Ranking All 68 Attractions at Disneyland & California Adventure
This list ranks all 68 attractions at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, with pros & cons of every ride and show as we rate them from worst to best. Whether it’s a Walt-era classic like Matterhorn, new like Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, or even something straightforward yet iconic like Dumbo, it’s ranked here. (Updated March 19, 2024.)
What we’re trying to accomplish is an objective assessment of every attraction, determining how good or bad it is, for what it is. A ride like Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree, for example, may look like fairly simple amusement park fare, but it offers joy, humor, and ear-worm songs that exceed expectations. By contrast, Grizzly River Run is a bigger budget attraction that squanders its potential, underdelivering in the process.
It’s hard to view two dramatically different attractions like those (and others), and determine which is better. Of course, subjectivity comes into play to a degree in resolving those questions, and disagreements are unavoidable. To that end, we’re incorporating into this list several lessons learned from our Rankings of All Attractions at Walt Disney World.
One lesson learned from our list ranking Walt Disney World attractions was that if someone strongly disagrees with an internet blog post of theme park ride rankings, they will insult you. Still not sure why such a list would be that upsetting for anyone, but to each their own. Even with half of social media calling you an “idiot” for the list, it’s fun to attempt. It’s likewise fascinating to read the reactions as to how other Disney fans would rank their top and bottom picks.
The larger lesson learned was that trying to discount nostalgic biases was a mistake. It turns out the people most inclined to read a list like this are likewise nostalgic. It’s also true that there’s a certain je ne sais quoi that some attractions possess, which turns them into fan favorites. This “secret sauce” may be inarticulable at times, but its very existence is an objective quality.
To that point, a list ranking Disneyland attractions definitely needs to take nostalgia into account. Even for a first-time visitor, it’s obvious that the castle park is steeped in history and traditions. Even decades later, this is still “Walt Disney’s original magic kingdom,” and the charm and quaintness are part and parcel of the experience. In any case, lessons learned and adjustments applied here.
68. Chip ‘n’ Dale’s Gadget Coaster – As a child of the 90s, it pleases me immensely that Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers has an attraction at Disneyland. As a person who enjoys things that are good, it disappoints me immensely that it’s this.
67. Jumpin’ Jellyfish — Kiddie “drop” ride that slowly goes up and down. Offers neat views and might be thrilling to small children.
66. Astro Orbitor – Spinner ride similar to Dumbo, except not iconic.
65. Jessie’s Critter Carousel — It’s a carousel.
64. King Arthur Carrousel – It’s also a carousel, but with an extra “r” in its name that pushes it up a spot. (Kidding–it’s the castle view that gives it the bump.)
63. Golden Zephyr — Neat views of Pixar Pier, but it has nothing on the nearby Silly Symphony Swings. Do that twice instead of this once if you desire more aerial spinning.
62. Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind – The amount of time spent on such a pedestrian attraction is mind-boggling. Inside Out deserves better–and could’ve gotten it for the budget blown on this.
61. Disney Junior Dance Party —A musical celebration featuring Disney Junior characters, including Doc McStuffins, Vampirina, and Timon. Mickey and Minnie Mouse even drive in from Hot Dog Hills to join the fun, which is a good warm-up for a fine feast at Award Wieners.
60. Pixar Pal-Around — It’s “only” a Ferris Wheel and arguably the best thing about it is how it adds to the Pixar Pier “skyline” at night from across the bay, but there’s something to be said for that view high above Disneyland Resort with the San Gabriel Mountains (especially when they’re snow-capped) in the distance.
59. Silly Symphony Swings — A dressed-up off-the-shelf ‘wave swinger’ attraction that spins guests in circles. It sounds simple, but thanks to the music, views, and breeze on your body, it has a calming and smile-inducing effect. Make a stop at nearby Bayside Brews beforehand for the ultimate in swinging sublimity.
58. Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters — This replaced Luigi’s Flying Tires, and was the first trackless ride in the U.S. Disney Parks. It features cute little roadsters “dancing” around the course, with a fun finish. It’s charming, but you’ll likely leave with the feel that it doesn’t live up to its promise. Still, it scores points for not stinking!
57. Goofy’s Sky School — Garish wild mouse coaster that replaced an even more garish wild mouse coaster. The inclusion of Goofy is neat (even if the farm/sky school thing makes little sense) and the ride is mildly thrilling, though.
56. Autopia – A Disneyland classic that gives kids the chance to drive through a large track and lush environments. The addition of ASIMO and Bird to Autopia give it new life, and really improve the experience. However, it remains a relic from another era, with the biggest downside weighing it down being the overwhelming and almost intoxicating stench.
55. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh – A rudimentary dark ride that feels like it was built in the 1960s, but is actually (supposedly) modern. Winnie the Pooh and crew are great, but the Country Bears were evicted for this?!
54. Tom Sawyer Island – An entire island play area for kids that harkens back to a bygone area. It’s really well done, and a great place for kids to blow off energy. Adults may enjoy the tranquility of the island, too. Worlds away from the chaos of a theme park. Also, there are pirates.
53. Animation Academy — The highlight of the Animation Building at Disney California Adventure, and might even be considered a hidden gem. The animation classes are fun and education, and the exhibits throughout the building are neat diversions.
