California Adventure Theme Park in Anaheim

This park is really part of the whole 'Disneyland experience' now. If your kids like the movie Toy Story or Cars or even The Little Mermaid, this is the park to visit.

Also, if the adults in the group would like a glass of wine, alcohol is only served at this park and in Downtown Disney.

There is also a very large 'playground' in the California park that my kids always love to climb and play in.

The shows in this park are well done too.

I always like to get a park hopper ticket so my family can move between the parks with ease. Disneyland is considered a pedestrian park and walking is easy between areas.

You don't know how busy the parks will be. Choosing to have California Adventure available to you, may save your experience. There tends to be a ebb and flow to the crowds and if you are smart, I would visit the areas that are not attracting the masses. You can always go by at a different part of the day and see if they are less crowded.

Use the Fast Pass system to your advantage. If a ride is too busy in one park and you have accomplished everything else you would like to do, go to the other park and then enter again when the Fast Pass tells you its your turn.

Have a great time. Your children will love their time there. I don't think they will feel that California Adventure is a let down. It has the feel of Disney and at the same time is very different. (And this is very good if you have been one of those parents who have been on It's A Small World a gazillion times) Good luck!

California Adventure is my favorite. Soaring over CA is an unforgettable ride.

I LOVE CA ADVENTURE. I find there is so much to do there. Yes a lot of the park is under construction and it can be a bummer to go somewhere and see it a little bit crazy. Much, not all, off the construction should be finished by the time you go. The awesome thing is it is not as crowded as Disneyland. We go all the time and my kids love disneyland but some days it is too crowded to get much done. If my kids want to wait in line we will do disneyland but if they want to go on rides and attractions awesome! You didn't say how old your kids are but... I second the huge playground: Redwood Creek Challenge Trail... So So much fun. There is also a Water fountain area kids can play in. We bring swimsuits and towels so they don't have to be wet all day. There are bathrooms right by there so changing is super quick.

Go to CA adventure too! Lots to do there and plenty of tie-in to Disney theme (toy story parade, life size lightning mcqueen, cool rides). It is worth the extra day.

I've never been to California Adventure Land, but it seems to me that it's mainly a big roller coaster park. Better for the tweens and older. They do have some attractions for the younger kids, but if you are trying to get in Disney and a bunch of stuff in San Diego, I would skip it until the kids can really enjoy fast, Six Flags type roller coasters.

Absolutely, you MUST go to California Adventure!! Your kids will LOVE it. And yes, it's worth the wait in line for California Soaring.

Have a great time.

It is really worth taking the time to go to Disneyland's California Adventure. It is a whole new world and a great experience. You need to see World of Colors; it is truely amazing (I cried because it was so beautiful). Ticket prices are raising and are a little out of hand ($101 1 day hopper/both parks). I got my tickets at www.bestticketshere.com ($55 1day/hopper for both parks)... it was really worth it and lots of fun. I really hope this helps make your decision.

Yes Yes Yes to California Adventure. Lots to do with/for small kids. On our 5 hour ride home from Disneyland/Ca Adventure when my son was 5 he talked just as much about Ca Adv as he did D-land and maybe even more
as there were so many little shows geared towards kids and more space to run around. The parade is geared towards younger kids. Its great! When we went back when he was 8 he wanted to go into Ca Adv first before going into Disneyland. And as someone else said you must do the ride California Soaring in Adventure Park. It is a wonderful experience for all ages. We have always gone in November (week before Thanksgiving) and have never waited in a line longer than 20 minutes. One year we did California Soaring 5 times in a row we loved it so much. Enjoy!!

CA adventure is fun for older kids and adults. I don't see how old your kids are. My 10 year LOVED it, as did my husband. The toddler and I were bored (she couldn't go on most rides, so she and I just wandered around), and the few things they have for toddlers (Bug's life ride, movie and a few others) were so boring. So, it depends on your kids ages.

Just read a few others and most people do not mention the toddlers. Every ride mentioned by others (even Soaring over CA) do NOT allow very small children. I agree it's a fun park (been there previously before younger child was born), but it's not fun with a young child.

Yep, I agree with everyone else--go to CA Adventure! With the Park Hopper pass, it's easy to go back and forth between the two parks all day long. (They're really not far from each other--even from the farthest reaches of the park, it's maybe a 10-minute walk to the other park.) My son was crazy about the Redwood Challenge Trail, and if your kids are older and like "big" rides, CA Adventure has some of the best ones. It's a great park!

I say go for it. They have rides and attractions for all ages there. We love it!

We made this same mistake the first time we went to Disneyland (we live in Northern CA as well) - but we went 'over there' the next we went and we were pleasantly surprised.. There are several 'must-do' activities and rides there.. California Dreamin' - California Screamin' (depending on how adventurous/tall your kids are, it's a 'real' roller coaster) - Tower of Terror (more fun than scary!) - there's Redwood Trails, lunch/dinner with princesses, Bear Mountain water ride and you cannot miss World of Colors! (order the picnic lunch online for tickets). An added advantage is that the FastPass systems between the two parks aren't connected, so you or your husband can run over to the other park with all of the tickets to Fast Passes for ride with a traditionally long wait. We use RideMax - a subscription service to build a schedule for us, it's great. Makes sure you see everything you want to see and gives great tips on how/where to go as well as ride reviews.. If you're spending at least two days there, the most economical way is probably get Park Hopper tickets and bounce between the two parks instead of buying another day's ticket and using another day there.. Have fun! (another tip: if you have an old umbrella stroller, bring it. Rentals are $15 a day, and your five year old will benefit greatly, it's a lot of walking! but it also makes for a good pack mule, so you're not stuck with carrying everything onto rides, etc..

I always get a park hopper pass. It is not necessary to get a park hopper for each day you are there, but when the lines are long at Disneyland go over to California. They have some great shows and Bug's Life for the younger kids. I hear the World of Color is awesome. The City Pass offers different venues for a week visit if you are going that route. It seems a pretty good deal. Your kids are still young, you should really check into Legoland along with Disneyland/Disney CA. Some of the animal parks in San Diego are a lot of fun, but I waited until the kids were a little older. Have a great trip!