We went to both Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim during a 2017 trip to California. We bought a 3-day ticket covering both parks so we can see and ride as much as we possibly can. The question is: which is the better theme park: Disneyland vs Disney California Adventure Park?
While we were not able to do all the rides (some were closed for maintenance, others we chose not to ride), we can say we’ve experienced both parks enough to give a valid opinion. Take note as well that we went here before Star Wars: Galaxy Edge was announced.
There are five factors we considered when comparing Disneyland vs Disney California Adventure Park: the lands, the rides, the food, the shows, and the parades and fireworks.
1. The Lands
What makes a theme park a memorable experience? The theme, of course! You want it to be an immersive experience, where you feel like you’ve been transported to another world.
Most theme parks are divided into zones or lands. Each land has a unique theme. The design has to be close to the real thing as possible, and that includes the buildings, streets or roads, landscaping, props, etc. If it’s a jungle theme, for example, you want to feel like you’re in the jungle.
The experience should also extend to the cast members and crew. Not only should they look and dress the part; they have to act it. And, of course, you want to see your favorite characters walking around or in meet-and-greet opportunities.
If there’s a storyline that takes you to a journey through the themed land, then even better. Which has better-themed lands: Disneyland vs Disney California Adventure Park?
Disneyland Park
Naturally, the original Disneyland is the template for all other Disney parks, or for all theme parks for that matter. On one hand, the classic lands like Adventureland, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland exude childhood nostalgia, particularly if you’ve grown up on Disney parks over the years. On the other hand, there’s a familiarity that could also make them lose their ability to surprise.
- Main Street, U.S.A. – This is the quintessential big reveal that never fails to cause giddy excitement. Stepping into Main Street from the “outside world” does create that sense of transportation into a new world.
- Adventureland – One of our favorites, Adventureland is tight thematically, lumping Tarzan’s Treehouse, Jungle Cruise, and Indiana Jones adventures.
- New Orleans Square – We like how it feels like being in New Orleans with the way the houses and buildings are designed — dark and foreboding.
- Critter Country – Although Splash Mountain is impressive, overall, Critter Country is somewhat forgettable.
- Frontierland – Most of the rides here were closed when we visited. Design-wise, it does feel like the Old West.
- Fantasyland – This is Disneyland at its finest, with Sleeping Beauty’s Castle at its centerpiece and featuring many classic kid-friendly rides. For little princesses, this is a dream come true.
- Mickey’s Toontown – The cartoony architecture of Chip ‘n Dale Treehouse, Donald’s Boat, Goofy’s Playhouse, Mickey’s House, and Minnie’s House work well together thematically. Seeing where and how they “live” makes it fun to visit. And this is the best place to meet and greet Mickey and Minnie.
- Tomorrowland – This is what I always look forward to visiting, but the crowds just mask the futuristic setting, so it’s hard to appreciate it. The Star Wars Launch Bay is a bit of a letdown, although the Star Wars Character Experience is unforgettable (meeting a menacing Darth Vader is one for the books!).
- Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge – We didn’t get to see this new land (we were two years early) but based on the reviews, it’s a fantastic, authentic experience.
Disney California Adventure Park
We like the fact that this park is California-centric and -inspired, with lands dedicated to Hollywood, the Pacific Wharf, Pixar Pier, and Grizzly Peak.
- Buena Vista Street – This is 1920’s Los Angeles, where the original Disney Studios was located. Like Main Street, U.S.A., it evokes nostalgia. But instead of a small-town feel, Buena Vista’s Art Deco buildings exudes the Jazz Age.
- Hollywood Land – We like how this feels like being in the 1930’s Golden Age of Hollywood.
- Grizzly Peak – California is known for its national parks, and this is how it looks like.
- Pixar Pier – Still named Paradise Pier when we visited, from afar, it is one of the most picturesque landscapes in the park with its view of the roller coaster and Ferris wheel.
