3. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Yes, selecting Big Thunder Mountain as the best E-ticket roller coaster is a bit controversial, but I stand firm on this one. In recent years, I’ve come to appreciate just how consistently this ride entertains me. In fact, I’ve taken to riding it at night and love to shout, “Tony Baxter is a genius!” as the man-made mountain glows in the dark. It’s one of the most scenic attractions at Disneyland and just narrowly makes this list. Big Thunder Mountain is the last official E-ticket attraction in Disneyland history.

2. Haunted Mansion

When I think of timeless attractions, Haunted Mansion quickly springs to mind. There’s something about this macabre Doom Buggy ride that has entertained me since childhood. The incongruity of comedy in a haunted house has always appealed to me, although I’ve also been terrified of Constance Hatchaway since I was in Kindergarten.

Out of the E-ticket attractions at Disneyland, Haunted Mansion comes with the most intrigue. It took so long to build that E-tickets didn’t even exist during its conception. For that matter, neither did Disneyland.

Its incubation lasted so long that Haunted Mansion wouldn’t arrive until a decade after the introduction of E-tickets, though. As one of the anchors of New Orleans Square, it undoubtedly drove ticket sales until Disney introduced the single admission system. And it’s still a brilliant attraction today that gets better with each plussing. For example, the triumphant return of the Hatbox Ghost warmed every Disneyland fan’s heart. I seriously thought about naming it the best E-ticket attraction, but…

1. Pirates of the Caribbean

In terms of name recognition, I'm not sure that any theme park attraction in the world tops Pirates of the Caribbean. Hearing that name transports the listener to a Disney theme park, as everyone knows the setting for the attraction. It's a boat ride through pirate territory, a place where you're safe, but all of the people that you're observing are in peril. Some are under fire, others are being chased, and a few are even imprisoned.

Pirates of the Caribbean stands above all other E-ticket attractions due to its sustained run of excellence. It never fades in quality, as Imagineers plus it frequently. Sometimes, the changes prove controversial, but the overall experience remains hypnotic to this day. It exemplifies how well Disney Imagineers can tell a rich story over the course of a few scenes. While every E-ticket attraction here has always been worth the high cost of admission, Pirates of the Caribbean is the best.