Disney California Adventure

Disney California Adventure is a unique park that doesn't exist at Walt Disney World, though it has some of the same attractions (usually with slight variations) that exist in Florida. The main entrance to the park faces Disneyland Park across a pedestrian plaza called the Esplanade, but there is a back entrance via the Grand Californian Hotel as well. The park currently sits on 55 acres and consists of 5 themed lands: Sunshine Plaza, A Bug's Land, The Golden State, Paradise Pier, and the Hollywood Pictures Backlot. Each area is supposed to remind guests of some aspect of the real state of California.

Sunshine Plaza serves as the main entrance to the park and doesn’t have any attractions, but be sure to stop and look at the California Zephyr train. Walt Disney Imagineering did a great job with it, and it offers several delicious treats within. A Bug’s Land is a uniquely themed land that has the 3D attraction It’s Tough to be a Bug and several small attractions designed for very young guests; Heimlich’s Chew Chew Train is especially enjoyable for the young and young at heart.

The Golden State area can be subdivided into smaller areas: Condor Flats, Grizzly Peak Reaction Area, Golden Vine Winery, and the Pacific Wharf. “Must do” attractions in this land include Grizzly River Run and Soarin’ Over California. Grizzly River Run is similar to Kali River Rapids in Disney’s Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World, but much longer and more thrilling. You will definitely get wet! If you want to get cooled off but not soaked, then stand underneath the Space Shuttle engine at Soarin’ Over California and wait for a surprise! While the queue is different, the attraction itself is the same as the one in Epcot. Most young children also enjoy the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail, a two-acre play area that has a rock climbing wall, suspension bridges, slides, and other activities that children love.

The Paradise Pier area of the park evokes memories of old boardwalk-based amusement parks and carnivals that could be found up and down the coast of California. Attractions that should not be missed in Paradise Pier include California Screamin' and Toy Story Midway Mania. California Screamin' is a state-of-the-art steel roller coaster designed to look like a wooden coaster. If you're travelling solo to the park, be sure to take advantage of the Single Rider queue, as the attraction is very popular, especially with teenagers!

When in Hollywood Studios Backlot, be sure to experience the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Monsters Inc. Mike and Sully to the Rescue, Muppet*Vision 3D, and the Disney Animation building. If you have young children, they may also really enjoy Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage. Tower of Terror, in my opinion is not as good as its counterpart in Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World, because it is missing the disorienting part where the elevator moves down the hallway; however, it’s still worth experiencing. Monsters, Inc. is one of the best dark rides developed in recent years and should not be missed.

Without a doubt, be sure not to miss Disney’s Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular, a 40-minute Broadway-quality stage show in the Hyperion Theater in the Hollywood Backlot area. In my opinion, it is the absolute best stage show out of all of the shows at Disneyland, Walt Disney World, and on the Disney Cruise Line. The theater is huge and has orchestra, mezzanine, and balcony seating; be sure to get in the correct line outside the theater for the type of seating you want. The Genie is fabulous! Even if you didn’t love the movie, you should still see this show!

If you are a fan of Pixar movies, be sure to watch the Pixar Play Parade. It is about 20 minutes long and features characters from most of the Pixar films. This is not the same as Block Party Bash at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World, which originally came from this theme park; Block Party Bash has some elements of a street party in it, while this is a pure parade. The parade starts off with Lightning McQueen and Mater, and I especially love seeing the characters from The Incredibles and the Little Green Aliens from the Toy Story movies! I personally prefer the parade in California over Block Party Bash.