Time is precious, especially at Disney World. There is so much to see, do, eat, and ride when visiting the parks, it’s impossible to experience it all in a single trip. While we often share our favorite rides, now it’s time to take a different approach.
Today, we’ve got some insider info about which attractions we always skip! And we’re getting into why we skip them so you can decide if they’re worth your precious Disney time!
1. Astro Orbiter
Astro Orbiter allows guests to take the skies in a retro two-passenger spacecraft in Tomorrowland. This spacecraft spins high in the air as guests are able to take in the sights and sounds of Tomorrowland and beyond.
This attraction can have a long wait time, however, and we often find ourselves skipping it because the Magic Kingdom has two other spinners that can fit the round-and-round-we-go bill: Magic Carpets of Aladdin and Dumbo the Flying Elephant.
Magic Carpets of Aladdin will typically have a shorter wait time and offers a very similar ride experience (minus being two stories up). And if you’re afraid of heights, this version of the ride in Adventureland will not take you as high in the air.
Dumbo the Flying Elephant does tend to have a longer line, but it, too, will keep you closer to the ground if you’re afraid of heights. The attraction also has a fun area where your kids can run and play while you wait in line!
Astro Orbiter
2. Barnstormer
We also find ourselves skipping The Barnstormer in Storybook Circus at Magic Kingdom. Barnstormer is a mini roller coaster perfect for kid. But when we aren’t traveling with little ones, we often find ourselves saving time by skipping this attraction and heading to Seven Dwarfs Mine Train instead!
It’s not that we don’t love Goofy and the twists and turns of this kid-friendly coaster. But we prefer to spend our time on the bigger thrills.
Barnstormer featuring the Great Goofini
3. It’s Tough To Be A Bug
Over in Animal Kingdom, we often find ourselves skipping It’s Tough To Be A Bug. It has personally freaked me out one too many times, and now I find myself skipping it.
This is a show that allows guests to become honorary insects inside a theatre at the base of The Tree of Life. During this show, guests wear a pair of 3D movie glasses and watch as Flik describes how insects make it in the wild.
This one tends to freak me out 1) for the buggy 3D effects (including the fake bugs that run underneath me!) and 2) for the disgusting smell that is released at the end. I have also heard more than a few kids freak out during this show, making is a skip for some families, too!
It's Tough to Be a Bug
4. Kali River Rapids
Another one I often find myself skipping at Disney’s Animal Kingdom is Kali River Rapids. While this is a fun attraction, I am not one who likes to walk around the parks dripping wet. And it’s more than likely that you will get wet — possibly even drenched — on this ride. For that reason alone, we skip this one most of the time. (Exception: crazy hot summer days when we must have relief!)
Kali River Rapids
5. Mission: Space
Over at Epcot we tend to find ourselves skipping Mission: Space simply because this one gives us a bit (maybe more than a bit) of motion sickness.
This attraction simulates a launch into outer space, and while there are two different levels to choose from (one that spins to create an increase in gravity and one that does not), we typically find ourselves avoiding it altogether.
We’ve done it once, seen it, experienced the beautiful details and awesome technology, and that right there was enough for us!
Mission: SPACE
Which Disney attraction do you always skip? Let us know in the comments below!
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We skip all the spinners…except sometimes we’ll ride the teacups. We’ll typically hit everything else now and then…expect the steam train. We don’t ride that either. And Autopia sucks…however, the Disneyland version is worth a spin. And yes, Kali River is a pass – I don’t like getting wet.
Of those mentioned, I’ve never done Astro Orbiter because it’s kind of like the airplane rides at our local parks, and the line always seems long. I haven’t been to WDW in 18 years, so I haven’t had a chance to try Barnstormer. I really enjoy It’s Tough To Be A Bug, just not the line to get in. (It does give you a chance to pick out the animals on the Tree of Life though.) In 2002 we went really early to Kali River Rapids and rode it 8 times straight!!! (We had brought extra clothes that we left in the lockers at the gate.) As for Mission Space, I have a heart condition and have been avoiding it.
We always skip way more than that. I don’t agree with It’s Tough To Be A Bug though. Unless you’re just reaaaally scared of bugs. Heck if you skip too much at AK you might as well not go. They don’t have much as it is. I skip basic rides like Dumbo, Aladin, The merry-go-round, teacups and oddly, Big Thunder mt. because for some reason that’s just not fun to me.
At Epcot I only really skip the stand up movies and back in the day Universe of Energy just because it was way too long and took up your whole day lol. I do Mission Space most trips but I catch myself skipping it if I’m not with a newbie.
DHS I skip Indy most trips and Toy Story mania because I can’t figure out for the life of me why that line is so long. It’s not all that! It’s weird to me how some rides get uber popular and it becomes a “thing”.
AK I skip Kali because I just don’t like to walk around wet these days, and I skip the Lion King show because I think it’s lame. I know….total minority here but I thought the Tarzan show kicked it’s butt and I don’t get why people like it so much. It’s just a big hot mess of running around to me but to each his own.
