Best Rides for Teens at Walt Disney World – Attractions Our Teens Love!

There is plenty to do at Walt Disney World for teens and tweens. It's a common misconception that Walt Disney World is only for smaller children. There is so much to do at Walt Disney World that teens will love especially all the thrill rides!

There are multiple rides in every Walt Disney World park that teens will love and planning ahead on which rides to make sure your teens ride is a great way to incorporate the Disney magic for all the ages in your group.

As a frequent visitor of Walt Disney World, and a fellow parent who is continuously watching her children grow through different stages, I understand the struggle. However, I’ve found that as your child grows older, it’s even more fun to go to Disney World with them. Why? Because there’s more that you’re able to do together! In this article, I’m going to highlight rides, attractions, and activities that your teens and tweens can enjoy. Follow along to find out how Walt Disney World can still be The Most Magical Place on Earth for your teen!

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Popular Rides for Teens at Walt Disney World

When children are younger, they are limited to what rides and attractions they’re able to do. Don’t get me wrong. There are LOTS of rides that young children can enjoy at Disney World. However, the bigger and more thrilling rides tend to have height requirements that most little kids don’t meet. There are also times when a young child is tall enough for a ride, but the ride still seems too big and scary for them and they aren’t quite ready for it yet.

Generally, teens and tweens are ready to ride it all! While the classic, slower rides may still be fun, they now also have thrilling rides as an option!

There are also some attractions that may be more lowkey, but are ones that teens would be able to appreciate more than they could as a young child. Let’s take a look at which rides and attractions are great for teens at each of the Disney World theme parks.

Magic Kingdom

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

“This here’s the wildest ride in the wilderness!” Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is a roller-coaster style ride that teens and tweens are sure to love. On this ride, you enter an abandoned mine shaft, board a train, and then speed through a haunted gold mine. Teens will enjoy the speed, twists, turns, and dips of this ride. 

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure (Opening June 28th, 2024)

While Tiana’s Bayou Adventure isn’t open to the public yet, it’s pretty safe to assume that teens will enjoy this ride. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is a re-imagined, re-themed version of Splash Mountain. Since the ride system is the same, we feel like teens will love this ride just as much as before! This combination of a dark ride and water ride includes fun story telling, music, little dips and bumps where you may get wet, and then ends with a big drop and mighty splash of water.

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

This gentle coaster takes you through the diamond mine from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. With swaying ride vehicles, dips, and turns, teens are sure to enjoy this ride that takes you through a portion of a classic Disney film. One of the best parts of this ride is traveling through the diamond mine. The dark setting is filled with vibrant, sparkling diamonds and our favorite seven dwarfs! It also leads to the biggest drop of this ride.

Space Mountain

Teens can head to Space Mountain for an experience that’s out of this world. During this roller-coaster ride, you zip through space on a rocket. This indoor coaster takes place in complete darkness apart from the glistening stars above. Teens will love the speed, quick drops, jerks, and turns of Space Mountain as they make their way through space back down to earth. This is easily one of the most popular Walt Disney World teen rides!

TRON Lightcycle / Run

TRON is the newest thrill ride at Magic Kingdom that is sure to attract the attention of teens. For this coaster, you’ll climb aboard a Lightcycle and enter the Grid for a high-stakes race. The unique bike-style ride vehicle, dark setting, and neon lights will give teens the “cool factor” that they’re often looking for. Not only is this ride nice in appearance, it’s also extremely fun! Along with Space Mountain, this is also one of the most popular Walt Disney World teen rides!

Other Magic Kingdom Attractions Teens May Enjoy

As children grow into teenagers, they’re more inclined to be interested in learning and understanding things. Even though these aren’t high-speed thrill rides, they’re ones that get their minds thinking. One example is Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress. This attraction takes Guests through multiple time periods and shows how our technology has progressed throughout the years. For children, this attraction may be a bit dull and boring. However, as Guests become older, this attraction becomes very intriguing. It’s interesting to see how things were done in the past, present, and to think about how they might be in the future.

Another low-key attraction that teens might enjoy is The Hall of Presidents. This will really be appealing to those who enjoy history and learning about our country.

EPCOT

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind

Teens will be able to team up with the Guardians and have their chance to help save the galaxy on this amazing ride. This indoor roller coaster is so unique and exhilarating. The ride includes a launch, backwards launch, drops, turns, and is paired with an amazing soundtrack. Taking place in the dark, teens will be surrounded by large screens which puts them right in the middle of the adventure. They’ll never worry about missing the action on this ride because the ride vehicles have 360° maneuverability. 

Teens love this Walt Disney World ride especially the Marvel fans. 

Test Track

Test Track will give teens the opportunity to put their creativity to the test. In the Chevrolet Design Center, they will have the opportunity to create their own virtual car. After they’ve designed their special creation, they’ll be able to take their car for a test drive! Besides the fun of designing their car, the ride itself includes twists, turns, and high speeds!

Any thrill ride that is themed with cars is sure to be a hit with teens at Walt Disney World!

