Walt Disney World, the family fan favorite, is known for being an enchanting children’s park, though many disregard the fact that the park offers much more than the stereotypical, kid-friendly fun.
As someone who loves a good thrill at local amusement parks, I scavenged the parks for thrill rides and ranked my favorite ones based on the scariness, speed, and effects. Here are some of my favorite rides:
Rise of the Resistance 7/10
Calling all “Star Wars” enthusiasts! Located in the Star Wars Galaxy Edge park in Hollywood Studios, the enchanting Rise of Resistance attraction minimizes the familiar fantasy land of Disney World with a realistic sci-fi adventure. Whether it’s embarking on the initial transport ship or gliding through a darkened trackless coaster, the thrill of this ride is worth noting.
The premise of this extraordinary attraction takes riders on a combat against the Star Wars First Order Military, which wants authority over the galaxy. The trackless coaster swerves through dim rooms with unique effects while being “chased” by the First Order. While sliding around a “Star Wars” galaxy, the sound effects, blazing lightsabers, and holograms complete the thrill.
Although this attraction isn’t nearly as intense as the other rides, the effects and story structural approach make this attraction appealing for those who love a good thrill.
Fast Track 8.5/10
If you are someone who values drastic speeds when picking which attraction to ride, Fast Track at Epcot is a must-do on your Disney agenda. Finishing at 70 m.p.h., Fast Track lives up to its name.
While Fast Track is an appropriate ride for those who love to put their hands up in the air, the unexpected pauses and turns throughout the ride leave riders to shout and hold onto their carts to avoid flinging forward from the unexpectedness of the car. Before even entering the ride, passengers get a chance to design their car with accessible touch screens displayed in line. Although the car you create isn’t the car you ride, there is a scoreboard of who created the best car in terms of speed, length, width, power, etc. projected on a screen during the attraction.
Overall, the total thrill of this ride is unforgettable due to the speed, sudden stops, turns, and creativity.
Tower of Terror 9/10
Differentiating from the accustomed jolliness of the Hollywood Studios Park, the famous Tower of Terror attraction takes passengers who dare through an eerie, abandoned hotel inspired by the “Twilight Zone” TV show.
Accompanied by 1930s ghosts who supposedly had gone missing to another dimension, thrill levels kick off dramatically when passengers enter a dark elevator to fasten loose-fitting seat belts with no particular expectation of what will happen next. With the help of the “mysterious” Disney actors and an off-putting introductory story, the attraction arranges the eeriness by screen-projecting ghosts and playing delicate, filmy music.
With no shyness to jump right into the horror genre, a dimming of the lights and a panoramic lift to the elevator occurs. Before riders know it, the elevator ascends to the very top of the tarnished pink hotel. As guests frantically grasp onto whatever they can with suspicion of plunging to the bottom, a single glimpse of the Walt Disney World park from an open window on the top of the hotel is all to see before dramatically dropping to the bottom.
This thrilling up-and-down exercise makes the Tower of Terror one of the most exciting and unexpected rides at Walt Disney World.
Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster 9.5/10
The Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster is one of my very favorite attractions at Walt Disney World. Located in Hollywood Studios, the coaster had been shut down for months as it was being upgraded. Luckily, I was able to ride this rollercoaster with all the fresh updates.
For those who love high-intensity rides, this coaster is right up your alley. Beginning with a fierce acceleration from 0 to 60 m.p.h. in less than three seconds, you are then shot into pure twilight beside glimpses of illuminated, neon concert headings, and obnoxious, blasting Aerosmith music. With an especially high-speed ride, Disney was not hesitant to add several upside-down loops, twists, and turns to enhance the thrill level.
With the whiplash, theme, and intense takeoff, the Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster is not one to miss if you’re looking for a stereotypical coaster feel with respectable effects.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind 10/10
As if Walt Disney World couldn’t get any cooler, the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind attraction in Epcot introduces a different genre of thrill ride with its pure dedication to the “Guardians of the Galaxy” plot.
I am not a frequent viewer of the “Guardians of the Galaxy” series, but despite the unfamiliar theme, this ride was the coolest thing I’ve ever been on.
With an unforgettable backward send-off, each coaster cart alternates in various directions and plays a different song depending on which cart you land in. The individual touch of the ride is only a minimal aspect of the coaster when considering the thrill of the high speed and twists.
Somewhat similar to the Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster, the attraction is particularly dim. The title Cosmic Rewind stays true to its name with glow-in-the-dark planets and projected effects making the attraction feel much more realistic. The thrill level has to total to a solid 10 due to the uniqueness and intensity of the attraction.
–Aug. 29, 2023–
