Fantasyland offers the most rides and is ideally located in Disneyland.

Mickey's Toontown has mediocre rides and limited shopping and dining options.

New Orleans Square has the best dining options and underrated classic rides.

Disneyland in Anaheim is divided into nine distinct ''lands,'' and some of these certainly offer better experiences than others. The oldest sections of the park have the advantage of more rides, but this is not the only part of the Disneyland experience. The best parts of Disneyland comprise a combination of rides with varied and ideally located shops and restaurants, as well as other attractions.

What any visitor's favorite place is in Disneyland is also likely influenced by their personal favorite Disney movies, as they will probably want to buy the relevant memorabilia. However, dedicated tourists will want to visit all the themed lands and will utilize the Disney app and Disneyland's free Wi-Fi to keep track of wait times. Additionally, guests of all the Disneyland Hotels get early entry to the park. However, everyone should still know what Disneyland experiences are the best they want to make the most of their vacation time.



Date Opened

Main Street, U.S.A. 1955

Fantasyland 1955

Tomorrowland 1955

Frontierland 1955

Adventureland 1955

New Orleans Square 1966

Critter Country 1972

Mickey's Toontown 1993

Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge 2019



9 Mickey's Toontown

Mickey's Toontown's rides aren't worth the wait and are best for younger visitors.



Attractions:

Date Opened

Chip n' Dale's GADGETcoaster 1993

Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin 1994

Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway 2023

The rides in Mickey's Toontown are the ''junior roller coaster'' Chip n' Dale's GADGETcoaster, Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin, and the new Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway. The coaster is a long wait for a short ride because they only run one round of passengers at a time. The ride was refurbished in 2022, but nothing about it changed. Meanwhile, Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin is a more nauseating, psychedelic version of better rides, with another unnecessarily long wait. Alternatively, the Runaway Railway is a breezy ride through a world of old Mickey Mouse artwork and cartoons.

Mickey's Toontown also includes the houses of Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and the rest. These are essentially set pieces where visitors can meet the residents of any given house, although Goofy's Playhouse has some interactive activities for children. On the other hand, Toontown's shops are redundant, as plenty of Mickey and friends merchandise are sold elsewhere in the park. The only restaurant is Toontown Dining, which serves a basic selection of hot dogs, ice cream, etc. Toontown might be worth the stop for groups with children, but it doesn't offer a very dynamic experience for everyone else.

8 Main Street, U.S.A.

Main Street is a classic part of Disneyland but doesn't have many rides.



Attractions:

Date Opened

Disneyland Railroad 1955

Main Street Cinema 1955

Opera House 1965



Main Street has been a part of Disneyland since its opening in 1955 and boasts some of the oldest attractions in the park. Visitors will need to walk down Main Street to reach the rest of Disneyland Park (unless they hop on the Disneyland Railroad just past the entrance) and will get to tour its scenery this way. They may also choose to catch a ride on one of the Main Street vehicles (carriages, streetcars, fire engine, and omnibus) for a one-way trip to or from Fantasyland.

Main Street offers some options for entertainment, such as showings of classic Disney Cartoons at the Main Street Cinema and The Disneyland Story presenting Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln at the Opera House. There are also plenty of shops and places to eat. However, for people who believe the real draw of Disneyland is its rides, Main Street is likely just a drive-by location. Its only true ride is the first stop for the Disneyland Railroad, which can be a useful shortcut to another location in the park.

7 Adventureland

Adventureland has some good attractions, but not the most popular ones.



Attractions:

Date Opened

Jungle Cruise 1955

Adventureland Treehouse 1962

Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room 1963

Indiana Jones Adventure 1995



Adventureland is a significant improvement over the themed lands in Disneyland that have virtually no rides. The biggest attraction is Indiana Jones Adventure, although this typically has one of the longest waits in the park — it is definitely one of the Disneyland rides visitors should go to first. If people can endure the wait, there are some good shopping and unique dining options for afterward. Adventureland's restaurants include the Tiki Juice Bar (which serves Dole Whip soft serve) and Bengal Barbecue.

