19 Best Rides at Disney California Adventure ranked! (2024)
Being a California local, I have been coming to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure since my kids were babies. They are teens now, and we still visit these theme parks every year!
I have experienced all the Disney California Adventure rides several times, including the newest Spiderman Web Slingers ride! I personally think California Adventure has some really cool rides, and several rides are better than Disneyland rides.
In this article, I will list down the best California Adventure park rides in the thrill and family categories and which ones are absolute musts.
My favorite rides at California Adventure are Radiator Spring Racers and Soarin’ Around the World. Web Slingers Spiderman is a close second.
California Adventure Park is located right across the ticket entrance from Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California. It is almost a given to visit both parks on any Disneyland vacation itinerary.
California Adventure Park is much newer than Disneyland and first opened in 2001. The rides at California Adventure are much newer and more modern than some of the classic and famous rides at Disneyland.
So, let’s get to our list of the best rides at California Adventure!
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Best thrill rides at California Adventure Park
Below are the best rides at Disney California Adventure that should not be missed on your trip to California Adventure. I have ranked them such that the very best ones are at the top of the list for the thrill and family categories.
California Adventure Park is much smaller than Disneyland. When comparing Disneyland vs California Adventure rides, California Adventure has fewer rides than Disneyland.
With some planning, like taking advantage of Disneyland park’s opening rope drop strategy and using Disneyland Genie Plus and Lightning Lanes, it is possible to do all of these best California Adventure rides in one day, plus have time for the shows and exploring the California Adventure food and restaurants.
1. Radiator Springs Racers
- Type of ride: Thrill, fast
- Age group: All ages, appropriate for young kids that meet the height requirement
- Height: 102 cm / 40-inch minimum
- Location: Cars Land
- Genie Plus accepted: No
- Individual Lightning Lane purchase: Yes, the cost varies by day to use the faster lane
Radiator Springs Racers in Cars Land is one of the best thrill rides ever made! This ride has continued to draw huge crowds since its opening in 2012. On my most recent visit, the wait times were still 2+ hours! Even more than the new Spiderman ride.
In this ride, you will sit in a 6-seater convertible car like the one from the Cars movie. They usually allow other riders from the Single Rider Lane if your car has space left. So expect to sit with strangers in this one.
The ride starts with a fast-moving car through the sets of Cars movie, followed by an awesomely fast race on a race track with another car. The race has some really fast turns and drops, and it is one of the best parts of the ride!
The Cadillac mountain ranges look beautiful, especially if you ride during sunset, as the lighting effect on the mountains is really cool at that time!
Sadly, Genie Plus does not allow you faster lane access. You can purchase Individual Lightning Lane to reduce your wait time. The price varies depending on the day and can be $15-$25 per person!
If you are not planning to pay extra for Individual Lightning Lane, I recommend finishing this in the morning, especially if you reach the park at opening time.
2. WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure
- Type of ride: Thrill
- Age group: All ages, appropriate for the whole family
- Height: All heights
- Location: Avengers Campus
- Genie Plus accepted: Yes
- Individual Lightning Lane purchase: No
This is the newest ride in California Adventure, in the newly made Avengers Campus. This ride draws in huge crowds because, well, everyone loves Spiderman!
In this high-tech ride, you sit in a Web Slingers vehicle and help Spiderman control the Spider-bots in his workshop by shooting spider webs from your arms! No device is needed here; the ride technology reads your arm movements and hits targets!
Adults and kids alike will love this unique, techy ride. I feel this is a more modern, advanced version of the Toy Story Mania ride, in which you have to use a device to shoot objects. Here, just waving your arms works! And it’s a 3D ride!
The wait times for this ride can be anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours on weekends and holidays. Many people choose to do this earlier in the day, and I recommend doing this first thing in the morning if you are not planning on buying Genie Plus.
Genie Plus service now gives you faster access to the Lightning Lane queue on the Spiderman ride! Initially, when the ride first debuted, fast lane access required Individual Lightning Lane purchase.
3. Soarin’ Around the World
- Type of ride: low thrill level
- Age group: All ages, appropriate for young kids that meet the height requirement
- Height: 102 cm / 40-inch minimum
- Location: Grizzly Peak
- Genie Plus accepted: Yes
- Individual Lightning Lane purchase: No
Soarin’ Around the World has been my family’s favorite California Adventure ride of all time, even before 2016, when this ride was called Soarin’ Over California.
