Take the Disney ‘One Ride’ Challenge!

in Disney, Walt Disney World

Should you ride the same Disney ride in one day?

What is the Disney one ride challenge? Picture it. It’s a hot summer’s day at your Disney park of choice. You’ve got all the time in the world to explore your favorite theme park, be that Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney California Adventure, or any other.

But instead of sampling each ride a healthy number of times, there’s that one roller coaster or dark ride that you just can’t get enough of. So you ride it. And you ride it again. And then again. And pretty soon it’s closing time and all you’ve seen is the western-themed queue of Big Thunder Mountain.

That, my friends is the Disney one ride challenge.

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Why do people ride the same Disney ride over and over again?

Expedition Everest disney one ride challenge
Credit: Disney

Well, I mean … because it’s fun right? Reddit user u/Georgiaboy_11 describes riding their favorite Walt Disney World ride — Expedition Everest at Disney’s Animal Kingdom — a staggering 12 times in one day.

It’s an excellent choice and a mighty record that definitely helps us see the appeal of committing to just one ride for a whole day. Other Disney fans like Georgiaboy says they used their extra magic hour(s) as well as the single rider system to ride this iconic Yeti-themed roller coaster again and again. Though beware, if you’re going to attempt this challenge you’ve got to be someone who really doesn’t mind waiting in a long line.

And don’t forget to break for a classic Disney Turkey leg!

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What are the most times you’ve ridden a Disney ride in one day?

Pirates of the Caribean

My personal best is a measly eight, on Pirates of the Caribbean. The Paris boat ride strikes a nice balance between length and thrill factor (it includes a decent drop that most other versions don’t have), though if you want the best ride experience, get there right at the end of the day (plus your extra magic hour (s), of course). In my experience, this attraction as well as The Haunted Mansion are perfect for circling back around to ride them again and again.

If you’re looking at a thrill ride specifically, you can also time it during the Magic Kingdom‘s (or any other Disney Park‘s) firework show when most families aren’t queuing, though to miss Happily Ever After would be a Disney crime in itself.

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Which attraction is the best for multiple rides?

Peter Pan's Flight
Credit: Disney Parks Blog

Well, that depends on which park you’re at, obviously. Something like Peter Pan’s Flight which has a universally long queue, or Splash Mountain, which guarantees you getting soaked may not be the best idea.

This popular ride enthusiast made the excellent choice to tackle a Tomorrowland based thrill ride without the ‘soak factor’ of Splash Mountain, and his overall number of rides is just staggering.

Of course, you need to do some planning ahead and work the FastPass system to feasibly ride any attraction a mammoth 17 times in one day. If you’re looking for a thrill like our friend here, using FastPass reservations for the Big Thunder Mountain or the Space Mountain roller coaster rides are the best options for you.

But really, if a ride isn’t brand new and it has FastPass reservations going, you can make almost anything work.

Which park is best for this challenge?

Disney one ride challenge
Credit: Disney

Again, that’s a toughie. You can probably make the challenge work in any Orlando based park, and they tend to be around the same level of popularity.

Obviously, you’re sticking to one ride only throughout the whole day, so you won’t need to worry about park hopping at WDW.

If we’re looking at Orlando for the single day challenge, perhaps Disney’s Magic Kingdom park is ideal for Disney superfans looking to break this record. “It’s a small world” is a popular ride and is quite long so may not be ideal. Plus the song may just drive you crazy after a certain number of hours.

Perhaps then, something in Frontierland like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad could be the optimal choice, though again you may fall foul of wait times. Disney’s Hollywood Studio park‘s Star Wars attractions and Animal Kingdom‘s Na’Vi River Journey are of course favorite stops for those on a Disney vacation too.

EPCOT‘s Spaceship Earth may seem like a good choice too as it’s a favorite ride to many, though what you really want is something that isn’t too popular, isn’t too long, but is still fun. Hmmm…

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No, really. Which ride is best for the challenge?

space mountain disney one ride challenge
Credit: Inside the Magic

If we had to choose one ride to try this challenge out with, it would have to be Space Mountain. I know, I know, it’s an incredibly popular attraction but here us out.

Is it over quickly? Yes.

Does it have a ride vehicle big enough to do this with a couple of mad friends? Yup.

Does it have a single rider line? Not at every park, though Cast Members will often syphon people off to fill an entire ride vehicle, greatly reducing your potential wait time.

Is it at every Disney park? No, but there are equivalents like Tron Lightcycle at Shanghai Disneyland and Star Wars: HyperSpace Mountain at Disneyland Paris (RIP the old Jules Vern-inspired SM).

So we think that Space Mountain is the optimal ride for the Disney one ride challenge, particularly with the use of the FastPass system. That just leaves us with one pretty boring question…

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Is riding the same Disney ride in one day 12-17 times a good idea?

Tron Concept Art
Credit: Disney

I mean, you probably get through that many individual rides anyway, so why not?

If you can make it work with a combination of fast pass tickets, single rider lines, abusing parade or show times, and closely examining the Disneyland app, I say more power to you.

Just be sure in your quest to ride your ultimate ride x times in one day that you’re still looking after yourself. Drinking water and eating are critical for a good theme park day! Space Mountain can of course throw you around a lot too, so if you’re starting to feel any kind of whiplash, can the challenge immediately.

Your health is the number one priority.

Yikes, I sound just like my Mom. Kid me; look away now.

Which attraction have you ridden more than any other? Did you take the Disney one ride challenge? Let us know about your Disney experience in the comments below.

Click here to book your next Disney trip and try this ride challenge for yourself!

in Disney, Walt Disney World

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