105 Best Sights in Walt Disney World Orlando, Florida

Set in gold-rush days, this thrilling roller coaster simulates a runaway train. It's a bumpy ride with several good drops (pregnant women and guests wearing back, neck, or leg braces should avoid this one). There are moments when you feel like you're going to fly right off the tracks. Overall, it's more fun than scary, and you'll see kids as young as 7 lining up to ride, though there is a 40-inch height requirement. The train rushes and rattles past 20 Audio-Animatronics figures—mostly critters—as well as $300,000 worth of genuine antique mining equipment, tumbleweeds, a derelict mining town, hot springs, and a flash flood.

The 197-foot mountain landscape is based on the windswept scenery of Arizona's Monument Valley, and, thanks to 650 tons of steel, 4,675 tons of concrete, and 16,000 gallons of paint, it replicates the area's gorges, tunnels, caverns, and dry riverbeds. For people with disabilities: You must be able to step into the ride vehicle and walk short distances. Service animals aren't permitted. To avoid long lines, go first thing in the morning or during a parade. The ride is most exciting at night, when you can't anticipate the curves, and the track's rattling really sounds as if something's about to give.

Based on the wildly popular Toy Story, this ride gives you a toy's perspective as it pits you and Buzz Lightyear against the evil Emperor Zurg. You're seated in a fast-moving, two-passenger Star Cruiser vehicle with infrared laser guns and a centrally located lever for spinning your ship to get a good vantage point. Throughout the ride, you shoot at targets to help macho space toy, Buzz, defeat the emperor and save the universe. You have to hit the targets marked with a "Z" to score, and the rider with the most points wins. To infinity and beyond! For people with disabilities: To board you must transfer to a standard wheelchair. Equipped for audio-description and handheld-captioning devices. Go first thing in the morning or during a parade. If you're with kids, time the wait and—if it's only 15 or 20 minutes—ride twice so they can have a practice run.

Get ready to defy gravity on Disney's multipassenger water coaster, which is designed to propel you uphill and down along flumes, caverns, and spillways. Keeping with park lore, Crush ’n’ Gusher flows through what appears to be a rusted-out tropical fruit factory, weaving in and out of the wreckage and debris that once transported fruit through the plant's wash facilities. Three "fruit chutes" are aptly named Banana Blaster, Coconut Crusher, and Pineapple Plunger—one of which is designed for solo riders. Guests shouldn't ride if they are pregnant or have heart, back, or neck problems. For people with disabilities: An elevator takes guests using wheelchairs to the loading area; there's a short distance between this area and the ride.

 Ride first thing in the morning before lines get too long. And don't forget to say cheese for the cameras!

If you're on your way to Snow Stormers or Toboggan Racers on the purple slopes, you might notice this cool-looking slide on the left. It's well worth the stop, as you're timed from blastoff to finish line! Competition can get heated as kids (48 inches or taller) vie for the glory of fastest speed slider, but even the least competitive will enjoy tearing down Mt. Gushmore in their racing tubes. Expectant mothers shouldn't ride, nor should guests with heart conditions or neck or back problems. For people with disabilities: Guests using wheelchairs must transfer to the tube-launch site. Ride early; this popular purple-slope attraction gets crowded after lunch.

Stroll the path through an artfully planted woodland and meadow to a rustic French cabin complete with waterwheel, where Belle's father, Maurice, tinkers with his inventions. The small homestead oozes Belle's provincial life, with a giant pot hanging in the fireplace and books stacked on a simple wooden chair. Inside her father's workshop, amid blueprints and tools, a giant gold-framed mirror hangs. A costumed cast member welcomes your group to the workshop (Bonjour!) and implores everyone to chant, "Take me back to the day Belle and Beast fell in love!" Voilà! The mirror becomes an animated screen straight from the Disney film Beauty and the Beast before transforming into a portal that leads to an elegant room of Beast's Castle.

Inside, an Audio-Animatronic Madame Armoire encourages you to grab props and play character roles from the "tale as old as time." Then it's on to the library, where a spot-on Audio-Animatronic Lumiere holds court from the mantle. Grab a cushy bench as a coiffed actress playing Belle joins you to perform a scene from the enchanted tale. You'll dance around the room to "Be Our Guest," and you might shed a tear as the interactive story unfolds. This live performance gets to the heart of Disney storytelling, and every participant poses for photos with Belle before a very happy ending. For people with disabilities: Wheelchair accessible; equipped for handheld captioning and assisted listening. This is a slow-moving line that is mostly outside, so visit here first thing in the morning.

