Disneyland vs. Disney California Adventure
Did you know that Disneyland and California Adventure (DCA) are considered two different parks? This is often confusing to people going to Disneyland for the the first time. They think that Disneyland is one park that includes DCA. In reality, Disneyland and DCA are two separate parks, with different attractions, and very different theming. Let's go over the differences between the two parks and your options for visiting each one during your stay.
Disneyland
It only feels right to start with Disneyland since this is the original park. Disneyland opened in 1955. You can still experience some of the original Disneyland park when you are in Fantasyland. Rides such as the Mad Tea Party and Dumbo are both original rides that are still in operation today. And for me, when I think of Disneyland, these rides pop right into my head. Even though they may not provide the thrill some newer rides provide, they are the quintessential Disneyland rides and can't be missed. This part of the park does show its age, and for the thrill seekers, such as my son, can seem a bit slow (or boring as my son likes to say).
Disneyland's most iconic structure is of course the Sleeping Beauty's Castle. The second you walk up Main Street, you see this stunning beauty in front of you. I will tell you, the first time I saw it, I was surprised at how small it was. I guess I had imagined a much bigger castle towering over the whole park. It also serves as the entrance into Fantasyland, the most classic Disney land in both parks.
It only feels right to start with Disneyland since this is the original park. Disneyland opened in 1955. You can still experience some of the original Disneyland park when you are in Fantasyland. Rides such as the Mad Tea Party and Dumbo are both original rides that are still in operation today. And for me, when I think of Disneyland, these rides pop right into my head. Even though they may not provide the thrill some newer rides provide, they are the quintessential Disneyland rides and can't be missed. This part of the park does show its age, and for the thrill seekers, such as my son, can seem a bit slow (or boring as my son likes to say).
Disneyland's most iconic structure is of course the Sleeping Beauty's Castle. The second you walk up Main Street, you see this stunning beauty in front of you. I will tell you, the first time I saw it, I was surprised at how small it was. I guess I had imagined a much bigger castle towering over the whole park. It also serves as the entrance into Fantasyland, the most classic Disney land in both parks.
Dumbo
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Mad Tea Party
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Since opening, Disneyland has continued to add and change things. The newest addition to the Disneyland park is Galaxy's Edge. This is the land based off of the Star Wars movies. I am not a huge Star Wars fan. I have seen the original movies, but not the latest ones. The first time I went, I was excited to see this new land and experience the new rides, but didn't have high hopes. It ended up blowing me away and is now my favorite land in Disneyland and even in DCA, with Cars Land coming in a close second. It all has to do with its theming. From the second you enter, you feel like you have been transported to another galaxy. The characters are the most immersive I have seen, and at night, this land is stunning. As a huge gardening fan, the attention to detail with even the plants and landscaping to make this land seem otherworldly, is impressive.
This park is also home to one of my favorite rides, Rise of the Resistance. Before Galaxy's Edge opened, DCA was my favorite of the two parks because of Cars Land and the a few of the rides there. But now that Disneyland houses Galaxy's Edge, it's a toss up. I love that both parks now have attractions and lands that draw me equally to both.
This park is also home to one of my favorite rides, Rise of the Resistance. Before Galaxy's Edge opened, DCA was my favorite of the two parks because of Cars Land and the a few of the rides there. But now that Disneyland houses Galaxy's Edge, it's a toss up. I love that both parks now have attractions and lands that draw me equally to both.
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Disney California Adventure (DCA)
As Disneyland Resort continued to expand, in February 2001 Disney California Adventure opened its gates to guests. I like to think of this as the more modern park of the two. Just like Disneyland, DCA continues to grow and change. Probably the most iconic land in DCA, Cars Land, didn't actually open until 11 years later in 2012. And the newest land, Avenger's Campus didn't open until 2021, after replacing A Bug's Land that used to be housed in that location.
