Disneyland Paris has five big-thrill rides and six moderate rides to ease you in, spread across both parks, Disneyland Park and Disney Adventure World (formerly Walt Disney Studios Park).
The five most intense are Avengers Assemble: Flight Force, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Hyperspace Mountain, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril and RC Racer. The six gentler ones are Big Thunder Mountain, Crush’s Coaster, Cars Quatre Roues Rallye, Star Tours, Slinky Dog Zigzag Spin and Toy Soldiers Parachute Drop.
These rides play on four sensations: the adrenaline of sudden acceleration, the vertigo of great height, the drop that leaves your stomach behind and the speed that pins you to your seat. Depending on the ride, you feel one of these or several at once. When you plan your day, the key is knowing what to expect before you get on.
Thrill rides at Disneyland Paris
Here are the big-thrill rides in both parks. These are the most intense: acceleration, height, speed or spinning pushed to the max.
In Disney Adventure World, you’ll find Avengers Assemble: Flight Force, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and RC Racer. Disneyland Park is home to Hyperspace Mountain and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril. All have a minimum height, and several aren’t suitable for people prone to vertigo or uneasy in the dark.
| Ride | Land |
|---|---|
| Avengers Assemble: Flight Force | Avengers Campus |
| Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain | Discoveryland |
| RC Racer | Worlds of Pixar |
| Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril | Adventureland |
| The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror | World Premiere Plaza |
Big-thrill rides, updated automatically.
What types of rollercoasters and thrill rides are there?
Not all thrill rides are alike. Behind the word "thrill", there are actually six families, and each one gives a different feeling.
Knowing how to recognise a ride’s type helps you choose the right one for you, especially if some things make you uneasy (heights, the dark, speed, spinning). For each type, I also say whether the effort is short (one sharp burst) or sustained (for the whole ride).
Rollercoaster (classic coaster)
Slow climbs followed by drops and tight turns that pin you to your seat and lift your stomach, sometimes with a loop that turns you completely upside down. The thrill comes from anticipation and speed, with a fairly sustained effort. Examples: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril, with its 360° loop, for big thrills, and Big Thunder Mountain, with no inversions, for a family version.
Launched coaster (catapult)
No slow climb: you’re shot forward in one go, as if catapulted. The acceleration presses you into your seat in a split second and takes your breath away. It’s the rawest feeling, short but intense, close to a take-off. Examples: Avengers Assemble: Flight Force (the fastest ride in both parks, in Disney Adventure World) and Hyperspace Mountain, also launched, in Discoveryland.
Drop tower
You’re hoisted to the top of a tower, held for a moment, then dropped in free fall. That empty feeling in your stomach, your body lifting off the seat, in successive jolts. The vertigo comes from the height and the unpredictable drops. Example: The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, in Disney Adventure World.
Simulator
Your body is shaken and tilted in a closed cabin, in sync with a screen: you feel as if you’re flying or diving without actually moving through space. Strong sensations but no real speed or drop, ideal if you’re scared of heights. Example: Star Tours, in Disneyland Park.
Half-pipe rollercoaster
The vehicle goes back and forth on a U-shaped ramp and climbs almost vertically at each end, with a moment of hang time at the top before coming back down backwards. A mix of vertigo, swinging and weightlessness, with no loop, in a short format. Example: RC Racer, in Disney Adventure World.
Spinning coaster
A rollercoaster whose car spins around during the ride. On top of the turns and drops comes unpredictable spinning, which disorients you and amplifies the sensations, especially in the dark. It’s also the type that’s hardest on the stomach. Example: Crush’s Coaster, in Disney Adventure World, the perfect step between beginner rides and big thrills.
Which thrill rides suit teens and beginners?
If you’re not used to rollercoasters, or you’re coming with teens who are new to them, start with the moderate rides. They give you thrills without the raw intensity of the big coasters. They let you build confidence before trying something stronger, and they suit families well.
My tip: do Star Tours or Big Thunder Mountain first, then see if you want to go further with Crush’s Coaster, which adds spinning and darkness.
| Ride | Land |
|---|---|
| Cars Quatre Roues Rallye | Worlds of Pixar |
| Slinky Dog Zigzag Spin | Worlds of Pixar |
| Star Tours: The Adventures Continue | Discoveryland |
| Big Thunder Mountain | Frontierland |
| Crush’s Coaster | Worlds of Pixar |
| Toy Soldiers Parachute Drop | Worlds of Pixar |
Moderate thrills (to ease you in), updated automatically.
Where to start, depending on who you are
Child trying it for the first time
Start with Big Thunder Mountain (a family coaster) or Cars Quatre Roues Rallye (a spinning ride): with no loops or big drops, they give a gentle taste of speed. Check the minimum height first.
Teen beginner
Star Tours to try the feeling in a closed cabin, then Crush’s Coaster to add spinning and darkness. A good step before the big thrills.
