A Walt Disney World vacation isn’t just for the youngest family members. There are hundreds of entertaining, enchanting and thrilling rides, shows and activities for teens.
Coasters and Thrill Rides in the Disney Parks
Most of the Disney Parks’ roller coasters and thrill rides do have minimum height requirements, so if your teen is shorter in stature check the height requirements before booking a FastPass or waiting in line. Roller coasters and thrill rides not to be missed:
The Magic Kingdom has way more than just princesses and an awesome castle. Teens and adults will enjoy the trio of mountain roller coasters that include:
- Space Mountain® in Tomorrowland®
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad® in Frontierland
- Splash Mountain® (a water thrill ride/coaster) also in Frontierland
Hollywood Studios is home to the world-famous Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster® and the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™, a thrill ride that takes place in a haunted elevator and thrills guests with a multitude of heart-stopping drops.
At Epcot, daring teens can board Mission:SPACE® for an intense simulated thrill ride as an astronaut on a mission to Mars. If you love intense thrill rides choose the Orange team; choose the Green team if you’d prefer a less intense experience. Test Track® also is located in Epcot’s Future World West and is a chance to design your own test vehicle before actually getting in one and experiencing the thrills of an automotive test track.
The Animal Kingdom is a great park for teens. It’s home to thrill rides like Dinosaur and the Primeval Whirl as well as the exciting Kali River Rapids®, a fun water ride ideal for those hot Florida days. Expedition Everest — Legend of the Forbidden Mountain® is the must-do roller coaster in this park. It’s fast, thrilling and even has a surprise element.
Beyond roller coasters and thrill rides there are many other rides and attractions throughout the four main parks that will be enjoyed by your teenager. Don’t miss the Haunted Mansion®, Pirates of the Caribbean® and Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin® in the Magic Kingdom, Star Tours® in Hollywood Studios and Kilimanjaro Safaris in the Animal Kingdom.
Non-Park Activities
Throughout the 27,000+ acres of Walt Disney World property there are several activities to entertain and delight all ages, especially teens. Every resort has a themed pool so plan to spend some down time cooling off at the pool. If hanging out at the resort pool seems too tame for your teen, plan a visit to Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach, the two water parks, both located on the Disney property.
You can rent a canoe or kayak at the Fort Wilderness resort or even enjoy an archery experience at Fort Wilderness. Teens and even their younger siblings (the archery program is open to ages seven and up) can learn how to use a compound bow in this fun 90-minute program.
There are two themed miniature golf courses as well as four premier golf courses. Other sport activities include basketball, volleyball, tennis and running trails. Water activities vary and include water skiing, wakeboarding and even surf lessons at Typhoon Lagoon.
Many non-park activities have an additional fee and do require reservations. Walt Disney World truly has something for all ages.