Top 25 Best Rides at Disneyland
IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR THE BEST RIDES AT DISNEYLAND FOR YOUR NEXT TRIP, I HAVE GOT YOU COVERED!
A day at the Happiest Place on Earth is full of food, rides, and characters! But with so many things to do, how do you know where to begin?!
In this blog post I will share:
- The Best Rides at Disneyland Park
- The Best Rides at California Adventure Park
- Other Things You Should Not Miss at Disneyland
Let’s dive into the Top 25 BEST Rides at Disneyland!
Best Rides at Disneyland Park
The original of the Disney Parks, Disneyland is home to 9 different lands, situated around the central hub and anchored by Sleeping Beauty’s castle. When you walk into Disneyland Park, you get to walk where Walt walked and take in all of the magic that has welcomed guests for decades!
With so many things to explore in Disneyland Park, you will want to make sure these best rides at Disneyland are at the top of your list!
1. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
The first ride to make my list of the best rides at Disneyland is Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance! If you are a Star Wars fan (or even if you’re not!) this ride is a must-do! My family loves how immersive this ride feels! The cast members do a great job of making you feel like you are in the story!
Join the Resistance on a mission to fight the First Order. But watch out! When your transport is captured by a First Order Star Destroyer, a covert team of Resistance fighters comes to your rescue, including some famous faces!
Quick Facts About Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
Intensity: Thrill Ride, Small Drops, Dark, Loud
Age Range: Kids, Teens, Adults
Height Requirement: 40 Inches or Taller
2. Splash Mountain
Splash Mountain is a favorite for my family! It is one of the best rides at Disneyland! When spending the day in Disney parks, we make sure to hit this ride at least twice if time allows. But rider beware… when riding Splash Mountain you’re going to get wet!
Located in the heart of the Critter Country section of the park, Splash Mountain is a classic ride that draws many guests. Your family will load up in your log flume and enjoy a relaxing trip down the southern bayou where you will encounter lots of fun characters.
One of the reasons we love Splash Mountain is that there are actually three smaller dips throughout the ride before the thrill of the 5 story drop at the end!
TIP: Splash Mountain is currently closed and will reopen as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure late this year!
Quick Facts About Splash Mountain
Intensity: Thrill Ride, Water Ride, Big Drop, Dark
Age Range: Kids, Teens, Adults
Height Requirement: 40 Inches or Taller
3. Matterhorn Bobsleds
The Matterhorn Bobsleds is a thrilling ride through the snow-capped Swiss Alps that made my list of best rides at Disneyland!
You and your family will board a 6-person bobsled and set off on an 80-foot climb into an icy cave, home to the allusive Abominable Snowman! As you descend the mountain, you will swoop through snowy shutes, fly across bridges, and sail under waterfalls before finally splashing down into an alpine lake.
One fun fact about Matterhorn Bobsleds is that there are actually two tracks on the mountain. So it is possible to ride more than once and get a completely different ride!
Quick Facts About Matterhorn Bobsleds
Intensity: Thrill Ride, Water Ride, Small Drops, Dark
Age Range: Kids, Teens, Adults
Height Requirement: 42 Inches or Taller
4. Space Mountain
For a large number of people, Space Mountain is the best ride at Disneyland, and I can’t disagree!
Space Mountain is an indoor rollercoaster through the edges of space. One of the things that makes Space Mountain unique and thrilling is that the coaster is completely in the dark! You will plunge through a spiral nebula and then be hurtled into darkness as your rocket darts and twists through the unknowns of space. You won’t know what’s coming next!
The immersive music and sound effects add to the thrill of Space Mountain, making it a thrilling sensory experience!
Quick Facts About Space Mountain
Intensity: Thrill Ride, Small Drops, Dark
Age Range: Kids, Teens, Adults
Height Requirement: 40 Inches or Taller
5. Haunted Mansion
Ah, the Haunted Mansion! This classic Disney ride is one of my absolute favorites, so of course, it had to make the list of best rides at Disneyland!
Take your seat in the Doom Buggy as you explore the infamous mansion full of happy haunts. You’ll pass by creaking caskets and mysterious corridors before looking down upon the Grand Ballroom where you can watch the apparitions dance away at a feast fit for any ghost!
