I have been infrequently posting variations on this list ever since I first visited the Tokyo and Hong Kong Disney parks in 2014. I went to Shanghai Disneyland in 2017 and I finally knocked out the Paris Disney parks too. Which means I’ve now been to every Disney park in the world! Granted, I haven’t been to Tokyo recently enough to experience Fantasy Springs or the Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast…so there are some wonderful looking rides there that won’t make my Top 30 by default.
With Universal I’m a bit less well traveled to begin with, having only been to the California and Florida parks. Hopefully that changes soon. I’ll also have an excuse to visit Abu Dhabi again when the new Disney park opens there, but until then Universal Epic Universe has shaken things up. So here we go again with some updates!
Obviously, there are plenty of rides that are well worth riding even if they’re not exactly Top 30 quality. Some that come to mind: Na’vi River Journey (with its show-stopping Shaman of Songs animatronic), Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, Hiccup’s Wing Gliders, Star Tours: The Adventures Continue, The Iron Man Experience (in Hong Kong Disneyland), Mine-Cart Madness, The Simpsons Ride, Soarin', Space Mountain (they are all a lot of fun but not really themed enough for me even with the Hyperspace Mountain overlay), E.T. Adventure, the Matterhorn, Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, Toy Story Mania (a gallery of video screens that would feel about the same on a Playstation), WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-man Adventure (another gallery of screens and gameplay), Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Frozen Ever After, etc.
While this list seems to favor newer rides overall, it’s not a lack of love for the classics. I try to go with what really resonates with me right now, and when it's an older ride (like Phantom Manor) I put it in a high position on the list. Three of my Top 10 favorite movies of all time were made in the 1920's, so even if you don't agree with the placement of the older rides here, at least understand that I'm not one of those “newer is always better” types. Having said that…here’s a brand new ride at #1!
1. MONSTER’S UNCHAINED: THE FRANKENSTEIN EXPERIMENT (Universal Epic Universe)
This ride kills me. I absolutely love the thing, but quite frankly, it could be #1 or off the list entirely, depending on the day. When everything is working, it’s my favorite theme park ride at this moment in time. But while I trust Universal on certain things, like taking our money and making sure there won’t be any paper towels in the restrooms when we need them, I do not trust them to properly maintain this ride.
Full disclosure: This last week when I visited there was ZERO pre-show. No Ygor exposition video. The room with the animatronic Victoria and Frankenstein’s Monster had curtains over it and the cast member said, “Victoria is busy in the catacombs.” Furthermore, the first Ygor scene in the ride itself was covered by a curtain too. Ygor is a major part of the story and the ride, but this time his very first appearance was when he’s getting devoured by bats at the end. There was no story. No context. The first Wolf Man appearance would have made “Disco Yeti” proud (the next one worked). The vampire bride floating toward Victoria…didn’t float or even move. And as usual, the final “soaring Dracula” effect was busted.
For a brand new $7 billion theme park, this is unacceptable. I guarantee the people who rode this ride last week didn’t run home and tell their friends about it. If they were to see this list they would question my sanity right here and refuse to read another word. This ride was a hot mess last week, plain and simple.
But when everything is working, which may be once a week, once a month, once a year, or never again, it’s absolutely incredible. I love the Universal Monsters and the respect they’ve been given here. I love the atmosphere of Darkmoor Village and Frankenstein Manor, I love the attention to detail in the restaurants and the flaming windmill (a nod to the 1931 Frankenstein!), I love the Boris Karloff O.G. Frankenstein in the queue, and I absolutely love that all the above is a love letter to the classic monsters.
The KUKA Arm ride system has been vastly improved since Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey fifteen years ago. It’s swift and smooth with no curved screens to bring on nausea. The marriage of incredibly clear screens, physical sets, and animatronics is the best I’ve seen anywhere, in fact. Its only competitor in that regard is Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry in the very same theme park. There are more animatronics in this one though, and they’re truly exceptional…when they work.
2. PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: BATTLE FOR THE SUNKEN TREASURE (Shanghai Disneyland)
Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure clocks in at nearly eight minutes and you’ll wish it was longer. This thing blows my mind. Let's start with the fact that despite being a boat ride on water, the vehicle can move around to face each setpiece (at times you even go backward), and can simulate movement like rising or falling. That alone sets it apart from any other Pirates ride, all of which move along a straight path powered by water.
Still, the ride begins calmly enough...we see the Talking Skull, we ride slowly past Barbossa's Bounty with people dining outside (Shanghai's answer to Disneyland's Blue Bayou), we see several scenes of pirate skeletons... I happened to be riding this with my mother (a veteran of the Florida version), and she snarkily leaned over at this point and said, “The pirates in ours move around.” The timing could not have been more perfect…
Moments later my mother was reduced to giggling like a schoolgirl (seriously), and by the end she exclaimed, “That is the best ride I've ever seen.” It really is incredible when the final skeleton, that of Jack Sparrow, comes to life in a tremendous visual effect. Sparrow then explains, in Mandarin, that he's sending us into the depths to steal Davy Jones' treasure. And off we go!
