3. Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout!

Image: DisneyIn 2016, Disney took a perfect ride and broke it. They famously ditched The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and repurposed the ride structure into a new IP. This decision caused a schism among Disney fanatics, many of whom were fond of the Rod Serling-based theme. Some observers rightfully noted that the Disney California Adventure (DCA) version was derivative, a copy of the original at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. That’s definitely true, although we’ve already listed a couple of examples of copies that are everywhere at Disney.

Independent of where you stand on the change, it’s the new normal at DCA today. Tower of Tower is gone, and Mission: Breakout! has replaced it. To an extent, it’s an improvement. The joy of the bouncing elevator shaft is now magnified by hilarious interactions with the various Guardians of the Galaxy. Disney took an already-entertaining ride and made it better. And they also added an outer space element, which qualifies it for this list.

2. Avatar Flight of Passage

Image: DisneyChoosing the best space ride at Disney comes down to a simple debate. Do you prefer the shiny new thing or the classic? You can already tell how I vote.

Avatar Flight of Passage is unmistakably brilliant. It’s an augmented reality attraction that recreates the sensation of flying on the back of a mountain Banshee, an indigenous species on Pandora. You soar through the landscape from the movie, Avatar, appreciating all its wonders. And the terminology there isn’t accidental. The ride is a spiritual successor to Soarin’, a proven ride concept that Disney fanatics love.

I basically have no complaints about Avatar Flight of Passage, an E Ticket attraction in every sense of the word. It’s forward-thinking, thrilling, and extremely satisfying. It’s just not…

1. Space Mountain

Come on, when you saw the article topic, you knew what would win. I’ve previously described Space Mountain as the alpha and the omega of steel roller coasters. It’s the ride that triggered the entire coaster craze. When theme park tourists think of Disney thrill rides, Space Mountain should be the first thing that pops in your head. If it’s not, the only explanation is that after more than 40 years of dominance, it’s an attraction that people have started to take for granted a bit.

Space Mountain embodies everything that Disney loves about space exploration. It’s set in a future when intergalactic travel is as ordinary as a subway ride. It uses a technology so far ahead of its time that Disney had to wait almost a decade to implement it. And the thematic setting is the dark void of outer space. All of the other interplanetary and intergalactic rides listed here are imaginative in their own ways, but NOTHING celebrates the space race and space age better than Space Mountain.