The Best of Walt Disney World for Adults
Welcome back to Part 5 of my blog series – The Best of Walt Disney World! In case you missed it, over the next several weeks, I’ll be sharing with you the top picks in attractions for various groups of travelers visiting the Walt Disney World theme parks. So far we’ve discussed favorites for babies, preschoolers, grade school kids, and teens. Next up are the young-at-heart adults. When checking out the list, keep in mind each attraction that made the cut scored at least four stars by the adults surveyed. Come on, everybody, here we go!
The Best of Magic Kingdom for Adults
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Location: Frontierland
FastPass+: Yes
Thrill: Drops, Fast
4½ Stars
Don’t let the name fool you; this is definitely more roller coaster than railroad. Take a ride in a runaway mine cart at speeds up to 35 mph through an old mining town. More Details
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
Location: Tomorrowland
FastPass+: Yes
Thrill: Spinning, Dark, Slow
4½ Stars
Climb aboard and take aim as you help Buzz Lightyear save the universe from the evil Emperor Zurg. Ride along on this slow-moving attraction where you control the spinning as you shoot your laser and score points. More Details
Jungle Cruise
Location: Adventureland
FastPass+: Yes
Thrill: Slow
4 Stars
Set off on a fun-filled cruise through the wild where you’ll encounter Animatronic elephants, gorillas, and headhunters while enjoying the hilarious narration delivered by your top-notch skipper. More Details
Mickey’s PhilharMagic
Location: Fantasyland
FastPass+: Yes
Thrill: Entertainment
4½ Stars
Lose yourself in this enchanting 3D musical masterpiece featuring favorite Disney characters and songs from animated classics. More Details
Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
Location: Tomorrowland
FastPass+: Yes
Thrill: Entertainment
4½ Stars
The monsters of Monstropolis need laughter to power their city and they are after yours in this hilarious interactive show. More Details
Peter Pan’s Flight
Location: Fantasyland
FastPass+: Yes
Thrill: Small Drops, Dark, Slow
4½ Stars
Climb aboard a magical pirate ship and fly high over London with Peter Pan on your way to Never Land. Unique to this attraction, your pirate ship is suspended in the air from a guide rail to allow for a more authentic flying sensation. More Details
Pirates of the Caribbean
Location: Adventureland
FastPass+: Yes
Thrill: Small Drops, Dark, Slow
4½ Stars
Climb aboard and set sail on a voyage past exquisitely themed scenes of pirates’ adventures from the blockbuster movie franchise. More Details
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Location: Fantasyland
FastPass+: Yes
Thrill: Drops, Fast
4½ Stars
Climb aboard your mine train and get ready for an adorable ride filled with small thrills and beautiful details as you adventure along with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. More Details
Space Mountain
Location: Tomorrowland
FastPass+: Yes
Thrill: Big Drops, Dark, Fast
Height Restriction: 40″ or taller to ride
4½ Stars
Take off on a high-speed rocket (roller coaster) in darkness while feasting your eyes on magnificent views of far-off galaxies and comets. More Details
Splash Mountain
Location: Frontierland
FastPass+: Yes
Thrill: Big Drops, Water
4½ Stars
Journey on a 10-minute anything but traditional log flume ride, with enchanting music (including “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah”) and characters from the Disney movie Song of the South. You will get wet! More Details
The Haunted Mansion
Location: Frontierland
FastPass+: Yes
Thrill: Slow, Dark
4½ Stars
Board your own Doom Buggy for a creepy tour of this spooky haunted house filled with extraordinary details and effects. More Details
Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover
Location: Tomorrowland
Fastpass+: No
Thrill: Slow, Dark
4½ Stars
Take a relaxing ride on this smooth tram of the future that provides fantastic views of Tomorrowland and Cinderella Castle; especially beautiful at night. More Details
Walt Disney World Railroad
Location: Main Street, U.S.A., Frontierland, Fantasyland
FastPass+: No
Thrill: Slow
4 ½ Stars
Enjoy beautiful views while riding the rails on a vintage steam-powered train during a 1.5-mile full loop around Magic Kingdom. A great place to rest your feet! More Details
Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress
Location: Tomorrowland
FastPass+: No
Thrill: Entertainment
4 Stars
Travel in time from 1900 to the present in a rotating theatre as you witness how technology has changed over the decades through the eyes of an Audio-Animatronic family. More Details
The Best of Epcot for Adults
Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival
Location: Future World
FastPass+: Yes
Thrill: Entertainment
4½ Stars
Enjoy this lively and entertaining 3D experience that includes three animated Disney short films. More Details
Frozen Ever After
Location: World Showcase Norway Pavilion
FastPass+: Yes
Thrill: Small Drops, Slow, Dark
4½ Stars
Set sail on an adventure through the fictional land of Arendelle complete with your favorite Frozen characters and songs from the animated blockbuster hit. More Details
