Should I Visit Disneyland Park or Disney California Adventure Park?

Disneyland is home to two parks, the original Disneyland Park which opened in 1955, and Disney California Adventure which opened as part of an expansion of the resort in 2001. Both parks have also continued to grow and many new attractions have been added over the years.

Whether it's your first time visiting the Disneyland Resort or you only have one day to spend here, you may be wondering if you are better off spending your time at the original Disneyland Park or Disney California Adventure which is right across the way. I grew up going to both parks and visit Disneyland many times each year, and I will share what you need to know about the key differences between the two to help you decide which will be better for you!

Keep reading for a breakdown of everything you'll want to consider when deciding if you should visit Disneyland or Disney California Adventure based on the circumstances of your trip.

Visiting Disneyland or Disney California Adventure

READ MORE – How to Get the Disneyland Lightning Lane Time You Want Almost Every Time

Before we dive into some of the differences between the parks and which to choose, I'll say right off the bat that if you have the flexibility to visit both parks during your trip, then you absolutely should! Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure are separated only by less than a hundred yards, so park-hopping is incredibly convenient at Disneyland.

If you are having doubts because you're unfamiliar with Disney California Adventure's offerings, we'll break down why this park is 100% worth a visit in the sections below.

If you are only visiting for one day, park hopping is ideal to experience all of the highlights with our Mickey Visit Disneyland and Disney California Adventure 1-day itinerary. If you have more days to spend, you can visit one park per day enjoying the offerings of each—you can read more about how many days we recommend as the perfect visit length in our guide to how many days you need for Disneyland.

You can get the cheapest prices on Disneyland multi-day tickets through our travel partner, Get Away Today! Make sure you click through our exclusive Mickey Visit link to access the lowest prices only available to our readers. Buy Discount Disneyland Tickets HERE!

All of that being said, there may be a few reasons why you're deciding to visit only one park. You may be traveling with toddlers or younger kids and wondering what they will enjoy most, or you may only have one day to spend and are sticking with a cheaper Disneyland ticket type using a 1 Park Per Day ticket. We'll break down the differences between the parks that you'll want to consider below…

Who Should Visit Disneyland Park

Disneyland Park is the original Disney Park, so you can expect to find all of the classics here like Peter Pan's Flight, Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, etc. Some first-time visitors may be concerned that Disneyland Park is mostly made up of “kids rides.” Still, beyond the dark rides, there are several thrill rides you can enjoy here as well—Space Mountain, Indiana Jones Adventure, Rise of the Resistance, and Big Thunder Mountain are some of the most popular.

Disneyland Park has many more attractions than Disney California Adventure. Beyond these attractions, there is a wealth of character meet-and-greets, parades, nighttime spectaculars, and dining experiences to enjoy. For a first-time visitor, this is the park that will give you the full Disney experience enjoying classic rides, meeting Mickey on Main Street, watching the fireworks, etc.

Disneyland has some of the most iconic entertainment offerings, including the Disneyland fireworks which rotate throughout the year often hand-in-hand with special events or holiday celebrations, Fantasmic! which is Disneyland's longest-running nighttime spectacular, and the Disneyland parade which rotates seasonally featuring high-energy music, beautiful floats, and favorite characters. Disneyland Park has an edge in this area over Disney California Adventure which focuses more on smaller atmosphere entertainment offerings throughout the day (save for its main nighttime spectacular, World of Color).

You'll find more classic Disneyland characters at this park, like Mickey and friends on Main Street, Walt Disney Animation characters like Alice, Pinocchio, and Peter Pan free-roaming, Disney princesses in Fantasy Faire, Winnie the Pooh characters like Pooh, Tigger, Piglet, etc. in Bayou Country, and more. For any Star Wars fans, Disneyland Park allows you to meet favorite characters like the Mandalorian, Boba Fett, Rey, Chewbacca, etc. in Galaxy's Edge.

You'll also find more classic dining experiences at Disneyland Park like the famous Blue Bayou Restaurant located along the waters of Pirates of the Caribbean, Carnation Cafe, Plaza Inn, and my personal favorite, Cafe Orleans, which all make our list of the best Mickey Visit Disneyland restaurants ranked. You'll find all of the classic best Disneyland foods here like Dole Whip, Mickey-shaped beignets, pretzels, and waffles, etc. here as well.

