As we have already established, waiting for attractions is going to soak up a lot of your valuable time. So we have compiled a list of attractions we think are worth the wait at Disney World. This is part two of our list – if you have yet to have a look over the first five, please check that out. But, as promised, here is the second lot of attractions. Lets get straight back into it!
6. Tower of Terror
If you have read any of our blogs before then you will know I’m not the biggest fan of Tower of Terror. This has nothing to do with the quality of the ride, or the fantastic theming. My body just doesn’t like the up and down motion of the attraction. I can look past all of that however and say this is probably the best themed attraction in all of Walt Disney World. Sitting proudly at the helm of Sunset Boulevard sits the Hollywood Tower Hotel. This is where the theming begins. Its huge frame looms over the entire strip demanding your attention. Once inside, you are immediately consumed by the decrepit hotel. Cobwebs and eerie lighting cover the once bustling lobby.
The visuals in the lobby area are just something you have to see to believe. And well, you don’t need me to tell you what happens once aboard the old maintenance elevator. Opening its doors to guests again on the 22nd July 1994, this is another staple of the Disney parks. You’ll find versions of it in every Disney park around the world and it is a must do for the Disney ultras. The wait times on this ride vary and can be anywhere from 30 mins to around 2 hours. However, you’ll almost certainly be able to secure a Fast Pass for this ride for at least one of your days at Hollywood Studios.
7. Toy Story Mania
A fantastic attraction that all the family can enjoy and almost certainly get overly competitive. This one is a 3D ride where you’ll play a series of carnival games with the toys. If you have ever done Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast, then it’s a little bit like that. But rather than a trigger, it’s more of a spring action shooter that you have to pull on. You will be taken through a series of 5 carnival games in your ride car and then your total score added up at the end of the game.
You can play against everyone in the car for a ‘Best in Vehicle’ score and if you’re a pro a ‘Best Today’ score. Bursting into Andy’s back yard on the 31st of May 2008 this is a very popular attraction in the studios and has been since opening day. It’s not unusual to see this at a wait of around 90 mins but it can be north of that if the park is exceptionally busy. Fast Pass is available and whilst you should be able to secure one it can be more tricky in the busy months.
8. Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
This ride is a Star Wars fan’s absolute dream. When I first heard about this ride, they had me at ‘you get to pilot the Millennium Falcon’. This attraction is a interactive simulation ride where 6 guests (2 pilots, 2 engineers and 2 gunners) work together to complete a smuggling mission. On completion you will be given an overall score depending on how your flight team performed. For instance should the pilots crash, points will be taken off your score to cover ‘damages’, so there can be slight pressure to perform.
Because of this your experience can be varied depending on the ability of who you happen to ride with. All that aside though, to step inside the falcon is a magical experience and if your lucky enough to be a pilot and you get to make the jump to lightspeed… you’re certain to get chills. The newest ride on our list, The Falcon landed in Galaxy’s Edge on August the 29th 2019 so is still demanding very long lines. Expect 90 minutes and up for this one, although there is a single riders line. Fast Pass is now available for this attraction but can be difficult to get. However like with all the others, we think it’s very much worth the wait!
9. Na’vi River Journey
I know what you’re thinking. This one is a very divided choice and I’m well aware of that. Most people you speak to will say it’s a good attraction but not worth the wait it demands. But I love it. For me, it’s the most peaceful ride at Animal Kingdom and maybe on property. It’s absolutely stunning; the florescent colours and the unreal intricate details really make you believe you are in Pandora. And show me a better animatronic on property. The Shaman is unbelievable. Its the most advanced animatroinic Disney have ever created. First time i rode this i genuinely believed it was a person in costume, the movements of it are so fluid and life like as it sings you along the river.
Situated in Pandora in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Na’vi River Journey opened on 27th May 2017 to very long waits. Since then they have come down considerably but you can still be waiting for 60 to 90 minutes. FastPasses are pretty easy to get for this one, but you should definitely attempt to get one for Flight of Passage instead of this. I’ll say this, if you’re a Avatar fan and you can appreciate theming and stunning visuals, wait for it. Because you wont find many better. If you cant, maybe don’t wait for it. But we love it, so we had to include it in this list!!
10. Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith
Another one for the adrenaline junkies, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster is an indoor high speed ride taking you through the streets of Hollywood. Hitting speeds of 0-57mph in under 3 seconds the initial launch on this is as intense as the start of a roller coaster can get. You’ll feel 5Gs hurtling you through loops, inversions and drops. The theming on this one is is certainly not the best at Disney World but its decent.
You’ll enter a studio where the band are recording there latest album and their manager comes in telling them they need to get to a gig. One thing leads to another and Steve Tyler sorts you out some backstage passes and a stretch limousine (the ride car) to arrive in style, just another average day for most. Rolling into Hollywood Studios on the 29th of July 1999 this one is still to this day a very busy attraction. If you rope-drop it, you’ll probably get on pretty quickly but during the day and at peak times its easily north of 120 minutes. It’s worth it for the 5Gs alone though.
So there’s our 10 attractions we believe are worth the wait. The truth is, Disney very rarely offers something you’ll be disappointed by. So if you’re a first timer and you really like the look of it, do it. Simple as that, Disney is the most magical place on earth for a reason, disappointment is not in the Imagineers vocabulary. Everything is worth doing at least once – it’s just about managing your time the best you can.. so have fun and enjoy it!
*Side note* Many people reading this will be thinking “how could you leave ‘Rise of the Resistance’ off this list”…We where due to arrive in Florida in April to ride this, however due to Covid-19 this was not possible. We will be back again in September where I’m sure this will blow us away! But as we haven’t ridden we didn’t feel we could comment on this.
Agree or disagree with anything on this list? As always let us know in the comments and thanks for reading,
See you real soon
Josh & Becky
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