Ranking Every Attraction at Disney California Adventure

Please pull down on your safety bars — this ranking may throw you for a loop!

Disney California Adventure (DCA) has made some amazing strides since opening in 2001. The theme park went from being pretty limited to now featuring some of the best restaurants, events, and attractions the Disneyland Resort has to offer. So, naturally, we measured DCA’s progress with an attractions ranking!

DCA was once known as a park that was targeted more toward adults as the Disneyland Resort’s first alcohol-selling park and the park that featured some of the more thrilling rides. Over the years, however, DCA has become way more eclectic and boasts a wide array of attractions that the whole family will love.

It’s important to remember that this is just our personal opinion, which means it’s neither right nor wrong. If your ranking is different, THAT’S AWESOME and we welcome you to share your thoughts with us!

Let’s get into our ranking of Disney California Adventure attractions from worst to best!

29. GAMES OF PIXAR PIER

The Games of Pixar Pier are cute Pixar-themed carnival games, but they cost extra on top of your already expensive park tickets. As the only extra charge attraction on this list, on principle, they have to finish last in this ranking.

28. RED CAR TROLLEY

The Red Car Trolley is a cute homage to the Pacific Electric Railway trolleys of Los Angeles from 1887 to 1961 and takes you from Buena Vista Street into Hollywoodland. To be fair, with how often it stops and waits, you’re better off walking. The trolley is more of a novelty than actual transportation.

27. JESSIE’S CRITTER CAROUSEL

Jessie’s Critter Carousel is a Toy Story 2-themed merry-go-round. If you’re not obsessed with the Toy Story franchise or carousels, this is just an “OK” attraction.

26. INSIDE OUT EMOTIONAL WHIRLWIND

Repurposed from A Bug’s Land’s Flik’s Flyers, Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind is a kiddie carnival ride that serves as DCA’s version of Dumbo the Flying Elephant.

25. SORCERER’S WORKSHOP

Sorcerer’s Workshop in the Disney Animation building is a neat little room full of trinkets that highlight the magic of animation. This attraction would be higher up on the list if the attached Beast’s Library wasn’t permanently closed.

24. JUMPIN’ JELLYFISH

Jumpin’ Jellyfish is an adaptation of a classic parachute ride where riders are suspended under a giant jellyfish and gently rise to the top of a huge kelp stalk before floating back down. It’s a fun ride for small children and gives especially good views at night.

23. GOLDEN ZEPHYR

Is your child ready to graduate from Dumbo but not yet ready for real thrills? Golden Zephyr is the ride for you! Warning, you’ll probably get dizzy.

22. THE BAKERY TOUR

If we didn’t have to be objective, The Bakery Tour would be No. 1 on our list. This attraction has it all: Free bread, history about Boudin sourdough bread, free bread, an up-close look at how Boudin bread is made, free bread, some of the best theme music in all of DCA, and free bread. Oh, and did we mention you CAN GET FREE BREAD?! 

21. DISNEY JUNIOR DANCE PARTY!

If you have a preschooler who needs a break from the rides, Disney Junior Dance Party! is sure to entertain them and be a highlight of their trip!

20. THE LITTLE MERMAID – ARIEL’S UNDERSEA ADVENTURE

Sure the Ariel animatronic at the beginning is in rough shape, and sure the ride ends super abruptly which was either a lazy choice or an indication of no budget being left. But it’s hard not to sing along during every ride aboard The Little Mermaid – Ariel’s Undersea Adventure!

19. REDWOOD CREEK CHALLENGE

Fun for both both kids and adults, Redwood Creek Challenge is a beautiful challenge trail/playground full of wilderness-themed activities for the whole family.

18. SILLY SYMPHONY SWINGS

Wanna feel like flying? The Silly Symphony Swings are your ride! Be warned, however, this ride looks kid-friendly but can be deceptively thrilling.

17. ANIMATION ACADEMY

Located in the Disney Animation building, Animation Academy allows participants to learn how to draw classic Disney characters like the pros. This hands-on attraction is certainly unique at the Disneyland Resort and a must-try at least once!

16. MICKEY’S PHILHARMAGIC

Mickey’s PhilharMagic is a beautiful, funny, and well-designed short 4D film that takes you through some of the big hits in Disney’s animation history.  Aside from being a cute show, it’s not a bad spot to spend 15 minutes when dealing with the California heat during a summer day.

15. MATER’S JUNKYARD JAMBOREE

Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree may seem like a baby ride, but the randomized songs and deceptively wild rides keep us coming back for more!

