Roller Coasters in Florida

After California, there are more roller coasters in Florida – or at least amusement parks – than in any other state. (I mean, I haven’t made my way through all the states yet, but I’m pretty sure it’s true. Though I’ve got my eye on Ohio…)

Any link on a coaster’s name below is a video of the ride! You can take a virtual tour of all the roller coasters in Florida from your sofa!

Walt Disney World

While Disney isn’t the best at roller coasters, the Disney World Florida parks are the best in the world! The theming, the commitment to quality, the friendliness of the cast members, and just the vastness of the resort put it in a category of its own. Walt Disney World sits on a HUGE amount of land, which contains four theme parks, two water parks, a large shopping district, two mini-golf courses, a sports complex, and 21 resort hotels! (And that’s only if you don’t count the time-share add-ons to some resorts – another way of counting would total 31 resorts.) There are over 200 restaurants! It’s big, y’all. BIG. I won’t pretend that Disney as an entity isn’t problematic, but based on the entertainment factor alone, Disney can’t be beat.

(EDIT: While I’m still excited about some of Disney Park’s projects, I’ve become significantly less enamored of the company in the last few years. Paying extra for rides on the Genie+ system, more virtual queues, ongoing significant construction, park reservations, and amenities that aren’t coming back, combined with across-the-board and heavy-handed price increases, makes Disney a less desirable option overall. It used to be you paid a lot and got a lot. Now it seems you pay a LOT more and get quite a bit less. I still think Disney has the best rides, and I really enjoyed my trip to Disneyland, which is a less complicated undertaking. But the Florida parks are getting too difficult to be worth it.)

Disney Roller Coasters

As for the roller coasters, in the Magic Kingdom, you’ll find Space Mountain, a themed indoor coaster; Big Thunder Mountain Railroad runaway mine car; Barnstormer, a Goofy-themed family coaster; and the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, part dark ride, part coaster with swinging mine cars. Opening soon is the TRON Lightcycle / Run motorcycle-style roller coaster with indoor and outdoor portions and cool neon lighting. My favorite ride at this park isn’t a coaster, however. It’s Splash Mountain, the log flume ride (soon to be Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.)

There is one roller coaster in Epcot, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, an indoor coaster with spinning cars. Test Track is close to being a roller coaster, with a launched outdoor portion.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios contains two solid coasters, the indoor Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster and the Toy Story-themed Slinky Dog Dash. I really enjoy Slinky Dog, but my favorite in this park is the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, with a different program of drops every time!

At the Animal Kingdom, there’s one biggie – Expedition Everest, a tea train into a mystical mountain, ending in a confrontation with a massive yeti! And this one is actually my favorite in this park, though Avatar Flight of Passage is really cool. (And if you don’t count the never-built Beastly Kingdom, which would have been awesome.)

Tickets & Parking

Disney’s ticketing system is complex, date-based, and expensive. Tickets cost $109-189 for a 1-day, 1-park ticket, though the more days you buy (up to 10), the less you pay per day. To visit more than one park per day tacks on an extra $65 per ticket (though not per day.) Prices go up once or twice a year, so definitely check your specific dates and scope out discounted ticket sellers. (And sign up for their newsletter for slightly deeper discounts.)

Parking is $25 per day at each of the theme parks. Parking at a theme park is included if you are a resort hotel guest. It’s also free to park at the Disney Springs shopping district and the water parks. Also, there’s a free internal transportation system comprising buses, boats, monorails, and the Skyliner, even if you aren’t visiting a theme park or staying at a hotel.

Universal Studios Florida

The Universal Orlando Resort in Florida consists of two theme parks (with one more on the way), a large water park, an extensive shopping and dining area, and seven resort hotels. In Universal Studios Florida, you’ll find 4 roller coasters. Rip, Ride, Rockit, is an outdoor steel coaster with a personal soundtrack of your choosing. Revenge of the Mummy is an indoor coaster with some amazing show scenes. Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts is mostly a dark ride but on a coaster track with some whippy elements.

