The BEST Rides at Disney’s California Adventure

Headed to Disneyland? Knowing your priorities is the key to success. Here are the best California Adventure rides and how to get on them fast!

Disney's California Adventure is a separate park, located just across the plaza from Disneyland's turnstiles. This fun park is the home of everything Pixar and Marvel. It has enough top-notch attractions to fill at least one full day of your Disneyland vacation. 

Here are the best California Adventure rides, roughly in the order that I would do them. Arrive 30-60 minutes before the park opens, or stay late, to make the most of short lines and Genie+!

Radiator Springs Racers

Radiator Springs Racers is one of the best rides anywhere. Riders are seat belted into a six-seat convertible and treated to a scenic tour of Ornament Valley, followed by a twisting and turning nighttime adventure through the Cars universe. The finale is a high speed race against riders in the next car. 

There is a Lightning Lane for this ride, but it isn't included with Genie+. You'll pay up to $20 per person to access the short line for this ride, depending on demand. Instead, I prefer to arrive at the park early and head straight for Radiator Springs Racers while the lines are shortest.

The Single Rider line is a great option for this ride if you have older kids. The 3-and-3 configuration in each car puts 1-2 single riders in most cars, so it's often a good way to experience this ride without waiting too long.

• Avoid the Standby line. It's usually long.
• Individual Lightning Lane available – separate purchase from Genie+
• Single Rider Line – must be age 7+ and able to ride independently.
• Rider Switch available.

Related: The BEST Rides at Disneyland

Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT

Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT replaced Twilight Zone Tower of Terror in 2017. My family liked Tower of Terror, but we LOVE the update. 

Mission: BREAKOUT has all the vertical shoots and drops of the old ride, with a fun Guardians of the Galaxy story and classic rock soundtrack that are less spooky. Mission: BREAKOUT has six different sound tracks, videos and motion sequences, so every ride is a little different.

• Do this one right after Radiator Springs Racers or Web Slingers in the morning. Standby lines may be under 20 minutes.
• Lighting Lane included with Genie+.
• Rider Switch available.

Related: 30+ Tips for Saving Money at Disneyland

WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure

This is the newest ride at Disneyland Resort, and it's a lot of fun for the whole family. It's a lot like Toy Story Midway Mania. You'll use your hands to shoot webs at targets on the screen and earn points. There is no height restriction for this ride.

WEB SLINGERS has a Lightning Lane, but like Radiator Springs Racers, it's not included with Genie+. You need to pay separately for this Lightning Lane. I'm betting this will change once this ride isn't the popular new ride anymore. It's fun for all ages and the technology is cool, but it's not the most exciting ride in the park.

• You may want to do this one first or second since it's popular and not currently included with Genie+
• Individual Lightning Lane available – separate purchase from Genie+
• Single Rider Line – must be age 7+ and able to ride independently.

Toy Story Midway Mania!

Toy Story Midway Mania! is so fun for families of all ages. It's a moving carnival midway hosted by Toy Story characters where you shoot virtual targets and compete against other riders.

• Lighting Lane included with Genie+.
• Look for shorter lines early and late in the day.
• No height or age restrictions.

Incredicoaster

This fun re-imagined roller coaster is one of the longest in the United States. It's a traditional coaster with several tunnels that feature the family from Incredibles, who are trying to catch up with Jack-Jack. 

• Lighting Lane included with Genie+.
• Single Rider Line – must be age 7+ and able to ride independently.
• Standby lines may not be bad in the middle of the day, depending on crowds.
• Rider Switch available.

Soarin' Around the World

Soarin' Around the World used to be Soarin' over California, but a 2016 update means new sights, sounds and smells for virtual travelers. I LOVE this ride.

This ride is thrilling and gentle at the same time. Your seat will rise into the air in front of a huge screen and move smoothly throughout the ride to simulate the experience of flying over the world's most famous landmarks.

• You may find short Standby lines early and late in the day
• Lighting Lane included with Genie+.
• Rider Switch available.

Grizzly River Run

Grizzly River Run is a classic water raft ride with Disney's attention to detail. The scenery is exquisite as you run rapids and slide down a waterfall in a circular raft that turns freely throughout the ride.

Expect to be completely soaked on this ride. I pack a poncho in my daypack to avoid getting very wet. Free 2-hour lockers are available nearby.

• Standby lines are usually short early and late in the day, and in cool weather.
• Lighting Lane included with Genie+.
• Rider Switch available.

Related: Everything You Need to Know About the Official Disneyland App

The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure

The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure is a classic Disney dark ride on a large and lavish scale. It retells the story from The Little Mermaid movie. If you love the movie, you'll love the ride.

• Wait times are usually short.
• No height or age restrictions.

Related: Why We Love Mobile Ordering at Disneyland

Pixar Pal-a-Round

This ferris wheel is the center of Pixar Pier and the backdrop for the nightly World of Color show. You can get a great view of California Adventure and the surrounding area from high above the park. You can get a Swinging or Non-Swinging car. I think that Swinging is more fun, but it may be scary for some riders and the line is usually longer.

• The Non-Swinging Line moves faster because it's less popular
• Capacity is limited so the line moves slowly.
• No height or age restrictions

Goofy's Sky School

Goofy's Sky School is a wild and crazy ride tucked away in a corner of Paradise Pier. It features lots of fast twists, turns and drops. This thrill ride will not be a favorite for most adults, but my kids were delighted to ride it three times in a row (without us) one morning because there was no line at all.

• Standby lines should be short early and late in the day.
• Lighting Lane included with Genie+.
• Rider Switch available.

Monsters, Inc. Mike and Sully to the Rescue

The Monsters, Inc. ride is a classic Disney dark ride. You'll travel through Monstropolis with Mike and Sully to get Boo safely back home. This ride is good for all ages. My teens still love it because of the nostalgia from riding it when they were little.

• Standby lines should be short early and late in the day.
• Lighting Lane included with Genie+.

Conclusion

My family loves Disney's California Adventure. Guardians of the Galaxy, Radiator Springs Racers, Soarin', and Toy Story Midway Mania! are some of our favorite rides at Disneyland Resort.

To avoid long lines, I recommend that you arrive at the park before it opens and use the less-crowded morning hours to ride your favorite rides while standby lines are short. Later, use Genie+ to ride them again without standing in long lines.

Going with your priorities in mind is one of the most important keys to a successful Disneyland trip. I hope this list helps your family choose the rides that are most important to you, and have a wonderful time at California Adventure!

Happy travels!

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It was really tough to leave a few great rides off this list. Did I miss your favorite? If so, please share it in the comments, along with your tips for doing it right.

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Allison

Hi there! I am the founder of Tips for Family Trips. I am a married mom of two children, ages 14 and 17, living near Salt Lake City, Utah. We took our first child on a two-week road trip when she was four weeks old and we have been traveling as a family ever since. We love to get out of the house to see and do fun things, both far away and in our own neighborhood.