The majority of the ride takes place “underwater”, an effect achieved through an ingenious blend of large physical sets, absolutely massive screens, excellent sound effects, and an exciting musical score. It certainly feels like the biggest ride ever made, I intentionally looked straight up at times, way up mind you, and what I saw there was...more water. Behind the physical sets the screens are always there, to the left, right, and far above. There is nothing to break the illusion, no black ceilings and stage lights here folks. Instead you get animated ocean and even sharks in the distance or the underside of boats on the surface. We see the Flying Dutchman ship and even sail into it after meeting the animatronic hammerhead shark character from the Pirates movies. The Davy Jones animatronic inside is a big highlight and he calls for war after we rudely interrupt his organ playing.
There is a climax back on the surface with two massive ships battling as our tiny boat travels between them (the ships are physical creations surrounded by more gigantic screens to give the feel of a large scale battle extending beyond). We finish by going through Captain Jack's sinking ship, witnessing a swordfight, and then falling backward in the ride's climactic (yet tame) drop. It's fantastic. I rode it eight times and would have been happy to go for a ninth, tenth, and beyond. I recommend one of the last few rows, I feel like you get a better grasp of everything from the back. Plus, up front the illusion isn't quite as seamless since you can make out where the screens meet the real water. Overall though, all I can say is wow. Sooo many little details in this ride. Bravo.
3. MYSTIC MANOR (Hong Kong Disneyland)
In some ways, Mystic Manor is the most perfect ride I've ever seen. While completely devoid of “thrills”, per se, it has, hands down, some of the most baffling and well integrated special effects of any ride I've experienced. I have no idea how some of it was pulled off since the animatronics and screens mesh so flawlessly. The only room with obvious screens is that in which the climax takes place, at which point you're so wrapped up in the experience that it really doesn't matter.
It makes a lot of Universal stuff and other Disney stuff look bad in that respect. When the screens are completely blatant the illusion is broken. Even newer rides (Gringott's, Transformers, and even to some degree Shanghai's Pirates) are bigger offenders in this respect than Mystic Manor.
If you can't tell, I really love this ride! Awesome original story, setting, queue (filled with little details for those who look), AA's, music, special effects...it's got everything including a solid length (five and a half minutes). I also love the whole Mystic Point area. It’s small, like everything else at Hong Kong Disneyland, but punches above its weight. The awesome Explorer's Club restaurant, in particular. If you pay attention after eating, you can find several notes on the wall from Lord Henry Mystic himself.
4. JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH (Tokyo DisneySea)
This one has an unforgettably thrilling climax, wonderful “dark ride” segments, that super awesome audio-animatronic Lava Monster, a lovely queue (with the Terravator!), and it happens to take place within the greatest centerpiece of any Disney park (Mount Prometheus) in one of their finest themed lands (the Jules Verne-inspired Mysterious Island) in the best theme park in the world. It's gorgeous and brilliant, with the only possible drawback being its length. At around three minutes, it's one of the shortest rides in my Top 10 , but quality over quantity, right?! For me it’s still the best use of the ride system also used in Test Track and Radiator Springs Racers.
5. PHANTOM MANOR (Disneyland Paris)
The best version of the classic “Haunted Mansion” in the world (I don’t count Mystic Manor as a Haunted Mansion ride). The Disneyland original was already one of the most detailed and creative rides ever made, featuring special effects that continue to impress. The Magic Kingdom version is probably second best after Paris and the Tokyo Disneyland version is very close; it’s in a better state of repair than most of the others and has the Nightmare Before Christmas overlay.
Incidentally, I first experienced the Nightmare Before Christmas overlay in 2024 at Disneyland. I really enjoyed it, don’t get me wrong, but I do prefer the original version.
Anyway, I like Disneyland Paris better than the other castle parks in general, I think they have the best versions of all the classic rides, but Thunder Mesa is the crème de la crème. The sight lines are stellar and it’s all in service of a story. Phantom Manor and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad are part of a larger Frontierland narrative here, which makes the whole experience that much more fun.
Seeing the mournful spirit of Melanie Ravenswood standing on the Grand Staircase in the loading area of the ride really sets the tone. The scenes involving her and the Phantom (her murderous father) are some of my favorite in the ride and they don’t exist in other versions. I also love that Phantom Canyon climax; the ghostly Wild West atmosphere is just perfect.
My favorite “classic” ride and one of the best ever made.