A fierce yeti guards the route to Mt. Everest. Of course, you're willing to risk running across the big guy in your roller-coaster quest to reach the summit. So, you board an "aging," seemingly innocuous, 34-passenger, steam-engine train into the mountains. You roll past bamboo forests, waterfalls, and glacier fields as you climb higher through snowcapped peaks. Suddenly, the train becomes a runaway, barreling forward then backward around icy ledges and through dark snowy caverns. Nearly a mile of twists and turns cut through the dark mountain, and, at one point, your train plunges a harrowing 80 feet. Will you find the yeti?

Buildings along the queue look like Himalayan mountain dwellings and teem with things like prayer flags, totems, and other artifacts from Tibet, Nepal, and the entire region. Because of the backwards portion of the ride, those wanting a wilder experience should ride up front.

Pregnant women or guests with back, neck, or heart problems shouldn't ride. For people with disabilities: You must transfer from your wheelchair to a ride vehicle; ask a cast member about the Transfer Practice Vehicle. No service animals. If you don't head straight to Pandora come here first. Also, you can take little ones to nearby Finding Nemo: The Big Blue . . . and Beyond! while older kids do this ride.

If you think you've seen enough Lion King to last a lifetime, you're wrong—unless you've seen this show. Disney presents a delightful celebration of song, dance, and acrobatics that uses huge moving stages and floats. The show's singers are first-rate; lithe dancers wearing exotic animal-theme costumes portray creatures in the wild. Timon, Pumba, and other Lion King stars have key roles. The show is presented in the Harambe Theater in the park's Africa area. For people with disabilities: Wheelchair- and ECV-accessible; equipped for assisted-listening and handheld-captioning devices; sign-language interpretation is sometimes offered. If you aren't using Genie+, arrive 30–40 minutes before showtime. If you have a child who might want to go on stage, try to sit up front to increase his or her chance of being chosen.

A recent update to this show sped up the storytelling but kept the beautiful costumes and puppets and the infectious tunes—including the heart-warming "Big Blue World"—from the previous Finding Nemo musical. For people with disabilities: Wheelchair accessible. Equipped with reflective captioning and for audio-description and assisted-listening devices. Check with Guest Relations for sign-language schedule. Arrive 30 to 40 minutes before showtime. Bring little kids here while older tweens and teens ride nearby Expedition Everest over in Asia.

The special effects here are a howl. You're greeted at the creaking iron gates of this Gothic mansion by a lugubrious attendant, who has one of the few jobs at Disney for which smiling is frowned upon, and ushered into a spooky picture gallery. A disembodied voice echoes from the walls: "Welcome, foolish mortals, to the Haunted Mansion. I am your ghost host." An audio system with 30-plus surround-sound speakers ups the ghost-host fright factor. A scream shivers down, the room begins to "stretch," and you're off into one of Disney's classic attractions. Don't rush out of this room when other visitors depart; linger for some ghoulish bonus whispers. Note that as the Haunted Mansion is basically a slow-moving ride in a cocoonlike "doom buggy," it's really scary only for younger children, and that's mostly because of the darkness. If, however, the stretch room proves too scary, see a cast member to exit instead of riding.

Watch the ghostly ballroom dancers, Madame Leota's talking head in the crystal ball, and ghostly footprints that move along a staircase. In the "bride in the attic" scene, keep an eye on the portraits. Just when you think the Imagineers have exhausted their bag of ectoplasmic tricks, you discover that your doom buggy has gained an extra passenger. This is a high-capacity, fast-loading ride, and lines usually move steadily. For people with disabilities: Those in wheelchairs must transfer to the doom buggies and take one or more steps; however, if you can walk up to 200 feet, you'll enjoy the preshow as well as the ride's sensations and eerie sounds. Equipped for handheld-captioning and audio-description devices. When you reach a fork in the queue before entering the mansion, go left through the cemetery for interactive graveyard fun. The Musical Crypt and Secret Library help you forget you're in line. Nighttime adds an extra fright factor.

