Information on Disneyland, California Adventure, Discovery Science Center - 2

California Adventure

To offer new entertainment possibilities and to ameliorate some of the crowding at the original park, in 2001 Disney opened California Adventure, a Golden State-themed amusement park adjacent to Disneyland. Like Disneyland, the new park is subdivided into themed areas that feature elaborately designed rides and attractions.

Guests will find a beach-themed region that offers old-fashioned boardwalk rides and games; a Hollywood main street that offers a peek into the movie industry; a wine-country region with a hillside full of real grapevines and one of the nicest restaurants on either of the Disney properties—The Vineyard Room (call 714-781-3463 for priority seating), which offers upscale cuisine in a grown-up atmosphere; and a gold-country region that is anchored by Grizzly Mountain, an iconic landscape feature that is part of the wet-and-wild whitewater raft ride known as “Grizzly River Run.”

Although California Adventure hasn’t met Disney’s expectations for attendance—the park is currently undergoing renovations to expand its offerings—it is well worth a visit, either in conjunction with Disneyland or on its own. In fact, California Adventure has two of my family’s favorite attractions. “Soarin’ Over California”—suitable for toddlers, grandparents and everyone in between—offers a full sensory experience that combines a mild motion ride (onboard a ski-lift-type vehicle) with a giant-screen film of the most beautiful sights throughout California; the attraction even pipes in scents, so that visitors lose themselves completely in the experience. (Catch a whiff of orange blossoms as you sail over a citrus grove, or hints of pine as you fly above ski slopes.) Also onsite is Disney’s most daring rollercoaster yet: “California Screamin’,” which blasts off from zero to 60 m.p.h. in 5 seconds. This ultra-fast ride featuring an upside-down loop tracing the contours of a giant version of Mickey’s face thrills older children and teenagers, as well as their parents.

There’s plenty for young children and meeker riders in the California Adventure park as well, including a Bug’s Life-themed zone with gentle attractions designed for the 8 and younger set; playful musical entertainment (look for “The Magic of Brother Bear” show); and the inspiring film Golden Dreams, which chronicles the history of California and its most famous citizens. You can also watch tortillas being made at the “Mission Tortilla Factory”; interact with a cartoon character from Finding Nemo in “Turtle Talk with Crush” (this attraction fascinates me, because the animated character actually responds to individuals in the audience); and even learn to draw Mickey and friends in the “Animation Academy,” where you’ll be taught the tricks of the trade by a Disney artist.

• The Hollywood Tower stands tall in California’s Disney Adventure.
• 2005 Disney. All Rights Reserved.

California Adventure opens later and closes earlier than Disneyland, and so often my family and I buy Park Hopper passes and move from one park to the next. By lunchtime, when Disneyland is generally filled close to capacity, California Adventure still has breathing room. This park is a good alternative for meals, too, both because it is less crowded than Disneyland—meaning shorter lines to buy food and empty tables on which to eat it—and because there are a number of healthy and delicious dining options. For lunch I like to relax outside with a chicken and apple salad served in a hollowed-out loaf of sourdough bread from the Pacific Wharf Café; patio tables overlook Paradise Bay, which evokes the San Francisco wharf of years past. For a take-with-you snack, Schmoozies whips up vegetarian wraps and fresh fruit smoothies.

Day passes: $56 for children 9 and younger; $66 for adults and children 10 and older. Combine with a trip to Disneyland with a Park Hopper Pass, starting at $81 per day for children under 10.