Top 8 Best Rides at Disney California Adventure That You Need to Experience

Disney California Adventure has so much to offer visitors between its incredible rides, dining experiences, entertainment, and festivals that take place during the year. The park highlights Disney, Pixar, and Marvel stories in its attractions, and it has some of the most thrilling rides you will find at the resort. 

Whether you are visiting for the first time or wondering which experiences are worth your time if you are enjoying a shorter trip, you may be wondering what the best rides at Disney California Adventure are that you shouldn't miss. Our Mickey Visit team has ridden the attractions at Disney California Adventure numerous times, and some of our favorite experiences that we never miss are located at this park. We regard several of these rides very highly in our list of the best Disneyland rides ranked.

Below, we will share our list of the best Disney California Adventure rides that are must-do experiences during your vacation!

If you are enjoying a 1-Day trip to Disneyland, be sure to also see our 1 Day Disneyland Park itinerary, 1 Day Disney California Adventure itinerary, and 1 Day Disneyland and Disney California Adventure itinerary. You can find all of the rides we are going to mention below in our Disney California Adventure 1-Day itinerary.

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1. Radiator Springs Racers

Radiator Springs Racers in Cars Land is one of the best rides at Disney California Adventure that is part dark ride and part thrill ride. You'll start the ride with a brief scenic tour of Ornament Valley, then enter the dark ride portion of the attraction where you'll re-live key moments from the Cars movie along the journey to Radiator Springs. The ride culminates in a thrilling outdoor race against another car over hills and banked turns and reaches speeds of 40 miles an hour!

The ride is jam-packed with action, visually beautiful, and completely immersive—you will really feel as if you've been dropped into the world of the Cars film. It's also fun for guests of all ages, as it's not too intense but still provides a good thrill between the perfectly paced indoor scenes and the high-speed race at the end.

The design of this ride is truly spectacular and no matter how many times you experience this attraction, it never loses its charm. Because it's one of the most highly demanded rides at the resort, it offers Individual Lighting Lane entry, but we recommend utilizing Single Rider for a much shorter wait if you are able to split from your party.

2. Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout!

Drop by the ominous tower known as The Collector’s Fortress to help Rocket Raccoon free the Guardians of the Galaxy, who have been captured and put on display. This accelerated drop ride is one of the most intense rides at the park (perfect for the thrill-seeker!), but everyone in the gantry is always cheering and having fun.

There are six different drop sequences you can get on the ride that each come with a different high-energy song like “I Want You Back!” by Jackson 5, “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” by Pat Benatar, “Free Ride” by The Edgar Winter Group, and more. In between drops, you'll get glimpses of the Guardians dealing with the chaos that has ensued from their escape and some commentary from Rocket.

Beyond being one of the best rides at Disney California Adventure, this attraction is also my personal favorite ride at the resort, as it's the perfect combination of thrills, engaging music, and a straightforward but effective storyline. You're bound to get a real adrenaline rush and leave the ride smiling!

If you plan on visiting in October during Halloween time at the Disneyland Resort, Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout! transforms into Guardians of the Galaxy – Monsters After Dark. Little ones may need to sit this one out due to some scary elements. In general, we recommend introducing your kids to Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout! for the first time only after you've tested out some more medium-intensity thrill rides to see how they like them.

3. Incredicoaster

If you're looking for a high-speed experience that will make your eyes water, look no further than the Incredicoaster! In this roller coaster ride, baby Jack-Jack has gotten loose, and you embark on a thrilling high-speed adventure to chase him down as he wreaks havoc. This is the most intense roller coaster you'll find at the resort with a 0-55 mph launch, a 108-foot drop, and an upside-down loop!

The coaster is set to a great score by Incredibles 2 composer Michael Giacchino and takes you through tunnels where you'll encounter the Incredibles struggling to catch Jack-Jack. Tip: we recommend asking to wait for the front row for this one—it's completely worth it!

4. Soarin’ Around the World

One of the best rides at Disney California Adventure (on the opposite end of the thrill spectrum from the previous three rides mentioned) is Soarin' Around the World.

