit Disneyland and California Adventure this December. I’m so excited to experience it during the holidays. My daughter will be 15months old at that time. Can you possibly tell me which of the rides/attractions will be safe for me to carry her in my lap? Specifically, I’d really like to see the Nightmare Before Christmas Haunted Mansion. I’d appreciate your help, thank you! By the way, really enjoying your blog..
Sorry i forgot to mention she’s 30″ tall now so I don’t imagine she’ll be more than 33″ by then..
Thank you for list iof suggestions. I have not been there in over 5 years and taking my girls there for the first time tomorrow. They are a little younger so will definitely take them on the ones recommended. Thank you.
Have a great trip! 🙂
Disneyland is sooooooo much fun!
you should go there
Thank you for list iof suggestions. I have not been there in over 5 years and taking my girls there for the first time tomorrow. They are a little younger so will definitely take them on the ones recommended. Thank you.
Do you know what attractions are “new” say in the last 5 years? I heard recently that the Monsters’s Inc attraction was a ride – it was a theatre last time we checked it out. I wonder if we overlooked anything else. They used to have easy to print attractions with locations on the Disney website – no more – only an interactive map which is neat if you are online, but not good in the park. I like to make sure we do not miss anything. (The print on the hand-out maps it too small for my senior eyes). Thanks!
Monsters Inc is a ride, but it’s not in Disneyland; it’s over in Disney’s California Adventure. Offhand I can’t think of any new rides in Disneyland in the last five years; the refurbishment of Submarine Voyage and Star Tours are both older than that. They did recently (2015) make some cosmetic changes to Space Mountain (it’s now “Hyperspace Mountain” and ther’es a Star Wars – related plot), but it’s essentially the same ride (do not misunderstand me, the theming is FANTASTIC and well worth riding again for; you really feel like you’re dodging TIE fighters in a space battle). Matterhorn also got some refurbishments, but be warned: I have a friend who refers to the ride vehicles as “the gynecologist stirrups”, and if you have a bad back or are larger than “tiny” you’ll likely not even notice anything during the ride except the pain you’re in from the truly awful seating. In the old vehicles, there were two people per seat (and the front person sat between the rear person’s legs) … sort of like a shortened version of the Splash Mountain logs. In the new ones, you sit side by side, and get also get thrown from side to side a lot more. I’ve ridden the refurbished Matterhorn precisely once, and don’t intend to do so again until the next refurbishment (or they at least redesign the ride vehicles).
Disneyland will be getting some new rides eventually (in the new “Star Wars Land”), but since construction started in early 2016, that’s almost certainly not going to be open until at least 2019 and probably later (to put things in perspective, Cars Land took about 5 years).
If you have small children, Innoventions is great, especially on a really hot day. In fact, I highly recommend the Peter Pan story room for small children.
First, I love all the comments, getting a lot of tips, and I read a lot about Disneyland. In regards to Mr. Toads Wildride I would caution parents of younger kids, just prepare them. We took my then 4 year old daughter, it was one of the first dark rides we did in Fantasyland and scared the socks off her. She was ruined for anything “dark” after that. She is 12 now and still won’t do the “toad ride”. The Disney magic was too real for her.
My son was 5 when he first rode it. He is nearing 10, and still refuses to go on it again. In his eyes, the story consisted of a frog who had a bad day, got drunk and behind the wheel, ran from the police, and went to hell. WARNING to parents…this does not raise the Disney spirit inside little ones.
Great article, I read a bunch of these before our 1st trip there in last week of April 2014. Star Wars, Space Mountain and the 2 trains were as advertised: fun and unique.
Mr Toad’s Wild Ride is truly a classic from another era, but it (and Roger’s ride) spooked both my normally tough 5 and 3 yr olds…just a touch too dark but I liked them.
I didn’t get very wet at all on splash mountain towards the middle/back of a car, and the animatronics far exceeded my (fairly low) expectations. Jungle Cruise was ok w/ a 30 min wait at night, but our guide was good. The food over in that side was better too.
Pirates, Nemo, Its a small world were all closed, but short lines other than 180min+ to see Elsa and Anna.
My high school band teacher was a Disney fanatic, and we went every year to march at the park during Magic Music Days. One of his best tips was for Thunder Mountain Railroad– “Watch the goat!”
As you crest a hill before a helix, a goat appears on top of a rock outcropping on your right. Instead of staring ahead at the track, watch the goat as you go around. It totally changes the experience.
Why such a low rating for Thunder Mountain that is my favorite by far who are the haters that don’t like it?
First off, thanks for the Disney info you provide. Second, I know you’re a big fan of Disney, and these lists are subjective to be sure, but honestly, these ratings mean little when the lowest one is a 7. There are some stinkers in this list, most notably Nemo. Looooong wait for little payoff in cramped, crowded ‘subs’. For those not familiar, as you enter, you go below the water line, the ‘sub’ never submerges. It goes along a track and you look out a window. Not much better than when Nautilus was running (and that one REALLY stunk, imho).
Lowest score is a 7? Did you actually read the post?
You can experience about 95% of it in the “wheelchair accessible” version, which is a video viewing area that is, well, wheelchair accessible (the ride itself is not, because you have to go down a narrow stairway to enter the boats). Might be a good option if you want to avoid the (very long) line, the cramped quarters, and the diesel fumes of the actual ride.
I recommend the Matterhorn for anyone still listening
We’re still listening! 🙂