- Pacific Wharf – This evokes San Francisco’s waterfront and even features a mini-version of Boudin Bakery, famous for its sourdough bread.
- Cars Land – Hands down the best land in the park. In fact, it’s probably the best Disney themed land ever, as it really looks and feels like you’re right smack in Radiator Springs.
Winner: Disney California Adventure Park
While the original Disneyland will never really lose its magic, the fact that other Disney parks feature many of the same lands, there’s not much of an element of surprise. Magic and childhood nostalgia, yes. Wonder and awe, no.
Disney California Adventure Park, on the other hand, is unique in that you’ll only find these lands here. I guess it’s the same for Tokyo Disney Sea. Buena Vista Street and Hollywood Land have a sense of sophistication and glamor. Grizzly Peak and Pacific Wharf feel very Californian. And Pixar Pier’s amusement park landscape, while it can’t replace the classic Cinderella castle as an icon, is certainly the new backdrop for a new generation.
We never got to see Star Wars: Galaxy Edge, of course, which might make us change our minds. But based on Cars Land alone, this is how a themed land should look and feel like. And this is the clincher that really pulls Disney California Adventure Park way ahead.
2. The Rides: Disneyland vs. Disney California Adventure Park
Obviously, the actual rides are a major factor, if not the biggest one, in deciding which theme park is worth visiting. You can have the most beautiful and authentic themed lands, but if the rides are neither fun nor exciting, then there’s really nothing much to do. Which park wins in rides: Disneyland vs Disney California Adventure Park?
While what is “fun and exciting” is subjective, it’s easy to tell just by how popular a ride is, based on the queue. And personally, you know you love a ride if you’re willing to go back and line up all over again!
Disneyland Park
The fact that many of the Disneyland rides have been around for decades, enjoyed by different generations, just prove their enduring popularity. We’ve ridden some of them at other Disney parks before, and yet that didn’t stop us from riding them again.
We indicated below if the ride was closed for maintenance at the time of our visit or if we did not ride it (either we were not interested or we did not have the time). For the rides we experienced, we rated them out of 5.
- Adventureland
- Jungle Cruise – 5/5
- Indiana Jones Adventure – closed
- New Orleans Square
- Haunted Mansion – 5/5
- Pirates of the Caribbean – 5/5
- Critter Country
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh – 3/5
- Davy Crockett’s Explorer Canoes – closed
- Splash Mountain – did not ride
- Frontier Land
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – did not ride
- Mark Twain Riverboat – closed
- Sailing Ship Columbia – closed
- Fantasyland
- Peter Pan’s Flight – 5/5
- Alice in Wonderland – 4/5
- it’s a small world – 4/5
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant – 3/5
- King Arthur Carrousel – 3/5
- Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride – 3/5
- Pinocchio’s Daring Journey – 3/5
- Snow White’s Scary Adventures – 3/5
- Storybook Land Canal Boats – 3/5
- Matterhorn Bobsleds – did not ride
- Casey Jr. Circus Train – did not ride
- Mad Tea Party – did not ride
- Mickey’s Toontown
- Gadget’s Go Coaster – did not ride
- Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin – did not ride
- Tomorrowland
- Star Tours – The Adventures Continue – 5/5
- Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage – 5/5
- Space Mountain – 5/5
- Autopia – 4/5
- Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters – 4/5
- Astro Orbitor – did not ride
- Disneyland Monorail – did not ride
- Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run – not yet open
As you can see, we loved the classics like Jungle Cruise, Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean (which we took twice). Among the kiddie rides, Peter Pan’s Flight as our favorite. We also enjoyed Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage and especially Star Tours – The Adventures Continues (also did it twice). I rode Space Mountain a number of times in other Disney parks, not here, but I thought I need to rate it nevertheless, because it’s my personal highlight of any Disney park.
Disney California Adventure Park
Owing to the fact that all the rides here are new to us, there’s certainly an element of newness and novelty.