Thrill-seeker
Head straight for The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Avengers Assemble: Flight Force and Hyperspace Mountain: drop, launch and inversions in the dark, the most intense trio.
Adult scared of heights
Stick to simulators like Star Tours, enclosed and with no drop. Avoid Tower of Terror and drop towers, which play precisely on that feeling of emptiness.
Which rides are scary, and which avoid heights and the dark?
What’s scary and what isn’t. If it’s heights that worry you, avoid Tower of Terror and go for a simulator like Star Tours, enclosed and with no drop. If the dark bothers you, note that Hyperspace Mountain, Avengers Assemble: Flight Force and Crush’s Coaster run in darkness, unlike Big Thunder Mountain, which is mostly outdoors. If spinning disorients you, Crush’s Coaster spins around while the other coasters stay on a fixed path. And if you suffer from motion sickness, be wary of Crush’s Coaster in particular: spinning combined with darkness is what most easily brings on nausea.
Manage the queues. Thrill rides are the most popular, so queues build fast. Do them first thing in the morning, at park opening, while crowds are still light. For rides with a Single Rider queue (for people riding alone), such as Crush’s Coaster and RC Racer, you save a lot of time if you’re happy to be split from your group for the ride. Premier Access (a paid fast track) remains an option if you want to guarantee a specific ride without spending the morning on it.
For families. When a child is too small for a ride, Rider Switch lets both parents ride one after the other without queuing again, while the other looks after the child. Handy so neither of you misses out.
My favourite thrill. Hands down, Tower of Terror. The series of drops is never the same from one ride to the next, and that’s what makes it exhilarating every time: you never know when the drop is coming.
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Further reading
To dig deeper, I’ve put together several companion guides:
- My top rides
- my personal ranking, ride by ride.
- Disneyland Paris rides in numbers
- speeds, drop heights, loops and detailed technical data.
- Height restrictions
- the full table of restrictions, to see who can ride.
- Queues
- Single Rider, Premier Access and my tips for shorter waits.
- All the rides
- every ride in both parks.
Frequently asked questions
01 What is the most intense thrill ride at Disneyland Paris?
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, in Disney Adventure World, is often named as the most intense: you’re lifted to the top of a tower, then dropped in a series of free falls that are never the same from one ride to the next. That stomach-dropping feeling and the unpredictable drops make it the most memorable ride for many visitors.
02 Are there rollercoasters with a loop at Disneyland Paris?
Yes. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril has an outdoor loop, where you go fully upside down. Hyperspace Mountain and Avengers Assemble: Flight Force also have inversions, but in the dark. These are the three main rides with inversions across the two parks.
03 Which thrill ride should you do first if you’re not used to them?
Start with something moderate: Star Tours (an enclosed simulator, with no drop and no real speed) or Big Thunder Mountain (a family rollercoaster in the open air). You get a feel for the thrills without the raw intensity of the big coasters, then you can step it up if you fancy it.
04 From what age can kids go on thrill rides?
There is no official age limit. What counts is the minimum height (from 1.02 m to 1.40 m depending on the ride), checked at the entrance. A child who is tall enough can ride, and so can a short adult. To know exactly who can do what, go by the height chart rather than age. The details are in the height restrictions guide.
05 Which thrill rides take place in the dark?
Hyperspace Mountain, Avengers Assemble Flight Force and Crush’s Coaster all run in the dark. On Crush’s Coaster, the darkness comes on top of the spinning car, which is even more disorienting because you can’t see the movements coming. Big Thunder Mountain, on the other hand, is mostly in the open air.
06 Can pregnant visitors go on rides at Disneyland Paris?
Thrill rides (rollercoasters, drops, simulators) are not recommended for pregnant visitors, and you may be refused boarding at the entrance. You can enjoy the gentle rides without any worries (it’s a small world, boat rides, carousels, Disneyland Railroad). For shows and parades, a pregnancy wristband (Thumper wristband) gives access to dedicated areas on request.
07 Which thrill rides can my child do based on their height (1 m, 1.02 m, 1.20 m)?
From 81 cm (with an adult): Autopia as a passenger and Toy Soldiers Parachute Drop. From 1.02 m: Big Thunder Mountain, Star Tours and Tower of Terror. At 1.07 m: Crush’s Coaster. At 1.20 m: Hyperspace Mountain, Avengers Assemble: Flight Force and RC Racer. At 1.40 m: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril. Children are measured at the entrance, shoes on.
08 Am I too tall or too big for the rides at Disneyland Paris?
On the vast majority of rides, no, you can ride without any problem: seats and safety bars are designed for a wide range of body shapes. The restraints are tighter on a few rollercoasters, especially Crush’s Coaster. There’s no test seat at the ride entrances. If in doubt, ask a Cast Member at boarding, who will discreetly check with you.
