Taking a vacation is the easy part; it’s all the preparation and research that goes into it that can be exhausting.
If you’re thinking about spending the day at Disney California Adventure, you should see our 1-Day Disney California Adventure Itinerary to see what you can expect. Everything is laid out for you.
Since we make a plan for you to follow without your involvement in the grunt work, this is a great option.
We have prepared a detailed travel plan for your whole day trip, including suggestions for rides, restaurants, and arrival times.
For a fun-filled day with the kids or a group of friends, check out this 1-day Disney California Adventure itinerary. This plan will help you make your day memorable.
- To maximize your day at the park, get there well before it opens; showing up late is not an option, but arriving early is.
- It’s best to have a general idea of what you want to see and which ride you want to do before the parks open, so you can make an informed decision about where to go once the park opens.
- Try mobile food ordering apps and eating at food stalls during the day to have convenient meals on the go. *This way, you can save a lot of time*
You won’t have to do the legwork because I will help you plan your day at Disney California Adventure. All you have to do is pack your bags and make your way to this incredible trip.
Plan a One-Day California Adventure
There are two Disney theme parks in California, each with unique offerings. The good news is that the parks are close enough to visit both in one trip, *though obviously on different days*.
However, I’m going to talk about your 1-day adventure at Disneyland in California and help you plan it right now.
Tickets and Genie+ for Disneyland California Adventure
Planning a trip to Disney World? Then grab your phone and get this Genie+ app installed to avoid the long lines.
Given how tiring and time-consuming the long queues at Disneyland must be, Disney Genie+ is your time-saving hero.
This service, known as Lightning Lane, grants visitors speeded-up entry to seven rides at California Adventure for $20 per person per day.
If you want to move quickly through the Individual Lightning Lane attractions, you’ll have to pay an extra $7 to $20 per attraction.
This app will help you to skip the long waiting queues at Disneyland.
By the way *this is a for-fee offering.*
Guests could use this service to check wait times at various locations and make reservations. Isn’t it amazing?
The Genie+ app can be considered an improved version of the FASTPASS Disney app.
Your group can reserve the next return window, and you’ll be able to skip the longer Standby Quese and go straight to the faster Lightning Lane. Yippee!!
Arrive Before the Park Opens
If the park opens at 8:00 am, you should arrive between 7:30 am and 7:15 am.
The good news for Disney hotel resort guests is that they can get Early Entry into the park before it opens, so they can visit the attractions and choose the rides they want to do.
Additionally, you can cut down on photo session time by doing it during off-peak park hours.
The early entry visitors will also have access to shops and restaurants.
Go for the Most Popular Rides First
As you’ve arrived early, you’ll be able to skip the long lines at the most popular attractions in the park. Take advantage of this fact by going straight for these rides as soon as they open.
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
- Indiana Jones Adventure.
- Space Mountain.
- Web Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure.
- Radiator Springs Racers.
1. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
Height Requirement: 40 inches
This medium thrill ride lasts between 15 and 20 minutes and is not overly terrifying. People also put this ride on their list of things to do as soon as possible.
There’s a lot of buzz about the new Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance ride, and there are two ways to get on it: the Standby line (the traditional way of waiting in long queues) and the Individual Lightning Lane (the modern paid technology of booking your spot on a ride without waiting on a queue).
Genie+ is not permitted on the Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance attraction, but a lightning lane is.
It’s the kind of ride you can’t put into words.
Visitors are answering the call to arms against the oppressive First Order by entering the attraction.
A transport shuttle will carry you into space, where you will quickly find yourself the target of a Star Destroyer and Kylo Ren, the evil Supreme Leader.
While participating in the attraction, you will look around badly for a way to escape the First Order’s grasp.
As for this ride, my words cannot do it justice; you will have to take it on your own to experience what I can’t explain!!
These five rides are my top picks because I did a lot of research to find out which ones tourists like the most.
Therefore, it is now or never for you to experience this ride without spending hours in line; getting early will benefit you in many ways.
2. Indiana Jones Adventure
Height Requirement: 46 inches
Most people believe this dark, suspenseful ride is a roller coaster, but it’s not, guys!
On top of that, it’s not your standard Haunted Mansion-style slow-paced ride. Indiana Jones Adventure is a thrill ride that makes you feel like you are driving dangerously over difficult ground. This journey is unlike anything you’ve ever experienced.
For this ride, you’ll need to cross an old bridge around bubbling lava and other obstacles.
There will be 11 other people with you on this high-speed adventure in a troop transport vehicle.
I can bet that this ride will have numerous jump scares, but you must remain seated and brace yourself for an exciting and terrifying experience. Wooohooo!
To top it all off, using Genie+ for this attraction will allow you to skip the line entirely.
3. Space Mountain
Height Requirement: 40 inches
Space Mountain is a covered-up roller coaster that has received numerous applause for its craft. This roller coaster’s exterior is made of steel, while the interior is where all the stunning details are located.
The stunningly realistic views of the solar system, the stars, galaxies, and movable planets are fascinating.
Yes, I understand you must be concerned with aesthetics because it is not visible from the outside.
This is why you must go on your own to enjoy the thrill of riding this incredible roller coaster and its aesthetics.