Finally, you will descend into the cemetery where the resident there serenade you with their spirited song. Just beware when you leave, you may just pick up a hitchhiking ghost!
Quick Facts About Haunted Mansion
Intensity: Slow Ride, Dark
Age Range: Kids, Teens, Adult
Height Requirement: Any Height
Planning a trip with smaller travelers? Check out our list of 13 Best Disneyland Rides for Babies before heading to the park for your next trip!
6. Star Tour – The Adventures Continue
Prepare to visit a galaxy far, far away on this best ride at Disneyland.
Star Tours will have you hyper jumping into space along with C-3PO and R2D2. You will find yourself speeding through a Storm Trooper checkpoint before receiving an urgent message from Lando Calrissian to help the Resistance complete an important mission.
The fun thing about riding Star Tours is that it is a total, 4D immersive experience! Your ship will dive and pivot and move as if you were really speeding through space! My family loves this completely interactive ride experience.
Quick Facts About Star Tours
Intensity: Thrill Ride, Small Drops, Dark
Age Range: Kids, Teens, Adults
Height Requirement: 40 Inches or Taller
7. Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
Calling all Space Rangers! Take on the Evil Emperor Zurg in this larger-than-life blaster ride!
Board your XP-40 space cruiser where you will blast at glowing “Z” targets along your journey through the Gamma Quadrant. You can use the ship’s joystick for complete 360-degree movement to make sure you are blasting from every angle!
TIP: Keep your eyes peeled for the smallest targets for big points and you just may hit a perfect score and achieve the status of Galactic Hero! And if you do, don’t forget to pick up your Galactic Hero badge from the gift shop when you leave!
Quick Facts About Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
Intensity: Slow Ride, Spinning, Dark
Age Range: All Ages
Height Requirement: Any Height
8. Pirates of the Caribbean
Pirates of the Caribbean is the ride that inspired the movie series and is a fan favorite, making it one of the best rides at Disneyland.
Witness a rowdy group of pirates ransack coastal towns in the 17th-century Caribbean, all while serenading you with their song. And keep your eyes peeled for Jack Sparrow on your journey… you just might find him popping up in unexpected places!
Pirates of the Caribbean is one of those classic, Disney nostalgic rides with sights, songs and smells that will keep you coming back to this Disneyland ride again and again!
Quick Facts About Pirates of the Caribbean
Intensity: Slow Ride, Water Ride, Small Drop, Dark
Age Range: All Ages
Height Requirement: Any Height
9. Indiana Jones Adventure
When people think of Disneyland, they usually don’t think of Indiana Jones, but I think Indiana Jones Adventure is one of the best rides to be found at Disneyland!
Indiana Jones Adventure is neither a rollercoaster nor a slow-moving attraction. You will board a 12-person vehicle that realistically simulates driving over rough terrain. As you enter the Temple of the Forbidden Eye you will encounter screaming mummies and giant swarms of insects on your search for Indiana Jones!
Enter this cursed temple at your own risk!
Quick Facts About Indiana Jones Adventure
Intensity: Thrill Ride, Small Drops, Dark
Age Range: Kids, Teens, Adults
Height Requirement: 46 Inches and Taller
10. Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride
Take a ride on the wild side with J. Thaddeius Toad, Esq. Your family will enjoy zigging and zagging through the countryside in their 2 personal open-air buggy. You’ll hurtle through the lavish English manor house before smashing through a wall-sized window and careening through the countryside leaving a trail of destruction in your wake!
Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride was an opening day attraction at Disneyland Park. I love that you can still ride this family fun attraction that is a part of Disney Park’s history!
Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride is based on the Wind in the Willow scenes from the movie The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad… a timeless Disney Classic!
Quick Facts About Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride
Intensity: Slow Ride, Dark
Age Range: Kids, Teens, Adults
Height Requirement: Any Height
11. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Get ready for the wildest ride in the wilderness and one of the best rides at Disneyland! My family loves Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and considers it our favorite rollercoaster at Disneyland.
Board a train and streak through an abandoned gold mine that legend says is haunted. Speed along the rickety track as you enter the cursed canyon. You’ll swoop and drop through the desolate canyons on a rip-roaring adventure!