As Disneyland Resort continued to expand, in February 2001 Disney California Adventure opened its gates to guests. I like to think of this as the more modern park of the two. Just like Disneyland, DCA continues to grow and change. Probably the most iconic land in DCA, Cars Land, didn't actually open until 11 years later in 2012. And the newest land, Avenger's Campus didn't open until 2021, after replacing A Bug's Land that used to be housed in that location.
Some of my favorite rides are in DCA, such as Radiator Springs Racers, Grizzly River Run, and Soarin' Around the World. It also is my favorite location to be at night. The way the whole Pixar Pier lights up at night, makes the whole area come alive. And then there is Cars Land, where the lights come on at sunset, which is fun to watch. I was lucky enough to be on Luigi's Rollickin Roadsters when they came on at Halloween time. It was pure magic! The whole vibe at night in DCA is so fun and full of energy, especially during Halloween and Christmas, where Cars Land is decked out for both holidays.
Cars Land at night.
Dining at Each Park
Both parks have a variety of places to eat while you are there. Some people choose to bring in their own food to save money. For me, I don't want to be hauling in food and carrying it around, and eating at Disneyland is part of the experience for us. With that said, I will be completely honest and say that Disneyland food is not my favorite. It's a lot of fried food and sugar. But some people love it and come to the parks just for the food.
Both parks have a variety of places to eat while you are there. Some people choose to bring in their own food to save money. For me, I don't want to be hauling in food and carrying it around, and eating at Disneyland is part of the experience for us. With that said, I will be completely honest and say that Disneyland food is not my favorite. It's a lot of fried food and sugar. But some people love it and come to the parks just for the food.
Below are some of my favorite places to eat in each park. This is definitely not all of the places to eat, but ones that I have tried and liked what we tried. There are certain restaurants we have tried and we simply didn't like their food, so I won't be mentioning those.
You can find out so much about the food in the parks, as there are whole blogs and entire Instagram accounts devoted solely to food at the Disneyland Resort. Just google Disneyland food and you will have more to read on Disneyland food than you can ever imagine.
The restaurants I have listed are all mostly quick service spots, as we prefer to mobile order and grab food quickly, rather than spend time and the sit down restaurants. All of these locations can be found using the Disneyland app, and menus can be seen on the app, too. You can click the name of each restaurant to see each of their menus, but I'll also share some things we have tried and enjoyed.
You can find out so much about the food in the parks, as there are whole blogs and entire Instagram accounts devoted solely to food at the Disneyland Resort. Just google Disneyland food and you will have more to read on Disneyland food than you can ever imagine.
The restaurants I have listed are all mostly quick service spots, as we prefer to mobile order and grab food quickly, rather than spend time and the sit down restaurants. All of these locations can be found using the Disneyland app, and menus can be seen on the app, too. You can click the name of each restaurant to see each of their menus, but I'll also share some things we have tried and enjoyed.
 Grey Stuff
Disneyland
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 Not So Little Chicken Sandwich and Choco-Smash Candy Bar
Disney California Adventure
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Besides the two parks, there is also Downtown Disney with a lot of dining options. Most of these are sit-down restaurants. I will list some of those, too, as this is an easy dining option while in the parks. We sometimes will eat dinner here before heading back into the parks.
Tequila flight at Tortilla Jo's
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Downtown Disney
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How Much Time to Spend in Each Park
I think how much time you spend in each park could vary depending on the person and the experience they want. But, I feel like after trying out several different lengths of stays and also varying amounts of time at each park, I have come to the perfect combination if your main focus is to be in the parks and ride all the rides, especially if this is your first time going to Disneyland. This plan is also assuming you have tickets that are for one park per day, rather than a Park Hopper ticket. If you opt for a Park Hopper ticket, then you could still use this many days, but hop between the both of them. I'm not a big fan of the Park Hopper, simply because of the cost. It adds a substantial amount to the already expensive tickets. I find the park hopping option best for Magic Key Holders that come often, not the first time or occasional visitor.
