Walt Disney World offers a wide variety of attractions over its four theme parks, with rides for everyone from young children to thrill seekers to grandparents. Hollywood Studios alone features rides that fit into all these categories. However, just because Disney has different rides for every potential guest doesn’t mean that every ride is for every potential guest.
Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway
In my 30+ years visiting Disney World, my own body has started reacting differently to different rides, to the point where I’ve had to change some of my every visit list, especially when it comes to rides, and I’m only in my late 30s. How about Walt Disney World guests in their 50s? Which Hollywood Studios rides do some in that age range tend to skip? Well, this is what our anecdotal research shows!
Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster
Let’s begin with the obvious. The park’s most thrilling attraction features a 0-60 MPH launch and 3 inversions. Suffice to say, it’s not an ideal ride for those with physical issues with their neck or back, which tend to develop as people age.
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster
Skipping this coaster will likely be an extra bummer to those in their 50s once The Muppets take over of the attraction is complete in 2026, as they are right in the wheelhouse of those who grew up with the characters on television and in film.
©Disney
Tower of Terror
While not quite the thrill onslaught of the Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster, the Tower of Terror and its 13-story drop profile is likely a slip for those in their 50s who’ve developed issues with nausea or motion sickness.
Tower of Terror
Slinky Dog Dash
On the other side of the spectrum, there’s the fun but decidedly family-friendly Slinky Dog Dash.
Slinky Dog Dash in Hollywood Studios
While most guests in their 50s can likely handle this coaster physically, many in that age range have little emotional investment in Toy Story, and likely won’t want to wait the length of time it takes to ride the attraction — unless they’re visiting with their kids or grandkids of course.
Star Tours: The Adventure Continues
While Star Tours simulator might be a bit rough on the body, it seems like most 50-year-olds who skip the attraction are likely doing so less because of physical issues and more over a preference for the original version, and in general, the original Star Wars trilogy.
Kylo Ren!
Runaway Railway
Similar to Star Tours, 50+ guests potentially skipping Runaway Railway has much less to do with the physical ride, and more to do with missing the beloved Disney-MGM Studios original, the Great Movie Ride.
Great Movie Ride
While Hollywood Studios might be Disney World’s most popular current park from a ride standpoint, there are attractions that many in the 50+ demographic seemingly avoid. Stay tuned to DFB for more.
4 Secrets Imagineers Hid in Disney World Rides
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Coming from a 55 year old, who us no stranger to injuries (20 surgeries under my belt this month), I bet more 50+ year old ride these or worse thank you think. I bet more more 50+ year old are braver than most younger ones at riding such rides. Remember, we grew up jumping from trees, roof tops, climbing outdoors without a/c, padding, or security belts.
I’m 64. Was a Disney World last weekend. Rode all of those rides mentioned. Some of them twice. If you have issues go ride the tea cups.
Just turned 56 and I still ride everything in all the parks. TOT is my favorite but I also love roller coasters. I even still ride the orange side of Mars at Epcot. I guess I’m one of the lucky ones that doesn’t get motion sick on rides.
My brother and I (47 and 51, respectively) hit HS together a couple months ago, and we did everything but Alien Swirling Saucers. (It’s a little too teacups-adjacent for our tastes, and since we’re kind of indifferent to Toy Story, we just didn’t bother.) Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster was a little too much for me, although being a huge Muppets fan, I’ll probably give it one more try after the re-theme. He loved it. Tower of Terror was a little too much for him, but I loved it. Star Tours was kind of “meh” for me, but he really didn’t like the part where the ship lands on its side toward the end. Other than that, I think we would both happily ride everything again.
We did do RotR twice, and he mentioned later that he wished we had time to do Smuggler’s Run again. It was a one day, down and back, trip for him, and we just ran out of time. He’s not really a WDW person, but he did express an interest in going back to do all four parks some time, so we’ll ride that one again for sure, hopefully with bonus Grogu!
