If I were to give out a “most improved Disney theme park of all time” award, it would go to either Hong Kong Disneyland or Disney California Adventure. DCA, as most Disney fans affectionately call it now, was an unmitigated disaster when it first opened. Underfunded, uninspired, and undeserving of the “Disney” in its name, the park has since blossomed into a jewel in Disney’s pantheon of theme parks. It has also quickly become one of my favorite parks (and that’s not my LA bias talking). DCA deserves its flowers, which is why I’m writing this Disney California Adventure Ride Ranking as a tribute to DCAs growth and change, as well as to inform you about the best Disney California Adventure rides you should make time for.
I never had the privilege of visiting DCA 1.0, back when the Orange Stinger, Maliboomer, and Superstar Limo were a thing. That park would have been so interesting to visit, especially for a Disney Parks fan like myself who would have loved to compare how DCA was before with how it is now. But at the same time, I’m glad I got to experience DCA 2.0 back in 2013. This was and still is the superior version of this park. But that being said, even though I don’t think current DCA is better than DCA 2.0, I still think the park has its strengths.
The park’s heavy hitters can be considered some of the best rides in the world, and it surprisingly doesn’t have a lot of low points unlike DCA 1.o which had more duds than hits. Even the lower ranked attractions on this list are still pretty good ride experiences. But as we know, not every ride is made equal, and some rides are more deserving of your time than others. This Disney California Adventure ride ranking was written to help you decide which attractions you should visit in your limited time at the park.
Just like my last post ranking every ride at Hong Kong Disneyland, I will base my rankings on the following criteria: how much they add to the identity of DCA, how they are viewed by the public, how much they contribute to the story and theme of the land they’re in, how well they execute their story and theme, how groundbreaking (or not) they are, how they act operationally, and my own personal preference with regards to their quality.
Like I mentioned before, it’s impossible to rank these rides objectively. Even if I tried to come up with objective criteria, it would still be tinged by my subjectivity. So again, if you don’t agree with my rankings, please don’t take it out on me and remember that, at the end of the day, this list is just my opinion of the quality of these rides and me trying to make recommendations for you. Some of what I consider to be the best Disney California Adventure rides might not be the best for you, so take this with a grain of salt.
Now, without further ado, let the Disney California Adventure Ride Ranking Commence!
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18. Golden Zephyr
If you’ve ever been to DCA, you’ll understand why this ride is ranked last in this Disney California Adventure ride ranking. Suffice to say it’s not one of the best Disney California Adventure rides. While it is a fun ride, and the views you get from it are spectacular, it’s the ride in DCA that’s most like a regular carnival ride. It’s also, arguably, the one ride in the park that’s completely lacking theme or story.
It doesn’t have the zaniness of Goofy’s Sky School, or even the abundance of theming that can be found on other rides that rank low on this list. It’s also lacking, as I’ve said, story elements. But I get it, when it was still part of Paradise Pier its function was to add to the carnival theme of the land.
But that land is long gone, with the ride being re-delegated to Paradise Gardens Park, a land created solely to distinguish these attractions from those in Pixar Pier. This has made this ride stick out like a sore thumb. Paradise Gardens Park’s empty theme has failed this ride, which has caused it to lack any real depth or sense of place.
In this ride you jump into a zephyr (which is also silver by the way, not gold) then go around in circles for about a minute and a half until you’re slowly brought back to the station. It’s a simple ride, similar to Silly Symphony Swings but lacking in any thrill. There’s also no on-ride music in the attraction, which I personally find odd.
Operationally, this ride shuts down at the slightest gust of wind, which is common in Southern California. This makes it unreliable and you’ll find it closed sometimes for hours on end (which is another reason why it ranks so low).
Ultimately, it’s a bland ride, and the gap between this ride and the next ride on this list is the largest gap in this ranking in terms of quality. It’s also the only ride in DCA I would consider “bad”. The rest of them all have their own unique and interesting qualities that have at least something going for them. This, however, does not.
17. Jumpin Jellyfish
What I like to call “Tower of Terror-lite”, Jumpin Jellyfish is a fun attraction for kids, although admittedly it won’t do anything for adults. It’s a beautifully themed ride, consisting of towers enveloped in different colored seaweed and kelp, as well as some jellyfish, which is what the riders actually sit on during the attraction. If you want your child to experience a milder version of Tower of Terror to see if they’re ready for it, take them to this attraction.
Just like The Golden Zephyr, this attraction is located in Paradise Gardens Park. It’s for this reason that it does not fit thematically within the land’s theme, mostly because the land itself, as previously mentioned, was created mainly to separate these attractions from Pixar Pier.
As such, it’s the weakest land in the park as it has no central theme, and unfortunately, this ride contributes to that. Why is there a random tower of seaweed in the middle of the land? It made more sense when it was part of Paradise Pier years ago, but as it stands now it makes no sense. Because of this, it gets docked a few points, even though it is beautifully themed.