This ride is a flight simulator in an IMAX dome where you find yourself flying over some of the iconic wonders of the world.
On your journey, you will fly over the Swiss Alps, the Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal of India, South America, Australia, and many more places in the world.
The music, special effects, and spectacular aerial scenery really build up the flying effect. But the flight is graceful and smooth and not a roller-coaster type ride. My 4-year-old nephew also loved this ride a lot!
If you have purchased Genie Plus for the day, you can access Lightning Lane for this ride and avoid the long queues.
4. Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!
- Type of ride: Thrill, big drops
- Age group: Adults, teens, and kids that meet the height requirement
- Height: 102 cm / 40-inch minimum
- Location: Avengers Campus
- Genie Plus accepted: Yes
- Individual Lightning Lane purchase: No
Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! will delight those who love thrill rides and drop towers. In this ride, you will be sitting with a group of people in an elevator that has several big drops. I personally do not like rides with sudden drops, so I didn’t enjoy it much, but my teen kids loved this one.
The characters from the Guardians of the Galaxy movie, the soundtrack, and the special effects make this a fun ride. You will be helping Rocket rescue the other guardians in this ride.
During Halloween, this ride gets a makeover called Guardians of the Galaxy – Monsters After Dark, with some excellent visual and sound effects that might scare you! It definitely might be scary for younger children during Halloween.
5. Incredicoaster
- Type of ride: Thrill, roller-coaster
- Age group: Adults, teens, tweens
- Height: 122 cm / 48-inch minimum
- Location: Pixar Pier
- Genie Plus accepted: Yes
- Individual Lightning Lane purchase: No
The Incredicoaster is not for the faint of heart! This super-fast roller coaster has drops, twists, and turns and makes a full loop with inversion on the Pixar Pier signboard!
It’s hard to miss the gigantic Incredicoaster red and white track right next to the Mickey Ferris wheel as soon as you enter the Pixar Pier area.
Incredicoaster is one of the best rides at California Adventure for roller coaster fans! The Incredibles movie theme, characters, music, and storyline will keep the fans engaged throughout the ride.
If you have Genie Plus, you can use the Lightning lane queue, else wait times can get really long later in the day.
6. Toy Story Midway Mania!
- Type of ride: Thrill, 4D
- Age group: All ages, appropriate for young kids
- Height: All heights
- Location: Pixar Pier
- Genie Plus accepted: Yes
- Individual Lightning Lane purchase: No
Before the high-tech Web Slingers Spiderman ride came to California Adventure, Toy Story was one of the most popular rides with families, as kids and adults alike loved blasting at toys.
In past visits before the Avengers Campus and Cars Land, we actually used to run to Toy Story Mania at park opening time to breeze through the lines without wait times!
Now with newer rides, Toy Story might seem a little old school, but it is still a hit with families and can have long wait times of up to an hour later in the day.
The Toy Story movie characters and storyline will keep the fans engaged with hitting targets and trying to get the highest score!
7. Grizzly River Run
- Type of ride: Water ride, Thrill, small drops
- Age group: Adults, kids that meet the height requirement
- Height: 107 cm / 42-inch minimum
- Location: Grizzly Peak
- Genie Plus accepted: Yes
- Individual Lightning Lane purchase: No
Grizzly River Run is the only water ride in California Adventure Park and is a lot of fun for water lovers. In this ride, you will sit with eight passengers in a circular raft that floats along a lazy river with some small drops in the water.
You might get wet on this ride, and it might be a good idea to keep your valuables and phone in a waterproof bag. There are lockers available at the ride entrance as well at no charge for 2 hours.
My shoes and shirt got soaked the last time I sat on this ride, but luckily, it was a hot afternoon, and they dried quickly. A poncho might be a good idea for this ride.
8. Goofy’s Sky School
- Type of ride: Thrill, small drops, roller-coaster
- Age group: Adults, and kids that meet the height requirement
- Height: 107 cm / 42-inch minimum
- Location: Paradise Gardens Park
- Genie Plus accepted: Yes
- Individual Lightning Lane purchase: No
Goofy’s Sky School is a smaller roller coaster appropriate for young kids and tweens.