Ummm. I am 57 and enjoy all the rides in Hollywood Studios. I don’t like being told I’m too old to ride any of the rides! My faves are Tower of Terror, Rockin’ Rollercoaster, Slinky dog dash and Runaway Railway.
I’m 71 and LOVE all of these rides. Getting older doesn’t mean you have to grow up!!!
I’m 70 and I’d ride all those rides except Rock N Roller Coaster ( because it goes upside down and makes me sick, although I may try it again if it’s Muppets themed). Tower of Terror is my absolutely favorite ride. And I absolutely love Star Tours as well. Hollywood Studios is my favorite park!
I’m in my late 70’s and the only one I agree with is the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster.
Love the rest!
Of the rides on this list, I can only ride Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, but that’s due to motion sickness, not because I’m 54.
Who are these 55 year olds you speak of? The only ride I agree with is Slinky because it just isn’t fun! My brother was 70 years old the last time we rode Rockin Rollercoaster (He’s 19 years my senior). This fall my best friend and I went to DLP and celebrated our 55th birthdays – how? By riding ToT, Hyperspace Mountain and Flight Force multiple times.
69 and they are my priority rides
Turning 52 in two days. Will have ridden all of them this week. I see plenty of 50+ on these rides when I go. Anecdotes don’t always equate to trends.
My husband and I are in our 70’s. We ride all of these but may only do RoR one more time when it switches to Muppets. The rides we stopped riding in our late 60’s are Dinosaur, Frozen in Epcot, space Mountain, and sadly, Expedition Everest. All too jerky for our necks and backs now. Looking forward to Big Thunder being a smoother coaster after the redo. 🤞
I was just there in October and I ride everything. By the way I’m 56 and love those rides. Heck I even love the rides at Universal.
Couple months shy of 59, been hitting the parks since ’73. Only rides I avoid for physical reasons are Mission Space and Space Mountain.
I am 80, my wife is 76. We were at WDW in August. We rode RRC and ToT multiple times in two different days. Didn’t do Runaway train because it as boring, didn’t do SDD because the line is always too long. We also did Expedition Everest, Tron, Star Tours, and Kali River Rapids. I don’t do Space Mtn because it does hurt my back and it hurt my back when I rode it when I was in my 40s.
I’m 79! Runaway Railway is fine, as is Star Tours, and ROTR combines the technology of both, But, NO, I don’t do roller coasters
I just turned 60 and I’m still up for all the rides in every park!!! My husband has never been a fan of coasters or anything that spins but he is willing to try a few next time we go.
Interesting some I agree with and some I don’t. I can’t ride motion simulators that try to trick your brain that your moving a specific way but otherwise I’ve ridden everything and for sure i have my favorites but I ride everything time and mood permitting. My favorite place is EPCOT but I’ll go to all the parks and rides If I’m a group
There last week husband 67 and Im 65both with slight back and I have a neck injury. Im not giving up yet. We ride them all!!!
Who wrote this? Someone in their 20s? Whose’s going to drop $100/pp to sing along with Belle and Elsa all day? …although I’m not knocking that. 😉 While I much rather do the Great Movie Ride, the Backlot tour, and traips through the (Osborne) Spectacle of Dancing Lights, of course we ride those rides.
I am 60 and it’s not that I refuse to get on these rides, it’s that I can’t because of my bad back.
My Mom was riding all of these … and Tron, Expedition Everest and Guardians of the Galaxy in her late 80s! I’m 69 and ride everything except Space Mountain … too hard to get out of the car!
55 and I was just in the parks at the end of October. I’ve written all of those multiple times. Hell I would live on rock and roller coaster if they would let me.
You hit the nail on the head for me. Have not, or ever rode these 5. What happened to the Back Lot Tour, Catrastrophy Canyon, Honey I Shrunk the yard, Osborn Famiky Lights, Residential Street, Drew Carey Sound Stage, Tool Time Theater, and lots more that were great middle of the road attractions, not thrill rides in the dark.