What is the best ride/attraction in the world? (even non-Disney)

Walt Disney1955

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
This doesn't have to be exclusive to Disney parks but since we are on a Disney board I get the feeling that a lot of answers might come from there. But it could be an attraction from Universal, Six Flags, Cedar Point, wherever.

It goes without saying, but this ride has to be the one ride that if you could only pick one then this is the one you would go on. I don't know about the rest of you, but my choice has to have good theming, some thrills possibly, maybe a dark ride, some character and a ride you can't experience anywhere else, so it has to be unique.

I can name 4-5 rides that are very high on my list but I won't say them yet because I want to open up the discussion because it might open my mind up a bit more. But I have it narrowed down to a few rides that "get" me more than any others.

So to make this thread a little harder, no top 10 lists. Just your favourite ride/attraction in the world at ANY theme/amusement park. I'll let you add an honorable mention though just to be fair if you're having a hard time
 

Scuttle

Well-Known Member
Tough question! Since there isn't a functional yeti I would have to say spider man, but it's so dated now. Im going to have to say forbidden journey solely based on there is no ride like it in the world right now.
 

MarkTwain

Well-Known Member
That's a tough one, because it really depends on how you define "best attraction".

If you think the best attraction is the one that is the most elaborate and grand, then Disneyland's Pirates of the Caribbean might win because no ride since has yet reached its sense of pure scale (number of AAs, amount of construction, size of showbuilding, etc.), as well as having unique value for its history.

If you think of a ride as an art form, and that quality of artistry is better and more important than scale, then Haunted Mansion might therefore win for its chilling mood and its effectiveness at telling its story.

If you think cutting-edge technology and being the most "modern" ride makes a ride better than others, then Forbidden Journey would probably win, seeing as its technological experience has yet to be matched.

If you think, like many people, that the best ride is the most thrilling one, then that could be one of any roller coasters around the country.

And then of course, people have their own personal preferences as to which they consider the best attraction, based on nostalgia or personal experiences.

So here's my list of possible contenders for the coveted title, in no particular order:

Pirates of the Caribbean (Disneyland version)
Haunted Mansion (Magic Kingdom version)
Indiana Jones: Temple of the Forbidden Eye (Disneyland)
Harry Potter & the Forbidden Journey (Islands of Adventure)
The American Adventure (Epcot)
Tower of Terror (Hollywood Studios)
 

David S.

Member
For me, it's VERY close between It's A Small World and Splash Mountain. Both are off the charts in my ever-important "cuteness scale", and both make me feel extremely warm, fuzzy, happy feelings. And are both very musical in nature, with EXTREMELY catchy, happy, sing-along songs, which is also a very important quality for me.

One difference is Small World is more atmospheric, while Splash has more linear storytelling.

Splash has a thrill element which I enjoy (the drops), but then again I am not always in the mood to get wet. In addition to the warm happy feeling, it also makes me laugh, due to the antics of Brer Fox and Brer Bear. And the "Welcome Home Brer Rabbit" final scene is just Pure Happiness!

But I really love the message of peace, harmony, love, and tolerance found in Small World. It's just so positive, so beautiful, so cute, so happy! And Small World doesn't just have a Happy Ending finale - the whole ride is Pure Happiness!

I'm going to have to call this maybe a small edge for Small World, but in another mood I may reverse it.
 
The American Adventure?
Pirates of the Carribean?
Its a Small World?
Seriously??

At least Shiekra is a more credible answer, however is NOTHING compared to Oblivion at Alton Towers in England - the ORIGINAL vertical drop rollercoaster.

For me, nothing has came close to The Mummy at USF, not even Forbidden Journey. The anticipation I had before I rode The Mummy for the first time has not been matched anywhere.
 

jlandis44

Member
Tough one...can't really put them in order, due to my varied interests, but here are a bunch...
- Haunted Mansion (WDW)
- Millenium Force/I305 (both similar coasters at Cedar Point and Kings Dominion)
- Tower of Terror (Theming alone is worth it. The yo-yo part of the ride is pretty standard)
- Apollo's Chariot (Busch Gardens VA)
- Star Trek: The Experience (Vegas Hilton, but no longer in existence...but, the theming was off the charts)
- Men in Black (Universal FL...IMO, the best shooter ride I've seen)
- France pavilion area at Epcot (I just find it to be a neat place with a neat movie)
- Pirates of Carribean (but, as with other Disney attractions...Dinosaur, and parts of HM, it really could stand to be a tad better lit up)

I realize that I'm an amusement park freak, and pretty much everything entertains me!
 

