Are you a roller coaster fanatic looking for a list of the best roller coasters in Florida to ride during your next trip to Orlando – the theme park capital of the world?
Walt Disney World Resort
At Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain brings riders face to face with an enormous Yeti in the Himalayan Mountains. Clocking in at 50 miles per hour and taking riders down an 80 foot drop, the immersive theming will leave any roller coaster fan ready for a second ride.
Located at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s only roller coaster that goes upside down, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, is a dark ride that launches riders from 0-57 miles per hour in a mere 2.8 seconds as you race in a stretch limo to get to the sold out Aerosmith concert across town.
Also located at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, you’ll find Slinky Dog Dash. If you’ve ever loved playing with a slinky, you’ll love this family friendly roller coaster. Want an extra tip? Try riding it at night for a different experience.
Ready to visit an abandoned old railroad? While you are there, hop on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – The Wildest Ride in the West! With a speed of around 35 miles per hour, it’s a great roller coaster for younger enthusiasts – but a favorite among life long roller coaster lovers as well.
Love dark rides? Don’t forget to head over to Space Mountain located at Disney’s Magic Kingdom. Built in 1975, this indoor roller coaster reaches a top of speed of 28 miles per hour while taking riders through twists and turns in a totally dark environment.
Roller coaster enthusiasts can appreciate Disney constantly bringing innovation to their rides. The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is a family friendly roller coaster that features tilting ride vehicles. With a top speed of 34 miles per hour and a drop of 39 feet, we recommend Seven Dwarfs Mine Train as the perfect first roller coaster for the next generation of enthusiasts.
Stay Tuned: Both TRON Lightcycle Power Run! at Disney’s Magic Kingdom and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at Disney’s Epcot are both expected to open in 2022.
Universal Orlando Resort
As one of the most popular rides in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios, Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts combines a roller coaster with a motion simulator. Riders will leave feeling like they escaped from danger – at just the right moment.
Universal Studios’ Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit lets riders choose their own soundtrack to listen to as they climb straight up 167 feet in the air and ultimately reach speeds of 65 miles per hour. When your ride is over, don’t forget to view the video of you during the ride.
At Universal’s Islands of Adventure theme park, roller coaster lovers can board The Incredible Hulk Coaster and get launched 40 miles per hour in two seconds. Then, you will experience seven inversions, a maximum speed of 67 miles per hour, vertical loops, corkscrews, and more.
Also at Universal’s Islands of Adventure park, Harry Potter fans can hop onto a motorcycle or sidecar and experience Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. This rollercoaster takes riders through the Forbidden Forest and several famous Harry Potter scenes before a 17 foot free fall vertical drop.
Universal’s Islands of Adventure park also has a new ride, Jurassic World VelociCoaster, that opened June 10, 2021. This launched roller coaster has 4,700 feet of track, a top speed of 70 miles per hour, and plenty of dinosaurs.
SeaWorld Orlando
Named after one of the fastest sharks in the ocean, Mako is Orlando’s tallest and fastest roller coaster. With a height of 200 feet tall and top speeds of 73 miles per hour, roller coasters fans will agree that Mako offers one of the smoothest rides around.
Ever wonder what it would be like to be a manta ray? On SeaWorld Orlando’s Manta, riders face twists, turns, and a few water cannons as they glide around the track facing down, almost laying on their stomachs. Reaching speeds of 56 miles per hour and featuring four inversions, any roller coaster fanatic will enjoy this unique ride.
Do you enjoy a good floorless roller coaster train? If so, take a seat on Kraken where your feet will dangle over water as you face a 144 foot drop, a corkscrew, and several rolls.
Keep your eye out: SeaWorld Orlando’s newest roller coaster, Ice Breaker, is set to open in February 2022.
Busch Gardens Tampa
Ready for a roller coaster with three launches? You’ll love Busch Gardens’ Cheetah Hunt. With a length of 4,400 feet, it’s Busch Gardens’ longest roller coaster and simulates a cheetah accelerating quickly to catch prey.
Ever heard of an Immelmann loop? It’s a simultaneous loop and roll that was named after a German fighter pilot. You can find one at Busch Gardens on Montu. Montu is an inverted coaster with twisting drops, seven inversions, and more.
Love corkscrews? Head over to Kumba to experience two corkscrews, plus a zero-g roll, a cobra roll, and seven inversions.
If you love nostalgia, don’t skip Scorpion. As Busch Gardens’ oldest roller coaster, opened in May 1980, it features a single loop and a top speed of 41 miles per hour.
If a 200 foot, 90 degree straight down drop excites you, be sure to check out SheiKra. This floorless roller coaster also features an Immelmann loop and a maximum speed of 70 miles per hour.
Wait for it: Busch Gardens Tampa Bay’s new roller coaster Iron Gwazi will be a wood and steel hybrid coaster experience and will launch in March of 2022. Iron Gwazi will replace Gwazi, Busch Garden’s wooden roller coaster.
Central Florida has plenty of roller coasters to check out, and several more coming in 2022. Which one is your favorite?
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