- Hollywood Land
- Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue! – 5/5
- Guardians of the Galaxy – The Twilight Zone: Tower of Terror (now Mission: BREAKOUT!) – closed
- Grizzly Peak
- Soarin’ Over California – 5/5
- Grizzly River Run – did not ride
- Paradise Gardens Park
- The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure – 4/5
- Goofy’s Sky School – 3/5
- Jumpin’ Jellyfish – did not ride
- Silly Symphony Swings – did not ride
- Golden Zephyr – did not ride
- Pixar Pier
- Incredicoaster – not yet open
- Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind – not yet open
- Jessie’s Critter Carousel – did not ride
- Mickey’s Fun Wheel (now Pixar Pal-A-Round) – did not ride
- Toy Story Midway Mania! – did not ride
- Pacific Wharf
- a bug’s land
- Flik’s Flyers, Francis Ladybug’s Boogie, Tuck and Roll’s Drive ‘Em Buggies, Heimlich’s Chew Chew Train and It’s Tough to be a Bug – did not ride
- Cars Land
- Radiator Springs Racers – 5/5
- Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree – 4/5
- Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters – 4/5
Monster’s Inc. and The Little Mermaid stood out for us with their clear storyline and attention to detail. And my kids and I had a lot of fun with Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree and Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters. We also loved Soarin’ Over California that we did it twice. But if there’s one ride we crown as the best, it’s Radiator Springs Racers. It’s fast, thrilling, and worth lining up twice or thrice!
Winner: Disney California Adventure Park
This was hard to decide on. On one hand, Disneyland has all those classic rides we grew up with. But Disney California Adventure Park has all these unique and exciting rides that make them modern classics.
3. The Food
Food in Disney parks is not a big come-on. It’s not like you would visit theme parks for the food. They’re also expensive, so we just stuck with the basics. What we spent a lot on, though, was ice-cold water and other drinks, no thanks to sweltering heat.
Disneyland
Generally, we just ate expensive fast food, so it’s nothing to be excited about.
- The Golden Horseshoe (Frontierland) – We liked the fish and chips and nuggets.
- Pluto’s Dog House (Mickey’s Toontown) – Good place for hotdogs.
- Café Orleans (New Orleans Square) – They served good Monte Cristo sandwiches.
- Galactic Grill (Tomorrowland) – Great for burgers and fries.
Disney California Adventure Park
- Award Wieners (Hollywood Land) – They actually serve really good chili dogs.
- Flo’s V8 Café (Cars Land) – We love this vintage diner and their burgers and mac and cheese.
- Corn Dog Castle (Paradise Pier) – Pretty good, deep-fried corn dogs.
Winner: Tie
The food we ate at both parks is pretty good, not exactly outstanding. So we’ll just make this a tie.
4. The Shows: Disneyland vs. Disney California Adventure Park
Stage shows, 3D and 4D short movies, character experiences, and live street performances are an integral part of the theme park experience. And the ones where you watch at a theater are a great way to escape the heat (or the cold, depending on which city you are in) and take a break from all the queueing and walking.
More than that, of course, they are entertainment shows that are fun for the whole family. The musicians doing street performances are often top-notch and the musicals and movies have usually high production values. In the end, it’s how entertained you are that matter. Which park wins this round: Disneyland vs Disney California Adventure Park? This is how we rated the shows from both parks.
Disneyland
- Mickey and the Magical Map (Frontierland) – 5/5
- Star Wars Character Experience (Tomorrowland) – 5/5
- The Dapper Dans (Main Street, U.S.A.) – 3/5
- Fantasmic! (Frontierland) – did not watch this
- Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room (Adventureland) – did not watch this
We have to say Mickey and the Magical Map is a really musical extravaganza. There’s a strong storyline, the visual effects are amazing, the combination of video and live performances are seamless, and the character cameos from various Disney movies make it a total Disney experience.
But what we found most memorable was our imperial encounter with Darth Vader, who looked, sounded, and acted exactly like in the movies. We were so awed we obeyed his every command! Our youngest daughter even bowed without being prompted.