David S.

Member
The American Adventure?
Pirates of the Carribean?
Its a Small World?
Seriously??

Yes, seriously. There is always someone who can't just have fun and participate, but has to bash other people's taste. As Mark Twain said, there are MANY different ways and criteria that you can use to look at and evaluate the attractions. Plus, it's ALL subjective and subject to personal taste, it's not some scientific process that can be universally agreed on.

At least Shiekra is a more credible answer, however is NOTHING compared to Oblivion at Alton Towers in England - the ORIGINAL vertical drop rollercoaster.

Why is Sheikra a more "credible" answer? Maybe if thrills are the most important criteria, but the question wasn't "Best thrill ride or coaster", but "Best attraction". And an attraction can be awesome WITHOUT being a thrill attraction. So, I would say Shiekra is equally "credible", depending on the criteria being used, but not moreso.

I picked Small World and Splash for the "credible" reasons I described above -namely, the overwhelming internal HAPPINESS felt by me due to the themed elements, AAs, music, charm, etc. Sure, I could have gone for pure physical thrills, but those are common all over the world, and plus my favorite thrill rides that thrill me the most generally don't have theming. But if I was going for pure physical thrills, I would have voted (among the ones I've ridden) for Boulderdash (Lake Compounce) or the Boss (Six Flags St. Louis) for wood coasters, and Nitro (Great Adventure), Goliath (Six Flags Over Georgia), or Apollo's Chariot (Busch Gardens Williamsburg) for steel coasters.

As for Shiekra vs Oblivion, I have no doubt Oblivion has better theming and uniqueness due in part to the drop being in a dark underground tunnel (which they HAD to do, due to Alton Towers' strict height limits), but the fact that Sheikra is a longer ride with a SECOND vertical drop must count for something, from a pure thrills perspective. Personally, I like Griffon (another B&M "Dive Machine" at BG Williamsburg) slightly more than Sheikra, because it has a few small humps after the second drop that produce airtime, giving the ride 4 moments of airtime compared to Sheikra's 2 (the 2 drops).

See, I know my coasters, having ridden 279 of them ;). But for favorite attraction when taking into account everything, including theming and how they make me feel internally, and not just physical thrills, my choice of It's A Small World (and Splash Mountain) stands! ;)
 

WildcatDen

Well-Known Member
IMO

Best Coaster - The Beast at King's Island
Best Water Ride - Splash Mountain - Magic Kingdom
Best Overall Ride - Forbidden Journey - IOA
 

Mickey_777

Well-Known Member
My vote goes to Indiana Jones: Temple of the Forbidden at Disneyland...but word on the street says that Indy at Disney Sea in Japan is even better...freakin' Tokyo Disneyland Resort.
 

Walt Disney1955

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Why is Sheikra a more "credible" answer? Maybe if thrills are the most important criteria, but the question wasn't "Best thrill ride or coaster", but "Best attraction". And an attraction can be awesome WITHOUT being a thrill attraction. So, I would say Shiekra is equally "credible", depending on the criteria being used, but not moreso.

Yes, it goes without saying but my intentions were to have a thread that "there is no wrong answer". Pirates of the Caribbean isn't thrilling but it's fascinating. I love the thrills too but I also love the rides that amaze you. Therefore to make this decision I have to ask myself if I had a choice would I want to be on an attraction that thrills me (pick a coaster) or one that amazes you every time you ride it (Haunted Mansion). None are wrong answers.

IMO

Best Coaster - The Beast at King's Island
Best Water Ride - Splash Mountain - Magic Kingdom
Best Overall Ride - Forbidden Journey - IOA

Yes.

Done two out of those three (darn Potter opening up only months after I was there). You wouldn't think that on paper The Beast would be anyone's favourite coaster because it is "only" a 135ft. drop and goes "only" 65mph. But let me say this, a wooden coaster that goes that fast is insane. You feel that thing in your bones. My brother and law and I both agreed that while riding that we felt that it was about to fall off the tracks and that a wooden coaster isn't supposed to go that fast. It really freaked you out, and the tunnels are the tightest I have ever seen on a coaster. Lastly, the Beast is secluded from everything else. You are in the middle of the bush when you ride it and it adds to the seclusion.
 
My favorite coaster still has to be the Big Bad Wolf at Busch Gardens. Rode it for the first time when I was a kid. It was my first inverted coaster and I'll never forget it.
 

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