Best Disneyland Paris Rides

Want to know the best Disneyland Paris rides? In this guide we round up the best thrill rides, best rides and attractions in each park, unique attractions and more. 

Disneyland Paris is a bucket list trip for many people, and a huge part of any Disneyland Paris vacation has to be the rides. Disneyland Paris has over 50 ride between the original Disneyland Park and the Walt Disney Studios combined. Now if you have 3 days in Disneyland Paris then it is possible to fit all the rides into your vacation. 

However if you are short on time, maybe having only 1 day at Disneyland Paris, or maybe even just 2 days, it is very unlikely that you will get to do all the rides on your trip. Therefore it is important to know what the best Disneyland Paris rides are for different types of travellers. 

In this guide I will round up the best rides at Disneyland Paris for different types of travellers before definitively give your our top ten Disneyland Paris rides and attractions in each park. 

Important Note: This post may contain affiliate links which means if you click through and make a purchase I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you. 

Best Disneyland Paris Rides 

In this section of the guide I will look at the best rides in each of the parks, giving you an overview of the attraction, the park its located in as well as giving you information on the minimum height requirement and scare factor! 

Best Disneyland Park Rides 

The Disneyland Park is the original park at Disneyland Paris and is most akin to the original Disneyland Park in California and Magic Kingdom in Florida. 

As such you can expect some of the classic rides and family favorites. However there are also plenty of scary and thrill rides in this park too alongside some unique takes on classic Disneyland rides. 

So without further ado here our top ten best Disneyland Park rides. 

1. Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain

Hyperspace Mountain is a unique take on the traditional Disney ride that is found in California, Florida, Japan and Hong Kong. However, Disneyland Paris takes this ride to another level in my opinion both in terms of its scare factor and theming. .

The original Space Mountain is located in the Magic Kingdom in Tomorrowland at Walt Disney World and was originally conceived to be a similar ride to Disneyland’s Matterhorn Bobsleds which Disney felt wouldn’t work in the Florida park due to the parks climate.

It has then been replicated at all the parks around the world. Each version is slightly different in its theme and even in its’ seat configuration. However out of all the Space Mountain rides around the world Paris has the best! 

All the space mountains are dark rides, however on the Paris version you will be briefly able to see out into the park as you shoot up towards the main ride dome. The propulsion of this ride reaches 44 mph (71 km/h) per hour making it one of the fastest ride in the parks and if you look left  at the start of the ride you can see out towards Fantasyland and Adventureland. 

And unlike the original ride, here you will experience loops and corkscrews / inversions making it one of the best scariest rides at Disneyland Paris. On top of which, the ride has undergone refurbishment in 2017 to alter the ride from the original Jules Verne theme to a Star Wars one. 

Want to know more about the scare factor of Hyperspace Mountain check out this post! 

Important Information about this ride

Minimum Height Requirement: 1.20 m (47,2″)

Ride location: Discoveryland.

Type of Ride: Dark ride. Thrill Ride

Disney Premier Access: Yes

2. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Another classic Disney rollercoaster that is found at all the parks around the world, but again Paris has my favorite version. 

I like this version better because I think it is the scariest version, and enjoy the ride start and design. Unlike other versions, Big Thunder Mountain is separated from the main Frontierland area as it is on its own island in the middle of the lake. To get onto the mountain your railroad speeds under the lake through bat infested tunnels until you reach the island. This really amps up the scare factor of the ride. 

Its twisty and turny but is family friendly in my opinion. However if you have a little one of a nervous disposition then the noise of the explosion in one of the tunnels may be scary for them. But it is worth noting that other than the speed there are no other rollercoaster features such as loops, inversions and corkscrews. 

This is one of the most popular rides in the park however so expect long waits or try to do this during Early Magic Hours if you are staying at one of the on-site Disneyland Paris hotels. 

Height restriction: 1.02m (47,2″)

Ride location: Frontierland

Type of Ride: Dark ride. Thrill Ride

Premier Access: Yes

3. Pirates of the Caribbean 

Pirates of the Caribbean is another classic Disney ride that is fun for the whole family with no height requirement. Pirates of the Caribbean is one of the few water rides at Disneyland Paris though you shouldn’t get wet as there are only a couple of very tame drops on this log flume ride.

