Disneyland will always have the distinction of being the only Disney theme park that Walt Disney ever roamed. We could make a case that Walt walked the grounds of Walt Disney World, but the resort wasn’t developed until years after he had passed. Disneyland is infused with the spirit of Walt himself. Echoes of Walt can be found in the atmosphere, the attractions, and most of all the attention to detail.
With Walt’s park closing in on seventy years as the Happiest Place on Earth, I decided to have a bit of fun picking out my favorite attractions in Disneyland. Take a look at my top picks, many of which I consider must-dos for your first trip (or every trip).
Note: I intentionally left several of my favorite attractions off this list, to celebrate them separately as the best most overlooked attractions in Disneyland.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad takes guests on a runaway train ride through the southwestern mining town of Rainbow Ridge. The “wildest ride in the wilderness” reaches speeds up to 30 mph, but the sharp curves in and out of the terracotta formations, and through the remains of the ramshackle mining town make it feel a whole lot faster. Big Thunder is a family-friendly coaster, and most kids can handle it fairly readily. But it offers plenty of thrills to keep the more adventurous guests satisfied, such as a spooky fog-fueled explosion inside the final lift hill. Are you a repeat visitor to Big Thunder? Try the “goat trick” when you get to the hill with the dynamite-eating goat at the top. Keep your eyes on the goat by turning your head as you go down the hill and around the next curve. It will make your wild ride even wilder!
Fun Fact: The attraction’s fictional town of Rainbow Ridge and the colorful caverns at the beginning of the ride are homages to the area’s previous attraction – Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland – a leisurely train ride which wound through much of Frontierland from 1956 to 1977.
Space Mountain
Which came first – the Space Mountain at Disneyland or the one at Magic Kingdom? Space Mountain is one of those rare “classic” attractions that actually opened in Walt Disney World before Disneyland (about two years before). Disneyland’s Space Mountain is not for the faint of heart, zipping guests on a journey into space at speeds reaching over 30 MPH (and it feels even faster in the dark). But what it lacks in speed it makes up for with a seemingly endless string of twists and turns – almost all in complete darkness. The rocket ship vehicles each seat up to six guests, in three rows of two. This is a welcome difference from Magic Kingdom’s version, which forces guests into narrower, single-file type of seating (not a good thing when you are unable to comfort your 7-year-old scared daughter, seated in front of you and largely out of reach – not that I would know anything about that…).
The other major difference between the Disneyland and Magic Kingdom versions of Space Mountain is that Disneyland’s version is located completely within the footprint of Tomorrowland, whereas Magic Kingdom’s mountain is located outside the “berm.” This make’s Disneyland’s version just that much more immersive.
Every now and then, Disneyland themes this attraction to Star Wars, temporarily taking the name “Hyperspace Mountain.” So if you want a slightly different ride experience, time your visit accordingly!
Pirates of the Caribbean
A true Disneyland masterpiece, Pirates of the Caribbean takes guests on a cruise through the fabled waters of the Tropical Americas. I’ve made no bones about my assertion that Pirates is my favorite Disney dark ride. While I love the Magic Kingdom version, the Disneyland version has always been next-level. The classic float-through attraction has Walt Disney’s fingerprints all over it, from the original audio animatronics to the immersive dining area. This was the last attraction Walt personally oversaw, though unfortunately he didn’t live long enough to see it open to guests.
The attraction starts out slow and steady, winding through the bayou out of Disneyland’s New Orleans Square. After dipping down a couple surprisingly scary dark tunnels, the world of pirates opens up in grand fashion. A series of classic pirate scenes combine large scale battles and pillaging scenes with smaller, more intimate moments (who doesn’t love the dog holding the prison keys?).
This quintessential dark ride has received some updates over the years, with the most notable being the addition of Captain Jack Sparrow – the rum-swilling happy-go-lucky buccaneer from Disney’s monster film franchise. The more recent addition of Redd the female pirate has given the pirate lineup a more modern feel as well.
Hungry? Grab a bite at Blue Bayou Restaurant while visiting New Orleans Square. This table service restaurant seats guests in the dimly lit bayou, watching the pirate “bateaux” (boats) float by through the fireflies. Pro tip: try the Monte Cristo sandwich!
Haunted Mansion
While in New Orleans Square, don’t forget to visit Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion – perhaps the most iconic attraction in all of the Disney Parks. Guests are “dying” to get in there, boarding “Doom Buggies” to experience an unearthly blend of humor and horror that only a Disney haunted house can offer. This attraction is classic Disney storytelling and Imagineering at their best, as many Disney Legends contributed story ideas and mechanical savviness to its creation.