A giant Imagineered baobab tree is the starting point for exploring this animal sanctuary. Although re-creating an African safari in the United States isn't a new idea, with this one, great pains were taken to create an authentic environment, allowing you to observe rhinos, hippos, antelopes, wildebeests, giraffes, zebras, cheetahs, elephants, lions, and the like as if you were seeing them in the wild. Illustrated game-spotting guides are available above the seats in the open-air safari vehicles that lurch and bump over some 110 acres of savanna, forest, rivers, and rocky hills. You'll see most of the Harambe Reserve's 34 species of animals—sometimes so close you feel that you could reach out and touch them. It's easy to suspend disbelief here because the landscape and habitats are so effectively modeled and replenished by Disney horticulturists.

Keep an eye out for animal babies here and on the post-safari Pangani Forest Exploration Trail; the park's breeding programs have been extremely successful, with new additions including elephants, rhinos, okapi, giraffes, and several gorillas. It's a completely different experience at night, and the animals are often much more lively and interesting, so this experience definitely deserves a revisit. If you have to choose, the nighttime experience is probably superior.

Parents should hang on tightly to their small tykes. The ride is very bumpy and should be avoided by expectant guests or those with heart, back, or neck problems. For people with disabilities: Wheelchair accessible, but ECV users must transfer to standard wheelchairs. Equipped for assisted-listening and video-captioning devices. Guests with service animals should check with a host for boarding information.

During the hottest months, come first thing in the morning when animals are most active. Otherwise come at day's end when it cools down a bit or at night. For the best photo ops, ask to be seated in the very last row of seats (you might have to wait for the next vehicle) where you can pivot for an unobstructed view of the animals you just passed.

If you've ever wondered what it's like to fly, or at least hang glide, this attraction is your chance to enjoy the sensation without actually taking the plunge. It uses motion-based technology to literally lift you in your seat 40 feet into the air within a giant projection-screen dome. As you soar above the wonders of the world—from the sharp peaks of the Alps and the Great Wall of China to Sydney Harbor in Australia and the spires of Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria—you feel the wind and dodge the spray of leaping whales.

The flight is so mild (and the view so thrilling) that even very timid children love it. For people with disabilities: Those with mobility impairments must transfer from their wheelchairs to the ride system. Equipped for video-captioning devices. Service animals aren't permitted on the ride. Long lines mean this should be one of your first stops upon entering the park, or you can wait until just before fireworks to try for a shorter line.

Each of these three body slides is about 300 feet long and snakes in and out of rock formations, through caves and tunnels, and under waterfalls, but each has a slightly different view and offers a twist. The one in the middle has the longest tunnel; the others feature secrets you'll have to discover for yourself. Brace for splashdown on all three slides! Maximum speed is about 20 mph, and the trip takes about 30 seconds. These slides are not appropriate for guests who are pregnant or who have heart, back, or neck problems.

Try each of the three slides for different twists.

Starting on the "ski jump" tower atop the green slopes of Mt. Gushmore, you slide straight down—some 12 stories at about 55 mph—and then into a tunnel before a white-water splash landing at the end of the 360-foot-long run. It looks almost like a straight vertical drop, and you can't help but feel like a movie stunt double as you take the plunge. If you're watching from the beach below, you can't hear the yells of the participants, but you can bet many of them are screaming their heads off. If you have heart, neck, or back problems or are pregnant, avoid this attraction—one of the most intense in all of Disney. For people with disabilities: This attraction requires walking up two flights of stairs and is not suited to those with mobility issues. Make this your first stop early in the day. Summer afternoon waits can be up to two hours.

Great toys like Mr. Potato Head, Woody, and Buzz Lightyear from Disney's hit film franchise Toy Story never lose their relevance. The action here involves these beloved characters and takes place inside the toy box of Andy, the boy whose toys come to life when he's not around. Step right up and grab a pair of 3-D glasses before boarding your jazzed-up carnival tram. Soon you're whirling onto the midway where you can use your spring-action shooter to launch darts at balloons, toss rings at aliens, and splatter eggs at barnyard targets.

You'll rack up points for targets hit and see your tally at ride's end. Try using a rat-a-tat shooting approach to increase your score. Don't let Rex's fear of failure slow you down—shoot for the stars, and earn a salute from the Green Army Men. For people with disabilities: Guests using ECVs must transfer to a standard wheelchair. Equipped for video-captioning and audio-description devices. Check with a host about boarding with a service animal. It's so addictive that you might want to ride first thing and then return later in the day.