6. STAR WARS: RISE OF THE RESISTANCE (Tie: Disneyland & Disney’s Hollywood Studios)
An incredible experience. When you combine the land itself (terrific!), the queue, the pre-main event “ride”, the incredible Star Destroyer interior, and the ride itself...it’s fantastic. When taken as a whole, it has few peers, some would argue it has none.
It took me a couple of rides and a decent amount of thought to figure out where to rank this thing. On my first ride, I thought that it lacked urgency. Going three miles per hour in an “escape the First Order Star Destroyer!” adventure seemed anticlimactic. I was in the back row and couldn’t really appreciate the R5 droid’s own confusion. Frankly, even after my second ride I still didn’t know that it was exciting enough, all things considered.
Still, on that second ride (first row) things made more sense...we were on a prisoner transport which would hopefully blend in as we made our way to the escape pods. Once spotted and fired upon by Storm Troopers, the droid piloting the transport tries his best to improvise and get us where we need to go...he’s just not very good at it. It’s an intentional part of the story, which helped me forgive a few things.
The scenery is awesome throughout, and most of the effects are tremendous with the exception of some of the blaster damage, which are very obvious projections onto the still pristine surfaces of objects. Overall, I loved the combination of screens and AAs. However none of the AAs were as impressive as the showstopper over in Animal Kingdom’s Na’vi River Journey nor did they possess the impact of Davy Jones, the Lava Monster, or the working Yeti circa 2007. There is also the AT-AT room to consider, with its incredible size it is perhaps the only interior sense of scale on a ride anywhere that compares favorably to Pirates in Shanghai.
The experience isn’t perfect though. In addition to the phony looking blaster damage effects, the final drop portion, despite its initial thrill, is over much too quickly. We get from deep space to crash landing on the surface of a planet in about 15 seconds... A few more close calls or excitement in the air would have added a great deal to the climax, maybe just 15 seconds more and the ending would feel less rushed and more thrilling.
Anyway, minimal flaws and all, this is one of the best rides in the world. At this point, with so many new rides coming out in this battle between Disney Imagineering and Universal Creative, along with other competitors rising to the challenge...it’s like splitting hairs, really.
7. JURASSIC WORLD VELOCICOASTER (Universal’s Islands of Adventure)
I have ridden a lot of roller coasters in my life. I’ve been on the fastest in the world (Formula Rossa in Abu Dhabi). I haven’t experienced Steel Vengeance or Iron Gwazi or Zadra yet. But of all the coasters I’ve ridden, Velocicoaster is the most intense and brilliantly creative. If you appreciate thrills over theming or if you prefer roller coasters to trackless rides, water rides, simulators, and KUKA Arms…just consider this #1 on my list and call it a day. Nothing else by Disney or Universal even comes close.
It certainly has theming too. Not on the level of Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure, but it does have theming and a story that makes sense. It’s a perfect fit for Jurassic World.
8. AVATAR FLIGHT OF PASSAGE (Disney's Animal Kingdom)
Well folks, here it is. The theme park ride that is done the least justice by an on-ride video. Of course no ride is done full justice, or even close, by on-ride videos. Flight of Passage is the poster child though. This is not your average simulator, this is the greatest simulator ride on the face of the planet by a long shot!
I may never bother to wait longer than ten minutes to ride Soarin' or Star Tours or the Iron Man ride in Hong Kong ever again. Seriously. I'm not even a big fan of these types of rides, I prefer a mix of sets, animatronics, screens if needed, etc. Flight of Passage though…it's one of the greatest rides of all time. Period. You will lose yourself in this adventure.
Feeling like a genuine extension of Pandora, the queue is superb. We basically climb up the side of a mountain, with beautiful scenery and waterfalls along the way, eventually reaching caverns where cave dwellers once painted ancient Banshees on the wall. Then we discover an old base within the mountain, belonging to a villainous mining corporation called RDA. Further along we see the jungle taking over the old base (the setting is many years after the events of the film), and ultimately we find ourselves in the Pandora Conservation Initiative facility. Details abound throughout this fantastic queue (wait until you see the Na'vi Avatar!) which is up there with the best of all time.
The visuals in Flight of Passage are incredibly sharp and photorealistic. The screen is absolutely gigantic, it has to be larger than Soarin' because in Soarin' there are bad seats where you can see beyond the edges. I prefer a more central position here, but there isn't a "bad seat" per se. The ride vehicle is like a bike, a bit like Tron in Shanghai and Orlando, except your legs aren't literally behind you and you aren't leaning as far forward. But you straddle it and a brace locks down over your legs and back. You also wear glasses that provide a subtle 3D effect (one should not expect gimmicky "in your face" 3D here).
After getting situated you link to your Avatar on the back of a Banshee and off you go! I don't know what flying on the back of a dragon feels like, but...it would probably feel a bit like this ride! You experience the wind in your face, the mist from waterfalls, you smell the forest and the dirt, all while banking and diving through incredible scenery among fantastic creatures. You can even feel the Banshee breathing beneath you! I can't begin to explain how awesome this ride is, it has revived my confidence in what a simulator ride can be.