52. Turtle Talk with Crush — An interactive digital show with Crush “inside” a tank as he interacts with kids in the audience. Although the interactions are with kids, the humor is often geared towards adults, and this Living Character Initiative based show is surprisingly fun for all ages.
51. Adventureland Treehouse – Replacing Tarzan’s Treehouse, this is actually a throwback to the Swiss Family Treehouse at Disneyland. It’s hardly a marquee draw, but the idea of “living” in a treehouse has an innate appeal, the views of the park are stunning, and there are new visuals that make this more engaging.
50. Mad Tea Party – This spinner punches well above its weight because it’s simply so iconic. Whirling around with views of Fantasyland and the Matterhorn while the California sun flitters in is something every Disneyland visitor should experience.
49. Pinocchio’s Daring Journey – This Fantasyland dark ride doesn’t have the fans or following as the others, but we love it. Some fun details, practical effects that still impress, and fun scenes.
48. Sailing Ship Columbia – A relaxing float around the Rivers of America aboard what basically amounts to a pirate ship. What’s not to love?!
47. Davy Crockett’s Explorer Canoes – After chowing down on a corn dog, fried chicken, lobster mac, and Monte Cristo, this physically strenuous experience of paddling an actual canoe on the Rivers of America makes me feel a little better about my poor dining decisions. Others may vehemently disagree with that assessment, but we find it fun and a wonderful change of pace. I also love that something like this still exists in a modern theme park.
46. Mark Twain Riverboat – Another relaxing way to float around the Rivers of America. It’s like the Explorer Canoes, but without doing the work of powering the boat yourself!
45. Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue — This is another newer dark ride that feels like it’s from the 1960s, which is obviously not possible here (absent a time machine) since this movie didn’t come out until the 2000s. Still cute and charming, but nothing flashy from a tech perspective.
44. Disneyland Monorail – Enjoyment of the Disneyland Monorail is very much situational. Taking it as a shortcut through Downtown Disney on a pleasant evening? It’s a sublime experience; a great way to enter Disneyland. Riding from Tomorrowland in the middle of a hot day while looking out onto Harbor Boulevard? Not so much.
43. Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree – A perfect example of how an ordinary amusement park more can transcend its ride system and be something more with clever Imagineering. Mater hosts his junkyard jamboree, with kitschy crap in the queue and nonsensical songs that’ll get stuck in your head. That may not sound like a great sales pitch for Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree, but it’s a real diamond in the rough. Or at least a lightly damaged chrome hubcap in the junkyard.
42. Dumbo – The iconic spinner ride is a classic and rite of passage for all children. With views of Fantasyland and Sleeping Beauty Castle, it’s hard not to feel like a kid at heart while riding, especially if you do so at night when Disneyland is all lit up and there’s a crisp breeze in the air. Pure Disneyland magic.
41. Mickey’s PhilharMagic – Added to Disney California Adventure about a decade too late, this 3D montage film still fills a nice roll. It features movies mostly from the “Disney Animation Renaissance” cleverly tied together with Donald Duck. Children of the 90s are still sure to enjoy this film. The latest update adding Coco bumps it up a few spots.
40. Sleeping Beauty Castle Walk-Through – A simple, but fun walk-through of Sleeping Beauty Castle featuring interactive “window” scenes from the film. An often overlooked, but very cool attraction that takes little time to experience and should not be missed.
39. Red Car Trolleys – Modeled after the Pacific Electric Railway, these scenic trolleys travel between Buena Vista Street and Hollywood Land. While nothing fancy, the Red Car Trolleys immerse guests in a bygone era of California, and allow you to slow down and savor the park.
38. Main Street Vehicles – Like the Red Car Trolley, but not on a track. These cars score added points for views of Main Street at Disneyland, which is best enjoyed from the upper deck of the Omnibus.
37. Redwood Creek Challenge Trail — When Disney originally created Disney California Adventure, they did the Golden State area right. Redwood Creek Challenge Trail is evidence of this, as it’s a beautiful play area to explore. Check out the elevated rope bridges for great views of the park!
36. Casey Jr. Circus Train – This scenic train ride gives guests the chance to ride aboard cars or in cages. Casey Jr. is simple, but has a lot of appeal thanks to the great views it offers of Fantasyland, the fun music, and the whimsy of the train, itself. It’s tough to reconcile how this ranks 10 lower than Storybook Land Canal Boats as they’re similar experiences–we simply prefer the boats, even though we really enjoy both.
35. Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln – Another Disneyland classic that is only appreciated by a minority of guests, but scores big points for its enduring legacy. Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln incorporates some of the best elements of Hall of Presidents and the American Adventure at Walt Disney World, for an engaging and entertaining historical presentation.
34. Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room – A 15-minute musical serenade from Audio Animatronics birds that offers a celebration of island romance and wonder performed in a theater-in-the-round. You’ve probably heard these catchy songs before; the fun music of this attraction, and its history, makes it an attraction not to be missed.
33. Storybook Land Canal Boats – Another Disneyland classic. Cast Member-led boats of guests float past miniaturized versions of villages, castles, and homes of Disney characters. It’s a cute, “peaceful” attraction, not a big-budget ride that will knock your socks off. This attraction may seem simple, and it is–as with Disneyland, that’s part of the charm.
32. The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure — This is a classic Fantasyland-style attraction with 21st century technology. It’s not the most immersive attraction and the “book report” style drags it down as compared to the classics, but it’s still very enjoyable.
