What Are the Fastest Rides at Walt Disney World?

If you are an adrenaline junkie with a need for speed when you head to Disney World, then you need to know where to go for the fastest ride.

While you may think you already know the fastest rides, we’re going to guess you’re in for a surprise when see this list!

The fastest ride at Disney World is Test Track. Here are the 11 fastest rides in the Disney parks:

1. Test Track
2. Guardians of the Galaxy
3. TRON Lightcycle Power Run
4. Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster
5. Expedition Everest
6. Slinky Dog Dash
7. Splash Mountain/Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
8. Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
9. Big Thunder Mountain
10. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
11. Space Mountain

Whether you want to make sure you hit that top fastest ride or you want to ensure to steer clear, we’ve got you covered.

We are going to let you in on exactly where you want to be to hit top speed on the fastest attractions!

The Fastest Rides at Disney World

Our original list was “the 10 fastest rides at Disney World,” but with the addition of some new rides over the last couple of years we had to expand it to by one! We didn’t feel right leaving Space Mountain of of our list.

Each ride includes the speed, height restriction, and Genie+ information. Keep in mind, Disney does change Genie+ rides periodically, so do check right before your visit to see if any changes have been made.

Here’s the top 11 fastest rides at Disney World from slowest to fastest.

#11 Space Mountain

What you need to know:

We were very surprised to see our beloved Space Mountain coming in dead last, reaching only 27 MPH.

Heck, even the silly Goofy’s Barnstormer clocks in at 25 MPH, just 2 MPH under Space Mountain! What gives?

You might have already guessed it, Disney trickery! The Imagineers do such a great job of making you feel in the moment on attractions and Space Mountain is no different.

They use a combination of lighting, music and the genius of darkness to make the fast illusion kick in, but what really does it is the fans and air vents that are specially placed throughout the track blowing wind onto the guests in the ride vehicles.

Still, 27 MPH isn’t that bad for an indoor coaster. This is one of our favorite rides. We make this a priority every single Disney trip.

#10 Seven Dwarfs Mine Train – 34 mph

What you need to know:

Over at Fantasyland lives our next attraction, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. It has a nice boost up from Space Mountain with a top speed of 34 MPH.

This incredible ride is one of the roller coasters of Walt Disney World but it comes with a twist. The cars sway from side to side which give it a very different feel from most coasters.

It’s especially evident as you zip through sharp turns on the track. Other than that, this ride is fairly tame without any upside down, crazy maneuvers that caters very well for the whole family to get on board. Dave gets pretty bad motion sickness and can handle this one!

#9 Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – 36 mph

What you need to know:

What can be more exciting than riding a runaway train? Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in Frontierland takes you through a mining town and then weaves you in and out of dangerous mine caves around a mountain and dessert backdrop.

The ride duration is 3 1/2 minutes long and similar to Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, it is fairly tame with no outlandish drops, spins and turns.

The night ride for BTMR is really cool with the lights around the attraction so if it’s something you can work out in your schedule, we suggest doing that.

This is an extremely popular ride and the wait times get very long. This is a fan favorite for many Disney guests. Keep that in mind as you plan your day. We really love this attraction, but often we will choose some of the Magic Kingdom classics (Pirates of the Caribbean or Haunted Mansion) over it for a Genie+ option.

#8 Twilight Zone Tower Of Terror – 39 mph

What you need to know:

You may be asking how Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is on our list as it’s not considered one of the thrill rides. High Speeds do not just go forward and backward, but up and down too.

The Hollywood Tower of Terror can reach a speed of 39 MPH as it’s plummeting toward the ground and that can be just what thrill seekers are looking for!

Ironically, this ride uses cables to pull the elevator cars down instead of simply having it free fall because free falling wouldn’t be fast enough. This is our mom’s favorite ride in all the Disney parks and is a must-do on every Disney trip! Lines get long, so rope drop this one or use Genie+.

*Check out 18 fun facts about Tower of Terror here!

#7 Splash Mountain – 39 mph (soon to be Tiana’s Bayou Adventure)

What you need to know:

The fastest of the three “mountains” at Magic Kingdom is Splash Mountain, which is a log flume ride presently being re-themed to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.

Is it a fast ride throughout the entirety of your time in the boat? No.

The speed happens one time and you know where that is, on the steep drop over the cliff! However, the 50-foot drop is really exhilarating and will reach a speed of 39 MPH instantly.

One of the biggest questions that gets asked about Splash Mountain is will you get wet? There is around 950,000 gallons of water in this attraction so that tells you the chances of getting wet are pretty high.

When you go down the drop, Disney has geysers that shoot water up (most people think it’s the splash from the flume) and then there is the backsplash from the drop that can hit you as well.

Yes, you will get wet but how wet you get is not an exact science.

#6 Slinky Dog Dash – 40 mph

What you need to know:

One of Disney’s newer coasters located at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Slinky Dog Dash is a family-friendly ride in which guests ride on the back of Slinky Dog and tour Andy’s backyard.

