Disneyland is the original Disney theme park. Walt Disney wanted to create a place where parents and children could have fun together and he definitely succeeded! Disneyland is rightly known as the Happiest Place on Earth and it brings joy to thousands of families year after year. Check out my list of best attractions that help make this park so amazing:
10. Peter Pan’s Flight
Climb aboard an enchanted pirate ship and fly over London and other unforgettable scenes from Disney’s animated film Peter Pan. This is a visually beautiful ride that the whole family will enjoy. It was also recently updated and now features a reimagined nursery scene and a variety of special effects. This classic dark ride is an original ride from 1955.
9. It’s a Small World
Many people might find this ride annoying, but it really is a classic that celebrates bonds of friendship, laughter and happiness. It’s a whimsical boat ride to all 7 continents while children of the world sing the classic anthem of world peace. You’ll see children from all over the world as well as familiar Disney and Disney*Pixar characters like Peter Pan, Cinderella, and Woody. This is also a great ride to take a break and cool off on.
8. Mad Tea Party
This is one of my very favorite rides! Step into a giant teacup and go for a spin during a mad tea party. You control how fast your cup spins with a wheel in the center of the teacup. If even a little bit of spinning makes you too dizzy, then this isn’t the ride for you.
7. Haunted Mansion
Another classic Disney dark ride, the Haunted Mansion is home to 999 happy haunts and you are invited to become the 1,000th. Take a tour of this haunted estate aboard a doom buggy but beware of hitchhiking ghosts as you leave! You’ll get to explore over 15 rooms as the spirits sing “Grim Grinning Ghosts”. Another thing that makes this ride one of the best is that it becomes Haunted Mansion Holiday during the Halloween and Christmas seasons. Jack Skellington and other characters from Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas deck the halls and wish you “Seasons Screamings”. Keep in mind this delightfully frightening ride can be scary for little ones.
6. Star Tours
Star Tours is an exciting 3-D, motion simulated space flight in the Star Wars galaxy. C-3PO pilots your ship on an unpredictable flight to locations such as Naboo, Coruscant, and the Death Star. This ride was updated recently to include an all-new location as well as characters from Star Wars: The Force Awakens. There are multiple story combinations so you’ll have a different adventure each time you ride!
5. Pirate’s of the Caribbean
The ride that inspired the movies that re-inspired the ride. Set sail on a 15-minute cruise through the 17th-century and come face-to-face with swashbuckling rogues. You’ll find it difficult to not sing along to the classic anthem “Yo Ho, Yo Ho (A Pirate’s Life for Me)”. Be on the lookout for Captain Jack Sparrow-he makes an appearance a few times throughout the ride. There are a couple of small drops on this ride so you might get a little bit wet.
4. Indiana Jones Adventure
Indiana Jones Adventure makes you feel like you are in the middle of an Indiana Jones movie. It’s a fast-paced thrill ride on a souped-up jeep that journeys through a cursed temple. Careen along precarious precipices that plummet into molten lava and swerve to avoid lava eruptions, swarms of insects and evil wraiths. Just when you think you’ve made it through safely, a giant boulder rolls right at you and at the last minute you are saved by none other than Indiana Jones himself!
3. Space Mountain
Space Mountain is the ultimate dark rollercoaster. It’s an exciting blast through the darkest reaches of outer space. You’ll whiz past shooting stars and celestial satellites during this thrilling ride. One crazy thing about Space Mountain is the darkness makes you feel like you’re going faster than you really are. Also, it’s been transformed into Hyperspace Mountain during Season of the Force. On Hyperspace Mountain you’re thrown into the middle of a raging dogfight between Rebel X-wing starfighters and Imperial TIE fighters. This is one of the most exciting and thrilling rollercoasters at Disneyland.
2. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
The “wildest ride in the wilderness” has been my favorite rollercoaster since I was a kid. Hop aboard a 5-car locomotive that takes you on a thrilling ride inside an abandoned mine shaft. Swoop around sharp turns and dip and drop into canyons and caves as you race through the ghost town of Big Thunder. This ride is a great family rollercoaster.
1. Splash Mountain
As a kid this ride scared me to death! But as I got older I came to really love it. You float in a log along a colorful bayou and go with Br’er Rabbit in search of his laughing place. You’ll visit whimsical watering holes with fun singing critters. You won’t be able to get the classic “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah” out of your head. There are a couple of small drops on your journey that eventually lead to a final, thrilling, 5-story splashdown! Be prepared to get wet or even soaked.
Did I miss any of Disneyland‘s best rides? Let me know in the comments!
If you haven’t had a chance to experience these top attractions, then it’s time to book a trip! Email me at sarasolberg@worldofmagictravel.com to start planning your next magical vacation.
Let our friends at Destinations to Travel help you book your next Disney Vacation. They are the preferred Travel Agency of Chip and Company and Disney Addicts, and who we use ourselves.
Get started below for your FREE No Obligation Quote.
Book With our friends at Destinations to Travel
For the BEST in Disney, Universal, Dollywood, and SeaWorld Theme Park News, Entertainment, Merchandise & More follow us on, Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube. Don't forget to check out the Chip and Company Radio Network too!
How one can reduce the park to a Top 10 is amazing. I can’t do it, there’s so many wonderful attractions. One that’s always in my top 10 is for sure Matterhorn Bobsleds, which we usually wait until close to park closing to enjoy since the crowds finally start to thin out. Peter Pan is fantastic, but the line easily exceeds 40 minutes and will stay that way most of the day.