If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll know I’m guilty of being a Disney adult. I tend to find myself at Disney World in Florida at least once a year, and in recent years I’ve even had the opportunity to visit Disneyland Paris. While planning our 2026 travels, we thought it would be fun to finally visit Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, as neither of us had been before.
This blog post is going to cover our favorite rides, our favorite foods, and how we made the most of our weekend. If you’re looking for an in-depth guide on how to navigate Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, I’d recommend checking out a travel blogger who specializes in Disney vacations for the best tips and tricks.
We took a direct flight on Saturday morning and arrived at LAX around 9 a.m., which allowed us to get to our hotel and into the parks before noon. This gave us a day and a half at Disney California Adventure and two full days at Disneyland. Honestly, it felt like the perfect amount of time to experience both parks without feeling rushed or overwhelmed, while still leaving plenty of time for food and drink breaks.
One thing that definitely helped us maximize our time was purchasing Lightning Lane. I quickly learned that the best strategy was to book our first Lightning Lane as soon as we entered the park and then continue adding a new reservation every two hours as they became available. Rather than using each Lightning Lane immediately, I would often modify the return times and stack them for the afternoon and evening when standby wait times were at their longest.
By rope dropping each morning, we were able to knock out several popular attractions with minimal waits while simultaneously building a lineup of Lightning Lane reservations for later in the day. This strategy allowed us to experience far more rides than we otherwise would have without feeling like we were constantly rushing from one attraction to the next.
We stayed at the Westin, which overlooks the Incredicoaster at Disney California Adventure and is about a 15-minute walk through Downtown Disney to reach the entrance of both parks.
Highlights of Disney California Adventure
Let’s start with my favorite rides. Our top attractions included Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout! (formerly Tower of Terror) in Avengers Campus, the Incredicoaster at Pixar Pier, Spider-Man WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure in Avengers Campus, and of course, Radiator Springs Racers in Cars Land.
Of course, rides provide the thrills and excitement we’re all looking for, but simply walking around the parks brings a different kind of joy. We love taking our time and appreciating the details in each area, and nowhere was that more true than Cars Land. Everything felt like stepping directly into the movie, and it was absolutely magical.
And, of course, let’s talk about the food.
For breakfast, we loved the classic breakfast burrito—filled with eggs, sausage, bacon, cheddar cheese, and a hash brown—at Smokejumpers Grill near Soarin’. Throughout the day, we found ourselves snacking frequently, with our two favorites being the cinnamon sugar churro from Señor Buzz Churros at Pixar Pier and the warm deep-dish chocolate chip cookie from Jack-Jack Cookie Num Num, also at Pixar Pier. Don’t be fooled into sharing the cookie—having your own is 100% worth it!
For dinner, our favorite was the infamous QuesaBirria tacos, which were absolutely worth all the TikTok hype. We were prepared to be tough critics because we stood in line for almost an hour, but they were worth every minute. My biggest tip would be to place a mobile order about an hour before you plan to eat. Instead of waiting in line, you can hop on another ride or grab a drink, then simply walk up to the mobile order window and pick up your tacos when they’re ready.
Highlights of Disneyland
It will probably come as no surprise that many of my favorite rides at Disneyland are similar to my favorites at Magic Kingdom.
First up is Space Mountain. I actually enjoyed Disneyland’s version more than the one at Magic Kingdom because it felt smoother and faster. Next is Pirates of the Caribbean, thanks in part to that unmistakable “pirate water” smell that every Disney fan knows and loves. Haunted Mansion also makes the list, and rounding out my favorites is Indiana Jones Adventure, which has not yet made its way to Disney World.
Just like at Disney California Adventure, one of my favorite things to do was simply wander through the different lands and soak in the atmosphere. Another attraction I highly recommend is the Disneyland Railroad, which circles the park and allows guests to hop on and off at different stations. It’s a fun way to take a break, rest your feet, and see the park from a different perspective.
Now onto the food.
We loved the breakfast burrito so much that we tracked down another version at Galactic Grill in Tomorrowland, just behind Matterhorn Bobsleds—which, I’ll admit, was a bit overrated in my opinion.
I was also determined to find the best churro in Disneyland. That may sound silly given the number of churro carts throughout the park, but after trying several, I quickly learned that some locations have a much higher turnover than others, which means hotter, fresher churros. My favorite was from the churro cart in Frontierland, located just outside Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
Another viral TikTok snack that absolutely lived up to the hype was the Cheesy Garlic Pretzel Bread. Pair it with a side of warm marinara sauce and it’s heavenly. You can find it at Maurice’s Treats in Fantasyland.
Finally, my favorite treat across both parks was the fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies from Harbour Galley in New Orleans Square. They’re sold in packs of six or thirteen, and we all know there’s only one correct choice! We’d enjoy a few in the park and save the rest for a late-night snack back at the hotel.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Disneyland and Disney California Adventure completely lived up to our expectations. While there’s certainly enough to do for a much longer trip, we found that three days gave us plenty of time to experience our favorite attractions, enjoy some incredible food, and truly appreciate the atmosphere of both parks without feeling rushed.
Would we go back? Absolutely. While Disney World will probably always feel like home, Disneyland offers its own unique charm and history that makes it a destination every Disney fan should experience at least once. Whether you’re there for the rides, the food, or simply the Disney magic, a Disneyland weekend is well worth adding to your travel bucket list