The ride experience is fairly simple, and is similar to the Toy Soldier Parachute Drop ride that can be found in Hong Kong and Paris. You’re ushered onto a jellyfish and then taken up towards the top of the kelp towers about three times. Each time, you “fall” back down, but the fall is completely gentle and is not jarring or scary at all. Afterwards you’re lowered back down and the ride ends.
It doesn’t have the wind restriction that Golden Zephyr has and, while it doesn’t have a story, has some pretty unique theming and design elements, which makes it better than Golden Zephyr. But unless you’re between the ages of 3 and 9, you won’t find this particularly exciting or invigorating, which is why I understandably didn’t rank it among the best Disney California Adventure rides.
16. Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind
Normally, this is where I would place the Red Car Trolley. However, because it’s being removed from the parks, I’ve decided to remove it from this Disney California Adventure ride ranking. In its place at number 16 is the Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind.
Emotional Whirlwind is one of those spinning hot air balloon type rides you can find at carnivals. However, it carries with it an Inside Out theme and is located in Pixar Pier. Before it was Emotional Whirlwind, it used to be called Flik’s Flyers and was located in A Bug’s Land until that land was shut down to make way for Avengers Campus. It’s the first non-Paradise Gardens Park attraction to appear on this list, as well as the first attraction themed to a specific movie.
I have to admit, for a movie whose sequel has become the highest grossing animated movie of all time, I’m surprised that this is their only ride representation in any Disney park around the world. While the ride is a simple spinner that doesn’t really have a story, it is elevated above the previous two rides because of its cute theming to the hit Pixar movie.
In the attraction, you board a memory mover which takes you for a ride above Riley’s Headquarters. Large balls made to look like the memory orbs from the movie take you up in the air and safely return you back to the ground once the experience is done. It’s a fun ride that, although lacking in story, is colorful, detailed, and truly immerses you into the world of the movie. I wouldn’t rank it as one of the best Disney California Adventure rides, but it is fun for what it is.
It is reminiscent of carnival rides you would find on different piers like the Santa Monica Pier, so this helps it fit into the story of the land, which is why it’s ranked above the other two rides. However, it’s still a regular old spinner that lacks thrills to make it exciting and a story to make it captivating. There are better examples of spinners that have stories later in this ranking, but as it stands, I think this ride deserves the place it has in this Disney California Adventure ride ranking.
15. Jessie’s Critter Carousel
Another spinner attraction, Jessie’s Critter Carousel is found in Pixar Pier in between the entrance for Incredicoaster and the Toy Story Midway Mania building. Formerly known as King Triton’s Carousel of the Sea, the carousel opened in 2019 with its new Toy Story theme as part of the reimagining of Paradise Pier.
The ride consists of over 50 “critters” that guests can ride, ranging from badgers to snakes. Some of the animals are even facing backwards, a change that the imagineers made which I appreciate as very tongue-in-cheek and adds to the zaniness of the ride. The animals were all made in a whimsical, cartoon-y style reminiscent of old cartoons. The ride is also enveloped by a lovely mural that depicts locations that would be found in the Woody’s Roundup cartoons.
Once you enter the ride area, and once everyone has sat down on their preferred critter, the ride starts and the critters go around and around the central axis. The music is another great thing about this ride, with its tunes being similar to those you’d hear in old commercials. Much like other spinners, the ride is over in about a minute and a half.
What this ride lacks in story, it makes up for in whimsy and fun details. However, I personally think that Toy Story is overrepresented in the parks. I think Toy Story holds the record for the most number of rides around the world attributed to one franchise, and while it’s a series I love dearly, other movies deserve a chance to shine as well.
This ride would make a great Onward, A Bug’s Life, or even Wall-E attraction. But as it stands, the theme makes for a fun experience, or as fun as a carousel can be. That being said, it’s still just a regular old carousel, and doesn’t do anything groundbreaking aside from having some of the animals face the opposite direction. But it’s theming and its attempt to create an immersive carousel experience with its mural and music take it a notch above those ranked below it in this Disney California Adventure ride ranking. I would also say this is one of the best Disney California Adventure rides for children.
14. Pixar Pal-A-Round
What I like to call the “Wheel of Death”, the Pixar Pal-A-Round is the huge ferris wheel that you can find in Pixar Pier. Formerly known as Mickey’s Fun Wheel, this ride is supposed to be a callback to the many ferris wheels that dot amusement parks across the country.
It’s actually quite interesting that this is the only ferris wheel in Disney’s pantheon of theme park attractions. Walt Disney was always against the idea of ferris wheels being located in his parks, mostly because he thought they were tacky and were synonymous with kitschy amusement rides, and not the sophisticated, family entertainment rides he knew theme parks were capable of having. But when it fits the theme, it fits the theme, and this ride excels at that.
