25 Best Disneyland Rides Ranked!

Being a California local, I visit Disneyland every year and sometimes twice a year with my family. I have experienced all the Disneyland rides several times, including the new Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway ride in Mickey’s Toontown!

In this article, I will list the best rides at Disneyland in the thrill and family categories and which ones are an absolute must.

Disneyland in California is the first Disney theme park that was imagined and built by Walt Disney, and it still has some original rides from the 1950s era!

While Disneyland is famous for its nostalgic themes in rides, such as fairytale-based rides in Fantasyland and classic movie-themed rides in Frontierland, it has also introduced a Star Wars-themed land, which has been a huge hit with Star Wars fans.

My favorite Disneyland rides are the newest rides – Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. Indiana Jones Adventure is a close second!

Best Thrill Rides at Disneyland

Below are the best thrill rides that should not be missed on your trip to Disneyland. I have ranked them such that the very best ones are at the top of the list.

Disneyland has so many themed lands and rides that it is almost impossible to do all the rides in just one day at Disneyland! You need at least two full days for just Disneyland Park to experience everything!

However, with some planning, like using Disneyland Lightning Lane strategies and taking advantage of the rope drop at Disneyland, you might be able to sit on most of the popular rides.

Note: This article only covers the best rides in Disneyland Park. If you are planning to visit California Adventure Park as well, check out my article about the best and must-do rides at California Adventure, as most people plan to visit both parks on their trip to Disneyland.

1. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

• Type of ride: Medium Thrill
• Age group: All ages, appropriate for young kids that meet the height requirement
• Height: 102 cm / 40-inch minimum
• Location: Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
• Lightning Lane Multi Pass accepted: No
• Lightning Lane Single Pass offered: Yes, the cost varies by day to use the faster lane

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is one of the most popular and best Disneyland rides! This ride has continued to draw huge crowds since its opening in 2019.

This ride is part of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, an expansive themed area that brings the Star Wars universe to life. Rise of the Resistance is one of the most technologically advanced and immersive rides ever created.

This is the longest ride experience totaling around 15 minutes, and has three stages. The first stage is the queue area, which will make you feel like you are in a Resistance base on the planet Batuu and is filled with props, droids, and lifelike animatronics.

Once inside the ride, riders are briefed on their mission to join the Resistance and fight against the First Order. The second stage is the ride in the transport vehicle known as a “Resistance Intersystem Transport Ship” and is guided by BB-8 and other Star Wars characters.

The third stage is the actual ride which uses advanced audio-visual effects, animatronics, synchronized motion, and realistic set designs making the experience incredibly immersive. The ride was really one of the best I ever experienced!Star War fans in your group will love this!

Every time we visit, the wait times for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is always an hour or more, sometimes 2 hours! This ride is still more popular than the newer Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway!

I recommend doing this ride at night during the first showing of Fantasmic for shorter wait times. Also, Star Wars Land looks cooler at night with the lighting effects.

2. Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway

• Type of ride: Medium Thrill
• Age group: All ages
• Height: All Heights
• Location: Mickey’s Toontown
• Lightning Lane Multi Pass accepted: Yes

Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway is Disneyland’s new ride and one of the most popular rides at the moment. The ride debuted in March 2023 at Toontown and has been an instant hit.

Join Mickey, Minnie, and friends on this amazing ride through their fun and whacky cartoon world. This ride is similar in technology to Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, and the trackless ride system allows for dynamic and unpredictable movements.

The queue area for this ride transports you to a vibrant and colorful cartoon world. The queue is filled with charming details, playful interactive elements, and nods to classic Disney animation, setting the stage for the whimsy that lies ahead.

Once onboard the ride vehicle, you are taken on an unpredictable journey through various Mickey Mouse cartoon settings. The ride story follows Mickey and Minnie on a wild adventure as they head to a picnic and encounter unexpected surprises and mishaps along the way.

Without giving much away, I loved the music score, the fast pace of the ride, and the various changing cartoon scenes, but my favorite was the cars dancing to Daisy’s tunes!

All ages in our extended family loved the ride, and it was great to see the familiar Disney characters – Mickey, Minnie, Daisy, Donald, Goofy, and Pluto in their animated glory!

Lightning Lane Multi Pass can give you faster access to this ride. If you do not have Lightning Lane add-on, I recommend finishing this ride first thing in the morning at Disneyland park opening time, as the wait times can grow 1+ hours later in the day.

In my experience, after sitting in these newer rides first, the other older Disneyland rides seem ancient!

3. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure (Coming in November 2024!)

Splash Mountain, a beloved classic water ride in Critter Country, closed its doors in May 2023. Splash Mountain had a huge 5-story drop in water at the end and was very popular and notorious for soaking the riders wet!

The Splash Mountain ride is being transformed and will reopen as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, featuring a story theme and characters from Disney’s popular ‘Princess and the frog’ movie.

Even though this new ride is not yet released, looking at how awesome Disneyland’s latest new rides like Rise of the Resistance and Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway turned out, I already know that Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is going to be awesome too!

I’m sure this new ride is going to top the best Disneyland rides list, and I am reserving space for it here! Another exciting reason to visit Disneyland again soon!

4. Indiana Jones Adventure

• Type of ride: High Thrill
• Age group: All ages that meet the height requirement
• Height: 117 cm / 46-inch minimum
• Location: Adventureland
• Lightning Lane Multi Pass accepted: Yes

Indiana Jones Adventure continues to be one of the best thrill rides in Disneyland, even after the newer high-tech rides.

The queue area, which is designed to resemble a jungle expedition camp, is filled with intricate details, artifacts, and animatronic figures, setting the stage for the adventure that awaits.

For the ride, board an open-air jeep-like 12 seater vehicle and journey through treacherous temples, encountering animatronic figures, booby traps, and a thrilling escape finale from a rolling boulder.

The climax, where the jeep drops to escape a massive rolling boulder, is the highlight of this ride! The ride is a little rough at times and super fast! But in the end, you are ready to do it all over again!

5. Space Mountain / Hyperspace Mountain

• Type of ride: High Thrill, dark
• Age group: All ages that meet the height requirement
• Height: 102 cm / 40-inch minimum
• Location: Tomorrowland
• Lightning Lane Multi Pass accepted: Yes

Navigate your way through outer space in this high-speed indoor roller coaster shaped like a rocket ship!

Space Mountain continues to be a beloved and popular ride at Disneyland, with its combination of speed, darkness, and the sense of venturing into the great unknown.

The ride queue area transports you to a futuristic spaceport, complete with space-themed props and visuals.

Space Mountain features a combination of sudden drops, sharp turns, and exhilarating twists, all taking place in a dark environment with immersive special effects. The lack of visibility adds an element of surprise and enhances the sense of speed and excitement.

For a limited time in May, for the Start Wars month, the Space Mountain ride is transformed into Hyperspace Mountain.

This makeover version combines the classic appeal of Space Mountain with the excitement and adventure of the Star Wars theme, providing a unique experience for Star Wars fans.

6. Matterhorn Bobsleds

• Type of ride: High Thrill
• Age group: All ages that meet the height requirement
• Height: 107 cm / 42-inch minimum
• Location: Fantasyland
• Lightning Lane Multi Pass accepted: Yes

The Matterhorn Bobsleds is a high-thrill roller coaster ride in Disneyland, inspired by the iconic Matterhorn mountain in the Swiss Alps. You can see the iconic, towering Matterhorn peak from anywhere in the park!

In this ride, you board a bobsled-style vehicle and start with a thrilling ascent up the mountain, offering panoramic views of Fantasyland. As the bobsled gains altitude, you can see the jagged rocks and icy caverns inside the Matterhorn.

Once at the peak, the bobsled hurtles down the mountain, experiencing sharp turns, drops, high speed, and encounters with the Abominable Snowman.

It is a classic Disneyland roller coaster ride with the scenic beauty of the Matterhorn mountain and the legend of the Abominable Snowman.