Quick Facts About Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Intensity: Thrill Ride, Small Drops
Age Range: Kids, Teens, Adults
Height Requirement: 40 Inches or Taller
12. Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
What Star Wars fan hasn’t dreamed of flying the Millennium Falcon?! Well on Smugglers Run you get just that chance, which is why I think it is one of the best rides in Disneyland!
Board the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon with your crew. Will you be the pilot, engineer, or gunner? Each role is crucial to your smuggling mission. You will blast off into hyperspace toward an adventure of a lifetime!
TIP: Because six people are needed for your smuggling mission, be prepared to board with other guests if you have a smaller party size.
Quick Facts About Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
Intensity: Thril Ride, Small Drops, Dark
Age Range: Kids, Teens, Adults
Height Requirement: 38 Inches or Taller
13. “It’s a Small World”
Yes, I know the song can be annoying, but have you really been to Disneyland if you haven’t been on this classic ride?!
One of the reasons that “It’s a Small World” is one of the best rides at Disneyland for my family, is because of the history of the ride. “It’s a Small World” was created for the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair and was personally overseen by Walt Disney himself. It was so popular, that it was dismantled and shipped to Disneyland in Anaheim, California. I love getting to ride this little piece of Walt Disney history!
While floating down the Seven Seaways Waterway, be sure to point out the popular landmarks from countries around the world. My family loves to see how many countries we can spot!
Quick Facts About “It’s a Small World“
Intensity: Slow Ride, Water Ride
Age Range: All Ages
Height Requirement: Any Height
14. Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage
Dive into the deep with Nemo and friends on this underwater submarine adventure!
First, you will board a yellow research submarine operated by the Nautical Exploration and Marine Observation Institute, otherwise known as N.E.M.O. Then, get ready to sail past ancient artifacts and peer through peepholes in this immersive submarine ride. And keep your eyes peeling for friends from the Finding Nemo and Finding Dory movies!
TIP: Be sure to watch Finding Nemo from our list of Best Disney Movies for Toddlers to get into the Disney spirit before your trip!
Quick Facts About Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage
Intensity: Slow Ride, Water Ride, Dark
Age Range: Kids, Teens, Adult
Height Requirement: Any Height
15. Disneyland Railroad
The Disneyland Railroad may not be a thrill ride or based on the latest Disney movie, but it made my list of best rides at Disneyland based on the pure nostalgia this ride provokes.
On Disneyland Railroad, guests can board an authentic steamed powered train on a relaxing 18-minute ride around Disneyland Park. You’ll steam past the Rivers of America, where each rugged landscape was carefully created to resemble four of America’s majestic rivers.
TIP: The Disneyland Railroad is also a convenient way to get around the park. With four train stations located at each end of the park, and trains departing every 5-10 minutes, you can hop a train to get to your next scheduled attraction!
Quick Facts About Disneyland Railroad
Intensity: Slow Ride
Age Range: All Ages
Height Requirement: Any Height
TIP: Make sure you check out Disneyland vs. California Adventure: 11 Differences You Should Know when planning your trip!
Best Rides at California Adventure Park
Right across the plaza from Disneyland Park is California Adventure Park! California Adventure Park was built to honor California’s history, culture, and sense of adventure. It accomplishes this task with some of the Best Rides at Disneyland!
16. Incredicoaster
Baby Jack-Jack is causing chaos in California Adventure Park! And if you are a roller coaster person, you’ll agree that The Incredicoaster is one of the best rides at Disneyland.
Join the Incredibles on a high-speed chase as they try to catch Jack-Jack and keep him from wreaking any more havoc. You’re off for a thrilling ride around Pixar Pier, through enclosed tunnels and over ups and downs. The special effects and musical score add to the thrill of this incredible attraction!
Quick Facts About The Incredicoaster
Intensity: Thrill Ride, Big Drops
Age Range: Teens, Adults
Height Requirement: 48 Inches or Taller
17. Soarin’ Around the World
Without question, Soarin’ Around the World is one of the best rides at Disneyland and also one of my personal favorites!
Hold on tight as your hang glider rises in front of an 80-foot projection dome that allows you to soar around the world. Take in all the sights, sounds, and even smells of some of the wonders of the world. You will glide above such marvels as the Great Wall of China, the Grand Canyon, the Eiffel Tower, and the Pyramids of Egypt.
Soarin’ Around the World is a relaxing and awe-inspiring attraction at Disneyland and a must-do for every visit!
