Top 29 Disneyland Rides Ranked: Best to Worst

From classic Disneyland rides like Dumbo the Flying Elephant to new favorites like Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, there’s something for everyone at this California theme park.

There’s so much to take in at the first-ever Disney park that it can be pretty overwhelming. The best Disneyland rides range from nostalgic opening day attractions to technologically advanced experiences that immerse you in the worlds of your favorite films, so there’s a lot to cover.

iBestTravel’s on-staff theme park expert Elizabeth Rhodes says it’s tough to narrow down the best Disneyland attractions, but if you’re short on time, you’ll need to pick the rides most important to you and plan your day around those experiences. “I’ve experienced dozens of attractions at Disney parks around the world, but Disneyland rides are special — especially those that were overseen by Walt himself when the park first opened in 1955.” She continues, “When it comes to picking the ‘best’ attractions, you have to consider the mechanics of the rides along with their theming, history, and cultural significance.”

We’ve pitted 29 attractions against each other for the ultimate ranking of Disneyland rides. (All forms of transportation — Disneyland Railroad and Monorail included — were omitted, so you can get to the fun as fast as possible.)

You can’t do it all in one day, so use this guide to make sure you experience the very best rides at Disneyland during your next trip to the park.

29. Storybook Land Canal Boats

It’s worth riding once for the joy of passing through Monstro the Whale’s mouth, but beyond that, this slow-paced drift past shrunken-down versions of fairy-tale settings feels somewhat trapped in time.

28. Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage

Though the ride was retrofitted to a decades-old Tomorrowland attraction, actually being submerged while taking in the story of “Finding Nemo” is more transportive than you may expect. The low-key underwater journey is made enjoyable thanks to individual porthole-style windows, allowing everyone to have the very best seat on the sub, even if the vehicle can feel somewhat claustrophobic.

27. Casey Jr. Circus Train

The most entertaining part of this homage to “Dumbo’s” circus transport is the adorable train itself, whose seats are inside wild animal cages and gilded cars. Huffing and puffing over hills, it provides a remarkably slow journey, proven to be more enjoyable from the walkways of Fantasyland than actually on board.

26. Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin

The mechanics of this spinning “Who Framed Roger Rabbit”-themed ride are well-regarded, but the other-era animation and plot lines are likely to be lost on most guests who ride it. Cartoonish and deeply ’90s, it feels more like an attempt at a Disneyland ride than actually being one.

25. Astro Orbitor

Plagued by too-small rocket pods and reliably lengthy, sun-soaked waits, at a minimum, it’s dizzying; at its best, it barely provides a view of the castle. With its stunning orb-topped tower providing a stately entrance to Tomorrowland, this one is best enjoyed from the ground.

24. Pinocchio’s Daring Journey

Built as an homage to the classic animated film, Pinocchio’s Daring Journey remains a bit too intense for children and dull for those all grown up. It’s a fine ride, in the end, but deeply average when compared to the rest of what Disneyland has to offer.

23. King Arthur Carrousel

This stately attraction’s low ranking is only testament to Disneyland’s prowess, a park imagined by Walt while sitting outside a similar ride. Elsewhere, a carousel with white horses would shine like a rare gem, but amidst the park’s other unique and beloved options, it’s somewhat forgettable.

22. Chip ‘n’ Dale’s Gadget Coaster

There’s only so much you can do with a kid’s coaster, but the theming on this one is great: oversized and colorful, like the surrounding ToonTown. Attention-grabbing with its massive soup cans and thread spools, the only complaint is that Chip ‘n Dale’s ride doesn’t last longer — which isn’t much of a complaint at all.

21. Snow White’s Enchanted Wish

Formerly Snow White’s Scary Adventures, this refurbished dark ride in Fantasyland now tells a happier tale about the beloved Disney princess with new scenes and effects. It’s a perfectly pleasant ride through the story we all know and love, but it’s not the top Fantasyland attraction.

20. Dumbo the Flying Elephant

At its core, it’s the same as Astro Orbitor, but Dumbo’s whimsy and enlightening backstory give it a ratings boost. The blue elephant floating across the sky is deeply iconic, but the nostalgia alone isn’t enough to make this roundabout worth riding — and enduring its lengthy wait — without children.

19. Alice in Wonderland

Brilliantly executed and nearly better than the original movie, this ride through Alice’s trip down the rabbit hole is solidly entertaining, yet one of its most enjoyable parts — popping outside the ride before heading back in — only serves as a reminder of more exciting rides you could be on instead. (That is, if you don’t still find the Queen’s section to be downright scary.)

18. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

Hidden so far back in the park, this dark ride has its high points — particularly Pooh’s dream-state encounters with Heffalumps and Woozles — so it’s worth the trek if your little ones (or you!) are obsessed with the lovable bear.

17. Autopia

Zooming through the park in tiny cars is undoubtedly thrilling for kids, but not the same for adults who just endured freeway traffic to get to the park. Still, with its secluded trails, lovable signage, and Matterhorn views, Autopia remains a gem.

16. Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters

Though guests in this blacklight shooting gallery are intended to work as Buzz’s recruits to bring down Evil Emperor Zurg, it’s moreso a gleeful competition between passengers, gaining points from hitting targets while twirling two-seat vehicles around with a joystick. Become a high-scoring Galactic Hero and you too could rack up a number that nearly goes to infinity and beyond.

15. Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride

Whether you adore the subdued inappropriateness of the subject matter — beers twirling through the air, for example — or simply want to visit each time so Disney keeps it intact, Mr. Toad is legendary for more than being one of the better dark rides on Disneyland property. Sure, the cutout characters and painted decor feel oddly temporary, but that’s not important; the fact that guests can enjoy this still-standing attraction is.

14. Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run

Between the stunning 110-foot-long recreation of the most famous hunk of junk in the galaxy and a painstakingly reconstructed interior that’s identical right down to the iconic holochess table, there’s plenty here to thrill both early trilogy obsessives and their more recent counterparts. Select passengers can even thrust the Millennium Falcon into hyperdrive — easily every Star Wars fan’s life-long dream.

13. Star Tours – The Adventures Continue

The redux of Disneyland’s original motion simulator remains one of the park’s more exciting attractions, thanks to its immersive 3-D effects and an up-close visit from C-3PO himself. By utilizing a sequence of random events, the ride is different every time, providing simulated jaunts to Jakku, Hoth, Crait, and Kef Bir that offer an action-packed counterpart to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge while satisfying fans’ love for the entire series of films.

12. Peter Pan’s Flight

There’s a reason the line to board Peter Pan’s Flight is perennially long — it’s as classic as you can get. Flying over the lights of London is pure magic for young ones but remains delightfully entertaining for older guests, too. Its overhead ride system makes the presence of the Darlings and Captain Hook feel undeniably real, with lighting gags and appearances by Tinker Bell only enhancing the magic.

11. Jungle Cruise

It’s not just sailing through lush landscapes and the backside of waterfalls that keeps guests coming back for more. Jungle Cruise is truly the only attraction that relies more on Disneyland’s charismatic cast members than the mechanics of the ride, making it that much more enthralling.

10. It’s a Small World

Though the never-ending jingle can be overwhelming to some, It’s a Small World is nonetheless a delightful ride indeed. International cultures represented amidst happy-faced dolls, eye-popping colors, and literal pounds of glitter are made all the better come Christmastime, when the boat journey through the nations undertakes an explosion of holiday glee.

9. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

This rough and tumble ride over a southwestern mountainscape is a joyous trip that the whole family can enjoy. With its dark caverns, intricate mining camps, and inexplicable dinosaur bones, gold mining has never been so much fun.

8. Space Mountain

Tomorrowland’s best adventure takes guests on an other-worldly trip to the stars at rapid speeds. The pitch-black indoor coaster is a fan favorite for its sudden drops, hairpin turns, and out-of-this-galaxy theming, providing thrills in tune with its whirring soundtrack.

7. Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway

Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway is just what the new and improved Toontown needed. The delightful trackless dark ride follows Mickey, Goofy, and pals on an exciting cartoon adventure suitable for all ages. The ride itself is almost identical to its Walt Disney World counterpart (which opened in 2020), but the adorable queue is entirely unique and packed with Mickeys.

6. Mad Tea Party

Whirling around on this “Alice in Wonderland”-themed spinning ride can be as quintessential to a Disneyland trip as enjoying a churro. Though it appears at other Disney parks throughout the world, all others pale in comparison to this open-air rendition. Effervescent as could be with a too-cute color scheme, it remains as good on Instagram as it is in person.

5. Matterhorn Bobsleds

Walt Disney’s rendition of the famed Alps peak — which here comes with a pair of toboggan-style steel coasters — has been enthralling guests since it was introduced in 1959. The addition of a red-eyed Abominable Snowman enhances the journey, but its true charm comes in its dated touches with herky-jerky turns and often unexpected splashings.

4. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance