Disney World might be the absolute Holy Grail for youngsters who want to meet
all of their favorite cartoon characters but that doesn’t mean you can’t have
fun as an adult. During your trip to Disney World with your kids, there are
lots of things to do and some of these include rides that you can enjoy with the
kids. There are also rides that you may want to enjoy alone or with your
partner, while the kids are having fun in the kids clubs. We have listed the top
15 rides to be enjoyed by adults, with or without kids.
15) Rock ‘n’ Roller
Coaster Ft. Aerosmith
The Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster came to life in 1999 and it’s remained incredibly
popular since; it's enclosed steel ride that is found at
the end of Sunset Boulevard. The Roller Coaster is a favorite with teens and
adults, as it accelerates from 0 to 60 miles per hour in an incredible 2.8
seconds. This amazing feat makes the roller coaster the second fastest ride
available in the Disney World resort, following closely behind the Test Track.
Outside of the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Ft. Aerosmith
Courtesy of
www.wdwmagic.com
The roller coaster has five trains but four run at any one time. This means
that the queues may be quite big but kept manageable and moving frequently. The
music element comes in the form of speakers in each cart, where five are found
in each seat. Aerosmith worked closely with designers from Disney to create a
specific and unique soundtrack for the roller coaster, this soundtrack has
been used and updated since its opening more than 10 years ago. As of 2007, new
songs on the soundtrack include Nine Lives, Love in an Elevator, Walk This Way,
Young Lust, Sweet Emotion, Back in the Saddle and Dude (Looks Like a Lady).
Inside the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Ft. Aerosmith
14) Test Track
Test Track is the fastest roller coaster ride available at Disney World and
while it’s enjoyed by kids, tweens and teens, it’s a great attraction for adults
as well. The thrill ride has you seated in a concept vehicle that takes you on a
speedy spin around a track. The simulation car has six seats and has you
enjoying some of the most forward thinking technology as well as ideas in any theme
park.
The simulation car lets you read visual charts as you spin through rough and
flat terrain. You can maneuver your car just the way you want it, speeding
round 50-degree curves and scaling hills that climb anywhere up to three stories
in the air. It’s one of the most insane rides out there and it feels incredibly
real. The speed may not be physical but the design is set to make you feel like
you’re travelling at the speeds outlined on your screen.
In the Second Spin part of the road, you can design your own vehicle and see
how well it scores in a test drive. You can create your own commercial of the
design of your vehicle and even email it home so that you can share it with your
friends as well as family. You can take your newly designed vehicle across difficult
terrain on the simulator and pose for a photograph in your virtual dream car.
It’s perfect for adults who love their cars and a great experience for young
budding race car drivers.
13) Tower of Terror
The Tower of Terror is another popular ride among parents and older visitors.
This is found right near the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster and has a distinct Twilight
Zone theme to it. The ride has big drops, is a thrill ride and one of the
scariest in the whole resort. It has some physical considerations that are not ideal for young people and the disabled.
The adult and teen oriented haunted house takes you through the famous
Hollywood Tower Hotel, which was once the hotel chosen by the rich and famous
until it was eventually closed in 1939. Today, you can walk through its dark
libraries that are packed with weird historical artifacts and enter secret
passages that take you into boiler rooms then directly into the 5th
dimension. It’s a haunting, strange and trippy experience that’s bound to make
you tense at every corner.
When you get to the elevator, you’ll be launched upwards into the unknown and
taken through dark, petrifying rooms. The 5thdimension is found on the 13th
floor, where you’ll come across Twilight Zone scenery and sounds.
You can learn about the story behind the
building and the Twilight Zone television series at this ride, which is great for diehard
fans or people who have become intrigued by the show after their spooky
experience in the Tower of Terror.
12) The Sum of All
Thrills
The Sum of All Thrills is a really exciting and innovative ride found in the
Epcot part of Disney World. This ride is sponsored by Raytheon, and it gives
every person on the ride the chance to design their own ride.You can use a touch screen and mathematical tools
to create your own ride through this simulation system.
