It has been over a month since our latest top ten list and that’s just not the Wandering in Disney way. I don’t want people to think I’ve been kidnapped or am being held against my will, forced to write blog posts without rankings. After doing a top 20 Orlando rides from both Disney World and Universal, it was time to go back to a Disney-only list and include the best, err I mean, west coast. In this post, we’ll rank the top 20 rides at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World.

To be honest, this post fell into the “shocked I’ve never wrote this before” category. Our trusty list lover and frequent commenter, Chris, mentioned this idea and I’ve taken it and run with it.

For whatever reason, I did have a harder time with this top 20 than the aforementioned Orlando top 20. I’m guessing that a number of Disneyland attractions just hold a special place in my heart and it was hard to leave a few off. On top of that, there are personal favorites, like Impressions de France, that are definitely in my top 20 but weren’t included here for the sake of some objectivity.

Writing this was a good reminder of just how many excellent attractions these 6 parks have. I could have easily gone to a top 30 and felt like everything was deserving of mention. I’m excited to revise this both in the near future, with a hopefully excellent Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets, and a few years from now when some massive projects open up in Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom and California Adventure.

Allow me a few honorable mentions that just barely missed the cut before we get to the actual list. Alice in Wonderland at Disneyland is the most underrated dark ride in the world. Soarin’ Over California definitely would have made the top 20 if the ride was offered full time. Runaway Railway, Test Track 3.0 and Slinky Dog Dash are all good fun and the Disneyland version of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is strong. Spaceship Earth will have a spot in the top 20 after a refurbishment. And don’t forget about the wonderful transportation attractions like the riverboats and trains!

If there’s a duplicate of the ride then I’ve included what park I prefer it in, outside of Rise of the Resistance since that ride has very minimal changes. Here’s how many attractions from each park made the list:

Disneyland – 8
Magic Kingdom – 4
Animal Kingdom – 3
California Adventure – 3
Hollywood Studios – 2
Epcot 1

Those are the numbers, now let’s get to the rankings!

20. it’s a small world (Disneyland)

I went with a sentimental pick here, as a number of the rides I mentioned above could have been included. No attraction sums up the hope and idea behind Disneyland quite like Small World does though. I love it more and more as I get older. I chose the Disneyland version, largely because of the iconic Mary Blair facade, but Magic Kingdom’s version is great once on the ride.

19. Peter Pan’s Flight (Magic Kingdom)

The most famous Fantasyland dark ride deserves a place on the list. Both the Disneyland and Magic Kingdom versions are wonderful but I went with with Magic Kingdom here because the queue is far more enjoyable. It’s hard to match the whimsy that this old ride has as you soar above London and off to Neverland.

18. Tron Lightcycle Run (Magic Kingdom)

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Magic Kingdom’s Tron coaster has grown on me. We all wish it was a minute longer but between the aesthetic and a few perfect moments, Lightcyle Run makes the list. As an aside, if you took all of the excessive minutes in Tron: Ares and put it into this roller coaster then you’d have the longest roller coaster ride in the world. That movie was bad, this ride is good!

17. Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! (California Adventure)

Lightcyle Run has seen plenty of critique but I continue to like it more and more. Mission: BREAKOUT! feels like the opposite, as everyone else seems to love it and I’ve just never come around. That said, it’s a very fun ride and I’m not a big enough troll to put it below the Tron coaster.

16. Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride (Disneyland)

We already have the most iconic Fantasyland dark ride on the list but Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride is my personal favorite. As Disney continues to make some changes to classic rides (getting rid of the auction in Pirates or the knife in Mansion) it’s hilarious that this attraction continues to take guests to… nowhere in particular. For the record, the other changes make sense but please never get rid of Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, Disneyland!

15. Matterhorn Bobsleds (Disneyland)

Disneyland’s mountain is beautiful, full of story and scale. The Matterhorn is nearly as recognizable as Disneyland’s castle, acting as a compass throughout the park. Outside of a possible back ache, the actual ride is still a lot of fun and the yeti is one of the best on-ride characters ever created. Hmm… That sounds like another top ten list topic?

14. Incredicoaster (California Adventure)

One of only two Disney stateside coasters that go upside down, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster being the other. From the countdown launch to the smell of nom-nom cookies wafting up the lift hill, Incredicoaster is a blast. I still might prefer the California Screamin’ theme but there’s no doubting the fun here.