On this ride you follow the story of Jack Sparrow – sorry CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow and the looting of Port Royal. The attention to detail on this ride is amazing and is suitable for all travellers coming to the park. 

Minimum Height Requirement: None

Location: Adventureland

Type of Ride: Dark ride. Boat Ride. 

Premier Access: Yes

4.Phantom Manor

Phantom Manor is the haunted house at Disneyland Paris that is similar to the Haunted Mansion in other locations. The ride is largely dark, but is a track ride that takes you through a story narrative.

The ride itself is actually very tame and not scary at all though, very young children of a nervous disposition may not enjoy this ride.

The story behind the Phantom Manor and the Ravenswood family, the founders of Frontierland and the Big Thunder Mountain Mining company is actually one of my favorite Disneyland Paris secrets and is worth reading about in more detail if you want to find more out about the Disneyland Paris world. 

Minimum Height Requirement: None

Location: Frontierland

Type of Ride: Dark ride. Ghost Train style. 

Premier Access: Yes

Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast 

This Toy Story themed ride is consistently one of the most popular attractions in the Disney parks that is suitable for the whole family.  On this ride you board your space cruiser where there are two laser blasters and a control for moving your cruiser.

As you go round the track you have to blast the items with the logo of Emperor Zorg on them to earn points. There is a counter on your dashboard which will keep track of your score. At the end of the ride you will be given a Space Cadet ranking depending on your point score. And if you are anything like us, it does get pretty competitive.

This ride gets exceptionally busy especially at peak times but is open during Early Magic Hours when the queue is much shorter.

Height Requirement: No minimum height requirement

Location: Discoveryland

Ride Type: dark ride, shooting ride

Premier Access: Yes. 

Peter Pan’s Flight 

This is another iconic Disney ride and the one that consistently has the longest wait time of any ride in the Disneyland park. 

On this ride you will board a magical pirate ship and will soar through the Darling Children’s Bedroom, over London at night until you finally arrive at Neverland to see the events of the film unfold.

Other than being a dark ride there is no scare factor to this gentle ride but is one that everyone enjoys. 

Height Requirement: No minimum height requirement

Location: Fantasyland

Ride Type: dark ride, gentle

Premier Access: Yes. 

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril is a ride with the highest height restriction at Disneyland Paris. On this ride you board an out of control mine train and hurtle through temple ruins and jungle.The ride doesn’t have a scary theming but it does have one large loop the loop in the middle of this steel tracked rollercoaster which can be scary to some. 

If you like rollercoasters however this ride definitely can not be missed and in my opinion it is one of the best things to do at Disneyland Paris for adults. 

Height Requirement: 1.40m (55,1″)

Ride location: Adventureland

Ride Type: Rollercoaster

Premier Access: Yes

Dumbo Flying Elephants 

Board your very own flying elephant on this ride and decide how high you want the ride to go. This is a very gentle ride that is similar to the Orbitron but more gentle and offers fantastic views of the park as you ride. 

Please note: that this is another very popular attraction so try and get this done first thing in the morning or late at night for lowest queue times. 

Height Requirement: No minimum height requirement

Location: Fantasyland

Ride Type: gentle, flying ride

Premier Access: Yes. 

9. Le carrousel de Lancelot

I know carousels are pretty tame and basic rides however I think Disneyland Paris has one of the most beautiful carousels in the world with stunning views of the castle.

We have also been lucky enough to ride this ride with Mary Poppins and Bert in their jolly holiday outfits which was an extra special experience! 

And given the large load it can take, the ride queue never normally exceeds around 20 minutes even if you are traveling in peak season i.e. August and December in the park. 

Height Requirement: No minimum height requirement

Location: Fantasyland

Ride Type: gentle, flying ride

Premier Access: No. 

