Please keep your hands, arms, feet, and legs inside the vehicle at all times — this is a big one!

It’s a new year and big things are happening at the Disneyland Resort! But before we look ahead to future attractions, let’s take a step back and look at the existing rides at the resort and which ones you should absolutely prioritize in 2025!

We’re taking a look at the Top 10 Disneyland Resort Rides in 2025, so BUCKLE UP and get ready to RIDE!

Indiana Jones Adventure

Snakes? Why’d it have to be SNAKES??

Indiana Jones Adventure in Disneyland Park’s Adventureland is an exhilarating tour through one of Indiana Jones’ recent archeological finds — the lost Temple of the Forbidden Eye. Since each ride vehicle is capable of almost 160,000 possible motion simulator combinations, you can guarantee that every adventure will be unique. While that doesn’t necessarily mean the overall plot and layout will feel different every time (since the story doesn’t change, even if the movement of your vehicle does), it’s still cool to have some variety thrown in the mix.

This Disneyland E-Ticket ride always tends to wind up on our “best of” lists for its uniqueness, but NOW it’s being featured on our list for a whole different reason. Over in Disney World, Animal Kingdom is getting a major overhaul in the coming years with Pueblo Esperanza, a totally reimagined DinoLand, U.S.A. area with a new Tropical Americas theme that will be available to guests by 2027. This new area will feature its own Indiana Jones ride not too dissimilar to Disneyland’s version, albeit with some twists.

The Indiana Jones ride will still use similar ride mechanics that can be found over in Disneyland (since it’ll be an overhaul of the current Dinosaur attraction), HOWEVER, it will feature a brand-new story.

As described by Disney, the attraction will follow “the man with the hat” during a time when he has “recently discovered a perfectly preserved Maya temple, and that can only mean one thing: it’s time to explore it. He’s heard rumors about a mythical creature deep within the temple — and he’s got to see it for himself. So, he brings us along on the adventure… but will there be snakes? We’ll just have to wait and see.”

Again, this new Indy experience will be different from ANY other Indiana Jones experience around the world — so Disneyland’s version will still be unique to the West Coast.

But, in the meantime, we can still pay good ol’ Indy a visit inside his attraction over in SoCal to help soothe the ache that some of us might feel over the loss of the Animal Kingdom’s Dinosaur attraction. Because at LEAST we know something else cool and exciting is just around the corner to carry the torch. And for all you Dino fans out there, Dinosaur in Animal Kingdom is STILL going to remain open throughout 2025, giving you one last chance to “go get that dino” if you’re planning a visit to Disney World this year.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Disney World’s version of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad might be closed for the remainder of 2025, but you know what version ISN’T gonna be closed throughout the remainder of 2025?? The one over in Disneyland Park — which might be the better version, anyway!

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in Disneyland’s Frontierland is our shining reminder as to WHY the Big Thunder Mountain over in Disney WORLD desperately needs this major refurb.

Magic Kingdom and Disneyland’s versions of the classic coaster have a similar feel. They’re both located in Frontierland AND they both dip and dive around a winding track that’ll jostle you around like nobody’s business. BUT when it comes to the overall execution… Disneyland’s version CURRENTLY reigns superior.

Back in 2014, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was refurbished with an all-new track AND new special effects. The changes have made a WORLD of difference. Not only does Disneyland’s version ride smoother than its twin over in Disney World, but it’s also got this EPIC grand finale in the final lift hill scene filled with fog effects and EXPLOSIONS.

We’re hoping the version over in Magic Kingdom is getting a SIMILAR refurb as we speak so that they’re BOTH equally as awesome from here on out.

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure

Wait, are the rumors true? Is the Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in Disneyland Park BETTER than the one in Magic Kingdom? It all depends on your perspective, but here are a few reasons why Disneyland’s NEWEST ride might be receiving more thumbs up from guests than its sibling ride over in Disney World.

REASON #1: The theming is more fitting. Let’s start with the obvious: Disneyland has New Orleans Square. It’s got the jazz, the gumbo, the powdered sugar beignets, the “Almost There” ambition. While Tiana’s Bayou Adventure isn’t housed within New Orleans Square, having that all nearby still makes the theming of this ride feel more seamless. Not to mention, Disneyland renamed the area that Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is ACTUALLY in to “Bayou Country” instead of “Critter Country,” just to make sure this new log flume attraction REALLY felt at home when it first opened on November 15th last year.