It's astonishing. The second best domestic Disney ride as far as I’m concerned.
9. HARRY POTTER AND THE BATTLE AT THE MINISTRY (Universal’s Epic Universe)
When it comes to the integration (and believability) of screens, physical sets, and animatronics this is absolutely next level, master class stuff. The Death Eater animatronics in particular are simply awesome, they bridge the gap between practical effects and the screens behind. The transition is nearly seamless. Plus, as usual with Universal’s Harry Potter rides, the “land” and queue preceding it are equally astounding. For me this is the best Harry Potter ride so far.
10. SINBAD'S STORYBOOK VOYAGE (Tokyo DisneySea)
Pretty much a “greatest ride of its type” experience for me. I think it tops every version of Pirates of the Caribbean outside of Shanghai, and any version of It's a Small World.
The AA's in Storybook Voyage are numerous and incredibly expressive, probably the best overall collection of animatronics anywhere in the world. The Alan Menken score is wonderful too, good luck getting it out of your head. It's a long, relaxing, and rewarding journey.
11. THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF SPIDER-MAN (Universal's Islands of Adventure)
Another best ride of its type, in my opinion. Budgeted at about $100 million back in 1999, this attraction opened to great acclaim with Universal's Islands of Adventure park. At an untold additional expense, it underwent a complete overhaul from
February-March 2012 in order to match the tech in Transformers: The Ride.
The queue is still as good as it ever was, as guests walk into the Daily Bugle and wander through recently abandoned offices. Along the way we see various tributes to the Bugle, publisher J. Jonah Jameson and his overinflated ego, and the “Scoop” (our ride vehicle). As a fun bonus, Universal Express Pass users get to walk through Peter Parker's office and dark room, with developing photographs of several villains. We also learn via computer screens, TV newscasts (showing animated clips produced exclusively for this ride's storyline), newspaper articles, etc. that the Sinister Syndicate is currently laying waste to the city with a stolen anti-gravity cannon. They have made off with the Statue of Liberty, and destroyed buildings, bridges, and so forth. The members of the group include Dr. Octopus, their leader, as well as Electro, Scream, Hobgoblin, and Hydro-Man. We take on the role of J. Jonah Jameson's last remaining hope to get out there and document the story.
The ride itself is a thrilling combination of real sets, practical effects (involving props, water, heat, real fire, etc.), incredible lighting, 3D-screens, immersive sound, and roving motion base vehicles (sooo much better than Star Tours, Iron Man, the Simpsons, and most other 3D simulators where you remain more or less stationary). The transitions between the real sets and the 3D sequences are pretty seamless, especially after the refurb, and the effect is stunning.
In one of my favorite sequences, Hobgoblin throws a flaming jack-o'-lantern at us that Spider-Man stops with his web right in front of our faces. Moments later, Hobgoblin tosses another pumpkin bomb which explodes through the wall above us in a real pyrotechnic effect as the Scoop screeches away in reverse. Great stuff!
12. REVENGE OF THE MUMMY (Universal Studios Orlando)
I can not stress enough that this high ranking is only for the Mummy ride in Orlando, not that joke version in Anaheim. This version has it all: a dark ride portion with real fire effects, an animatronic Imhotep, a very cool launch into a Rockin' Roller Coaster style ride with great airtime, then a faux ending that culminates in another terrific real fire effect, and a final roller coaster portion.
Since it replaced Kongfrontation, which had a good number of pyrotechnics, the designers were able to incorporate all that fire into this ride. The room where the ceiling is engulfed in flames is pretty awesome (and incredibly hot near the end of the day), but none of those great fire effects are used in the already shorter, slower, and straight-up inferior Hollywood version of this attraction which replaced E.T. Adventure.
Such a great coaster! Immensely re-rideable too. At one point, my family rode it eight times in a row when lines were low.
13. HAGRID’S MAGICAL CREATURES MOTORBIKE ADVENTURE (Universal’s Islands of Adventure)
Arguably the most elaborately themed outdoor roller coaster in the world. Anchored by a fantastic setting, legit story, a handful of animatronic characters (Hagrid, Fluffy, a Blast-Ended Skrewt, etc.), and a charming ride vehicle…the roller coaster part had a lot to live up to! Luckily, with seven launches and some crazy surprises (a 17-foot vertical track drop!), it does so without being too intense for the younger crowd.
14. PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN (Disneyland Paris version)
We all know the Disneyland version beats the Magic Kingdom version. Easy call. And honestly, every classic version of Pirates except the Magic Kingdom version belongs in this spot. I strongly believe, however, that Paris once again has the best version of another classic Disney ride.
