When I’m at Disneyland or Disney World, the easiest way for me to decide which ride to go on is by wait times. I’ve never been one to wait in a long line unless I think it’s worth it in the end. Luckily for me, there are plenty of Disney attractions that I love that most other guests don’t seem too interested in. This means that these attractions usually have short wait times, which make them great to ride on busy days or during the afternoon, when the park is busiest. Here are some rides that I think are a blast, and are usually a 15 minute wait or less.

Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sully to the Rescue

This is honestly one of my favorite rides in Disney California Adventure. I know, I’m pathetic. This is a dark ride that takes guests into the story of the 2001 movie Monsters, Inc.

I’ve never seen this ride have more than a 15 or 20 minute wait, and I think it’s definitely worth it. Yes, many of the animatronics in the ride are old ones from the famed extinct ride Superstar Limo, and this ride may lack in originality, but it’s Monster’s Inc. and that’s good enough for me.

One of the last scenes, with Sully and Mike chasing Randall through the door storage is very cool to see because they have doors whipping around everywhere. And, at the very end there is an animatronic Roz that talks to you. Last time I rode it she called out one of my friends because he was 5th wheeling with two couples. That alone would have been worth an hour wait because I’ll remember it forever.

A lot of people give this ride a bad rap, (Including most other Wandering In Disney writers/podcasters) but I will go to my grave singing praises about it.

Snow White’s Scary Adventures

Most trips I take to Disneyland, or Disney World for that matter, I end up skipping at least a few dark rides. Before my last trip I would have said that the Snow White dark ride in Fantasyland would be at the top of my list for missing it. I’ve never cared about the movie Snow White and dark rides for me will never compare to coasters like Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. So, this attraction has always been a pass for me.

Last trip we were in the area so my group and I decided to go on Snow White because of the short line. Incredibly, I ended up enjoying it a lot. With a never-ending terrifying tree scene (soon to be changed) I was shocked by the lack of a ‘happily ever after’ type of story, and I thought it was awesome. The way that the Snow White story is told is so refreshing and intriguing that it will make children scream and adults intrigued (and perhaps quietly nervous)!

I had always passed up this ride, but will no longer. Plus, with the lengthy refurbishment it’s getting with some new ride scenes, Snow White’s Scary Adventures is an attraction that needs to be respected!

Primeval Whirl

EVERYBODY hates this ride! Why? Is it the lack of ride originality technologically speaking? Maybe. Is it the fact that it’s big and ugly? Perhaps! But I don’t care about any of that. I know one thing about this ride and it’s all I need to know.

This ride is darn fun.

My parents have family videos of us all squeezing into one of the cars on Primeval Whirl, and then us on the entire ride. We’re laughing, we’re screaming, and we’re getting jarred around. It’s fantastic. I have a lot of memories of this ride because of the way it brought my family together.

This ride’s car is odd in the fact that it seats four across, but not in a straight line, but in a sort of semi-circle. This means that while you’re enjoying the ride you’re also looking at the people you’re riding with. It’s just like how looking at your ride partners while you’re on the tea cups makes it so much more hilarious. For this reason I believe Primeval Whirl is severely underrated.

It is so underrated that they’ve closed the ride. That makes me very sad. I may start a petition, but I don’t know how many other people will sign it. 🙁

Dinosaur

It is so sad that two rides from Dinoland USA have made in on this list. Dinosaur is a wild crazy ride full of time travel and meteors, and yet it doesn’t get half of the praise that Indiana Jones: Temple of the Forbidden Eye receives, yet it uses the exact same ride technology.

My last trip to WDW we routinely found this ride to have a 20 minute wait, which is unheard of for Indy out in California. Yes, this ride is a bit outdated. Yes, the preshow is PAINFULLY long and hurts to watch if you’ve already ridden once and have just hopped back into line. But, I find it just as thrilling a story and adventure as Indiana Jones.

You are hurled back in time to retrieve an Iguanodon, who in turn ends up saving your life. If we’re talking about underappreciated Disney characters, that dino is at the top of my list.

Silly Symphony Swings

Silly Symphony Swings may be just a carnival ride thrown into Paradise Gardens Park in Disney California Adventure, but the experience of the ride is so much more.

I love this generic ride because of the views. The Swings circle Paradise Bay, and it feels like you’re flying over the water. At night, with the lights of Pixar Pier on full blast, a trip on the swings is absolutely gorgeous.

Andrew is always talking about the beautiful views and theming of Disney Parks, but the area by Silly Symphony Swings is never talked about because of its beauty. The best thing its got going for it is Goofy’s Sky School, a wacky but overall an unattractive ride.

This ride never, and I mean never, has had more than a 10 minute wait when I’ve been at DCA. And, even during the daytime a trip on the swings is a quick way to cool off and check out the sights.

Disney Parks have so many world-class rides that it’s easy for some to fall through the cracks. These are only a few of the rides that I love but many people forget they exist. On your next trip to either Disney World or Disneyland, give these rides a spin! You may find that you enjoy them more than you thought you would.

Are there other Disney attractions that you think are underrated? Let us know in the comments! Curious about planning a trip to a Disney Resort? Check out our planning guides to get you started! Thank you for reading Wandering in Disney. If you enjoy what you’re reading please subscribe to the blog via WordPress or email and like our social media pages. You can do both of those things on the right side of this page. Have a great day!