The World's Fair-like Epcot is less about thrill rides and more about the wonders of science, technology, and the future (in Future World) along with a multi-culti peek into the international community (in World Showcase). But there are some thrills to be had at Epcot, including one of the most intense G-force rides in the industry.
Mission: SPACE
© Arthur Levine, 2003. Licensed to About.com.
Mission: SPACE is a groundbreaking, awe-inspiring attraction that delivers sensations unlike any you have ever felt (unless you're an astronaut) and replicates space travel with an astonishing degree of reality. It figuratively--and literally--takes your breath away.
Test Track
Disney. Used with permission.
The first thrill ride at Epcot, Test Track doesn't get up to speed until it's almost over, and even then it's only 60 mph (although the acceleration is fairly quick). There are no coaster-like hills or stomach-churning drops, but Test Track, which purports to take guests behind the scenes of automotive testing, does include a couple of slightly nerve-rattling braking demonstrations and some bumpy road simulations. The unique ride system, which looks like giant slot cars, is quite impressive.
Sum of All Thrills
Disney. Used with permission.
The unique ride allows guests to create their own virtual coasters, toboggans, or airplanes using interactive touch tables, and then take their design on a test run with a simulator that uses a robotic arm and an immersive video screen hood. Since guests design the ride, they can control the thrill level. At its most intense, Sum of All Thrills is no runaway Coney Island wooden coaster, but it can quicken passengers' pulses.
Maelstrom
Disney. Used with permission.
It's a real stretch to classify Maelstrom as a thrilling attraction, but the boat ride's small, backwards drop, brief lights-out moments, and slightly menacing imagery can be unsettling (in a good, theme park kind of way). The ride takes guests on a journey through Norway's past and present. Watch out for the trolls--and for that unique reverse drop.