In this ride, you will sit in a 4-passenger car which will race along an elevated track with sharp turns, twists, and small drops.
The thrill level is low to medium, and the sharp turns can be a bit jerky.
9. Pixar Pal-A-Round -Swinging
- Type of ride: Thrill
- Age group: All ages
- Height: All heights
- Location: Pixar Pier
- Genie Plus accepted: No
- Individual Lightning Lane purchase: No
Pixar Pal-A-Round is a gigantic Ferris wheel, a Pixar Pier icon that will give you panoramic views of Disney California Adventure Park from 150 feet above.
The Pixar Pal-A-Round Ferris wheel is unique and features both swinging and non-swinging gondolas. The non-swinging gondolas are on the outside, and the swinging gondolas are on the inner axis.
The swinging gondolas are wild and move and sway along the inner axis! I haven’t sat in the swinging ones, as just looking at them made me dizzy!
There is no fast queue here through Genie Plus, so everyone waits in the standard line.
Best rides at California Adventure for Toddlers and Young Kids
California Adventure Park has some fantastic thrill rides, but it also has a great selection of rides for toddlers and families with young kids.
In all of these best California Adventure family rides, adults can sit with their children and have a great family time!
My kids are teens now, but I recently visited Disneyland with extended family and sat on all of these family-friendly rides with my 4-year-old nephews, and they were so much fun! Some of these, like Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree, are fun even for grown-ups like me!
10. Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree
- Type of ride: Low Thrill, spinning
- Age group: All ages, appropriate for young kids that meet the height requirement
- Height: 81 cm / 32-inch minimum
- Location: Cars Land
- Genie Plus accepted: No
- Individual Lightning Lane purchase: No
Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree in Cars Land is a super fun ride with catchy music and spinning tractors. Adults will enjoy this as much as the kids!
The thrill level is medium, and the spinning action is quite fast and awesome. There is no separate fast lane for Genie Plus holders. Everyone uses the same stand-by lane.
During Halloween, this ride gets a spooky makeover called Mater’s Graveyard JamBOOree with Halloween-themed decor and music.
During the holiday season at Disney California Adventure, the ride gets decked up in holiday decor and is renamed Mater’s Jingle Jamboree.
11. Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters
- Type of ride: Low Thrill, spinning
- Age group: All ages, appropriate for young kids that meet the height requirement
- Height: 81 cm / 32-inch minimum
- Location: Cars Land
- Genie Plus accepted: No
- Individual Lightning Lane purchase: No
Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters is a spinning ride in a colorful car that spins and dances to lively music. More than sitting on the ride, it was super fun to watch the cars dance to the music while waiting in line.
I loved how the cars got together to line up at the start and end of the ride! The thrill level was low, and I felt the spinning of the ride was a little jerky.
During Halloween, this ride gets a spooky makeover called Luigi’s Honkin’ Haul-O-Ween with Halloween-themed decor and music.
During the holidays, the ride gets decked up in holiday decor and is renamed Luigi’s Joy to the Whirl.
12. Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind
- Type of ride: Low Thrill, spinning
- Age group: All ages
- Height: All heights
- Location: Pixar Pier
- Genie Plus accepted: No
- Individual Lightning Lane purchase: No
Based on the Inside Out movie theme and characters, this brightly colored hot-air balloon-type ride is fun for the whole family. You board with your family in a hot-air balloon that flies in a circle.
Inside-out movie fans will love the ride theme, and toddlers will love the colorful shapes. There is no faster lane here for Genie Plus holders; everyone uses the regular stand-by lane.
13. Jumpin’ Jellyfish
- Type of ride: Low Thrill, small drops
- Age group: All ages, appropriate for young kids that meet the height requirement
- Height: 102 cm / 40 inches minimum
- Location: Paradise Gardens Park
- Genie Plus accepted: No
- Individual Lightning Lane purchase: No
Little kiddos will love going up and down in adorable, colorful jellyfish in the Jumpin’ Jellyfish ride. The ride cars are shaped like parachutes and gently go up in the air and then down again.
The thrill level is low, and the drops are small and mild, suitable for young kids. The ride does not have a faster lane for Genie Plus holders.