The famous “stretching room” lowers guests into the bowels of the Mansion, beginning a journey through the house, all the way up to the haunted attic, before landing back down to earth – in a spooky graveyard. Fun Fact: Check out the piano playing in the ballroom scene – you may recognize it from Disney’s 1954 film 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
If you’re feeling in a festive mood, visit the Haunted Mansion during the holidays. The classic attraction takes on a whole new vibe in the annual Haunted Mansion Holiday makeover, inviting the cast from Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas to make themselves at home.
Indiana Jones Adventure
Adventureland is home to the legendary archaeologist Indiana Jones. Follow the footsteps of Doctor Jones, into the crumbling Temple of the Forbidden Eye. The spirit of the powerful deity Mara fills the space of this eerie and perilous temple, which has as many treacherous booby traps as it does beautiful works of art.
This more modern dark ride stands up admirably to its “vintage” counterparts (Pirates and Haunted Mansion) in New Orleans Square. While the attraction is defined as a dark ride, make no mistake that the Indiana Jones Adventure is just as much thrill ride, if not more so.
Instead of a slowly creeping pirate bateau or a Doom Buggy, guests board a rugged troop transport to enter the Chamber of Destiny. The transport darts throughout the temple while navigating the perils of screaming mummies, swarms of insects, collapsing bridges, and even that iconic massive rolling boulder.
Look for a version of Indiana Jones Adventure to make its mark on Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Orlando sometime in the future. In September 2023, Disney announced at the Destination D23 Expo that an Indiana Jones attraction is being considered to replace DINOSAUR at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Pro Tip: Take a close look at the trees around the entrance to Indiana Jones Adventure. At the base of one of the trees, in the roots by the trunk, you might just see the cozy abode of Patrick Begorra – the “Little Man of Disneyland.”
The World Famous Jungle Cruise
If you escaped the Temple of the Forbidden Eye, take a load off while enjoying a cruise along several exotic rivers of the world. In Disneyland’s Jungle Cruise, guests meet playful elephants, angry lions, and mischievous monkeys while winding through this time-stamped jungle in the early 1900s. The audio-animatronic jungle animals are among the earliest created for Disney attractions. But the draw for this attraction is the humor. A few years after the attraction opened, Disney Legend Marc Davis gave the storyline a much needed injection of comedy, allowing the Jungle Cruise skippers to become the real stars of the show. The skippers offer a non-stop barrage of corny one-liners and initially terrible puns that keep guests chuckling (especially the adults).
Here are a couple of personal favorite Jungle Cruise Skipper jokes:
“I love my job as a skipper. In fact, my parents are so proud…of…my brother….”
“Everyone watch out for Ginger. Ginger snaps. That’s right, she’s one tough cookie. I know, I know…it’s a crumby joke, but I milk it for all I can!
“it’s a small world”
If I have to pick one Disneyland attraction which is imbued with Walt Disney’s spirit of youth and positivity, it has to be “it’s a small world.” Way back in 1964, Walt Disney and his talented team of storytellers, artists, designers, and Imagineers brought visitors from all walks of life on “a little boat ride” around the world. Walt Disney’s “prayer for peace” is 100% inspired brilliance – an attraction so exquisitely simple that it has stood the test of time and can now be seen around the globe.
And what would “it’s a small world” be without that unmistakable earworm (you know how it goes…). If you’re going to have a Disney tune stuck in your head all day, it may as well be a Sherman Brothers ditty full of inspiration and cheer.
“The happiest cruise that ever sailed” takes on a holiday flair at Christmastime, featuring the annual “it’s a small world holiday” overlay. Inside the attraction, the children of the world sing a combined mashup version of “Jingle Bells” and “it’s a small world.” Outside, Disneyland adds about a million Christmas lights to the iconic façade.
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
Tucked in the corner of Disneyland next to Frontierland and Critter Country is Black Spire Outpost – also known at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Here, guests can join the Resistance in the war against the dreaded First Order! In Disney’s most technologically advanced ride experience to date, members of the Resistance base are forced to flee from an oncoming First Order invasion. However, the escape pod gets intercepted by a First Order Star Destroyer. Through a series of encounters with First Order Stormtroopers, vehicles, and Supreme Leader Kylo Ren, the guests are finally rescued and transported to a safe haven.
This attraction is a perfect combination of dark ride elements and story immersion, with a little bit of thrill thrown in (I won’t tell you exactly where – you need to experience it for yourself). The way the experience unfolds – guests don’t even realize they are moving through a pre-show and loading queue – it’s that immersive.
Due to this attraction’s immense popularity, you may need to put up some “credits” (Star Wars-speak for money) to pay for Lightning Lane Single Pass (formerly Individual Lightning Lane) access to insure yourself a spot in this top-level ride experience. But you can also choose to wait in line, as Disneyland is no longer using the virtual queue system for this breathtaking attraction.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure (Coming Soon!)
Image: Disney
Critter Country’s Splash Mountain was a fan favorite flume ride, operating from 1989 through 2023. The story followed the journey of the restless (and reckless) Br’er Rabbit as he gets into trouble with Br’er Fox and Br’er Bear. But in May 2023, guests took their last dive into the briar patch as Disney began plans to retheme the popular attraction to The Princess and the Frog.