After you enter the dimly lit lobby of the deserted Hollywood Tower Hotel and then the dust-covered library, a lightning bolt zaps a TV to life. Rod Serling recounts the story of the hotel's demise and invites you to enter the Twilight Zone. On to the boiler room, where you board a giant elevator ride. The fifth dimension awaits, where you travel forward past scenes from the popular TV series. Suddenly, the creaking vehicle plunges into a terrifying, 130-foot free fall and then, before you can catch your breath, shoots quickly up, down, up, and down all over again. No use trying to guess how many stomach-churning ups and downs are in store—Disney's ride engineers have programmed random drop variations into the attraction for a different thrill every time.

Those who are pregnant or have heart, back, or neck problems shouldn't ride. For people with disabilities: You must have full upper-body strength and be able to transfer to a ride seat. Equipped for video captioning. Service animals can't ride. Come early or wait until evening, when crowds thin, and it's spookier.

The heart of the park is this 2½-acre swimming area with almost 3 million gallons of clear, chlorinated water. It's scalloped by coves, bays, and inlets, all edged with beaches of white sand—that's spread over a base of white concrete, as bodysurfers discover when they try to slide onto the shore. Ouch! The waves are the draw. Twelve huge water-collection chambers hidden in Mount Mayday dump their load into trapdoors with a resounding whoosh to create 6-foot waves large enough for Typhoon Lagoon to host amateur and professional surfing championships.

A piercing double hoot from Miss Tilly (the boat that legend says was deposited on Mount Mayday's highest peak during a storm) signals the start and finish of the wave action. Ninety-minute periods generating bigger waves every 90 seconds are punctuated by 30-minute sessions of placid bobbing waves. Even during the big-wave periods, however, the waters in Blustery Bay and Whitecap Cove are protected.

On certain days, skilled surfers and novices alike can enter the park before it opens for private sessions ( 407/939–7529 for reservations). Instruction and a soft-sided surfboard are included in the $199 cost, and the experience (ages 8 and older) lasts 2½–3 hours. For people with disabilities: Accessible for people using water-appropriate wheelchairs.

See the chalkboard at beach's edge for the day's wave schedule.

This stunning thrill ride puts you atop a dragonlike mountain banshee for the ride of your life. After a trek deep into the jungles of Pandora, you enter a room where scientists pair banshees with visitors. On instruction, you board a vehicle resembling a motorcycle that faces a blank wall. After hopping on, you don special 3-D goggles, the action begins, and you are one with your banshee. You feel it come to life beneath you, as Pandora comes to life before your eyes. The banshee's wing muscles pump as you hurtle down cliff faces and soar above the floating islands familiar from the film. The visuals are breathtaking, with dense jungles, seascapes, vast waterfalls, and alien plant life passing rapidly before your eyes. Even more astonishing, however, are the subtle smells and temperature changes that accompany different landscapes, immersing you totally in the experience. For guests with disabilities: Guests must transfer to a standard wheelchair and then on to ride vehicle. Individual Lightning Lane pass is highly recommended here, especially during summer and holiday times.

In Norway's dandy boat-ride homage to the popular Frozen film, you pile into a 16-passenger, dragon-headed longboat for a dark-ride voyage around Arendelle. The familiar form of Olaf welcomes you as you enter the frozen willow forest and head to Queen Elsa's ice palace, meeting up with Anna and many familiar Frozen characters along the way and hearing the popular songs from the film. The animated figures are amazing, featuring Disney's first all-electric Audio-Animatronics, allowing much more fluid and graceful movement and utilizing projection-mapped faces, which make the figures look exactly like their animated counterparts. For fans who miss the Maelstrom ride, which this attraction replaced, keep a sharp eye open for Easter eggs that remain, particularly in the castle finale. For people with disabilities: You must step down into and up out of a boat to ride. Equipped with reflective captioning and for assisted-listening, audio-description, or handheld-captioning devices. Lines here can be long and slow moving. If this is a must-see with kids under 7, try to head here first thing in the morning.

