From character meet and greets to thrill rides to roller coasters, there is something for everyone at Walt Disney World.  With the new addition of the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train in New Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom, I thought now would be a good time to review all the great roller coasters Disney has to offer!

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Magic Kingdom

Space Mountain

• Location: Tomorrowland
• Thrill Level (0 tame to 5 Yikes!): 3
• Interactive Line Queue: Yes!
• Fastpass+ availability: Yes!
• Best Seat: We like sitting in the back or the front for this one!  It’s all the same.
• Height Requirement: 44 inches

Probably the most famous indoor roller coaster, you may be surprised to find out that Space Mountain only gets up to speeds of 27 miles an hour.  The darkness of the coaster adds a lot of psychological thrills, which makes it one of the more popular rides at Disney (which accounts for the long lines).  In 2009, the roller coaster got a makeover which made the entire ride much darker than before, adding to the “thrill factor”.

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

• Location: New Fantasyland
• Thrill Level (0 tame to 5 Yikes!): 2.5
• Interactive Line Queue: Yes!
• Fastpass+ availability: Yes!
• Best Seat: Back for a more thrilling experience!  Front for a better view.
• Height Requirement: 38 inches

This is the newest ride at the Magic Kingdom, so be prepared for really long wait times for a while.  If booking a Fastpass+ is more of your style, make sure to book early just in case they run out.  Disney did a fantastic job with the theme of this ride, because you really feel as though you’re a part of the movie once you get into the mine where the dwarves are. They even brought pieces from the original ride (Snow White’s Scary Adventure!) into the Mine Train, which I thought was a really nice touch.  Be aware though, this is not meant to be a thrilling ride.  There are a few drops, twists, and turns, but the major part of the ride is actually inside the mine.  Enjoy the scenery and the imagineering that went into the ride and don’t focus on the lack of thrills.

The Barnstormer

• Location: New Fantasyland
• Thrill Level (0 tame to 5 Yikes!): 1
• Interactive Line Queue:
• Fastpass+ availability: No
• Best Seat: Doesn’t Matter
• Height Requirement: 35 inches

The Barnstormer is a junior roller coaster for little ones not yet ready (or tall enough) to ride the other coasters that are offered at Disney.  This ride has small drops and tame twists and turns that are perfect for young ones.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

• Location: Frontierland
• Thrill Level (0 tame to 5 Yikes!): 3.5
• Interactive Line Queue: Yes!
• Fastpass+ availability: Yes!
• Best Seat: Back for a more thrilling experience!
• Height Requirement: 40 inches

Probably one of my favorite roller coasters at Magic Kingdom, Big Thunder has a great theme and lot of thrills.  It’s a typical wooden coaster, slightly bumpy, but that is part of it’s charm.  The top speed of this coaster is 36mph, so while it’s not overly fast there is still plenty of fun to be had!

Hollywood Studios

Rockin’ Roller Coaster

• Location: Sunset Boulevard
• Thrill Level (0 tame to 5 Yikes!): 4.5
• Interactive Line Queue: No
• Fastpass+ availability: Yes!
• Best Seat: Back for a more thrilling experience!  Front, since the ride is dark it feels like you’re flying through the ride.
• Height Requirement: 48 inches

Chris and I love the Rockin’ Roller Coaster, it’s a must-ride any time we’re at DHS.  I’m giving this ride such a high score because you go from 0 to 60 in 2.8 seconds, get launched upside down and there are a ton of drops, twists, and turns.  This coaster is another dark ride, with lots of black lights so you can’t really see what is coming until you’re right up on it. The line for this ride is always long, and if you don’t have a Fastpass, the second best choice is to get in the single rider line.  You won’t be able to get on with your party, but by getting in this line you’re cutting the wait time in half (or more!).  It’s not for the faint of heart, but if you’re a lover of roller coasters this is one you shouldn’t miss!

Animal Kingdom

Primeval Whirl

• Location: Dinoland USA
• Thrill Level (0 tame to 5 Yikes!)l: 2
• Interactive Line Queue: No
• Fastpass+ availability: Yes!
• Best Seat: Doesn’t Matter
• Height Requirement: 48 inches

This is a typical spinning coaster, something that you would find at a carnival.  There are a few drops, lots of spinning, and a few twists and turns but not a lot of thrills on this ride.  I would definitely classify this as a family coaster.  If you have a problem with motion sickness, this probably is not the ride for you.

Expedition Everest

• Location: Asia
• Thrill Level (0 tame to 5 Yikes!)l: 4.5
• Interactive Line Queue: No
• Fastpass+ availability: Yes!
• Best Seat: Front because of the view you get at the top of the coaster (if you’re afraid of heights, this is not the seat for you!).  But, if you want a more thrilling experience you should ride in the back.
• Height Requirement: 44 inches

Race against time as you try to escape the Yeti’s grasp.  This is another can’t miss coaster for us, because of the backwards coaster motion, drops, darkness, twists, and turns.  If you want an even more thrilling experience, ride this coaster at night!  I have never seen the line more than twenty minutes (even in August!), so if you can’t get a Fastpass for it then the wait really isn’t that long.

 Don’t forget to ask about Rider Swap!

If you are traveling with family members who do not like roller coasters or if you have a child that is not tall enough, you don’t have to miss out!  Disney offers a Rider Swap option so that everyone in your party can experience all the rides at the parks.  Just bring your entire party, non-riders included, up to the front of the line and ask a Cast Member if rider swap is an option for the attraction you’d like to go on (it is available for all the rides in this post). When the riding party gets in line, a Cast Member will then give the waiting adult a paper “Fastpass” that will allow them to get on the ride once the rest of their party has returned (without having to wait in a long line). The paper accommodates up to two people, and there is no time limit so you can come back and ride the attraction at any time that same day.

What do you think?

What is your favorite roller coaster at Disney World?  Have you ever used the rider swap option?  What did you think?