Sum of all Thrills Sign
The ride first opened back in 2009 and today, it is one of the most popular
rides for teenagers as well as adults. The interactive touch system makes it easy to determine how high your ride goes
and the speed it travels at. Once you’ve completed it, you will be able to get on board the robotic
simulator and experience everything as if it were real. The 4D robotic simulator
combines movement, sound and vision to create an experience that is hard to tell
apart from a real ride.
Inside the Sum of all Thrills
11) Soarin’
Soarin’ is a popular ride for both kids and adults, and it would be wrong to
ignore it because it’s popular with kids too! If you’re spending time with your
children or you’re going alone, this Epcot attraction is a must-see. This is a
ride that, like the Sum of All Thrills, uses a simulator to create an
unforgettable experience.
Soarin' Entrance
This ride will not have you creating your own ride but instead will take you
on flying tours across California. You'll skim atop the largest and most
majestic redwood forests of America then weave around landmarks
like the Golden Gate Bridge. You’ll feel like you’re really flying as you hop
aboard your simulated hang gliding contraptions and sit in front of the
incredible IMAX projection screen. The experience feels just like it would if
you were flying and you can even play mini games as you fly through the
beautiful California scenery.
10) Primeval Whirl
Primeval Whirl is definitely not for the faint hearted, this roller coaster is
designed to spin and slide. It takes you right back to the dinosaur age. Okay,
so maybe it’s not really a time traveling device, but it’ll certainly give you a
thrill. Every cart is circular and you’ll spin around as you go down the roller
coaster track.
This carnival style ride attraction takes you through dips and turns. You’ll
fly by cartoon dinosaurs, fossilized jigsaw puzzles and more. The dinosaur theme
may not be all that impressive as an adult but the ride itself is
pretty entertaining. It’s certainly one of the more difficult to ride attractions in that you’ll have to hold on pretty hard. It’s certainly not for anyone with a
weak stomach, either. The spinning doesn’t stop right until the end and it
simply doesn’t compare to anything else in the whole resort.
Primeval Whirl Coaster in Action
9) Space Mountain
Space Mountain is another popular attraction among the older guests and teens, the ride makes it feel like you’re traveling at stupendous speeds throughout
outer space. You’ll be boarded into a rocket vehicle and when all system are
ready, you’ll ascend 180 foot up a virtual mountain and launch into the deep
universe. The ride is accompanied by sound effects and music, it'll feel as if
you are literally shooting past satellites as well as stars during your
simulation journey.
Space Mountain view from the Monorail
By Benjamin D. Esham, via
Wikimedia Commons
You’ll also feel gravity pushing and pulling on you as you enter into a
wormhole that brings you back firmly onto the ground. It might sound strange
but the ride is even approved by a NASA astronaut. The idea came about in the
late 1960s but it was only in 1975 that the technology became available to make
the attraction work. Gordon Cooper, an astronaut from Mercury 9 and Gemini 5,
approved the ride and immediately made it a popular attraction. It still holds
up today as one of the best rides in the resort and it’s definitely worth
trying!
8) Big Thunder
Mountain Railroad For the big kid at heart, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is another great ride to
try. The idea behind the attraction is that the train carriages and general
surroundings are possessed by the ghosts of dead gold miners who were killed in
a flood. The ride is often enjoyed by children but it’s certainly not designed
specifically with children in mind. It is a jolty, unpredictable ride that has
twists and turns across the track, taking you indoors and outdoors.
The first version of this ride opened in 1979 and the second updated
version appeared in 1980. The whole ride is designed and based on Re Rock
Canyon and it has a less ‘tame’ offering than similar ‘ghost train’ rides,
meaning it’s not ideal for small children or the disabled. Its maximum speed is
30 milers per hours and there are three lifts, two indoors and one outdoor.