10. It’s a Small World

I ummed and ahhed about including this ride in the top ten best rides at Disneyland Park. That is because this ride is such a marmite ride i.e. you love it or you hate it! However for me no visit to any of the Disney parks is complete until I have heard the annoying but catchy It’s a Small World Song. 

And as this ride has been newly refurbished at Disneyland Paris it is also one of the most up to date versions anywhere in the world. 

Height Requirement: No minimum height requirement

Location: Fantasyland

Ride Type: gentle, boat ride

Premier Access: Yes. 

Best Walt Disney Studios Park Rides 

So now you know our favorite rides at the Disneyland Park we will turn our attention to the top ten best Disneyland Paris rides in the Walt Disney Studios Park. 

1. Ratatouille: The Adventure

I love this Studios ride for its theming and fun and as an added bonus it is suitable for those traveling with toddlers or babies too. The ride really feels like it belongs in Paris as that is where the film is set, and exterior of the ride has been created to look like a traditional Parisian street complete with restaurant. 

This ride actually used to be unique to Disneyland Paris but has recently been recreated at Epcot in the France area of the world showcase. 

On this ride you board a rat car that then follows Remy on his tour through the kitchen as you are chased and sprayed with water.

It is a really lovely ride but if you get motion sickness it is one to avoid due to the 4D nature of the ride. And given its popularity I recommend riding either in Early Magic Hours or grabbing a premier access ticket. 

Height restriction: no minimum height

Ride Type: 4d / 3 d ride

Premier Access; yes

2. Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

This ride consistently takes the title of scariest ride at Disneyland Paris and in my opinion is the scariest version of any Tower of Terror ride around the World because of the drop and the theming.  

Unlike the California ride, it hasn’t been rethemed to Guardians of the Galaxy. Instead this has a Twilight Zone theme – the full title of this ride is Twilight Zone Tower or Terror. 

In this version of the ride you will be taken on a scary journey into the fifth dimension as you travel through the haunted hotel setting. 

The lift becomes possessed and takes  you on a 13 story drop. You can’t fail to hear the screams of riders all around the park as the doors open at the top of the ride to show you the view before your 13 storey plummet. 

And although this ride has a surprisingly low height restriction I recommend not riding this with toddlers or young children as it is terrifying and offers the biggest thrills in the park so one for adults and teenagers in the park

Height restriction: 1.02m (40,1″)

Ride Type: Thrill Ride, Scary Ride

Premier Access; yes

3. Crush’s Coaster 

Crush’s Coaster is the ride that gets the largest queue out of any ride in both the Disneyland and Walt Studios Park, often reaching 90 minutes before Extra Magic Hours have even finished. 

Many people rush to this ride for opening. We did this and still had to wait 30 minutes to board this attraction so you have been warned. 

I think one of the reasons for it’s popularity is not just because it is a good dark rollercoaster, but it is a completely unique attraction at Disneyland Paris. No other park in the world has a Crush’s Coaster so is really a Disney bucket list experience! 

On this ride you board a turtle shell and get caught in the East Australian current as they do in the film Finding Nemo. 

As with hyperspace mountain, the speed and drops feel bigger on this ride due to the darkness you ride in. But the ride is very twisty too as the turtle shell rotates and has been known to cause motion sickness in some riders. But I love it!

Note: if you are traveling to Disneyland Paris plus sized this ride can be difficult to get into and there are reports that not all people are able to ride due to the restricted seat size and lap bar. 

Height restriction: 1.02m (40,1″)

Ride Type: Thrill Ride, Rollercoaster

Premier Access; yes (and if you only buy premier access for one ride this is the one I would recommend). 

4. Avengers Assemble: Flight Force

In this ride you team up with Iron Man and Captain Marvel to help them save the world from an intergalactic threat.

This ride is actually an old ride at Disneyland Paris that has undergone refurbishment. It was originally called Aerosmith’s Rock N Rollercoaster complete with music but has been re-themed as part of the Marvel Avengers Campus update. 

This ride is another dark rollercoaster ride with lots of twists, turns and loops and inversions which add to the adrenaline factor of this ride. 

It is pretty quick too, as the launch is -57mph in just 2.8 seconds.