Islands of Adventure is a bit more exciting, with 5 roller coasters. The Incredible Hulk launched coaster, Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, and the new incredible VelociCoaster in the Jurassic Park section. The Flight of the Hippogriff is a fun family coaster, and Pteranodon Flyers is a family suspended single-rail ride (and you do have to have a kid with you to ride!)

When Epic Universe opens in 2025, it will debut with 3-4 roller coasters. The rumor mill indicates these possibilities: A family mine coaster themed to Donkey Kong with an innovative track design allowing cars to “jump” the track; one themed to How to Train Your Dragon takes guests around and through objects (and guests) in the park; a super-fast racing coaster; and there might be a spinning family coaster in the classic monsters section of the park.

In both current parks, most other rides are motion-simulator dark rides or massive theater productions, no less impressive, but not coasters (and they tend to give me a headache.) There are massive movie franchises represented here, such as Jurassic Park, the Minions, The Simpsons, Spider-Man, King Kong, etc. But the biggest franchise in the park is the Harry Potter sections – The Wizarding World of Harry Potter (AKA Hogsmeade & Hogwarts) in Islands of Adventure, and Diagon Alley in Universal Studios. There’s even a train (that’s also a dark ride) that takes you between the two!

Tickets & Parking

One park per day starts at $109 ($5 less for kids). To go from park to park (which you’ll need to go on the train between the Harry Potter lands) is $164 for one day, or you can buy passes for up to 5 days, making it average out to less per day. For instance, a 2-park, 3-day ticket is $235, which would be about $78 per day. (And right now, that price actually gets you FIVE days.) The price goes up on certain days, so make sure to check the website for your specific dates. And always compare with discount ticket sellers.

Parking is $30 at Universal Studios. There’s one large parking structure for City Walk and both theme parks. (That’s one thing I don’t like about Universal – you’ve already had a long walk by the time you get to the park gate.) You can get free parking with the purchase of two movie tickets – you pay upfront and it’s validated at the theater. And you can park for free after 6 pm, for dinner and shopping at City Walk. There is complimentary boat transportation to & from the nearest resort hotels, and a long garden walk connecting most of the resort to City Walk.

Busch Gardens Tampa

I love the Busch Gardens parks! Busch Gardens Tampa features 10 roller coasters. Tigris is one of those launched, looping coasters. Cobra’s Curse is a highly-themed spinning family ride. Sheikra is a huge diving coaster. Montu is a fantastic inverted coaster, where your feet hang. Kumba is a seated ride with 7 inversions. The Scorpion is a classic Schwarzkopf looper (I love these!) And Cheetah Hunt is one of my very favorites, a triple-launched coaster that hugs tight to the terrain. A wild mouse called the Sand Serpent and the Air Grover kid’s coaster round out the coaster options. Gwazi was the park’s wooden coaster, which they have now fitted with steel tracks for a new ride, the Iron Gwazi.

Other rides include the Falcon’s Fury 335-foot drop tower, a Skyride, a round rapids ride, a log flume, plus a train through one of several animal habitats in the park. What I love about Busch Gardens is that it’s so green, and has all the animals. It’s not like the parking lot asphalt of a Six Flags park.

Tickets

Tickets can cost as much as $135 at the gate, or $100 online. You can also bundle tickets with SeaWorld Orlando, Aquatica, and Adventure Island, the adjacent water park, for $135-215, or unlimited visits to all parks for $230-270. None of those options have kid versions – it looks like everyone age 3+ pays one price. Parking is $30 per car.

