PlanningThe ParksTips

One to Skip, One Not to Miss- Prioritizing Disney Rides

One to Skip, One Not to Miss- Prioritizing Disney Rides

With four Disney Parks, it can take much work to narrow down what you should ride in each of the four Theme Parks. It can also be hard to convenience yourself that you can skip some rides. Most of us have limited time during our Walt Disney World Resort vacations. Because of this, we have to prioritize what we do each day.

To help you with this process, we will look at each of the four Disney Parks and let you know which ride is a skip and which is not to miss. This will help narrow your ride selection as you make your Park plans.

Pirates Of The Caribbean Disneyland
Photo Credit: Disney

Magic Kingdom

Let’s start at the iconic Disney Park. Most Guests visit Magic Kingdom at least once during their Walt Disney World vacation. We would encourage everyone to plan at least two days in this Theme Park. There is so much to see and do that two days make it a more accessible and relaxing experience.

Skip: Magic Carpets of Aladdin, Adventureland

The one ride we tend to pass over in Magic Kingdom is the Magic Carpets of Aladdin. It is a classic spinner attraction with the same ride system as Dumbo The Flying Elephant. Because of this, we would rather experience the iconic attraction and save time skipping the Magic Carpets of Aladdin.

There is nothing wrong with this ride. Most kids love it as they can move up and down as well as control the tilt of the vehicle. They love trying to get Mom, and Dad wet when the camel is spitting.

We would rather experience the iconic Dumbo ride than the Magic Carpets of Aladdin.

Not to Miss: Pirates of the Caribbean, Adventureland

This is a difficult choice as there are so many directions you can go with this decision on the Magic Kingdom. Do you choose an iconic ride such as it’s a Small World or a thrilling experience like Big Thunder Mountain?

For me, the best ride in Magic Kingdom is Pirates of the Caribbean. This attraction brings everything Disney does well and presents it in one ride. The storytelling is fantastic, as is the music. There is a little thrill with a slight drop and cannon fire. And being a slow-moving boat ride tops it off. We love visiting this ride each time we head to Magic Kingdom. There is something truly magical about how it comes to life.

Safari
Credit: Disney

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

With fewer rides to choose from, Disney’s Animal Kingdom makes it easier to make our choices.

Skip: Na’vi River Journey, Pandora

We wish this weren’t the case; however, the ride we tend to skip in Disney’s Animal Kingdom is the Na’vi River Journey. There are a few reasons why this seems to happen. First, we prioritize Avatar: Flight of Passage which means that by the time we get to Na’vi River Journey, the wait times have already increased.

The overall ride is beautiful, but the storytelling could be better. We need more to help us connect to what we see as we travel through the bioluminescent rainforest.

With long wait times and a storyline that doesn’t appeal to us, we tend to skip Na’vi River Journey.

Not to Miss: Kilimanjaro Safari

The ride that makes Disney’s Animal Kingdom so unique is Kilimanjaro Safari. There is nowhere else in the United States where Guests can feel so close to these fantastic animals. Every safari trip is unique and special. We love seeing all the animals and are constantly amazed by the beauty of the safari.

Because of this unique ride, we take the time to visit while in Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Spaceship Earth
Epcot_SpaceshipEarth_PalmTrees

EPCOT

With new rides constantly joining EPCOT, it is harder to choose one ride not to miss.

Skip: Journey Into Imagination With Figment, World Celebration

Figment might be cute, but we, unfortunately, do not enjoy his ride. Unless it is a busy day and we waste time or need a place away from the weather, we tend to skip out on Journey Into Imagination With Figment.

We don’t care about the overall ride and often find ourselves very confused when we do ride. We would instead visit Disney and Pixar Shorts or other films throughout EPCOT.

Not to Miss: Spaceship Earth

With Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and Remy’s Ratotoulie Adventure now opened, it might surprise many Guests that we would choose Spaceship Earth over both of them as our not to miss attraction for EPCOT.

Although those rides are fantastic and fun, there is something special and genuinely EPCOT about Spaceship Earth. We enjoy experiencing each trip as it brings back great memories.

Tower of Terror lobby
Credit: Disney

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

There are some fantastic rides to choose from at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Skip: Star Tours, Echo Lake

We don’t have anything against Star Tours, but since we struggle with motion sickness, this is one ride we skip out on. We think some of the videos need to be updated, and the ride experience is not something we enjoy.

Not to Miss: Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Sunset Boulevard

When looking for a thrill during our Disney trip, we head to the Tower of Terror. This elevator drop ride is so fantastic. Each experience is different than the previous one. This makes every ride thrilling and suspenseful, which we love.

The overall theming of this ride is also top-notch. Every detail, from the hotel’s exterior to the abandoned lobby, works together to create an incredible story.

As you plan your Walt Disney World trip, we hope these suggestions help you navigate what to skip and what not to miss in each of the four Disney Parks.

Jennifer Retzlaff

Jennifer became a lifelong Disney fan during her first trip to Walt Disney World in 6th grade. From that moment, Disney became a big part of her life. She quickly started to introduce her love of Disney to her family with a Disney honeymoon and then family trips when her youngest was 18 months old. She loves the magic that Disney brings to people through theme parks, cruises, and adventures. As a teacher, she tries to bring Disney magic into her classroom to help kids believe that “If You Can Dream It, You Can Do It.” She is also part of the Magic Vacation Planner team as a personal travel advisor. With this team, she can now help others plan magical vacations. She loves bringing her love to Disney to readers with How to Disney.

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