Living with the Land
Location: Future World
FastPass+: Yes
Thrill: Slow, Dark
4½ Stars
Hop aboard this relaxing boat ride to learn about food production and to tour several greenhouse that actually provide food to The Land pavilion. More Details
Mission: SPACE (Orange)
Location: Future World
FastPass+: Yes
Thrill: Small Drops, Dark
Height Restriction: 44″ or taller to ride
4 Stars
Climb into an authentic shuttle simulator for a ride through earth’s orbit enjoying a trip to Mars. More Details
Soarin’
Location: Future World
FastPass+: Yes
Thrill: Small Drops, Slow, Dark
Height Restriction: 40″ or taller to ride
4½ Stars
Fly high in the skies taking in beautiful landscapes from around the world in this hang-gliding simulator ride. More Details
Spaceship Earth
Location: Future World
FastPass+: Yes
Thrill: Slow, Dark
4½ Stars
Travel through time to relive the story of communication from the beginning of recorded history until today. More Details
Test Track
Location: Future World
FastPass+: Yes
Thrill: Small Drops, Dark, Fast
Height Restriction: 40″ or taller to ride
4½ Stars
Create your own virtual concept car and then put it through the paces against other people’s creations on the test track. More Details
The American Adventure
Location: World Showcase America Pavilion
FastPass+: No
Thrill: Entertainment
4½ Stars
A stirring and patriotic show depicting the history of America brought to life with touching stories, beautiful photography, and moving music. More Details
Turtle Talk with Crush
Location: Future World
FastPass+: Yes
Thrill: Entertainment
4 Stars
Adults and kids alike will be entranced by this interactive marvel where young dudes and dudettes can have a hilarious improvised conversation with the sweetest turtle around, Crush. More Details
The Best of Disney’s Hollywood Studios for Adults
Beauty and the Beast – Live On Stage
Location: Sunset Boulevard
FastPass+: Yes
Thrill: Entertainment
4½ Stars
Watch this enchanting retelling of the classic Beauty and the Beast filled with delightful music and dancing that everyone is sure to enjoy! More Details
For the First Time In Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
Location: Echo Lake
FastPass+: Yes
Thrill: Entertainment
4½ Stars
A retelling of Frozen by the outrageously funny royal historians of Arendelle complete with Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, songs, stories, sing-alongs, and even snow. More Details
Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular!
Location: Echo Lake
FastPass+: Yes
Thrill: Entertainment
4½ Stars
An incredible stunt show that demonstrates and explains how some of the Indiana Jones movie magic was made. More Details
Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple
Location: Echo Lake
FastPass+: No
Thrill: Experience
4 Stars
Parents, watch your kids ages 4 – 12 years old volunteer to train as a Jedi and then try to defeat the Dark Side. More Details
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
Location: Sunset Boulevard
FastPass+: Yes
Thrill: Big Drops, Loud, Dark, Fast
Height Restriction: 48″ or taller to ride
4½ Stars
Take off to a rock concert in your stretch limo going 60 mph in the blink of an eye and speed along through the darkness to pounding Aerosmith music. More Details
Star Tours: The Adventure Continues
Location: Echo Lake
FastPass+: Yes
Thrill: Drops, Dark, Loud
Height Restriction: 40″ or taller to ride
4½ Stars
Blast off on an exciting 3D motion-simulated journey into the world of Star Wars. More Details
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Location: Sunset Boulevard
FastPass+: Yes
Thrill: Big Drops, Dark
Height Restriction: 40″ or taller to ride
4½ Stars
Embark on a tour of the Hollywood Hotel and into the haunted elevator that plummets 13 stories. More Details
Toy Story Midway Mania!
Location: Pixar Place
FastPass+: Yes
Thrill: Spinning
4½ Stars
Climb aboard and try your hand at simulated 3D midway games with the Toy Story gang. More Details
Walt Disney Presents
Location: Mickey Avenue
FastPass+: No
Thrill: Experience
4½ Stars
A fascinating exhibit of Walt Disney memorabilia and models of upcoming Disney theme park projects. More Details
The Best of Disney’s Animal Kingdom for Adults
Avatar Flight of Passage
Location: Pandora – The World of Avatar
FastPass+: Yes
Thrill: Drops
Height Restriction: 44″ or taller to ride
4½ Stars
Board a banshee for a one-of-a-kind extraordinary flight soaring high above the moon’s magnificent landscape. More Details
DINOSAUR
Location: Dinoland U.S.A.
FastPass+: Yes
Thrill: Drops, Dark, Loud
Height Restriction: 40″ or taller to ride
4½ Stars
Board a time travel vehicle for a rough and bumpy ride in search of a dinosaur. More Details
Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain
Location: Asia
FastPass+: Yes
Thrill: Big Drops, Dark, Fast
Height Restriction: 44″ or taller to ride
4½ Stars
Climb aboard your train for an exhilarating ride through the Himalayan Mountains. More Details
Festival of the Lion King
Location: Africa
FastPass+: Yes
Thrill: Entertainment
4½ Stars
This 30-minute extravaganza combines puppetry, acrobatics, and music to tell the moving story of The Lion King. More Details
Finding Nemo – The Musical
Location: Dinoland U.S.A.