SeaWorld Orlando

The SeaWorld park in Orlando is slightly bigger than its California cousin and has more roller coasters at 6, with one more on the way. The Manta at this park is a flying coaster (meaning you lay on your stomach). Mako is a 200-foot tall hypercoaster. Kraken is a floorless coaster with 7 inversions. The new Icebreaker is a steel shuttle coaster. Journey to Atlantis is part dark ride, part roller coaster, part water ride. Super Grover’s Box Car Derby is a family coaster in the Sesame Street kid’s section of the park. Coming in 2023 is Pipeline the Surf Coaster, a standing coaster that will make you feel like you’re surfing the waves.

Other rides include a river raft and a few dark rides, including Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin, featuring independently moving ride vehicles. Then there are the animal shows and marine life encounters that are the hallmark of the SeaWorld brand.

Tickets

The cost to see SeaWorld can be as much as $135 at the gate, or $100 online. You can add on extra days at a sister park – Aquatica, Busch Gardens, or Adventure Island, just like at Busch Gardens above. Parking is $30 per day.

Legoland Florida

Like its counterpart in California, Legoland Florida has a Lego-based theme park side and a separate water park, mainly geared towards smaller kids. But this one includes Cypress Gardens, an old-Florida park since 1936. When Cypress Gardens closed, Legoland eventually bought up the land and built their theme park around the original gardens, which have been preserved with even the famous water-ski shows on the lake intact. It also seems larger to me, with more of the movies represented, like Emmet’s apartment and a Ninjago section.

Legoland Florida has 4 roller coasters, all on the tame side. The most thrilling might be the Great Lego Race, a wild mouse-style with VR experience. Then there’s the Coastersaurus wooden coaster, the Dragon coaster/dark ride, and Flying School, an inverted family coaster. There’s also a Ninjago dark ride, a Lost Kingdom laser-shooter dark ride, and a Masters of Flight ride that looks a lot like Soarin’ in Epcot. The water park looks smaller, with only 5 slides and some kid’s areas.

A Peppa Pig Park opened at the Legoland resort in 2022 with a family-style roller coaster called Daddy Pig’s Roller Coaster. But the park is specially designed for “little piggies,” so it will likely be even less thrilling than what’s already there. It’s a separate park, but offered as an add-on to the larger Legoland park.

Tickets

The Florida park is a touch cheaper, but not as much as it used to be. Ticket prices vary from $84-$184, depending on date, how many parks you wish to visit (Legoland, the water park, and/or Peppa Pig), and how many days, from 1-3. Buying online is always cheaper than at the gate. There’s an attached hotel if you want to stay overnight. Parking costs $23.36. The whole shebang is located in Winter Haven, about an hour south of Disney World.

Fun Spot Kissimmee

Fun Spot in Kissimmee has 4 roller coasters. The Mine Blower is the only wooden roller coaster in Florida to go upside down! Galaxy Spin is a wild mouse with spinning cars. Hurricane is a small family out-and-back coaster. And the Kiddie Coaster is a snake-themed kid’s ride. Other thrill rides include a spinning pendulum, a giant swing, a Ferris wheel, swings, and some flat rides, some just for kids.

The coasters cost $12 each to ride (with the Kiddie Coaster $7) or $60 for an all-day pass ($65 at the gate.) Parking is free.

Fun Spot Orlando

In Fun Spot Orlando, you’ll find 3 roller coasters, the wooden White Lightning, the Freedom Flyer suspended family coaster, and the Sea Serpent kiddie coaster. Other thrill rides include a giant swing, spinning pendulum, Ferris wheel, drop tower, and a new high-swings ride where you can lay on your stomach! Plus several flat spinners, kid’s rides, go-kart tracks, and midway games. There’s also a splash pad and a “gator spot” sponsored by Gatorland.

As above, the cost for the most thrilling rides, including the coasters, is $12 each, or $60-65 for an all-day pass. Some folks like the Orlando park better, as it’s larger overall with more parking.

Race City PCB

Race City in Panama City Beach has one proper steel coaster called the Hurricane. Other thrill rides include several flat spinning rides, a carousel, and a swinging pirate ship. The rest of the complex includes go-karts, black-light mini-golf, a haunted house, bumper boats, and an arcade to help you beat the heat indoors. The roller coaster costs $7.94 to ride or $53.27 for all the attractions in the park.

