It’s time to start planning your trip to Disney’s California Adventure! While planning the perfect trip can be exciting, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the details. But don’t worry—You are in the right place.
Disney California Adventure is a fantastic park with activities for all ages, and yes, you can easily spend an entire day here! My daughter’s absolute favorite ride, The Little Mermaid, is here, and she could ride it over and over again. You’ll also find Cars Land and Avengers Campus, both so immersive that it feels like stepping right into the movies.
Whenever I book my trip and start planning what I want to do, I first consider these pre-trip tips!
Pre-Trip Planning Tips
1. Make a Priorities List: Write down the rides you want to experience, ranked from highest to lowest priority.
2. Think About Entertainment: Decide which entertainment you’d like to see, such as World of Color, Disney Jr. Dance Party, Animation Academy, shows in Marvel Land, etc.
3. Plan Your Park Days: Determine which parks you’ll visit on which days and create a dining plan.
4. Know Your Group: Is it an adults-only trip? Are you bringing kids or teenagers? The park offers fun for all ages, but catering to your crowd is key to planning a great adventure.
Once you’ve figured out these details, you can start piecing together your itinerary. Below is a typical plan my family follows at Disney’s California Adventure.
Why I Love Rope Dropping
I’m all about rope-dropping! Being at the parks right when they open is the best time because the crowds are much lighter. Gates open at 7:30 a.m., so we try to arrive as close to that time as possible. This gives us extra time to grab breakfast if needed. We usually choose fresh fruit and pastries from Jolly Holiday (Disneyland) or Trolley Treats (California Adventure). During this time, I also purchase Lightning Lane Multi-Passes or Single Passes and watch for the Virtual Queue (VQ) if we plan to see World of Color.
California Adventures
Rope Drop and Early Morning:
You’ve made it to the rope—wahoo! The crowds usually split between Guardians of the Galaxy and Radiator Spring Racers. We usually rope drop Radiator Spring Racers—my thinking is that Guardians of the Galaxy has a Lightning Lane (LL) that you get when you purchase a multi-pass, whereas Radiator Spring Racers is a paid LL. If you want to pay for the LL, I’d 100% do that and head to your favorite ride. Alternatively, we might choose Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree or Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters. These rides don’t have LLs and tend to have longer lines. If you’re more of a thrill seeker, I’d head to Guardians of the Galaxy or the Incredicoaster, as they will have zero lines—and that’s always fun to experience.
Afterward, whichever ride we pick, we head to Pixar Pier and hit our family’s favorite ride, Toy Story Mania. The line is shorter, allowing us to ride it twice. Then we just continue down the pier—stopping at Jessie’s Carousel, Pixar Pal-A-Round, Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind, Silly Symphony Swings, and Goofy’s Sky School (if you have someone tall enough).
PRO-TIP FOR THOSE WITH LITTLES:
If you decide to ride the Incredicoaster in the morning, one partner can ride the roller coaster while the other walks over to the Little Mermaid attraction. Our princess-loving daughter loves to ride this as many times as she can. If you’re nervous about traveling to Disneyland with little ones and want help planning your trip, reach out to me HERE, and I will help you with all the details to ensure everyone has a great trip!
Snack Break:
Our favorite snacks in California Adventure are all the different churro flavors they offer. Señor Buzz Churros are always a top choice because they showcase Buzz’s colors and have a fun, sparkly look. Other favorites include the Mac and Cheese Cone from Cozy Cone Motel—and everything we’ve tried at Schmoozies has been delicious.
During the break, we also check wait times to decide where to head next. We review the showtimes—our favorites being Disney Jr. Dance Party and The Amazing Spider-Man!—and check the parade time (if there is one). If you’re a big fan of drawing Disney characters, head to the Animation Academy and check the schedule to see who they’re drawing and when. We also love Turtle Talk with Crush.
You may be wondering when we start using Lightning Lanes. With lower crowds in the morning, I prefer to wait until after lunch, when the lines are longer.
We begin grabbing Lightning Lanes after lunch and use them for the rest of the day. You can stack your passes (scheduling multiple rides for later) or grab one, use it, and immediately book another after scanning in. This method works well for us. When we rope drop and use Lightening Lane then we are able to ride popular rides more than once. Once in the morning with a short line and once using Lightening Lane.
Lunch Options:
California Adventure is my favorite place for food—there are so many options, and it’s more than just hamburgers and hot dogs. Our go-to restaurants are Wine Country Trattoria and Lamplight Lounge. Our quick-service favorites include the Birria Tacos from Cocina Cucamonga Grill and Paradise Garden Grill, which always has yummy options. Our kids’ favorite is Flo’s V8 Café. With different seasonal options throughout the park, we love trying as many as possible.
Evening Plans:
If you grabbed a virtual queue for World of Color, I recommend arriving 30–45 minutes early if you want to be in the front row. There is no seating for the show, so if you show up right at showtime, you might get stuck behind a lot of people. My favorite way to watch the show is attending the World of Color Dessert Party. It’s such a fun experience—you get to sit at a table, eat dessert, drink hot chocolate or cocktails, and watch the show from above everyone else. My daughter loves this because she can actually see the show without us having to hold her, plus she gets dessert and hot chocolate. If you want to see my review of the World of Color Dessert Party, you can find it on my Instagram page. Follow this link HERE.
I hope this gives you an idea of starting an itinerary for your day at California Adventures. As a travel planner specializing in Disney, I can help create an itinerary for your Disney trip. I do this complimentary for my families who book their trips with me. I also offer a 15+ page guide and 15+ years of Disney experience. If you want to book a trip with me, fill out my form HERE, and I will contact you soon! Follow me on Instagram for all the Disney tips and tricks! @disneywithjojo