31. Grizzly River Run — This takes the white water raft ride concept to the next level, offering some beautiful visuals along the way. While I think the beautiful details found in Grizzly River Run are great, it would nice to see a bit more to make this a “next level” Disney attraction. Still, it’s something you should experience at least once if you don’t mind being soaked!
30. Toy Story Midway Mania — A 3D screen-based shooter game with Toy Story characters that is (literally) also available for the Nintendo Wii. It’s a fun game-based attraction, but it’s too one-dimensional and not nearly as good as the hype suggests.
29. Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters – Another interactive and competitive game-attraction set in the Toy Story universe. Dimensional sets and practical effects make this slightly superior to Toy Story Mania. Working blasters, a better scoring system, and cleanliness make it far superior to the Walt Disney World version of the same attraction.
28. Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage – This is the “do as we say, not as we do” ranking. Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage takes guests aboard actual submarines to…find Nemo. It’s a relatively long attraction with some awesome sets and detail. However, the wait times can be long, the queue is incredibly boring and entirely outdoors, and the subs themselves are cramped and often smell of BO. We love the idea of Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, but don’t do it very often because the actually experience is a bit of a chore and can be unpleasant.
27. Web Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure – If Toy Story Mania is like a Wii game on wheels, this is like an Xbox Kinect game on wheels. The experience is high energy and fun, with an amusing premise, pre-show, and non-stop action. It’s a tad disappointing as the anchor attraction for Avengers Campus, but it’s still a solid addition to DCA.
26. Incredicoaster — Formerly California Screamin, this roller coaster has been rebranded as the Incredicoaster, and props from the Incredibles have been scattered around its track. None of this is an upgrade in any way whatsoever, but this is still the best coaster you’ll experience in a United States Disney theme park. Ultimately, Incredicoaster is a ride more about thrills and fun than it is about Disney attention to detail–but that’s good enough.
25. Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride – This quaint Fantasyland dark ride goes into the irreverent world of Mr. Toad from the Wind and the Willows. On what other Disney attraction do you visit a bar, declared guilty in a court of law, die in a truck accident, and go to hell?! Quite simply, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride would never be built today. It’s arguably something special that hits with today’s audiences because of that, rather than in spite of it.
24. Disneyland Railroad – Not only does Disneyland Railroad have a scene with real (okay, Audio Animatronics) dinosaurs called Primeval World, but it has lovely scenery, and the history of being Walt Disney’s railroad. We do Disneyland Railroad more than any other attraction on this list, but recognize it’s not a “sexy” ride that will appeal to everyone.
23. Jungle Cruise – A boat ride through the rivers of Adventureland that encounters hippos, lions, and piranhas, and a lot of monkeys following the recent reimagining. The highlight has thus become the non-stop zingers of the skippers who pilot the boats. If you don’t appreciate dry, intentionally corny, or self-aware humor, you may not like Jungle Cruise.
22. Snow White’s Enchanted Wish – With the reimagining, Disney Imagineers took the weakest of the Fantasyland dark rides and turned it from something dated and disjointed into something with fun flow, impressive effects, and a few magical moments. Relatively simple, but shockingly effective, improvements cause it to jump up the list.
21. ‘it’s a small world’ – You already have an opinion on this one, and you probably love it or hate it. For us, this is the quintessential Disneyland ride. An outdoor queue and boarding area that takes advantage of the Southern California setting, followed by the iconic (or infamous) attraction featuring the children of the world and that oh-so divisive song. While there are some things the Florida version does better, we love ‘it’s a small world’ at Disneyland. Plus, ‘it’s a small world’ holiday is not to be missed–an improvement upon the original.
20. Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run – The ‘supporting’ player for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is definitely not a perfect attraction. The interactivity is a mixed bag and a gameplay-centric ride is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea. However, there’s a lot to like about Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run beyond the game/ride experience. The queue is beautiful, the pre-show is impressive, and stepping foot into the Millennium Falcon while waiting to board the ride is arguably the highlight of the attraction as a whole.
19. Star Tours: The Adventures Continue – This 3D motion simulator montage ride through various locations in the Star Wars universe was recently updated to include scenes from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and tie into Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Those updates have made Star Tours’ story more cohesive, and the attraction is arguably better than Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run. (We don’t think so, but the case could be made.)
18. Matterhorn – If you’re looking for a roller coaster that will deliver physical pain, Matterhorn is for you! That’s not really a joke, and is what drags Matterhorn down from its rightful place in the top 10. In theory, the Matterhorn is perfect. A great track layout, stunning views, and cool show scenes punctuated by brief yeti encounters. Even though it’s lower tech, the Matterhorn was Expedition Everest decades before the latter was even conceived. The problem is that it can inflict some real punishment on your back, and we hesitate to ride as a result.
17. Alice in Wonderland – Another Fantasyland dark ride that was recently re-imagined and updated, this one takes guests into the world of Alice in Wonderland. This is our favorite, and we’re not even fans of Alice in Wonderland. There’s something to be said for the indoor/outdoor nature, and it scores added points for being unique to Disneyland. Nevertheless, it’s not as objectively good as Peter Pan’s Flight.
16. Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway – The newest addition to Disneyland, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway has turned Toontown into a bona fide land on par with its counterparts. Runaway Railway features a series of loosely-connected vignettes in a variety of environments, with a tremendous range in the settings.