It’s just so cool being up on the ramparts of the castle looking down on that classic sequence; a battle between the pirate ship and an imposing fortress. Then you proceed through the burning fortress, past the prison cells, before ultimately reaching the drop that sends you into the war zone proper. After that it’s the sequence with the pirates running rampant and the village in flames before a second drop ends in Dead Man’s Cove. It’s like the Disneyland version in reverse but on another level. Love it.
15. SPLASH MOUNTAIN (Tokyo Disneyland version)
I’ve adored Splash Mountain since I was a kid. In Tokyo, it’s an absolute joy. Always clean, always working, with characters and music that live rent free in your head the rest of the day. It’s a timeless masterpiece of Disney Imagineering. Side note: Splash Mountain has its own tiny themed land and in Tokyo that includes a wonderful restaurant called Grandma Sara’s Kitchen. I’ve probably taken more photos in and around that restaurant than I have of the ride itself.
On to the sensitive subject… While I’m not a fan of the weak-kneed Disney brass “tearing down statues in the town square” for political reasons, I have to say that in America at least, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is a worthy replacement. It’s not on the same level, but it’s reasonably close. I enjoy the New Orleans atmosphere and the fancy audio-animatronics and all the things… Besides, the Splash Mountain upkeep at Disneyland and Magic Kingdom was pretty atrocious. No way I’m riding those after dark without the Willie’s Wonderland version of Nicolas Cage by my side.
Let’s face it… Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will never please everyone. And for those people there are flights to Japan. Think of it as a sayonara with a silver lining: you’ll be at the greatest Disney resort in the world riding the best version of Splash Mountain that ever existed.
16. INDIANA JONES ADVENTURE (Tie: Disneyland version & Tokyo DisneySea version)
The updates to the Disneyland version are awesome, no doubt, but the Tokyo version always had some unique effects of its own (the wicked looking cyclone in the main chamber, the simulated fireball that flies right at you near the end). Plus Tokyo has the better queue in my opinion. There is also a better chance of all the effects working properly in Tokyo due to their superior maintenance (the Disneyland version seems to break down for part of the day every time I visit). Anyway, no matter where you ride this one, it's top notch!
17. TOWER OF TERROR (Disney's Hollywood Studios version for ride experience, Tokyo DisneySea version for story and setting)
I've always loved Tower of Terror in all its iterations. The Tokyo version is probably my overall favorite (I love the way it ties in with Mystic Manor over in Hong Kong Disneyland!), thanks to the awesome building itself, the unique story, elaborate queue, and world class special effects (including the famous disappearing Shiriki Utundu idol). However, the ride portion gets the edge in Orlando where the drop sequence is random, a bit more intense, and the elevator moves out of the elevator shaft and through the “fourth dimension”.
The ride became Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout! in Disney’s California Adventure, and it’s a lot of fun (especially after a few drinks at Lamplight Lounge). Still…I prefer the haunted versions of the ride.
18. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY: COSMIC REWIND (EPCOT)
Another thrilling indoor roller coaster with a fun story, great characters, humorous dialogue, 360 degree spinning cars, a 60 mph reverse launch, and some fantastic visual effects. Perhaps most importantly, awesome music too!
I still prefer Revenge of the Mummy if I had to pick one, which is crazy since the $500 million budget for Cosmic Rewind is about seven times larger than the Mummy’s, even adjusting for inflation! But guess what? I don’t have to choose between them. I’m down for Cosmic Rewind any time!
19. HARRY POTTER AND THE ESCAPE FROM GRINGOTT'S (Universal Studios Orlando)
First of all, Diagon Alley is simply phenomenal. One of the best themed lands ever created. It handily tops Hogsmeade next door, which is no slouch by the way! Walking into Gringott's Bank the magic continues. The queue is tremendous, the AA's are jaw dropping, the pre-show sets up the story well, and the elevator taking you down to the vault reminded me of Journey to the Center of the Earth. To be honest, the storytelling is seamless when you consider the progression through Diagon Alley, into the bank, down into the vaults, culminating in a ride that fits perfectly within the context of this story (it's not a “best of Harry Potter” highlights ride like Forbidden Journey).
However, I’ve had mixed feelings about this ride over the years. It’s like a tame version of Revenge of the Mummy, to the point where I’ve argued it needn’t have been a roller coaster at all. To quote my old review: “Screen after screen of 3D effects. There are some physical sets, but how incredible can stone walls, steel tracks, and a waterfall be?”
Still, I have to admit, this last time I rode it I appreciated it more than I ever had previously, even in 2014 when it was new. Forbidden Journey had the reverse effect. I used to think that was a Top 5 ride in the world. Now I have it at #22. At this point in time, I genuinely think Harry Potter and the Escape From Gringott’s is a more than worthy pay-off for the brilliance leading up to it (Diagon Alley and Gringott’s Bank). It’s a great themed ride…just don’t think of it as a roller coaster.