7) Splash Mountain
Splash Mountain is another really fun ride at Disney World, and while popular
with kids, it’s just as much fun for an adult. The thrill ride will be sure to
get you wet, so don’t get on board unless you’re willing to get soaked! This is
a log flume ride that travels much further than most as it drifts down a long and meandering river that passes through many
sites.
The log flume ride is based on the classic 1946 Disney tale called Song of
the South, where a crafty rabbit is being chased by a bear and a fox who are
trying to eat him. The ride follows the adventure of the rabbit and includes
more than 950,000 gallons of water. There are three dips and the waterfall is five stories high! It’s invigorating, fun, wet and hilarious, great for people of any age as long as you’re not afraid of water.
6) Fantasmic
Fantasmic in Disney World can be found in Sunset Boulevard, it's a
30 minute fireworks and water extravaganza can be experienced by everyone. It’s
not so much a ride but more an experience, where immersive effects and animatronic figures are accompanied by some of the most amazing technology. It
really brings Disney to life and while it may well be enjoyed by a young
audience, the 30 minute show dazzles everybody who witnesses it.
Fantasmic
The fireworks and water show features characters from The Lion King, Aladdin,
Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, Peter Pan, Sleeping Beauty as well as Beauty and
the Beast. To make it more interesting is that it's interrupted by the Evil Queen and other evil characters from
Disney. Mickey eventually saves the day using the power of imagination and the
amazing finale will bring out your inner child.
Another scene from Fantasmic
5) Great Movie Ride
The Great Movie Ride can take you right into the movies and gives you an
incredible 18 minute tour of some of the most famous movies to ever come out of
Hollywood. The slow ride can be found in Hollywood Boulevard and it lets you
relive some of the most incredible moments in movie history. You can become a
part of the movies by acting and posing along side audio animatronic replicas of
movie stars from Aliens, Casablanca, Fantasia, Mary Poppins, The Wizard of Oz,
The Public Enemy as well as many more.
Great Movie Ride Entrance
Your tour will even include a full reproduction of the Grauman Chinese
Theater, complete with footprints, handprints and signatures of some of the
biggest stars from the world of Disney.
Chinese Theatre Replica
4) Pirates of the
Caribbean
The Pirates of the Caribbean raft ride is incredibly popular with teenagers and
adults at Disney World. The raft ride features drops and dark passages,
it’s a great way to feel what life was really like during these pirate ages.
The raft tour will take you through the Old World and the trip will be
accompanied by the sound of the well known anthem "YoHo, YoHo (A Pirate’s Life
for Me)" that was sung by Captain Jack Sparrow in the film.
Once you have experienced the 17th Century on your tour, you’ll also be able
to experience some of the replica scenes from the movies that include the Pirate
Grotto. The grotto is home to the Hurricane Lagoon and the Dead Man’s Cove,
which gives you an insight into what pirates had to live like when sailing.
There’s also the town square and The Fort, which let you learn more about the
life of regular people in the 17th century with pirates. It also explains how war
worked with such limited technology at the time.
The attraction was first designed to be a wax museum and wasn’t initially
designed to be specific to the Pirates of the Caribbean. At first, it was simply
a pirate attraction and after the New York World’s Fair,
Walt Disney decided
that audio animatronics were the best way to bring pirates to life.
Three years after the fair, in 1967, the pirate themed attraction opened in
Disney World with some of the most modern and impressive special effects of the
time. Today, the attraction is as popular as ever and features updated animatronic technology.
3) Ellen’s Energy
Adventure
Ellen’s Energy Adventure is an
Epcot attraction that features a 45-minute look
at time, space and energy through multimedia outlets. This is a talk given by
famous TV show host Ellen DeGeneres and accompanied by the one and only Bill
Nye the Science Guy. During the talk, you will encounter some of the biggest
prehistoric creatures and you’ll learn how the fossil fuels that are used today
were formed from ancient life forms as well as organic matter. The smell of prehistoric
swamps will be pumped into the room and you’ll see how volcanoes really look
when they are erupting.
