My 10 Favorite Disney World Attractions
Putting together a list of my favorite attractions at Walt Disney World was surprisingly easy. Much less difficult than I expected, and easier than my attempt at “objectivity” in my Top 10 Best Walt Disney World Attractions list.
Whereas that list ranked attractions based on their actual merits, this is “just” what I like the most, which is sometimes less about logic and merit and more about personal appeal (which hopefully is, at least in part, based upon logic). There’s some overlap between this list and that one, but little redundancy.
For those attractions that make both lists, I’ll focus on some of the quirks of those attractions that makes them particularly appealing to me in this post. In other words, some nostalgic anecdotes and personal history with some of these attractions to “explain away” some choices that some of you might find a bit questionable… 😉
Please note that this list of my favorite Walt Disney World attractions is in not numbered, and that’s because there’s more fluidity within this list than its companion ‘greatest’ list. I’ve more or less ordered this list with my absolute favorites being at the bottom of the post, but the reality is that much of this depends upon mood, and even weather or time of day.
With that said, here’s the list…
Avatar Flight of Passage
This ranks highly…for now. I do wonder how I’ll feel about it once we return and have to book FastPass+ 60 days in advance, wait in long lines, or deal with heavy crowds. Truthfully, one of the things that makes certain attractions more appealing to us is a frictionless experience.
With that said, I think we’ll find a way to do Flight of Passage at least once per trip. Whether it’s making an effort to book FastPass+ early, or just waiting until the last minute to jump in the standby line (we still do Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at least once per trip, and it’s always with this method). We just enjoy the attraction that much–Sarah even loves it more than I do.
Without getting into spoilers, Flight of Passage appeals to me for a few reasons. I love the sensory effects, and feel they really enhance the experience. I also really like the entire ride film, and the way it takes you and your banshee through a variety of environments. In particular, the final act of the ride is superlative, especially the point in the attraction where the banshee lands, and the entire cavern in which you’re sitting slowly transforms. That, coupled with the intoxicating scent during that scene, literally gives me goosebumps.
Living with the Land
Whenever I talk to someone who doesn’t like Living with the Land, their justification almost always is that they don’t enjoy gardening. Neither do I. We used to have a garden at our old house, and my only “contribution” was one day accidentally (OR WAS IT?!) running over part of it with the lawnmower, a mistake that I’ll never live down.
Despite detesting the hands-on act of gardening, I am an avid consumer, for lack of a better term, of horticulture. Not only do I love Living with the Land, but I also enjoy the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, the Behind the Seeds Tour, and just the many ‘glorious gardens’ of Walt Disney World. I think even those who are anti-hands on gardening like me agree that gardens are pretty to look at.
Beyond the appearance of the Living with the Land greenhouses, I enjoy this attraction because it weaves together elements of a traditional dark ride in the early scenes with “edutainment” components in the later scenes. There’s also some distinctly 1980s EPCOT Center music, the timeless scent of musty Florida water, and even rad video footage showing ‘current’ advancements around the globe. If all of that is not enough to sell you on Living with the Land, I’m not sure what is! Plus, the ride experience is longer in duration than you’ll wait in line (Tom’s Rule #1 for a satisfying Walt Disney World attraction).
Space Mountain
I know I’m in the minority when it comes to Disney fans who prefer Space Mountain at Walt Disney World to the one at Disneyland. Admittedly, part of that is nostalgia. Space Mountain in Magic Kingdom was the ultimate rite of passage for me when I was a kid (and could not do it), and I’ve loved it ever sense.
I realize Space Mountain is not without its flaws, and could still use a comprehensive refurbishment. I also realize if you reduce it to its basic terms, the attraction is “only” a wild mouse-style coaster in the dark. (Reducing attractions to their basic terms is a dangerous–and foolish–game, I think.)
Yet, there’s something about Space Mountain I find very endearing. I love the old school effects in the queue, the star tunnel music, the dual track layout, and even the new post-show scenes. To me, it’s the most complete version of Space Mountain from start to finish, and that (plus the aforementioned nostalgia) scores it big points in my book.
Haunted Mansion
The next three attractions do not occupy the middle of this list for any reason other than that my descriptions for them is undoubtedly boring. In large part, I love Haunted Mansion, Splash Mountain, and Tower of Terror because they are exceptional attractions. I covered the why of that in the earlier rankings.
While we do Haunted Mansion a ton (it’s among our top 5 in all of Walt Disney World), I really don’t have anything personal to offer here. I don’t even remember doing Haunted Mansion as a child, and my strong feelings about it are not even in part driven by nostalgia. It’s just an excellent attraction with a ton of re-rideability.
Personally, I think guests will be going on Haunted Mansion 50 years from now and still finding it to be an excellent attraction, which is more than can be said for many brand-new attractions.
Splash Mountain
I still remember my family’s drives down to Walt Disney World from Michigan in the early 90s. When we hit the state line, there would be signs for Disney Radio, “Florida’s in-car welcoming station.” As soon as we saw those, we’d turn the dial, and listen to that on loop, learning everything new about Walt Disney World. (It was the best of times, it was the worst of times: there were no Disney blogs.)