20. POOH'S HUNNY HUNT (Tokyo Disneyland)
A delightful trackless ride (the forebear of Mystic Manor, Ratatouille, Rise of the Resistance, etc.) that really makes the other Disney Winnie the Pooh rides feel like...Poo Rides. The Disneyland version is the worst of all with its cardboard-looking scenery, but the other versions, while passable, aren't a whole lot better. Even Shanghai Disneyland with their enormous $5.5 billion resort budget cut corners and threw in a cheaper Winnie the Pooh ride (similar to the Magic Kingdom and Hong Kong versions).
Honestly, Pooh's Hunny Hunt was probably most responsible in the first decade of this century for those, “Why does Disney invest so much more in foreign parks than domestic?” debates. It was hard to argue at the time, given the $30 million Disney spent on Pooh at Disneyland vs. the $130 million they spent in Tokyo (then again, Disney doesn't pick up the entire tab at the foreign parks).
At any rate, Pooh's Hunny Hunt is an absolute joy; it's incredibly playful and imaginative. Depending on which honey pot you get into, you will see little variations along the way. The climax of the ride is particularly praise worthy as many honey pots filled with riders “dance” with each other, including one piloted by Heffalumps and Woozles!
21. RADIATOR SPRINGS RACERS (Disney's California Adventure)
Here it is, the ride that emphatically put an end to the debate I just spoke of. The one about Disney making bigger investments in its foreign parks vs the domestic ones. That argument basically goes out the window the moment you walk into Cars Land and see every bit of the $200 million Disney put into this experience! The ride features incredible mountain scenery, beautiful indoor settings, some of the best AA's the world has ever seen (aided by the rear projection effects seen later in Seven Dwarves Mine Train and Frozen Ever After), and a racing portion to boot!
It's a great ride indeed, one I would ride multiple times any time. I'm not ranking it here because it's not a wonderful experience, it's just...not as wonderful as those above it. Personally, I think Journey to the Center of the Earth provides an overall greater experience using the same ride system.
Wow, this is comprehensive.
While I can't say I've ridden anything here outside of America (or in Epic Universe) I do agree with most of your takes. I know that your opinions are your own, but if this were my list, here's what I would have changed.
Gringotts and Forbidden Journey, in my opinion, should be swapped. While the supportive land for Gringotts is undoubtedly better, the queue and ride itself are better at IOA. Gringotts relies on screens for all of its action, but FJ uses them in tandem with solid animatronics. Finally, the ride system for FJ is more interesting, when Cosmic Rewind is just a better version of Gringotts.
Another thing I'd swap- Hagrids and RotR. I really, really don't get the hype with RotR. I find it slow-paced and lacking urgency. I haven't ridden it front row, but still, Hagrids is just so incredible at using larger quantities of simpler animatronics to populate its forest. Meanwhile, RotR has cheesier effects most of the time and uses a lot of screens.
And one thing I'd add to my top 30 that I totally understand why you didn't: Popeye's bilge-rat barges. It's kind of a guilty pleasure for me, so it would be #29 or 30, because even though it's not complex or brilliant, it's so much fun and it's so refreshing. I don't know what I'd replace, but yeah.
Overall, I love seeing Spider-Man, Mummy, and Tower of Terror getting so much love. They may be older, and I know ToT has a dedicated fan base, but keeping them on lists like these keeps me happy. Also, my biggest takeaway: I should go to Japan.
VelocicoasterFan,
I can’t disagree with anything you said. I do still believe Rise of the Resistance is flawed, but what it does well it does VERY well. I’m sort of looking at it as a complete package, including the queue, the Star Destroyer interior filled with Stormtroopers, the elaborate multi-part pre-show, etc. I don’t agree whatsoever that it’s the best theme park ride in the world, but I can see why it would be in the conversation.
Funny thing about Gringott’s vs Forbidden Journey… The latter was #4 on my last list! Gringott’s was #16 I think. My last visit drastically changed my perspective. I felt like the lighting and upkeep had suffered on Forbidden Journey. Parts of it felt more like a carnival funhouse this time.
A lot of the magic was missing. I had actually written this into my Forbidden Journey review at the last minute, but that review was where the character cut off hit for this post. When I cut the review to make a separate post, I copied & pasted from my original document instead of posting the updated Forbidden Journey review. Maybe I’ll edit it here in a bit.
Almaennell,
For me, it was easily Expedition Everest back in 2007. I think I said some of this in my original write-up, but I didn’t even care to be at a Disney park at that point in my life. I was fortunate to have been to Disney a lot as a kid, but in my 20’s it just wasn’t “cool” anymore. I was there for my family, not for myself.
