Slinky Dog Dash

Image: DisneyYou’ll notice that four of the attractions listed here are new-ish, although two of them are re-skins of existing attractions. The recent prioritization of adrenaline rush attractions isn’t a coincidence. Disney park planners are sensitive to the complaints of customers and casual observers alike. They are aggressive in addressing all criticisms. And their latest one subverts expectations on how a roller coaster should work.

Slinky Dog Dash is kind of a dicey inclusion for this list, but I feel it meets the core criteria. No, it’s not the fastest or most intense roller coaster. It’s closer to the Barnstormer, if I’m being honest. It deserves a spot here because it is brilliant in structure.

Slinky Dog Dash mimics a slinky toy in the way it stretches and contracts, adding an inimitable ride sensation to the experience. And it uses bunny hops better than any coaster in recent memory. In combination with the genius spot of stopping and starting the ride in the middle, Slinky Dog Dash is the best thrill ride possible for kids.

Space Mountain

Image: DisneyCome on, you’d send me an email full of swears if I excluded this one. No, Space Mountain isn’t the freshest roller coaster on the planet. Who cares? It’s THE most famous coaster in the world, and it might be the most famous attraction overall. It didn’t earn that status by accident. To the contrary, it’s faced 40 years of imitators and still towered above the rest of the industry.

Space Mountain is quietly one of the slowest roller coasters you’ll ever ride, maxing at 32 miles per hour. You’ll never know this, however, because Imagineers understand the psychology of ride mechanics. A bit of sensory deprivation with the occasional lighting effect is more than enough to turn a slower coaster into the truest icon in the industry.