The two parks at Disneyland Resort have their own distinct personalities. While Disneyland Park celebrates fairy tales, Americana, and Jedi knights, Disney California Adventure Park explores the realm of superheroes, the Golden State, and the history of Walt Disney himself.
As a contrast to Disneyland’s Main Street USA, the entrance of this Anaheim park is called Buena Vista Street, an homage to a Los Angeles neighborhood circa 1923, when young Walt Disney first arrived from Missouri. Ride its clanging Red Car Trolley, browse Art Deco–storefront shops, and enjoy fresh-made chocolates at Trolley Treats. Or, if you’re a grown-up, sip a retro Manhattan in the stylish bar at Carthay Circle. The restaurant and bar—a tribute to Hollywood’s Carthay Circle Theatre, where Snow White premiered in 1937—serves locally sourced California cuisine in a swanky setting that feels like a vintage Hollywood supper club.
Follow the trolley’s path into the Hollywood Land area where you can ride the kid-friendly Monsters Inc.: Mike & Sully to the Rescue or learn about animation at the Sorcerer’s Workshop and the Animation Academy.
Cars Land and Soarin’ Round the World
One of the star attractions in Disney California Adventure Park is Cars Land, which is both a tribute to the Cars movies and a nod to the historic Route 66 that crossed California’s desert and stretched all the way to Santa Monica. One of Cars Land’s dining options, the Cozy Cone Motel, is a cheeky take on the still-operating Wigwam Motel along Route 66 in San Bernardino. Flo’s V8 Cafe is another great option for sit-down dining with a Route 66-inspired twist.
Take your own road trip on the popular Radiator Springs Racers, where you board a six-person car that zooms over dramatic Southwestern terrain while also racing the car next to you. For less speed, ride the dancing tractors at Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree or the Italian micro-car replicas at Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters.
One of the park’s other biggest crowd pleasers is Soarin’ Around the World in the Golden State–themed Grizzly Peak area. Strap yourself into simulated hang gliders to swoop through the air and get bird’s-eye views of iconic locations around the globe, such as the Great Pyramids of Egypt, Sydney Harbor, and two places that inspired features in Fantasyland: the Matterhorn in the Swiss Alps and the “Sleeping Beauty” NeuschwansteinCastle in Bavaria (periodically, the ride changes its theme to Soarin’ Over California, featuring Golden State landmarks instead). Nearby, let kids stretch their legs on the ropes course and play structure of the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail, then enjoy the thrill of a whitewater rafting trip in the Sierra Nevada with the splash-and-douse ride down the Grizzly River Run.
Meet Superheroes at the Avengers Campus
One of the newest sections of the park, Avengers Campus, invites you to immerse yourself in the Marvel Universe. The superhero theme extends to rides, shops, and even the cuisine, including the quirky-sized dishes created by Ant Man and The Wasp at Pym Test Kitchenand the Avengers’ favorite wraps at Shawarma Palace.
Two rides in the Avengers Campus offer an extremely high thrill-to-minute ratio. Guardians of the Galaxy—Mission: Breakout! is a drop tower ride that takes guests on a mission with the motley crew of superheroes, featuring both the music and humor from the Guardians of the Galaxy films. Meanwhile, Web Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure is an interactive 3D ride where riders use gesture technology to sling virtual webs and help Spider-Man capture mischievous Spider-Bots.
Play and Eat at Pixar Pier and San Fransokyo Square
For classic boardwalk-style rides, head to Paradise Gardens Park and the neighboring Pixar Pier, which is home to the Incredicoaster, midway games, and a Ferris wheel—all featuring characters from Pixar movies such as The Incredibles, Inside Out, and the Toy Story series. The movie-character theme extends to food, too, from the Señor Buzz Churros and Hangry Dogs to the sit-down Lamplight Lounge, filled with Pixar sketches and memorabilia. The neighboring Paradise Bay is where you can see evening light shows like World of Color–ONE.
Smaller kids—or anyone who just prefers gentler rides—will enjoy Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind, The Little Mermaid – Ariel’s Undersea Adventure, Goofy’s Sky School, and Pixar Pier’s Jesse’s Critter Carousel, inspired by Toy Story 2. For more Pixar fun, loop back to Hollywood Land for the interactive Turtle Talk with Crush experience, where visitors can chat up a storm with Crush, the sea turtle from Finding Nemo. This is one attraction that is worth visiting more than once—every conversation will be different.
Plan your day around having a meal or snack at San Fransokyo Square, the diverse dining area inspired both by San Francisco and the movie Big Hero 6. Stop for a photo op on the scaled-down Golden Gate Bridge, then choose from dining options such as the bowls at Lucky Fortune Cookery, street tacos at Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill, and sourdough bread sandwiches at Aunt Cass Cafe. Take a Boudin Bakery tour to see how authentic sourdough gets made, and save room for dessert at Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop. For easy ordering and scheduled pick up, make the most of the mobile dining optionavailable on the Disneyland Mobile App.
Where to Stay Near Disney California Adventure Park
For extra-easy access to the park, stay at one of the two neighboring Disneyland Resorthotels. Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa—inspired by the plush yet rustic Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite Valley—sits right behind California Adventure and even has its own park entrance for hotel guests. Across the street from the Grand Californian is Pixar Place Hotel, the former Paradise Pier Hotel that is scheduled to open in early 2024.