During one such trip, the focus was on Splash Mountain. I don’t recall whether it was 1992 or 1993, but I remember being super excited. Splash Mountain did not disappoint then, and it has never disappointed me since. Its depth is incredible, and I feel like I still spot details I’ve never noticed. (Or have noticed, but have forgotten.)
In our other rankings, I commented on how I really loved the ‘lived-in’ feeling of Splash Mountain. One of the highlights of finally visiting Tokyo Disneyland was experiencing an entire (mini-)land built around Splash Mountain, complete with a ‘raccoon saloon’ and restaurant. Walt Disney World’s Splash Mountain is one of those incredibly rare attractions that is incredibly satisfying…but also leaves you wanting more.
Tower of Terror
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror has been one of my favorite attractions at Walt Disney World for as long as I can remember. I remember going shortly after it opened, and first entering that ominous, foggy queue. Even then, I loved that it featured one of my favorite television series. (I was a weird kid.)
For me, it’s still the closest thing Disney has to “stepping onto a set” besides Cars Land. I love the queue, pre-show, and post-show, all of which are littered with reference to episodes of the TV show. While I’m sure Star Wars Land and future forays into this type of attraction or land will be great, for me, the personal appeal of Tower of Terror will be difficult to top.
Then there’s the different type of old Hollywood vibe. Instead of being a glamorized or idealized version of the Hollywood that never was and will always be, this one feels slightly darker. It’s not exactly cynical, but maybe almost along the lines of Sunset Boulevard rather than Singin’ in the Rain. It’s equally as good as the rest of Disney’s Hollywood Studios’ classic style, just tonally a bit different in that it “celebrates” Hollywood in a different way.
Really, I love everything about the attraction. It has infinite repeatability for me and I’d say that even if I never stepped onto the ride portion of the attraction. (With that said, I’m a huge fan fan of the ride itself, particular the Fifth Dimension scene.) The full experience is a 20-minute or so “journey” that is incredibly satisfying, and this is one of my hallmarks of an excellent Walt Disney World attraction. On Page 2, we’ll get to the top of this list, including some distinctly patriotic picks…and one distinctly unpatriotic choice!
Long time reader so this list does not surprise me! For me, my Must Do’s are all about nostalgia and the music. My quick top 10: Tower of Terror, Spaceship Earth, Soarin, Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, Pirates, Haunted Mansion, Carousel of Progress, People mover, and Toy Story Mania.
I agree with your list whole-heartedly! We recently returned from a visit. When the teacher asked my 5 year old daughter what her favorite ride was, she responded the PeopleMover. I was pleasantly surprised and so was the teacher who is also a Walt Disney World fan.
“Country Bear Jamboree is like the Wet Hot American Summer of theme park attraction casts.”
I think you can mic drop now.
Hey Tom,
I agree with your thoughts on the TTA. I love the TTA and will always ride it before going on any other attraction. The few “upgrades” they made I have been against. The new narration is weak and doesn’t have the same impact as it once did. I would love some improvements to the different scenes so it continually feels like the future, rather than a snapshot of what we used to think the future would be. Regardless of my personal opinions I will still go on the TTA and rank it high on my own personal list. Great post as always!
Way to go, Tom for an excellent list of favorites! Lots of good memories with all the attractions you mentioned, except for
Flight of Passage, which I haven’t seen yet but plan to this December.
Objectivity is a myth. If so inclined, could you someday perform an exegesis on the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse? I searched the blog and didn’t come up with much honorable mention. The haunting and ingenious Treehouse never gets enough love and yet does seem to fulfill many of the qualities you treasure: it slows down time, is more real than reality, and offers a myriad of unique visual perspectives (however, it doesn’t have music,..) Somewhat off to the side of things in peaceful isolation, it possesses that strange quality of trespassing upon the personal space of absent humans. Also, despite some recent spiffing up, I think it might still exist true to its old-school original design.
I enjoy the treehouse. And it does have music! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEK_ojo6mgY
In Orlando? I wonder how I got around and missed that ditty? It might keep the people marching along but I’d get tired of it quickly,…
Yes, in the area with the little organ. (It’s also on the “Four Parks – One World” CD. It does get old fairly quickly. But I am not the biggest fan of polka.)
Personally I would remove IdF, Living with the Land, American Adventure (I know I know – ESTA revoked!), and add Great Movie Ride (Great is right there in the name), Jungle Cruise and Big Thunder Mountain.
Its been way too long since I went on CoP – might have to rectify that this year.
What a weak list! No Toy Story Mania, Expediation Everest, Kilamnjaro Safari, Rockin Rollercoaster, Test Track!
Carousel of Progress and the Peoplemover are two of my favorites because we can’t ride them at Disneyland anymore (Californian here). Also, the Peoplemover is tied as Disneyland’s deadliest ride, and I like to live dangerously while in Florida. We practically rope dropped the Peoplemover during our last visit and were interviewed by a survey taker who was incredulous that we were that excited about the ride. My favorites list would also includes Journey into Imagination–yes, even in its sad state–for nostalgic reasons.
