Discover How Many Rides are at Disney World
Visiting Walt Disney World: Both a Magical and an Enjoyable Experience
Walt Disney World: 30,500 acres of Disney settings, scenes, characters, and activities in Orlando, Florida, just waiting to be visited and experienced. The Disney World theme park is not just something from a fairy tale but is actually the place out of a fairy tale. Disney’s fairy tales and stories, to be exact. It encompasses four theme parks, two water parks and 25 resort hotel properties. The world-class theme parks we will be focusing on are the main reason people visit Disney World- the four theme parks.
So, how many rides are at Disney World?
These parks have a total of 45 rides and several attractions, tours, interactive activities, restaurants and Disney characters, of course. This article will guide you through both the slow-paced and thrilling rides that Disney World’s theme parks have to offer so that you don’t have to keep searching for each ride’s description individually from different websites and web pages. You’re welcome!
Now that we know about how many rides are at Disney World, let’s dive in! Here are the four Walt Disney World theme park’s rides.
The Four Walt Disney World Theme Parks & Their Rides
1. Magic Kingdom Park
What makes “the most magical place on earth” (Walt Disney World website) so magical? Sprinkling pixie dust into the grass? Saying ‘Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo’ while waving a makeshift wand? Actually, it appears that a number of rides, attractions, parades, nighttime events, live and entertaining shows, and Disney characters all present in one place should do the trick.
The Magic Kingdom Park is the place to go if you want to see and experience classical Disney creations. From meeting the Disney princesses, our childhood role models, to interactive and indoor rides to colorful fireworks at night. It contains slow to thrilling Magic Kingdom rides and drops that allow you to admire and witness living and exploring classical Disney adventures and places firsthand. I present to you the 25 Rides in Magic Kingdom:
- “It’s a Small World” is a slow boat ride that allows people with any height to hear a chorus of children singing from around the world.
- Astro Orbiter is a slow rocket ride that allows people with any height to pilot a rocket.
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is a thrilling ride that allows kids, teens and adults to speed through a haunted gold mine.
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin is an interactive slow ride that allows people with any height to explore the galactic space battle and use a laser to defeat the Evil Emperor Zurg.
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant is a whimsical slow ride that allows people with any height to ride Dumbo.
- Jungle Cruise is a slow scenic and comedic boat tour that allows people with any height to see the exotic rivers across Asia, Africa and South America.
- Liberty Square River Boat is a slow ride on an authentic steam-powered paddle wheeler that allows people with any height to see the Rivers of America.
- Mad Tea Party is a spinning ride that allows people with any height to Spin ‘round and ‘round in a giant teacup.
- Peter Pan’s Flight is a slow ride that allows people with any height to experience and see the iconic scenes of the Peter Pan movie.
- Pirates of the Caribbean is a slow ride that allows people with any height to voyage to a long-forgotten time and place when pirates and privateers ruled the seas.
- Prince Charming Regal Carrousel is a carrousel ride that allows people with any height to ride on top of a regal steed.
- Seven Dwarf’s Mine Train is a thrilling ride that allows kids, teens and adults to race through the diamond mine from ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’.
- Space Mountain is a thrilling ride that allows kids, teens and adults to ride a roller-coaster in the dark of outer space.
- Splash Mountain is a thrilling drop that allows kids, teens and adults to hear a drop with a splash.
- The Brainstormer is a thrilling roller coaster ride that allows people with the height of 89 centimeters or taller to take flight above Storybook Circus with Goofy.
- Haunted Mansion is a slow ride that allows people with any height to journey through a labyrinth of haunted chambers.
- The Magic Carpets of Aladdin is a slow ride that allows people with any height to Fly high over Adventureland.
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is a slow ride allows people with any height to ride in a large Hunny Pot while touring exploring Hundred-Acre Wood.
- Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover is a slow, 10-minute tour that allows people with any height to tour around Tomorrowland.
- Under the Sea – Journey of The Little Mermaid is a slow ride that allows people with any height to experience a musical adventure with scenes from The Little Mermaid movie.
- Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress is a slow ride that allows people with any height to travel through the 20th century and marvel at the evolution of technology.
- Walt Disney World Railroad – Fantasyland is a train ride that allows people with any height to go from Fantasyland to Main Street, U.S.A., Frontierland or even around Magic Kingdom park.
- Walt Disney World Railroad – Frontierland is a train ride that allows people with any height to go from Frontierland to Main Street, U.S.A., Fantasyland or even around Magic Kingdom park.
