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The three most popular roller coasters at Walt Disney World are Splash Mountain , Space Mountain, and Thunder Mountain Railroad. Each of them has a different feel. Sometimes it's hard to decide which one to go on first.

Thunder Mountain Railroad, in Frontierland, is themed as the gold rush days in a flooded mine town called Tumbleweed, and you are seated in a runaway mine car. It is relatively gentle and geared towards adults and teens. The ride is about 3.5 minutes of hairpin turns and dark descents; where you feel like you are falling and you go around corners quickly enough to be tossed from side to side. There are 20 audio-animatronic figures including donkeys, chickens, possums, and a rainmaker called Professor Cumulus Isobar. There is antique mining equipment, falling rocks, an earthquake, and the smell of sulphur as you pass phosphorescent pools. You careen through a dinosaur's ribs, under a waterfall, past spewing geysers and over a volcanic pool. You really need to be paying attention to catch all the detail. The lines are long but move fairly quickly. It is best to go during parades, or use a FASTPASS, or go late in the day (many people say it's even better after dark). The queue can get pretty hot in the summer so a mister fan could come in handy.

Space Mountain, in Tomorrowland, is an indoor attraction, themed as a ride through outer space. You enter a space station and board and exit the ride at a space port. There are two almost identical tracks in Disney World. Controlled lighting selectively hides portions of the track, so the element of surprise keeps this roller coaster as exciting as an outside one would be. Space Mountain was the first rollercoaster that was completely controlled and operated by a computer system. When you enter Space Mountain, there is a dimly lit queue that seems endless. It is a good idea to use Fastpass, especially at peak times. The best times to ride are during parades or late at night. Eventually you get to board six passenger "rockets", seated single file. Your vehicle goes through a tunnel of strobe lights and colors before "blasting off into space". You dip and swerve through the galaxy for two and a half minutes with peak speeds of 28 miles an hour, riding past shooting stars and glowing planets. The ride may be too intense for young children.

Splash Mountain, in Frontierland, is themed as Walt Disney's classic 1946 movie "Song of the South". The crafty Brer Rabbit is chased by Brer Fox and Brer Bear through swamps and woods all the way to the Laughin' Place. You should definitely use Fastpass for this ride. It is best to ride it during parades, either in the day or at night. There is a long queue through the inside of "Chickapin Hill" (this is one of the most popular rides in the park, especially in warm weather) until you reach the eight passenger "log" that will take you along the flume for 11 minutes.

There are 100 audio-animatronics figures, (some taken from an old attraction at Disneyland), as you travel through caves, swamps, and bayous. You see that initially Brer Rabbit outwits his pursuers but he is headed for trouble. He plunges with you from the top of Chickapin Hill, down five stories into the briar patch, at descent speeds of 40 mph. There are several familiar songs to clap, and sing aloud to. During the ride there are three lifts and five drops in total. Getting wet is inevitable. If you want to get really wet, though, ask if you can sit up front. There are ride photos taken just when your log begins to tip down the 45 degree waterfall. It is pretty funny to see your expression after the ride, at Splashdown Photos, as you exit.

Which roller coaster will you choose? Splash Mountain is an obvious choice on very hot days. It is fun to sing along to as well. Space Mountain is basically a fast, bone rattling roller coaster that is indoors and largely in the dark. Thunder Mountain Railroad is relatively gentle (which I like) but has plenty of the details that make Disney Theme Parks so much better than others. I would choose all three, especially on your first trip. They all have their own special pleasures and should all be experienced at least once.