The pacing is fairly frenetic and disorienting at points, but in a sense, the ride is very much in keeping with how a cartoon would bounce around. It also boasts an earworm of an original song that’ll have you humming for hours afterwards. Runaway Railway is the next generation dark ride that can stand shoulder to shoulder with the classics in Fantasyland at Disneyland.
15. Guardians of the Galaxy — Mission: BREAKOUT! — Ardent Marvel fans will claim it deserves a spot in the top 5, whereas its detractors will argue it’s a clear downgrade from its predecessor, the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. Our view is somewhere in between. Guardians of the Galaxy — Mission: BREAKOUT! is way better than we expected, but doesn’t quite live up to the hype. Nevertheless, the pre-show is good, the premise generally works, and the ride is undeniably fun.
14. Space Mountain – A dark rollercoaster through space with cool details, including a blast-off tunnel and on-board music to spice up the experience. While it lacks the pre-show and post-show appeal of its Walt Disney World sibling, the on-ride experience is significantly better (and arguably taken up a notch by the campy Hyperspace Mountain and Ghost Galaxy incarnations of the attraction).
13. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – A guest favorite, Big Thunder Mountain a rollercoaster themed as a runaway mine train on a ride through the barren landscape of the Old West. Hang onto your hats and glasses, because Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is “the wildest ride in the wilderness!” There are differences between this Big Thunder and Walt Disney World’s, notably the town of Rainbow Ridge (a remnant from the classic Mine Train Thru Nature’s Wonderland attraction).
12. Disneyland Fireworks – It’s impossible to update this list enough to account for the various Disneyland fireworks shows. In the year 2024, the following will all be performed:
- Mickey’s Mix Magic
- Wondrous Journeys
- Together Forever – A Pixar Nighttime Spectacular
- Halloween Screams
- Believe…in Holiday Magic
There’s also the possibility of additional fireworks shows during hard ticket events, not to mention a return of Disneyland Forever, Remember…Dreams Come True, and who knows what else in 2025.
Our rankings of the shows varies tremendously, with Mickey’s Mix Magic being the worst performer (#32) and Wondrous Journeys being best (#8). The rest would all crack the top 20. All of these also have versions with pyro and ones with only projections. Fireworks without, you know, fireworks, don’t rank quite as high for us.
Regardless, Wondrous Journeys is the best of the bunch–a love letter to the history of Walt Disney Animation Studios that makes a strong case for the title of best movie montage nighttime spectacular of all time. Not just at Disneyland, but anywhere…ever…period. Here’s hoping it’s shown for more than a few weeks in 2025.
11. Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin – Criminally underrated. That’s how we’ve described Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin in the past, and it remains true. This interactive Toontown dark ride is an unsung gem, with one of Disneyland’s best queues, some exceptional gags, and scene after scene that packs a powerful punch in relatively low tech ways. Why this doesn’t get more love could be the central mystery in Who Framed Roger Rabbit 2.
10. Soarin’ – California > The World. DCA rotates between the two versions, with the original Soarin’ Over California only running in March and April (typically) while the newer Soarin’ Around the World is shown the rest of the year. The OG Soarin’ ranks higher than the newer version, which might be our bias towards California speaking. It’s more likely because the original is dragged down by distortion, an overuse of CGI that pulls you out of the moment, and cheesy animal transitions. We like Soarin’ Around the World, but we’ll take flying above the real versions of Anza-Borrego, Yosemite, Tahoe, Malibu, Camarillo, Los Angeles, etc. over a bent, totally fake Eiffel Tower, Taj Mahal, etc., in a heartbeat. It’s really no contest.
9. Peter Pan’s Flight – Soarin’ Over London & Neverland isn’t quite as majestic as flying above California, but Peter Pan’s Flight scores big points for its sense of nostalgia and reimagined practical sets. It’s the perfect Fantasyland dark ride, with new effects and superior maintenance that helps it achieve true suspension of disbelief, and something guests of all ages will love.
8. World of Color ONE – This is the latest version of the beloved mixed media nighttime spectacular in Disney California Adventure. When it comes to the narrative, songs, or movies featured, ONE is not quite as good as ‘classic’ World of Color, and falls a slot as a result of that. Nevertheless, World of Color – ONE features 90% of what makes the original version of this nighttime spectacular so beloved.
Featuring projections, fire, and other amazing effects, the dancing fountains of Paradise Bay present a jaw-droppingly beautiful montage presentation of Disney animated classics. There’s no story to speak of and the vignettes arguably drag on a bit too long, but you will be so blown away and entranced by the colorful fountains, projections, and other visuals that you’re unlikely to notice. World of Color is the perfect way to end a day at Disney California Adventure.
7. Magic Happens Parade – The newest daytime parade at Disneyland, Magic Happens debuted 3 years ago before going on a nearly 3-year hiatus. Suffice to say, the parade still feels brand new, with great original music, inventive floats, and passionate performers. Magic Happens is an ambitious yet intimate production, with a healthy mix of characters from both new and classic movies.
It’s really difficult to compare to World of Color or fireworks, as those are like dessert after a long day and this is like an entree; as with that comparison, Magic Happens is the more substantive of the entertainment options, whereas Wondrous Journeys and World of Color are sweet and satisfying ways to end the day!
