Oldest Ride at Disney World

Have you ever wondered what the oldest ride at Disney World is? It’s a question that sparks a lot of discussion, and while there may be different interpretations, we believe we’ve found the answer. One attraction stands out, having been around for decades longer than any other ride in the park. Let’s take a closer look at all 23 attractions that opened on the first day of Magic Kingdom and reveal our pick for Disney World’s oldest ride.

Walt Disney World’s Oldest Ride

While all 23 opening-day attractions at Magic Kingdom share the distinction of opening on October 1st, 1971, Prince Charming Regal Carrousel can rightfully claim to be the oldest ride at Walt Disney World—thanks to its impressive history that stretches back more than five decades before Magic Kingdom even existed.

The Prince Charming Regal Carrousel was originally built in 1917 by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company. Back then, it was known as The Liberty Carousel and was first installed at Belle Isle Park in Michigan. The carousel later moved to Olympic Park in Maplewood, New Jersey, before Disney acquired it and brought it to Magic Kingdom in 1971.

Although it was re-themed and renamed Prince Charming Regal Carrousel when it became part of Magic Kingdom, its origins make it the oldest ride in terms of age, having been in operation for over 100 years.

That said, there’s some room for debate. While Prince Charming Regal Carrousel is the oldest in terms of its construction, there are other opening-day attractions that could be considered older in the context of their Disney heritage. For example, The Jungle Cruise and Mad Tea Party were both opening-day attractions at Disneyland in 1955, which means they predate Magic Kingdom’s opening and could be viewed as older when comparing the two parks.

However, when considering the oldest ride at Walt Disney World, Prince Charming Regal Carrousel is still the clear winner, with its storied history predating any other ride at the resort.

Disney World’s Opening Day Rides

Walt Disney initiated his “Florida Project” in 1965 but did not live to see its completion. On October 1, 1971, Magic Kingdom opened to the public as the first theme park at Walt Disney World Resort. Along with Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Contemporary Resort and Disney’s Polynesian Resort hotels also opened at this time.

On its opening day, Magic Kingdom featured 23 attractions. Many of these rides were based on existing attractions from Disneyland, while a few were unique to Magic Kingdom. These 23 attractions were distributed across six themed lands. Each of these lands had a counterpart at Disneyland, except for Liberty Square, which was unique in name but contained the same rides found in Disneyland’s New Orleans Square.

List of Opening Day Attractions at Magic Kingdom (1971)

On October 1, 1971, Magic Kingdom opened to a crowd of 10,000 guests, featuring 23 rides and attractions. Over the next few months, several more attractions were added. Here are the 23 Magic Kingdom rides and attractions that were available on opening day:

Main Street, U.S.A.

1. Walt Disney World Railroad (Main Street Station)
2. Main Street Vehicles (Omnibus, Fire Engine, etc.)

Adventureland

3. Jungle Cruise
4. Swiss Family Treehouse
5. Tropical Serenade (now Enchanted Tiki Room)

Frontierland

6. Country Bear Jamboree
7. Davy Crockett’s Explorer Canoes (closed in 1994)
8. Mike Fink Keel Boats
9. Diamond Horseshoe Revue

Liberty Square

10. The Hall of Presidents
11. The Haunted Mansion

Fantasyland

12. Cinderella’s Golden Carrousel (now Prince Charming Regal Carrousel)
13. Dumbo the Flying Elephant
14. “it’s a small world”
15. Mad Tea Party
16. Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride (closed in 1998)
17. Snow White’s Adventures (later renamed Snow White’s Scary Adventures, closed in 2012)
18. Skyway to Tomorrowland
19. Mickey Mouse Revue (closed in 1980)

Tomorrowland (partially completed on opening day)

20. Grand Prix Raceway (now Tomorrowland Speedway)
21. Skyway to Fantasyland
22. Flight to the Moon (became Mission to Mars in 1975, closed in 1993)
23. Circle-Vision 360: America the Beautiful (closed in 1984)

Additionally, some shops and entertainment offerings were part of the experience, but they weren’t classified as attractions.