USA: Disney California Adventure! (US16 - Part 4)

Los Angeles 2016

Disney California Adventure (DCA) is another Disney park located just next to Disneyland in California and it features more thrill and awesome rides. A visit to DCA also means that you'll be visiting Cars Land (a land based on Disney movie, Cars). It's the best theme land I've ever seen in my entire life.

Radiator Springs Racers

We started the day pretty much early like the day before, and Cars Land was the first place we went to. Entering Cars Land was like stepping into the movie where Radiator Springs came to live! The astonishing Route 66 surrounding made us almost forgot that we were in a rush to the first attraction of the day, one of the most expensive ride in the world, the Radiator Springs Racers. This ride is so insanely popular that its FastPass ran out within a couple of hours. So going into Radiator Springs Racers is in fact a race against time. The ride starts with a slow and easy drive on a convertible race car around Ornament Valley. It then brings you to the dark part of the ride that will blow your mind with its amazing high-tech animatronics and such, before it comes to its finale where two cars race each other to the finish line.

Radiator Springs Racers waiting line starts here.

Surreal!

Finish line!

So how was it?

I am beyond words. I was awestruck the whole time. Everything about this ride is great! I love everything about it. The overall theme, the enormous scale, the attention to details, the storyline, just everything. So far, this is the best Disney theme ride I've been on. It's just freaking amazing..

Here's the rest of the photos taken in Cars Land.

Pit stop?

Luigi's Rollickin' Roadster. The first Disney trackless ride in the US.  

Mater's Junkyard Jamboree.

With the legendary Lightning McQueen.

Paradise Pier

Moving on to the next land, Paradise Pier is a coastal boardwalk themed land. The view we have here is just magnificent. Like many other boardwalk amusement park, it has roller coaster (California Screamin') and ferris wheel (Mickey's Fun Wheel). California Screamin' is a launched coaster with loop, typical yet very satisfying. Mickey's Fun Wheel on the other hand, is the scariest ferris wheel ever! The sliding gondola almost give us a heart attack!

Two iconic boardwalk kind of attractions. From left, California Screamin' and Mickey's Fun Wheel.

It's 11.17am. Good morning, pal.

2 times in a row. Jyeahh..

Compulsory ride photo.

Toy Story Midway Mania, a classic style midway taken up to the next level. Impressive!

Behind the scene.

Twillight Zone Tower of Terror

Another reason to be in DCA, is the drop tower ride that we just can't get enough of. In the Hollywood Tower Hotel, we were taken into an unconvincing elevator that brought us up to God-knows-which-floor. At this point of time, it's already too late to realize that, we're gonna be doomed! We however, survived the whole ordeal and came out alive. After the ride had ended, when I was about to exit the "elevator" with my trembled feet, I was greeted with a surprise "Assalamualaikum" by the bellboy. Despite that he was the one who actually put us through all this, meeting a Muslim brother in the happiest place on earth had definitely lightened up our day in DCA even more. Waalaikumsalam! =)

Strollers invasion...

Check-in.

If you still haven't notice, no one will stop you from taking a snapshot of your ride preview photos in Disney park. Universal Studios on the other hand.......

Celebrating life after surviving the tower of terror.

Should we do this again?

FastPass done right.

But first, lunch! Fillet-o-fish, Mc Egg, apple pie, fries, caramel latte and large coke come to momma!

Here's of attractions that we got to try (in no particular order):

1. Radiator Springs Racers (high speed simulated test track, dark ride)
2. Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters (trackless ride)
3. Mater's Junkyard Jamboree (whip ride)
4. California Screamin' (launched coaster with loop)
5. Toy Story Midway Mania (dark ride)
6. Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (drop tower)
7. Goofy's Sky School (wild mouse coaster)
8. Monsters, Inc Mike & Sulley to the Rescue! (dark ride)
9. Soarin Over California (IMAX hang glider simulator)
10. Mickey's Fun Wheel (ferris wheel)

When we was about to enter Mike & Sulley to the Rescue, the cast member handed out this special Buddy Pass to us out of random. With this pass, we could skipped the queue and head straight to the Buddy Pass line. Cool!

Adopted an infant ewok. Or so he thought.

Inside the sliding gondola of Mickey's Terrifying Wheel.

The view from our gondola. Can be seen here the water level had been brought down revealing spikes beneath it which are actually water fountains used for World of Colors show that night.

We were back to Cars Land after spending the rest of the afternoon elsewhere around the park. At sunset, we got to see the "Sh-boom" moment in Radiator Springs, just like in the movie. Neon lights were turned on along with Sh-boom song and everyone just feels like dancing.

~Life could be a dream.. Life could be a dream..

It's wonderful!

Radiator Springs at night.

World of Colors

While Disneyland is known with its popular fireworks and castle projection night time show, DCA has World of Colors, a hydrotechnic show. We secured a pretty good spot to watch it thanks to FastPass that we took earlier that day (yes, they have FastPass for this but for entirely different purpose). World of Colors is one hell of a show featuring Neil Patrick Harris as its host. 

Awaiting for World of Colors show to commence.

Partners.

In conclusion, I would prefer DCA over Disneyland, simply because of Cars Land, Radiator Springs Racers, Tower of Terror, California Screamin' and Toy Story Midway Mania. These attractions worth every dollars spent for DCA. 

And with that, another Disney park crossed off the list. I may now start planning for my next Disney park in other part of the world.

Stay tuned for my next update on our roadtrip to Sin City!

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