14. PIXAR PAL-A-ROUND – NON-SWINGING

Pixar Pal-A-Round – Non-Swinging is a Ferris wheel that gives you some amazing views of DCA, Disneyland, and the surrounding Anaheim area. Nothing more, nothing less.

13. PIXAR PAL-A-ROUND – SWINGING

You’ll either love the swinging version of Pixar Pal-A-Round or absolutely hate it. Some of the loudest screams heard in the park come from the swinging version of this ride, so understand what you’re signing up for before you hop on the more thrilling side. This thing is chaotic (and entertaining to watch for people in non-swinging gondolas or those on the ground).

12. TURTLE TALK WITH CRUSH

Another attraction located in the Disney Animation building, Turtle Talk with Crush is a unique experience each visit and fun each time. Kids find this show hilarious, and parents tend to agree with super subtle adult humor showing up from time to time.

11. LUIGI’S ROLLICKIN’ ROADSTERS

Disneyland’s first trackless vehicle system, Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters is essentially a wild dance in cars set to upbeat Italian tunes with a Disney twist. While it didn’t crack our Top 10, this Cars Land attraction just missed out and is a fantastic little ride.

10. MONSTERS, INC. MIKE & SULLY TO THE RESCUE!

Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sully to the Rescue! has had to overcome many rumors of its demise over the years, but its insane popularity has kept it going. This ride hits all the best parts of the movie, and while it doesn’t feature any standout animatronics, it does feature plenty of memorable set pieces.

9. WEB SLINGERS: A SPIDER-MAN ADVENTURE

Sure, it doesn’t live up to the potential of the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man attraction at Universal Islands of Adventure, but WEB Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure does just fine as a 3D track-led shooter ride. The motion capture technology alone makes this Avengers Campus attraction worth a ride.

8. GOOFY’S SKY SCHOOL

Goofy’s Sky School is the perfect wild mouse coaster to ride if you or your child want something more thrilling, but aren’t ready to hop on something like the Incredicoaster yet. It has just enough thrills to put a smile on your face but holds back enough not to bring you to tears.

7. WORLD OF COLOR

DCA’s World of Color is a brilliant nighttime spectacular that uses water, lighting, and sound effects to create one of the best shows the Disneyland Resort has to offer. Watching this show after a long Disney day is like the cherry on a perfect ice cream sundae.

6. GRIZZLY RIVER RUN

Grizzly River Run hits all the right notes. The scenery is gorgeous, the drops are thrilling while remaining family-friendly, the rapids are rapid-y, and the soaks are guaranteed. Perfect, no notes.

5. TOY STORY MIDWAY MANIA!

There’s a reason this ride always has a long line. Toy Story Midway Mania! is a unique 3D shooter similar to WEB Slingers, but it gets the nod here due to a wider variety of targets, super charming theme, and originality.

4. INCREDICOASTER

Rethemed from California Screamin’, Incredicoaster is not for the faint of heart. With a launch speed of 55 mph, a few big drops, and a loop inversion, this is what some in the industry would call a Big Kid Coaster — at least by Disney standards. The ride is surprisingly smooth and The Incredibles theming throughout the ride make this a good choice for kids ready to graduate to the biggest thrill rides Disney has to offer.

3. SOARIN’

Whether it’s Over California or Around the World, Soarin’ is a special attraction at DCA. From the breathtaking views to the amazing smells, Soarin’ offers an experience of flying you can’t get without actually flying. Add in Jerry Goldsmith’s beautiful scores and you have yourself an attraction this is a definite must-ride every time you find yourself in the park.

2. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY – MISSION: BREAKOUT!

When Disney announced it was removing the Tower of Terror theming and replacing it with something else in 2017, Disneylanders were pretty ticked. That anger subsided quickly once they were actually able to ride Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!. With even more thrills than its predecessor, Guardians stands out as not a terrifying experience, but a joyful one. The mood is light, the rockin’ tunes are randomized giving it insane re-rideability, and the vibes are just really positive for the incredibly fun drop tower attraction!

1. RADIATOR SPRINGS RACERS

Without a shadow of a doubt, at least on our end, Radiator Springs Racers is THE BEST RIDE AT DCA. This attraction has it all: amazing animatronics, a phenomenal soundtrack, unique ride mechanics, a perfect balance of dark ride aesthetics and exhilarating speed, and the thrill of victory. We don’t care that the wait can get up to a couple of hours, this ride is the best and is worth the wait.

There you have it! Let us know your ranking and be sure to stay tuned here at AllEars for the latest Disneyland news, tips, and reviews!

ALL of Disneyland’s Rides RANKED

Which attraction rankings do you agree with? Which ones would you place differently? Let us know in the comments!

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