Going to Disneyland is instant magic. The music and atmosphere instantly transport guests back to childhood, and the rides serve as the perfect way to turn adults into kids again. Everyone has their favorite ride, the one attraction that they absolutely cannot miss when visiting the park. Here, though, are seven attractions that I believe everyone should ride at least once during their visits. There are rides that instantly bring guests back to childhood, or provide riders with a thrill that only Disney can offer.
7. Disneyland Railroad.
This ride is a classic. Walt Disney absolutely loved trains, and when coming up with concept designs for Disneyland, he had his heart set on having a train that circled the perimeter of the park. Though it may not be the most exciting ride, it presents riders with a certain sense of nostalgia, and offers young kids an exciting glimpse of different eras in time. Though currently closed to accommodate the addition of Star Wars Land to the park, this ride is an absolute must, and will be dearly missed until it is back up and running.
6. Jungle Cruise.
The Jungle Cruise is a ride perfect for all ages. Sure, it’s pretty low-key, and the entire ride is filled with terrible jokes and bad puns that would undoubtedly make your dad laugh, it’s one of those rides that you can’t miss. There’s just something reassuring about the fact that though this ride may be narrated by a real person, the jokes stay consistently bad. It’s a fun experience for kids and adults alike, and always serves as a great way to get a few minutes of relaxation while still maximizing your experience in the park. And if you get the chance be sure to check it out during the holidays, when the ride gets a temporary makeover and turns into the Jingle Cruise.
5. Indiana Jones Adventure.
Indiana Jones Adventure is undoubtedly one of the best rides in the park. It’s a total thrill, and no matter how many times you ride it, it just never gets old. Thrilling and action-packed, this is the ride that kids can’t wait to go on. They are continually mixing up the ride and adding new features, ensuring that there’s always something new for visitors to experience. Riding in those jerky Jeeps and trying to escape being crushed by a giant boulder is like a rite of passage for Disney-lovers. It’s an experience that can’t be beat, and is a ride that never gets old
4. The Haunted Mansion.
There are two versions of this ride, and with it comes the age-old argument of which incarnation is better. For most of the year, guests experience The Haunted Mansion as it was originally created, by traveling through a dark and creepy mansion filled to the brim with old antiques, and its famous 999 Happy Haunts. At the end of the year, however, guests flock to the ride to experience The Haunted Mansion Holiday, where Jack Skellington and his crew from "The Nightmare Before Christmas" show up and temporarily take over the ride, delighting guests with the wonderful take of the Pumpkin-King-turned-Sandy-Claws. Though most people prefer one version more than the other, this is a ride that never fails to entertain, and always provides guests with joy and delight.
3. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
“This here’s the wildest ride in the wilderness”. Also one of the most fun rides in the wilderness, this roller coaster takes riders on a runaway mining train through a ghost town, experiencing high-speeds, whipping turns, and stomach-dropping sensations. After a huge refurbishment a few years back, new features and more detail have been added, making the ride even more thrilling. Not many roller coasters can thrill guests without going upside down, but Thunder Mountain manages to pull it off. And it feels like a completely different ride during the day than it does at night, making it necessary to go on it at least twice in a visit, to really get the full experience. The perfect roller coaster for families, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad offers enough thrill and excitement to please older riders, while still remaining tame enough to appeal to younger guests.
2. Peter Pan's Flight.
This is, undoubtedly, one of the most magical rides in the park. You would be hard-pressed to find another ride that embodies the magic and wonder of Disneyland the way that this one does. Hopping into a pirate ship and soaring through the night sky into Neverland is something everyone should experience when they visit the park. Flying through the night sky of twinkling stars and watching Peter Pan and Captain Hook duel is a delight for both children and adults. After Disney’s Fab Five, Peter Pan is arguably the character who best represents what Disneyland is meant to be, and this ride serves as a reminder of that. Though it may be one of the shorter rides the park has to offer, the magic that it embodies makes it worth that 40-minute wait, every time.
1. Pirates of the Caribbean.
Oh, Pirates of the Caribbean. It is my firm belief that this ride is the heart and soul of Disneyland. It is the ride that all guests flock to, eager for the chance to take a boat ride and encounter some roguish pirates. There’s something about the smell when you walk into the ride — calling to mind a mixture of old pennies, chlorine, and cleaning products — that instantly transports you back to your childhood. Pirates of the Caribbean is a ride with a little bit of everything - it is a water ride with hair-raising drops and just enough singing and animatronics to give it a perfect balance. The line for this ride typically isn’t very long, but even if it is, the attraction is worth it. Pirates of the Caribbean is a ride perfect for every age, and always delivers on entertainment. This attraction truly makes you feel like you are a part of the action, floating along and trying to stay alive as countless pirates pillage and plunder the surrounding areas. Without this ride, Disneyland Resort would be missing a huge part of what makes it so magical. Everything about this ride is sheer perfection, and is a staple for all who visit the park.
Without these rides, Disneyland would not be the park that it is today. All seven of these attractions come together to form the core of Disneyland, to serve as the backbone of the park that Walt Disney always dreamed of it becoming. And though there are countless other rides in the park to spend time waiting in line for, these are the attractions that have always drawn people in in the past, and that will continue to do so for years into the future.