I rank this above the other spinners and flat rides on this list because it has something that a normal ferris wheel doesn’t have: moving gondolas. Yup, you read that right. As the ride goes about its rotation, guests have a choice of two gondolas to enter: one being like a normal ferris wheel gondola, and the other being a gondola which is fixed onto a track. That track allows the gondolas to move and swing semi-violently as the wheel rotates. It’s the only time you’ll hear screams on a ferris wheel.
This amusing and nauseating version of a ferris wheel is extreme enough for the park to include barf bags inside the moving gondolas. I personally have never experienced this version of the ride, and quite frankly I have no intention to. The violent swinging is enough for me to feel queasy even just by looking at it. But I have enjoyed the ferris wheel from the non-swinging gondolas.
This is also arguably one of the best Disney California Adventure rides to get incredible views of the parks. The views from up there are spectacular. You can see all the way to Disneyland when you’re at the very top. I understand why ferris wheels aren’t an attraction in the other Disney parks, but you can’t deny how cool it is to see everything from up there.
Theming is minimal in this attraction, with only the gondolas being painted with different Pixar characters. Other attractions on this list are better themed, I’ll admit, but because it offers a singular and unique experience that you can’t find in any other Disney Parks, it’s ranked relatively high on this Disney California Adventure ride ranking. Keep an ear out for the safety spiel, which one particular Pixar character gives while you wait in line.
13. Silly Symphony Swings
Remember when I said that there are some spinners and flat rides that have stories? Well this ride is a good example of that. It’s attempt at telling a story makes me place this ride at number 13 on this Disney California Adventure ride ranking. The Silly Symphony Swings is the cream of the crop in terms of spinners. Not just in DCA but in the entire Disneyland resort.
Originally called the Orange Stinger before it was revamped with new theming and a story during the overhaul of Disney California Adventure, this ride is now themed to the Mickey Mouse short film called The Band Concert. The storyline of the ride follows that of the short film with Mickey conducting a band that literally starts to “fly away” as a tornado passes through the concert.
The swinging seats are meant to signify the tornado, taking riders into the world of the short film. The center of the attraction even hides a tornado that reveals itself as the ride lifts riders up and begins its rotation. Mickey can even be seen from the top conducting the band from the center of the tornado.
At the end of the day, it’s just another wave spinner attraction, which is why it doesn’t rank above some of the other rides on this list. But what makes it so effective is its ability to tell a unique, engaging story using the wave spinner as a medium. Taking a theme park ride and giving it character and flair is why this ride is a cut above the rest.
I personally don’t ride this attraction often. I last rode it years ago because the spinning makes me dizzy. But I always love passing by it as it’s running to see the tornado at its center and to see Mickey at its top conducting the orchestra. This is the best Disney California Adventure ride to use as an example of the Imagineering difference. Only they could take something that could have been so ordinary and make it so special. That’s what makes Disney parks different, and why people like me keep coming back.
12. Luigi’s Rollicikin Roadsters
The first Cars Land attraction on this list, Luigi’s Rollickin Roadsters is a trackless ride that exists within Luigi’s Casa Della Tires in Radiator Springs. This area was formerly the home of Luigi’s Flying Tires, a ride that I actually got to experience during my first visit to the resort in 2013.
I remember having fun the one time I was on it, but also remember that the ride generated a lot of controversy when it opened in 2012, mostly due to the fact that it was difficult to pilot the tires, which made for a frustrating ride experience. Because of guest complaints, they changed it to Luigi’s Rollickin Roadsters, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Consisting of over 15 different cars, this ride is the first trackless ride to appear in a US Disney park. It’s closest in style and experience to the Aquatopia attraction found in Port Discovery in Tokyo DisneySea.
The ride actually has a pretty interesting backstory. Luigi and Guido decide to create an Italian atmosphere at the back of their shop for Luigi’s family who are visiting from Italy. His family liked the space so much that they decided to dance a few traditional Italian dances back there, which is what the guests experience when they ride the attraction.
In the attraction, guests walk through the tire shop before exiting to the back of the building. They then climb aboard one of Luigi’s cousins and, once the music starts, the cars start to “dance” around. The cars glide throughout the space, creating patterns and movements that are similar to dances. After a few spins in the car, the ride is over and Luigi beckons new riders to join in on the fun.
I would say this attraction is placed where it is because, while it is groundbreaking in being the first trackless ride in a US Disney Park, it pales in comparison to other trackless dark rides that precede it like Mystic Manor and Pooh’s Hunny Hunt. It even pales in comparison to Aquatopia because Aquatopia had the added effect of being on water.
