Coming in at the bottom of the list is the Tomorrowland Spinner that has seen more iterations than any other. Originally a ground-level attraction in the center of Disneyland’s Tomorrowland, the ride was elevated in the 1967 Tomorrowland revamp, and given fantastic views flying high above the land. In 1998, as Tomorrowland went through yet another total revamp, the ride was moved back down to ground level, and was relocated to the front of the land – arguably to a place more a part of the hub than Tomorrowland. While this provides some nice views of the Castle, and is a beacon for those in the hub, it creates a bottleneck at the land’s entrance, and it just can’t hold up to its previous location atop the old Peoplemover loading platform. Its single file seating doesn’t help much in the way of comfort, and the color scheme and aesthetic from the 1998 Tomorrowland revamp now feels inconsistent with the rest of the land. Overall, the ride is easy to skip on the way to the much better Tomorrowland attractions that follow it. The endless discussion about restoring the ride to its former location has merit, but until that happens, Astro Orbitor is like a lot of this Tomorrowland: a step in the wrong direction compared to what it once was.

Just a notch above the California version is its inspiration from Disneyland Paris. This was the first version of the two to be built, and at first glance, these twin attractions are nearly identical, with the exception being a slightly different color scheme. The rest is basically the same: single file seating, moving planetary center spire, and ground-level placement. The real difference here is that the Paris version is a perfect fit for Discoveryland, and it’s retro-futuristic Jules Verne inspired motif. It blends seamlessly with Space Mountain, Autopia, the Hyperion Café, and nearly all of the rest of the attractions that surround it. And the ride’s placement in the dead center of the land means that there are no real visual intrusions – instead it feels like it is exactly where it belongs. The biggest drawback is the fact that this ride sits at ground level, as it really would have benefited from better views of Discoveryland from a higher elevation. But there’s no contrast here between the Orbitron and the rest of the land it lives in…it’s consistent, and that’s not always a given in today’s Disney parks. All of these factors add up to a fourth place spot for Disneyland Paris’ Orbitron.

One of the last original remnants of this park’s Tomorrowland, the Orbitron at Hong Kong Disneyland took several bold steps away from its predecessors. First, and most obviously, the attraction was built with a completely different visual style, with the ride vehicles taking the shape of alien spacecraft UFOs, rather than rockets. Second, the seating takes the form of side-by-side, rather than single file, and this is a huge benefit for rider comfort and experience, and something that would be replicated in subsequent versions of the attraction. Third, the ride circles a series of orbs, with a gigantic central planet at its core – which makes for a fun and unique visual. Like several of its peers, the attraction does sit at ground level, which is a drawback. Unfortunately, this is becoming the rule rather than the exception among Tomorrowland Spinners. Today, a large portion of Hong Kong Disneyland’s Tomorrowland is slowly being transformed into a Marvel Avengers Campus. It’s hard to think that at some point the Orbitron won’t become yet another part of this renovation, once the right Marvel-related overlay can be identified and incorporated. Until then however, it’s a unique, fun, and even somewhat futuristic-themed spinner, and is the third best version of the attraction in the world.

Oddly enough, Magic Kingdom’s version of the attraction is the only version left in the world that sits perched high above Tomorrowland, on an elevated platform that also houses this park’s Peoplemover attraction (coincidentally also the last of its kind in the world). As a result, it is somewhat of a relic of bygone era; an experience that many people had previously been able to enjoy in California and Tokyo. And it is easy to realize just how much better this placement works when visiting the Florida park. Astro Orbiter’s location acts as a sort of centerpiece of the entire land; something tall and wondrous and captivating for guests to enjoy, and to give much needed kinetic energy to the land overall. And riding the attraction at that height may not seem like a big deal at first consideration, but it truly does do wonders for the experience. The views are great, and the experience is slightly more thrilling, and certainly more engaging. And while the single file seating is still a personal gripe of ours – very uncomfortable to say the least – the experience of flying high above Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland is worth any awkward pinch points. It’s a testament to leaving things alone when they work, as sometimes Disney just gets it right from the start. And as a result, Magic Kingdom’s Astro Orbiter land in second place on our list.

Another rule-breaking attraction at Shanghai Disneyland, the Jet Packs are the newest Tomorrowland Spinner in the world. Perched on the edge of the second story of this multi-level Tomorrowland, the Jet Packs is a unique Tomorrowland Spinner if there ever was one. The ride incorporates the side-by-side seating found in Hong Kong, while taking the experience to new places by exposing rider’s feet and simulating the idea of wearing of a “jet pack” on their backs. Likewise, the controls also play into the Jet Pack concept, giving a consistent theme and feel to the attraction. The lights and sounds of this attraction feel futuristic and fun. Better still, the speed of this Tomorrowland Spinner is noticeably faster than any of the other versions around the world, and that ensures that the ride packs an extra punch. Finally, this version blends in fantastically with the rest of this sleek and new Tomorrowland – which we’ve commented in the past is the only truly “futuristic” feeling version of the land in the world. The views of the Tomorowland plaza and its wonderful fountains, along with the Tron Lightcycle Power Run coaster and its gorgeous LED canopy, add incredible vistas to the attraction, particularly at night when everything is bathed in music and light. At the end of the day, Jet Packs is a great update to a classic attraction. Taking a few risks and doing things differently has paid off well with this one, and as a result Jet Packs is the best Tomorrowland Spinner in the world.