Old Town

Old Town in Kissimmee is a shopping and dining district with a few amusement rides, like a Ferris wheel and carousel. They have a Hurricane steel roller coaster plus a fun-looking Mortem Manor haunted house with live actors, open in the evenings. Their own website doesn’t say how much it costs. Online, I found a $9 price for the coaster from a few years ago, and $3 for some of the smaller rides. I’m sure it’s a bit more than that now.

Andretti Thrill Park

Andretti Thrill Park in Melbourne, as its name would suggest, has several go-kart tracks, plus an arcade, mini-golf, batting cages, laser tag, paddle boats, a climbing wall, AND three thrill rides, including the Family Coaster, with spinning cars on a figure-8 layout. The other two rides might be more properly thrilling – a drop tower and a spinning pendulum ride. It costs $34.58 for 2 hours, $38.32 for 3 hours, and $43.92 for an all-day pass. (I feel sure those prices with tax end up at round numbers…)

Zoo Tampa

Zoo Tampa at Lowry Park only has a small (well-themed) kiddie coaster called the Tasmanian Tiger in their Australian-themed rides, but they also have a fun-looking water ride, a guided tram tour, and a few other kid’s rides. Day tickets cost $43 and under, and for $3 more, you can continue to visit for the rest of the year. Rides seem to be included in that price. Zoo Tampa is also included in a Tampa City Pass, which for $139 gives access to Busch Gardens Tampa, Zoo Tampa, The Florida Aquarium, and two of the following: the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, Museum of Science and Industry, Glazer Children’s Museum, or a boat tour (sunset or dolphins.)

Swampy Jack’s Wongo Adventures

Swampy Jack’s Wongo Adventure in Panama City Beach only features a small figure-8 spinning coaster, but they also have an indoor skunk-ape-themed scrambler ride, high swings, a flat spinning ride, go-karts, and bumper cars. Admission is free, and each ride has a separate cost. The coaster is $3, most everything else is $5, and go-karts and mini-golf are $10 each.

The Track

The Track Family Fun Park in Destin is a go-kart, mini-golf sort of place, with a slew of decent attractions, including a small Spinning Coaster. They’ve also got a swinging pendulum ride, bumper cars and boats, and several rides for little kids. Everything is on a points system, with points that equal $1, though the more points you buy, the more you can save. And points transfer between all of The Track’s six locations. The coaster costs 9 points.

Splash City Adventures

Splash City Adventures in Pensacola is home to one kiddie coaster called Miner Mike. Otherwise, Splash City’s Pirate Cove has several other rides for kids and also paint ball, mini-golf, laser tag, go-karts, and a decent-sized water park. A pass to ride all the kid’s rides is $30+, $40+ includes all extra attractions, while $50+ includes the water park too.

FastTrax Entertainment

FastTrax in Fort Myers is one of those go-kart/arcade places, this one apparently with duckpin bowling and a beer garden attached. And included in a slate of midway rides is the Cobra kiddie coaster for $5. Other $5 rides include a drop tower and a couple others. Some $3 rides include a train, swings, and pirate ship.

Adventure Landing

Adventure Landing in Jacksonville Beach seems to mostly be a small amusement area attached to the Shipwreck Island Water Park. In it, is a small family Wacky Worm Roller Coaster, plus a flight simulator, batting cages, laser tag, and mini-golf. AND there is a $4 gator-feeding area! The coaster alone is $5.

Uncle Bernie’s Theme Park

Uncle Bernie’s is a small park in Fort Lauderdale with an array of kiddie rides, including two kid’s coasters, the Dragon Coaster, and a Wacky Worm. A few other flat spinners and a log flume might be interesting, but it’s mostly for toddlers. Tickets cost $1 each and each ride costs 4-6 tickets. The coasters are 5 tickets each. On the weekends, you can buy a wristband for unlimited rides that costs $29.