6. Fantasmic! – Despite being on hiatus until the start of Summer 2025 when it’ll return in modified form without the giant Maleficent dragon, Fantasmic ranks highly. It’s the fan-favorite nighttime spectacular that’s been running for several decades at Disneyland, and is hugely popular for good reason.
It’s shown in the evening, but it’s totally incomparable to other nighttime spectaculars–more like a stage show mixed with a water parade mixed with World of Color and fireworks. Fantasmic is basically grab bag of the highlights from every other entertainment production all rolled into one amazing production.
The setting on Rivers of America is perfect, and the Peter Pan battle scene on the Sailing Ship Columbia plus other gorgeous dream sequences from the mind of Mickey Mouse make Fantasmic a masterpiece that Disneyland regulars revisit again and again. If you only see one entertainment production at Disneyland (a big mistake), make it Fantasmic. It’s worth the effort or buying the dining package.
5. Radiator Springs Racers — Anything in the top 5 could be our favorite attraction at Disneyland Resort. They are all that good, but it would probably be too much of a cop-out to rank them all as tied for #1. Radiator Springs Racers is easily the best attraction at Disney California Adventure.
Radiator Springs Racers features an exquisitely-staged dark ride through Radiator Springs, which is bookended by a leisurely drive and race through Ornament Valley. The attraction offers the best elements of both a thrill ride and dark ride, the pacing is perfect, and the visuals are impressive. All of this culminates in an experience that is incredibly satisfying. As with the other top 5 entries, we could do Radiator Springs Racers again and again without ever getting sick of it, noticing new details with each ride-through.
4. Indiana Jones Adventure – Prior to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, this was the most revolutionary addition to Disneyland in decades. Indiana Jones Adventure was a generation-defining attraction and paved the way not just for future rides, but influenced entire lands. Everything about this thrilling ride is excellent. The queue setting the tone, the humorous pre-show, and the daring journey aboard a transport vehicle deep into the Temple of the Forbidden Eye in search of unimaginable rewards. As Sallah would (and does) say, “it is unlike anything you have ever experienced, I assure you!”
3. Haunted Mansion – On our Walt Disney World list, Haunted Mansion is tied for the number one slot. Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion is inferior to that in some ways, but superior to that in some ways. a slow-moving dark ride that is home to 999 happy haunts that are dying to meet you. No further explanation or praise is necessary. You’re living under a rock if you aren’t familiar with the premise of the Haunted Mansion and what makes it so special. It’s unlikely that rock-dwellers are reading this list. Then there’s the seasonal Haunted Mansion Holiday, which itself would crack the top 15 of this list if it were ranked separately.
T1. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance – A revolutionary feat of Imagineering that redefines what a theme park attraction can be. It blurs the boundaries of queue, pre-show, attraction, and puts guests in the middle of an intergalactic adventure. It carries Disneyland forward into a new generation, building on the lessons learned with Indiana Jones Adventure for something iconic that will become this era’s Pirates of the Caribbean or Haunted Mansion.
What makes Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance so mind-blowing is massive set pieces and a slew of how did they do that moments. The result with Rise of the Resistance is something epic in scale that feels more like an interactive blockbuster film than it does a traditional theme park ride. (Read our spoiler-free Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance Review for more.)
T1. Pirates of the Caribbean – If you’ve only done the Magic Kingdom version of this boat ride, you haven’t truly experienced Pirates of the Caribbean. This significantly longer version features a frame narrative (think Heart of Darkness) that establishes a foreboding atmosphere and presents what’s to come as a cautionary tale. What follows is a series of vignettes featuring Audio Animatronics pirates engaging in swashbuckling mayhem in huge and impressive sets of a burning town.
The attraction deftly balances lighthearted humor alongside the dastardly deeds of pirates in what should be a jarring juxtaposition, but it just works. Pirates of the Caribbean is a quintessential slice of mid-century Americana, and with that a sometimes cavalier attitude that has landed the attraction in hot water (so to speak) with modern audiences. Nevertheless, it continues to resonate, immersing guests in a pirate attack while also delivering personality and emotion.
What’s perhaps most interesting about the two #1 attractions here is that both evoke similar sensations of being in the midst of a movie’s filming. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance feels like a modern blockbuster with mind-blowing SFX and frenetic energy. Pirates of the Caribbean is like a classic of a different era–somewhat indecent and with dated effects, but engaging storytelling plus so much charm and personality that you don’t even notice it’s a half-century old.
Planning a Southern California vacation? For park admission deals, read Tips for Saving Money on Disneyland Tickets. Learn about on-site and off-site hotels in our Anaheim Hotel Reviews & Rankings. For where to eat, check out our Disneyland Restaurant Reviews. For unique ideas of things that’ll improve your trip, check out What to Pack for Disney. For comprehensive advice, consult our Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide. Finally, for guides beyond Disney, check out our Southern California Itineraries for day trips to Los Angeles, Laguna Beach, and many other SoCal cities!
Your Thoughts
Obviously, no one is going to have identical rankings of every single Disneyland and Disney California Adventure attraction. With that said, which rankings on our list do you really agree or really disagree with? Which rides and shows do you think are overrated or underrated? What makes your top 10 and bottom 5? We’re ready to hear friendly and spirited debate about a lighthearted topic that ultimately doesn’t matter, so please share your thoughts in the comments—even if you disagree with all of our ride rankings and think this list is totally idiotic!
