California Adventure is not a cheap trip, even with all the available deals and offers. Unfortunately, for many people, two days is just too expensive. Fear not, though — despite there being a ton of things to see and do, if you plan your Disneyland itinerary carefully there is hope! Can You Do Disneyland California Adventure in 1 day? Absolutely!
So, How can you do Disneyland California Adventure in 1 day?
Book your Disneyland and California Adventure tickets in advance.
Don’t wait until you get to the park to buy your tickets; it becomes just an extra thing to do on the day. By booking tickets ahead of time, you have it under your belt and don’t have to worry about it, allowing you to maximize your time at the park. And of course now you need theme park reservations to get in — and you can’t make those until you’ve bought your ticket. If you want to park hop and scoot across to Disneyland and spend time at California Adventure, make sure you book a Park Hopper ticket. The Park Hopper pass will let you get into both parks, Disneyland and California Adventure.
Make sure you get to Disney California Adventure early.
Arrive at Disney California Adventure park at least one hour earlier than you want to be inside — even before the park opens. It takes some time to get to the Disney parks from the parking lot because you have to go through security checkpoints and take the tram. After arriving at the parks, you will be required to wait in line in order to gain admission. The rope drop usually happens a few minutes before the park opens to the public. Make it a point to be there for this so that you can be one of the very first to enter the park when the park opens. If you want to do Disneyland California Adventure in one day, you must be there early.
Decide beforehand what rides you want to go on.
You must do your homework on all the California Adventure rides you want to experience if you only have one day to spend at the theme parks. There is not enough time to aimlessly walk around Disney parks while thinking about what activities to participate in next. If you are not traveling with children, you have the freedom to forgo all of the child attractions and head straight for all the rides that give you a rush of excitement. And if you’re willing to split up, the single rider line is a lot faster.
Also, consider whether you want to watch any parades or live entertainment while you are there. Make sure you schedule your trip so that you can take in at least one parade or show in one of the parks while you are there. You can get a head start on your day by checking the app to see what activities are planned for the day ahead of time and put them on your California Adventure itinerary. This information is also printed on the paper maps that are distributed at the entrance booths.
Some of the busiest rides and popular attractions at Disney California Adventure Park are:
- Incredicoaster (formerly California Screamin’)
- Radiator Springs Racers
- Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!
- Soarin’ Around the World
- Toy Story Mania!
- World of Color
- Goofy’s Sky School
- Grizzly River Run
- Pixar Pal-Around (formerly Mickey’s Fun Wheel / Sun Wheel)
Keep in mind if your group is willing to split up, single rider lines are always faster.
Popular rides and attractions with the shortest wait times:
- The Little Mermaid – Ariel’s Undersea Adventure
- Redwood Creek Challenge Trail
- Silly Symphony Swings
- Games of Pixar Pier
- Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree
Download the Disneyland app
Although you should be aware that every theme park will advise you to download their app, doing so for a day spent at Disneyland is well worthwhile. Plus, it is totally free, so there is nothing to lose! After downloading the Disneyland app, you must ensure that your account is prepared in advance. Then, you can purchase your park tickets on your mobile device or use the app when you visit Disneyland. Lightning lanes are offered through Genie+ in the Disneyland resort app.
We hope this helps answer the question, “How can you do Disneyland California Adventure in 1 day?”