Celebration Station

Celebration Station in Clearwater is another one of those arcade/batting cages/mini-golf/laser tag places, this one with a kiddie park that includes Miner Mike, an oval ride for tots. Five tickets cost $16, but I’m not sure how many tickets the coaster might cost.

Water Parks in Florida

There are a TON of water parks in Florida. I came up with 39, so I’ll try to break it up. Always check current prices ahead of your visit.

Water parks connected to the amusement parks above

• Disney World has two water parks on campus, Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon. Blizzard Beach has a fun “ski resort that’s melting” theme (including a chairlift) and features 9 slides, including a super-tall body slide themed to a ski jump. There’s also a wave pool, a dedicated kid’s area, and a long and highly-themed lazy river that circles the whole park. Typhoon Lagoon has a tropical storm theme and 9 slides, including a water coaster, the Crush n’ Gusher. Their wave pool is much larger, and you can surf on it! Plus kid’s areas and a long, winding lazy river. Both parks have that Disney-level theming that makes it extra fun. Tickets cost $69 for each park or $64 for a ticket “with blockout dates,” which means you can’t use it during the summer. You can also add the parks to a theme park pass. Parking is free.

• Universal has a new, large water park, Volcano Bay, with 16 slides around a huge volcano incorporated into some of the slides. One of those is the Krakatau Aqua Coaster. There’s also a large lagoon, kid’s areas, and a lazy river, plus a river rapids ride that you ride in a life vest. Tickets cost $80-85, depending on the day, or you can buy them as part of a larger theme park and/or hotel bundle – the resort’s Cabana Bay hotel is the closest. If you’re not staying at a Universal hotel, you park at the main parking structure ($30) and take a shuttle.

• The water park attached to Busch Gardens Tampa is Adventure Island, featuring 12 slides, a large wave pool, kid’s areas, and what looks like a lushly landscaped lazy river. Tickets cost $85 at the gate or $49 online, or you can add it to a theme park ticket. Parking is $30.
• SeaWorld’s water park is Aquatica. This park has 12 slides, including a tube through a dolphin exhibit and a lazy river through an aquarium. A longer river is rapids you do with a life vest. Then there are two kid’s areas and side-by-side wave pools! Tickets cost $100 at the gate or $55 online, and combo tickets with SeaWorld and Busch Gardens are available. Parking is $30.

• Legoland has a small attached waterpark you can add to your theme park ticket for $15. With 4 slides, a lazy river, wave pool, and plenty of kid’s areas, it’s mostly for families with young children. Parking costs $23.36.
• The Orlando location of Fun Spot has a splash pad included in the all-day armband ($46.)
• Splash City Adventures in Pensacola has 6 big slides, 2 kids’ slides, plus a kiddie pool and lazy river. Tickets for the water park cost $33, though they have a pre-season sale right now for $25.

• Adventure Landing in Jacksonville Beach is home to Shipwreck Island Water Park, which has 9 slides, including a water coaster called The Rage. Plus a wave pool, lazy river, and kid’s areas. Admission costs $43 and under.
• And while it’s not a water park per se, Discovery Cove is a SeaWorld park where you can swim with dolphins, snorkel with fish, manta rays, sea otters, feed tropical birds, and relax on a beach or in a river with no lines or crowds. Prices start at $224 per person but can go up to $499, depending on the day. If that weren’t expensive enough, you can upgrade your day to also swim with sharks, take a walk on the bottom of the reef with a weighted helmet, or various animal feedings.