Five days!!!!! Gives you time to sit and enjoy the ambiance as well as ride whatever you want. We love having the bit of leisure time to. Enjoy just walking around and having ice cream or a Starbucks drink without rushing. Might as well go for the whole five days!!! â£ï¸
My favorite of all time at Disneyland is Indiana Jones! Next would be tied with Pirates and Cars Land Racers. We decided this weekend to cancel the trip to DL in Oct. There is just too much uncertainty right now, so to the beach we go! I really do like DL because of the “smallness” compared to WDW.
Forgot to tell you Tom – we did the submarines last year, got there early and rode the monorail in, got off right there at them, jumped on the first ride of the day with no one else on board with us. So we could spread out and there were no “bad smells”. The only thing i didn’t like was having to bend over the whole time to look out the little window.
My wife and I visited Disneyland for the first time last summer, after about a dozen or so trips to DisneyWorld over the last 30 years. I was blown away! Everything about Disneyland was incredible, to the smaller quainter layout of the park, to experiencing a completely new Disney park for the first time in California Adventure. The ease of access to the park was one of the biggest pluses for us (a 5 minute walk from the Best Western Stoville for outweighed the 30 minute wait-and-bus-ride from resort room to park gate in Florida). I couldn’t believe how ride-dense Disneyland was, and the parts that DisneyWorld is lacking, like New Orleans, were awesome.
Highlights of the trip were definitely Indiana Jones (such a great ride), Cars Land (so incredibly immersive, especially for those of us who had that movie on repeat to appease a 5 year old when it first came out), and our ride on the Matterhorn. I’ll totally second that the back pain is a deterrent for riding it again, but we had a perfect moment on it riding during the fireworks. As we circled out of the cave entrance at the top of the ride, the giant “Mickey-head” firework exploded in front of us, perfectly framed by the mouth of the cave. It was a perfect Disney moment, and something we definitely couldn’t have planned.
The entire Disneyland Resort is an embarrassment of riches. It is kind of mind-blowing that just Disneyland alone contains Indiana Jones Adventure, Pirates, all of the mountains (including Matterhorn), an incredible lineup of Fantasyland dark rides AND the entirety of Galaxy’s Edge with Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway coming (someday).
Have you ever done a post comparing the various versions of attractions like Pirates, Haunted Mansion and It’s a Small World?
It’s also pretty remarkable that Disneyland Resort has half the parks of Walt Disney World but only ~24 fewer attractions–and not nearly as many bad/throwaway ones.
Random question…what if The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh was Pooh’s Hunny Hunt? Where would it be?
Is there enough room to replace the current Disneyland Pooh with the Tokyo one? I so wish they would do that!
Somewhere in the #4-6 range. The show building for Hunny Hunt is larger, but I believe there’s still space for it. Doubt that’ll happen, though. Pooh’s Hunny Hunt opened ~3 years before the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. If Disneyland wanted it, they could’ve built it.
A great list that I definitely agree with more than others I have seen. (Casey Jr. dead last? No way!) I absolutely agree with Roger Rabbit being criminally underrated. It’s in my Top 10 for Disneyland.
I still have never been on anything at DCA, SW;GE or the Nemo version of the Submarine Ride and have somehow missed doing ANY of the Rivers of America stuff other than Tom Sawyer Island. That said, my favorite has always been Haunted Mansion with Pirates and Indiana Jones right behind it.
Wow! Nice list Tom. I totally agree with most of your list…. and reading it made me absolutely miss being there. One thing though… that nemo submarine ride is HORRIBLE. The fact that you have it above Buzz and Midway Mania is shocking. We have three “arcade-loving” boys and that would be happy riding those two over and over and over… and the cramped, smelly, boring nemo ride left us, well… you know.
Haha, like I said–I enjoy the idea of the submarines more than actually riding. In actuality, we do Astro Blasters 20x as often as Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage!
Pirates of the Caribbean has always, and will probably always, be my favorite Disneyland ride! It’s actually family tradition to take a picture of me at the Pirates poster near the park entrance. It was originally to mark my height from the first time we went when I was 4. But even now (and even when I go alone), I still get a picture in the same spot.
What a great tradition you have! It must be so fun to look at the full set of those photos. Pirates of the Caribbean is hands-down my faborite ride of all time. Yo-ho!
That’s pretty awesome–photo traditions like that are so fun.
Splash mountain….you lost me on you get too wet! In socal heat…thats what makes it great to get that soaked….and be able to really laugh about it!!!
I totally agree if we’re talking Florida heat, but SoCal is too chilly the majority of the time (Oct-March, anytime after sunset or before 10 am) to get that wet!
Great list! In terms of the Top 5 or so, mine would be slightly different. I would add Smuggler’s Run as a tie for #1 with ROTR and move Haunted Mansion up to that spot as well. Might tie Indy with Big Thunder in the Top 10, too. Doing a list like this is so so hard. Bravo!
We went last year for the first time and bought a 3 day ticket. DL for 2 days and DCA for one day. We also went back to the room mid day to swim and relax and went back that night. Granted, we did not ride all the rides – there were some that we didn’t want to ride. The ferris wheel is a BIG NO for me as i don’t do heights. But you can easily do everything in 3 days. We didn’t feel rushed at all with 3 days.
sorry put this on the wrong post.
