If you're a hard-core thrill seeker, you might be thinking, "The words 'thrill ride' and 'Walt Disney World' don't really go together." Granted, you won't find something like SheiKra's face-down plunge or the intense Kuka arm maneuvers of Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, but each of the four Disney parks has its own intense experiences:
Magic Kingdom: The two most intense experiences at the Magic Kingdom are Space Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain. Neither of these roller coasters is tall or fast, but each has its own method of packing a punch. The darkness on Space Mountain keeps you from seeing what's coming, so every turn and dip is a surprise. Big Thunder Mountain throws you around from side to side with surprising force. Some people consider Big Thunder Mountain a thrill ride because of its drop, but up until that point it's a cute little dark ride so I don't put it in the same category as the other two mountains.
Epcot: People sometimes think Soarin' is a thrill ride because of the warning signs posted in the queue, but it's a gentle, soothing experience for all but those who are deathly afraid of heights. The real thrills lie at Mission Space (Orange Team) and Sum of All Thrills. Mission Space can be wild or mild, depending on which experience you select. Orange Team is a full-on experience that simulates a trip to Mars, and if you think the motion sickness bags are there for show, think again. Opt for the milder Green version if you're at all prone to getting sick on spinning rides. Sum of all Thrills is a Kuka arm simulator that lets you design and ride your own virtual roller coaster (the Kuka is also the basis for Universal's Harry Potter ride). You can make it tame or very, very intense.
Disney's Hollywood Studios: Rock 'N' Roller Coaster is the only roller coaster at Walt Disney World that goes upside down. It's a dark ride, which adds to the sensation of speed, and it uses a high speed launch rather than a lift hill. While it's not the wildest coaster you'll ever ride, it gives you a nice little thrill. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror stands an intimidating 199 feet (one foot more and it would have had to be topped with a red aircraft warning light). Your stomach will be in your throat several times as it bounced you up and down in a random pattern of plummeting. Click the video at lower left for a great Tower of Terror commercial for the Paris version.
Disney's Animal Kingdom: Expedition Everest is a nicely thrilling roller coaster because it has both indoor and outdoor stretches and also because of it's often unexpected backward section. I've ridden it many times near people who had no idea that it goes in reverse. Dinosaur can be considered a thrill ride if you're afraid of the dark, and it whips you around mercilessly, especially if you're in the back row. The Primeval Whirl wild mouse coaster is also a little thriller because it combines fast turns with Tilt-A-Whirl motion ride vehicles.
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