California Adventure Park
Luxury travel experts advise: Disney land is a very busy place. While on a family travel in California, we advise you get here as early as you can to beat the queues. By doing this, we figured out that our single parent travel would be more interesting, allowing us more time to have fun and less time queuing for chances. Here is our story.
Day 2 of Disneyland and we decide to try CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE PARK. We sleep in and arrive at 9:30 a.m. We queue for over 1/2 hour for the Fast Pass to Cars.
©Exploramum and Explorason – California Adventure Park has Cars Land
Tip
Line up for the Fast Pass as soon as you arrive – it sells out pretty early.
Do this for sure – it sells out pretty early. We are scheduled for 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. So, priority one for a seven-year-old in the whole park is, of course, CARS LAND!
We hop onto the tractor spinning ride right at the front. He is SO excited. It is quite fun.
©Exploramum and Explorason – California Adventure Park – enjoying the Tractor ride
Alas, I have a bad headache, so we head to Flo’s for a strong coffee and 2 Tylenol. The lady at the door is super cute with her friendliness to Explorason. This is the place to head to early if you want a coffee or a snack.
©Exploramum and Explorason – California Adventure Park – Flo’s Café outside
I admit I am just about hyperventilating. And I am ‘the mother’. For a mega Cars fan, this place is paradise!
©Exploramum and Explorason – California Adventure Park – Flo’s Café inside
We have to race off from Flo’s after I barely have a sip of my coffee, as Lightning McQueen is across the street. He talks and moves his eyes! Also – each store gives away a Cars badge if you answer a correct question. You can see my son is a fan – and he is quickly racing around for badges.
©Exploramum and Explorason – California Adventure Park – Lightning McQueen
We go to the town square and there is ‘Red’, the fire truck. Larger than life.
©Exploramum and Explorason – California Adventure Park – Red the fire truck
The stores are great. Top merchandise for any Cars fan. Alas, we decide that we have to stick to our the budget. So we only look at the items and never buy them. Seriously – it is a killer – even for me!
©Exploramum and Explorason – California Adventure Park – Radiator Springs
Next is the Tire (Tyre) Ride at California Adventure Park. Some people think it is a lame ride because you have to learn to make it move, so it is a bit slow. But we still had a great time!
©Exploramum and Explorason – California Adventure Park – Tire Ride
We have a snack at $10 and a drink at $13 at California Adventure Park but hey, it comes in a cone. How in the world am I going to get that back to Australia?
©Exploramum and Explorason – California Adventure Park – Cosy Cone
Amidst food and drink, we hear the voice of Mater. So we tear off for the photo line. Disney is great. The guys who take the professional pics are happy to use your camera.
©Exploramum and Explorason – California Adventure Park – Mater
My son is still scared from Disneyland yesterday (read about it in our blog). So we have to take a few tame rides. We head to BugsLand to boost his courage. We ride the Bugs and it is fun.
©Exploramum and Explorason – California Adventure Park – Bugs Life Cars
He has a stress attack over the Bug train at California Adventure Park. I am worried, but we talk him into it. We end up riding a very tame train 2X, but it is great. All the items in BugsLand are giant. As he is collecting pics for his Big Thinks Blog, we find a lot.
©Exploramum and Explorason – California Adventure Park – Bugs Life Train
Next, we go to ‘Up’ land at California Adventure Park. Here the kids have to get a map and work their way around. It is not a ride, so many parents dismiss it. But it is a favorite for us. You learn to find and do stuff. And you earn a ‘Senior Wilderness Explorer’ badge at the end.
©Exploramum and Explorason – California Adventure Park – orientation
It is time for our ride at Cars at California Adventure Park. This is the number one ride in all of Disney right now. There are a few dark bits where I have to hide my son. The end is a race and it is thrilling. We have one day yet to return to Disney, and it will be for this.
We head back to the Ramada for a swim and spa in the afternoon. A great way to rest our weary bodies. By late afternoon we are back to explore. My son refuses to go on many rides. Thanks to the ‘Disneyland fear of rides’. We wander around the park. Carsland is lit up, and is gorgeous!
©Exploramum and Explorason – California Adventure Park – Flo’s Café cat night
We hear that the DJ from Cars will soon do a street show. My son is ecstatic as he is invited to the show. Not once – but 4 times!
©Exploramum and Explorason – California Adventure Park – Flo’s Café – dancing in the streets
I am so tired and want to go home and I am not the kid here. I am the mother, and I am having a whinge about my weary aching legs! But it is nearly time for the light show.
©Exploramum and Explorason – California Adventure Park – World of Color
The ‘World Of Color’ light show is amazing. Please. If you go, make sure you stay for this. You can also get a Fast Pass. But ensure you stand in the dry areas.
Tip
Buy a City Pass – It gives you three days and also Universal Studios and SeaWorld.
©Exploramum and Explorason – California Adventure Park light show
We both LOVE the ending at California Adventure Park. My son says “it is the best day EVER!” It really has been a fabulous day!
©Exploramum and Explorason – California Adventure Park – Best day ever
Questions and Comments
- Have you ever visited the California Adventure Park with your kids?
- Did they find it fun?
- Would you recommed other parents to visit the park?
- Do share your comments with us below.
