Anaheim

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California Adventure Disneyland

A travel journal to Anaheim by joantri

California AdventureMore Photos

Anaheim has cleaned up! It really looks like Disneyworld. Disneyland has opened two new areas of the park similar to Disneyworld. Downtown Disney will be the adult night life scene with restaurants and music and California Adventureland is a park with a focus on California's agriculture, history, and landscape.

  • 10 reviews
  • 2 stories/tips
  • 1 photo

California Adventure DisneylandBest of IgoUgo

Overview

California Adventure
Disneyland, Downtown Disney, and California Adventureland. Downtown Disney and California Adventureland are the adult or teenager parks. They do not offer many dining or rides that are suitable towards the under 8 crowd. California Adventureland has the roller coaster, free fall drop, wine tasting, great imax film on California, and dining experiences that adults will really enjoy. The only issue is that the rides are still working out the "bugs". Disney did not create most of these rides and bought them "out of the box" which means (so far) they are breaking down a lot. Also, the park is just as expensive as Disneyland, so you should consider this if you have small children. We heard that they are still expanding California Adventureland and they may do a combo price package in the future for admission to both parks.

Quick Tips:

Stay outside the park like Newport Beach or Huntington Beach to get the best of both worlds. If you are going to stay in the park, stay at Grand Californian, but beware some rooms are right above the Downtown Disney shops. Anaheim is a big convention town, so if there is one you will want to avoid, it's the Hilton.

Best Way To Get Around:

Car is best for all of southern California.

Disneys Grand CalifornianBest of IgoUgo

Hotel | "The Grand Californian"

If you really want to stay in the park, you can stay at the new Grand Californian or the Paradise Pier Hotel. The Paradise Pier is adjacent to the Downtown Disney, so if you are with a group of adults or older children, this may be a benefit. There is a pool for the summer months and a fitness facility. The rooms are similar to Grand Floridian with Disney motifs and does not provide any special ambiance with the exception of the close proximity to the parks. My preference is to stay in Newport Beach or Huntington Beach, so you can enjoy the best of both worlds without paying the Disney price. You should look at specials and if you want an economic way of staying in the Disneyland resort, you can stay at the Disneyland hotel. The Disneyland hotel is experiencing renovations and is very old, so be prepared.
  • Member Rating 2 out of 5 by joantri on January 13, 2001

Disneys Grand Californian
1600 S DISNEYLAND DR Anaheim, California 92803
714-635-2300

Sheraton AnaheimBest of IgoUgo

Hotel

Even though the Sheraton is on the edge of the park, it offers shuttle to the park and is a very easy drive to the park. (about 1 minute) The Sheraton is newly renovated with a castle theme on the outside. The rooms are spacious and clean. Be careful not to get a room that faces the freeway, but on the other hand, you can get a room facing the park that you will have great views of the fireworks show at 9pm. So, if you are thinking of going to bed before 9pm, Anaheim booms with the pops and bangs of the firework show. The hotel has a restaurant, bar, and fitness room. It is right off the 5 fwy too, so if you are planning a trip to travel via the 5 fwy to Los Angeles or further, this could be convenient.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by joantri on February 12, 2001

Sheraton Anaheim
1015 W Ball Road Anaheim, California
(714) 778-1700

ESPN ZoneBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

If you enjoy watching any sports event on giant screen tvs or even in the bathroom stalls, then you will enjoy eating at the ESPN zone. The ESPN zone has decent food with a basic menu and you will not miss a minute of the game. They also have a second floor with video games of the modern kind and rock climbing, hockey playing, car simulation rides. The place seems like it can be noisy with the games and the "games". Fun atmosphere for eating if this is your style. If you are visiting on the weekend, go early (before 6pm) or you will wait for more than an hour for a table.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by joantri on January 13, 2001

ESPN Zone
1500 south Disneyland Drive Anaheim, California 92802
(714) 300-3776

La Brea Bakery RestaurantBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

If you have ever tasted La Brea breads in California, then you will love the La Brea Bakery Restaurant. You can go for dessert or sandwiches in a casual environment. It is located at the far end of Downtown Disney past the big Disney store, so you may think that it is too far to walk. The breads are crusty on the outside and soft on the inside and cookies are buttery and flavorful. You can grab a roll or have a cookie and you will enjoy it especially if you are a bread lover. This is not a fine dining experience and is brightly lit as if it is more of a cafe environment. Also, if the weather is bad, there are not many seats indoors.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by joantri on January 13, 2001

La Brea Bakery Restaurant
1556 Disneyland Drive Anaheim, CA 92802
(714) 490-0233

Naples Ristorante and PizzeriaBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

