What are the top 5 rides ever built? (non-Disney too)

[Walt Disney1955]

Just do a list of your favourites, or just ones that you believe to be the best ones ever constructed. There could be sentimental value to it, amazing thrills, brilliant attention to detail or just pound for pound the best attraction ever constructed. Feel free to wander outside of Disney for this one too if you wish. I thought this could make some interesting discussion. I have a list, but as this thread goes on it could change with some I haven't thought about.

Obviously just include ones you have personally riden.

My top 5:

Pirates of the Caribbean
Splash Mountain
Spiderman (Universal Studios)
Haunted Mansion
Hall of Presidents (until I see life-like dead Presidents like that anywhere else........)


Notable mentions: Millennium (Cedar Point), Incredible Hulk (Universal), Tower of Terror


As you can see I put a lot of emphasis on attention to detail. Thrills are huge to me as well, but what overall will blow me away more? I decided, it's attention to detail and transporting you into a different world.

(I have NOT been down to Florida since Harry Potter was completed so.......)

 

[Bravo 229]

Here's what I would include in the Top 5 just from rides I have ridden:

1. Horizons - the best work of art to ever appear in a theme park, hands down.

2. The Haunted Mansion - an excellent ride that has and will stand the test of time.

3. Journey Into Imagination - another excellent Disney attraction that had an excellent theme, story and music to tie it all in.

4. Splash Mountain - I have ridden many log flume rides, but nothing compares to the themeing and story of Splash Mountain.

5. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey - it definately deserves some credit, as it has everything that you would expect from a great attraction, but I would not call it the greatest attraction of all time.

 

[cheezbat]

1.Haunted Mansion (current MK version)
2.Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey (Islands of Adventure)
3.Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (Hollywood Studios)
4.Indiana Jones Adventure (Disneyland)
5.Revenge of the Mummy (Universal Studios Orlando)

I'm also a huge fan of Spiderman(IOA), Pirates(Disneyland), Jurassic Park(Universal Hollywood)and Everest(DAK)...to claim your top five is tough!

 

[SeaBase86]

1. Indiana Jones Adventure (innovation + great story telling + excellent theming = success)

2. Pirates of the Caribbean (innovation)

3. Harry Potter and The Forbidden Journey (yeah that's right).

4. Tower Of Terror (who says a thrill ride can't have an elaborate backstroy?)

5. The Amazing Adventures Of Spider Man (Universal does it again)

 

[Oriolesmagic]

1. Harry Potter and The Forbidden Journey (Fanboy or not, you're crazy if you think Disney has anything better.)

2. Haunted Mansion (Best ride at Disney hands down.)

3. Amazing Adventures of Spiderman (Not themed perfectly but it's one heck of an experience.)

4. Spaceship Earth (Call me crazy but this attraction is one of my all time favorites. Phoenicians anyone? :animwink

5. Great Movie Ride (Best ride at DHS, IMO)

 

[rct247]

1. Indiana Jones Adventure (innovation + great story telling + excellent theming = success)

2. Pirates of the Caribbean (innovation)

3. Harry Potter and The Forbidden Journey (yeah that's right).

4. Tower Of Terror (who says a thrill ride can't have an elaborate backstroy?)

5. The Amazing Adventures Of Spider Man (Universal does it again)

^ I agree with this one, except move Pirates down to number 4 and tie it with The Haunted Mansion.

1. Indy, 2. Potter, 3. Tower, 4. Pirates/Mansion, 5. Spiderman

 

[Krack]

1. DL Pirates of the Caribbean
2. The American Adventure
3. Indiana Jones Temple of the Forbidden Eye
4. Horizons
5. MK Haunted Mansion

 

[Blackburn23]

Seems like a perfect first post opportunity!

#1 - The Monorail (MK Resort Line is my Favorite)
#2 - Test Track (Indycar fan, makes sense)
#3 - Pirates of the Carribbean
#4 - Toy Story Midway Mania
#5 - Jungle Cruise at night (when the skippers are really wild!)

 

[scheat]

1. Haunted Mansion
2. Spiderman
3. Horizons
4. When it first came out and for its time Back to the Future was incredible
5. POTC

 

[Susan Savia]

Test Track
Spaceship Earth
Haunted Mansion
Toy Story Mania
TTA

 

[elisatonks]

1. Space Mountain (Disneyland Paris Version)
2. Backlot Tour (both current Disneyland Paris Verison & old WDW version. aka pre building Lights Motors Action on half the land.)
3. Tower of Terror (for Innovation)
4. Fantasmic! (again for innovation)
5. Carousel of Progress, Horizons & Space Ship Earth (from originality and innovation)

 

[ScorpionX]

1. Test Track
2. Harry Potter & the Forbidden Journey
3. Horizons
4. Kingda Ka
5. The Haunted Mansion

 

[Disneybear]

1. The Amazing Spiderman - Amazing sums this ride up for me

2. Tower of Terror - Brilliant from the moment you first look up at it and hear the screams from the bottom of Sunset Boulevard.