Meanwhile, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in Magic Kingdom is situated in Frontierland and the 1800s Wild West vibes still feel very strange when pushed up against New Orleans Mardi Gras vibes. It just feels like a major clash of cultures. Recently, one of our DFB reporters sat in on an Imagineering presentation — which is when we learned that the whole Tiana’s Bayou Adventure project was designed specifically with Disneyland in mind.

Imagineers envisioned this new log flume as an extension of Disneyland’s storytelling, weaving it into the area’s existing narrative. That means over at Magic Kingdom, it’s more of a retrofit; a “this should work” situation instead of the “this was meant to be” feeling.

REASON #2: The pacing. Back when Tiana’s Bayou Adventure was Splash Mountain, the Disneyland version felt slightly inferior to the Disney World version just because it was shorter.But now that shorter track actually plays into the overhaul’s advantage. The layout in California feels tight and intentional, with less of the “blank space” that Magic Kingdom sometimes struggles with. Instead, you’re swept into Tiana’s story without any sort of lulls breaking up the rhythm.

REASON #3: The virtual queue is GONE. This will probably change in Magic Kingdom too, but — at the time of this post — Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in Magic Kingdom still uses a virtual queue system while the one in Disneyland does NOT.  You can still bypass the main queue of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure by grabbing Lightning Lanes for it via a Multi Pass OR a Premier Pass purchase, BUT if you don’t want to spend the extra money, you can just jump in line for this one per usual.

REASON #4: You will get SOAKED. Again, this is all a matter of perspective, so if you’d rather NOT get completely drenched on a ride, then maybe this point isn’t gonna sell you on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. From what we’ve experienced firsthand and what we’ve heard from YOU, it seems like Disneyland’s version of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure definitely cranks up the SPLASH factor.

Now, it is possible (and EXTREMELY likely) that the amount of splash you’ll experience is all determined by several factors — including where you’re sitting, how many people are in the boat with you, and the probability that the Cast Members can dial up or down the splash effect. Regardless, it’s important to realize that this IS a water ride, and it’s VERY likely that you will get wet while riding it. You can always brace yourself for the potential GIANT waves of water by putting on a poncho before you ride, or you can always pack a change of clothes if you don’t want to walk around in soggy ones all day long.

The Ride Overlays

One thing that Disneyland does really, REALLY well is its seasonal ride overlays. While there are quite a few rides that get spruced up with limited-time music, effects, and themes, here are the CREAM of the CROP that ALWAYS stand out for us:

Hyperspace Mountain in Disneyland

Space Mountain is already a good time (and — arguably — an even BETTER experience than the Space Mountain you’ll find in Magic Kingdom). But if you’re a big Star Wars fanatic, then you’ll wanna check out THIS intergalactic coaster when it rolls around.

Season of the Force will be happening inside Disneyland Park starting on March 28th and running until May 11th, 2025, and during this limited-time celebration of all things Star Wars, you’ll be able to experience the EXCLUSIVE Galaxy’s Edge show — “Fire of the Rising Moons” — complete with new projections AND firework performances on select nights.

Along with the show, Hyperspace Mountain will be taking over in Tomorrowland EVERY DAY during this season — dropping you in the middle of an intergalactic showdown between the Resistance and the First Order. This retheme includes a Star Wars soundtrack, as well as familiar Star Wars effects projected throughout the ride.

Haunted Mansion Holiday in Disneyland

The classic Haunted Mansion — what with its gruesome ghostly bride, Hatbox ghost, and hitchhiking specters — is loads of fun, but it’s always a good time when we see the regular ol’ 999 happy haunts inviting their Nightmare Before Christmas friends over for a seasonal shindig. And what makes this even better is that Jack, Sally, Zero, Oogie Boogie, and the WHOLE Halloween Town gang get to take up residence in the mansion not just throughout the spooky season, but during the holly-jolly season, too! The Haunted Mansion overlay will return on August 22, 2025, and last until January 7th, 2026!