Stand-alone water parks

• Rapids Waterpark in West Palm Beach has 15 thrilling slides plus activity pools, a FlowRider, several kid’s areas, and a lazy river. New for this year, they’re building a dueling water coaster called Mega Mayhem. Admission is $50 during the week and $60 on weekends. Parking costs an extra $15.
• Big Kahuna’s Water & Adventure Park in Destin has 15 slides for adults, a few for kids, a lazy river plus three more thrilling rivers, a wave pool, and a FlowRider for surfing. There’s also mini-golf, a Sky Coaster, and the Cyclone – like a 4-person extreme Ferris wheel? I’m not sure how to describe it – see pic below! Big Kahuna’s costs $58 and under at the gate or $55 online. The adventure rides each carry a separate cost between $11-18, or you can get a combo pass for $26.

• Island H20 Water Park in Kissimmee is part of a larger Sunset Walk shopping and dining complex with a Margaritaville hotel, etc. The water park has 8 big slides, including one water coaster called Follow Me Falls (everything is Instagram and tech-related.) There’s also a wave pool, a lazy river, and an adults-only pool. Admission is $55 and under if bought online, $60 at the gate.
• Sunsplash Family Waterpark in Cape Coral has 9 slides, a lazy river, kid’s areas, and a boardwalk along Lake Kennedy. Passes are $28 and under; $5 more at the gate.
• Tidal Cove Water Park in Miami (next to the Aventura Mall) features5 slides, including one Master Blaster water coaster. There’s also a lush lazy river, a kid’s splash tower, two pools, and a large surf rider. It’s attached to a Marriott resort & spa, so a ticket to ride includes access to the water park, the spa, and several restaurants and costs between $55-500, depending on the day. Parking is an extra $25.

• Daytona Lagoon has 7 slides, a lazy river, a wave pool, and a kid’s splash tower. Also attached is an arcade, ropes course, bumper cars, laser tag, go-karts, and mini-golf. The water park is $38-45 (Weekends are more expensive.) Other attractions are priced individually. Parking is $4 with validation at the parking garage next door.
• Shipwreck Island in Panama City Beach has 5 slides, a large wave pool, a lazy river, and a zipline/rope swing off a pirate deck. To visit costs $50 and under. (I have fond memories of going to this park as a kid!)
• Buccaneer Bay in Spring Hill consists of only two slides. But the real attraction is that it is part of Weeki Wachee Springs, a cold and deep natural spring. On the dry park side, there is a famous mermaid show, a boat tour of the river, and on the water park side, you can take a tube down the river on the natural current (though you have to rent your tube.) The cost for the whole park is $13 and under.

• Coco Key Water Park in Kissimmee is mainly a hotel pool with 5 slides, but anyone can buy a day pass for $43 on a weekend or $25 on a weekday.
• Sun-N-Fun Lagoon in Naples has 5 slides, a lazy river, activity pools, and diving boards. A day pass is $13 and under.
• Grapeland Water Park in Miami has 3 adult slides, a kid’s play area, a heated pool, and a lazy river. Tickets cost $20 and under.
• Splash Harbor Water Park in Indian Rocks Beach (near Clearwater) has 2 big slides, a lazy river, and a large pool. There’s also indoor mini-golf and gem mining. It looks like it’s part of a hotel/marina/restaurant complex, though you don’t have to stay there to visit. Tickets cost $30 and under, with discounts for weekdays, Florida residents, and after 3 pm.

• Coconut Cove Water Park in Boca Raton is mainly a big pool with a few small slides and a long lazy river. Its sister park in Royal Palm Beach, Calypso Bay, is about the same thing (with a shorter river.) The cost for either is $16 and under.
• Sailfish Splash Waterpark in Stuart is a small regional park with at least two slides. Passes are $18.25 and under.
• Paradise Cove is a kid’s play area in Hollywood with 3 big slides. 2 smaller ones and a lazy river. The cost to play is $12.30 and under.
• Splash Adventure Water Park in Deerfield Beach (near Ft. Lauderdale) is a kid’s play area that costs $6 to use.

That was a lot! Did I miss anything? Have you been to any of these parks? What are you looking forward to doing this summer? Let me know in the comments below!