Disneyland Resort - ‘Main Street Electrical Parade’ at Disneyland Park Electrical Parade
Walt Disney opened Disneyland Park on July 17, 1955, with hopes that it would become “a source of joy and inspiration to all the world.” Since then, the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif., has welcomed guests from around the world, expanding to become an approximately 500-acre, multifaceted, world-class family resort destination, complete with two renowned Disney theme parks, three hotels and the exciting shopping, dining and entertainment area known as the Downtown Disney District.
Disneyland introduced the world to an entirely new concept in family entertainment. Today, it continues to use creativity, technology and innovation to bring storytelling to new heights, while fulfilling Walt Disney’s vision that “Disneyland will never be complete as long as there is imagination left in the world.”
Disneyland Park – Upon its opening on July 17, 1955, Disneyland introduced a new concept in family entertainment and launched the theme park industry. Disneyland presented 18 major attractions on its opening day including the Mad Tea Party, the Jungle Cruise, Autopia and the Mark Twain Riverboat, and it featured five themed lands: Fantasyland, Adventureland, Tomorrowland, Frontierland and Main Street, U.S.A. Today, Disneyland is an evolving American institution, covering nearly 100 acres and featuring more than 55 adventures and attractions in nine themed lands, having added New Orleans Square in 1966, Critter Country (originally Bear County) in 1972, Mickey’s Toontown in 1993 and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in 2019.
Favorite Disneyland attractions include Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Pirates of the Caribbean, Star Tours – The Adventures Continue, “it’s a small world,” Indiana Jones Adventure and the mountain range of thrill rides: Matterhorn Bobsleds, Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Splash Mountain. Entertainment is presented throughout the park, ranging from character appearances to musical presentations and storytelling.
Disney California Adventure Park – Since its opening in 2001, Disney California Adventure has been bringing adventure and fun to life with Disney storytelling magic and popular attractions including Grizzly River Run and Soarin’ Around the World. With the addition of Avengers Campus in 2021, the park features more than 36 adventures and attractions plus distinctive entertainment and dining. Disney California Adventure has eight lands including Avengers Campus, Cars Land, Buena Vista Street, Hollywood Land, Grizzly Peak featuring Grizzly Peak Airfield and the exciting attraction Soarin’ Around the World, Pacific Wharf, Paradise Gardens Park and Pixar Pier.
Among the attractions in Disney California Adventure are the Incredicoaster in Pixar Pier, where guests join the Incredibles in a mad dash to catch Jack-Jack as he wreaks havoc throughout a high-speed chase; Toy Story Mania!, an interactive, ride-through attraction where guests enter into a 4D carnival midway hosted by the “Toy Story” characters, and The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure, a “dark ride” that transports guests “under the sea” to experience scenes and beloved songs from “The Little Mermaid” film.
Celebrating its 10-year anniversary in 2022, the opening of Cars Land in 2012 introduced Radiator Springs Racers, a high-octane indoor/outdoor adventure that revs through Radiator Springs and concludes with a high-speed race through the mountains of Ornament Valley, and Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree, in which baby tractors swing guests through a Cars Land hoedown. Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters invites guests to climb aboard miniature Italian roadsters, Luigi’s Italian cousins, as they whirl into the traditional dances of their village. Buena Vista Street, which also opened in the park’s 2012 expansion, features Carthay Circle Restaurant, one of the premier dining locations at the Disneyland Resort.
In summer 2018, Pixar Pier opened in Disney California Adventure, featuring four whimsical neighborhoods where guests can step into beloved Disney and Pixar stories. The first neighborhood, inspired by “The Incredibles,” features the exciting Incredicoaster, and the others celebrate themes from Pixar favorites such as “Toy Story” and “Inside Out.”
Avengers Campus opened in summer 2021, with several heroic locations hosted by different Avengers or their allies who share unique powers and knowledge with new recruits. Here, guests can live out their Super Hero dreams with exciting experiences like WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure, the first Disney ride-through attraction to feature this iconic Super Hero; Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! , a rockin’ adventure where guests join Rocket in an attempt to save his friends, the Guardians, from the Collector’s Fortress; plus encounters with the Black Panther, Captain America, Black Widow and other Super Heroes.
Downtown Disney District – The Downtown Disney District (no admission fee required) is a promenade of exciting dining, shopping and entertainment experiences. It is the gateway between the Disneyland Resort theme parks and hotels, featuring dozens of distinct venues. This includes a diverse collection of casual restaurants, favorite snacking stops and shopping boutiques, including World of Disney, Naples Ristorante e Bar, Ballast Point Brewing Company, WonderGround Gallery, Salt & Straw, Black Tap Craft Burgers & Shakes, Splitsville Luxury Lanes, The LEGO Store, Pelé Soccer, Lovepop, Uva Bar & Café, Sephora, Sprinkles, Pandora Jewelry, Disney Home, The Disney Dress Shop and more.
600 S. Disneyland Drive, (714) 635-2300
Featuring 948 rooms and 71 Disney Vacation Club villas, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa is the flagship hotel of the Disneyland Resort. The design of this AAA Four Diamond Award-winning luxury property is inspired by the turn-of-the-century California Craftsman movement. In 2009, the hotel became home to the first Disney Vacation Club units on the West Coast. It’s also the first hotel in the United States to be built inside a Disney park (Disney California Adventure).
The hotel offers suites, a large convention facility, swimming pools and dining locations: Storytellers Café, the award-winning Napa Rose restaurant, GCH Craftsman Bar & Grill and Hearthstone Lounge. With approximately 35 sommeliers, including several advanced sommeliers, Napa Rose boasts a significant number of certified wine experts under one roof. Napa Rose is also home to Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures, where guests are served a sumptuous three-course breakfast and enjoy enchanting encounters with some favorite Disney Princesses, along with memorable activities. The new Tenaya Stone Spa is a 6,000 square-foot, full-service spa and rejuvenating retreat designed by Disney Imagineers who gathered inspiration from the spirit of nature, California heritage and the iconic Craftsman design of the hotel.
1150 West Magic Way, (714) 778-6600
This landmark hotel features 973 guest rooms including specially-themed Disney suites and a courtyard featuring two pools and two Disneyland Monorail-inspired water slides. Goofy’s Kitchen, Tangaroa Terrace Tropical Bar & Grill and Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar are among the distinctive dining options. The AAA Four Diamond hotel also features one of the largest contiguous convention spaces in the Western U.S. at 136,000 square feet.
1717 S. Disneyland Drive, (714) 999-0990
This 481-room hotel is themed to a colorful “day at the beach” and California’s seaside culture of fun. Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel, which overlooks Disney California Adventure, features a rooftop pool deck with cabanas and water slide, and 30,000 square feet of convention and meeting space.