The 10 Most Expensive Rides Ever Built at Disney World
Some of the rides that thrill us and take our imaginations over the top are based on the latest technologies. Have you ever wondered how they were built, or how much Disney World invested in the development of these attractions?
The four Disney World parks deliver high on thrills and wonders, but it came at a high price. They put a lot into the research and development of attractions, then fortified them to ensure the safety of guests. Here are the ten most expensive rides ever built at Disney World.
10. Space Mountain at the Magic Kingdom Park Cost: $20 Million
The Richest reports that Space Mountain cost $20 million to build. The space-themed attraction delivers thrills as it takes riders on a trip through the solar system in starships. It’s one of the most iconic rides in the Park, although it’s starting to become dated. The magical roller coaster ride opened in 1975 and has been a popular thrill ride in Disney’s Tomorrowland for 47 years. It’s still attracting long lines of guests.
9. Splash Mountain at Frontierland, Magic Kingdom Park Cost: $75 Million
Splash Mountain is known as the wettest ride in the Magic Kingdom. The ride first appeared at the California Disneyland Park and was built at the Magic Kingdom Park near Orlando after its opening. It’s a five-story splashdown ride that guarantees you’ll get wet along the cruise. You can store your personal items in a dry locker before getting on the attraction.
8. Mission Space at Future World at Epcot Cost: $100 Million
Mission Space is among Disney’s most iconic immersion rides. It opened in 2003 when construction and testing were completed. Mission Space is an immersion experience that lets you know what it feels like to be an astronaut. It’s Disney’s rendition of a space simulator, similar to those used by NASA. The ride pulls a minimum of 2.5 Gs of force for an intense riding experience. It’s not for the faint of heart because it does exert a substantial amount of force on the body. This insanely popular Magical Kingdom ride cost Disney $100 million to build.
7. Expedition Everest at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, Bay Lake, Florida Cost: $100 Million
Expedition Everest in another immersion ride at Disney World, that required significant investment for completion. The $100 million ride is built on a concrete foundation of over 10,000 tons of concrete which holds the massive animatronic Yeti that had a full range of movements until a crack halted his automation.
He looks like he’s moving thanks to the use of strobe lights to prevent further damage to the base. Add another s5,000 tons of steel for the structure and you have a firmly secured mountain with realistic-looking rocks. Multiple shrubs and plants decorate the landscape with buildings creating an authentic village. A lot of animatronics, audio equipment, lights, and control mechanisms went into the creation of this expensive attraction.
6. Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure at the France Pavillion at Epcot Cost: $120 Million
This attraction is a dark ride inspired by the Pixar film released in 2007. The ride takes you on an adventure through various scenes from the movie. The cars rotate a full 360 degrees. It’s a 4D experience that makes riders of all sizes and ages feel as though they’ve shrunk to the size of a rat.
5. Tower of Terror at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Cost: 140 Million
The Tower of Terror is also called The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. It is a dark ride that gives guests an accelerated vertical drop to inspire true terror and loads of fun. It accommodates riders from 3 ft 4 inches in height on up. The ride opened in July of 1994 at Disney World. It achieves speeds of 39 mph and G-force up to 1.3 g, lasting approximately 4 minutes.
The maximum height of the ride is 199 feet at its highest point. It’s one of the most complex mechanical rides in the theme park costing $140 million to construct. If you’re okay with being lifted two levels, seeing ghostly apparitions, and flying to the fifth dimension, this may be a ride you’d enjoy.
4. Test track at the Future World at Epcot Cost: $300 Million
Test Track is one of the three most expensive rides at Disney World because of its complicated design system, and the need for the design team to take plans back to the table for several reworks. The ride moves people through quickly for a rollercoaster-themed thrill ride. Six people fit into each car, then proceed through various tests at the Vehicle Test Facilities.
They go through hot and cold rooms, zooming to speeds up to 65 mph and enduring some wild braking action. It’s one of the fastest rides at Epcot, but it cost a pretty penny to create and maintain. test Track received an update in 1999 and a refurbishment. A Tron inspiration was added to give it an extra dose of visual appeal.
3. Pandora The World of Avatar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Cost: $500 million
The World of Avatars is a brilliant immersion ride that takes riders on a Banshee for a thrilling ride of interstellar exploration with views of the landscape of the moon. Assume the life of Na’vi hunters flying on the back of Pandora. The complex attraction cost a half-billion dollars to create. The ride takes you to tall mountain peaks to jungle trails with a riverboat ride.
2. Spaceship Earth at Future World at Epcot $800 Million
Spaceship Earth is an iconic slow ride through the iconic ball at Epcot that goes for 16 minutes. Guests enjoy narrations on the journey in a ride built on an omnimover system. Audio animatronics thrill riders as they move through the scenes in their time machines taking them into caves with early humans, cave paintings, and scenes of human life through the ages. The geodesic dome took six years to complete. Touch screens on the ride allow riders to select their native language for an educational experience.
1. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios Cost: $1 billion
The most expensive ride at Disney World is Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. It’s a total immersion attraction that takes you through the Star Wars universe, transporting you to a faraway galaxy. This ride is one of the most realistic immersive attractions at the park and a favorite for Star Wars enthusiasts. It’s one of the most detailed experiences to be had in the park.
You can also read:
- A Traveler’s Guide to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Disney
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- The Cheapest Times to Go to Disney World: A Guide
- How Much Does Disney Make in a Day?
- 20 Fun Facts You Didn’t Know About Disney