Imagineers are hard at work adding new rides to Walt Disney World and keeping the parks fresh with constant new experiences. Guests who have not visited Walt Disney World within the past 10 years are in for a treat when they do return, with new attractions reviving some fresh life into the parks. While a trip to Disney World is about much more than just "the rides," here I will layout the newest rides that have been added to the parks and let you know my thoughts on each. Spoiler: these rides are all amazing, largely due to the fact that the technology is so much better nowadays than it was when Walt Disney World was first being created. Imagineers can go places that they only dreamed of 50 years ago. You will be in awe at what they have done and these rides will make you want to keep coming back to the parks.
1) Tron- Magic Kingdom: 9/10
Tron is the newest ride at Walt Disney World and just opened in April of 2023. Luckily enough I visited Disney World in May of 2023 and was among the first people to go on the ride! It is located behind Space Mountain, which is the first attempt Disney has made to utilize the land in that back portion of Magic Kingdom.
The easiest way to describe Tron, is a faster, more intense version of Space Mountain. Truthfully, I have never seen the movie Tron. I considered watching it before going on the ride, but didn't see any point. You really don't have to know anything about the movie to appreciate the ride. Tron is a thrill ride, which is very similar but also unique from Space Mountain. You board a "lightcycle" in an upright, inclined seated position, very similar to the seats on Avatar Flight of Passage. Imagine being hunched over while driving a motorcycle. I will say that this position is uncomfortable and I found it difficult to breathe at times. Also, guests of a certain size do not fit in these seats, which has created a controversy of its own. The seats are the only negative thing I will say about this ride and are the sole reason I give Tron a 9/10. The ride is a BLAST!
The course that you ride on, in itself, is very similar to Space Mountain. However, the positioning of the seat and the faster speed makes it a distinct experience. Another cool part of Tron is that a portion of the ride goes outside, where you fly over guests waiting outside the ride.
Unfortunately, Tron is still utilizing virtual queue for the time being, which means you can only ride the ride once during the day, unless you want to pay for an Individual Lightening Lane to ride it a 2nd time during the day. Also, even with the virtual queue, you will find yourself waiting in a decent sized line after your group has been called. Additionally, the virtual queue is also often very competitive to get into, so if you really want to ride the ride, you may have no other option but to purchase an Individual Lightening Lane if you don't move fast enough when booking the virtual queue.
2) Avatar Flight of Passage- Animal Kingdom: 10/10
In May of 2017, the World of Avatar opened in Animal Kingdom. This new land truly revitalized Animal Kingdom and made it a park that people prioritized visiting, rather than just viewing it as a half day park. Even though more than six years have passed since it opened, this land is incredibly popular and gets crowded within 10 minutes of the park opening.
The big attraction in World of Avatar is Avatar Flight of Passage. This is the best ride in Animal Kingdom and you have to speedwalk there during rope drop to avoid the consistent 90+ minute wait the rest of the day. The technology used on this ride puts it over the edge and it truly is an amazing experience.
You board your own individual banshee, which is a native animal to Pandora. While on the banshee, you are in your own world, wearing 3D glasses that cut out all of your surroundings. You can even feel the banshee breathing and pulsing underneath you. Then, you fly through Pandora on your banshee, experiencing the world as though you are actually there and seeing the other native animals, the Na'vi people, and feeling the splashes of the ocean and gusts of wind on your face. This is hands down a must-do on your visit to Animal Kingdom.
3) Na'vi River Journey- Animal Kingdom: 6/10
The Na'vi River Journey is the 2nd ride that opened in World of Avatar. It is not as impressive as Avatar Flight of Passage, but is still a nice addition. The format is very much like Pirates of the Caribbean. You board a boat on an enclosed indoor course and float down a river in Pandora. It takes place during night, so you see Pandora in a glow, which is beautiful. At the end of the ride, there is a huge animatronic Na'vi, which is the most advanced animatronic that Disney has ever created.
This ride is neat to experience if you've never been on it. It's also a welcome break from the heat in Animal Kingdom. However, I wouldn't wait more than 40 minutes to go on this one.
4) Remy's Ratatouille Adventure- Epcot: 9/10
The new Remy ride, based off the movie Ratatouille, is located in the France Pavilion at Epcot. This ride utilizes Disney's new trackless ride technology which is also seen in Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway and Rise of the Resistance. It allows your car to slide along the floor based on a computer programed path rather than a track.
You board a rat shaped vehicle and wear 3D glasses. It is a 4D experience and you experience a busy restaurant kitchen, with all of your senses, as though you are a tiny rat. I loved this ride, but would definitely not wait 90 minutes for it like we did last time...