Since this is a popular ride, getting a chance to ride it easily isn’t easy. However, you don’t have to worry because Genie+ offers (skip the line) service for this ride.
4. Web Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure
Height Requirement: Any
For Marvel fans, this ride is a dream come true, and many visitors enjoy it so much that they go on it multiple times.
This ride is more of a workout for your arms.
Well, I know that many of you are probably wondering how a ride can be an exercise for your arms.
In Web Slingers, you have to use both arms to get a good score, so this is how you can work out your arms.
It’s a video game-style amusement ride so that you will get 3D glasses, much like Toy Story Midway Mania.
All the riders have to shoot at things to get points, so the ride is like a video game.
You must keep “shooting webs” to help Spider-Man deal with the mess made by the Spider bots that continually make copies of themselves so they don’t destroy Avengers Campus.
It is a fun ride that is jam-packed with action. Also, passing through Lightning Lane will save you hours and hours of waiting.
5. Radiator Springs Racers
Height Requirement: 40 inches or taller
This ride lasts 6 minutes, but in that time, you will get the thrill of your life.
You can take control of your racecar at Radiator Springs Racers and speed through the Cars Land rolling hills.
This ride is a must for any sports fan! Your family can all pile into the car and take in the breathtaking scenic views.
At the beginning of your journey, you will take a nice long drive across Ornament Valley, where you can experience Radiator Falls and cross paths with some of your favorite characters from Disney, including Mater, Lightning McQueen, Doc Hudson, Sally, Luigi, and Guido.
This friendly race includes secured spins, superspeedways, and hills with views.
For an extra fee, you can choose this attraction as an Individual Lightning Lane option.
Use Mobile Ordering To Save Time for Rides.
While waiting in line for a ride, or if you don’t have time to stop and eat, you can use the Disney Parks Mobile App to place an order for food to be delivered while you’re on the go.
This Is How It Works:
- Choose a convenient arrival time and restaurant for yourself.
- After that, decide what you want to eat.
- You can pay with a credit or debit card when everything checks out.
- Click the “I’m Here, Prepare My Order” button to prepare your food once you arrive at the cafe at the agreed time.
- If you’ve ordered through the app, you’ll get a “Mobile Order Pick Up” alert when your food is cooked.
Activities After Enjoying the Rides at Disney California Adventure
Well, you won’t be able to ride all the attractions available in the park, and you can’t miss out on more things just by staying on rides.
So once you’re done with the attractions, there are a few things that you can do to wrap up your one-day trip to Disney California Adventure.
1. Go To Meet Disney Characters in the Park
Now that you’ve discovered the park’s most popular attractions, you can kick back and take in Disney’s theme park’s sights, sounds, and smells without feeling any pressure to ride every ride.
You can now go and meet some of the most famous characters in Disney history and have your photograph with them.
You can run into some characters as you explore the park, while others have set appearance times that you can check in advance using the Disneyland app.
This way, you’ll know exactly when and where to find your favorite characters.
2. Food on the Run
Less time to enjoy it all? Also, you need to eat so you don’t get too hungry and pass out from lack of energy.
Then you can save time by purchasing food from food carts, where you will find a wide variety of delectable options such as turkey leg, corn dogs, meat skewers, and chili con queso.
You can walk around the park with a turkey leg in one hand, and no one will notice because everyone will have one in their hand too.
You can enjoy the food while moving around, which frees you from the need to sit down and waste any time dining.
3. Experience the Disney Shows
Your priority should always be a famous attraction, and once you’ve had some fun doing other things, it’s time to check out some shows.
Give your feet a break from all those exhilarating rides and spend your half-day enjoying sit-down shows like Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room, Turtle Talk with Crush, the Disneyland Railroad, or Mickey’s PhilharMagic.
4. Dinner With a Beautiful View To End the Day
Without the perfect dinner reservation with a view, how can any outing be complete?
Disney is aware of its guests’ needs and has provided a few dining packages so that people can enjoy their meals without getting bored because they guarantee to keep them entertained while they eat.
- Fantasmic! Dining Package – Blue Bayou Restaurant or River Belle Terrace.
- For the Disneyland parade, the Plaza Inn has a dining package.
- Dining Package for the World of Colors at Carthay Circle, Wine Country Trattoria, or Storytellers Café.
Final Words
Want to make the most of your one day at Disneyland, California? Follow our detailed itinerary, and you will have a fantastic time without rushing from one attraction to the next.
Compared to the rides at the main Disney park, which are suitable for guests of all ages, the Disneyland California adventure is a clear favorite among adults because it offers more adventure.
Do you believe that it has nothing to offer to children?
Then you would be wrong, as there are plenty of rides that children can enjoy, such as The Little Mermaid – Ariel’s Undersea Adventure, Monsters, Inc. Mike and Sulley to the Rescue, Pixar Pal-A-Round, and many others.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is California Adventure Worth a Whole Day?
Yes! California Adventure is worth a full day. You can enjoy the popular attractions with the longest lines because they are famous for a reason, but if you have a schedule and all the necessary apps, you can avoid them and visit as many attractions as you’d like in a single day.
Can You Do Disney California Adventure in One Day?
If you want to make the most of your day at Disneyland California Adventure, you need a plan, and mine is what I suggest if you want to see everything the park offers.