Quick Facts About Soarin’ Around the World
Intensity: Small Drops
Age Range: Kids, Teens, Adults
Height Requirement: 40 Inches or Taller
18. Pixar Pal-a-Round
When it comes to the Pixar Pal-A-Round, you either love it or hate it! If you are like me and afraid of heights, this might not be on your best rides at Disneyland list, but enough people love it that I felt like it needed to be included.
Take your choice between a swinging or non-swinging gondola. If you choose the non-swinging gondola, enjoy a relaxing ride 150 feet in the air and take in the sights of the incredible panoramic views. If you are adventurous enough for a swinging gondola, prepare for lots of swinging and sliding both forward and backward as the Ferris wheel travels round and round!
Quick Facts About Pixar Pal-A-Round
Intensity: Small Drops
Age Range: All Ages
Height Requirement: Any Height
19. Radiator Springs Racers
On your mark. Get set. Go! Buckle up for a road race featuring your favorite cars from the Disney and Pixar movie!
Zoom over hills and high-banked turns as you cruise through the desert landscape. And keep your eyes peeled for your favorite friends from the movie. You just might find them cheering you on!
Quick Facts About Radiator Springs Racers
Intensity: Thrill Ride, Small Drops
Age Range: Kids, Teens, Adults
Height Requirement: 40 Inches or Taller
20. Grizzly River Run
Grizzly River Run is my daughter’s absolute favorite Disneyland water ride and in her opinion the best ride at Disneyland. But when riding Grizzly River Run, expect to get very wet!
Grizzly River Run is a whitewater adventure through the rusty remnants of an old California mining company. Don’t be surprised when your raft starts to spin as you set off down the river. You might even find yourself floating under a waterfall or two before you plunge down the nearly 20-foot slope! But be ready for a big splash at the bottom!
Quick Facts About Grizzly River Run
Intensity: Thrill Ride, Water Ride, Small Drops
Age Range: Kids, Teens, Adults
Height Requirement: 42 Inches or Taller
Follow Us on Social Media to Keep Up-to-Date on Disney News!
21. WEB Slingers: a Spider-Man Adventure
Located on the Avengers Campus in California Adventure Park is one of the best rides at Disneyland! WEB Slingers allows you to embark on an action-packed adventure with the one and only Spider-Man!
Hop aboard a WEB Slinger vehicle and get ready for a 3D adventure. Your mission is to help Spider-Man save the Avengers Campus from the rogue Spider-Bots that have begun rampaging the WEB workshop. If you are a Marvel fan, I think you will love being a part of this Spider-Man Adventure!
Quick Facts About WEB Slingers: a Spider-Man Adventure
Intensity: Spinning Ride, Dark
Age Range: All Ages
Height Requirement: Any Height
22. Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!
Get ready for a harrowing mission with big drops on Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission BREAKOUT!
Join Rocket as he commandeers a lift in the Collector’s fortress in an attempt to rescue his captured friends. You’ll free fall from the top of the fortress to the bottom to the sounds of one of Star Lord’s famous mixtapes.
With six different storylines and the incredible soundtrack from the movie, I know you will be coming back to Mission BREAKOUT again and again!
Quick Facts About Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission BREAKOUT!
Intensity: Thrill Ride, Big Drops, Dark
Age Range: Teens, Adults
Height Requirement: 40 Inches or Taller
23. Toy Story Midway Mania
My family loves the midway-style attraction, Toy Story Midway Mania! It definitely needed to be featured in the list of best rides at Disneyland!
The toys take over Andy’s new game! Grab your 3D glasses and board a carnival car so that the games can begin! Use your Spring-Action Launcher and take aim at all sorts of targets found as you spin your way through Andy’s room.
Quick Facts About Toy Story Midway Mania
Intensity: Dark, Loud
Age Range: All Ages
Height Requirement: Any Height
24. Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters
Dance your way across the car lot in my next pick for the best rides at Disneyland.
Enjoy riding along as your roadster weaves in and out to the traditional dances of old Italy. Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters is a fun ride that the entire family can enjoy! Kids love watching all of the cars sway on the dance floor to classic Italian tunes!
Quick Facts About Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters
Intensity: Thrill Ride, Spinning
Age Range: Kids, Teens, Adults
Height Requirement: 32 Inches or Taller
25. Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree
Finishing my list of the best rides at Disneyland is Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree.