14. Golden Zephyr
- Type of ride: Medium Thrill, spinning
- Age group: All ages
- Height: All heights
- Location: Paradise Gardens Park
- Genie Plus accepted: No
- Individual Lightning Lane purchase: No
Kids will love flying in a spaceship in this sci-fi-themed retro ride. In this ride, you climb on a spaceship-shaped car with a group of people, which then ascends in the air and spins along a central axis.
The thrill level is medium, and the flight is quite smooth. Even my teen kids loved this ride. This ride has only one regular stand-by lane and no separate Genie Plus lane.
15. Silly Symphony Swings
- Type of ride: Low Thrill, spinning
- Age group: All ages, appropriate for young kids that meet the height requirement
- Height: 102 cm / 40 inches minimum
- Location: Paradise Gardens Park
- Genie Plus accepted: No
- Individual Lightning Lane purchase: No
Silly Symphony Swings is a carnival-type ride that you might have experienced in your local theme park. It’s an all-time hit with kids, as they love to swing.
In this ride, your swing will go high up and around, and you can feel the wind in the air while listening to some great music. Personally, I love swing rides and always try to sit on them in theme parks.
16. Jessie’s Critter Carousel
- Type of ride: Low Thrill, spinning
- Age group: All ages
- Height: All heights
- Location: Pixar Pier
- Genie Plus accepted: No
- Individual Lightning Lane purchase: No
This is a classic carnival-type carousel ride with a Toy Story movie theme. The ride cars are based on the toy characters from the movie. Young kids, especially toddlers, will love the carousel.
17. The Little Mermaid – Ariel’s Undersea Adventure
- Type of ride: Low Thrill, dark
- Age group: All ages
- Height: All heights
- Location: Paradise Gardens Park
- Genie Plus accepted: No
- Individual Lightning Lane purchase: No
This sit-and-watch type of ride is based on the movie The Little Mermaid. You sit in a clam-shaped car and are taken through a musical journey with movie-themed characters.
This is an older ride and might not be that appealing to older kids. The ride is dark, and the Ursala monster could be scary to very young kids.
Personally, I think this ride needs to be updated as it is not that interesting anymore as compared to the newer rides.
18. Pixar Pal-A-Round – Non-Swinging
- Type of ride: Ferris wheel, views
- Age group: All ages
- Height: All heights
- Location: Pixar Pier
- Genie Plus accepted: No
- Individual Lightning Lane purchase: No
Pixar Pal-A-Round – Non-Swinging is a milder version of the swinging one and is just a regular Ferris wheel.
Enjoy panoramic views of California Adventure Park as you soar above the ground on this ride.
Appropriate for all ages and a great way to give your tired legs a break from walking and standing in line!
19. Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!
- Type of ride: Low Thrill, dark
- Age group: All ages
- Height: All heights
- Location: Hollywood Land
- Genie Plus accepted: Yes
- Individual Lightning Lane purchase: No
This ride is based on the Monsters, Inc. movie theme and will make sense to those who have watched the movie. This is the only ride in Hollywood Land.
The setup of this ride is similar to the older Disneyland rides where you sit in a car and are taken from room to room with a movie-themed storyline.
The ride is somewhat dark, and the monster theme can be scary to very young kids. There is a faster lane here for Genie Plus holders.
Other things to do at California Adventure
Apart from some incredible thrill rides and excellent family rides, there are several other things to do in California Adventure Park, like shows, nightly entertainment, character experiences, and world-class dining.
World of Color
This nightly entertainment at California Adventure is not to be missed! This 20-25 minute show usually occurs on weekends and holidays and is usually at 9 PM and 10:15 PM.
The show is held outdoors in the waters of Paradise Bay in front of the giant Mickey Ferris wheel. The show uses laser effects, water, and music and weaves in clips from Disney and Pixar movies.
You can reserve a place in the Virtual queue to access the roped-off viewing area, but you can also watch this from anywhere along the perimeter of Paradise Bay.
Ancient Sanctum
This short show in Avengers Campus features Dr. Strange from the Marvel show and is fun for Avengers fans. There is also a surprise Avenger appearance in the show.
I have seen this show twice, and there were different guests from the Marvel series, along with Dr. Strange.
