Tips how to tour Disney California Adventure in one day. Your guide to get on every attraction with minimal wait times. If you’re planning a trip to Disney California Adventure and you only have one day then I’ve created a possible plan for your group to follow and go on every attraction. You can do everything in one day at DCA using the following plan in conjunction with the official Disneyland app that shows you wait times. There is also a paid service to skip the lines called Lightning Lane Multi Pass.
Disney California Adventure game plan
Disney California Adventure (DCA) home to Avengers Campus, Carsland, Pixar Pier and so much more. To make the most of your day arrive at rope drop, read more about arrival tips. If the park opens at 8 a.m. (for instance) they let you through the gates normally around 7:30 a.m. You can wander around, take pictures and get lined up for rope drop! Disney has an early morning perk for onsite hotel guests ONLY. Read more about EARLY ENTRY. 
This post will help you navigate the park at no additional costs. But if you want to wait even less time in lines consider the Lightning Lane Multi Pass option. This post will include tips for getting on the most popular attractions like Radiator Springs Racers and Guardians of the Galaxy with minimal wait times.
If you have little ones then your focus and order of rides will be different. See the bottom of this post for a touring plan with kids. Otherwise proceed with this plan!
Touring plan for Disney California Adventure
I’m here to help you navigate Disney California Adventure and make the most out of your day. I’ve updated this touring plan based on how Early Entry affects Radiator Springs Racers in the morning. That attraction is not open during Early Entry but those hotel guests can get in the line before the park opens. This means when the park opens there’s already a line for Racers. I arrived at 7:45 a.m. and the park officially opens at 8:00 a.m. The photo below was taken at 8:15 a.m. and Radiator Springs Racers already had a 120 minute wait. There are only certain days that you should try to rope drop Racers. Here is an 8 minute video showing exactly which days and how to do it!
After watching that video decide which day you’re going to start at Disney California Adventure. Depending on your day this is the order I suggest to avoid longer wait times on M, W, F or Su. Skip any attractions you’re not interested in doing.
- Guardians of the Galaxy
- WEB Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure
- Incredicoaster
- Toy Story Mania
- Goofy’s Sky School
- Grizzly River Run
- Soarin’ Around the World
- Monsters Inc.
Now back to the most popular attraction with the longest line all day, Radiator Springs Racers (RSR). If you’re going on M, W, F or Su don’t waste 2 hours in the morning in line for one ride save Radiator Springs Racers for later in the day. After you’ve done the list of attractions above check the wait time in the app. Your options to ride at this point are wait in the stand by line, purchase Lightning Lane Single Pass to skip the line or get in the single rider line. The single rider line is a great option if you’re ok with your group being split up possibly. Based on all of that information you decide when to add RSR into your day. It’s also fun to ride at night! You can hop in the line just minutes before the park closes and you still get to ride if you’re in line before closing time. If you’re going on T, Th or Sat you can try to rope drop but only if you’re willing to arrive early, watch this. If you don’t get up front you’ll waste an hour of your park day in the morning in that line.
After you’ve done the more popular rides that build up long lines as the day goes on you can now go back and tackle the rest of the park easily. Yes you skipped a few rides along the way but trust me you saved lots of time not standing in longer lines later in the day. So what you do next will be based on the interests of your party. I’ve grouped them by land so you can do all the rides left in each land. You can use the Disneyland app to look up wait times. Then once you’ve either done them or skipped them go and repeat your favorites. And at any point stop and eat snacks or have lunch. Here’s a post about my favorite foods in Disney California Adventure.
Paradise Gardens Park
- The Little Mermaid
- Golden Zephyr
- Jumpin’ Jellyfish
- Silly Symphony Swings
Pixar Pier
- Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind
- Jessie’s Critter Carousel
- Pixar Pal-A-Round
Carsland
- Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters
- Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree
Now add entertainment, characters, food and more
So you have a game plan to get on all the rides, but there’s so much more to do at Disney California Adventure. Every night you can watch the amazing water World of Color show. There are shows in Avengers Campus, Mickey’s PhilharMagic show, see characters, pennies to press, explore Redwood Creek Challenge area and more. I also have a great post with 20 plus things to do at Disney California Adventure when it’s busy. You can find lots of ideas on that post to entertain your group and add some extra magic! My favorite spot to take a break is in the Animation Building check it out. But if your goal is to ride all the attractions, that can be done in one day if you follow the plan above!
Touring plan with kids, toddlers, babies
If your group includes little ones here’s the touring plan I recommend …
- WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure
- Toy Story Mania
- Jessie’s Critter Carousel
- Pixar Pal-A-Round
- Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind
- Golden Zephyr
- The Little Mermaid – Ariel’s Undersea Adventure
- Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters (must be 32” or taller)
- Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree (must be 32” or taller)
- Monsters Inc.
If the adults in your party want to ride any of the bigger E-ticket attractions as they call them you can add them in throughout the day using rider switch.
Kids also enjoy shows like Disney Junior Dance Party, Mickey’s PhilharMagic and Turtle Talk with Crush. Another great option is over at the Redwood Creek Challenge area where kids can run around, explore, slide and more. Plus there are shows in Avengers Campus, a new way to see characters and more. If you’re looking for kid friendly play areas to explore in Disney California Adventure read more over here.
Have a plan
These are just suggestions to maximize your time. But go to the parks with a plan! It can be altered that’s fine but have an idea of what you want to go on so you’re not standing around looking at the map making decisions during those precious early morning hours. There are lots of strategies on the order of rides and know that plans can change once at the parks depending on refurbishments, lines, crowds etc. But if you have an idea of what you want to ride and use the Disneyland app to check wait times then you can decide which ride to hit up next. You will get so more much done with a plan!
Print a FREE attractions list
Last tip to help in your vacation planning. I have created a checklist with ALL the attractions in both parks. You can use it to plan your visit. Print each list and mark the attractions you want to do. You could even add the order you want to go on the attractions. Click here to print.
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