3. Mission Space - nothing else like it

4. Splash Mountain - Tony Baxter and the guys must have been smoking some funny cigarettes when they came up with that technicolour marvel.

5. Its Tough to be a Bug

It's too difficult to come up with just five and to be honest if you asked me to do this again next week i'd probably put my top 5 in a different order.

Special mentions also to ET, Men in Black, Alien Encounter, Test Track and Nemesis (Alton Towers UK), haven't rode Harry Potter yet or I'm sure it would have made the list, although I dont know what I would have left out for it.:shrug:

 

[powlessfamily4]

Carousel of Progress (the history behind the ride)
Spaceship Earth
Haunted Mansion
Toy Story Mania
Soarin

I would like to add a contender for me is Back to the Future that Universal Studios used to have (closed in 2007). I loved this ride. At the mention of the removal of the ride, I still remain petulant and prone to temper tantrums. This is one of the prime reasons I no longer go to this park.

That's right folks, it's my ball and I'm taking it home!!!

 

[Thrill Seeker]

5. Test Track (Epcot)
4. Horizons (Epcot)
3. Revenge of the Mummy (USO)
2. The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man (IoA)
1. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey (IoA)

Yes, I am a thrill ride guy, which is why Universal takes the Top 3 spots on my list. Horizons is the best dark ride ever built, so it had to make the Top 5. Rounding it out is my favorite ride currently at Disney, Test Track.

 

[loveofamouse]

For my top 5, it'll be the rides that stuck with me the most. Themeing, experience, thrill, and design.

1. The Mummy at US- I love the design of the ride. I love the mix of dark ride through with coaster and spx

2.The Tower of Terror- like a previous poster said, from sunset blvd to exit, it's just pulls you in and is awesome themeing

3. Haunted Mansion at WDW- Again, theme and music

4. The Hulk- my fav is being launched out of the lift hill. Even knowing it's coming, it's still awesome

5. Manta(?) at SW- This was the only coaster that has truly had my dad and me screaming not for fun.

Honorable Mention: Space Mountain, Spiderman, Dinosaur, Jurassic park, Twin Dragons(used to be top 5 until queue was redone for WWoHP)

Ive been to BG in Tampa, 6F in GA and ILL and Kings Dominion. These are the rides that stick in my mind. I may change the order of the 5, though. I also haven't been to WWoHP yet

 

[Epcotdad]

1. Pirates of the Caribbean
2. Haunted Mansion
3. Maelstrom
4. Tower of Terror
5. Small World

 

[Pete C]

Themed Rides:
1. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
2. Tower of Terror
3. Spiderman
4. Journey to the Center of the Earth
5. Revenge of the Mummy

Unthemed thrill rides:
El Toro, SFGAdv - The most intense rollercoaster in America
Superman Ride of Steel/Bizarro, SFNE - A close second
Top Thrill Dragster and Kingda Ka - The best one-trick ponies
The Voyage - It is what it says it is

 

[NYwdwfan]

Carousel of Progress (the history behind the ride)
Spaceship Earth
Haunted Mansion
Toy Story Mania
Soarin

I would like to add a contender for me is Back to the Future that Universal Studios used to have (closed in 2007). I loved this ride. At the mention of the removal of the ride, I still remain petulant and prone to temper tantrums. This is one of the prime reasons I no longer go to this park.

That's right folks, it's my ball and I'm taking it home!!!

This was the best ride I was ever on. I am right there with you on the temper tantrums and park boycott. :zipit:

 

[Epcotbob]

Here's what I would include in the Top 5 just from rides I have ridden:

1. Horizons - the best work of art to ever appear in a theme park, hands down.

2. The Haunted Mansion - an excellent ride that has and will stand the test of time.

3. Journey Into Imagination - another excellent Disney attraction that had an excellent theme, story and music to tie it all in.

4. Splash Mountain - I have ridden many log flume rides, but nothing compares to the themeing and story of Splash Mountain.

5. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey - it definately deserves some credit, as it has everything that you would expect from a great attraction, but I would not call it the greatest attraction of all time.

Totally agree, Horizon's is in a class all it's own. Whenever I walked off of that ride I felt "Inspired", excited about the potential for man's future.

What other attraction can do that ??