There are three inversions on this ride including a sea serpent roll and a corkscrew which in my opinion makes it one of the best thrill rides at Disneyland Paris. 

Height restriction: 1.20m (47,2″)

Ride Type: Thrill Ride, Rollercoaster

Premier Access; yes 

5 W.E.B Slingers

Out of the two rides at the Marvel Campus at Disneyland Paris, W.E.B Slingers  is the ride that gets the longest queue. 

This ride is an interactive 3d ride that has no height limit which means you can go on it even if you are visiting Disneyland Paris with babies or toddlers however it is not recommended for those who are traveling to Disneyland Paris pregnant.  

The queue to this ride is quite interactive queue as Peter Parker explains how his spider bots have escaped and are causing havoc throughout the campus.  Note: Peter Park speaks French at Disneyland Paris and there is an iron man translator for English speaking guests. 

You then board the ride car and use your new found web slinging abilities to defeat the Spider Bots. This ride is similar to Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast and can become very competitive! The main difference with this ride is that you use your arms and hands to shoot rather than a laser blaster. 

Height restriction: 81 cm (31.4″)

Ride Type: Dark Ride, Shooting Ride

Premier Access; Yes 

6 Slinky Dog ZigZag Spin 

On this circular ride you board slinky dog and go over a bumpy round track at high speed. This ride is suitable for the entire family and is one both my kids love and like to go on at least twice. 

And because this ride has high rider capacity it actually has one of the shorter rides in the Walt Disney Studio Park. 

Height requirement:  no minimum height requirement

Ride Type: mini coaster

Premier Access; no 

7 RC Racer

Top 10 Rides at Disneyland Paris

But what about if you had to rank all the rides at Disneyland Paris and pick the top 10 in both parks? Well for me the top 10 best rides at Disneyland Paris are: 

1. Hyperspace Mountain
2. Big Thunder Mountain
3. Ratatouille: The Adventure 
4. Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 
5. Crush’s Coaster 
6. Peter Pan’s Flight 
7. Indiana Jones and The Temple of Peril
8. Avengers Assemble: Flight Force
9. Pirates of the Caribbean and 
10. Phantom Manor 

We would love to head your top ten favorite Disneyland Paris rides in the comments though! 

FAQs about the best rides and attractions at Disneyland Paris 

Are there any unique rides at Disneyland Paris? 

One of my favorite things about Disneyland Paris is that there are lots of unique rides that you can only find at Disneyland Paris. 

These are: 

• Crush’s Coaster and 
• Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril

as well as there being rides that have theming that is unique to the Disneyland Paris park such as Phantom Manor, Hyper Space Mountain and Twilight Zone Tower of terror. 

Note: Ratatouille the adventure ride originated in the Paris park however is now also available in Epcot. 

Can you skip queues at Disneyland Paris?

Yes you can skip the queues at Disneyland Paris by using their Premier Access ticket (a replacement to the old Fast Pass service). 

A ticket for one ride usually costs around 16 Euros so gets expensive quick. For a full guide to Disneyland Paris Premier Access check out this post! 

Are there any water rides at Disneyland Paris?

There are no water rides like Splash Mountain or River rapids at Disneyland Paris. However there are rides that feature water which can you read about here.

What rides are busiest at Disneyland Paris?

When looking for rides that are the busiest at Disneyland Paris you need to look at the weight times. The rides that consistently have the highest wait times in the park are:

1. Crush’s Coaster
2. Peter Pan’s Flight
3. W.E.B Slingers 
4. Avengers Assemble and 
5. Big Thunder Mountain. 

But the queues at Hyperspace Mountain, Indiana Jones and Dumbo FLying Elephant can also get very long at peak times. 

What are the best rides for toddlers at Disneyland Paris?

There are lots of rides suitable for toddlers at Disneyland PAris. You can read our complete guide to them here. 

What is the most intense ride at Disneyland Paris?

The most intense ride at Disneyland Paris has to be Avengers Assemble Flight Force due to the speed. However Hyperspace Mountain and Tower of Terror are also pretty intense too!