Things to do in Disneyland & Anaheim
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Disneyland
The mother of all theme parks, Disneyland lures you into a parallel world that's as enchanting as it is freaky and frenzied. The most popular rides and attractions include the wildly creative Indiana Jones Adventure, the white-knuckle Space Mountain and the Pirate's Lair where Jack Sparrow welcomes wannabe swashbucklers. The Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage is a gentle adventure for little ones.
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3-Day Disneyland Resort Ticket
3 Days (Departs Anaheim - Buena Park, California)
by Viator
Welcome to Disneyland®, the happiest place on Earth! Make your Anaheim vacation as smooth as possible by booking your Disneyland Resort admission ticket in adv…Not LP reviewed
from USD$198.99 -
Orange County Coast and Shopping Tour to Newport Beach and Laguna Beach
4 hours 30 minutes (Departs Anaheim - Buena Park, California)
by Viator
Orange County, known for its high-end shops, luxury homes and, of course, its spectacular coastline, is so lovely it’s been called everything from the Californi…Not LP reviewed
from USD$74.99 -
Catalina Island Day Trip
10 hours (Departs Anaheim - Buena Park, California)
by Viator
Be whisked away to Catalina Island and the beautiful city of Avalon, a Mediterranean-like town just 22 miles off the coastline of Southern California. Travel ac…Not LP reviewed
from USD$88.99 -
Southern California CityPASS
Flexible (Departs Anaheim - Buena Park, California)
by Viator
Visit the most famous attractions in Southern California at one amazing price, and have plenty of time to see it all! With the Southern California CityPASS, you…Not LP reviewed
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Fireworks, Snow White and Fantasmic Shows
In summer look for fireworks above the park, nightly around 21:30. (In winter, snow falls after the fireworks; check schedules for locations.) The Parade of the Stars featuring famous Disney characters takes place twice daily during the high season.
Snow White, the musical, tells the famous story on stage, several times daily in the Fantasyland Theatre. No tickets necessary; line up 15 to 30 minutes before show time for good seats.
Fantasmic!, an outdoor extravaganza of huge proportions on Rivers of America across from New Orleans Square, may be the best show of all. It pulls out all the stops, using full-size ships, lasers and pyrotechnics (at one point the water catches …
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Main-Street USA
Upon entering the park, you're funneled onto Main Street USA. Fashioned after Walt's hometown of Marceline, Missouri, it resembles a classic turn-of-the-20th-century all-American town, before the advent of the mall. Everything here is designed to celebrate an idealized vision of the USA. The music playing in the background is from American musicals and there's a flag-retreat ceremony every afternoon.
Have your picture taken with Mickey or Minnie or any of the other oversized characters prancing around. You can also catch the Disneyland Railroad, a steam train that loops the park and stops at four different stations along the way. Pay attention to the wonderful optical il…
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Disneyland tickets & times
Both parks are open 365 days a year. During peak season (mid-June to early September) Disneyland's hours are usually 08:00 to midnight. The rest of the year it's open from 10:00 to 20:00 or until 22:00. DCA closes at 22:00 in summer, earlier in the off-season. Check the current schedule on the phone or the website.
Disney has a free Fastpass system, which pre-assigns specific boarding times for selected attractions, significantly cutting wait times. Look for ticket machines near the entrances to the rides. Simply show up at the time printed on the ticket and go straight to the Fastpass line instead of the regular line. There's still a wait, but it'll be much shorter. It's…
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Hollywood Pictures Backlot
Designed to look like the backlot of a Hollywood studio, this attraction includes a mishmash of building styles, with everything from a Frank Lloyd Wright knock-off to a Pantages-style theater. If you're early, you'll have an unobstructed view of the forced-perspective mural at the end of the street, a sky-and-land backdrop that looks, at least in photographs, like the street keeps going.
In the air-conditioned Animation Building you can put your voice into a Disney film and find out which Disney character you're most like - perfect for little ones. Across the street you can see Kermit at Muppet Vision 3D. The big attraction, though, is the 183ft-tall Twilight Zone Tower …
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New Orleans Square
Adjacent to Adventureland, New Orleans Square is a refrain of that city's French Quarter, minus the marauding drunks. Pirates of the Caribbean, the longest ride in Disneyland (17 minutes), opened in 1967 and was the first addition to the original park. You'll float through the subterranean haunts of tawdry pirates, where buccaneers' skeletons perch atop their mounds of booty. This is the only ride in the park that addresses sex ('Buy a Bride') - blame it on the '60s.
At the Haunted Mansion, '999 happy haunts' - spirits and goblins, shades and ghosts - evanesce while you ride in a cocoon-like car through web-covered graveyards of dancing skeletons. The Disneyland Railroad …
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Golden State
Broken into sections that recognize California's cultural achievements, the Golden State has several distinct areas. Condor Flats, a nod to the state's aerospace industry, features Soarin' Over California, a virtual hang gliding ride using IMAX technology. Keep your nostrils open for the smell of the sea, orange groves and pine forests. Grizzly River Run takes you 'rafting' down a faux Sierra Nevada river; you will get wet so try it when it's warm.
Raise a glass to the Napa Valley at the Golden Vine Winery. At the Palace of Fine Arts in 'San Francisco,' check out Golden Dreams, where an eerie embodiment of Whoopi Goldberg takes you on a 22-minute film journey through Cali…
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Disney's California Adventure
The entrance to DCA sits directly opposite the entrance to Disneyland and was designed to look like an old-fashioned painted-collage postcard. As you pass through the turnstiles, note the gorgeous mosaics on either side of the entrance. One represents Northern California, the other Southern California.