On this ride, you'll visit some of the most beautiful sights from around the world as you soar through the sky in this simulated hang-gliding experience. Fly above the iconic Matterhorn Mountain resting in the Alps in Switzerland, then take in additional wondrous sights, from the Great Pyramids of Egypt to the Great Wall of China!

The beautiful sights and simulation of flying already make Soarin' a special experience, but the incredible musical score really takes this ride to the next level. Jerry Goldsmith composed the score for Soarin' Over California, the beloved original version of the attraction that has returned for limited-time runs during the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival), and Bruce Broughton adapted the musical themes for Soarin' Over the World. It's hard not to get emotional during this stunning attraction that takes you to some of the most beautiful places on earth and then back to Disneyland in an extraordinary finale!

Tip: Another ride row worth waiting for is the middle center row of Soarin' (Row 1 Concourse B) for a completely unobstructed and centered view!

5. Toy Story Midway Mania!

Another one of the best rides at Disney California Adventure that is fun for the whole family is Toy Story Midway Mania!, a 4D interactive game in Pixar Pier invites you aboard a carnival car where you will shoot at targets with virtual projectiles like darts, baseballs, eggs, and more with appearances from favorite Toy Story characters. During the ride, you'll compete with other guests for the highest score and keep an eye out for secret targets that unearth Easter eggs worth more points.

See the top 10 best tips for getting a high score on Toy Story Midway Mania including specific targets to aim for throughout the ride!

6. Monsters, Inc. – Mike and Sulley to the Rescue

Fall in love all over again with Mike Wazowski and Sulley as you take a taxi ride through their wondrous adventure trying to get Boo back to her door! This dark ride in Hollywood Land takes you through scenes from the Monsters, Inc. movie, complete with a fun interaction with Roz at the end of the ride, who may, at times, target a rider for a laugh. This ride is family-friendly and has no height requirement, so it's perfect for riders of any age.

Tip: though this ride does offer Genie+ Lightning Lane entry, there is also a secret way to access a shorter wait through the Buddy Pass, which operates similarly to Single Rider but allows two people to fill the remaining spots in the ride vehicles without being split up. You can ask a Cast Member at the attraction if the Buddy Pass is offered, and if it is, they will direct you to enter through the exit and join the line of other Buddy Pass riders.

7. Pixar Pal-A-Round

Pixar Pal-A-Round, located in Pixar Pier, is the giant Ferris wheel that is known as the icon of Disney California Adventure. It serves as the beautiful backdrop of Paradise Bay during the day, and at night it is illuminated with glowing lights. The ride takes you 150 feet into the air where you'll be able to enjoy stunning views of the park!

The gondolas are each themed to a different Disney and Pixar character including Woody, Dory, Mr. Incredble, Joy, Lightning McQueen, and more. There are two different ways to experience the ride—on the swinging gondolas or the stationary gondolas. The swinging gondolas will slide back and forth on the rails for a bit of extra thrill.

If you don't mind heights and want the ultimate view of Disney California Adventure, then Pixar Pal-A-Round is a not-to-miss ride during your visit and provides a nice change of pace from some of the more intense thrill rides at the park. On the other hand, this one is a controversial addition to this list because many can't stand the heights and the swinging gondolas.

8. Grizzly River Run

Another one of the best rides at Disney California Adventure is Grizzly River Run! When the Southern California weather warms up, cool off by climbing into a raft and exploring this treacherous rushing river. During this whitewater raft experience, you'll pass the remnants of an old mining company as your raft gets swept along the current, plummeting down two drops.

You're guaranteed to get soaked on this ride, but it's all part of the fun and will make for a good laugh! We recommend bringing a poncho if you want to reduce how wet you'll get and storing any items that could be damaged by water in the lockers outside of the attraction.

Lines for this experience will get longer when it's hotter out, especially during summer at Disneyland, but you can grab a Genie+ Lightning Lane reservation for the experience or utilize Single Rider for a shorter wait.

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With so much to experience at Disney California Adventure, you can't miss out on these eight not-to-miss rides that are guest favorites! Ready for your adventure? Let us help you plan your vacation! Subscribe to our free deals newsletter! You will receive helpful planning information, exclusive Disney deals, and access to the lowest priced Disney tickets anywhere. You can find more information on planning your vacation here:

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