When it comes to theme parks, no one really does it better than Disney. While Disneyland is mostly geared for children, it has something to offer for visitors of all ages and backgrounds. Today, over 19 million people visit the park annually!
While the attractions and character visits are a big draw, one of the main reasons to visit Disneyland is the amazing rides. There are quite a few rides within the park, ranging from gentle to thrilling. So, we’ve compiled our picks for the top five best rides at Disneyland and ranked them based on who’s riding.
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A Breakdown of the Different Sections at Disneyland
We can’t break down the best rides at Disneyland without taking a quick tour of the park first. Disneyland is broken up into nine distinct sections, each with its own set of themed attractions and rides. So, when coming into the park, it helps to know where everything is so you can plan your day accordingly.
- Main Street, USA – The opening section and where most of the gift shops are located. Here is where you can hop on the Disneyland Railroad and get a tour of the entire park.
- New Orleans Square – Made to look like a polished version of New Orleans, this section has delicious cafes, along with rides like Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion.
- Frontierland – Feeling like a pioneer in the Old West? Head over to Frontierland and live out your fantasy of being a real cowboy. You can also get on the Mark Twain Riverboat, the Sailing Ship Columbia, and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
- Adventureland – For those who prefer an exotic flair to their travels, Adventureland is full of palm trees, wacky animals, and daring heroes. The rides include the Jungle Cruise and Indiana Jones Adventure.
- Tomorrowland – Look into the future (from a 1950s perspective) and marvel at the technological achievements of tomorrow. The rides here include Autopia, Hyperspace Mountain (formerly Space Mountain), Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, the Disneyland Monorail, Astro Orbiter, Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters, and Star Tours: The Adventures Continue.
- Critter Country – This area is kind of like a kiddie version of Frontierland, full of natural wonder and beauty (and talking animals!). You can ride The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh or Tiana’s Bayou Adventure (coming in 2024).
- Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge – This area is the most recent addition to Disneyland, and it transports you to the world of Star Wars, complete with shops, cantinas, and characters. The rides here are the Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
- Fantasyland – If you have little kids, you’ll probably spend most of your time in Fantasyland. This section has the most rides, many of which are geared toward toddlers and babies. They include the King Arther Carousel, Pinocchio’s Daring Journey, Casey Jr. Circus Train, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, Snow White’s Enchanted Wish, Peter Pan’s Flight, Mad Tea Party (aka the Tea Cups), Matterhorn Bobsleds, Alice in Wonderland, Storybook Land Canal Boats, and It’s a Small World.
- Mickey’s Toontown – Here is where cartoons come to life, complete with their zany colors and wacky styles. The rides include Chip and Dale’s GadgetCoaster and Roger Rabbit’s CarToon Spin. There are also multiple play areas and playgrounds.
Top 5 Rides at Disneyland by Type
Because ranking the “best” rides at Disneyland is purely subjective, we chose to rank our picks based on who will be riding them. So, if you’re traveling with little kids, you may not be able to get on all five of these rides, but you know which ones will work best for your toddlers and infants. Similarly, if you’re traveling with adults, teens, or older kids, you can plan your day by knowing which rides are the most thrilling.
Dumbo the Flying Elephant: Best for Little Kids
- Located: Fantasyland
- Average Wait Time: 35+ min
Fantasyland has the most rides of any of the different park zones, and it’s where all the families with small children hang out. We recommend getting here early, as the place gets packed and stays packed throughout the day. In fact, you could probably spend your entire day in Fantasyland and not ride anything else if you want to hit all the different rides and attractions it offers.
We chose Dumbo the Flying Elephant because it’s gentle enough to work for toddlers but still enjoyable enough for the parents. The premise is simple—you sit on the back of Dumbo as he flies around in a circle. You can control the height of your Dumbo, meaning you can fly higher and lower as the ride goes on.
If your little one is more into thrills, we also recommend the Astro Orbiter in Tomorrowland. The Orbiter is faster and goes much higher, so it’s more intense, even for adults.
Big Thunder Mountain: Best for Bigger Kids
- Located: Frontierland
- Average Wait Time: 45+ min
As children grow up, they want more thrills and entertainment. However, not all older kids can appreciate full-on roller coasters that drop, twist, and spin around. Fortunately, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is intense enough to keep everyone on the edge of their seat, but not so intense that they’ll get scared and never want to ride again.