That being said, the synchronized dancing, the interesting and detailed queue, as well as the outdoor details and design make this a cut above your normal flat ride. It’s not the best flat ride on this list as that distinction is bestowed upon the next attraction on this list. But it is a fun addition to DCA that, if time permits, you should experience.
11. Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree
Now, dear reader, we’ve come to the ride that made it just shy of the top 10. I have to say, if the ride succeeding it on this list wasn’t built yet, it would for sure be a top ten entry. Now you might be wondering why Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree of all rides is deserving of that praise. Well, let me explain.
When Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree opened in 2012 with the rest of Cars Land, many fans called it the “sleeper hit” of the land. I thought people were overreacting. How good can it possibly be to be called a sleeper hit? It certainly wasn’t innovative. It’s just a bunch of tractors dancing around a turntable for a minute and a half. How is that fun?
Well let me tell you, this ride taught me that not everything in a theme park has to be groundbreaking. Sometimes you just need rides that are there for good old-fashioned fun. And that’s what this ride is: good old-fashioned fun.
It’s a fairly simple concept: Mater has some tractors in his junkyard and is inviting guests to come play with them by having them dance around while guests are on them. The queue is great too as you get to see some posters of Mater’s adventures over the years.
Then you get on the ride and, next thing you know, you’re being flung around in the tiny tractor you’re in. Let me tell you, when it swings, it SWINGS. You can easily squish whoever you’re riding with towards the side of the seat because the cars are so effective at swinging you with so much force. Definitely one of the best Disney California Adventure rides in terms of the pure enjoyment you get from riding it.
Like I said, it’s good old-fashioned fun, and its popularity has spawned similar attractions around the world. From the Happy Ride with Baymax in Tokyo Disneyland to Alien Swirling Saucers in Hollywood Studios, the influence of Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree can be felt in other parks around the world. Add to that the multiple different fun songs you can get on the ride, all sung by Larry the Cable Guy himself, and you have a solid addition to Cars Land that really elevates the land.
10. Web Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure
Now we’re in the top ten! Every ride mentioned from this point forward is a ride I always make a point to do when I’m at DCA (with one notable exception, which I will note below). But yes, these rides can be considered my favorites of DCA. And it starts with this one: Web Slingers.
I’m going to admit something. When I first rode Web Slingers, I was massively underwhelmed. I guess I just expected a Spider-Man ride to be something like the Spider-Man ride that exists in Universal’s Islands of Adventure. So when I rode the attraction and found out that the ride was basically all screens and was just Toy Story Midway Mania but with updated tech, I was a bit disappointed and confused as to why they would put a Midway mania clone in a park that already has a Midway Mania.
However, that being said, the more I rode the attraction, the more it grew on me. I still think it’s not the strongest ride in the park story-wise, but I think it’s a great experience. Getting to shoot webs like Spider-Man is really fun, and the way the scoring is structured lends itself to a lot of re-rideability. I still don’t think it’s a top tier DCA ride, but it’s a solid addition to the park.
The ride experience begins with you entering WEB or the Worldwide Engineering Brigade, a program funded by Tony Stark to cultivate young, up and coming engineers, for an open house where they show off the latest tech they’ve been working on. In the pre-show room you’re introduced to S.H.A.R.I.N., the artificial intelligence being that oversees WEB. She then introduces you to Peter Parker, the project lead of WEB, who introduces you to the Spider-Bots.
The Spider-Bots were created to be robotic helpers who can break down materials to be used in different kinds of technology. They can also multiply when in self-replication mode. It’s that last tidbit that causes all the chaos on the ride, as they get stuck on self-replication mode and soon overtake the whole campus. Peter calls Spider-Man for backup, and he then recruits you to help stop the spread of the Spider-Bots before they destroy the campus.
You’re then ushered out of the pre-show room and onto the actual ride, but not before picking up your WEB Vision Targeting Glasses. You then board the Web Slinger vehicle and your mission to save the campus begins. The ride then involves you slinging webs at the spider bots as you travel through different scenes like PYM Laboratories, the Collector’s Fortress, and finally the Quinjet building! You successfully stop the Spider Bots and are congratulated by Peter and S.H.A.R.I.N. before exiting the building.
The whole ride is really fun! The web shooting tech is impressive, and the competitive aspect makes it fun as well. However, it has some issues in the story department (mostly, to me, that the Spider Bots don’t seem that threatening) while also being static for a very long time, making you feel like you’re just sitting there, not moving, waiting for things to happen. While I like to ride it every time I’m at DCA, it may be a one and done for some people, which is why it ranks where it does in this Disney California Adventure ride ranking and why I don’t really consider it one of the best Disney California Adventure rides.
9. Grizzly River Run
This is the ride I mentioned earlier that I don’t really ride every time I’m at DCA. I’ve only ridden it a couple of times, mostly because I don’t like getting wet. But that being said, this ride is a DCA legend! It’s the reason we have Grizzly Peak mountain, which in and of itself is reason enough for it to be this high on this list.
