I am the only person in this accidental Disney family that loves rollercoasters. My husband, Korey, doesn’t like heights or that out-of-control feeling that rollercoasters give, and Liam definitely inherited that from him. The good news is, Disney is one of the best theme parks to visit if you have people in your family that don’t enjoy rollercoasters! Here’s our take on the best Disney rides for non-thrill-seekers.
On our first Disney trip, Liam wouldn’t even look at the Barnstormer (which is supposed to be the most kid-friendly coaster at Magic Kingdom). We persuaded him to ride Seven Dwarfs Mine Train—mostly because he couldn’t really see what it would be like before he got on it. He was scared, but afterward he said he liked it and wanted to ride it again. But the next time we rode it (a year later), he. was. terrified. He cried the whole time and kept telling me he didn’t like it all the while maintaining an absolute death grip on my arm. I felt terrible! Needless to say, I don’t force him to ride anything he doesn’t want to ride. I want his vacation to be fun, after all!
Liam’s main thing with roller coasters is big drops. He doesn’t mind when things are fast, but he doesn’t like when he doesn’t know what to expect. Thankfully, Disney has an abundance of family-friendly rides for littles or even bigger kids that just don’t like rollercoasters! Here are a few of our faves in each of the Walt Disney World parks.
Magic Kingdom
At Magic Kingdom, we obviously avoid the mountains (Space, Splash, and Thunder), Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, and the Barnstormer. We also had a bit of a hard time getting Liam to ride Pirates of the Carribbean—there’s a drop at the beginning that really scared him the first time we rode it (because he couldn’t see it coming). Now that he’s prepared for it though, it’s one of his favorite rides. He also loves Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin and the Magic Carpets.
Hollywood Studios
This is our favorite park for fun rides that aren’t too crazy. Liam’s all-time favorite is Star Tours, and he’ll ride it seven times in a row if the wait time is low. (I usually have to sit out for at least five of those because I start to feel a little jumbled if I ride it too many times.) Galaxy’s Edge and Toy Story Land are also very kid-friendly with their rides. We love Toy Story Mania, Alien Swirling Saucers, Millenium Falcon Smuggler’s Run, and Rise of the Resistance (of course!). The only one we don’t do is Slinky Dog Dash. Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway is also so much fun—in my opinion for both thrill-seekers and anyone that doesn’t like heights or drops.
Epcot
Rides like Test Track and Spaceship Earth are really fun for anyone that doesn’t like heights or drops. Test Track has a small drop, but is mostly just really fast. Liam LOVED this one when we tried it and wanted to ride it again immediately. We also managed to get him to try Soarin, after reassuring him 100 times that he wouldn’t actually be flying in the air. 😂 But for anyone that really has an intense fear of heights, I’d probably steer clear of Soarin’ too. We have yet to attempt Mission Space, but when we do we will definitely go green mission. Avoid the orange mission if you have anyone sensitive in your group!
Animal Kingdom
Animal Kingdom has so much to see and do! It’s a great park to visit for those that don’t like thrill-rides! We’re still trying to get Liam to give Flight of Passage a try (now that he’s tried Soarin’ and liked it, I’m hopeful we’ll get him on FOP next time!). But he loves Navi River Journey, Kilimanjaro Safari, and Kali River Rapids. We also haven’t tried DINOSAUR yet, but maybe someday!
Rider Switch and Single Rider Lines
If you’re like me, and you’re the only person in your family that likes the thrill rides, you’ll be in luck at Disney World! Disney offers a single-rider line for some of its thrill rides. The single-rider line is for just what it sounds like—single riders! Disney castmembers will use this line to fill in any available spots on the ride, so it often moves a lot faster than the regular line too! Expedition Everest, Millenium Falcon Smuggler’s Run, Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster, and Test Track all have a single-rider line option.
Disney also offers a rider switch option on a lot of rides, which allows adults to take turns waiting with kiddos that are too little or don’t want to ride without having to wait in line twice. Click here to see more about how rider switch works and a full list of all the rides at Disney World that offer rider switch.
What are your favorite non-thrill rides at Disney World?
Let me know in the comments below!
I hope this post was helpful for you if you’re planning a trip that includes anyone who doesn’t ride rollercoasters! Check out my tips and tricks page for more Disney World advice and planning strategies!
And don’t forget to pin this post for later!