5) Cosmic Rewind- Epcot: 10/10
Cosmic Rewind is another one of the very new rides at Walt Disney World. It opened in May of 2022 and is so new and popular that it is also still utilizing the virtual queue system, like Tron. Cosmic Rewind is the best ride at Disney World right now and, in my opinion, in any park in the world. I had a smile on my face the entire time I was on the ride and got off laughing. I genuinely had FUN! It is such a great ride and makes me want to go to Epcot, even though that is my least favorite park at Disney World.
Due to the virtual queue, I have only been on this ride once, but I will absolutely go on it again. It is an indoor "omni coaster" where you fly through space, listening to rock songs, which vary during every ride. Omni coaster means that every 4-person vehicle on the coaster can spin 360 degrees around. The ride is super smooth, and you really feel like you are flying through space. It is a blast and you should make a point of riding this every time you are in Epcot.
6) Rise of the Resistance- Hollywood Studios: 8/10
There have been so many new rides and areas added to Hollywood Studios within the past several years. It is like an entirely new park that would likely not be recognizable to guests who haven't been in 6 or more years. The biggest addition to Hollywood Studios is the new land of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. This is a Star Wars themed area and is totally subversive. I am not a Star Wars fan, but I absolutely love this area. The Imagineers killed it with the theming.
The main attraction in Galaxy's Edge is Rise of the Resistance. No attraction has ever been done like this in Disney World, and it is a multi-part experience. You are essentially a captured member of the Resistance, taken into custody by stormtroopers, and then attempt to escape from the First Order. This ride utilizes the trackless technology and feels incredibly realistic.
We always make a point to rope drop this ride at Hollywood Studios because it is not part of Genie Plus and the wait usually hovers around 75 minutes to 90 minutes at all times during the day. The reason I knock this down to an 8/10 is because I do not have a lot of Star Wars knowledge, and therefore, it is not quite as impressive to me as it might be to a die hard Star Wars fan.
7) Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run- Hollywood Studios: 6/10
The 2nd new ride added to Galaxy's Edge in Hollywood Studios is Millenium Falcon: Smuggler's Run. This is another different concept for a ride but is not as impressive or immersive as Rise of the Resistance.
On this ride, you ride the Millenium Falcon in a group of 6. 2 people are pilots, 2 people are engineers, and 2 people are gunners. It is essentially a simulator where the group of 6 people work together to have a successful ride. Every single time we have ridden this ride, we end up being pilots for some reason. It is fun, but not worth more than 30-minute wait. I also think it is more fun for people who are actually Star Wars fans and know the significance of the Millenium Falcon (something my fiancé gets excited about when he sees the replica parked outside the ride's entrance).
8) Slinky Dog Dash- Hollywood Studios: 8/10
Another completely new land in Hollywood Studios is Toy Story Land. This area opened in June of 2018. While not as grander and immersive as Galaxy's Edge, it is a fun area that is distinctly its own from the rest of Hollywood Studios. It is themed to make you feel like a kid, in Andy's backyard.
Toy Story Land is kind of small and there is not too much to it. However, the main attraction which looms over the majority of the land is Slinky Dog Dash. This is a mild rollercoaster aboard Slinky Dog. The line is unbearably long for this ride, but thankfully it is included with Genie Plus. I always make Slinky Dog my first Lightening Lane pick at Hollywood Studios since it is so popular.
When you ride Slinky Dog Dash, you have to go in with low expectations. It is a kiddie rollercoaster so there are no big thrills, drops, or loop-de-loops. However, it is fun and you get a nice vantage view over Toy Story Land while riding. I think it's a nice addition and you should definitely try it at least once.
9) Alien Swirling Saucers- Hollywood Studios: 7/10
Alien Swirling Saucers is the smaller sister ride in Toy Story Land. You may be surprised by my score of 7/10. While it may look like a kiddie ride, Alien Swirling Saucers is actually really fun. You board a two-person saucer and whirl around on the tracks. It usually has a pretty low wait and I have enjoyed myself every time I've ridden it. Definitely don't count this one out!
10) Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway- Hollywood Studios: 9/10
Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway replaced the Great Movie Ride within the replica of Grauman's Chinese Theatre, which sits in the middle of Hollywood Studios. It opened in March of 2020. While some OG Disney fans are sad that the Great Movie Ride was closed, I think Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway is a great replacement. It pays homage to the Mouse that started it all and shows appreciation for the animation style and the iconic characters that Disney is most well known for.
This is another new ride that utilizes the trackless system and your car glides smoothly and effortlessly around the various rooms of the ride. It also features a song that you will not be able to get out of your head for the rest of the day. "Nothing can stop us now!"
This ride is a fun one and I love that at least one of the rides in Disney World is now dedicated to the 2 iconic mice and their love story.
There you have it. It is obvious that Imagineers are constantly adding to the parks and using the most up to date technology to put together the most amazing rides possible for park goers. These new rides are all a blast and I encourage those who haven't visited Disney World recently to take a trip and experience them for themselves. Disney parks have evolved from the original rides of It's a Small World and Jungle Cruise. I am excited to see what else is to come!
Comments