Agree with most of those and I’ll add we pass on Figment and Tomorrowland Speedway
I personally feel Primeval whirl is one of the most underrated attractions on property. The rest of the list is pretty much take it or leave it. Having said that, Swiss Family Treehouse and the carousel barely even get a glance as we’re walking by.
Visit every other year for 15 years, and have never been on/visited Astro Orbiter, Peter Pan, Mickey’s Philharmagic. Other rides/attractions are favourites for fast passes and despite always wanting to go on Peter Pan, have never seen the wait time less than 80 minutes. Only been on People Mover, Jungle Cruise, Country Bear Jamboree a couple times. We’re always there open to close. With crowds and more attractions being added all the time, you just can’t do it all unless you go on multiple days… which I’m plotting to convince others of for next time! 🙂
Oooohh! You must go to Mickey’s Philharmagic! It normally doesn’t have a long wait and it is one of the cutest shows. We never skip that one. (Peter Pan, yes it gets skipped often, we only do that one of we happen to catch a short wait time in the morning)
My wife and I like Primeval Whirl! We will do it multiple times. We also do a bugs live and Country Bear Jamboree…. though only once per trip.
I have been on Mission Space several times and always rode the more exciting version. I don’t ride it any more because I actually find it a bit lame. It spins and you feel the resultant centrifugal force when you reach for a button to push. Big deal.
Ok, Here we gooooooooooooooo
We are frequent visitors. We also bring friends who have never been to WDW or this is a dream one and done for them. Here is guidance I give to them as well.
Magic Kingdom
Frequent visits we normally skip the following unless lots of time and low lines (2 adults and 13yo)
1. The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
2. Prince Charming Regal Carousel
3. Enchanted Tales with Belle
4. Dumbo the Flying Elephant
5. Skip most of the characters
6. Tomorrowland Speedway
7. Astro Orbitor
New Visitors – time is an issue
1. The above, unless they have time
2. Although I do tell them to take advantage of characters
3. If they go to Disneyland a lot I explain that rides here are not the same and have differences so don’t miss, although ones like Dumbo and Fantasyland are pretty much the same.
4. It’s a small world, if they go to Disneyland
Hollywood Studios
1. Frozen sing-along
2. Star Wars launch bay
3. Beauty and the Beast live on stage
New visitors, I tell them to do it all as there is not that much at this park.
Animal Kingdom
Frequent visitors
1. Wilderness Explorers – or we do over several trips
2. Na-vi River Journey – if a long line and no FP option
3. Kali River Rapids – unless we have FP for right before we leave
4. Finding Nemo the musical
5. Triceratop Spin
New Visitors – I say to try to get everything in in a day, although you can skip some of Dinoland if time constraints. I also say don’t skip the discovery trails and such as that is what I love about this park.
Epcot
frequent visitor
1. Mission Space
First time – try not to miss anything
Agree with some… but I guess it depends on if you are adults only or the ages of those in your family or group. For us(me and wife, 20YO, 19YO, and 13YO)… we tend to skip and have not ridden in years: 1) Barnstormer, 2) Enchanted Tiki Room, 3) Monsters Inc Laugh Floor, 4)Country Bear Jamboree, and 5) Tom Sawyer Island and Tomorrowland Speedway… and that is just at MK! I will say the only other attractions I can say we have skipped for many years now are: Indy Stunt Show, Playhouse Disney Show, Little Mermaid Show, Launch Bay and Mission Space. Having done the Alien Saucers and Navi River once, there is no need to do these ever again.
You start off by saying, “Time is precious, especially at Disney World. There is so much to see, do, eat, and ride when visiting the parks, it’s impossible to experience it all in a single trip.” This implies that the premise is a single family trip. However, you then say, “Today, we’ve got some insider info about which attractions we ALWAYS skip!” This certainly implies that these are frequent visitors. So, they are not skipping these rides because they are pressed for time on a single visit. It implies that they skip these rides on each of their many visits. In other words, they don’t care for these rides under any circumstances. Appears you combining two completely premises here. Rides to skip just when pressed for time and rides to always skip.
Disagree with all your choices!
Agreed with all of your choices here. All but it’s tough to be a bug. I try to go to Disney every year, and I take friends with me who’ve never been, and it’s great seeing their reactions to this!
I have to disagree too, we used to go once or twice a year and we never have picked specific rides to always avoid. when they implemented the paperless fastpass system we went back to the spontaneity of standing in the Q’s and just enjoying everything you can only do at WDW, we do very few fastpasses except for a couple of the popular attractions so every minute of our day isn’t strictly planned out ruining the relaxation of our vacation. This allows you to go on whatever you feel like that day and all of these attractions you picked allow you to be a kid again and enjoy how other people react to the fun too. But now we haven’t been to Disney World since 2014 and i would love to go on any of these attractions again, cause the only rides in the area i live in are buses (And not even Disney Buses :)) if you don’t want to drive your car.
Here is a tip when riding Primeval Whirl stay relaxed and don’t tense up and the spinning and minor bouncing wont jerk you around, just keep laughing. My wife and i found this out years ago and one time we rode it 3 times in a row cause it was a slow day, then we were ready to ride Dinosaur and Kali River to cool down (Its always HOT in Florida) we live in Northern Michigan.