This is one of the most beautiful parts of the park. Regardless of what time of the day you are there you are guaranteed a great picture. This area of the park is reminiscent of the Santa Monica pier. Complete with a rollercoaster, board walk games, and a bay. By far my favorite ride in the park is California Screamin’. Get a fastpass or two early in the day because they run out quick for this ride. The ride starts out sitting on Paradise Bay when the count down begins. Then you blast off across the bay to the sound of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. This is by far the best rollercoaster in Disneyland. The drops are extreme and the loop (which is shaped like Mickey’s ears) is amazing. They do take seating requests before the park closes. I rode it three times and each time I had great seating. My first two times were in the last car, seats 11 and 12. The back is great because it is always faster. The last time I rode it I was in the first row. This was the scariest place to sit with the most amazing views ever. Around the last turn of the ride pictures are taken before the ride ends.

Most of the other rides in this area are for kids. The Golden Zephyr is a slow ride much like the swings, but you sit in a car and swing out over the bay. The Orange Stinger is fun if you like swing rides. Sit on the outside of the rows to get a better ride. The Mailboomer isn’t worth the line. In the morning expect less then five minutes (at park opening), but if you are claustrophobic don’t bother. The seat you are in has a plexus glass covering that goes over your head and is enough to spark a panic attack.

The sun wheel is amazing. It isn’t your normal ferries wheel. The gondolas are on oval shaped tracks that swing back and forth on the rays of the sun taking the Ferris wheel experience to the next level. Don’t worry there are stationary gondolas on the ride. This is a better option for smaller children. The whole theme of the pier is similar to that of the carnival. There are games to play on the boardwalk, a ferries wheel, and a merry-go-round. However there is some rumors that that the games are slated for removal to add more rides. Already they are building they are building a new Toy Story themed ride under California Screamin'. Most of this area is rather disappointing. Not much excitement or things to do in this area if you are over 7.

Living in Hollywood’s backward I wasn’t impressed with the Hollywood Backlot. It came across as a second rate version of Universal Studios or MGM Studios and didn't impress me as much as the real Hollywood. They had a less than grand version of the entrance into the Kodak Theater and the streets were named after famous Hollywood Avenues such as Wilshire and Hollywood and Highland. The Monster, Inc. Ride (Mike & Sulley to the Rescue) was another let down. This is a slow moving dark ride through Monstropolis. The outside is an attractive array of doors, but the second you enter the queue, it's nothing more then a rails to separate the line and a few posters. Once inside you board a Taxi that has individual TVs that brings you news of a child that is somewhere in the city. The ride follows with scenes from the movie. Although I like Disney's dark rides, the reason I disliked the ride was because many things were out of sequence.

The Tower of Terror is the other e-ticket attraction in the park and my friend dragged me kicking and screaming (I hate drops). We grabbed the fastpass and before we knew it we were being pushed past the crowd and into the boiler room to meet our fate. This is another ride that is duplicated from its sister park, MGM. I much prefer the outside of the building of the Tower in DCA, however, the interior isn’t as elaborate as the Florida version; however, the drop is the same wherever. The lobby looks like an abandoned hotel complete with dust and cobwebs. On a side note I was told that the queue area is full of references to classic Twlight Zone episodes.

 

You are ushered into a library were you learn the "history" of the ill-fated guests when they vanished one night. The room goes dark and lightening starts flash. A TV flickers on and the Twligh Zone theme playing. The story is of five guests who checked into the hotel only to disappear after the tower was hit by lightening. From there you are taken into the boiler room and to a freight elevator where you can test your fate. I’ll ruin the surprise and tell you that your experience is the same as the ill-fated guests. Nothing you do will stop you from being dropped.

The elevator has four rows to sit in (the front gives the best view of the park). The elevator slowly rises and the ghost-like images of the vanished quests disappear. Shortly the elevator doors open only to reveal that a view of the park. This is also a photo opt. Once the camera flashes you drop, but they don't leave you there. The elevator goes up again and you drop another few flights. I've heard that if you lift your feet off the ground and put your hands in the air it feels like there is no gravity. I haven't tried this because I'm usually trying to escape.

