If there’s one thing that Disney World is known for, it’s their immersive rides and attractions. And, if you’re headed to the parks on an adults-only trip (or even with your kids), you’re probably wondering whether the rides will really blow you away like they did when you were a kid. Luckily, after 30+ trips as an adult, I can confirm that you’re still in for a good time!

Maybe you rode some rides as a kid and didn’t get it. Others, maybe you skipped entirely because they looked boring. But something changes when you come back to Disney World as an adult. You start noticing details you never would have cared about at age eight. You catch jokes that went completely over your head as a teen. And, you learn that you can deeply appreciate any attraction that lets you sit in air conditioning for 20 minutes.

Sure, some of the top rides for adults are thrill rides (check out our full ranking of Disney World roller coasters here!), but you’ll really be missing out on some of the best attractions to ride as an adult if you only stick to those. So, here are the 15 Disney World rides and attractions that are actually better when you’re older, whether that’s because of the storytelling, the design, the atmosphere, or just the fact that you can ride them without anyone asking you for a snack!

Top Magic Kingdom Rides For Adults

Magic Kingdom is Walt Disney World’s original theme park and home to Cinderella Castle. It’s the park most people picture when they think of Disney World, and it’s packed with classic attractions that trigger your childhood nostalgia.

Pirates of the Caribbean

Located in Adventureland, Pirates of the Caribbean is a slow-moving boat ride that takes you deep into a world where pirates reign. As a kid, you probably liked the music, the cannons, and the cute dog with the keys at the end. However, as an adult, you start to notice how much is actually going on. There’s dark humor, layered storytelling going on between the pirates, and small details in each scene that are all easy to miss when you’re seven. You could ride this five times and catch something new each time. It’s one of those attractions that rewards you for paying attention. Plus, there’s nothing like remembering the first time you rode it with your family as a kid and realizing how much (or how little) has changed from then to now!

“it’s a small world”

Now, this one might be a bit controversial because nobody loves getting “that song” stuck in their head for an entire day, but hear me out. If you want to experience peak “Disney” and trigger your childhood nostalgia, “it’s a small world” is sure to do that for you. The gentle boat ride through hundreds of colorful, elaborately dressed audio-animatronic dolls representing countries from around the world originally debuted at the 1964 World’s Fair, and once you know that, you start to see it differently as an adult. If you’re someone who identifies as a “Disney Adult,” then you’ll understand why experiencing a ride that Walt Disney originally worked on is a must-do for every Disney trip, regardless of whether any kids are in tow. Plus, there’s almost never a long wait.

Carousel of Progress

This is the ultimate “adults only appreciate this” attraction. Carousel of Progress is a rotating theater show in Tomorrowland that takes you through the 20th century with an animatronic family, showing how technology changed everyday life. For kids, this ride is often pretty boring. But, for Disney Adults, it’s a must-ride. Walt Disney was deeply involved in the creation of the show, so you’re literally watching a piece of Walt Disney’s personal legacy! There’s also all the corny dad jokes and 21 uninterrupted minutes of air conditioning (making this a must-ride in the summer!). You will absolutely find yourself humming “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” for the rest of your trip.

Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover

The PeopleMover is a slow, elevated tram ride that loops around Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom, and it’s something that people often skip with kids or don’t even realize is there. There’s rarely a line for the attraction, you get a nice breeze, and the whole thing takes about 10 minutes. Sounds pretty relaxing, right? I promise you, it is! As an adult, you’ll discover that the PeopleMover is perhaps the most relaxing experience in the entire park. You can peek inside Space Mountain from up above, get a bird’s-eye view of Tomorrowland, and just decompress for a few minutes. Sometimes that’s exactly what you need at hour seven of a park day.

Haunted Mansion

Haunted Mansion is a slow-moving dark ride through a spooky mansion in Liberty Square. If you were brave as a kid, you likely rode it and had fun. However, it’s a whole new experience as an adult when you realize how much is actually happening to make this spooky attraction seem…well…spooky.

The practical effects are impressive, with many of them dating back to the ride’s 1971 opening. The humor is genuinely funny once you’re old enough to catch it. The stretching room still gives you goosebumps as an adult. And the graveyard scene near the end is sure to make you smile, with dozens of audio-animatronic ghosts singing, dancing, and causing chaos.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Big Thunder Mountain is a high-speed outdoor coaster in Frontierland themed around a runaway mine train. Kids love the speed, and adults notice all the little details as they fly by! Fair warning, though – this ride also hits your back different as an adult. It’s a bumpy one. The good news is that Big Thunder received a new track during recent renovations, which your spine will definitely appreciate.

Top EPCOT Rides For Adults

EPCOT is Walt Disney World’s second theme park, split between World Celebration, World Discovery, and World Nature (focused on innovation and science) and World Showcase (a loop of pavilions representing 11 countries). It’s always been the park that adults appreciate the most, and for good reason. Here are some of the top rides to prioritize when you visit as an adult.

