My kids are 14 and 16. What are the best Disney World attractions for teenagers?
I'll turn this question over to my daughter, Leigh, age 16, who's been to Disney World over 25 times.
Tell your kids that Disney World's got a great variety of rides for teens in every park. We surveyed over 100 teenagers to come up with our "Don't Miss" list for teenagers. Here they are, listed by park.
MAGIC KINGDOM
SPACE MOUNTAIN: While there are no flips or major drops here, Space Mountain is 99% in the dark, so you can't tell where you're going. It's the original Disney coaster, and lots of teens think it's still the best.
BIG THUNDER MOUNTAIN RAILROAD: This roller coaster rattles you around a lot more than you'd guess, and as you go through the little mining town, there's very intricate detail. It's the kind of ride you'll want to do over and over.
BUZZ LIGHTYEAR'S SPACE RANGER SPIN: The first ride that was created to be like a life-size video game. You ride through with a laser gun, and shoot at different objects and get your final score at the end. Very addictive. (Hint to Space Age wannabes: You get the most points for hitting targets that are moving or far away, so don't waste all your time taking cheap shots.)
SPLASH MOUNTAIN: It sounds like a kiddie ride and looks like a kiddie ride--except for the 52-foot drop at the end. It'll leave you soaked, especially if you sit up front.
EPCOT
TEST TRACK: The story here is that you're testing new cars for GM. You check out the brakes, power steering, how well the car handles intense heat and cold--but it's all really an excuse for the moment when the car breaks out of the building and you go racing around the outside track. That part is amazing--you reach speeds of 60 mph, but it feels a lot faster, especially on the curves.
INNOVENTIONS: Innoventions shows you innovative inventions--get it? You can try out the newest Sega games, the smallest computers, the best new Internet technology. Whatever's new, and probably expensive, can be tried here.
HONEY, I SHRUNK THE AUDIENCE: This 3-D show is hilarious. Dr. Wayne Szalinski, that wacky scientist from the movie series, is at it again. His invention accidentally shrinks you, the audience, and there are great special effects involving an oversized snake and a bunch of mice that get "loose."
THE WORLD SHOWCASE SHOWS: All around the World Showcase, there's lots of entertainment. Starting times are on your Epcot map. Two great music shows are Off Kilter in the Canada pavilion--they're the only rock band in the world with bagpipes--and The British Invasion, a group that looks like the Beatles and plays old hits from the 60's, in the England pavilion. The comedy street show, King Arthur and the Holy Grail, in England is funny too, and they drag members of the audience into the story of King Arthur and his Knights. And check out Imaginum in France where live performers, who are painted white, pose exactly like classical statues. They interact with people in the crowd, and it's different from anything you'll see anywhere else.
DISNEY-MGM STUDIOS
STAR TOURS: This motion-simulated ride, based on the movie series, is supposed to take you to the moon of Endor. However, it's your pilot's first flight, and he's easily confused, so you get off track--so far off track that you end up joining a fleet of rebel aircraft trying to blow up the Death Star.
TOWER OF TERROR: Based on THE TWILIGHT ZONE, this ride takes place in a hotel that was abandoned in 1939 after five guests were lost in a freak elevator accident. Now it's your turn to get on the elevator. The final drop, where you fall 13 stories and then they haul you up and drop you again and again is called a bungee drop. Incredible.
ROCK 'N ROLLER COASTER: The first ride in Disney World to flip, Rock 'n Roller Coaster takes you on a wild ride through Los Angeles in a stretch limo. You're headed for an Aerosmith concert and many teens say that the best part of the ride is the Aerosmith soundtrack that's coming through speakers inside your limo. During the launch you go from 0 to 60 mph in 2.8 seconds--very intense.
50'S PRIME TIME CAFE AND THE SCI-FI DINE-IN: Two of the coolest restaurants ever. 50's Prime Time puts you right back into a sitcom kitchen from the 1950's. Your server could be Mom, Dad, Brother, or Sister and they treat you like you're a member of the family, making you eat your green beans or yelling at you about leaving your bike in the driveway. In the Sci-Fi, you're seated in convertibles like you're at a drive-in movie. Old clips of really hokey horror films play while you eat.
ANIMAL KINGDOM
DINOSAUR: Here you've been sent back in time to fetch a nice, sweet, herbivore dinosaur. But if you think it's that simple, you don't know anything about Disney! An asteroid is scheduled to hit during the time you're visiting and it's a race against the clock--and a lot of hungry carnivore dinos--to get back before the planet blows.
KILIMANJARO SAFARIS: This is a real safari, taking you via jeep through a large, open enclosure where animals roam free. While the dangerous ones, such as the lion and cheetah, are contained with invisible fences and water barriers, others like the giraffe and zebra can come right up to your jeep. Bring the camera for this one.
KALI RIVER RAPIDS: You won't leave dry. Twelve people are put into circular rafts and sent on a whitewater ride through a series of rapids. Need I say more?
IT'S TOUGH TO BE A BUG: A 3-D show much like "Honey I Shrunk the Audience," except this time the stars of the show are Flik and his bug friends. Great special effects--especially when the stinkbug shows up and the mosquitos get on the loose. Don't leave before the end--it's the most surprising part.
AROUND THE REST OF DISNEY WORLD
THE WATER PARKS: The two main water parks, Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon, are both great. It just depends on your preference--mega slides or a giant wave pool? Typhoon Lagoon has the huge wave pool, with body surfing during the day and board surfing lessons if you're willing to get up early in the morning and be there before the park opens. Based on the idea of a melting ski lodge, Blizzard Beach is known for having the longest water slide in the world, Summit Plummit--as well as some great water rafting, slalom, and sled-type slides.
DISNEY QUEST: A five-story video arcade, Disney Quest has everything from interactive video games, virtual reality games, and animation classes to CyberSpace Mountain where you can create your own roller coaster. You can build in as many flips and barrel rolls as you can take, and then you ride a simulation of the coaster you've designed, complete with all the flips and rolls.
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL: This is not your typical circus. While it's got high-wire acts, trapezes, and clowns, there are also plenty of unusual acts such as awesome cyclists, and gymnasts who do routines so complicated that they will take your breath away. My favorite is the aerial ballet, where five people sail over your heads just hanging on to these long strips of cloth with no nets or wires.
MOUSE BOATS: These zippy little one- and two-person speedboats can be rented at the Disney hotels located on the Seven Seas Lagoon (Contemporary, Polynesian, Wilderness Lodge, and Grand Floridian) and at Downtown Disney. Call (407)939-0754 for rental prices. You don't have to be staying at the hotels to rent the boats, and anyone over 12 years old and 5 feet tall can take their own speedboat out for themselves. A great way to cool off and break up the day.
Please keep in mind that phone numbers, addresses, and prices are subject to change. Originally published in February 2001. Updated November 2005.