Disney California Adventure Park
- Frozen – Live at the Hyperion (Hollywood Land) – 5/5
- Anna & Elsa’s Royal Welcome (Hollywood Land) – 5/5
- Mickey’s PhilharMagic (Hollywood Land) – 4/5
- Turtle Talk with Crush (Hollywood Land) – 4/5
- It’s Tough to be a Bug! (a bug’s land) – 4/5
- Five & Dime (Buena Vista Street) – 4/5
Hands down, the live Frozen musical is the best Disney show ever! The performances, the stage production, the visual effects, and the magic are outstanding. And your kids can meet Anna and Elsa after the show. Do not miss this!
We also enjoyed the 3D/4D shows Mickey’s PhilharMagic and It’s Tough to be a Bug! (at a bug’s land, which has since been closed permanently, which is fine, since it was forgettable). The kids loved Turtle Talk with Crush, although the concept of an interactive 3D show is nothing novel.
As for street performances, the Five & Dime jazz quintet with the charismatic vocalist are simply the best. They got the crowd swinging and dancing with Goofy.
Winner: Disney California Adventure Park
The Frozen show takes the cake. And the Anna and Elsa meetup is icing on the cake. Our daughters were so mesmerized as the two princesses interacted with them. Yes, meeting Darth Vader at Disneyland Park was a major highlight (especially for a Star Wars fan like me), but for little girls, watching the show and meeting the main characters after was the total package.
5. The Parades & Fireworks
People love parades and firework shows in theme parks. The parades are a great way to see all your favorite characters in one go, so which characters take part in the parades are important. The float design, music, and performances add to the wow factor. So we compare these too.
As for the fireworks or waterworks shows, which is better: Disneyland vs Disney California Adventure Park?
Disneyland
- Mickey’s Soundsational Parade – 4/5
- Main Street Electrical Parade – 4/5
- Remember…Dreams Come True Fireworks – 5/5
Disney California Adventure Park
- Pixar Play Parade – 5/5
- World of Color – 5/5
Winner: Disney California Adventure Park
Disneyland Park’s parades boast of well-loved characters from Mickey Mouse to the Disney princesses. Mickey’s Soundsational Parade features music from the Disney movies, so there’s certainly that strong familiarity and nostalgia. This long-running parade, however, will be replaced. It does feel a bit traditional, so perhaps that’s why it’s being changed after so many years. The nighttime Main Street Electrical Parade has the same characters but the difference is the use of colorful lights, which contribute to the spectacle.
In comparison, at Disney California Adventure Park, the Pixar Play Parade is altogether different. Featuring characters from Toy Story, Monsters Inc., Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Cars, etc., it does look and feel fresh and exciting than the more familiar and traditional parades of Disneyland Park.
As for the spectacular fire and water shows, when it comes to fireworks displays, Disneyland Park never fails to mesmerize. Set with the backdrop of Sleeping Beauty’s castle, it’s truly magical.
But the World of Color at Disney California Adventure Park is a more technical achievement with its use of water fountains, lights, lasers, mist fogs, fire, and songs and videos from Disney and Pixar movie scenes.
Taken together, we give the nod to Disney California Adventure Park.
Conclusion
So the verdict: Disney California Adventure Park wins!
We recommend, however, that you visit both parks. If you’ve never been to the original Disneyland, it’s almost a sacrilege if you don’t visit. Yes, there’s the nostalgia and familiarity, which both work for it and against it. But you just go to pay tribute to Walt Disney’s genius by visiting the only park he designed himself. And certainly, you will enjoy the rides, even the ones you’ve experienced a number of times already. With Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, you might even give the edge to Disneyland Park.
But Disney California Adventure Park just has a lot going for it. Most other lists rank this park much lower than Disneyland Park, but we disagree. Most Disney parks in the world are almost identical, so parks like Tokyo Disney Sea and Disney California Adventure Park are more unique, with lands and rides you won’t find elsewhere.