Anu’s Pro-Tip: This show seems better at night with the lighting effects.
Disney Junior Dance Party
Toddlers and preschoolers will love this 30-minute show in Hollywood Land with songs and characters from their favorite Disney Junior shows! This is like a concert for little kids!
Anna & Elsa’s Royal Welcome
Meet the famous Frozen movie sisters Elsa and Anna in this character meet and greet at Hollywood Land. Frozen movie fans and princess fans will love this attraction.
Character Experiences
Throughout the Disney California Adventure Park, you will come across many Disney and Pixar characters for meet and greet and photo opportunities.
We have often seen Mickey and Friends at Buena Vista Street, Cars characters at Cars Land, and Encanto movie characters at Paradise Gardens Park.
The newest Avengers Campus is where you can spot superheroes from the Marvel Avengers series. We have seen Spiderman, Black Widow, Captain America, Dr. Strange, Thor, Loki, and many more posing and signing autographs.
FAQs about Disney California Adventure Rides
Below are answers to some frequently asked questions about the rides at Disney California Adventure Park.
What not to miss at Disney California Adventure?
The not to miss rides and attractions at California Adventure Park are Radiator Springs Racers, WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure, and Soarin’ Around the World.
Which are the best thrill rides at California Adventure?
The best thrill rides at California Adventure are Radiator Springs Racers, Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!, Incredicoaster, and WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure.
Which are the most popular rides at California Adventure?
The most popular rides at California Adventure with extremely high wait times are Radiator Springs Racers and WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure.
Which California Adventure rides are included in Genie Plus?
The following seven California Adventure rides are included in Genie Plus:
- Goofy’s Sky School
- Grizzly River Run
- Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!
- Incredicoaster
- Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!
- Soarin’ Around the World
- Toy Story Midway Mania!
- WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure
Which California Adventure rides require Individual Lightning Lane purchases?
The most popular ride at California Adventure – Radiator Springs Racers, requires an Individual Lightning Lane purchase which can vary from $15-$25 per person.
What is the fastest ride at Disney California Adventure?
The fastest ride at California Adventure is Incredicoaster, an incredibly fast rollercoaster that features big drops, crazy twists, and full inversion loops. It is very popular with roller coaster fans and thrill seekers.
Is Disney California Adventure worth it?
Disney California Adventure is a smaller and more modern park right across from Disneyland and is definitely worth a full day on your trip to Disneyland Resort. The Radiator Springs Racers ride in Cars Land and the new Avengers Campus are really well-made and not to be missed.
Where to stay for Disney California Adventure
We prefer staying in hotels within walking distance of Disneyland and California Adventure, which saves us an hour in the morning by avoiding the hassle of parking and taking the tram. That gives us more time in the morning to enjoy the rides.
The absolute best place to stay for California Adventure Park is at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa, a luxury Disneyland Resort hotel right inside California Adventure Park!
Disney Paradise Pier Hotel is right across the street from the Grand Californian Hotel and is also part of Disneyland Resort hotels. The hotel has waterslides and a mini waterpark in the pool area. You can be at Disney California Adventure within 5 to 10 minutes of walking from here.
Fairfield by Marriott Anaheim Resort is a mid-range hotel with a pool on S Harbor Boulevard, and just a 10-minute walk.
Best Western Plus Park Place Inn is the closest hotel and is literally across the street from Disneyland. It also has a pool and complimentary breakfast!
Final Takeaways: Best Disney California Adventure rides
Disney California Adventure is becoming increasingly popular with its unique themed lands and a variety of attractions and rides for both adults and kids.
To summarize, below are the best thrill rides at Disney California Adventure:
- Radiator Springs Racers
- WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure
- Soarin’ Around the World
- Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!
- Incredicoaster
- Toy Story Midway Mania!
- Grizzly River Run
- Goofy’s Sky School
- Pixar Pal-A-Round -Swinging
Below are the best rides at Disney California Adventure for young kids:
- Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree
- Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters
- Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind
- Jumpin’ Jellyfish
- Golden Zephyr
- Silly Symphony Swings
- Jessie’s Critter Carousel
- The Little Mermaid – Ariel’s Undersea Adventure
- Pixar Pal-A-Round – Non-Swinging
- Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!
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