Tomorrowland is always one of the most exciting places in the park usually making in it one of the most crowded places in the park. My favorite, new ride in the park is Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters’. The Evil Zurg is attacking the universe and you, as his new recruit, must help. You board a Space Cruiser and begin to blast away at Zurg and his army. In each of the cars there is a laser that you use. Point it at the battery packs and shoot. For each pack that you shoot you rack up more points. The joystick in the car allows you to move the car in any direction that you want so that you can aim better. At the end check your score, which is on the dashboard of the car. It will also tell you which level you are at. As you round the corner on the right side on the wall is a list. Match your level up to the ones on the wall and it will tell you where you rank. You can get a fastpass for this ride.

Another ride in Tomorrowland that has a fastpass is Space Mountain. Get it early because they run out really fast. Space Mountain has had a make over and became Rockin’ Space Mountain. The queue area is great. They have giant screens everywhere that keep you entertained and from the fastpass line you can even watch people broad the ride and take off. The ride itself is amazing. You are sitting on subwoofers that blast The Red Hot Chili Peppers as you blast though the twists and turns of this indoor rollercoaster. A few years ago they renovated the ride and added new lighting and meteors to make it feel like you are really in Space. In my opinion this ride is much better then its counterpart in Florida.

New Orleans Square is one of the most beautiful areas in the park and houses some of the best and expensive restaurants in the park. There are a lot of nook and crannies to explore here making a place that you want to see in the light. I made the mistake of trying to do the rides there at night and couldn’t find anything. The Haunted Mansion is home to 999 spokes with room for one more. Once you enter this mansion you are taken into the foyer, which magically stretches reveling what happened to the people in the painting on the walls. From there you are taken to a car, which moves you through the house. Although a little corny, it’s a must see on every visit. From hitchhiking ghosts to zombies popping poorly hidden zombies that pop out from behind the tombstones there is always something to see.

My favorite part of the ride is the cast members who work here. They really act the part saying everything from "please fill in the dead space" to "step on the blood red carpet". This isn’t a ride for small children. I remember going on it when I was 4 and was never so scared in my life. Pirates of the Caribbean is another great ride in the park. Recently Captain Jack Sparrow was included into the ride. When you get on a slow moving boat ride that takes you past guests who are dining at the Blue Bayou. From there you head into the depths of a cave, past various pirate treasures and finally into a town over run by pirates. This is one of the longer rides in the park. I believe the whole ride takes about 15 minutes. This ride can be a bit hard to find and very easy to pass. It is located near Tarzan’s Tree house. Look for the walkway passing by the Royal Street Veranda. The entrance to the ride is under the walkway.

What a fun and colorful place this is. Even if you aren’t at the park with kids I suggest that you stop by and see this place, look at the different signs for at good laugh. One of the great things about this place is that you can meet many of the characters here such as Mickey. Also many things in Toon Town can be poked, prodded, and make sounds. There is a set of dumb bells that are smashed into the ground that people can pretend to try and lift and wiggly bars that you can escape thought. This place is nothing but fun.

Toon Town closes before the rest of the park so make sure that you get there early and check the times that the posted in the Entertainment Times Guide that you can get at the park entrance. Chip ‘n Dales Treehouse is a cute tree house with a spiral staircase inside so that you can go to the balcony on the second floor. Donald’s Boat is another great place to walk though; however my favorite was Mickey and Minnie’s houses. Minnie’s House is decorated in pink with a large vanity, a bed, and living room in which you can sit. There is even a computer where you can check her e-mail from her friends.

Mickey’s house is right next door. You enter into his living room complete with couch, fireplace, and desk. Everything in these two houses is a great photo opt regardless of how old you are. If you had out the back though and into the barn you can visit Mickey. This line is long and takes a really long time to though. Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin is another ride that you can get a fastpass for, although the line isn’t really that long. This is a crazy ride aboard a Toon taxi following Rodger though Toon Town as he is being chased by the Weasels. The fun part about this is that the wheel in the car can be used to turn the car as you pass though the China shop and Gag Warehouse.