When thinking of classic Disney World rides, many from Magic Kingdom come to mind. But Disney World has four parks, and with those come more old favorites. So let's take a look at the oldest rides in Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom.
For this article, we're using a couple of distinct qualifiers for rides that have been overhauled over the years. Some rides have closed and then reopened with new names, but the ride has largely remained the same. So for rides where the basic scenery and core ideas have remained the same but have been updated with Disney characters or new music or stories, we're counting those as being the same ride. But in the case where a ride has the same basic layout but has been completely changed in every way, we won't count that. For example, Frozen Ever After still has the same layout as Maelstrom had, but the theming and everything makes it an entirely different ride experience, so it won't be on the list.
Countdown to Extinction / Dinosaur (1998)
An opening day ride at Animal Kingdom, Dinosaur first opened as Countdown to Extinction. The ride name was changed to coincide with the Disney movie Dinosaur in 2000, but the ride remained almost entirely the same, featuring the same main dinosaurs as it did before. It's a dark ride featuring an enhanced motor vehicle, similar to Indiana Jones Adventure in Disneyland.
The ride takes guests back to prehistoric times in search of an Iguanodon. With sharp turns, bumpy paths, and thrilling dinosaur encounters, it's one of Animal Kingdom's most popular rides.
Kilimanjaro Safaris (1998)
While it isn't all accessible on foot to guests, Animal Kingdom is the largest Disney World park. This is largely due to the massive amount of savanna provided for the animals, which can be seen on Kilimanjaro Safaris. Also an opening day ride at the park, the Safari encounters over thirty kinds of animals.
The savanna itself has many cleverly hidden barriers between certain animals and the guests, making it appear as if there are no barriers at all. This includes walls and pits, most notably the pit surrounding the lion area. The park started staying open for evenings in 2016, and hyenas were added for night safaris.
Wildlife Express Train (1998)
Another opening day ride, the Wildlife Express Train takes guests to Rafiki's Planet Watch and Conservation Station. In typical Disney fashion, the aesthetics and design of the ride give it a realistic quality, and the trains are given an old-fashioned and weathered appearance.
One of the highlights of the ride comes when guests can see some backstage areas, including the rhino and elephant holding buildings. Guests can depart the train at Rafiki's Planet Watch, where they can find exhibits about animals and conservation, a petting zoo, and an operating veterinary exam room. Various animals are occasionally brought out onto the main floor with cast answering questions from guests.
The Twilight Zone Tower Of Terror (1994)
Tower of Terror has existed at four Disney Parks around the world, but Hollywood Studios has the original. Placing guests in an episode of The Twilight Zone, the story of the attraction is about a hotel elevator where some guests disappeared one day. It's one of a few Disney attractions that is 199 feet tall because if it were 200 feet, it would need a beacon on top of it for airplanes.
The ride rockets guests up and drops them back down multiple times. It also moves horizontally before that, going from one elevator shaft to another. It drops 130 feet at up to 39 mph. The Tower of Terror became the third official park icon of Hollywood Studios in 2015, following former park icons the Earful Tower and the Sorcerer's Hat, which both have been removed from the park.
Star Tours (1989)
While the ride has been updated over the years with different designs and new scenes, Star Tours has been at Hollywood Studios in some form for over thirty years. The current version of the ride, which is subtitled The Adventures Continue, features randomized sequences, planets, and characters from the entire Star Wars saga. There are 384 possible combinations for guests to experience.
While it's now overshadowed by Galaxy's Edge, the outside of the ride features the scenery of Endor, complete with trees and some of the Ewok village. A large AT-AT also overlooks the guests as they get in line.
The Living Seas / The Seas With Nemo And Friends (1986)
The Seas pavilion opened in 1986 as The Living Seas, complete with a ride through the pavilion's aquarium. It closed in 2006 for a remodel, and it reopened with a new Finding Nemo theme. Despite characters and music from the film now being a part of the ride, the basic idea of the ride has remained the same.
The aquarium in the pavilion is the second-biggest in the United States, second only to the Georgia Aquarium. Guests exit the ride into the main area of the pavilion, and they can explore multiple exhibits and two floors with great views of the aquarium.
Journey Into Imagination With Figment (1983)
Journey Into Imagination has existed in three versions since opening in the Imagination pavilion. The original version featured the beloved Epcot mascot Figment, a purple and orange dragon. He was ed by a character called the Dreamfinder, who introduces Figment in the Sherman Brothers song "One Little Spark." This version lasted until 1998, and in 1999, it came back as Journey Into Your Imagination. This version removed the Dreamfinder and barely contained Figment at all. It wasn't very popular with guests and closed in 2001.
In 2002, the current version opened, restoring Figment to a starring role, and bringing back "One Little Spark." The Dreamfinder did not return in this version. Much like the Seas pavilion, guests exit the ride into the main area of the Imagination pavilion.
El Rio del Tiempo / Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros (1982)
An opening day ride for Epcot, El Rio del Tiempo was a boat ride in the Mexico Pavilion of the World Showcase that took guests through scenes of Mexican history and culture. It closed in 2007 and reopened as the Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros. The ride's scenery remained the same, but it now had a story about the characters of 1944's The Three Caballeros interwoven throughout the boat's journey.
As with the film, the main characters of the ride are Donald Duck, Jose Carioca, and Panchito Pistoles. In most of the scenes, Jose and Panchito are looking for Donald.
Living With The Land (1982)
Living with the Land is a boat ride in the Land pavilion of Epcot, and it has been at the park since opening day. The first part of the ride takes guests through scenes with animatronics that show the history of human beings interacting with the land around them. The ride then goes through a large greenhouse, where many plants are being grown for use in Disney World restaurants.
The greenhouse showcases many "futuristic" ways of growing plants, including hydroponics and aeroponics. The greenhouse can also be explored by a walking tour called "Behind the Seeds."
Spaceship Earth (1982)
Spaceship Earth is not only an opening day Epcot ride, but it's also been the official park icon since 1982, arguably as recognizable as Cinderella Castle. The ride takes guests through many scenes featuring animatronics, all of which show the history of our journey on Earth. The ride is quite the classic in Disney World, with the fan-favorite line "Thank the Phoenicians" appearing on numerous t-shirts. The ride has been narrated over the years by Vic Perren, Walter Cronkite, Jeremy Irons, and Judi Dench.
Despite the building's dome shape, water never drips underneath it when it rains. This is because of gaps on the triangular s, which collects the water and funnels it to the World Showcase lagoon. Spaceship Earth is set to have a large refurbishment period starting in May 2020.