- Casey Jr. Splash ‘N’ Soak Station is a water ride that allows people with any height to cool off at a whimsical water play area.
- Main Street Vehicles is a ride on a turn-of-the-century vehicle that allows people with any height to explore the past Main Street, U.S.A.
2. Epcot Theme Park
This park has restaurants of different cuisines, exciting tours, interactive adventures, fun attractions, Disney characters from around the world, and seasonal events. It’s more of an around-the-world trip, expect this time, you’d be visiting Disney creations. There may not be a lot of rides at this theme park, but it does let you experience both the world and outer space! To the finite world, the infinite space and beyond! Wait, that’s not how Buzz Lightyear says it? Oh, well. Here’s the few but cool 7 rides at Epcot:
- Frozen Ever After is a slow ride that allows people with any height to tour around Arendelle.
- Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros is a slow ride that allows people with any height to explore the sensory labs of Imagination Institute while the playful dragon is the tour guide.
- Journey Into Imagination With Figment has two rides: one is a thrilling ride that allows people with the height of 102 centimeters or taller to blast off on a simulated NASA-style mission to Mars; the other is a slow ride that allows people with the height of 102 centimeters or taller to orbit around earth.
- Soarin’ Around the World is a slow ride that allows people with the height of 102 centimeters or taller to glide above the wonders of the world.
- Spaceship Earth is a slow ride that allows people with the height of 102 centimeters or taller to explore the history of human communication from the Stone Age to the computer age.
- Test Track is a thrilling ride that allows people with any height to design their very own virtual concept of a car and put it to the test on the high-octane attraction.
- The Seas with Nemo & Friends is a slow and dry ride that allows people with any height to go under the sea and find Nemo…again.
3. Disney’s Hollywood Studios
This theme park of Disney World is leaning more on the specific Disney creations that became blockbuster movies and top TV shows. Disney’s Hollywood Studios lets you experience their widely known masterpieces. So, if you’re not updated with the famous Disney movies and series, you might want to sit this one out. Although, if you are looking for interactive rides, tours, live shows and meetings with the Disney characters themselves, then waltz right in and start your adventure! And for all you Star Wars and Toy Story fanatics, come on down to the 6 rides in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, which are:
(But wait! I want to warn you that most of these rides are thrilling rollercoaster rides with both small and big drops. You might not want to eat heavily before taking these rides. If you got that mentally noted, you may continue!)
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run is a thrilling ride that allows people with the height of 97 centimeters or taller to fly the Millennium Falcon on a smuggling mission.
- Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith is a thrilling ride in a super-stretch limo that allows people with the height of 122 centimeters or taller to race along the darkened freeways of Los Angeles while listening to the songs by Aerosmith.
- Slinky Dog Dash is a thrilling ride that allows people with the height of 97 centimeters or taller to take a roller coaster ride with giant toys and across Andy’s (from the movie Toy Story) oversized backyard.
- Star Tours – The Adventure Continue is a thrilling ride that allows people with the height of 102 centimeters or taller to go into hyperspace on a 3D space flight to see destinations that were in the Star Wars saga.
- The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is a thrilling ride that allows people with the height of 102 centimeters or taller to a go up and drop down in a haunted elevator-style lift.
- Toy Story Mania! is a spinning ride that allows people with any height to go through a 4D shooting game that stars Toy Story characters.
4. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park
What this animal-themed park specializes in is its exotic animals, wildlife and Disney characters that are animals. But don’t think these animals are enslaved here. In fact, National Geographical has covered a story on how Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park on their animal care and veterinarian facilities (Washington Times, 2020). This park’s aim and purpose is to educate the visitors into realizing the importance of animals and their safety. About the attractions, rides, live shows and interactive activities, of course it’s being taken over by the Disney creations that are animals. Such animals exist in the movies The Lion King, Up, Chip and Dale, and many more. If you’re interested into these furry, feathered and scaled friends, then you might want to check out and see them at the 7 rides in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park both at day and night:
- Avatar Flight of Passage is a thrilling ride that allows people with the height of 112 centimeters or taller to experience a 3D flight over Pandora’s otherworldly landscape.
- DINOSAUR is a thrilling ride that allows people with the height of 102 centimeters or taller to go back in time to rescue a dinosaur from the prehistoric race before the meteors strike.
- Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain is a thrilling roller coaster ride with big drops that allows people with the height of 112 centimeters or taller to go through the icy Himalayan peaks.