The peace-loving planet Xandar, from Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, has opened as the first other-world exhibit at EPCOT. However, in true Guardians fashion, something goes wrong. While demonstrating their advanced technology to you humans, The Searcher (a big baddie) steals it to time travel to the Big Bang to keep humanity from being created. Enter the Guardians—and you.

The presence of the Guardians keeps the laughs coming; Drax in particular will have no problem in hilariously insulting you, and the soundtrack is StarLord worthy. Even the queue area is impressive, featuring interviews with the Guardians and StarLord reminiscing about his own visit to EPCOT in the 1980s. The preshow has its own out-of-this-world moments as well. Marvel fans who aren't up to saving the world can enjoy all of this before asking to exit.

This attraction features the first reverse launch of any Disney ride, and it is intense. The cars can swivel 360 degrees, so your pod will move forwards, backwards, and sideways throughout the coaster. Though there are no flips, the sensations can be overwhelming, and extra trash cans have been added at the exit. If you start to feel queasy, try to concentrate on the track to help with the motion sickness.

For people with disabilities: Guests must be able to transfer from their wheelchair or ECV. Audio description, handheld captioning, and assistive listening are available. As the newest and most popular attraction in EPCOT, only virtual queue (book it promptly at 7 am) and individual Lightning Lane (not Genie+) are offered for this experience.

Wander the jungles of Moana's world in EPCOT's newest attraction, Journey of Water. Trails wind through beautiful jungle landscapes with plenty of chances to get completely soaked as kids direct a water symphony, run through small geysers, and find hidden images of characters from Moana. Adults can join in on the fun or follow Te Fiti's dry path, which includes a beautiful statue from the climax of the film. For people with disabilities: This attraction is wheelchair accessible, and audio description is available.

Inspired by the newest Mickey and Minnie shorts, this ride begins with you inside a new cartoon about Mickey and Minnie's desire for a perfect picnic. But all does not go according to plan, and when Pluto steals their picnic basket, that's when you're off. Aboard Engineer Goofy's railway, you'll chase after the picnic basket, twisting and turning inside the cartoon. The "trackless" cars seem to move on their own, letting you dance with Daisy or get caught in a massive tornado. Don't fret, though: despite the "runaway" part of the name, this is a tame ride that any age can enjoy. For people with disabilities: Audio description and handheld captioning are available. Those in a wheelchair or ECV will need to transfer to the ride vehicle using a transfer device located on a number of the cars. Those with little kids will want to visit here first thing, otherwise wait until around dinner when lines are shorter and the outdoor line isn't as hot.

Star Wars fans will love being able to actually pilot the Millennium Falcon on a supply run. Hondo Ohnaka, who fans will recognize from Star Wars: The Clone Wars, has hired you to fetch "precious cargo" that will bring him big profits and help the Resistance by providing much-needed supplies. Chewie has offered use of the Millennium Falcon, but it will take a team of six to complete the mission. Groups are split into two pilots, who drive the Falcon; two gunners, who defend the Falcon; and two engineers, who rope in the cargo. The effects, first with the Audio-Animatronic Hondo Ohnaka and then walking through the ship itself, are incredible. Be sure to take a picture at the legendary Dejarik (chess) table.

Once onboard, your crew must work together to retrieve the cargo and bring the Millennium Falcon back with minimal damage. At the end of your mission, Hondo tallies up how you did, minus repairs to the Falcon and his profit, of course. Most guests want to ride again to improve their score! For people with disabilities: Guests need to transfer to a standard wheelchair and then into the ride vehicle. Those wanting to be gunners or engineers can directly transfer; pilots will need to use a transfer wheelchair but will find the ride more secure once they are in place. Note that the many ramps throughout the line can be tough on standard-wheelchair users. Visit this attraction first upon entering, and then plan to wait to ride again.

This is one of the few rides in the world that inspired a film franchise (Haunted Mansion and Jungle Cruise are the others) rather than the other way around. The gracious arched entrance soon gives way to a dusty dungeon, redolent of dampness and of a spooky, scary past. Lanterns flicker as your boat sails, and a ghostly voice intones, "Dead men tell no tales." Next, a deserted beach, strewn with shovels, a skeleton, and a disintegrating map indicating buried treasure prefaces this story of greed, lust, and destruction. You'll pass right through a water-mist screen featuring the maniacal mug of Davy Jones, complete with squirming tentacle beard and barnacle-encrusted hat. Emerging from a pitch-black tunnel after a mild, tummy-tickling drop, you're caught in the line of fire as a pirate ship cannon blasts away at a stone fortress. Look for Captain Barbossa, evil nemesis of Captain Jack Sparrow. Audio-Animatronics pirates hoist the Jolly Roger while brave soldiers scurry to defend the fort—to no avail.