A word of warning: The ride typically closes for a few weeks at the start of August to make this transformation happen and then closes again in early January for a few weeks to transform back into its original Haunted Mansion self. So if you DON’T want to potentially miss out on Haunted Mansion in EITHER of its macabre forms, then an early-to-mid August Disneyland trip OR an early-to-mid January trip may not be the right fit for you.

Another reason to check out Haunted Mansion in 2025 BEYOND the seasonal decor? In 2024, Haunted Mansion received an EXTENDED queue that helps flesh out the whole Haunted Mansion story even further. This new outdoor portion of the queue is dedicated to the plants of the manor. Around this new queue, you’ll find a garden retreat designed by Master Gracey, as well as Madame Leota’s garden, the Mansion Greenhouse, and the Pet Cemetery.

And AFTER your ride-through on Haunted Mansion, make sure to check out the brand new Haunted Mansion gift shop while you’re in the area, too! Madame Leota’s Somewhere Beyond is filled with Haunted Mansion-themed knick-knacks, Madame Leota’s eclectic furniture, and even her crystal ball.

The clairvoyant spirit herself might even pay you a visit… if you’re lucky.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Monsters After Dark

Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout in Disney California Adventure is an absolute blast and it gets extra spooky/fun when it receives its Halloween overlay, Monsters After Dark. Featuring big drops, scary music, and the occasional jumpscare, this version of the rie still maintains its usual Guardians of the Galaxy charm.

When this overlay is available, the regular Mission Breakout ride will normally close around 4 PM and the overlay typically reopens just an hour later. Forewarning: The line does tend to get pretty lengthy for this rethemed attraction, BUT if you’re planning on attending the after-hours Halloween party, Oogie Boogie Bash, wait times tend to be more reasonable.

Soarin’ Over California

Staying in California Adventure, when springtime rolls around, this park gets ready to celebrate its Food and Wine Festival, and, while we sure do LOVE trying out all the different festival food booths, you’re also gonna find us riding a certain flight simulator more often than usual (to help break up all our snacking and drinking throughout the day).

California Adventure will be bringing back the original 2001 Soarin’ Over California during its Food and Wine Festival once again this year, which is starting up on February 28th and will run until April 21st, 2025. Soarin Over California was originally REPLACED with the version we have now — Soarin Around The World — back in 2016. However, whenever Soarin’ Over California is playing in the Grizzly Peak area, you’ll get the chance to once again fly over famous California-based landmarks like Yosemite Valley, Lake Tahoe, Monterey Bay, and the Anza-Borrego Desert.

WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure

Once again, we’re recommending a ride that’ll get you HYPED for OTHER rides coming to Disney in the future. Web Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure at California Adventure is one of those blaster/interactive types of rides — except instead of using a rooty-tooty point-n-shooty, you’re using your hands to “shoot” webs… just like Spider-Man!

You can even upgrade your web-slinging game with REAL web tech accessories, found in the WEB Suppliers Gift Shop, that’ll unlock power-ups and special abilities during your next ride. Will Web Slingers be your FAVORITE ride inside the park? Maybe yes, maybe no. It really depends on how competitive you are. HOWEVER, if you’re a Marvel fan, riding Web Slingers is JUST the beginning of what you’ll be able to experience inside Avengers Campus in the FUTURE.

California Adventure is working on opening up TWO NEW Marvel Attractions inside Avengers Campus. The first one (and the one that’s been most anticipated over the years) is Avengers Infinity Defense — which will be based around a NEW technology that allows the Avengers to jump between worlds. Recruits will travel to iconic locations like Asgard, Wakanda, and New York City alongside MCU’s greatest heroes to face off against King Thanos and retrieve the powerful tech from his evil clutches.

And then there’s the second new ride in the making — a new Iron Man attraction called Stark Flight Lab, with Robert Downey Jr. reprising his role as Tony Stark! In Stark Flight Lab, “you’re going to sit in two-person pods and deploy to a test station” where a giant robot arm grabs your pod and starts whirling you around in a simulated flight. Apparently, this ride will have MULTIPLE versions — so you can possibly get a new ride-through each time you board.