7. Pirates of the Caribbean

• Type of ride: Low Thrill
• Age group: All ages
• Height: All Heights
• Location: New Orleans Square
• Lightning Lane Multi Pass accepted: Yes

Pirates of the Caribbean continues to be one of the best rides in Disneyland. It’s an iconic dark ride with pirates, battles, animatronics, and Jack Sparrow, immersing you in a thrilling Caribbean adventure.

You board a boat-like vessel that glides in the water. There are two small drops here, but it’s not a roller coaster, and you will not get wet, just splashed a bit if sitting in the front row or corner seats.

In this ride, you navigate through a series of immersive scenes featuring pirates, battles, and cursed treasure. Animatronic figures, including Captain Jack Sparrow, bring the adventure to life.

Throughout the ride, you will encounter many scenes portraying pirates engaged in various activities. The scenes depict pillaged towns, pirate hideouts, and even a jail full of rowdy prisoners trying to escape, but the dog is holding the key!

My favorite part was the massive pirate ship engaged in an intense battle, with cannons firing and explosions illuminating the darkness. Overall a great classic ride and not to be missed!

8. Millenium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run

• Type of ride: High Thrill
• Age group: All ages that meet the height requirement
• Height: 97 cm / 38-inch minimum
• Location: Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
• Lightning Lane Multi Pass accepted: Yes

Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run is an immersive motion simulator-type attraction in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Land. It features a life-sized replica of the Millennium Falcon spaceship.

You and others in your group take on different roles as pilots, gunners, or engineers and embark on an interactive mission aboard the Falcon.

The cockpit features a wraparound screen that displays stunning space visuals, making you feel like you’re truly flying the Millennium Falcon.

The controls are responsive, allowing you to steer, shoot, and repair in real-time. We had no clue what we were doing, and it was the bumpiest ride ever as our spaceship kept hitting everything!

Your team’s performance affects the outcome, making it a must-visit for Star Wars fans and adventure enthusiasts. Overall, a great new ride in Disneyland for Star Wars fans and anyone else who wants to fly a spaceship!

9. Haunted Mansion / Haunted Mansion Holiday

• Type of ride: Low Thrill, can be scary to young kids
• Age group: All ages
• Height: All Heights
• Location: New Orleans Square
• Lightning Lane Multi Pass accepted: Yes

Horror movie fans will love the Haunted Mansion ride. This eerie dark ride is through a haunted manor.

After the outdoor queueing area, you are taken to a dark Portrait chamber where you will see the walls and the portraits stretching around you! I thought that was super cool!

Then, you will board a slow-moving Doom Buggy and encounter ghostly apparitions, a dancing ballroom, and singing tombstones.

The Grand Ballroom is a highlight of this ride, with the ghostly couples dancing around the centerpiece, which keeps changing every time I visit this ride.

Memorable characters like the Hatbox Ghost and Madame Leota add to the supernatural ambiance. Haunting audio and special effects complete the chilling experience.

At the end of the ride, you will see in the mirror that a ghost has hitchhiked in your ride, ready to follow you home! Creepy!

During the holiday season, the Haunted Mansion transforms into Haunted Mansion Holiday, combining the Haunted atmosphere with a festive twist inspired by Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” A unique blend of spooky and merry magic with Jack Skellington, Sally, and others.

Parents with young kids should note that even though the ride allows all ages, the ghosts, and the darkness can be scary to toddlers and younger kids.

10. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

• Type of ride: Medium Thrill
• Age group: All ages that meet the height requirement
• Height: 102 cm / 40-inch minimum
• Location: Frontierland
• Lightning Lane Multi Pass accepted: Yes

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is a Wild West-themed roller coaster ride. The ride is set in the rugged and scenic landscape of the Old West, complete with towering rock formations, desert plants, and a bustling mining town.

In this ride, you board mine-themed trains for a thrilling journey through canyons, tunnels, and an Old West mining town.

Prepare yourself for exciting twists, turns, and drops as you journey through the bustling mining town, depicted with lively scenes featuring animatronic characters and special effects.

Best Disneyland rides for Toddlers and young kids

Disneyland has some fantastic thrill rides, but it also has a huge selection of rides for toddlers and families with young kids.