Being from the East Coast we have been to Disney World a number of times. My question is if/when we finally make it out to California for vacation; what is the minimum number of days to really get a good experience at Disneyland and DCA? I think the short answer is probably search Tom’s blog for “Disneyland Intinerary”. Anyway love the blog and all the amazing pictures and info!
The minimum amount of time I would spend in Disneyland for a good time is 4 days. The beauty of these parks is that it’s easy to walk from one to the other, so if one park is getting busy just head on over to the other. The other nice thing is the Best Westerns and Marriott hotels within a 5 minute walk to security. All-Stars pricing with Contemporary location.
3 full days is absolute bare minimum. Whether or not you want more is up to you. Some people (like myself) enjoy having a five day ticket; others find 5 days to be too long. I do think that more is better because it allows you to soak it all in more leisurely, but IMO as long as you have at least three full days (preferably with parkhoppers and MaxPass) there’s no wrong answer.
We went to Disneyland last summer (also from East Coast) and did a 5 day ticket (we split the days by visits to Laguna Beach and Joshua Tree). That time allowed us to do most everything we wanted at both parks at a relatively leisurely pace.
Beware of the canoes–These were in my top five things I was looking forward before the trip. Like Tom, I love the idea of them. So I bribed the family with the promise of ice cream and on we went. It was the most awful experience. We spent most of the time banging paddles with folks, splashing or being splashed as we tried paddle in a coordinated fashion. It was frustrating and my daughter (who is small) got wetter than she did on splash mountain. Maybe we just had bad luck! That said, it’s a memory we laugh about now!
If possible, add an extra day for nearby Knott’s Berry Farm: charming family fun on a manageable scale, Log Ride, Calico Mine Ride, Pan for Gold, train ride (watch out for the lighthearted “train robbets”!), and end your day with a Mrs. Knott’s chicken dinner. Don’t forget to bring home some boysenberry jam!
Minimum 3 days with a maximum (probably) of 5 days.
I think a savvy approach is buying a 5-day ticket and spending the middle of the last days in LA/Laguna/Palm Springs/etc. if you’ve already had your fill. With MaxPass, it’s easy to rope drop the parks, leave after a couple hours and do something midday (while continuing to collect FastPasses remotely), and then returning at night.
We were in the same boat as you, as Ontario-living lifelong DisneyWorld visitors. We went to California last summer for 14 days so we could visit both San Francisco and LA, hit up 4 of the 5 ballparks in the state, and take in Disneyland. Of those 14 days, we spent 4 at Disneyland and DCA. IF you’re into the atmosphere of the parks just as much as the rides, then 4 days was perfect. Even in the middle of summer, we were able to get every ride in, and spend time wandering and taking in both parks. Plus, staying at any of the super-affordable nearby hotels (we stayed at Best western Stoville – highly recommended) left us a 5-10 minute walk to the gate of either park……so we were easily able to make ropedrop without getting up alarmingly early. Also, on each of those day, we took a break when the heat and crowds got bad midday to return to the hotel, hit the pool, and catch a nap without wasting too much time on transportation between the park and hotel. Way easier to do this in CA than FL.
We went last year for the first time and bought a 3 day ticket. DL for 2 days and DCA for one day. We also went back to the room mid day to swim and relax and went back that night. Granted, we did not ride all the rides — there were some that we didn’t want to ride. The ferris wheel is a BIG NO for me as i don’t do heights. But you can easily do everything in 3 days. We didn’t feel rushed at all with 3 days.
Five days!!!!! Gives you time to sit and enjoy the ambiance as well as ride whatever you want. We love having the bit of leisure time to. Enjoy just walking around and having ice cream or a Starbucks drink without rushing. Might as well go for the whole five days!!! â£ï¸
Fellow East Coaster who went to Disneyland for the first time a couple of years ago. First of all, DEFINITELY go, I absolutely loved it and preferred it to the Florida parks in a number of ways. It is a much more relaxed vacation that doesn’t involve nearly the amount of preplanning and time management skills of Disney World, and there is something about the atmosphere that is just so charming. We did a 3 day park hopper and thought that was perfect, we were able to do everything we wanted without feeling rushed and even repeated several attractions. (This was pre Galaxy’s Edge though, if you are a big Star Wars fan and haven’t been to the Florida GE then you might want to add an extra day.)
I am also an East Coaster and WDW is my frequent vacation destination. I try to visit DL every 2 years. When I visit CA, I tend to start at another CA destination like a national park, SF (Disney Museum), Napa Valley, or Monterrey Bay areas. Then I will head to Disneyland area for 5 days. I usually carve out one day to visit both an Orange County beach and Knotts.
Love this list, but I think Mater’s jamboree is ranked too low. By far my favorite ride at DCA. And yes soarin’ over CA is better than soar in’ Over the world.
As for the haunted mansion, I feel the Holiday version should have been separated from the standard version. Truly a different experience and well worth a holiday trip just for the special overlay.
I would’ve separated Haunted Mansion Holiday if it ran all year. Adding all of the seasonal shows and overlays would’ve likely pushed this list above 100 attractions.
Thanks for this comprehensive effort. We have not been to Disneyland in so many years. As AP holders in Florida, we go several times a year to WDW and love it. However, we are moving to California this summer and look forward to a different lifestyle, the national parks and of course, Disneyland.
Hi Tom, great list and really hard to argue with any of the choices – especially the top 5! Will you be doing a list for the other Disney resorts around the world?