Adventureland also has the classic Jungle Cruise ride, which is a good choice for people who want to get off their feet for a while (although there are better options for this nearby). Adventureland's other attractions are a hit or miss: Some people might love them, others will think they are a waste of time. This includes the strange Enchanted Tiki Room, an older attraction comprising a show of singing animatronic tropical animals.

The Adventureland Treehouse has a confusing history: It was first opened as the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse before being changed to Tarzan's Treehouse in 1999. The attraction was refurbished and re-opened again in 2023, now referred to as the ''Adventureland Treehouse inspired by Walt Disney’s Swiss Family Robinson.'' It has many interactive features, but some guests will inevitably consider these secondary to the rides. Adventureland is a great part of Disneyland, but it might not be the most universally entertaining.

6 Critter Country

Critter Country has the biggest drop in the park and some other fun experiences.



Attractions:

Date Opened

Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes 1956

Splash Mountain (Tiana's Bayou Adventure) 1989

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh 2003



Critter Country was called Bear Country when it first opened but was renamed in 1988 in anticipation of the opening of Splash Mountain, which is currently closed for construction. Splash Mountain's famous drop cannot be undersold as one of the biggest thrills in Disneyland, and the line for the ride is typically average. However, it is a water ride, which might not be the most appealing prospect unless it is a very hot day in Anaheim. Critter Country's shopping is the best option for animal character merchandise in Disneyland.

The other attractions in Critter Country include the Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes (operating only on weekends) which travels along the ''Rivers of America'' with some other boat ride attractions. There is also The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, a surprisingly enjoyable ride through the homes of Pooh and Friends. Critter Country also provides soup in bread bowls, lobster rolls, burgers, and chicken at Harbour Gallery or Hungry Bear Restaurant.

NOTE:

At the time of writing, Tiana's Bayou Adventure is expected to open on an unconfirmed date in late 2024, following its opening at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida in summer 2024.

5 Frontierland

Frontierland has a single roller coaster that is one of the best.

Attractions:

Date Opened

Disneyland Riverboats 1955

Pirates Lair on Tom Sawyer Island 1956

Sailing Ship Columbia 1958

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad 1969



Frontierland is another section of Disneyland Park that has been there since its opening day in 1955, even if its landscape has changed significantly. The main attraction is Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, the runaway train roller coaster that has one of the best overall designs in the park in terms of thrills, length, and aesthetics. Frontierland is also the docking point for the Sailing Ship Columbia, the Disneyland Riverboats (formerly the Mark Twain Riverboat), and the longboats to get to Tom Sawyer’s Island.

In addition to these rides, Frontierland has a variety of shows and restaurants conforming to the Old West theme. The Golden Horseshoe, River Belle Terrace, and other locations serve barbecue, loaded potato skins, sandwiches, desserts, and more, while the Frontierland Shootin’ Exposition offers a themed arcade experience. Frontierland’s main drawback is that it has only one roller coaster, but it is one of the smaller lands, meshed with Adventureland and New Orleans Square. This means that there are plenty of other rides close by.

4 New Orleans Square

New Orleans Square has the best dining and amazingly low-key rides.



Attractions:

Date Opened

Pirates of the Caribbean 1967

Haunted Mansion 1969



New Orleans Square is an understated part of Disneyland. People might not think of it as one of the best places to go because it does not claim any of the park’s most famous roller coasters or thrill rides. However, the classic Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion rides are still immensely enjoyable Disneyland attractions. Haunted Mansion’s experience might not be enough to justify the wait. However, the line for Pirates generally goes fast, and it is the perfect way for guests to get off their feet and into the air conditioning during the warmer months.