In all of these Disneyland rides below for toddlers, adults can sit with their children and have a great family time!

My kids are teens now, but they used to love these rides as kids. I remember running to Fantasyland as soon as we entered the park to stand in line for Peter Pan’s flight and then the Dumbo ride!

I recently visited Disneyland with my extended family and rode all of these family-friendly rides with my 4-year-old nephews, and it was so much fun!

Some of these Disneyland rides, like Peter Pan’s Flight and It’s a Small World, are fun even for grown-ups!

11. Peter Pan’s Flight

• Type of ride: Low Thrill
• Age group: All ages
• Height: Any Height
• Location: Fantasyland
• Lightning Lane Multi Pass accepted: No

Peter Pan’s Flight is a classic and enchanting dark ride in Disneyland Park. The ride takes you on a magical journey through the beloved story of Peter Pan.

As you board your pirate ship-inspired ride vehicle, which glides in the air, you are transported to the world of Neverland. The ride takes you over London rooftops, through starlit skies, and into a pirate ship battle with Captain Hook.

With imaginative sets, audio-animatronics, and special effects, the attraction captures the enchantment of Peter Pan’s world and offers a nostalgic and family-friendly experience.

A few years ago, before Star Wars Land was built, this was one of the most popular rides in Disneyland, and it still has an hour-plus wait time during the day.

12. It’s a Small World

• Type of ride: Low Thrill, boat ride
• Age group: All ages
• Height: Any Height
• Location: Fantasyland
• Lightning Lane Multi Pass accepted: Yes

“It’s a Small World” is a beloved indoor boat ride located in Disneyland. This classic attraction takes you on a gentle and whimsical journey around the world, celebrating global unity and cultural diversity.

As you float through the attraction, you’ll encounter beautifully designed sets and scenes depicting different cultures, landscapes, and landmarks from around the globe.

Each scene showcases distinctive costumes, architecture, and music, allowing you to immerse yourself in the diverse traditions and customs of various nations.

The ride features the iconic and catchy song “It’s a Small World” playing in various languages, creating a cheerful and infectious atmosphere. Fair warning: the song will be stuck in your head days after the ride!

13. Dumbo the Flying Elephant

• Type of ride: Low Thrill, spinning
• Age group: All ages
• Height: Any Height
• Location: Fantasyland
• Lightning Lane Multi Pass accepted: No

An original ride from 1955, the adorable Dumbo the Flying Elephant is a carousel-style ride loved by all. It is true that pleasure can sometimes be found in simple things!

In this ride, you board whimsical flying elephant ride cars and control their height as they soar through the air.

Children and adults alike can’t resist the charm of the Dumbo ride. It offers a gentle and family-friendly experience, allowing riders to control their own flying elephant and enjoy the simple pleasure of soaring through the air.

14. Mad Tea Party

• Type of ride: Low Thrill, spinning
• Age group: All ages
• Height: Any Height
• Location: Fantasyland
• Lightning Lane Multi Pass accepted: No

The Mad Tea Party is a vibrant and whimsical spinning attraction inspired by the Mad Hatter’s tea party scene from Disney’s “Alice in Wonderland.”

Set in a whimsical garden, the Mad Tea Party features oversized teacups as ride vehicles. You will board the colorful teacup-shaped vehicle and can spin it as much or as little as you desire with the center wheel.

The Mad Tea Party ride offers a fun and exhilarating experience for all ages. It’s a chance to feel the whimsy and playfulness of the Mad Hatter’s tea party, complete with vibrant colors, whimsical music, and a touch of Disney magic.

During the night, the colorful lit lanterns above the ride take the experience to the next level!

15. Astro Orbitor

• Type of ride: Low Thrill, spinning
• Age group: All ages
• Height: Any Height
• Location: Fantasyland
• Lightning Lane Multi Pass accepted: No

The Astro Orbitor ride will take you and your young pilots on a spinning adventure through space. Located in Tomorrowland, this ride features rocket-shaped vehicles that soar high above the ground.

Riders board their own spaceship and have the ability to control its height as it rotates around a central tower. The higher you go, the more thrilling the experience becomes.

