Both the Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios are full of multi-sensory, laughter-inducing, magical attractions you will want to come back for! Here’s a top 5 of my favorite thrill and non-thrill rides, along with tips for disabled visitors.
Tip categories:
🔆 Light Sensitivity
🕶️ Visual Perception
🎢 Motion Sensitivity
🦽 Mobility Access
Note: this is an excerpt from my FULL disability guide to Disneyland Paris which you receive for FREE if you sign up for my newsletter!
Thrill Rides – Top 5
5️⃣ Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain 🪐 (dark ride) / Disneyland Park
Inversions, an epic launch and Star Wars storytelling: fly through space with this high-speed coaster! I loved the galaxy-like visual effects, which weren’t harsh on the eyes, and the Star Wars music made the experience complete.
- 🎧Audio Description? Yes (on the AudoSpot app!)
- 🦮Service Dogs Allowed? No
- 🦽Wheelchair accessible – with transfer
🎢🔆 Tip: If you’re afraid of the dark, be aware that it gets pitch-black toward the end 🌑. The boarding area has sufficient lighting. Also, the safety harness feels tighter on the chest compared to Avengers Assemble.
4️⃣Avengers Assemble Flight Force 🚀 (dark ride) / Studios Park
Like Hyperspace Mountain, this high-speed coaster features inversions, rollover loops, a corkscrew, and a launch sequence. I found it even more thrilling: faster launch, stronger G-forces, and dynamic audiovisual effects. It really feels like you’re on a mission with the Avengers, even with limited sight or hearing.
- 🎧Audio Description? No
- 🦮Service Dogs Allowed? No
- 🦽Wheelchair accessible – with transfer
🔆 Tip: The launch (0–60 mph in under 3 seconds) includes flashing lights. If you’re light-sensitive like me, closing your eyes during the final countdown can help 😌
3️⃣ Crush’s Coaster 🌊 / Studios Park
A fan-favorite since 2007 (expect a longer wait), Crush’s Coaster perfectly blends Finding Nemo theming with thrill! It starts as a slower dark ride, showcasing glowing jellyfish, turtles, and other underwater elements, before transitioning into a fast-paced coaster that spirals through the East Australian Current. This coaster is fun for both adults and kids.
Pick up your ears for the chattering of seagulls, and of course, Nemo and Crush the turtle’s voice!
- 🎧Audio Description? Yes
- 🦮Service Dogs Allowed? No
- 🦽Wheelchair Accessible? No
🎢 Tip: If you’re prone to motion sickness, this one’s pretty twisty – consider skipping it 😵💫
2️⃣ Big Thunder Mountain ⛰️ / Disneyland Park
Disneyland Paris is said to have the best Big Thunder Mountain, and I believe it! This mine train coaster is longer than its counterparts and rides on its own private island in Frontierland’s lake. Enjoy sharp turns, thrilling ascents and drops as you speed through a haunted gold mining town in the Wild West. Yeehaw!
- 🎧Audio Description? Yes
- 🦮Service Dogs Allowed? No
- 🦽Wheelchair accessible – with transfer
🕶️ Tip: The ride is even more atmospheric in the evening. The dark sky enhances the visual effects, making them easier to perceive. ✨
1️⃣ The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 🛗 / Studios Park
If, like me, you love that stomach-dropping free fall sensation, you’ll love Tower of Terror! From the moment you step into this haunted hotel, you’re immersed in a Twilight Zone storyline (no spoilers!), with cast members fully in character. The multi-drop sequence had me screaming and laughing the entire ride!
- 🎧Audio Description? Yes
- 🦮Service Dogs Allowed? No
- 🦽Wheelchair accessible – with transfer
🔆🕶️ Tip: The pre-show takes place in a pretty small, dark room—I had to hold onto my fully sighted mother to navigate it safely. During the ride, the elevator doors briefly open, offering a beautiful view of Studios Park. If you’re sensitive to bright sunlight, close your eyes or ride in the evening (even scarier!).
Non-Thrill Rides – Top 5
5️⃣ Peter Pan’s Flight (dark ride) ✈️ / Disneyland Park
“You can fly, you can fly, you can flyyy!” ✨ This is my favorite fairytale ride in Fantasyland! Soaring over miniature recreations of London and Neverland in a ‘flying’ pirate ship truly feels like escaping reality. Though it’s a dark ride, the fairy lights and visual effects make the scenes well perceivable with low vision.
