The most popular Disney World rides aren’t always kids’ favorites. These underrated attractions are the ones my kids ask to ride again and again.
When I started taking my son to Walt Disney World, I assumed the biggest rides would be the attention-grabbers right out of the gate. But that’s not how it’s played out.
Instead, the rides he asks to ride over and over are some of the simplest in the parks. They’re familiar, interactive, and just the right speed for a preschooler who’s more interested in cars and flying high (at a slow speed, obviously) than a ride’s popularity. These are the attractions that can fly under the radar but are hugely popular with my kid.
Tomorrowland Speedway
If you asked me before becoming a parent which Magic Kingdom ride we’d ride multiple times in one trip, Tomorrowland Speedway probably wouldn’t have made my list. But to my son, getting behind the wheel is the ultimate experience.
Photo by Cliff Wang
He talks about “driving the car” long before we even arrive at the park, and the smile on his face as he steers around the track makes the smell of the engines and the not-so-smooth ride completely worth it.
It’s one of those attractions that reminds me kids don’t experience Disney the same way adults do. Sure, roller coasters are nearby, but he’s just thrilled to be in the driver’s seat.
The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
The Magic Carpets of Aladdin doesn’t usually top anyone’s list of must-do attractions, but my son would happily ride it any time. In fact, on our last visit, I had to carefully avoid walking near Adventureland, because he would immediately make us ride it again (and five times in a row is my limit).
Photo by Laurie Sapp
Little kids love Dumbo the Flying Elephant, and this is frankly the exact same ride with some slight difference. And part of the appeal is that he gets to help control the ride. Plus, it’s short, colorful, and never asks too much in terms of its wait time, which is why it’s plenty fun for kids and tolerable for adults.
Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid
This one probably shouldn’t surprise any parent of a preschooler. Slow-moving and filled with scenes that tell Ariel’s story, Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid has a way of becoming a repeat ride.
Now, this Fantasyland ride can form long wait times, so it is arguably a more popular pick. But it’s not nearly as popular as others in Fantasyland, particularly dark rides like Peter Pan’s Flight and the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.
Photo by WDW Magazine Photography Team
Young kids like my son will love to sing along with Ariel, point excitedly at their favorite characters, and notice little details. The ride moves slowly enough that he can take everything in, and every time we step off, he’s already asking when we can ride it again.
Spaceship Earth
I don’t know what it is about Spaceship Earth, but my son is obsessed. Normally, dark rides like this can either frighten him or captivate him, and I expected Spaceship Earth to be a little scary due to its animatronics and the completely dark second half of the ride.
But this is one he asks to ride repeatedly, and after riding it four times in a row recently, I might be starting to understand the appeal.
Photo by Marisa Alvarado
For adults who grew up with the ride, it’s an obvious pick (and Spaceship Earth does draw a crowd many days!). For kids, the slow-moving ride vehicles paired with the changing scenes might not tell a familiar story, but it does offer them a whole lot that’s new to take in.
