We are fortunate here in Central Florida to have some of the best rides and attractions in the world, and to be honest it can be hard to pick a favorite, but USA Today 10Best Awards have tried their best and in the case of best "non roller coaster ride" in the country they have chosen 12 rides here in Central Florida out of 20 nation-wide nominees, so not too bad!!
As everyone knows, theme park thrills and chills don't always come in the form of a roller coaster.
Sometimes the most memorable and immersive ride experiences take the form of dark rides, 3D simulators, log flumes or drop towers. The 10Best panel of theme park gurus have chosen 20 of their favorites as nominees for Best Non-Roller Coaster Ride, and now it's your turn to vote your favorite to glory.
You can vote once per day until voting ends on Monday, April 24 at noon ET. The 10 winning rides, determined by your vote, will be announced on Friday, May 5.
BEST NON-ROLLER COASTER RIDE NOMINEES
Best Non-Roller Coaster Ride
Universal's Islands of Adventure
Riders on this classic adventure at Universal's Islands of Adventure meet “Spidey” firsthand and in 3D on a simulator ride that encompasses 1.5 acres and climaxes in a 400-foot free fall. High-definition animation, high-tech 3D glasses and state-of-the-art audio and lighting effects mean vivid, crystal clear graphics and sensory overload. Participants feel as though they are actually slinging webs, careening above streets, scaling skyscrapers and plummeting down, down, down alongside Spider-Man.
Best Non-Roller Coaster Ride
Disney's Animal Kingdom
Avatar Flight of Passage at Disney's Animal Kingdom takes guests on a high-flying journey through the magical landscapes of Pandora atop a winged mountain banshee. The 3D experience has quickly become one of the top-rated attractions in Walt Disney World since its debut in 2017.
Best Non-Roller Coaster Ride
Universal Studios Florida
Gringotts Bank lies beneath the massive fire-breathing dragon in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Mere mortals can at last visit this fantasy landmark and take a thrilling 3D ride through its cavernous passageways and dangerous vaults. The conveyance is a roller coaster, but the special effects make it a hybrid thrill ride with highly detailed sets, motion-based cars and evil villains.
Best Non-Roller Coaster Ride
Universal's Islands Of Adventure
The enchanting world of wizards and magic introduced by "Harry Potter" books and films comes to life as guests pass through Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry before soaring on enchanted benches with Harry and friends above the school grounds. The dark, motion-based ride visits all of the iconic venues at the Hogwarts campus while facing mythical and magical creatures that spit, swat and spook.
Best Non-Roller Coaster Ride
Universal Studios Florida
MEN IN BLACK Alien Attack at Universal Studios Florida is like a video game on wheels! True to the blockbuster movie, it has riders acting as secret agents to stymie an invasion of extraterrestrial creatures. Each six-seat vehicle has its own laser gun for annihilating some 120 species of aliens. Game consoles keep track of individual scores so that riders can compete against each other.
Best Non-Roller Coaster Ride
Disney's Hollywood Studios
Take a seat behind the controls of the Millennium Falcon and blast into hyperspace in this thrill-filled dark ride that simulates a smuggling trip that would make Han Solo and Chewbacca proud. Each member of the ride crew gets a specific role to fulfill – pilot, engineer, gunner – in order to complete a successful mission. "This original immersive Star Wars ride encourages role-playing and virtual gaming skills; it's super fun," says expert Kyle McCarthy.
Best Non-Roller Coaster Ride
LEGOLAND Florida
This 20-minute river adventure is framed as a quest to retrieve a treasure trove from a band of thieving monkeys, aided by LEGO character guides. A pirate ship attack, squirting flamingos, dangling spiders and, of course, those mischievous monkeys add to the fun on this ride that includes a journey on a cypress-fringed lake.
Best Non-Roller Coaster Ride
EPCOT
Remy's Ratatouille Adventure is a trackless dark ride where you "spin and twirl your way with tiny Remy the rat as he explores his French kitchen and tries to hide from evil chefs," says expert Kyle McCarthy. The high-energy adventure includes several 4D elements and climaxes with a chase through the dining room at Gusteau’s famous Paris restaurant.
Best Non-Roller Coaster Ride
Epcot & Disney's California Adventure
A virtual adventure extravaganza, this attraction allows visitors to enjoy a hang gliding simulation. It takes guests high above iconic sights around the world, including the Swiss Alps, Sydney Harbour, the Great Wall of China, the Eiffel Tower and more. The 80-foot IMAX projection dome is the closest sensory experience – including the sense of smell – there is to the reality of gliding 40 feet in the air.
Best Non-Roller Coaster Ride
Disney's Hollywood Studios & Disneyland
This thrill ride at Disney’s Hollywood Studios invites parkgoers to join the epic battle against the First Order. The massive attraction combines elements of a trackless dark ride, motion simulator, walk-through attraction and drop ride system, and the exciting experience lasts 18 minutes.
Best Non-Roller Coaster Ride
EPCOT
Feel the need for speed? The cars on this EPCOT ride zoom along a test track at speeds of up to 65 mph – the final proving ground for an attraction that lets drivers design their own concept car and then take it for a spin. Your custom Chevy ride will get put through its paces, with the track featuring banked turns, long straightaways and sections with rough road and bad weather.
Best Non-Roller Coaster Ride
Disney's Hollywood Studios
Based on the eponymous Rod Serling TV series of the 1960s, this attraction recalls an episode where famed Hollywood stars disappear at the Hollywood Tower Hotel in 1939. Modern-day guests tour the creepy hotel and ride the service elevator into the “fifth dimension” and total darkness. The fright factor mounts on the way to the 13th floor, where a free fall and an unexpected change of direction ensue and terrify.
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