Even though it’s not one of Disney’s scariest rides when it comes to roller coasters, it does have some hills and drops throughout the ride that will keep even the hard core coaster enthusiasts entertained.

This is one of the best themed attraction with it’s bright colors and you get the illusion that you have shrunk in size in order to ride on Andy’s toy ride that he’s set up.

The max speed is 40 MPH and get this, the ride height requirements for Slinky Dog Dash is only 38 inches! Great for the entire family! Get a full review of this ride here.

#5 Expedition Everest: Legend of the Forbidden Mountain – 50 mph

What you need to know:

Not wanting to leave Animal Kingdom out, Disney produced one of the best roller coasters with Expedition Everest. At a height of 199 feet and a drop of 80 feet, guests reach a speed of 50 MPH and can hit 3Gs.

Much can be said of the ride’s scenery and landscape not to mention the great storyline, over 8000 artifacts brought in by Joe Rohde’s team and of course, the Yeti!

Being the only real coaster in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, there will always be long lines but this one is well worth the wait! Try to rope drop this one. This ride does go backwards in the dark so if you get motion sickness you may want to sit this one out.

Fun Fact: Did you know that Expedition Everest is a hidden Mickey?

#4 Rock N’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith – 57 mph

What you need to know:

Right out of the gate you are launched from 0 to 57 MPH in less than 3 seconds! Next you get a wild ride of loops, drops and a corkscrew which solidifies this attraction as one of the best Disney World rides! If you like Aerosmith, you will enjoy it even more!

The set up is the band members have secured you a high speed car to transport you to the streets of Hollywood to make it to an Aerosmith concert. Of all the fast rides at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, this is the fastest!

This is one of our favorite rides to do in Hollywood Studios. We will often rope drop Tower of Terror and then do Rockin’ Roller Coaster immediately after that as they are in the same part of the park.

If you have a young child who can’t do this ride, check out Lightning McQueens Racing Academy while the rest of your family is riding this roller coaster!

#3 TRON Lightcycle Power Run – 59 mph

What you need to know:

This is one of the most anticipated rides to hit Walt Disney World! Tron Lightcycle Power Run takes you on an incredible ride. Hop on a Lightcycle and go on one of the most unique rides you will ever experience.

This ride starts out fast and stays fast the entire ride. You will go 59mph on your Lightcycle and head outside for a brief moment. You will then complete the ride inside. You will feel as if you are going to fly off the bike – but you won’t!

We honestly love this ride. It is fast, unique, and unlike anything we have ever done. If you can’t get a virtual queue you should consider getting an Individual Lightning Lane for this. You can get our full rundown on this ride here.

The only downside of this attraction is that it is over too fast! This is a quick minute and a half ride that feels like it is over in 20 seconds. Jen gets mild motion sickness and had no problems riding this one!

#2 Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind – 60 mph

What you need to know:

Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, we have come to the fastest roller coaster in all the Disney Parks (the fastest overall ride is next…this is just the fastest roller coaster)!

The fastest coaster in all the theme parks is Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind! Officially opened in 2022, this attraction, one of the wildest rides of all has great theming, special effects, intense twists, turns and spins along with the incredible high speed…backwards!

It features the legendary cosmic outlaws, Rocket, Groot, Drax, Gamora and Star-Lord. This coaster also has a lot of “firsts”. First coaster at Epcot. First Walt Disney World attraction to feature the Guardian of the Galaxy and the first reverse launch for a Disney coaster.

If you are prone to motion sickness skip this one. If not – get on and enjoy the ride and soundtrack!

#1 Test Track – 65 mph

What you need to know:

The fastest ride at Disney World is Test Track! Starting out in the attraction, guests can design their own cars to test on the SIM track and as you pass through each test, your car gets ranked.

After building the car, guests get in a car and take it on a test track for an intense test drive in rough terrain and end the ride with a speed test to see how well it does.

There is a speedometer overhead where you can actually see your speed. It must be noted that not every time guests ride in the cars will they experience 65 MPH.

Weather, wind and other factors can slow your car down, but the potential of 65 MPH is there and often achieved.

Honorable Mention – Summit Plummet

What you need to know:

Though not in one of the four Disney theme parks, Blizzard Beach, one of the two water parks has a water slide called Summit Plummet in which you can reach speeds of up to 60 MPH.

Summit Plummet is considered the absolute fastest free fall slide in the world. Not only is it the fastest but also the tallest as it towers 120 feet about the park.

You can imagine on a hot summer day, this slide gets busy so the wait times can get extra long. There is a height restriction of 48 inches and Summit Plummet is considered one of the most scary rides in all the parks.

Finally, the entire ride is over before you know it. 5 seconds long and you are spraying water all over the place as you come to a stop.

Thanks to Walt Disney and his vision for Disney World we have incredible attractions to ride in the Disney Parks! Which of these top thrill rides is your favorite?

FAQ

Want to learn more? Head to one of these posts:

• Which Disney park has the most rides?
• Every ride in EPCOT ranked and listed
• Everything to know about Disney’s water rides
• Disney World Height Requirements (make sure you entire family can get on these attractions!)