A great list. I tried to come up with a list of my own, and found it very difficult to pare down to only ten. Number 1 is, without a doubt, Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. The best attraction ever. After that, there is the Safari, Splash Mountain, Haunted Mansion, Pirates, and Big Thunder, in no particular order. Then there are all the attractions that I wouldn’t think to put on a list like this, but then I realized that we would never go to WDW without experiencing them, so perhaps they should be considered. These include “it’s a small world”, Jungle Cruise, both of the “trails” at AK, Spaceship Earth, Soarin’, and many others.
However, I must second your inclusion of Country Bears. It is an absolute delight. It is not for childhood nostalgia reasons, since I did not go to WDW until my children were 9 and 6. It may be because of the fact that my father, who only went to WDW once, sometime around 1980, has never stopped talking about them. For him Country Bears was the highlight, and his enthusiasm was contagious.
Finally, while it is not technically an attraction, I think that stopping at Cosmic Ray’s to see a set from Sonny Eclipse has to be a top-10 experience.
The alternative facts line is outstanding. Practically as good as your Upside Down reference a few months ago!
My all-time faves are at MK are: Carousel of Progress (with the original song), Country Bear Jamboree, Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, It’s a Small World, Peter Pan, and WEDway People Mover. Yep, I still call it that.
Your posts are always fantastic imo, but lately you’ve been hitting it outta the park.
It’s so great to see Living with the Land and Impressions de France on this list. My opinions on both have only grown over the years, and I make sure to catch both every time that I visit Epcot. In particular, Impressions de France is so good that it even works on a TV screen (thought not as well). The music and beauty are so impressive that it never seems dull.
I’ve read the blog long enough, this list wasn’t a surprise at all.
My quick list of favorites in no order:
The Safari, Tower of Terror, SSE, Everest, American Adventure, Big Thunder, TSMM, Space Mountain, 7DMT, Small World.
Of course, that list could change day-to-day.
That’s a pretty great list. Since Disney gives so many great options, TOP 10 lists are always so difficult. There’s always that one you think should be there like Pirates of the Caribbean or Spaceship Earth or Muppet Vision 3D or It’s a Small World, or It’s Tough to be a Bug or Expedition Everest or AAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!
Great list Tom. I would add Spaceship Earth.
After reading your comment on the Avatar ride, ( about the need for 60 day advance FP ) it reminded me that so many rides which used to be walk ons, practically, now have lengthy waits. I blame this on people planning vacations months and months in advance, and tying up so many FP that long waits are guaranteed for those who don’t plan visits 6 months out.
I wonder how all the DVC owners from Florida feel about this situation, as the ones I know love the ability to travel to Disney for a weekend on a whim, and are frustrated that their ” ownership ” does not necessarily mean they will be able to ride any of their favorite rides during their stay.
I hope they start allocating the FP temporally, such that all the FP no longer go on a ” first come, first served ” basis, so that those who decide to visit on a whim have a shot at riding some of their favorite rides.
FANTASTIC list! My own personal choices are only slightly different. I’d replace Country Bear Jamboree, Avatar, and the American Adventure with Pirates of the Caribbean, Big Thunder Mountain, and Spaceship Earth not because they’re objectively better but because (as you mentioned) nostalgia plays such a big part when choosing favorites.
Haunted Mansion and the PeopleMover are my two favorite Magic Kingdom attractions– I ride both multiple times every time I visit. I like the PeopleMover for its chance to relax, get off my feet, catch a cool breeze, and watch Tomorrowland pass by. As for the Haunted Mansion… well, I just like it!
” Above facts may be of the alternative variety” Is the best thing I’ve read today
I love the people mover! It’s a cool rest in a busy day. Haunted Mansion will always be my very favorite- I love the house outside and in. My dream house! Small world because my sister and I used to debate which doll we wanted to be- my usual was France. Love the Expedition Everest because I love coasters. The Bear Jamboree because it reminds me of being at Disney in the 70’s as a child- when dad was still with us and now visits with my mom in middle age- it’s her fave. I miss the submarines- they are a fave, even if now gone. Soaring sitting top row is so fun. I remember when the castle could be walked through and being a Cinderella nut- it was nice dream it was mine. I loved the old Norway Maelstrom- anything with water makes me happy. And I adore the monorail. When we got to Disney, the monorail made it real and I can feel my little girl excitement about the day to come or remember sleepy ride with my green Mickey Ears balloon on my wrist as we tried to re bet if we parked in a Donald or Daisy.
All good choices. Impressions De France may be outdated, but I never miss it during a visit to WDW. Having returned from a trip to Paris last April, I enjoye reliving some of my trip. You didn’t mention it, but the music is incredible for this attraction!!! I have heard rumors that this show may go away with the Ratatouille addition to the Pavilion. I sure hope not!!!!!