13. Jungle Cruise (Magic Kingdom)

Speaking of fun, having bad jokes told to you while floating around and seeing great animal animatronics is the perfect way to spend 10 minutes. Jungle Cruise might be a vestige to older attractions but there’s not many that do family rides better than this one.

12. Expedition: Everest (Animal Kingdom)

The Matterhorn walked so that Everest could run. Maybe I should have gone with a mountain metaphor here instead. Animal Kingdom’s thrilling coaster marries story and action well, even without a moving monster inside.

11. Flight of Passage (Animal Kingdom)

Back to back Animal Kingdom attractions, showcasing how diverse the park’s best rides are. As soon as you step into the queue for Flight of Passage, the attraction sweeps guests up in the beauty of Pandora. On the actual ride, that beauty is combined with adventure and an extremely well-paced screen ride.

10. Indiana Jones Adventure (Disneyland)

Just as soon as the John Williams classic Indiana Jones melody soars, it’s met with ominous notes as the ride vehicle turns the corner to see fire, snakes and a questionable bridge. Indiana Jones Adventure is a unique thrill ride, that is a great integration of the IP where the ride works whether you know the hero or not.

9. Space Mountain (Disneyland)

There’s no shortage of great Space Mountain’s around the Disney castle parks but Disneyland has the best one, at least until Tokyo Disneyland’s new version opens. The score is a large part of what sets the Disneyland version apart. It’s a nearly perfect sci-fi ride that is always a surprise no matter how many times you’ve been on it.

8. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (Epcot)

Speaking of dark, indoor coasters… Cosmic Rewind would likely top many people’s list and I certainly understand why. The track and ride system is one of the best Disney has ever made. On top of that, the pre-show features some very memorable lines that many guests have already clung to. There’s no denying that, despite the relatively recent opening date, Cosmic Rewind is already a classic.

7. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (Disneyland)

There’s not really a wrong choice for the ‘Which Disney mountain coaster is your favorite?” question. Mine happens to be Big Thunder Mountain, thanks to the cleverly told backstory and wildly fun track. I went with the Disneyland version but will be trying out Magic Kingdom’s updated version in a few days.

6. Radiator Springs Racers (California Adventure)

The way Radiator Springs Racers ties in a joyride, dark ride and thrill ride into one is phenomenal. It’s a perfect E-ticket attraction to include into one of the best lands Disney has created in the 21st century.

5. Haunted Mansion (Magic Kingdom)

Madame Leota, the graveyard scene, Hatbox Ghost, Pepper’s Ghost, the Bride in the attic scene, a perfect song… There’s so many legendary things about Haunted Mansion that I can just list them instead of writing a reasoned explanation. I prefer the on-ride experience at Magic Kingdom over Disneyland’s by the slightest of margins so I gave it the nod here.

4. Kilimanjaro Safaris (Animal Kingdom)

The scale of Kilimanjaro Safaris clears everything else on this list. No ride can match it in terms of sheer footprint and nowhere else has an entire theme park built around it. I do wish that they’d add a little more plot back into the ride but even that doesn’t stop this from easily placing in the top 5 because of the rideability, outstanding landscaping and, of course, animals.

3. Rise of the Resistance (DHS & DL)

The highest ranking ‘new’ ride on the list is everything that Imagineering can offer with modern technology. Rise of the Resistance is incredibly immersive and has a shocking ride system (at least on first ride) that makes it one of the best rides in the world.

2. Tower of Terror (Hollywood Studios)

There won’t ever be a better drop ride than Tower of Terror. The ride has an innovative system and a perfect preshow. The plot threads the needle between being complex but not overly complicated. perfectly That’s all before mentioning the imposing facade hovering above the rest of Hollywood Studios in the Walt Disney World skyline.

1. Pirates of the Caribbean (Disneyland)

I might be a tad stubborn at this point but Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean will likely never be dethroned in my rankings. The ride is still stunning, from all of the scenes to the beautiful plot device used with the waterfalls. It’s amazing that Pirates was built nearly 60 years ago. Everything about the ride is timeless.

What are your favorite rides at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! Planning a Disney trip? Check out our Travel Guides to help get you there! Here’s a link to discount tickets at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. If you enjoy what you’re reading here on Wandering in Disney please subscribe to the blog via email or WordPress and like our social media pages. You can find all of those things on the right side of this page. Thank you very much for reading, we appreciate it!