Ellen's Energy Adventure
The journey back in time will include surround cinema as you
experience the Big Bang, the event that is thought to have begun the very
universe that we live in. After all of the visuals have finished, Bull Nye the
Science Guy joins Ellen to talk about energy and the problems that we face
today. It may sound like a lesson in science but it’s really fun. It’s a great
way to inform the kids and keep adults interested who enjoy science as well as care about their environment.
2) Studio Backlot
Tour
The Studio Backlot Tour is another popular attraction, where you can go behind
the scenes of some of the most famous movies and see how the special effects
were created. It’s classified as a
slow ride but it’s certainly one of the more enjoyable attractions for older
guests.
A particularly exciting part of the Studio Backlot Tour is the demonstration
of a sea battle in warships and airplanes. You can become a part of the harbour
attack, looking out from an observation deck to see how sea battles are filmed
and later edited to create the amazing scenes we see in modern as well as older war movies.
If you’d like to properly take part in the harbour attack demonstration then
be sure to arrive early. Tell cast members that you’d like to be a part of it
and they will fit you in if other people have not already volunteered for all of
the available roles. Not all requests can be granted but if you arrive early
enough, you can certainly be a part of the re-enactments.
There’s also the tram tour that takes you to Catastrophe Canyon, this tour
begins after the harbour attack show and it takes you to the backlot where all
of the props are housed from a wide range of Disney movies.
Some of the warehouses can be walked through, where you will recognize a
number of familiar items from your famous movies and get straight back on the
tram to see even more of the Hollywood sets. Some popular things to see during
the tram tour are Earful Tower, creative costuming, The Boneyard that features
vehicles from Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, The Love Bug, Herbie and the
backstage area of the Extreme Stunt Show.
Finally, you can take a detour during the second part of your trip and see
what a real movie set is like. You can make your way across rickety bridges,
watch fireballs shoot from tanks and see how a wide range of special effects are
made right there on the set.
Back to the Future Movie Set
1) It’s Tough to be
a Bug!
Ever wondered what bugs actually do, other than creep you out when they appear
under your cupboards or on your ceilings? The "It’s Tough to be a Bug" exhibit
at Disney World is a great way to learn about insects and the importance
they add to our lives. This is considered a little too scary for younger kids
but if you are with older kids then it’s perfectly suitable. It’s also great
if you’re without the company of children! Part of the charm of Disney World is
that it is educational as well as fun and It’s Tough to be a Bug! finds the
perfect balance between these two things.
This ride will see you walking along a long and winding pathway that is
surrounded by tangled branches, roots, carvings of animals and depictions of
the Tree of Life. This is all found within the Animal Park on Discovery Island.
Once you get inside the actual ride, you’ll be given 3D glasses before being
shown to a seat in the theater, which holds more than 400 people.
The show takes inspiration from the Disney classic "A Bug’s Life" and shows
you what it’s like to be an insect by showing you a film from the perspective of
a bug. With the 3D glasses, it feels just as if you have been shrunk and placed
into a bug’s habitat, making this a truly interesting once in a lifetime
experience.
This particular attraction was even popular before "A Bug’s Life" even existed,
as the concept was surrounded solely around insects. It was later that the
characters from the movies made an appearance. Today, it’s an incredibly popular
attraction that shows off some pretty incredible technology and lets you learn
about what it is exactly that bugs do for us.
Conclusion
With Disney World, you can do more than just keep the kids happy. In fact, these
are only 15 of many other attractions found throughout Disney World that are
great for adults. On top of the huge amount of restaurants and bars, there are
numerous rides available that are educational and fun. In addition to ride,
there are shows and
events that are bound to catch your interest.
Be sure to read more about what’s available at Disney World. You might be
impressed and surprised by how much is available for adults attending the famous
theme park and resort "for kids".
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