If Space Mountain were a person, it could be eligible for AARP benefits. The Magic Kingdom coaster turned 50 this month. Although it’s nowhere near retiring, it seems like a good time to round up Central Florida’s thrill rides and present them chronologically by opening date.

We used the online Roller Coaster Database as our primary source for these dates, and we stuck to the thrill rides in Orange and Osceola counties for this list.

It’s fun to look at the flurries of coasters, like the turn of the century Hulk-Rock ‘n’ Roller-Kraken era (and that’s not counting the departed Dueling Dragons). We might be in a golden age right now. The area has had a coaster debut every year since 2016, with the exception of 2020, and blaming the COVID-19 pandemic seems to be the right thing to do.

This list gets bulkier in the near future. Epic Universe will open with four coasters – Stardust Racers, Mine-Cart Madness, Hiccup’s Wing Gliders and Curse of the Werewolf – on May 22.

But here are our current roller coasters, including the under-refurbishment Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Magic Kingdom, from oldest to newest.

1. Space Mountain

Where and when: Magic Kingdom since Jan. 15, 1975
What it does: Nearly identical twin tracks head into the nearly complete darkness of space.
What else: It’s been the oldest roller coaster in Florida since 2008 when Starliner was dismantled at the old Cypress Gardens.

2. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Where and when: Magic Kingdom since Nov. 15, 1980
What it does: Rumbles through a Western atmosphere that includes mining and dinosaur rib cage in Frontierland.
What else: Coaster is currently undergoing refurbishment, and Disney says it will reopen “with new magic” in 2026.

3. Barnstormer

Where and when: Magic Kingdom since Oct. 1, 1996
What it does: The junior coaster sports an aviation theme and is designed to look as if it busts through a billboard.
What else: It’s kinda Goofy, but mostly Great Goofini.

4. Journey to Atlantis

Where and when: SeaWorld Orlando since April 17, 1998
What it does: It’s a dark water ride with a fake-out finale fall that morphs into roller-coaster action.
What else: It’s SeaWorld’s oldest thrill ride.

5. Trolls Trollercoaster

Where and when: Universal Studios since March 13, 1999
What it does: Movie-themed junior coaster with hills, turns and views of DreamWorks Land, which debuted in 2024.
What else: It was previously known as Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster, and even though it wasn’t relocated, it used to be in Woody’s KidZone.

6. Incredible Hulk

Where and when: Islands of Adventure since May 28, 1999
What it does: Rumbles through the unexpectedly exciting start, dives below the surface of the lagoon, and rattles internal organs.
What else: An overhaul that began in 2015 replaced the original track.

7. Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster

Where and when: Disney’s Hollywood Studios since July 29, 1999
What it does: Indoor ride rocks out to Aerosmith following dramatic launch, loops and raucous ride through L.A.
What else: Muppets are taking over at some point in the future. Paging Dr. Teeth.

8. Kraken

Where and when: SeaWorld Orlando since June 1, 2000
What it does: Aggressive ride – there are seven inversions – based on aggressive sea creatures.
What else: For a year, the ride came with virtual-reality headsets and was known as Kraken Unleashed.

9. Flight of the Hippogriff

Where and when: Islands of Adventure since June 29, 2000
What it does: The junior coaster gives unique perspectives of Hogsmeade, Hogwarts Castle and other parts of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
What else: For its first eight years, before being Potterized, it was a Lost Continent coaster known as the Flying Unicorn.

10. Revenge of the Mummy

Where and when: Universal Studios since May 21, 2004
What it does: Coasts through fiery special effects, dark launches, Brendan Fraser interactions and the ominous announcement “Death is only the beginning.”
What else: The building once housed the Kongfrontation attraction.

11. Expedition Everest

Where and when: Disney’s Animal Kingdom since April 7, 2006
What it does: Travels through mountainous passes, survives steep drops and escapes a yeti with limited arm range.
What else: Something suddenly goes wrong, and passengers go backward into the darkness.

12. Super Grover’s Box Car Derby

Where and when: SeaWorld Orlando since May 7, 2006
What it does: Brightly colored junior coaster – think pink rails – climbs lift hill, rolls back to the station after several turns.
What else: Before the park’s Sesame Street Land addition, the coaster was called Shamu Express. It’s the only Muppet-themed coaster in Orlando – for now.

13. Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit

Where and when: Universal Studios since Aug. 19, 2009
What it does: Takes riders up a straight-up lift hill and through some scenery while they listen to onboard music they’ve selected.
What else: Universal says Rockit will permanently close in September and its replacement has not been announced.

14. Galaxy Spin

Where and when: Fun Spot (Kissimmee) since July 2, 2011
What it does: Carnival-style ride – commonly referred to as the Wild Mouse model – spins four riders in the circular vehicle.
What else: Operated out of Cypress Gardens for three years.