However, when you compare it to the other two raft rides in the Disney pantheon (Kali River Rapids in Animal Kingdom and Roaring Rapids in Shanghai Disneyland), it pales in comparison to both, mostly because it lacks a solid story or theme and doesn’t contain any animatronics. They don’t even have a Grizzly Bear animatronic, despite the name.
But just like Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree, this is here because it’s just good old-fashioned fun. The ride experience starts in the queue where you see offices and trinkets related to the Grizzly River Rafting Company. The queue and ride is supposed to be a homage to the various California National Parks. It does a good job of this, with the whole feel of Grizzly River Run and Grizzly Peak in general feeling very much like a National Park.
Once in the vehicle, you’re taken to the top of the park by a lift hill. Once at the top, the ride begins and you find yourself on a thrilling river raft adventure. Waves splash above you and into your raft, soaking you as you make your way to the ride’s climax: a 21-foot drop into a geyser field!
It’s a fun attraction, and one that is elevated by its impeccable theming. It’s probably second only to Roaring Rapids in terms of theming and details for a river raft ride. The woodland theming really immerses you into the experience. While it would have benefited from a stronger story or the presence of some audio animatronics, it’s still a good ride regardless.
8. Goofy’s Sky School
Based on the Goofy short film titled Goofy’s Glider, Goofy’s Sky School is a steel wild mouse coaster located in Paradise Gardens Park. It’s one of two coasters located in DCA, and is the milder of the two. But don’t let that distinction fool you, this ride can sometimes make you feel like you’re about to be thrown out of the ride vehicle.
Mimicking the plot of the short film, the story of Goofy’s Sky School involves us being taught how to fly a plane by Goofy. In that regard, this ride is similar to Silly Symphony Swings in execution in that it closely follows the plot of the short film it’s based on and brings guests into the world of the short film through theming and story.
The ride starts out with Goofy teaching us how to take off, which is done by having us go up the ride’s tall lift hill. Scattered throughout the ride are a bunch of billboards that showcase the different lessons about flying that Goofy is teaching us.
Next, Goofy teaches us how to fly and how to turn, with this being the portion of the attraction that I personally find the most thrilling. Featuring a series of sharp turns, the vehicle careens down the topmost portion of the attraction. When you’re on it, it honestly feels like you’re going to fly off from the force of the turns. Seriously, clutch onto your belongings because these turns are ROUGH. But they’re also the most fun part of the attraction and it never fails to put a smile on my face.
The next lesson is how to nosedive, and this features the second most thrilling portion of the ride. At this point, the ride vehicle drops down a steep drop and subsequently goes back up and turns around and does another drop. The first drop is what gets me every time. It’s not the tallest drop ever but it’s so steep that my heart feels like it’s rising in my chest every time. The second drop isn’t as bad, however. After both those drops you are then taught how to land and eventually you make your way back to the station.
I will say, while the ride is themed and has a story that fits well with the wild mouse coaster medium, it could use additional theming. The theming can match what’s currently there with the clouds and other metal cutouts, but it is needed as there are parts where the coaster seems a little bare. Coloring the whole thing light blue to match the sky is a good start, but adding more things to look at would elevate this coaster up another level.
But that being said, I’m glad Disney found a way to incorporate a story into an otherwise off-the-shelf rollercoaster. Disney is usually good at this, as you will see with the other coaster on this list. Add a little more theming and this would probably jump up a few places and be considered one of the best Disney California Adventure rides.
7. Monsters Inc. Mike and Sulley to the Rescue
The first dark ride to appear on this list, Monsters Inc Mike and Sulley to the Rescue is a book report dark ride. Book report dark rides are rides that retell stories found in other mediums, with this particular ride retelling the story of the Monsters Inc film. This ride isn’t an original to DCA, however, and we cannot rank it in this Disney California Adventure Ride Ranking without mentioning its past.
Once upon a time, a ride named Superstar Limo existed where Monsters Inc currently sits. In the ride, you played the role of a celebrity arriving in Los Angeles and board a limo for a tour of LA. Along the way, you meet various celebrities, with everything in the ride looking like it was straight out of a newspaper caricature.
The ride initially had guests being chased by paparazzi, but after the death of Princess Diana this was scrapped and redone. And let’s just say that, when it opened, it wasn’t one of the best Disney California Adventure rides. Superstar Limo was panned by guests and eventually closed a year after opening. Monsters Inc replaced it and opened in 2006.
The ride starts with guests entering Monstropolis through a door on the outside of the attraction. You then find yourself in a Monstropolis transport center, and soon board a taxi for a tour of Monstropolis. The tour begins, but is interrupted by an announcement that says a child is now loose in Monstropolis.
