With so many attractions packed into the Disneyland Resort, it’s difficult to narrow them down to just a few top favorites! With so many action-packed attractions to choose from, we checked in with the MiceChat Facebook Group to narrow down the favorites, and also to gain insight as to why these rides are so much fun! After lots and lots of riding and discussion, here is a list of the top thrill you can experience at The Disneyland Resort, but we’ll let you select the Best Disneyland Thrill Ride at the end of this article:
Splash Mountain
So you’re looking for a laughing place, eh? If you take a ride on Splash Mountain, you might have found one! Introduced to the west-end of Disneyland in the summer of 1989, Splash Mountain stands as one of the best log flume attraction in the world.
Taking guests on a journey based on the animated feature Song of the South, Splash Mountain is just as much a dark-ride as it is a flume attraction. The popularity surrounding this ride is partly due to its irresistible soundtrack, whimsical animatronics, and thrilling 50-foot drop. The attraction has maintained its reputation since opening and continues to pull 2+ hours wait times when the temperature heats up.
The exterior mountain that houses the elaborate attraction is important in its own way and is the first thing guests see as they enter Critter Country. It would be hard to imagine what the west-end of Disneyland would feel like without this iconic attraction!
Matterhorn
Towering over the border that separates Fantasyland from Tomorrowland, the Matterhorn mountain is home to one of the most thrilling (and certainly the roughest) coasters in all of the Disneyland Resort!
When the bobsleds opened to the public in 1959 they were the first roller coaster to be built with a tubular steel track. This utilization made riders feel like they were racing through the icy caves inside of the mountain. The track layout is unique because of its dueling design weaves guests in and out the mountain while a second track of bobsleds races alongside you at times.
Disney has updated the ride since its original opening, but the ride layout has remained untouched. MiceChat members recommend trying to get a ride on the attraction after dark, as the lights from areas surrounding the Matterhorn are beautiful to look at. Although you might want to make sure to keep an eye out in those caves, you never know what scary monster you might find hiding in them!
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Introduced to Disneyland in 1979, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is one of the most beloved attractions in all of the park. The mine-train roller coaster offers guests the perfect balance of intense thrills and high-speed turns without the intensity that might scare away younger riders.
The theming found throughout both the queue and the roller coaster itself is detailed and elaborate, helping immerse guests into the red rock canyons found outside of the little of town Rainbow Ridge.
Featuring an exciting final show scene, Big Thunder Mountain is a wonderful coaster for guests of all ages, and will continue to be one of the best roller coasters in the Resort for years to come! There is a reason why they call this “The Wildest Ride in the Wilderness!”
Incredicoaster
Formerly known as California Screamin, the Incredicoaster is the anchor attraction on Pixar Pier and delivers some of the best thrills found at the Disneyland Resort.
With a launch speed of 55 mph and topping out at 120 feet, this coaster satisfies guests who crave an adrenaline rush. It also acts as a wonderful photo backdrop for those who would rather watch the attraction instead.
Originally called California Screamin’, the ride was updated with a Pixar theme in summer of 2018 and takes you on a high-speed search for the missing baby Jack-Jack, as the Incredibles help you save the day! This is by far the most intense roller coaster you can ride at the Disneyland Resort, and is a must-ride for any coaster enthusiast visiting California Adventure. Don’t forget to grab a cookie num-num upon your exit from the ride.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout!
Help Rocket free the rest of the Guardians of the Galaxy from the clutches of the Collector, and break out of a menacing fortress filled with monsters and aliens.
Mission Breakout opened in 2017 after taking over the previous attraction, the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. This drop tower based attraction offers an intense adventure that utilizes sudden drops, a rockin’ soundtrack, and screen-based elements that put guests right in the middle of the action.
After an encounter with Rocket, during an impressive pre-show experience, guests are seated in a gantry lift (elevator) and are tossed up and down to catchy tunes ripped right out of the Guardians of the Galaxy films. The drops vary on each ride, but this attraction leaves most guests with their hearts in their stomachs.
Space Mountain
An all-time favorite attraction at Disneyland, Space Mountain offers a thrilling roller coasters ride in the dark. Set in the vast expanse of space, guests fly through the stars on an intergalactic adventure that is sure to make even the most experienced thrill-seeker’s heart race.
Space Mountain might not be on the same intensity level as the Incredicoaster or Mission Breakout, but that does not mean it is doesn’t deliver an incredibly exciting experience! Full of sudden drops and sharp turns in a dark starfield, Space Mountain finds the perfect balance of thrills without being too intense for family riders.
The ride has remained popular ever since it opened in 1977 and can also be found in The Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World, Tokyo Disneyland, Hong Kong Disneyland, and a looping version at Disneyland Paris.
Radiator Springs Racers
Radiator Springs Racers offers highly themed thrills to California Adventure. The ride may start out as a kiddie dark ride themed to Disney/Pixar’s Cars franchise, but it ends up in a high speed race!
Guests board a race car and take a leisurely drive through beautiful Ornament Valley before entering the show building and into the town of Radiator Springs itself. It is race day, and soon guests find themselves in an exhilarating, high-speed race through the rocky landscape that surrounds the ride.
From the moment guests enter the queue they are greeted by some of the best theming to ever be created for a Disney theme park. From the towering rocky canyon landscape, to the detailed weathered structures that the queue winds through, there is always something to look at while waiting to board the attraction. Disney does a wonderful job combining traditional dark-ride elements with a fast racing-style ride in order to deliver a breathtaking experience from start to finish. This ride typically holds the longest wait times in the Resort, so it is best to ride it early or get a Fastpass.
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You Pick The Best Disneyland Thrill Ride!
Have you been able to ride every attraction mentioned on this list? Now’s your chance to pick the winner. Will it be a classic? Something intense? Something well themed? Or something that adds a little of all of those things? Please select your favorite Disneyland thrill ride below:
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