That changed with Expedition Everest. It was life altering in the sense that it made me want to read about how they did it. I learned about Joe Rohde and the Imagineers, I learned about how they built the mountain and the Yeti and how everything, including sight lines, were designed to make that entire section of the park feel like one big journey to the summit.
And the working Yeti was the perfect climax. It was so exhilarating, he made such an impact. The working Yeti was probably most responsible for my desire to visit all the Disney parks in the world (as an add-on to travel by the way, not as the sole reason for going). I will say again…without the working Yeti the entire Asia section of Animal Kingdom is diminished. Half the time I don’t even visit Animal Kingdom park anymore.
I would compare it to Monsters Unchained this past week… The fact that there are people who came from far and wide to have that one experience with the ride…and that was their experience? A broken, plotless disaster? I would rather they not experience the ride at all, rather than see it in that state. That’s how I feel about Expedition Everest. Disney doesn’t care because what the majority of their guests don’t know, won’t hurt them. But there’s a reason NO ONE thinks Expedition Everest is one of the greatest attractions at Disney World anymore. It absolutely would be if the Yeti worked.
I'm so happy I got to ride Everest right after it opened in March 2006 as the working Yeti and effects were amazing.
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Continued….
22. HARRY POTTER AND THE FORBIDDEN JOURNEY (any version)
As we walk through the gates of the Wizarding World at Universal's Islands of Adventure, we feel like visitors in Harry Potter's story. To describe all the detailed, special touches in this area would require a full article by itself, but let's just say we make our way through Hogsmeade (stopping, perhaps, for a sip of delicious Butterbeer) before arriving at Hogwarts.
We are all Muggles, meaning we possess no magical abilities, but headmaster Dumbledore is allowing us to tour Hogwarts for the first time. We do so in one of the finest, most elaborate queues in theme park history. We see various statues and relics from the books/movies, as we venture through the greenhouse, Dumbledore's office, the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, etc. All of these locations look just as they did in the films, down to the last detail, and we even get to see the talking paintings carry on conversations.
The ride is a magical adventure and a lot of that is due to the ride system: a combination of KUKA robotic arms on a moving track, physical sets, animatronics, water and heat effects, and dome screens that move along the track with us.
It’s a masterwork of slick production values and technical wizardry. However, something was missing the last time I rode it. The lighting seems brighter and some of the effects didn’t seem to be working. It felt a bit like a carnival funhouse, which I had never felt previously. I hope this isn’t indicative of what the ride is now on a regular basis. For more than a decade I preferred Forbidden Journey to Escape From Gringott’s, but this time I had a different opinion.
23. MICKEY & MINNIE’S RUNAWAY RAILWAY either version)
Another trackless ride, this time with an appealingly old-school Disney animation aesthetic. The pre-show has us watching a Mickey Mouse short where part of the screen explodes, allowing us to walk inside and board Goofy’s train. The screens and projections are very convincing here, not to mention the audio-animatronics and physical sets.
The whimsical style on display, combined with the train and the fact that we enter a film Sherlock Jr. style gives me Buster Keaton vibes. A sure-fire way to make my Top 30.
24. EXPEDITION EVEREST (Disney's Animal Kingdom)
Maybe it's here just for the nostalgia of what it once was... It's still kind of fun to ride I guess, but it's so much more normal...perhaps even AVERAGE without the yeti. I'll always be grateful that it revived my love of theme parks back when the yeti was roarin' and lungin' properly. To give credit where it's due, this was once a ride that was soooo much more than the sum of its parts. The lovely Asia area of Animal Kingdom, loaded with special touches of its own, feeds right into this attraction, subtly revealing bits of storyline as you walk.
We see the mountain rising in the distance, and the forced perspective illusion is convincing. Once we arrive at the little village of Serka Zong and the “Himalayan Escapes Tours & Expeditions” building, we walk in and see that the owner is currently away, his cluttered desk abandoned. We connect the dots here in one of the most brilliant queues of all time; this used to be one of the buildings of the Royal Anandapur Tea Company, which transported tea leaves from up in the mountains via steam train. Now this area has been repurposed as a hub for tourists to explore Everest, taking the very same old tea trains up into the mountains. Among the countless incredible details in this queue, we walk through a shrine and museum dedicated to the Yeti, a creature of legend said to reside in the peaks above. We find out about a group that used these trains back in 1982, never to return. The story builds perfectly, readying us for a journey up the mountain. It was a story with the perfect climax, it was the very thing that made me rush out to the gift shop to buy a book about Animal Kingdom so I could read about the design of Expedition Everest.
I'm talking about the Yeti himself. A gigantic audio-animatronic, maybe the best large scale animatronic in the history of Disney Imagineering (it's only legit competition is the Lava Monster at Tokyo DisneySea's Journey to the Center of the Earth). This beast was 22 feet tall, weighing in at about ten tons, and he roared and swiped at the train as it whizzed by. This was everything the experience had been building up to, from the moment the park guest sets foot in Asia and begins to stroll toward the big mountain in the distance. Due to structural issues, the yeti hasn't moved in over a decade. He just sits there with a light flashing on him, and honestly, he’s barely visible.
