Today is National Roller Coaster Day and living in Orlando provides us with plenty of opportunities to ride coasters. And while we both love theme parks, one of the biggest differences between the two of us is what rides we’ll go on. Tyler is all for the craziest, loopiest, fastest coaster available, whereas Jessica isn’t too keen on riding anything crazier than The Haunted Mansion.

But even though we may not agree on what rides to ride, we can see the opportunity it provides for this site. We both have our different views on Orlando’s roller coaster scene, so why not give our own unique take on them?

So to celebrate National Roller Coaster Day, TheOrlandoDuo presents the best roller coasters in Orlando for thrill seekers (and 3 for the more timid).

My Top 3 Best Roller Coasters in Orlando

By Tyler

I’m much more apt to ride the wilder, taller and more extreme rides at the theme parks, but that’s not what makes a good coaster to me. I have a few criteria that a coaster must meet before I consider it to be one of the best roller coasters in Orlando:

1. 1. What makes this roller coaster different?
   2. How much fun do I have on it?
   3. How much do I look forward to riding it again?

It’s probably sacrilege to “roller coaster experts”, but a lot of hyper coasters are all the same. You go up, you go down, you corkscrew and go upside down and you’re done. So, sorry Hulk, but you’re just too generic to make my list. That air of sameness also takes away from a coaster’s fun. Sure, I have fun on all the coasters, but a generic coaster doesn’t blow me away. This eliminates Seaworld’s Kraken. And just because I have fun on a coaster, and enjoy it more than most, doesn’t necessarily mean I’m looking forward to riding it every time I go to the park. So, buh-bye Rip Ride Rock-it.

So what made my list of best roller coasters in Orlando? One of these choices might surprise you…

3. White Lightning (Fun Spot America)

Amidst all the noise of Disney and Universal, Fun Spot America seems to go unnoticed. Fun Spot is a fun park in its own right and is the home to one of my favorite rides in the city. White Lighting is Orlando’s only wooden coaster and provides that old-school ride feeling we love. White Lightning scores off-the-charts on fun and re-rideability. It goes faster than you think, the ride is smoother than you think and it’s just so much fun to ride. White Lightning proves that you don’t need crazy gimmicks or thrills to be one of the best roller coasters in Orlando.

2. Mako (SeaWorld Orlando)

SeaWorld Orlando’s signature roller coaster isn’t as loaded as some roller coasters, but it ranks very high in fun and re-rideability. Mako stands out from the crowd because of how easy it is to ride. Yes, it goes 200 feet in the air and yes it goes 70 miles per hour, but the rest of the ride is smooth as silk. Your head isn’t jostled around to give you a headache, and the seats don’t vibrate enough to loosen your bladder. The entire ride is a smooth glide over bunny hops and around curves.

1. Revenge of the Mummy (Universal Studios Florida)

As we’ve mentioned before, Revenge of the Mummy is the best roller coaster in all of Orlando and it’s not even close. The combination of uniqueness, fun and re-rideability makes this a must-do for any visitor of Universal Studios Orlando Resort. Because it has the launch system it does, the brief backward moment and the coaster’s darkness, I put this as a more extreme coaster than those on Jessica’s list below.

My Top 3 Best Roller Coasters in Orlando

By Jessica

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not a thrill seeker. As a kid my favorite ride was PeopleMover. (Still is one of my must-do’s each time we’re at the Magic Kingdom). So for me, my top 3 favorite roller coasters are for the more timid rider.

3. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

This family coaster is a super smooth ride no matter where you are sitting. While it is on the shorter side, I think it’s a fun ride for those who are a little scared to try the “big boys” at some of the other parks. The drop is pretty thrilling and my reaction makes for a super funny photo every time we go on.

Besides the actual track, I think this is a really beautiful attraction throughout. The queue is fun and I really like the interactive elements. I love how colorful it is inside the mine – and that song just makes you happy.

2. Slinky Dog Dash

My list of approved roller coasters is a bit slim, which is why Slinky Dog Dash made the rapid ascent up to No. 2 on my best roller coasters in Orlando list. While this ride may look cute, I think it packs quite the thrill. You can read a little more about our thoughts on Slinky Dog Dash and entire Toy Story Land in this review.

If you can handle Seven Dwarfs and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (spoiler alert on my top pick), then you can handle Slinky Dog Dash.

1. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad holds a special place in my heart because it was the first mountain I conquered at the Magic Kingdom. Remember earlier how I said growing up PeopleMover was my favorite? Well, you shouldn’t be surprised to know that it took me until my mid-20’s before I was brave enough to get on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, but boy was it worth it.

This ride has such a different character at night. I would highly recommend it. And if you can catch it just around the fireworks you won’t be disappointed. There’s something about being on a ride during the fireworks that is truly magical. Plus, at night, the wildest ride in the wilderness feels even faster!