The wild antics of the pirates—Captain Jack Sparrow pops up in several situations—result in a conflagration; the town goes up in flames, and all go to their just reward amid a catchy chorus of "A Pirate's Life for Me." For people with disabilities: Boarding requires transferring from a standard wheelchair to the ride vehicle; the very small flume drop may make the attraction inappropriate for those with limited upper-body strength or those wearing neck or back braces. The attraction is quipped for audio-description and handheld-captioning devices. It's best to ride in the heat of the afternoon, and lines move steadily through the air-conditioned attraction.

Quick! Can you name all Seven Dwarfs in seven seconds? Sleepy, Doc, Grumpy, Bashful, Sneezy, Happy, and Dopey. Snow White's hardworking pals display impressive Audio-Animatronics flair as they mine a mountain full of glittering gems and "heigh-ho" their way into theme-park fans' hearts at the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. Set amid a steep Enchanted Forest landscaped with red poppies, cedars, and birch trees, the attraction is a visual feast of LED-illuminated gems, playful woodland creatures, and beloved characters from Walt Disney's 1937 animated film classic, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. A rough-hewn entrance to the mine leads to a covered queue designed to keep you occupied as you wend your way toward the train load area. Fun interactive diversions include animated "floating" gems that you can catch and match in a touch-screen jewel-washing trough.

The musical family coaster serves up thrills, but no stomach-churning plunges, with cars that twist, climb, drop rapidly, and rock gently when slowing down for you to enjoy the artfully crafted scene of the dwarfs at work in the mine. As the train rounds its final curve, you'll see Snow White dancing with her diminutive pals in the storybook cottage as the Wicked Queen, disguised as an old hag, lurks outside. The ride is not appropriate if you're pregnant or have heart, back, or neck problems, and although it's billed as a family coaster, there's a 38-inch height requirement. For people with disabilities: You must transfer from wheelchair to ride vehicle. This is one of the two Magic Kingdom attractions that uses the individual Lightning Lane instead of Genie+. Use the My Disney Experience app to purchase a time slot to return and ride without waiting in line. The waiting area for this is outdoors, so the purchase could be well worth it on a crowded day.

The centerpiece of Toy Story Land is meant to be a roller coaster built by Andy using his Mega Coaster Play Kit. The bright-red track surrounds a primary-color building-block city with towers featuring Toy Story icons such as Cowgirl Jessie and Rex the dinosaur. The coaster vehicles are Slinky Dogs, whose slinky springs surround the cars. Watch this ride a couple of times before boarding: it is faster than it looks! Kids who do well on Goofy's Barnstormer at the Magic Kingdom will love this longer coaster. For people with disabilities: You must transfer from a wheelchair to ride. The line for this attraction gets surprisingly long; if you aren't heading straight to Galaxy's Edge, come here first.

This speed slide drops through a snow-banked mountain gully on a fast, hilly, green-slopes descent to the base of Mt. Gushmore. It isn't quite as intimidating as neighboring Summit Plummet, but it's a real thriller nonetheless. For guests who are pregnant or who have heart, back, or neck problems, this ride is not recommended. For people with disabilities: Guests using wheelchairs must transfer to the slide. The earlier you ride, the better: on crowded days waits can last up to 90 minutes.

The crowning jewel of Galaxy's Edge is more of an experience than a ride. You, along with other residents of Batuu, are led to a briefing room to join Rey and the rest of the Resistance off-planet. A holographic transmission, just like in the movies, appears before your group to explain that you'll be led by Lieutenant Bek to a rendezvous point with General Leia Organa. You'll then board a transport, walking outside past Poe Dameron's X-wing, all the while being rushed along by Resistance fighters. Aboard the transport, similar to a subway car, Lieutenant Bek flies you to outer space while Poe provides cover. But—surprise—the First Order is waiting for you! General Hux catches you in the tractor beam and pulls you into the hanger bay of his Star Destroyer.