This Avengers Campus expansion broke ground on January 12th when Disneyland closed the Timon parking lot to make way for construction at Avengers Campus and we’ll keep ya updated on its progress as it continues to unfold.

Radiator Springs Racers

While many might be thinking that we’re going to say, “Go on Radiator Springs Racers in Disney California Adventure to get HYPED for the future of the Cars expansion inside Magic Kingdom!”, you’ll be in for a surprise. We’re just here to tell you to go on Radiator Springs Racers because it’s just straight up a good ride, plain and simple.

Radiator Springs Racers will take ya on a scenic drive through Radiator Springs in your own little sentient convertible, followed by a thrilling race side-by-side with another car. This ride does get EXTREMELY popular, so the lines for it can get incredibly long during the day. However, you can purchase a Single Pass Lightning Lane to bypass that line altogether (which tends to range around $7-$18 per person, per single ride-through). It might ALSO be worth checking to see if the free single rider line is open the day of your visit, which can help cut down on your waits too (but will also break up your group — so you gotta decide if that’s really gonna be worth skipping the majority of the wait for).

Matterhorn Bobsleds

Matterhorn Bobsleds has a very similar vibe to Expedition Everest over in Animal Kingdom. They’re both mountains, they’re both high-speed coasters, and they both have some sort of snowy creature antagonist that wants you OFF of their personal property. But Matterhorn Bobsleds came FIRST and has some very DISTINCT differences from Expedition Everest — including no backwards momentum, jerky bobsled twists and turns, and an abominable snowman who never fails to jumpscare me every time I ride.

But you know the REAL reason to ride this coaster? Because you wanna support the Matterhorn Macaroon cause — THAT’S why.

BUT if you’re not a macaroon/macron person in the first place, Matterhorn Bobsleds is still a GREAT coaster for all the thrill enthusiasts out there.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

THESE Disneyland park rides deserve their time to shine in 2025, too, so be sure to check them out!

The Fantasyland Circuit

It’s hard to pick just ONE ride to prioritize in Fantasyland, so do them ALL!

You can start off your day knocking out the whole Fantasyland circuit — which includes rides like:

• Alice in Wonderland
• Casey Jr. Circus Train
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant
• “it’s a small world”
• King Arthur Carousel
• Mad Tea Party
• Matterhorn Bobsleds
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• Pinocchio’s Daring Journey
• Snow White’s Enchanted Wish
• Storybook Land Canal Boats
• Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride.

Here’s the WILD thing: Out of ALL of those Fantasyland rides, only TWO of them have Lightning Lane access — “it’s a small world” and Matternhorn Bobsleds. The rest will make you wait in a regular standby line with everyone else, Multi Pass purchase or not. While the Fantasyland lines probably won’t ever be too long, some of them — like Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan’s Flight — can still rack up a wait time of 30+ minutes by midday. And that can get pretty miserable — especially when you consider that many of these ride queues will place ya out in the HOT SUN with little-to-no covering (which is particularly sweltering when you’re visiting during the summer).

So by choosing to hit up these Fantasyland rides in the morning, not only will you get to knock out a whole lotta rides all at once with little to no waits, BUT you’ll also avoid having to stand in line for them when the afternoon temps get brutal.

Autopia

This might FEEL like a random honorable mention, but trust us when we say all you Autopia fans out there will wanna get in one last ride-through before some major changes start to take place for this long-standing attraction.

Disneyland is planning on replacing its pure gasoline engines that have powered Autopia’s cars since its inception with new electric or hybrid power sources by 2026. When exactly WILL this change start to take place? We aren’t sure just yet — but we’ll make sure to let you know once we hear more about any future Autopia closures down the grapevine.

And there you have it? Which Disneyland ride would YOU choose as your “must ride” option for 2025? Feel free to pick one from our list OR one that wasn’t mentioned that YOU believe still deserves a bit of the spotlight in the comments. And continue to follow us right here at DFB for all the latest from the Disneyland Resort!

DFB Video: TOP 10 Rides in Disneyland in 2025

Which Disneyland ride is the king of the crop? Share your thoughts in the comments below!