From there, the dark ride begins and the story of Monsters Inc plays out. It starts with a trip through downtown Monstropolis before going to Harryhausens and eventually ending up at Monsters Inc. Along the way you encounter various animatronics of Mike, Sulley, Randall, and other characters as Mike and Sulley do their best to try and get Boo home.
The ride culminates in the door factory where it seems like hundreds of doors (with the help of mirrors) are moving around you. At the end of the ride you meet Roz, who talks to you as you move to the unloading station.
Considering that they had to work within the same track layout as Superstar Limo, it’s impressive that they were able to tell the entire Monsters Inc story within that layout. Sure there are some awkward pacing issues, but when you’re on the ride you truly do feel like you’ve stepped into the world of the movie.
This is not the best Monsters Inc attraction in the world as that distinction goes to Tokyo Disneyland and its Ride and Go Seek attraction, but this is still a good experience that should appeal to fans of the movie. I’m a sucker for a good dark ride, which is why they appear high on this list. I truly believe that dark rides are Disney’s bread and butter, and this one is a great example of that.
6. The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Undersea Adventure
Barely making the top 5 of this Disney California Adventure ride ranking is The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Undersea Adventure. Just like Monsters Inc, this attraction is a book report dark ride that retells the story of The Little Mermaid. It uses an omnimover ride system (similar to the Haunted Mansion) and what feels like over 100 animatronics to retell Ariel’s story.
You start out by walking through a building that’s supposed to be reminiscent of the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. Then, you board a clamshell and head deep under the sea into the world of the movie. You start with Scuttle beginning the story, and the entire ride is framed as a visual representation of what Scuttle is saying.
From there you dive down into the ocean, which is done using an ingenious lighting effect, and soon you see Ariel in her grotto with her collection of human knick knacks singing Part of Your World. The next two scenes revolve around different musical numbers in the movie.
The first is Under the Sea which, to me, is the most dazzling moment in the ride. Hundreds of fish are all around you, moving to the beat of the song. It’s enormous, and is reminiscent of scenes in Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion in terms of scale.
Then you enter Ursula’s cave and encounter a giant Ursula animatronic singing Poor Unfortunate Souls. Then you ascend back into the human world as Ariel gets her legs and soon you see a scene of Eric and Ariel in a boat as Sebastian sings Kiss the Girl.
Now as good as the ride is, the next scene showcases how book report rides are limited in what they can do. Instead of showing the climactic scene of Eric stabbing a large Ursula, in this version Eric and Ariel merely kiss, breaking the spell and ushering a celebration in the ride’s final scene.
Just like Monsters Inc, this ride has some story and pacing issues, the most glaring of which is the scene mentioned earlier with Ariel and Eric kissing to break the curse. I understand that these rides need to tell a story in about 5 minutes, and for the most part the ride succeeds in retelling the story, but rides don’t unfold the way movies do, which can lead to plot points becoming anticlimactic.
That being said, it’s still an impressive dark ride. The animatronics are stellar and that Under the Sea scene will go down as one of Disney’s most memorable dark ride scenes. It nearly made the top 5 for me and would have overtaken at least two rides on this list if its pacing issues didn’t bog it down. It’s still one of the best Disney California Adventure rides though, and I always look forward to riding it every time I’m at Disney California Adventure.
5. Toy Story Midway Mania
We’re now in the top 5! These rides, to me, are the 5 best rides in Disney California Adventure (and they’re also some of my favorite rides ever). And at number five is one of two Toy Story shooting game rides that can be found in the Disneyland Resort (I personally prefer this one though). Toy Story Midway Mania was the first ride to open as part of DCA 2.0. Upon thinking about it, I think it may be my favorite Disney shooting ride, and for a lot of good reasons as well.
The ride experience begins outside as you see a huge Mr. Potato Head beckoning riders to get in line to play some fun carnival games. The building where the ride is located is also very Victorian and matches and enhances the aesthetic of Pixar Pier (and formerly Paradise Pier) very well in my opinion.
You then enter the world of Toy Story after obtaining some 3D glasses, with the games beginning after a few twists and turns to get to the screens for the games. After a brief pie throwing practice game, you then play a series of 5 mini-games. The shooters work by pulling a string with a ball attached to it to shoot different objects depending on which mini game you’re playing. My favorite mini-game is the Buzz ring toss one, mostly because it’s the game I’m the best at.
The ride ends with an extended Woody’s Roundup mini game where you shoot a bunch of targets in a western setting. After completing the last mini game, your score is tallied and presented at the end of the ride. You also find out at the end who in your car got the highest score, as well as the highest scores for that hour, that day, and that month.
While I’ve never been able to do it, apparently hitting certain targets or doing certain things during the mini games will trigger certain surprises with more targets that can help you get more points. This is the logical explanation for why I’ve seen some people score over 350,000 on this ride.