16. Jungle Cruise

• Type of ride: Low Thrill, boat ride
• Age group: All ages
• Height: Any Height
• Location: Fantasyland
• Lightning Lane Multi Pass accepted: No

The Jungle Cruise ride is a fun and exciting boat ride through a tropical jungle. You’ll hop on a boat and have a funny guide who tells jokes and points out animatronic animals along the way.

You’ll see hippos, elephants, and crocodiles as you explore the jungle. It’s a great ride for families and anyone who loves adventure and humor. The elephants spray water, and you might get a little wet.

17. King Arthur Carrousel

• Type of ride: Low Thrill, spinning
• Age group: All ages
• Height: Any Height
• Location: Fantasyland
• Lightning Lane Multi Pass accepted: No

The King Arthur Carrousel is like a fancy merry-go-round. You can hop on one of the pretty horses and go for a spin. It’s a fun and relaxing ride, popular with kids and families.

You can pretend to be a knight or a princess and enjoy the music. It’s a classic amusement park-type attraction and always fun to ride.

18. Disneyland Railroad

• Type of ride: Low Thrill, train ride
• Age group: All ages
• Height: Any Height
• Location: Main Street, New Orleans Square, Toontown, Tomorrowland
• Lightning Lane Multi Pass accepted: No

The Disneyland Railroad ride is a classic and iconic attraction that takes you on a scenic tour of the park. Your group will board a vintage-style steam-powered train and embark on a leisurely journey around Disneyland.

The train stops at different stations – Main Street USA, New Orleans Square, Toontown, and Tomorrowland, allowing you to hop on and off and explore different themed lands.

There will be some pleasant surprises along the way, like seeing the landscape of America’s unique rivers, as well as some frightful surprises, like the Land of Dinosaurs.

Disneyland Railroad ride offers a nostalgic and charming experience, providing beautiful views of the park and a relaxing way to get around.

19. Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage

• Type of ride: Low Thrill, water ride
• Age group: All ages
• Height: Any Height
• Location: Tomorrowland
• Lightning Lane Multi Pass accepted: No

Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage is an immersive underwater adventure that combines the thrill of a submarine ride with the magic of the “Finding Nemo” story.

In this ride, your group boards a yellow submarine submerged in water to join Nemo and his friends on an exciting quest.

As the submarines descend, porthole windows provide stunning views of a vibrant and animated underwater world.

Through innovative technology, you witness a variety of scenes and encounters, including colorful coral reefs, marine life, and the beloved characters from Disney-Pixar’s “Finding Nemo.”

20. Alice in Wonderland

• Type of ride: Low Thrill
• Age group: All ages
• Height: Any Height
• Location: Fantasyland
• Lightning Lane Multi Pass accepted: No

As you step into the Alice in Wonderland ride at Disneyland, you are transported into the whimsical world of Wonderland. You board a colorful caterpillar-shaped ride vehicle and begin your magical journey.

The ride takes you through iconic scenes from the classic Disney film. You venture into the rabbit hole, joining Alice on her adventures.

The ride features vibrant and colorful sets, animatronic characters, and imaginative visuals that bring the story to life.

You encounter beloved characters like the Cheshire Cat, the Mad Hatter, and the Queen of Hearts. It’s a gentle ride, suitable for all ages.

21. Storybook Land Canal Boats

• Type of ride: Low Thrill, water ride
• Age group: All ages
• Height: Any Height
• Location: Fantasyland
• Lightning Lane Multi Pass accepted: No

The Storybook Land Canal Boats ride at Disneyland takes you on a gentle boat tour through miniaturized scenes depicting famous Disney stories and fairy tales.

The ride begins by entering the mouth of Monstro the Whale, guided by a captain who provides narration.

The main highlight of the Storybook Land Canal Boats ride is the series of miniature scenes that depict famous Disney movies and beloved fairy tales like Cinderella, Snow White, The Little Mermaid, and many more.

It’s a charming and enchanting experience that transports riders into the magical world of Disney storytelling. The boat ride is gentle enough for all ages to enjoy with no drops.

22. Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters

• Type of ride: Low Thrill
• Age group: All ages
• Height: Any Height
• Location: Tomorrowland
• Lightning Lane Multi Pass accepted: Yes

The Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters ride in Disneyland is an interactive space-themed attraction inspired by the popular Toy Story character, Buzz Lightyear.

Riders board space vehicles equipped with laser guns, and their mission is to help Buzz defeat the evil Emperor Zurg. As the vehicles move through various scenes, guests use their laser guns to shoot targets and accumulate points.

It’s a thrilling and competitive ride that allows visitors to join the Toy Story adventure and test their shooting skills while having a blast.

23. Chip ‘n’ Dale’s GADGETcoaster

• Type of ride: Low Thrill, roller-coaster
• Age group: All ages that meet the height requirement
• Height: 89 cm / 35-inch minimum
• Location: Mickey’s Toontown
• Lightning Lane Multi Pass accepted: No

Inspired by the mischievous chipmunks’ Chip and Dale, this family-friendly roller-coaster takes riders on a thrilling adventure. The coaster cars resemble acorns and twist and turn through a whimsical track.

Guests experience fast-paced drops, twists, and turns as they race through the ride. It’s an exciting ride that captures the playful spirit of Chip and Dale, providing a fun experience for riders of all ages.

24. Roger Rabbit’s Cartoon Spin

• Type of ride: Low Thrill, spinning
• Age group: All ages
• Height: Any Height
• Location: Mickey’s Toontown
• Lightning Lane Multi Pass accepted: Yes

Roger Rabbit’s Cartoon Spin is an interactive dark ride located in Disneyland. Based on the beloved characters from the film “Who Framed Roger Rabbit,” this attraction takes guests on a wild adventure with Roger Rabbit and Jessica Rabbit.

Riders board spinning vehicles and use a spinning wheel to control their vehicle’s movement and spin, adding an interactive element to the ride.

25. Autopia

• Type of ride: Low Thrill
• Age group: All ages that meet the height requirement
• Height: 81 cm / 32-inch minimum
• Location: Tomorrowland
• Lightning Lane Multi Pass accepted: Yes

An original 1955 ride, the Autopia ride in Disneyland is a popular attraction that allows guests to experience the thrill of driving their own cars.

Designed for both kids and adults, riders board small gas-powered vehicles and navigate a winding track. As they zoom around, guests have the opportunity to steer and control the speed of their car, making them feel like real drivers.

Personally for me, the smell of the gas was too much, and I felt dizzy after the 30-minute wait with all the gas fumes. Maybe it’s time to change these cars to electric cars in the future?

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

This ride is way out in Critter Country, and unless you have a Winnie the Pooh fan in your group, you can skip this one. The ride is also dark and slow.

Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride

Kids might not be familiar with the characters and storyline of this ride, and it is ok to skip it. The ride itself is also slow and dark, like the other Fantasyland indoor rides.

Pinnochio’s Daring Journey

Another sit-and-watch type of ride in Fantasyland and is slow and dark. It can be skipped if short on time.

Snow White’s Enchanted Wish

Unless you or someone in your group are a huge fan of Snow White Princess or the Seven Dwarfs, it’s okay to skip this sit-and-watch type of dark ride in Fantasyland.

Tiki Room

Tiki Room is not a ride but a musical show with animatronic birds, and it is okay to skip if you are short on time. On hot summer days, we often visit this attraction in the afternoon, as sitting in the air-conditioned theatre with a dole whip treat is a cool respite from the heat.

More Disneyland Attractions

Apart from some incredible thrill rides and excellent family rides, there are several other awesome things to do in Disneyland, like fireworks, nightly entertainment shows, parades, character experiences, and world-class dining.

Disneyland Fireworks

The Disneyland Fireworks is a spectacular nighttime show at Disneyland. The fireworks occur on select nights, usually weekends and holidays. They occur daily during summer and winter breaks.

It features a dazzling display of fireworks that illuminate the sky above Sleeping Beauty’s castle. The show is accompanied by synchronized music, special effects, and sometimes narration, creating a magical and immersive experience.