FastPass+: Yes
Thrill: Entertainment
4½ Stars
This Broadway-caliber production is an impressive combination of music, puppets, lighting, colors, and special effects that together tell the story of Nemo. More Details
Flights of Wonder
Location: Asia
FastPass+: No
Thrill: Entertainment
4½ Stars
A trainer demonstrates the incredible talents of several exotic birds. Keep in mind that some of these fine-feathered friends swoop into the audience. More Details
Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail
Location: Africa
FastPass+: No
Thrill: Experience
4½ Stars
A tranquil pathway where you observe animals such as gorillas and meerkat. More Details
Kali River Rapids
Location: Africa
FastPass+: Yes
Thrill: Small Drops, Spinning, Water
Height Restriction: 38″ or taller to ride
4½ Stars
Climb aboard your raft for an incredibly wet and wild ride down the river and through the lush jungle. More Details
Kilimanjaro Safaris
Location: Africa
FastPass+: Yes
Thrill: Slow, Bumpy
4½ Stars
Climb aboard an open-air safari vehicle for an 18-minute journey through the savanna where you can spot exotic creatures like hippos, elephants, giraffes, and lions in gorgeous natural settings. These animals are the real deal; no Audio-Animatronics here. More Details
Maharaja Jungle Trek
Location: Asia
Fastpass+: No
Thrill: Experience
4½ Stars
A self-guided pathway where you can observe several animals such as tigers, deer, foxes, and birds. More Details
Well, there you have it folks. I hope you’ve enjoyed Part 5 of The Best of Walt Disney World series. Look for Part 6 – The Best of Walt Disney World for Seniors coming soon!
Other Posts In This Series:
- The Best of Walt Disney World for Babies
- The Best of Walt Disney World for Preschoolers
- The Best of Walt Disney World for Grade School Kids
- The Best of Walt Disney World for Teens
Have you traveled to Walt Disney World as an adult? Do you agree with this list? Have any additions or subtractions? Please leave a comment; we would love to hear from you!
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There is some irony that this blog topic is so close to the topic about whether to take your kids out of school for a WDW trip.
The last three years, because our kids are now in high school and college, DW and I have gone for a week by ourselves. At no time in the last three trips did we enter a park; instead, we focused on all of the other activities we have always wanted to do.
It turns out that even an Alpha Planner like me can enjoy sleeping in, just sitting around a pool (the resort quiet pool), having leisurely meals at different hotels, renting a pontoon boat on Bay Lake for the afternoon, etc.
So Kristi, just to follow up on the theme of DisneyDad, here is your assignment for (one of) your next blog(s): “The Best of Walt Disney World for Adults without Children and Park Admissions”
Keep up the great work and I’ll let you work on a better title.
Hi Chris – You asked, we listened! Just got approval from the “big cheeses” here at TouringPlans for your awesome follow up blog post idea. Be sure to stay tuned in the next few weeks for an article where I’ll cover tips on how to create the best Walt Disney World adults only trip including entertainment, dining, resorts, etc. that travelers without children enjoy. Thanks again for the great suggestion! 🙂
Here’s what’s missing:
Park & resort-wide restaurants that cater more to adults;
The entertainment venues (along the BoardWalk, for instance) for adults only;
Resort rooms more suited for adults traveling without children;
Touring strategies for adults.
Adults traveling to WDW without chikdren aren’t going to simply line up and ride attractions.
Hi DisneyDad – Thanks so much for all of the great suggestions, definitely stay tuned in the next few weeks for a follow up post that will hopefully include more of what you would like to see! 🙂
I agree with other comments – listing pretty much all the attractions isn’t helpful, I skim read at speed. Love the blog but this was a miss.
Hi Christopher, so sorry to hear that you felt this post was a miss. There was definitely a lot of ground to cover for this age group since they rated nearly half of the attractions in Walt Disney World 4 stars or above. Hope you enjoy our upcoming posts even more! 🙂
It might have been easier to just list the attractions that didn’t make the cut.
It was close, Jerad! Out of the 79 attractions in Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom, 42 of them scored at least 4 stars with this age group. 🙂
You guys didn’t post the REAL “Best of WDW for Adults”: Rose & Crown Pub, Biergarten, Choza de Margarita, La Cave de Tequila, Be Our Guest Restaurant, Trader Sam’s, Jock’s Hangar, Tune-In Lounge, Tutto Gusto, Raglan Road… 😀
Yes. I could have used a Fastpass for La Cava last time I was there.
Those lines at La Cava are crazy, aren’t they, jekylldog? Wouldn’t it be amazing if Disney added La Cava to the new mobile ordering system? I would love to have my Avocado Margarita ready and waiting for me as soon as I arrive! 😛
You’re right, Azree33, I didn’t include any restaurants or bars in this “Best of Walt Disney World” post, but stay tuned!
I like this series, but not sure how helpful it is when every single ride is either a 4 or 4.5 stars.
Hi Clonghurst, thanks so much for your feedback! So happy to hear that you’re enjoying my series, and I see you’ve noticed that all of the attractions listed in this article are rated 4 stars or above. For these posts, I’ve just written about the “Best of Walt Disney World” as rated by the readers we surveyed. However, you can find descriptions to all of the attractions in Walt Disney World listed here on the TouringPlans website if you are looking for more information. 🙂