It's an absolute travesty. The loss of the Yeti is akin to watching a nearly perfect movie fall apart completely in the final act.
25. MEN IN BLACK: ALIEN ATTACK (Universal Studios Orlando)
The best ride of its type, in this case a “shooter” ride. The only thing I don't like about this one is it's not in a place where maintenance goes in and refreshes it every year, as far as I can tell. It would be even better if all the guns were working properly and all the targets were functioning reliably so as to count properly in your point tally. I actually prefer the “gameplay” portion of Buzz Lightyear: Planet Rescue in Shanghai Disneyland (which incidentally is the best Buzz Lightyear ride out of the five I've experienced in the world) because of the overall polish and the great gun feedback every time you hit a target.
Still, Planet Rescue wouldn't be a very good ride without the shooter elements, while Men in Black is an enjoyable experience even if you never pick up the gun. Lots of fun AA's and little secrets here, not to mention the ability to make other ride vehicles “spin” by shooting their exhaust ports.
26. BIG THUNDER MOUNTAIN RAILROAD (Disneyland Paris version)
Disneyland Paris wins this one pretty handily. As previously mentioned, I love the world building of the Thunder Mesa section of the park. Seeing Phantom Manor across the way as you zip across the tracks, not to mention the fact that you board on one side of the lake while the actual ride is on its very own island (!), really, really adds to the experience! It got all the cool updates too, the first cave has the rainbow pools and the dynamite sequence appears near the end. Paris has the best version of a classic. Again.
27. TRON LIGHTCYCLE POWER RUN (either one)
I watched videos of this ride before my trip to Shanghai, and I thought it looked fun, but not Top 30 quality. I was convinced it was too short and didn't have enough theming for my taste..basically another roller coaster with a speedy launch and some lit-up portions in the dark. Didn't we see this back in 1999 when Rockin' Roller Coaster opened in Florida? Then a little something happened called “actually riding the ride”. Not once, but five times in my three days at Shanghai Disneyland.
I had completely underestimated everything about it. The effects and lighting are fantastic (including the wall in the queue that suddenly disappears to reveal the launch of the coaster), the Daft Punk musical score gets you totally pumped up just to get on the thing, and most importantly, the way you ride is so incredibly unique it can only be understood through actual experience. I can't express how truly feeling like you are on a lightcycle from TRON changes just about everything, the design of the ride vehicle is absolutely essential.
TRON basically takes the place of Space Mountain in the other castle parks, and it is certainly better than all of them. In fact, some Australian teenagers we met insisted TRON was the best roller coaster they had ever been on. It has the highest top speed of any Disney roller coaster, and the experience is so complete overall that the relatively short length of it isn't the deal breaker I thought it would be. Plus, it doesn't hurt that the ride looks completely fabulous from the outside once night falls over Shanghai.
I have now ridden the Magic Kingdom version as well and they are basically the same, if memory serves.
28. MONSTERS INC. RIDE AND GO SEEK! (Tokyo Disneyland)
Another shooter (with flashlights instead of guns) but this one doesn't keep score. You hit the targets to see little bits of business and gags with various monsters. The same Imagineers who did Mystic Manor were responsible for this one, so you know it's good! Some of the best AA's in a ride of this type, it makes the Disney's California Adventure Monsters Inc. ride look terrible by comparison!
29. TRANSFORMERS (any of them)
It's a fun ride, it's just not in the same league as The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, the attraction it was practically cloned from. It uses the same roving motion-base vehicles with a combination of 3D screens and physical sets. It's bigger, with larger screens than Spidey, and it feels faster too. On the other hand, the queue is boring by comparison, there are fewer physical sets and props throughout the ride, no real fire (a small thing that made for a big moment in Spider-man), and the screens seem a little more obvious to me. Not to mention the climax of the ride is a direct copy of Spider-man with its free fall toward the street and last minute rescue. So yeah, while the ride is still quite good it feels a bit “been there, done that”. I guess I expected more in the 12.5 years between Spider-man and this ride.
30. STARDUST RACERS (Universal Epic Adventure)
I’m really selling out by putting this here because it’s not really a themed ride. There’s a puny backstory about the “Celestians” using comets to ride around the universe and they are letting us try out a pair: Pulsar and Photon. Incidentally, those are the roller coasters in the race. It’s a dueling coaster, you see.
But this coaster is a blast! Purely on coaster merits, it’s better than every other coaster on this list aside from Velocicoaster. The dueling effect is awesome and it doesn’t hurt that it looks amazing at night too. I just couldn’t think of a better overall ride to close out the list.