- 🎧Audio Description? Yes
- 🦮Service Dogs Allowed? No
- 🦽Wheelchair accessible? No
🕶️ Tip: Like Snow White and Pinocchio, this ride moves fast, leaving little time to take in each scene. I recommend riding twice—once on each side of the ship—for the full experience!
4️⃣ Pirates of the Caribbean (dark ride) ⚔️ / Disneyland Park
More than just a dark ride, Pirates is also the first water ride on this list! The boat takes you through the adventurous world of 17th- and 18th-century Caribbean pirates—including the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow. His quest for hidden treasure comes to life with i.e. battle music, pirate lullabies, unexpected drops and meticulously crafted scenes.
Unlike Peter Pan, Pirates moves at a slower pace, making it easier to take in the detailed decor with a phone. Plus, the distinct smell of the water adds to the storytelling.
- 🎧Audio Description? Yes
- 🦮Service Dogs Allowed? No
- 🦽Wheelchair Accessible – with transfer
🦽 Tip: Pirates has a Premier Access lane, but this lane not wheelchair accessible. If you use a wheelchair or have trouble with stairs, you can still get priority access by entering through the exit—just ask a cast member for assistance!
3️⃣ It’s a Small World 👶 / Disneyland Park
Oh, this ride makes my global citizen heart glow! Over 300 animatronic dolls, dressed in traditional costumes, celebrate cultures worldwide. The song is infectious, just like its message of unity and peace. My favorite part? The finale—a magical scene of twinkling fairy lights filling the space with a soft, diamond-like glow.
This ride is pure heartwarming nostalgia, inviting our inner child to come out and play. And somehow, I even snapped a photo of the animatronic in a wheelchair—way to go, Disney, for representing children with disabilities!
- 🎧Audio Description? Yes
- 🦮Service Dogs Allowed? Yes
- 🦽Wheelchair Accessible – without transfer
🕶️Tip: Sitting on the first row of the boat is worth it! Ask a cast member nicely for a first row seat and they might help you out (depending on the crowds).
2️⃣ Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure 🐀 / Studios Park
The most multi-sensory attraction in Studios Park! This trackless dark ride shrinks you to rat size as you explore the restaurant with Remy. The large 3D screens didn’t strain my eyes, and the experience is enhanced by immersive audio and tactile effects—you’ll feel the oven’s heat, the fridge’s chill, and even a breeze when a cork unexpectedly pops!
- 🎧Audio Description? Yes
- 🦮Service Dogs Allowed? Yes
- 🦽Wheelchair Accessible – without transfer
💡Tip: Combine this ride with a meal at the sit-down restaurant ‘Chez Remy’.
1️⃣ Phantom Manor (dark ride) / Disneyland Park
I never expected this to be my favorite, but leave it to Disney to imagineer (imagine + engineer) an incredible haunted mansion. Unlike most attractions, this one has a distinct scent—incense—that instantly sets the tone. It’s magical (full of illusions) and mysterious, with spooky sound effects and ghostly animatronics close to the track.
Play the ‘Phantom Manor Medley’ on Spotify to get into the mood!
- 🎧Audio Description? Yes
- 🦮Service Dogs Allowed? Yes
- 🦽Wheelchair Accessible – with transfer
🦽🕶️Tip: After the walk-through portion, you’ll board an Omnimover vehicle. The boarding process felt quite hasty, especially in the dimly lit hall. If you have an invisible disability, consider asking a cast member to slow down the track for more time to board and exit.
Additional Attraction Notes
🕸️Spiderman W.E.B Adventures (studios) → heavy on the eyes
→ An interactive ride requiring 3D glasses and arm movements to destroy spider bots. High in visual stimuli; so much so that I, as a VIP, didn’t really enjoy it.
→ Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible + service dogs allowed.
🧑🚀Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast (Disneyland) → has flashing
→ Similar to Spiderman, this interactive ride lets you shoot targets but with laser cannons. With my vision, I definitely missed a few, though the blacklight helps make some easier to spot. Be aware of stroboscopic-like flashing.
→ Accessibility: wheelchair accessible + service dogs allowed
🛶Storybook Land Canal Boats
→ A slow boat ride I wouldn’t recommend for VIPs. The figurines are tiny, I could barely see them, even with my phone’s zoom.
→ Accessibility: transfer from wheelchair essential + service dogs allowed