If so the natural next step would be to rank every Disney attraction around the world, and then we’d really see some debate in the comments!
I’ll probably continue the list for at least TDR.
From there, I might jump to a list of everything in the world, albeit probably minus explanations.
Me as well! Tom, please do TDR and than every single attraction in the world! I love these lists! They are my favorite things on this site
One this guy put the highly mediocre, poorly rated SMUGGLERS RUN (which is already being changed for it’s lackluster story) over SPACE MOUNTAIN AND ties RISE OF THE RESISTANCE (a great ride, but after 4 rides, does not have the 1,000 ride magic of PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN), it’s easy to see this blogger is blinded by his love for Star Wars and not for purely great Disney Attractions. smh
Random thoughts (with the disclaimer that I haven’t been to SW:GE yet):
Haunted Mansion will always be my #1 for all time. The rest of my top 10 would be: Pirates, Space Mtn, Big Thunder, Mr Toad (my fave Fantasyland ride), Jungle Cruise, Indiana Jones, Grizzly River Run, Radiator Springs, and Incredicoaster.
The railroad, river boats and Redwood Creek Trail also have special places in my heart. As does the back porch of Flo’s, which I know isn’t an attraction!
My fave line: “Matterhorn — If you’re looking for a roller coaster that will deliver physical pain, Matterhorn is for you!” SO TRUE!
My only real quibble is that the Pixar Pal-Around is rated so low. I think the swinging version is quite exciting and the views are great. And it stops long enough that you can actually get some nice photos!
” I think the swinging version is quite exciting and the views are great.”
I think you misspelled “terrifying”! I’ll ride roller coasters all day long, but I dont’ get along with ferris wheels.
Before it became Pixar Pal-Around and ToT became Guardians of the galaxy I always told my family that they misnamed the rides: they shoudl have been “Tower of Fun” and “Mickey’s Wheel of Terror”. My forearm hurt for half an hour after riding that from griping the side of the car so hard (even though that doesn’t help).
It’s hard for me to decide where to rank ROTR yet…it’s fantastic, but I’m not sure if it is #1…definitely in the Top 10…but still too early for me to rank with out skewing “new”.
Indy was my #1 for years but Rise is simply amazing. Now if they can only find a way to ride it without the heat stopping lottery each morning it would be perfect.
Heart stopping
Hmmm. That’s a difficult list and I probably have more disagreements than on your WDW list.At the bottom end, I’d rank Gadget’s Go Coaster a little higher because it serves that milestone of “first coaster” for young kids. by height requirement, it comes ~2 years before they can even go on something like Soarin, so it fits a niche. I’d move it up to at least 60 (or maybe swap it with Autopia).
At the top end of the list, I’m not a big fan of Roger Rabbit’s ride and would drop it 20-30 spots and I wouldn’t rank Fantasmic that highly either (contrary to most of the internet, I don’y think it’s markedly better than WDW’s version). The rest of your top 8 could all be #1 on a given day. On our first trip out to DLR, World of Color was definitely my #1 but that’s in large part due to the uniqueness vs. WDW and we had an an exceptional experience for our first show (front and center, no crowd around us).
Fair point about Gadget’s Go Coaster.
Not-so-fair points about Car Toon Spin and Fantasmic. 😉
I should mention that my daughter agrees with you and disagrees with me about the Car Ton spin. And she hasn’t even seen the movie. 🙂
My daughter loved Gadgets Go Coaster when we first started taking her to Disneyland at age 5. Definitely good for young ones just getting their feet wet on fast rides!
What, no Chip ‘n’ Dale Treehouse?!? Now THAT’s an attraction!! 😉
I guess my main internal debate if I was to make such a list is whether or not I would consider the Columbia or the Mark to be superior. The Columbia is uniquely Disneyland, and has the under decks museum; on the other hand, the Mark, while it can be found elsewhere, is more iconic. Tough decision!
I think Autopia, while definitely dated and guilty of emitting questionable smells, is nonetheless a quintessential DL experience, and I would be upset if they removed it. Probably nostalgia talking, but I think DL’s is the best one left, and I love the way it interacts with the Monorail and rides above the subs. At the very least, I think it would rank above all of the spinning rides just because it takes you somewhere and gives you a nice ride time. But then, Mater’s is the only spinning ride at the resort that I really like. Although Luigi’s is fun, I’d rank it below Autopia because I feel like you get more out of watching Luigi’s than riding it. Autopia at least has the interaction with other rides and the hidden weirdness of the off-road segment.
I’m glad that you’ve come around on Mr. Toad!
I personally don’t care for DL’s Splash, mainly because of the wetness (which they could theoretically do something about, but choose not to for reasons beyond me), and I think Splash is one of the (few?) attractions that actually got better each time they built it. I also think that the larger number of attractions at DL means that it’s more likely to get lost in the shuffle, whereas at MK and TDL it seems to have more of a presence, but maybe that’s just me. I love Splash at the other parks, but at DL it’s a one and done for me each trip. I don’t dispute the ranking, it’s just not to my taste.
Overall, great list! I don’t know if you are planning on making the lists for the other parks, but I’d support it!
Autopia could jump 10-20 spots simply by going electric. When the Honda sponsorship was announced, it was assumed that would happen (and they’ve hinted it still might). Such a disappointment that hasn’t happened.