Here is what I would recommend as an ideal vacation to the Disneyland Resort:
Day 1 - Arrive in Anaheim (I prefer to fly into the John Wayne Airport), preferably in the morning. Check into your hotel, or if you are too early, let them hold you luggage, and head straight into Disney California Adventure. Spend as much time in the park as you can.
Day 2 - Disneyland
Day 3 - Rest Day - You will need it! Enjoy your hotel swimming pool, shop in Downtown Disney, and explore other parts of Anaheim.
Day 4 - DCA
Day 5 - Disneyland
Day 6 - Travel day home.
For each of the whole days in the parks, I would recommend taking a break about midday and heading back to your hotel. Then head back into the parks later in the day.
I feel like 2 whole days in Disneyland is needed and a day and half in DCA gives you more than enough time. DCA is smaller, with fewer rides, so you can accomplish much of the park, if not all of it, in one day. By having a half day extra, it allows you to ride certain rides more than once and also gives you the ability to sightsee more. But when it comes to Disneyland, you need those two full days. There is so much to do there and if you go any less, you are for sure going to miss out on some things.
You can always do more days than this, but this is what I see as ideal. If you want to fit in absolutely everything, and I mean everything, such as fireworks, parades, and every kind of entertainment offered, you will probably want to add a day. Also, the rest day in the middle is really helpful. By the time you reach your third day in the parks, you can feel like you are running out of gas. Taking that break day gives you the energy to go back and enjoy the parks to their fullest.
Before Galaxy's Edge opened, DCA was hands down my favorite park. But now that Disneyland has upped their game with Galaxy's Edge, it is a toss-up and I need time in both parks. But what I have found is that no matter which park I am in, I am sure to make amazing memories and have a magical time with my family.
I think how much time you spend in each park could vary depending on the person and the experience they want. But, I feel like after trying out several different lengths of stays and also varying amounts of time at each park, I have come to the perfect combination if your main focus is to be in the parks and ride all the rides, especially if this is your first time going to Disneyland. This plan is also assuming you have tickets that are for one park per day, rather than a Park Hopper ticket. If you opt for a Park Hopper ticket, then you could still use this many days, but hop between the both of them. I'm not a big fan of the Park Hopper, simply because of the cost. It adds a substantial amount to the already expensive tickets. I find the park hopping option best for Magic Key Holders that come often, not the first time or occasional visitor.
Here is what I would recommend as an ideal vacation to the Disneyland Resort:
Day 1 - Arrive in Anaheim (I prefer to fly into the John Wayne Airport), preferably in the morning. Check into your hotel, or if you are too early, let them hold you luggage, and head straight into Disney California Adventure. Spend as much time in the park as you can.
Day 2 - Disneyland
Day 3 - Rest Day - You will need it! Enjoy your hotel swimming pool, shop in Downtown Disney, and explore other parts of Anaheim.
Day 4 - DCA
Day 5 - Disneyland
Day 6 - Travel day home.
For each of the whole days in the parks, I would recommend taking a break about midday and heading back to your hotel. Then head back into the parks later in the day.
I feel like 2 whole days in Disneyland is needed and a day and half in DCA gives you more than enough time. DCA is smaller, with fewer rides, so you can accomplish much of the park, if not all of it, in one day. By having a half day extra, it allows you to ride certain rides more than once and also gives you the ability to sightsee more. But when it comes to Disneyland, you need those two full days. There is so much to do there and if you go any less, you are for sure going to miss out on some things.
You can always do more days than this, but this is what I see as ideal. If you want to fit in absolutely everything, and I mean everything, such as fireworks, parades, and every kind of entertainment offered, you will probably want to add a day. Also, the rest day in the middle is really helpful. By the time you reach your third day in the parks, you can feel like you are running out of gas. Taking that break day gives you the energy to go back and enjoy the parks to their fullest.
Before Galaxy's Edge opened, DCA was hands down my favorite park. But now that Disneyland has upped their game with Galaxy's Edge, it is a toss-up and I need time in both parks. But what I have found is that no matter which park I am in, I am sure to make amazing memories and have a magical time with my family.