Main Street is the best place to view the fireworks, with the Sleeping Beauty castle front and center.

Fantasmic! Night Entertainment Show

Disneyland’s Fantasmic! is a mesmerizing nighttime spectacular that combines live performances, water effects, music, and stunning visuals.

The show takes place on the Rivers of America and follows the imaginative journey of Mickey Mouse as he battles the forces of evil in his dreams.

The show features a variety of beloved Disney characters, including princesses, villains, and classic heroes, who come to life through dazzling choreography and breathtaking special effects.

Disneyland Parade

The Disneyland Parade is back after being on hiatus for a long time during the pandemic. We loved the parade and the new floats during our recent visit!

The Disneyland parade is a vibrant and lively procession that takes place on the park streets, showcasing a colorful display of Disney characters, music, and floats.

The parade features a variety of beloved Disney characters, from classic princesses like Cinderella and Ariel to iconic characters like Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck to newer themes like Moana, Coco, and Frozen.

We usually grab an ice cream cone from Main Street and settle down on the sidewalk to enjoy the parade!

Character experiences

Throughout the park, you will find opportunities to meet and greet characters. Mickey and Friends are often found at Toontown and Main Street. At Fantasyland, you might encounter fairy tale characters.

There are special meet and greet areas created as well, like Meet Disney Princesses at Royal Hall and Meet Tinker Bell at Pixie Hollow.

Disneyland Vehicle rides

In Disneyland, there are various boat vehicles and main street vehicles that add charm and provide fun ride options for guests.

You will find some charming vehicles on Main Street like horse-drawn streetcars and fire engines.

At Rivers of America, you can’t miss the gigantic Mark Twain Riverboat, A large steam-powered paddlewheel boat that takes guests on a scenic journey around the Rivers of America.

Sailing Ship Columbia is a replica of an 18th-century merchant vessel and offers rides around Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyer Island. I am always amazed at how huge these boats are!

Play areas for young kids in Disneyland

For families with toddlers and kids, standing in lines all day just doesn’t work, as the kiddos need play areas where they can move around freely. Luckily, Disneyland has several play areas to enjoy.

The newly renovated Mickey’s Toontown has Donald’s Duck Pond, CenTOONial Park, and Goofy’s How-to-Play Yard play areas where kids can be kids!

Where to stay for Disneyland

We prefer staying within walking distance of Disneyland and California Adventure to avoid the hassle of parking and taking the tram, which saves us valuable time in the morning. This gives us more time to enjoy the rides early on.

Below are some of the best hotels near Disneyland:

For the ultimate convenience, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa is the perfect choice, as it is a luxurious Disneyland Resort hotel located right inside California Adventure Park.

Disneyland Hotel is another luxury Disney Resort with a massive pool complex with monorail themed waterslides.

Another great option is Pixar Place Hotel, which is just across the street from the Grand Californian Hotel and also part of the Disneyland Resort hotels. It only takes 5 to 10 minutes of walking to reach Disney California Adventure from here.

If you’re looking for a mid-range hotel with a pool, Fairfield by Marriott Anaheim Resort on S Harbor Boulevard is a fantastic choice, and it’s just a 10-minute walk away. We stayed here most recently and liked it. Plus, there is a Panera in the parking lot for grab-and-go breakfast and lunch.

Courtyard by Marriott Anaheim is a great mid-range choice for families and is highly popular for its mini waterpark called Surfside Waterpark. There is no waterpark in Disneyland Park, so staying here will guarantee some splashing fun!

For the closest proximity to Disneyland, you can’t beat Best Western Plus Park Place Inn. It is literally across the street from the park and offers amenities such as a pool and complimentary breakfast. This is our go-to when we just need the hotel to sleep and are planning to be in the park all day.

FAQs about Disneyland rides

Below are answers to some frequently asked questions about the rides at Disney California Adventure Park.

How many days for Disneyland?

If this is your first visit to Disneyland, California, you should ideally plan two full days for Disneyland and one full day for California Adventure Park. That way, you will be able to experience most of the rides at both parks without tiring yourself out.