- Kali River Rapids is a thrilling boat ride that allows people with the height of 97 centimeters or taller to venture through a lush jungle in the heart of Asia.
- Kilimanjaro Safaris is an open-air, slow vehicle ride that allows people with any height to have a guided tour of an African savanna with animals roaming freely.
- TriceraTop Spin is a spinning ride that allows people with any height to go ride and fly high on a dinosaur.
- Na’vi River Journey is a slow boat ride that allows people with any height to take a mystical journey into Pandora’s glowing bioluminescent rainforest.
The Newest Rides at Walt Disney World
I have also included a list of the latest rides established. This way, you could tell me about them and not the other way around. The new rides at Disney World are:
- Avatar Flight of Passage
- Na’vi River Journey
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
- Frozen Ever After
- Slinky Dog Dash
These rides are tagged as ‘What’s New’ on the official Walt Disney World website. Unless you just want to see online images of these rides, I think it’s best that you see and judge what and how great are Disney World’s latest additions to the theme parks are.
The One Day Disney Experience
In case you haven’t noticed yet, Disney World is a huge place to cover. Fortunately for you, one day at Disney World might be difficult, but not impossible. So how will you cover so much ground in a day? Well, just take note of the following reminders:
- Anticipate large queues and crowds. With the many tourists crawling all over Disney World, take on the roller coaster and thrilling rides with the longest queues in the first half of the day and then go to the rides that are slow so by the other half of the day. Other tourists would not want to wait in longs queues when they just arrived. They’d usually take on the rides with shorter queues first and the rides with longer queues by the end of the day. So, lets try to use this situation to your advantage and do the opposite.
- Have a ready list of the rides you’ll go to in order. Instead of daintily walking around and wasting time on deciding where to go next, have a simple checklist on you or on your smartphone. This way, the time you would waste on making up your mind would surely not happen.
- Familiarize yourself with the Walt Disney World map. Instead of constantly looking at Google Maps or asking guards and staff on how to get around the place, make sure to at least get a sense of direction before you arrive at Disney World. More time equals to more ground will be covered within a day.
Main Takeaways
And here we are. You must really want to go to Disney World if you’ve reached the summary! As a reward, here is a free checklist I’ve been asking you to have at the second reminder on riding all the rides within a day:
All the Rides at Walt Disney World, Florida:
The 26 Rides in Magic Kingdom
- “it’s a small world”
- Astro Orbiter
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant
- Jungle Cruise
- Liberty Square River Boat
- Mad Tea Party
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
- Seven Dwarf’s Mine Train
- Space Mountain
- Splash Mountain
- The Brainstormer
- Haunted Mansion
- The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover
- Under the Sea – Journey of The Little Mermaid
- Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress
- Walt Disney World Railroad – Fantasyland
- Walt Disney World Railroad – Frontierland
- Casey Jr. Splash ‘N’ Soak Station
- Main Street Vehicles
The 7 Rides in Epcot
- Frozen Ever After
- Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros
- Journey Into Imagination With Figment
- Soarin’ Around the World
- Spaceship Earth
- Test Track
- The Seas with Nemo & Friends
The 6 Rides in Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
- Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
- Slinky Dog Dash
- Star Tours – The Adventure Continue
- The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
- Toy Story Mania!
The 7 Rides in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park
- Avatar Flight of Passage
- DINOSAUR
- Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden
- Kali River Rapids
- Kilimanjaro Safaris
- TriceraTop Spin
- Na’vi River Journey
The newest rides in Walt Disney World that you might want to prioritize are:
- Avatar Flight of Passage
- Na’vi River Journey
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
- Frozen Ever After
- Slinky Dog Dash
If you want to take all the rides in one day, remember to:
- Anticipate large queues and crowds,
- Have a ready list of the rides you’ll go to in order; and
- Familiarize yourself with the Walt Disney World map.
Now, before you close this article, remember that all the Disney characters are excited to meet you and to put a smile on your face! Same goes for Disney World’s rides! Thank you for reading this, and if anyone ever asks you, “how many rides are at Disney World”, not only will you be able to answer the question, but also, you can tell them the names of each one!
References (of only the direct quotes)
Walt Disney World (n.d.). Magic Kingdom Park. Retrieved from https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/destinations/magic-kingdom/. Washington Times (2020). Animals, caretakers at Disney theme park getting TV show. Retrieved from https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jul/22/animals-caretakers-at-disney-theme-park-getting-tv/.