After passing under the Golden Gate Bridge, you'll arrive at Sunshine Plaza, where a 50ft-tall sun made of gold titanium 'shines' all the time because heliostats direct the rays of the real sun onto the Disney sun. Close your eyes and stand in the plaza, and you'll hear the simulated sound of the surf as produced by the plaza's fountain, a neat trick.
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Tomorrowland
The future looks different now than it did in 1955 when this exhibit opened, so in 1998 this 'land' was revamped to honor three 'timeless' futurists: Jules Verne, HG Wells and Leonardo da Vinci. Don't miss Space Mountain, one of the park's signature attractions and one of the best roller coasters in America. It takes your head off as you hurtle into complete darkness at frightening speed.
A 2005 revamp means new visual effects, but the biggest improvement is the new sound system, so it seems like Deep Space is penetrating your eardrums.
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Fantasyland
At the core of the park, behind Sleeping Beauty Castle, Fantasyland is filled with the characters of classic children's stories, such as Dumbo the Elephant and Peter Pan. Kids love whirling around the Mad Tea Party ride. Peter Pan's Flight, one of the park's original attractions, takes you floating through the air in a galleon.
If you only see one attraction in Fantasyland, visit It's a Small World, a boat ride past hundreds of animatronic children (representing many of the world's cultures) all singing the song of the same name.
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Universal Studios Hollywood with Transport
11 hours (Departs Anaheim - Buena Park, California)
by Viator
Experience the magic of Hollywood at on a fun-filled visit to Universal Studios Hollywood. Go behind the scenes of your favorite movies and TV shows on the worl…Not LP reviewed
from USD$99.99 -
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Paradise Pier
Paradise Pier is an amalgam of California's beachside amusement piers, like the ones in Santa Monica and Newport Beach. The California Screamin' roller coaster occupies 10 acres and resembles an old wooden coaster, but it's got a state-of-the-art, smooth-as-silk steel track; the beginning of the ride feels like you're being shot out of a cannon. Awesome.
For more bird's-eye views of the park, head to the Sun Wheel, a giant Ferris wheel where each gondola pitches and yaws as it makes its grand circuit.
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SeaWorld® San Diego Ticket with Transport
11 hours (Departs Anaheim - Buena Park, California)
by Viator
Pre-book your ticket to SeaWorld and get round-trip transportation to and from your Anaheim hotel! There’s no easier way to enjoy one of San Diego’s top family …Not LP reviewed
from USD$72.99 -
Knott's Soak City General Admission Ticket
Flexible (Departs Anaheim - Buena Park, California)
by Viator
Longboards and surf woodies are in again at Knott's Soak City. With its colorful theme inspired by the beach and surf towns of the 1950's Southern California co…
Not LP reviewed
from USD$32.99 -
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A Bug's Land
Here the attractions, designed in conjunction with Pixar Studios after its film A Bug's Life, attempt to see the world from the insect's point of view. Kids can splash around the 'irrigation systems' at Bountiful Valley Farm, but the best attraction is the 3D It's Tough to Be a Bug. Hilarious and oddly touching, it packs some unexpected tactile surprises. Other good rides include Heimlich's Chew Chew Train and the Drive 'em Buggies bumper cars.
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Los Angeles Sightseeing Grand Tour
8 hours (Departs Anaheim - Buena Park, California)
by Viator
Spend a day in LA on this comprehensive sightseeing tour of Los Angeles from Anaheim or Buena Park. You'll see famous Hollywood sites including Mann's Chinese T…Not LP reviewed
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Legoland® California with Transport
11 hours (Departs Anaheim - Buena Park, California)
by Viator
With more than 50 rides, shows and attractions to enjoy, Legoland California is built for family fun! Bring plenty of energy along as you'll find action and adv…Not LP reviewed
from USD$92.99 -
Shows
The premier show at DCA is Aladdin, a 40-minute one-act musical extravaganza, based on the movie of the same name. It's in the Hyperion Theater on the Hollywood Studios Backlot. Arrive 30 to 60 minutes early to get good seats. Sit in the mezzanine for the best view of the flying carpet.
In the evening the Electrical Parade ends the day at DCA, with thousands of tiny colored chase lights blinking on fabulous floats.
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2-Day Disneyland Resort Ticket
2 Days (Departs Anaheim - Buena Park, California)
by Viator
Welcome to the happiest place on Earth -- Disneyland®! Make your Anaheim vacation as smooth as possible by booking your Disneyland Resort admission ticket in a…Not LP reviewed
from USD$157.99 -
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Critter Country
Tucked behind the Haunted Mansion, Critter Country is home to both Winnie the Pooh and Splash Mountain, a flume ride through the story of Brer Rabbit and Brer Bear, based on the controversial film Song of the South. Stuffed-animal characters sing and dance as you float by. Right at the big descent, a camera snaps your picture. Some visitors to the park lift their shirts, earning the ride the nickname 'Flash Mountain.'
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Adventureland
Dedicated to exploration and adventure, Adventureland is very loosely based on Southeast Asia and Africa. The hands-down highlight is the jungle-themed Indiana Jones Adventure. Enormous Humvee-type vehicles lurch and jerk as they re-create stunts from the famous film trilogy. (Look closely at Indie during the ride: is he real or animatronic?) Nearby, little ones love climbing the stairways of Tarzan's Treehouse.
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