15. Sea Serpent

Where and when: Fun Spot (Kissimmee) since Feb. 3, 2012
What it does: A minute-long kiddie ride has a little bit of height. The train has a reptile neck and heads up front, tail bringing up the rear.
What else: In previous locations, the ride was known as Boa Squeeze.

16. Sea Serpent

Where and when: Fun Spot (Orlando) since 2013
What it does: Low-impact kiddie ride with a creature head in front of the train.
What else: Lift hill goes to about 8 feet, then drops into a series of dips.

17. White Lightning

Where and when: Fun Spot (Orlando) since May 2013
What it does: Bright white wood coaster goes up and back, around a corner, serves up air time.
What else: It’s more than 2,000 feet of rail and comes with a clackety-clack sound effect.

18. Freedom Flyer

Where and when: Fun Spot (Orlando) since May 2013
What it does: Suspended coaster – aka legs dangling – flies circles over the north side of the attraction.
What else: In 2016, it was ahead of the VR curve with headsets that were first-person shooter style.

19. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

Where and when: Magic Kingdom since May 28, 2014
What it does: Wobbles among gemstones in a mine, prompts “Heigh-Ho” singalong and gives riders a speedy glance at Fantasyland.
What else: Watch for an old-school animatronic witch after the action slows.

20. Harry Potter and the Escape From Gringotts

Where and when: Universal Studios since July 8, 2014
What it does: Enclosed ride bounds through the bowels of a bank to battle with Bellatrix Lestrange and Lord Voldemort to retrieve a Horcrux.
What else: It’s a dark ride with a coaster-ish drop at the beginning and rail work.

21. Mako

Where and when: SeaWorld Orlando since June 10, 2016
What it does: Shark-inspired ride is the tallest (200 feet) and fastest (73 mph) in Orlando.
What else: It’s one of 10 so-called “hypercoasters” in the U.S.

22. Mine Blower

Where and when: Fun Spot (Kissimmee) since June 23, 2017
What it does: It goes into a corkscrew maneuver over the loading station, and there are no shoulder harnesses. Mind. Blown.
What else: In 2023, key sections of the ride were retracked using Rocky Mountain Construction’s 208 RetraK process.

23. Slinky Dog Dash

Where and when: Disney’s Hollywood Studios since June 30, 2018
What it does: Glides through Andy’s backyard amid stacked playthings in Toy Story Land.
What else: There’s a crayon-created Hidden Mickey in the loading zone (far right top of a drawing).

24. Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure

Where and when: Islands of Adventure since June 13, 2019
What it does: Zips through seven launches but slows through scenes with Fluffy, the three-headed dog, a centaur, a blast-ended skrewt and more Wizarding World features.
What else: It’s on the land that was home to Dueling Dragons, which debuted with IOA in 1999.

25. Hurricane

Where and when: Old Town (Kissimmee) since Dec. 24, 2019
What it does: Very exposed ride with six-passenger vehicles makes most of its speed.
What else: Formerly operated at the Fun Spot location near Atlanta.

26. Jurassic World VelociCoaster

Where and when: Islands of Adventure since June 10, 2021
What it does: The dino-themed coaster has four inversions and memorably accelerates into a hill before dropping by the ride entrance and then skimming the backside of Hogsmeade.
What else: That last maneuver over the water is known as the Mosasaurus Roll.

27. Ice Breaker

Where and when: SeaWorld Orlando since Feb. 18, 2022
What it does: It goes backward and forward on the same stretch of the rail, then doesn’t quite crest over the hill in a psych/gotcha moment.
What else: That scorpion tail maneuver backs up to be just beyond vertical.

28. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind

Where and when: Epcot since May 27, 2022
What it does: The indoor coaster includes spinning action, an aggressive backward stretch and multiple soundtracks from back in the day.
What else: Something suddenly goes wrong – in the preshow – and riders are recruited to help rescue the Cosmic Generator using jump holes.

29. Tron Lightcycle / Run

Where and when: Magic Kingdom since April 4, 2023
What it does: Uses a face-first vehicle to race for Team Blue.
What else: The Ride was first built for Shanghai Disneyland.

30. Pipeline the Surf Coaster

Where and when: SeaWorld Orlando since May 27, 2023
What it does: Uses a surfboard-styled ride vehicle that gets passengers off their feet.
What else: Location near park entrance gives first impression from the parking lot.

31. Penguin Trek

Where and when: SeaWorld Orlando since July 7, 2024
What it does: Snowmobile-inspired ride vehicle launches out of a building and over the park’s Antarctica area.
What else: Visitors exit – by foot – through ice-cold live-penguin habitat.

Email me at dbevil@orlandosentinel.com. BlueSky: @themeparksdb. Threads account: @dbevil. X account: @themeparks. Subscribe to the Theme Park Rangers newsletter at orlandosentinel.com/newsletters.