Like I said, this is one of my favorite rides in the park, if not the resort. The 3D and screens could use an upgrade, and the ride is starting to show its age, but this is definitely one of the better rides at the park, which is why it always commands long lines. It’s not the best version of this ride, however, as both the Hollywood Studios and DisneySea versions have better queues, but it’s still the best shooter game in the resort, and is also the most fun by a country mile.
4. The Incredicoaster
Formerly known as California Screamin, the Incredicoaster is a looping coaster that can be found in Pixar Pier. It’s the only rollercoaster in the resort that goes upside down (albeit only once) and is one of the more thrilling rides in the Disneyland resort. Incredicoaster is also another shining example of how you can incorporate story into something like a rollercoaster.
While I am one of those people that preferred California Screamin to Incredicoaster, Incredicoaster still has its merits. The Incredibles soundtrack lends itself greatly to a rollercoaster, and the thrills coupled with its engaging story make it a standout attraction in DCA. In fact, one thing it has over California Screamin is the presence of a great story that ties the whole attraction together.
Once you step into the queue, you’ll find unique signs explaining the backstory and powers of each member of the Incredibles family. You’ll then see a video once you get near the unload platform that explains the story of the ride: the roller coaster is being dedicated to the Incredibles, and you’re visiting it on dedication day!
Once you get on the ride, you see that the Incredibles entrusted Jack-Jack, the baby of the family, to Edna Mode. Edna Mode, however, loses Jack-Jack as he teleports away, and now the Incredibles must do what they can to return Jack-Jack to safety. You can actually see the Incredibles throughout the attraction as statues. While it would’ve been cool to see them as animatronics, having statues is more than enough to convey the story of the attraction.
Objectively speaking, the story of this attraction doesn’t really use the medium of the roller coaster as well as Goofy’s Sky School does, but given that Imagineering had to work with an existing ride to base a whole new attraction on, as is the case with most of DCA, I would say it was a success.
The thrills, story, music, and sights all contribute to an amazing experience. It’s my personal favorite coaster in the Disneyland Resort, which is why it’s ranked high on this Disney California Adventure ride ranking and why I consider it one of the best Disney California Adventure rides for thrills.
3. Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout
This ride is the other ride I consider to be one of the best Disney California Adventure rides for thrills. I’m going to be honest, when they announced that this was going to replace Tower of Terror, I was livid. I could not believe they would desecrate one of the best rides in the world and cheapen it by theming it to Marvel. But as soon as I entered one of the Gantry Lifts in 2021 and experienced it for myself, I was both impressed and hooked. My opinion on this attraction did a 180-degree turn, and I never complained about its presence ever again.
You start off by entering the Collector’s fortress and heading to his private office. Once there, Rocket Racoon from Guardians of the Galaxy shows up and crashes your introduction to the Collector’s collection of rarities from across the universe. He says that his friends, the rest of the Guardians, are trapped in the collection.
In order to save them, Rocket needs your help. Our part of the plan is to use our handprints to open the door to the Gantry Lifts so Rocket can climb on top of it and destroy the fortress’ generator, thereby opening the cages and freeing his team. Of course, when you open every cage, every kind of creature pops out. And so as we rise and fall to one of 6 possible 70s and 80s songs, we see the Guardians trying to make their way out of the fortress, which they do successfully at the end.
This attraction is just so good. I have no other words to describe it. I know Disney has had an uneven record in retheming existing attractions, but this retheme is spectacular. Everything from the futuristic exterior to the incredibly immersive lobby and loading areas (which are full of little details) to the actual ride itself, everything is immaculately presented and so intricately detailed. But what else do you expect from a Joe Rohde attraction.
One of my favorite aspects of the ride is the changing songs. There are 6 possible songs you can get, and each of them have their own visuals and ride sequence. My personal favorite song is the Jackson 5 song I Want You Back, even though I’ve only gotten in about 3 times in my entire life. But you can’t help but get hyped when you hear the music start.
I’ve ridden this ride over 25 times, so I’m used to it now, but I wanted to warn first timers that some people have reported getting sick on the ride. This is due to the fact that most of the ride takes place in the dark and, because of the motion, it’s harder to tell if you’re rising or falling, which can cause motion sickness. But I will say that it’s really worth riding, even with that risk.
I could go on and on and give a million reasons why I love this ride. Its story, effects, songs, ride sequence, theming, and overall presentation make it a classic Disney experience, one that I hope sticks around for a long time. It’s for those reasons too that I rank this ride as high as it is. If you’re lucky to visit in Halloween season, you might even get to experience Monsters After Dark, which is a seasonal overlay that’s also really fun.
