Disney vacations are the stuff dreams are made of, and much of that comes down to the incredible rides the Imagineers have created for the parks in the nearly 70 years since Disneyland first opened in 1955. Now with Disney parks on multiple continents, and multiple parks within those overall properties, there are literally hundreds of Disney park rides in operation. Some are classics that have barely changed since they were introduced in decades. Others are brand new, with astonishing technical achievements. For Season 7, the Great Pop Culture Debate podcast wanted to determine the Best Disney Park Ride.
We made a list of every Disney park ride currently in operation, including rides from ANY Disney park, including those in Europe and Asia. We did NOT include rides that are no longer operational — those will be covered in a separate debate! Our listeners voted for their favorite rides, we ranked the picks by popularity, added them to a bracket, and then argued about it and insulted each other, all for your amusement!
Join host Eric Rezsnyak and Mouseketeer panelists Amy Pilott, Bob Erlenback, Derek Mekita, and Michael Schwarz as they debate the best rides currently operating at Disney theme parks around the globe. Which ride will win? Listen now!
Want to listen to Part 1, where we debate the Top 32 down to the Sweet 16? Become a Patreon supporter for that exclusive content. It’s like a whole bonus episode!
The Round 2 match-ups are:
Match-Up 1: Haunted Mansion (1) vs. Expedition Everest (4)
Match-Up 2: Soarin’ Around the World (3) vs. It’s a Small World (2)
Match-Up 3: Jungle Cruise (1) vs. Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run (5)
Match-Up 4: Star Tours (6) vs. Pirates of the Caribbean (2)
Match-Up 5: Space Mountain (1) vs. Avatar: Flight of Passage (4)
Match-Up 6: Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway (6) vs. Spaceship Earth (2)
Match-Up 7: Splash Mountain (1) vs. Enchanted Tiki Room (4)
Match-Up 8: Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance (3) vs. Radiator Springs Racers (7)
Want to play along at home?
Click here to download the listener bracket for this episode. See if your picks match up with ours!
Looking for more related content?
Check out these episodes from Great Pop Culture Debate:
Best Disney Animated Film (Part 1 & Part 2)
Finally, if you’re looking for even more Disney content, check out Bob Erlenback’s Top 10 List on the Best Disney Park Snacks.
Have a say in future episodes!
Finally, if you want to have a say in what episodes we tackle next, vote in our Topic Polls! And we would love to have you pick your faves in the polls currently open for your votes!
EPISODE CREDITS
HOST: Eric Rezsnyak
PRODUCER: Bob Erlenback
PANEL: Amy Pilott, Bob Erlenback, Derek Mekita, Michael Schwarz
EDITOR: Jeffery Perry