Another attraction inspired by the Disney and Pixar movie Cars, Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree allows guests to attend an old-fashioned square dancing hoe-down in the junkyard. Hold onto your hats as your tractor-trailer wheels and spins in figure eights and moves around the dance floor!
Quick Facts About Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree
Intensity: Thrill Ride
Age Range: All Ages
Height Requirement: 32 Inches or Taller
What Else Should You Not Miss at Disneyland?
There’s no question that rides and attractions are a big draw when planning your trip to Disneyland, but there is so much more to explore and experience!
✔️ Magic Happens Parade. One of the best ways to see a variety of Disney characters is by catching the parade! As a part of the Disney100 Celebration, the Magic Happens Parade has made its return to Disneyland Park. Watch as some of your favorite Disney moments come to life!
✔️ Character Meet and Greets. From the Disney princesses to Superheroes to Mickey Mouse himself; being able to meet the characters found at Disneyland is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. There are many different character meet and greet and dining experiences to take part in while you visit the parks.
✔️ Unique Snacks. Disneyland is home to some of the most unique and most delicious snacks around! There is so much more to enjoy than your typical theme park foods like pizza and chicken fingers. You just might leave your Disneyland trip a Disney foodie!
✔️ Resort Amenities. Whenever my family plans a trip to the Disney Parks, we always build in a day to relax at our Disney resort and enjoy all of its amenities. From themed pools to award-winning dining and even spa treatments, Disney resorts are a great way to spend some time relaxing on your trip.
✔️ Downtown Disney. Walking distance from Disneyland Park and the Disneyland resorts is the shopping and entertainment district known as Downtown Disney. You can spend the day shopping, eating, exploring, and being entertained by the live music while visiting the Downtown Disney District on your next Disneyland trip!
Tips for Success
If you are ready to try out the best rides at Disneyland, but have not yet traveled to the parks, you will need to remember these tips for success to get the most out of your trip.
Park Reservations
The first thing you must do after booking your trip to Disneyland is to make a park reservation. A park reservation is required for entry into both Disneyland Park and California Adventure Park. You can select which park you wish to visit on which day, and if you have purchased a Park Hopper ticket, you can visit both parks on the same day.
Planning with Disney Genie
To get the most out of your Disneyland day and hit all of the best rides, Disney offers a complementary tool called the Disney Genie. This tool is found right in your Disneyland app and allows you to customize your park day.
You start by selecting all of the attractions, restaurants, and entertainment you wish to enjoy during your day, and then Disney Genie will plot out an itinerary that allows you to make the most out of your time in the parks.
Time Saving Lines
If you want to maximize your time and hit as many of the best rides at Disneyland as you can, I suggest upgrading Disney Genie to Disney Genie +. This is a paid service that allows you to reserve in advance a ride time for your must-do rides. You will then go to the selected ride at the time you reserved and get to bypass the normal standby line and use the quicker lightning lane to get on the attraction much more quickly.
Disney Genie + also gives you the option to book the most sought-after rides for a one-time fee, bypassing the long wait times and going directly to the front of the line for that attraction!
TIP: Check out my list of Top 5 Best Strollers for Disney World… they will be useful for your Disneyland trip as well!
Booking Your Disneyland Resort and Tickets
If you are ready to try out all of the best rides at Disneyland Park, then it’s time to get your package booked!
A Disney vacation package of tickets and resort stay can be booked for as little as a $200 deposit and then you are able to make payments on your trip at your own leisure up until 30 days before your check-in day.
Because booking a trip to Disneyland has so many working parts, the best way to get started is by contacting a Disney vacation planner. Click the box below and we can get started planning the most magical Disneyland trip for your next family vacation! And remember, when booking a Disneyland trip with me, my services are always free!
Final Thoughts: Best Rides at Disneyland
There are so many ways to have a great day at Disneyland Park and so many great rides to try for yourself! Whether you want the thrill of a big drop, the relaxation of a scenic ride, or to enjoy the nostalgia of an old classic; there are plenty of rides at Disneyland to keep your park day full of fun!
And if you decide to make your way to Walt Disney World for more fun and attractions, make sure you check out the Top 13 Disney World Water Rides to beat the Florida heat!
Pin It For Later!