If you like true Italian pizza with the thin crust and homemade sauce, you will love Naples. The chef is Italian and has specialities of the Naples area focusing on seafood and pasta, but the pizza combinations are just as tasty. The restaurant is small, but has an outdoor cafe sitting area. The atmosphere is more of a bistro environment with an adult feel. Their kitchen is open, so you can see the preparations while you dine and the staff is friendly. A trick to the restaurant is you should call and make reservations, this way you get "upgraded" to the spacious booth candle lit atmosphere of upstairs. Otherwise, the tables are turned fast and cramped together. This seemed to be the only "kids friendly" restaurant with the exception of Rainforest Cafe which had a 2 hour wait. Also, if you come after 6pm, you will wait for more than an hour UNLESS you have called before for a reservation.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by joantri on January 13, 2001

Naples Ristorante and Pizzeria
1313 South Harbor Boulevard Anaheim, California
(714) 781-3463

Ralph Brennan's Jazz KitchenBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

The Jazz Kitchen is an adult dining experience with cajun food and jazz music. Try the bbq shrimp! There are choices like gumbo and other New Orleans type specialties with varying degrees of spice. If you want a fun atmosphere (complete with Hurricanes) and some cajun food, you will like the Jazz Kitchen. During the weekend, the place is crazy and the wait is long, so come before 7pm, so you can enjoy the music and enjoy your dinner before 9pm.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by joantri on January 13, 2001

Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen
1580 South Disneyland Drive Anaheim, California 92802
714/300-7800

Y Arriba Y ArribaBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

Y Arriba has a tapas menu with all different types of tastes of foods from all over Latin America. They also have a show with a band that has flamenco, salsa and other dancing shows. This place comes alive after 10pm and there is a long line to get in. This is not the type of place to enjoy with a significant other, although you could. It is more of a group type of place.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by joantri on February 12, 2001

Y Arriba Y Arriba
1510 South Disneyland Drive Anaheim, California 92802
(714) 533-8272

The Vineyard RoomBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

Reservations are only accepted in person, so if wine tasting is something you enjoy the Mondavi Vineyard Room is your place. They offer a fixed menu with wines that compliment the food for each coarse. There is also wine tasting with some snacks on the outdoor patio of the Golden Vine Winery. This is definitely a dining experience and not a quick meal and go to the next ride.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by joantri on May 5, 2001

The Vineyard Room
1313 South Harbor Boulevard Anaheim, California 92802
(714) 781-3463

Avalon CoveBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

The Avalon Cove is a Wolfgang Puck restaurant and features many different seafood entrees and salads. The portions are large and you could split an entree unless you are starving. The atmosphere is very nice and over the water. All the dishes we enjoyed and were very tasty, but this was pricey. There are many casual restaurants without a sit down dining experience, but if you want to splurge then you should try Avalon Cove.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by joantri on May 5, 2001

Avalon Cove
California Adventureland Anaheim, California

Downtown DisneylandBest of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

Just a note that if you are visiting the Southern California area and do not want to drive to Universal City Walk, try Downtown Disneyland. There is no fee for entrance to this area of Disneyland and there are many restaurants to choose from besides the restaurants that I have listed like the Rainforest Cafe and House of Blues. Downtown Disneyland is brand new and the staff is excited about it! There are also some fun shops like the Lego shop, Hoypoyloi (a gallery with neat one of kind jewelry, paintings), and Mainspring watch store.

Also, there is a giant Disney store(one of the biggest that I have seen). The Downtown Disneyland has self parking and valet parking.

Downtown Disneyland provides the same feel as Universal City Walk with a lot of newness and a lot of security, so it is not a kids hangout. There is also an AMC movie theater.

The entire atmosphere of Anaheim has changed drastically since the last time I visited. It has turned into a Disneyworld with the nice landscape and architecture within a many mile radius of the park.

California AdventurelandBest of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

California Adventureland is divided into different regions that represent areas of California. The Grizzlyland has a river raft ride that you get very very very wet and a hiking type of adventure that you walk around a "Redwood" forest. The Farmland has a Bug's Life in 3D which can be frightening for small children, but is very cute. This is the same one that is in Animal Kingdom in Disneyworld.

The Pacific Wharf offers some good eating choices like the Tortilla factory and Boudin bakery (home of the sourdough bread). Condor area (sorry if I do not have the names exactly) has a hang gliding ride that I did not go on for the fear of heights.

The Golden Vine area is my favorite with a Robert Mondavi wine center for wine tastings. Paradise pier has most of the rides with the roller coaster and the Maliboomer which is a free fall ride. The last area is the Hollywood area that has films in 3D and a Disney historical film.

All in all California Adventureland is an adventure for the teenager or adult and not focused on children. Also, go early as the park does not hold that many people. If you want to have some free snacks, be sure to try the Mission Tortilla Factory for a tour and a warm tortilla and Boudin Baker for some sourdough bread.

About the Writer

joantri
joantri
seal beach, California

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