What Are the Best Rides at Disney California Adventure?
A few years ago, Disney officials spent the body of a D23 event settling all affairs.
For the longest time, fans criticized some of the parks for their weak overall attraction list.
Two of them were Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney California Adventure.
Not coincidentally, both of those parks have added E-ticket attractions lately and attained remarkable success.
In fact, I can prove that with Disney California Adventure. So today, I’ll list the best eight attractions at the park…and must leave off some excellent ones.
That wouldn’t have seemed possible just a few years ago. That’s how much better Disney California Adventure (DCA) is now.
Credit: Disney
Grizzly River Run
There are no rules or asterisks or anything for today’s list. Instead, it’s just my telling you the same thing I’d say to a friend visiting DCA for the first time.
Several other attractions are worthy of experiencing if you have the time.
Stuff like Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!, Mickey’s PhilharMagic, Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters, and Goofy’s Sky School would have previously made the list.
Now, there’s no room at the inn, as we must save space for brilliant rides like Grizzly River Run.
On this river rapids ride, you get dripping wet while having the time of your life.
Walt Disney World fans lament Grizzly River Run’s existence. The consensus opinion is that it surpasses Kali River Rapids in quality.
This one’s a must-do during any visit…but especially on a hot day!
Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!
You really have to hand it to Imagineers. Sometimes, they get the most remarkable ideas and inspiration.
Photo Credit: www.coaster-nation.com
For example, someone at Disney thought that they could break Twilight Zone of Terror down and rebuild it as an entirely different ride experience.
No longer do you bounce up and down in terror as you try to escape the Twilight Zone. Now, you watch Marvel superheroes battle alien monsters instead!
Mission: BREAKOUT! features a ridiculously great singalong soundtrack, and it does more than add to the theming.
The version of the ride you get depends on the song you hear while bouncing through the elevator shaft!
Have a look at Hit Me with Your Best Shot:
And here’s We Want the Funk:
See how different they are? You can and should ride all versions of the attraction to get the complete picture!
The Incredicoaster
I don’t believe the existence of any other roller coaster makes me as happy as this one.
A few years ago, Disney chose to re-theme the beloved California Screamin’, which sounded like blasphemy.
However, Imagineers had something special in mind. They took the same roller coaster tracks and added a few ride elements, particularly in the tunnels.
Now, each time you travel through a tunnel, Disney treats you to a battle scene involving the Parr family!
Photo Credit: Joshua Sudock/Disneyland Resort
Their adorable, overpowered baby, Jack-Jack, has escaped his babysitter and is on the loose.
Since Jack-Jack possesses about, oh, 75 superpowers, he’s challenging to track down.
During each tunnel, you’ll watch as various members of the Parrs try to catch an infant. But, unfortunately, it…doesn’t go well.
Pixar Pal-A-Round
I’m a sucker for a Ferris Wheel…or even anything resembling a Ferris Wheel.
Seriously, I live near something called The Great Smoky Mountain Wheel.
Photo: mypigeonforge.com
Earlier this year, I spent $30 to ride it as much as I could…on a 39-degree day. And it didn’t have heat. Also, it was more than a thousand feet above sea level.
Sure, I was cold, but I didn’t care…because I love Ferris Wheels.
DCA’s take on the concept is the Pixar Pal-A-Round, which admittedly isn’t for everyone.
Imagineers added some rocking to it, which somehow makes the experience that much more intense for anyone with a fear of heights.
Still, you should be a daredevil and ride it because there’s nothing else like it on the planet!
Radiator Springs Racers
How good is this ride? This dude has ridden it more than 10,000 times!
In fact, that video is three years old. So, the number is likely much higher today. What’s so great about the ride that he would do this? Take a look:
EPCOT fans will quickly recognize this ride design as similar to Test Track. However, this version adds Cars theming, which makes it better.
On Radiator Springs Racers, you enter the world of Cars, where a small town off Route 66 includes dozens of cars that are thrilled to have a tourist. It’s adorable.
By the way, this way includes two different scenes. So, you should ride it twice to enjoy both!
Soarin’ Around the World
When DCA opened, critics lamented the quality of the attractions, which was totally fair. One of them, Superstar Limo, didn’t even last the year.
Somehow, Imagineers built the worst Disney ride of all time at the same time that they created one of the best.
The original version of Soarin’ took guests on a flying adventure through the Golden State. It perfectly melded theming and an impeccable ride experience.
Recently, Disney switched almost all its Soarin’ attractions to the new version, Soarin’ Around the World.
I think even the most nostalgic fans would agree that the new version is better. Still, DCA sometimes operates Soarin’ Over California, too.
Photo: Disneytouristblog.com
When that happens, you HAVE to ride it!
Toy Story Midway Mania!
Some attractions at Disney theme parks go through ebbs and flows. They’ll be hot for a while but then fade a bit.
Part of this behavior stems from the life cycle of a ride. Everyone always loves it first. Then, after a while, it works like an old friend.
You’ll find it familiar and comfortable and love seeing it again. However, there’s always a thrill in doing something new.
For this reason, Midway Mania! has lost its luster a bit over the past few years.
Once the wait times went down, a psychological behavior unfolded. People didn’t demand as much because…there wasn’t as much demand. So, it shrunk even more.
Now, you can easily ride Midway Mania! during a visit, which DEFINITELY wasn’t true a decade ago. It’s still outstanding, though.
Also, if my family reads this, it’s essential that they know that they can never beat me at this game. Never.
WEB SLINGERS – A Spider-Man Adventure
Everything I just said about the Toy Story ride applies in reverse here.
WEB SLINGERS is currently the new hotness at DCA, the alpha attraction that drives ticket sales.
Fans have waited a comically long time to enter Avengers Campus. Then, they’ve turned around and waited again for WEB Slingers.
Some would argue that this ride is really just a re-skinning of the old Buzz Lightyear attractions, and there’s some truth to it.
However, the closer connection is Ant-Man and The Wasp: Nano Battle! at Hong Kong Disneyland.
Both employ state-of-the-art technology to recognize rider behavior. Nano Battle uses Lightguns, while WEB Slingers gets physical.
You use your hands to shoot webs, just as Spidey would. It’s amazing. Seriously, there’s just nothing else like it out there right now.
This one’s a destination attraction, single-handedly justifying a trip to DCA.