2. Soarin Around the World
I will say this: this ride would have been ranked number one if it weren’t for one reason that I’ll explain below. Soarin Around the World is a ride found in the Grizzly Peak area of DCA. It doesn’t really have a story, at least in this park. Its story is more fleshed out in Tokyo DisneySea and Shanghai Disneyland, but it’s still a solid ride due to its innovativeness, theming, music, and the raw emotions and sensations you feel from experiencing it.
Originally located in an area called Condor Flats, the attraction used to be called Soarin Over California and used to screen a different movie in its flying theater. That movie, even though it only flew over different Californian landscapes, was a lot better than the current Over the World film.
One reason it’s better is because it actually fits the screen. Many sequences in the Over the World film feel distorted (especially that famous curved Eiffel Tower), which detract from its quality. Another reason the original is better than Over the World is that Over the World relies heavily on CGI elements, as well as CGI transitions. I much prefer Over California’s music and timing based transitions.
Since Over the World is the inferior version of the ride, the ride gets bumped down a spot on this list. But it’s still a solid attraction, and still the second-best attraction in the park. From its queue, which puts a spotlight on Californian Aviation pioneers, to its iconic pre-show video starring Patrick Warburton and innovative ride system, this attraction is just perfection from start to finish.
Nothing beats the feeling of rising up in the air when the ride begins. You then begin to fly through different scenes, such as the Matterhorn, Sydney Harbor, the Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China, the Pyramids of Giza, and the Eiffel Tower, ending with flying over Disneyland (that ending changes depending on which park you’re in).
The music is also a highlight and is a big reason why I love this ride. Written and orchestrated by the late Jerry Goldsmith, the way the music swells depending on what you’re seeing will bring a tear to your eye, I guarantee it.
This was the one hit California Adventure had when it opened in 2001. It’s the only original ride critics and audiences both loved (or one of two, the other being California Screamin). Currently, you can only experience the Over California version when you visit DCA during the Food and Wine Festival, but either version promises to be a great experience. For all those reasons I consider this ride to be one of the best Disney California Adventure rides.
1. Radiator Springs Racers
Finally, we’re at the undisputed best ride in California Adventure. Opening in 2012 along with the rest of Cars Land, Radiator Springs Racers is the most popular attraction at the park, and for good reason too. It’s both a dark ride and a thrill ride, similar in style and design to Test Track at Epcot. Although personally, this ride blows Test Track out of the water.
The ride starts with its incredibly immersive queue. A masterclass in queue design, the queue is full of little details that you could spend hours looking at (and you will, given how long the lines are for this attraction). You then get to the unload area and board your vehicle.
The story of the attraction involves you being an up-and-coming racer who just arrived at Radiator Springs for your race. It starts with a tour of the outer parts of Radiator Springs, including the iconic waterfall from the movie, and then you very quickly encounter Mack and almost get run over by a train. You then meet Sheriff, who introduces you to Mater.
After tipping over some tractors with Mater and almost getting caught by Frank, you end up in the main street of Radiator Springs. You then either go into Luigi’s Tires to get new tires for the race, or to Ramone’s to get a new paint job. You then meet your crew chief for the race: Doc Hudson. Then, it’s off to the starting line.
Once you’ve arrived at the starting line, you then participate in a high-speed race with the car next to you. It’s all the thrills of Test Track but with sharper banks, bunny hills, and a photo finish. A car wins every race, and then you’re soon brought back to the station.
Imagineering took one of the most exciting aspects of the Cars movies: the racing, and put it center stage for guests to experience. While it’s not the most thrilling ride in the park, it’s definitely the most immersive and the grandest and largest in scale.
The dark ride elements are so energetic, with impressive animatronics and gorgeous set design. The dark ride portion alone would merit this being in the top attractions at DCA. You could tell it was a huge labor of love from the whole team behind the ride.
But the star of the show is the racing aspect. To my knowledge, this is the only ride besides the shooting games where you compete with other riders. Its varying outcomes, as well as the option of entering either Luigi’s or Ramone’s shop, makes it score high in terms of re-rideability. The ride is also insanely detailed, adding to the ride’s immersion.
I also love that they went with an original story for the ride. The Cars movie doesn’t really lend itself well to the theme park medium, so coming up with an original take on the ride was a good move. The music, just like Soarin and Mission: Breakout also elevates this ride. Literally every part of this ride was thought through with the utmost care, and it shows in its execution.
This is imagineering at its best. I truly believe every park has that one ride that showcases just what Imagineering can do, and I believe for this park it’s this ride. This ride is without a doubt the best Disney California Adventure ride, and is rightfully the top placer in this Disney California Adventure Ride Ranking.
Conclusion of Disney California Adventure Ride Ranking
Thanks for reading this Disney California Adventure ride ranking! I hope it gives you a better idea of what rides you should experience when you visit the parks. And don’t worry, more Disneyland resort planning posts will be coming soon!
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