It’s also worth mentioning that this is the only real “ride” in Frontierland. While the Riverboat and Sailing Ship are enjoyable, they’re more like a guided tour of the river and Tom Sawyer Island in the center of the park.
A similar ride is the Matterhorn in Fantasyland. While not as intense, it still has enough drops and turns to make it entertaining for kids of all ages.
Jungle Cruise: Best for Families
- Located: Adventureland
- Average Wait Time: 30+ min
If you’ve ever traveled to a theme park as a family before, you know that one or two people often get left behind. Whether there’s a toddler who’s too small for the ride or someone who doesn’t like roller coasters, it’s rare for the whole family to get in on the action.
Fortunately, the Jungle Cruise is perfect for groups, no matter everyone’s age or ride preference. It’s a fun, gentle ride with plenty of seating space, so you don’t have to get strapped in or feel uncomfortable. There are also enough animals and displays to keep toddlers entertained throughout the ride so they don’t get bored.
Another thing we like about this ride is that the wait time doesn’t feel too long. Because the line snakes through the “set” surrounding the cruise, you always have something to look at. Plus, because each boat holds so many people, the line moves briskly so you’re not in one spot for too long.
Hyperspace Mountain: Most Thrilling Ride
- Located: Tomorrowland
- Average Wait Time: 60+ min
Yes, the iconic Space Mountain is now called Hyperspace Mountain. The switch happened because of Disney’s acquisition of Star Wars, so the company wanted the ride to align more with the Star Wars vibe and aesthetic. However, the ride is almost identical, so it’s just as thrilling and memorable as ever.
Hyperspace Mountain is so engaging because it moves fast and is shrouded in darkness the whole time. Because you can’t see the track or where you’re going, each turn and drop feels like a surprise. You’d have to ride this coaster dozens of times before you can remember each twist by heart.
Plus, the visual elements of laser lights and displays are mesmerizing and make the whole experience feel futuristic and otherworldly.
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance: Longest Ride
- Located: Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge
- Average Wait Time: 75+ min
Technically, the Disneyland Railroad is the longest ride because it lasts 22 minutes. However, since it’s not really a ride but a tour of the entire park, we’re not counting it. Instead, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is an actual thrill ride that lasts 18 minutes. This lengthy ride time is partly why the wait is so long. Even if you get there early, you can still expect to wait over an hour before getting to your seats.
Another potential reason the wait is so long is that Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is still relatively new (it opened in 2019). So, everyone who has already been to the rest of Disneyland wants to experience the new rides. Hopefully, in a few years, it will lose some of its luster, and the wait time will go down slightly.
Tips for Riding the Best Rides at Disneyland
If you’ve been to Disneyland before, you know it gets crowded. No matter the time of day or year, the park always seems like it’s at maximum capacity. This means there are always lines for each ride, so you have to plan accordingly to ride as many of them as possible. Here are our tips and tricks for getting the most out of your Disney visit.
- Stay at a Disney Hotel – While Disney hotel prices are expensive (less so if you become a Boardwalk Travel Agent), you get early access to the park. Guests can get in 30 minutes before the general public, which is enough time to ride at least one or two rides. Also, check the days, because they alternate between Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure.
- Get There When the Park Opens – Although there are crowds of people waiting to get into Disneyland when it opens, the fact is that people pour in throughout the day. So, if you’re there for the first two or three hours, you can take advantage of shorter wait times for popular rides. We recommend starting with the most popular attractions first, then moving to less popular ones later in the day.
- Plan Your Route – Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is opposite the park from Main Street, USA, and there are only a couple of ways to get in or out. Similarly, Toontown can be hard to reach, so you need to know where you’re going. When mapping your day, you can either start at the back of the park and move your way to the front or make an entire loop and ride rides along the way.
- Invest in the Genie+ System – Before the pandemic, Disneyland offered the Fastpass system, which was free to all ticket holders. Now, the free system has been replaced by Genie+. With this system, you must reserve your spot through the Disneyland app, and not all rides are available. Genie+ costs $25 per rider per day.
- Take Advantage of Long Wait Times – If you’re willing to split up your group, you can have one person wait in line while the others ride a ride with a shorter wait time. For example, someone can wait for Hyperspace Mountain while others go to Autopia or the Astro Orbiter. Then, everyone rides Hyperspace Mountain together.
Book Your Disney Vacations With Boardwalk Travel Agency
By now, you’re probably ready to buy a ticket and start riding all of the best rides at Disneyland! Well, if you’re not in Southern California already, you need to book some travel accommodations for your trip.
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