Don’t we all like ways to save money, and ways to save time? I surely do!

Pricing

After arriving to the main entrance from the $7 parking of both Disneyland parks, Magic Kingdom and California Adventure, I noticed there were many small stations to buy tickets. Each had a tremendous line, but I am a smart park-hopper. Therefore, I ran as fast as possible to the line that had just been opened.

Admission was $35 per person 10 and over. Kids under 10 were $20. There is a $10 discount for California residents. Fortunately, the lady behind us was a California resident and offered to buy us the tickets at the discount price, and then we would pay her back. This worked, and I ended up paying $10 less per ticket!

About California Adventure

California Adventure opened in May 2000, just south of Los Angeles in southern Los Angeles. Since it was opened so recently, everything is still very clean, new, and modern. The tickets that you buy at Disney's California Adventure can not be used at Disneyworld in Orlando, but the Disney tickets that you buy in Orlando can be used at both Disneyland parks. The park hours are 10pm to 6pm, which is not a long time for a park to be open.

Park Sections

The park is divided into different sections to help sort out themes and age ranges.

Here are the sections:

Paradise Pier
Golden State
Sunshine Plaza
Hollywood Pictures Backlot
A Bug’s Island

Rides

Jumpin' Jellyfish is a ride good for smaller kids. It is themed as a jellyfish ride that brings you up and down, but slowly and at a short height.

Orange Stinger is similar to those swings that swing you around in a circle. This time, the swings are in a big "orange peal" and there are bee sounds while you are swinging around in circles.

Sun Wheel is the gigantic ferris-wheel of California Adventure. There are some "cages" that stay still, and others swing back and forth. The ferris wheel overlooks a small lake. I remember that my wife and I made chicken sounds while on it, and everyone was looking around to see what it was. We also pretended to look around and wonder who was doing that. This made it so it wasn't obvious that we were making the sounds.

California Screamin' is the main roller coaster of the park. It has a center piece with a Mickey's head outline, and that is the loop that the roller coaster goes around. Music plays during the whole ride, and there are many drops and turns. There is only one time where you go upside down, and that is when you go around the outline of Mickey's head.

Grizzly Peak is a coal mine ride. There, you get to sit in a real coal car and are able to go into the caves searching for riches. You experience some trouble throughout the ride, but other times you see jewels and gold!

Soarin' Over Californiais my all time favorite ride. It is most thrilling and very realistic. You are sitting in some seats and then you go up into the air while it is pitch black (this is indoors). Then a screen comes up and music starts. The screen takes up just about all of your vision. On the screen, they show the Great Pyramids, Oceans, Mountains, Big Cities, and then a bird's eye view of California Adventure. It ends up with a magical feel, as if you have just visited all the places you have just seen!

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire Game-Show is similar to the real Who wants to be a millionaire game-show but Regis is not the host, people don't win a million dollars, and a contestant hasn't been chosen until there is a small contest. You have dial pads and from there you can answer questions. Whoever answers the first question given the quickest is the person on the show. There are prizes of Disneyland collectible pins, t-shirts, jackets, and if you answer all 15 questions right, you win a free trip to New York City!

These are all the rides I went on, but there are other rides for little kids in A Bug's Land. This was inspired by the movie of Disney Pixars, A Bug's Life.

Shows

I didn't have the chance to go to any of the shows, except for Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. From my park map which I was given upon entering, this is the information I could gather.

Goofy's Beach Party
House Of Blues
Ralph Branannz's Jazz Kitchen

Fastpass - A Way To Save Time!

Your ticket into the park is your Fastpass ticket. Insert it into the Fastpass machine outside the entrance or exit of the ride you wish to go on, and return to the ride between the two times printed on the ticket. This will allow you to get into a shorter line for the ride. Your Fastpass ticket is renewable after the times printed on your first Fastpass ticket.

Food

There was Rocket Cafe which we ate at which had hot dogs, pizza, fries, hamburgers, and beverages. It was a little bit overpriced, so I suggest that you come prepared with money, or you come with lunches from your home, hotel, resort, etc. Of course, you can find coupons by making purchases from shops throughout California Adventure.

Overall Comments

Disneyland's California Adventure is one of the nicest theme parks I have been to. I was shocked when I got there because it really did not seem like a Disney park since it wasn't themed so much as a village, but more like a Universal park. However, I loved the rides, prices, and selections of attractions to visit. My only complaint is that the parks hours are too short. However, my overall impression of Disney's California Adventure was positive!

Visit my Disney World review at http://www.epinions.com/content_89126309508

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Recommended: Yes