Upon exiting, you'll be inside the hangar bay, with First Order officers barking commands while you file past impressive rows of stormtroopers. You're broken into groups and placed in containment cells, where first General Hux and then Kylo Ren show up to convince you to turn over the location of the rebel base you were heading to. When he's called away, you're rescued by the Resistance, led by Finn, and placed onto First Order Fleet Transports, each piloted by a reprogrammed droid. Kylo Ren isn't going to give up easily, though, and you're chased throughout the Star Destroyer, passing under AT-AT walkers, past turbo-laser cannons, and coming face-to-face with Kylo. Don't worry, you'll end up safely back on Batuu, but be prepared for a truly thrilling adventure.

This multipart experience is so popular that, within 30 minutes of the park opening, the lines swell enough so that there's a two-hour wait. If you are going to purchase an Individual Lightning Lane Pass for only one attraction, make it this one; to do so, be on the My Disney Experience app at exactly 7 am. Also note that though the ride itself is 18 minutes, the entire experience can be longer. In addition, many of the effects can be jarring, and cast members acting as the First Order can be intense, so reassure younger riders that you're on a make-believe mission. For people with disabilities: Guests in an ECV or wheelchair must be able to transfer. Purchase the individual Lightning Lane Pass, or be prepared to wait in galactically long lines.

Disney never leaves the little ones out of the fun, and this junior-size version of Blizzard Beach, set slightly apart from the rest of the park, has scaled-down elements of Mt. Gushmore, with sand, slides (including one with tubes), faux snow drifts, and igloolike tunnels. Recently added is Elsa's castle from Frozen, along with a few other nods to the icy franchise. Parents can find sun or shade beneath lean-tos. Lifeguards are on hand. For people with disabilities: Guests using water-appropriate wheelchairs can enjoy the wading areas. Stake out lounge chairs early, especially for a shady spot. If your tykes don't swim well, get them fitted with a free life vest, and pull your chair up to the water's edge.

First debuted in Shanghai Disneyland, the very popular TRON Lightcycle / Run is one of the newest attractions at the Magic Kingdom. Based on the hit movie franchise, the coaster places riders on individual lightcycles (the motorcycles associated so strongly with TRON) that are situated two by two. Despite the lack of flips, this coaster gets high marks for being the fastest in Disney and for its accelerated launch. Your cycles will speed against an opposing team, shooting inside and out, as lights flash to make it feel as if you are in the TRON video game. Head here first or purchase a Lightning Lane pass if available. Note that this ride is not appropriate for pregnant women or guests wearing back, neck, or leg braces. For people with disabilities: You must be able to step into the ride vehicle and walk short distances. Non-motorcycle-ride vehicles are available. Guests in wheelchairs should see a cast member for boarding options. Service animals aren't permitted.

As Magic Kingdom's newest coaster, only purchases of individual Lightning Lane and a virtual queue are currently available. Use the My Disney Experience app exactly at 7 am to join the virtual queue—a one-hour window for your party to make its way to the attraction. Try again at 1 pm if you miss out on the first round, or purchase an individual Lightning Lane. No standby queue is available.

The pavilion's key attraction is this 100-yard dash through history, and you'll be primed for the lesson after reaching the main entry hall and hearing the stirring a cappella Voices of Liberty. Inside the theater, the main event begins to the accompaniment of "The Golden Dream," performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra. This show combines evocative sets, a rear-projection screen (72 feet wide), enormous movable stages, and 35 Audio-Animatronics players.

Beginning with the arrival of the Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock and their grueling first winter, Benjamin Franklin and a wry, pipe-smoking Mark Twain narrate the episodes, both praiseworthy and shameful, that have shaped the American spirit. Each speech and scene seems polished like a little jewel. You feel the cold at Valley Forge. You're moved by Nez Percé Chief Joseph's forced abdication of ancestral lands, by Frederick Douglass's reminder of the miseries of slavery, and by women's rights campaigner Susan B. Anthony's speech. You laugh with Will Rogers's aphorisms and learn about the pain of the Great Depression through an affecting radio broadcast by Franklin Delano Roosevelt. For people with disabilities:wheelchair- and ECV-accessible; reflective captioning and equipped for assisted-listening and audio-description devices. Arrive 10 minutes before the Voices of Liberty are slated to perform (check the My Disney Experience app), and then head inside to enjoy the a cappella tunes.