Spaceship Earth

You know that giant golf ball at the front of EPCOT? That’s Spaceship Earth, and there’s a ride inside it! It’s a slow-moving dark ride that takes you through the history of human communication, from cave paintings to the internet and beyond. As a kid, this was pretty boring. But, as an adult, it’s surprisingly cool (and very relaxing!). The scenes are highly detailed (you can actually smell Rome burning), the narration is thoughtful, and the whole thing ends on this quiet note of optimism about the future. It’s the soul of EPCOT, and you often need to be old enough to feel it.

Living with the Land

Living with the Land is a boat ride in the Land pavilion that takes you through Disney’s working greenhouses and fish farms. That sentence alone would make any kid groan. But, as an adult, it’s weirdly captivating. It’s cool to see a little peek behind-the-scenes at how Disney operates and grows their own produce, and it’s educational in a way that’s actually interesting. Plus, there’s pretty much never a long line!

Soarin’

Soarin’ is a hang gliding simulator in the Land pavilion that lifts you in front of a massive domed screen and “flies” you over landmarks around the world. It’s always been a popular ride, but it’s even better when you experience it as an adult. The combination of sweeping aerial footage, the music, and subtle wind and smell effects creates something more emotional than you’d expect from a simulated hang glider. It’s one of those attractions that can genuinely catch you off guard, even if you’ve been on it as a kid.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind

Cosmic Rewind is a newer indoor roller coaster in EPCOT’s World Celebration area, and it is simply a blast. The ride vehicles rotate to face the on-screen action that’s happening as you twist and turn, the ride launches you backward, and the whole thing is synced to a classic rock or pop song that changes every time you ride. What makes this especially great for adults is the fact that you can go on it over and over again and always have a new experience because of the music. Without little ones in your group who might not want to wait in line again, you’re free to hop back in and try to get a different song each time. Every ride feels a little different, and the fun doesn’t wear off. Just keep in mind that the rotating cars can trigger motion sickness if you’re sensitive to that.

Top Hollywood Studios Rides For Adults

Disney’s Hollywood Studios is Walt Disney World’s movie-themed park, home to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and Toy Story Land. It’s a park that leans heavily into immersing you in your favorite Disney movies, which is exactly the kind of thing adults tend to appreciate more than kids do.

Rise of the Resistance

Located in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Rise of the Resistance is widely considered one of the best theme park attractions ever built. It features multiple pre-show experiences that go far beyond anything else at Disney World, has Cast Members who are more like actors than standard employees, and drops you right into the action of a battle between the Resistance and the First Order. Whether you’re a Star Wars fan or not, the sheer scale of the ride is mind-blowing. The great thing about this ride is that both you and your kids won’t be able to stop talking about it after you’ve been on it.

Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster

Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster is an indoor roller coaster on Sunset Boulevard that takes you from 0 to 60mph in under three seconds. It’s also the only coaster in Disney World that features a full loop, making it one of the top thrill rides across all four theme parks. And, while the ride has been around for decades, it’s getting a fresh facelift soon, as The Muppets take over in summer 2026! For adults who grew up on The Muppet Show, that’s going to add a whole new layer of nostalgia.

Top Animal Kingdom Rides For Adults

Disney’s Animal Kingdom is Disney World’s nature-themed park and the largest of the four by area. It features lush landscaping, real animals, and attractions built to promote wildlife and conservation efforts. It’s also home to Pandora – The World of Avatar, which contains what many consider the single best ride at Walt Disney World.

Flight of Passage

Flight of Passage is a 3D flying simulator in Pandora – The World of Avatar, where you get to ride on the back of a banshee (a flying creature from the Avatar films). It’s both a thrill and amazing to experience as an adult when you can truly appreciate all of the little details. Plus, it’s very cool to step into the world of Pandora once you’ve seen all the movies as an adult!

Expedition Everest

Expedition Everest is a roller coaster in the Asia section of Animal Kingdom themed as a train expedition through the Himalayas that goes wrong when you encounter a yeti. The queue is one of the best in all of Disney World, telling the story of Himalayan expeditions and yeti mythology through artifacts, photographs, and set dressing. And, the ride itself is extremely thrilling, especially with the backward track! As an adult, you can appreciate it as both a great coaster and a really well-told story.

Kilimanjaro Safaris

Kilimanjaro Safaris is an open-air truck ride through Disney’s 110-acre wildlife reserve in Animal Kingdom’s Africa section. It’s not a ride in the traditional theme park sense, but you’re riding through a savanna watching real giraffes, elephants, lions, hippos, and dozens of other species in habitats designed to resemble their natural environments.

As a kid, this felt like you were riding through the coolest zoo on the planet. As an adult, it’s still the coolest zoo on the planet, and you also can appreciate all of the conservation work that Disney is doing behind the scenes. Early morning and late afternoon safaris are especially good, when the animals are most active, and the lighting is beautiful. It’s one of those attractions that brings out the kid in you no matter how old you are when you ride.

Comments

What are your favorite rides to go on in Disney World as an adult? Let us know in the comments!