Opening in late 2024, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will take guests on a flume log tour of the Louisiana bayou. As Princess Tiana plans to throw a giant party at the home of her recently established food co-op Tiana’s Foods, she discovers she is missing music – a key ingredient in every New Orleans-area celebration. Guests will join Tiana on a trip through the bayou in search of some musically-inclined critters to help fill the melodious void.
Walt Disney World’s version of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opened in June 2028, and guest reports are praising the new version’s outstanding animatronics and creative Imagineering.
There is one thing you can still count on – getting wet!
Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway
The ultimate tribute to Walt Disney may be this attraction starring his single most famous creation – Mickey Mouse. Believe it or not, there has never been an attraction in the Disney Parks fully dedicated to a Mickey Mouse story, until this attraction opened in both Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
Guests of this dark ride board a train for a ride around Runnamuck Park as friends of Mickey and Minnie. Goofy is the conductor, and as you might expect, things don’t exactly go smoothly. Goofy accidentally hits a switch that breaks up the train cars. Guests enjoy a chaotic journey aboard the runaway train that travels through a carnival, twister, waterfall, big city, and factory with the trackless train cars splitting apart and reconnecting along the way. This is a joy ride not to be missed.
The attraction resides inside the El CapiTOON Theater, tucked into the charming land known as Mickey’s Toontown. The area features a recently refurbished interactive neighborhood filled with things to play with and explore, as well as three other attractions. Mickey’s Toontown is perfect for young families!
Peter Pan’s Flight
“You can fly! You can fly! You can fly!”
Peter Pan’s Flight is classic Disneyland dark ride fare at its best. Guests board a small ship and sail the sky out over London and on to Neverland. Party with the lost boys and sing with the natives, but watch out for Captain Hook (the world’s most famous crook). Since it first opened in 1955, Peter Pan still excels among all Disney fans – including the young and the young-at-heart.
Fun Fact: when you look down at the streets of London from your ship, notice the tiny cars moving along the streets. They are actually fluorescent painted dots affixed to scrolling bicycle chains – one of the brilliant tricks of the early Imagineers!
Honorable Mention – Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride
J. Thaddeus Toad will always have a special place in the hearts of Disney Parks nostalgia fans. Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride – one of Fantasyland original dark ride attractions – has stood the test of time in the park that Walt built. Those who still mourn the closing of Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride in Magic Kingdom visit the original Disneyland version as a sort of pilgrimage to their wacky old friend.
Guests of Disneyland’s opening day attraction enter the experience through the front door of Toad Hall – Mr. Toad’s lavish estate. Once inside Toad Hall, guests board a 1900s-era roadster. The ride starts off with a bang – crashing through the wall of Toad’s mansion, through the British countryside, passing quaint rural villages, eventually ending up in London. While in London, guests find themselves making a narrow escape from a warehouse, outlasting a chase by the police and enduring a near miss (or was it?) with a train. The final scene of the attraction lands guests in hell. Literally. How’s that for a Fantasyland ride?
This attraction is certainly dated by today’s modern theme park standards, but it still shines brightly in its own eccentric way.
Chiropractor’s Pick – Matterhorn Bobsleds
The first rollercoaster to ever open in a Disney park is Matterhorn Bobsleds. The alpine-inspired coaster opened alongside the Disneyland Monorail and Submarine Voyage as part of the park’s 1959 Tomorrowland Expansion. The larger-than-life artificial mountain was a dream of Walt Disney, brought to life by Disney Legend Bob Gurr, complete with holes carved into each side to allow passage of the now-extinct Disneyland Skyway!
While the coaster may be thrilling to riders and adored by nostalgic Disney fans, it is anything but gentle. The tubular steel coaster whips guests up and down and side-to-side, sending many off the attraction with a headache or a cricked neck. Because of this physical component, Matterhorn Bobsleds remains divisive to fans – some love it and many can’t stand it. Personally, I love it for the history and nostalgia, though my body hates me whenever I ride it!
There you have it – my favorite attractions at Disneyland. I’m sure several of my inclusions and omissions will not agree with everyone. But if you didn’t find one of your favorites on this list, you may spot it on my list of the best most overlooked attractions in Disneyland.
Have you visited Disneyland? How do my picks stack up to yours? Reach out with a message on social to let me know what you think: Instagram Facebook X
If you’d like to check out my favorite attractions in all four Walt Disney World theme parks, see my favorite attraction lists for Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Are you interested in visiting Disneyland and experiencing all these attractions for yourself? Reach out to Facts and Figment Vacation Planning to get the ball rolling. Our travel planning services are absolutely FREE to you, and I can help you score the best, hardest-to-get deals to make your vacation more affordable and magical!
