The Four Most Underrated Thrill Rides at Walt Disney World!

Walt Disney World might be one of the most family-friendly vacation destinations on the planet, but when it comes to thrills, these parks also deliver!

But while some thrill rides blast to the top of guests’ must-do lists, some fly a little more under the radar.

Let’s check out the 4 most underrated thrill rides in Disney World — and why you should be riding them!

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

We’re starting off by taking a look at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and we know what you’re thinking — Big Thunder isn’t that underrated. Well, think again. Of the Magic Kingdom mountains, Big Thunder is hands down the least popular, and that’s a crime!

The “wildest ride in the wilderness” sits just near Splash Mountain and often boasts much shorter wait times. Add that to the fact that it’s tucked all the way in the back of the park and you get a sometimes-overlooked coaster.

But we L-O-V-E Big Thunder! Not only is it a really good coaster, it’s also got some pretty spectacular theming if you look around while you’re speeding along. Did you know this attraction has 20 audio-animatronics?

Mission: SPACE

Next up, we’re launching over to Epcot to talk about Mission: SPACE. Mission: SPACE gets a lot of flack as an anti-climactic and sometimes sickness-inducing attraction — and the motion-sickness bags in the ride vehicles go to support that.

But we think there are a lot of reasons to love Mission: SPACE. Though it might seem outdated now, when this ride was developed in 2003, much of the technology actually had to be invented specifically for the ride!

On top of that, we like to think of this Future World attraction as an early predecessor to attractions like Millenium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run. A team of guests working together to fly a spacecraft? Now that sounds familiar.

DINOSAUR

Now for potentially the most criminally underrated ride on the list — it’s Animal Kingdom‘s DINOSAUR. This ride is the best! Expedition Everest, who? Avatar — Flight of Passage, what?

Okay, maybe we’re being a little dramatic, but this ride is one of Animal Kingdom’s finest. It’s dark, it’s fast, and it’s scary. What more could you want in a thrill ride! We’re grown adults, and we still scream when the dinos try to eat us.

Plus, the preshow is iconic. Bill Nye the Science Guy narrates a show in the queue area, and the antics of Dr. Seeker at the Dino Institute (that make up the story for the whole ride) make for one of the best ride stories in the park.

Kali River Rapids

But that’s not the only underrated thrill ride in Animal Kingdom. We’re also here to support Kali River Rapids. Frankly, Kali’s downfall is that a lot of guests just don’t want to get soaking wet.

But this is a truly awesome raft ride and it’s definitely one that will have your whole family laughing out loud as you wait to see who will get soaked next. This ride has some awesome theming and even includes scents of mint, jasmine, and smoke!

Kali River Rapids also has a story that speaks to conservation, in line with the rest of the park. The forest your floating through is being burned by loggers so this can be a great time to get some family-friendly thrills and teach your kids about saving the environment.

What thrill rides do you think are underrated in Disney World? Tell us in the comments!

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