Disneyland California is the happiest place on earth (2024)

Do your kids dream of meeting Mickey and Minnie, Buzz and Woody or maybe Elsa and Anna? Do your teens fantasise about getting their hearts thumping and adrenaline pumping on state-of-the-art action rides?

Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California is where the Disney dream began in 1955. To this day, it’s still the ‘Happiest Place on Earth’. It never fails to impress with fun attractions for every member of the family. It encompasses two parks: Disneyland Park – the original Walt Disney theme park – and Disney California Adventure Park, home to characters from Toy Story, Cars, Monsters, Inc and A Bug’s Life. With so much to see and do, plan well and allow yourself a couple of days to take it all in.

Get yourself a three-day Park Hopper and spend a day at each park. On your third day, revisit your favourite rides and shows.

The must-see Disney shows

1. Relive a classic with Beauty & The Beast Live on Stage. In a lavish Broadway-style musical with colourful costumes, stunning scenery and beloved songs.
2. Disney Junior Play and Dance! where youngsters can get their groove on with their favourite Disney characters.
3. Filled with fun, fantasy Fantasmic! is a must-see for bedazzling effects, thrilling stunts and everyone’s favourite musical tunes.
4. Let it go with a flurry of songs from your favourite ‘Frozen’ friends at For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration.
5. Deadly traps, battles with bad guys and suspenseful stunts – it’s an action-packed hour with Indiana Jones.
6. Discover the Wonderful World of Animation as it takes you on an incredible journey through more than 90 years of Disney and Pixar animation.

The rides you can’t leave Disney without experiencing

1. Zoom through the life-like desert landscape of Cars Land on the Radiator Springs Racers.
2. Tear through the air on The Incredicoaster, a thrill ride that takes you through the world of The Incredibles on a mad race to catch Jack-Jack.
3. Rocket through the far reaches of space on Space Mountain, an exciting indoor rollercoaster at Tomorrowland.
4. Peril awaits you at every turn on the rollicking Indiana Jones Adventure.
5. The Grizzly River Run is a whitewater rafting adventure that will take riders along the rapids of the Grizzly River and up the ominous Grizzly Peak.
6. Step inside a real-life video game and help Buzz Lightyear defeat the villainous Zurg at Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters.
7. For gentle thrills that little guests will love, ride the junior rollercoaster, Gadget’s Go Coaster.
8. Glide and whirl around Casa Della Tires’ storage yard to Italian tunes on Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters.

Must-see Disney characters

1. Sharing your cornflakes with Mickey and Minnie, Chip and Dale, Goofy, Captain Hook or the Fairy Godmother, among others. Book in at Goofy’s Kitchen at Disneyland Hotel, Storytellers Cafe at Disney’s Grand Californian Resort & Spa or the Plaza Inn on Main Street USA.
2. Meet the world’s most famous mouse in Toontown, where Mickey will personally welcome you into his world.
3. The not-to-be-missed mecca for all things ‘princess’, Fantasy Faire is the place to meet and greet all your tiara-adorned Disney heroines.
4. Your little ones will think it’s very cool meeting Anna, Elsa and Olaf at the Disney Frozen Character experience at Epcot Hollywood Land.
5. Fairy fans can twinkle with Tinker Bell and friends at Pixie Hollow.
6. At Pixar Pier or Toy Story Midway Mania! space cowboys can play with their favourite toys, Buzz and Woody, from the popular Pixar film series.
7. Meet some of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes at the Avengers Headquarters.
8. Race into Ornament Valley to meet Lightning McQueen and Mater at the awesome Cars Land.

The must-experience Disney bucket list

1. Get the royal treatment at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique in Disneyland Park, where little girls are transformed into little princesses by a Fairy Godmother-in-Training.
2. Young Padawans can go behind the scenes of the Star Wars: The Last Jedi movie and get a close-up look of the actual props and costumes used for the movie at Star Wars Launch Bay.
3. Discover how all characters are brought to life during a hands-on presentation with a Disney artist at Disney’s Animation Academy.
4. Create your own animation within the hands-on Sorcerer’s Workshop in Hollywood Land.
5. Take a guided tour to learn more about the park and its history.
6. Hop on the Monorail to view the park from a different perspective.
7. Disneyland Forever is the fireworks spectacular taking over the skies (and streets) of Disneyland.
8. The fun-filled presentation of the popular World of Color is a spectacle of animated imagery, live-action film, fountains, lasers, special effects and incredible music hosted by the one-and-only Mickey Mouse.
9. Slip into Fantasyland where Sleeping Beauty‘s iconic castle rises above the park, for a Mad Tea Party cup-and-saucer ride, Pinocchio’s Daring Journey or the Alice in Wonderland ride. Older children will be happy here too with higher-speed rides such as the Matterhorn Bobsleds.
10. Trek back in time to Frontierland for the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad as well as the Mark Twain Riverboat.
11. Action-seekers, journey to the mysterious lands of Magic Kingdom and take on the Jungle Cruise, Haunted Mansion and a gangly crew of pirates at the Pirates of the Caribbean.
12. Explore Main Street, U.S.A., a thoroughfare that recreates the unique charm of small-town America at the turn of the 20th century.
13. Take a ride down Main Street in a horse-drawn streetcar, early automobile or fire engine.
14. Try your luck pulling the sword from the stone in front of the King Arthur Carrousel, an enduring must-do found right in front of Sleeping Beauty’s castle.

Where to eat at Disney

Parents will find Art Deco Buena Vista Street enchanting. From a relaxing meal to a quick bite, Buena Vista Street offers several dining options. Its exquisite centrepiece is the Carthay Circle Theatre which includes fine dining and a swanky nightspot. During daylight hours there is a constant buzz of activity with roaming characters and impromptu shows, like the Dixieland band Five & Dime.

You can also find more dining options here.

Where to stay

If your family wants the ultimate Disneyland experience, check in to one of three Disneyland Resort hotels. Choose from the classic styling of Disneyland Hotel, the luxurious Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa or the laidback charm of Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel. For an experience the kids will never forget, book into one of the character breakfasts. A fan-favourite is Goofy’s Kitchen at the Disneyland Hotel.

You can find more Disney accommodation options here.

Hacks to Disneyland

1. Download the Disneyland App for built-in benefits like the Disney Genie Service. The app can help you plan your day, select the next available window for attractions and get park updates. The Genie service will provide attraction and dining recommendations.
2. Disneyland’s ‘rider switch‘ or ‘parent pass’ is a system that Disneyland uses for height-restricted attractions. Parents can enjoy their favourite rides by switching with the other parent. There’s no waiting in line a second time.
3. Stay at the original Disneyland Hotel with classic styling that pays tribute to the park’s 1955 opening. Located near the Downtown Disney District, the hotel is just a short stroll to both Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park. It also has a fabulous water play park.