Other EPCOT Attractions Teens May Enjoy

EPCOT as a whole may be appreciated more by kids once they reach their teenage years. There are so many opportunities to learn about different places around the world, our land, the sea, and our technological advancements throughout our past, present, and the possibilities of our future!

EPCOT Festivals are another thing that teens can enjoy more now that they’re older.

Hollywood Studios

There are so many Walt Disney World rides that teens love in Hollywood Studios making this one of the most popular parks for them. 

Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run

On Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, teens will have the opportunity to not only board, but also pilot the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy! They’ll use the Millennium Falcon to help Hondo Ohnaka make important deliveries. During this interactive ride, teens will attempt to fly a starship, avoid danger, and get out of sticky situations. They’ll be in good hands though, because Chewbacca will be there to help!

Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith 

Teens will love the excitement of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster. On this roller coaster, they’ll hop on a super-stretch limo and race against time to an Aerosmith concert. This indoor roller-coaster is in a dark setting that’s accented with neon blacklight signs that lead the way to the concert venue. The ride itself includes 2 rollover loops, 1 corkscrew, and a rockin’ soundtrack!

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

If your teen is a Star Wars fan, they’re going to love Rise of the Resistance. This thrilling ride will make them feel like they’re in an actual Star Wars movie. They’ll even join the Resistance and battle the First Order! This ride is one of a kind. It includes massive sets, visual screens, realistic props, multiple ride systems, and a classic Star Wars soundtrack.

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

Tower of Terror brings thrills and chills. Upon entering the creepy, abandoned Hollywood Tower Hotel, your teen will learn about the unfortunate mishap that took place in the hotel years ago. Before they “check out”, they’ll have a similar experience. Since the hotel elevator is out of service, your teen will be led to the abandoned elevator shaft. They’ll soon find that the elevator shaft is haunted and their elevator will be pulled up and back down again unexpectedly. During their ride, they’ll hear the sounds of elevator cables breaking and of course the shrill screams of hotel guests.

Other Hollywood Studios Attractions Teens May Enjoy

For the teens who enjoy getting a behind the scenes look and  learning about the process of how things are made, there are some attractions at Hollywood Studios that may stick out to them. At Walt Disney Presents, teens will be able to explore the life of Walt Disney as well as the creation of favorite parks, rides, hotels, cruise ships, and more!

If an attraction like this interests them, they’ll also enjoy Star Wars Launch Bay! Not only will they be able to meet beloved Star Wars characters here, they can also learn about the making of their favorite Star Wars movies!

Animal Kingdom

Avatar Flight of Passage

To experience Pandora in the best way possible, teens can head to Avatar Flight of Passage. On this ride, they’ll climb on the back of a winged mountain banshee. They will then take flight over Pandora and enjoy the beautiful views during this 3D experience.

DINOSAUR

Teens can travel back in time on this dark ride adventure. They’ll be tasked with a secret mission to bring back an Iguanodon. Will they be able to accomplish this task before the meteor hits? Their ride will take place on a Time Rover and will include bumps, spurts of speed, and of course – lots of dinosaurs!

Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain

This exciting roller-coaster ride will take teens on an expedition gone wrong. As their train takes them up through the mountains, they’ll come across many obstacles such as broken tracks and an angry Yeti! This fast coaster includes drops, turns, high speeds, and even goes backwards!

Other Animal Kingdom Attractions Teens May Enjoy

Teens can take a relaxing train ride over to Conservation Station. Here they can learn about wildlife, watch scientists and vets at work, and also watch as meals are prepared for the animals. While they’re here, they can also take part in The Animation Experience. The Animation Experience gives teens the opportunity to learn how to draw favorite Disney characters! This drawing class is led by a real Disney animator. Since this takes place at Animal Kingdom, the characters that are drawn are generally Disney animals.

More Disney World Experiences for Teens

These rides and attractions aren’t all that teenagers will enjoy. Now that they’re older, more mature dining locations and shopping will most likely appeal to them too! Disney Springs is a great location for both of these activities. However, you can also enjoy special dining and shopping in the parks as well.

Growing up brings a lot of new perks. Their teenage years are a great time to enjoy Disney After Hours! Now that they aren’t little anymore, early bedtimes won’t be an issue. They can fully enjoy everything that Disney World has to offer after closing time! This can include standard After Hours events, H2O Glow at Typhoon Lagoon, and holiday events such as Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party!

There are also many Enchanting Extras that teenagers can enjoy. Take a look at the full list by clicking here.

Plan Your Walt Disney World Vacation

To get a head start to planning your Disney vacation, subscribe to our FREE Deals newsletter. Here you will have access to useful planning information, exclusive Disney deals, and access to the lowest priced Disney tickets anywhere. Find more information on planning your vacation here:

• Best Magic Kingdom Rides
• Animal Kingdom vs. EPCOT – Which Disney World Park is Best?
• What are the Best rides at EPCOT and Which Should You Skip?
• Best Months to Visit Walt Disney World

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