If you only have one day to spend at Disneyland with a 1 Park Per Day ticket, Disneyland Park is always a great choice to get the classic Disney experience due to the atmosphere and wealth of rides and entertainment. You can see our Mickey Visit Disneyland Park 1 day itinerary for all of the rides and experiences you can't miss at this park.

Best Park for Visiting Disneyland with Toddlers!

Disneyland Park also has an edge over Disney California Adventure if you're visiting with younger kids and toddlers. Fantasyland has several gentle, family-friendly rides without height requirements like “it's a small world,” Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Alice in Wonderland, Snow White's Enchanted Wish, and more.

There is also Toontown, which contains several interactive experiences designed for young kids and places to play like Donald's Duck Pond, CenTOONial Park, and Goofy's How-to-Play Yard. We have a full guide to visiting Disneyland with toddlers that details the best rides to go on and more tips.

This is not to say that there aren't some great experiences at Disney California Adventure for toddlers, but there is generally more for them to enjoy at Disneyland Park.

Who Should Visit Disney California Adventure

READ MORE – How Disneyland Creates New Foods To Go Viral on Social Media

Disney California Adventure has fewer rides than Disneyland, but it is home to some of the best thrill rides at the resort that we rank high on our list of the best Disneyland rides. Radiator Springs Racers, Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout!, and the Incredicoaster are extremely popular among thrill-seekers. The ride also has some slower-paced experiences like Soarin' Over the World, WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure, Toy Story Midway Mania!, etc.

Compared to Disneyland's many dark rides, Disney California only has a couple: Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue! and The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel's Undersea Adventure. There is no doubt that Disney California Adventure is overall a bit more adult-oriented between its focus on bigger thrill rides and its dining scene. This is an ideal park for you if you're imagining a more relaxed experience getting an alcoholic beverage to stroll around the park with (something not allowed at Disneyland Park), enjoying the ambiance and waterfront views of Paradise Bay at Lamplight Lounge, etc.

Another unique aspect of Disney California Adventure is the various festivals offered throughout the year like the Lunar New Year celebration, Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival, and the Disney Festival of Holidays. These festivals bring special entertainment and food marketplaces with various foods and drinks that you can enjoy.

Disney California Adventure has lots of variety in its dining with its two main table service restaurants Lamplight Lounge and Carthay Circle providing incredible food and ambiance, as well as several great quick-service options throughout the park, like Pym Test Kitchen and the restaurants in San Fransokyo Square.

You can expect to find more Marvel/Pixar characters in this park like heroes in Avengers Campus, characters like Lightning McQueen and Mater from Cars, Pixar favorites like characters from The Incredibles and Inside Out in Pixar Pier, and more.

If you only have one day to spend, Disney California Adventure is a great choice for those who are especially interested in Pixar/Marvel characters, thrill rides, and the seasonal festivals offered at this park.

If you know that you aren't especially interested in thrill rides or want the more classic Disney experience, then you may want to consider Disneyland Park for your day instead.

You can see our Mickey Visit Disney California Adventure 1 day itinerary for all of the rides and experiences you can't miss at this park.

Disneyland vs Disney California Adventure: Final Thoughts

There are several offerings that are unique to each park, so as we mentioned before, we recommend visiting both if you can. If you can only visit one, make sure you consider all of the different aspects of your visit like rides, characters, entertainment, dining, etc., and evaluate their importance to you.

As we discussed above, both parks have their strengths they bring to the table. Disneyland will give you more of a classic Disney experience and generally has more to explore between its numerous attractions and quality entertainment offerings, while Disney California Adventure has some of the best thrill rides, adult-oriented experiences like festivals, and more of an emphasis on Marvel/Pixar characters.

You'll also want to keep in mind if you have any strong preferences regarding characters or specific offerings unique to one park—for example, if you have a young kid completely obsessed with Star Wars, then Disneyland Park would be the obvious pick so they can meet those characters and experience the rides in Galaxy's Edge. Or, if you love intense thrill rides and all things Pixar, Disney California Adventure would be the logical choice. Ultimately, you'll have a great time no matter which park you choose to visit!

Read More Disney Planning Advice

For the best resource and helpful information for planning your Disney trip, make sure to subscribe to our FREE Deals newsletter​. We’ll provide you with helpful planning information, exclusive Disney deals, and access to the lowest-priced Disney tickets anywhere.

Frequently Asked Questions