After the rides, New Orleans Square has some of the best shopping and dining in the park. Stores and vendors sell pirate and ghoulish merchandise, while the restaurants serve Monte Cristo sandwiches and Mickey Mouse-shaped beignets. For an immersive dining experience (with fancier food), guests should investigate making a reservation at the Blue Bayou restaurant located within the Pirates of the Caribbean building.

3 Tomorrowland

Tomorrowland has a dynamic design and some fantastic rides.



Attractions:

Date Opened

Autopia 1955

Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage (formerly Submarine Voyage) 1959

Space Mountain 1977

Astro Orbitor 1998

Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters 2005





In the past few decades, properties such as Toy Story and Star Wars have taken it over, resulting in great rides like Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters and Star Tours.

Tomorrowland is also a staple of Disneyland with great themed shopping, even though it is completely different from what is sold in New Orleans Square or Critter Country (which is the “best” depends on what genres the shopper likes). In the past few decades, properties such as Toy Story and Star Wars have taken it over, resulting in great rides like Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters and Star Tours. Meanwhile, the Galactic Grill and Alien Pizza Planet provide a good selection of basics like burgers, pizza, etc.

Tomorrowland’s Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage is a nightmare for people who are claustrophobic; the Autopia cars aren’t nearly as fast as people would expect them to be, but children may enjoy getting to drive the cars themselves. However, all Disneyland visitors must go on the spectacular Space Mountain at some point. Space Mountain was added to the park along with Thunder Mountain because of an increased demand for thrill rides; this roller coaster is one of the fastest, zipping through a dark starry galaxy setting.

2 Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge

The new Star Wars land is an incredibly interactive Disneyland experience.



Attractions:

Date Opened

Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run 2019

Savi's Workshop — Handbuilt Lightsabers 2019

Droid Depot 2019

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance 2020



Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is the most recent addition to Disneyland Park and offers many immersive rides and creative experiences. The two rides — Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run and Rise of the Resistance — take riders on distinct adventures in the Star Wars universe where they fly spaceships or escape the First Order. There are workshops where visitors can build their own lightsaber or droid, orchestrated by actors who play rebel Jedi and engineers. The primary dining option is the amazingly designed Oga’s Cantina, but there are some other stops within Star Wars land.

Galaxy’s Edge also has an amazing overall production design — including a life-sized Millennium Flacon — and all the merchandise a Star Wars fan could ever want. The only caveat is that the part of the park is one of the most popular, meaning high demand and rides that consistently reach two hours. Galaxy’s Edge opens an hour after the rest of Disneyland, so guests should plan their arrival strategically.

1 Fantasyland

Fantasyland is ideally located and has the most rides in Disneyland.



Attractions:

Date Opened

Peter Pan's Flight 1955

Dumbo the Flying Elephant 1955

King Arthur Carrousel 1955

Casey Jr. Circus Train 1955

Mr. Toad's Wild Ride 1955

Mad Tea Party 1955

Story Book Land Canal Boats 1955

Snow White's Scary Adventures 1955

Alice in Wonderland 1958

Matterhorn Bobsleds 1959

''it's a small world'' 1966

Pinocchio's Daring Journey 1983



At the center of the park, Fantasyland has the most rides as it is one of the original lands and almost everything else was built around it. Visitors pass through the most famous of all the Disneyland castles to get there, likely headed for the park’s first roller coaster. Matterhorn Bobsleds is a thrilling roller ride that is also a must for every Disneyland visitor. There are no other roller coasters, but many classic rides that still offer a certain amount of excitement. The best options include Dumbo the Flying Elephant, the Mad Tea Party, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, and Peter Pan’s Flight.

In addition to this, Fantasyland has shops that are almost as iconic as the rides themselves, namely the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique and The Mad Hatter (selling hats and ears of all kinds). Fantasyland’s only weakness is a lack of interesting dining options, but because it is located in the middle of everything, it is not hard to go somewhere else. Despite this downside, Fantasyland has the most rides and the best experiences, making it the best area of Disneyland.