Disneyland Resort

First there was Disneyland, Walt Disney's labor of love. Originally ridiculed as an expensive failure, Disney's incredible achievement eventually captured the hearts and minds of millions of guests and forever changed the very definition of entertainment, let alone the amusement industry.

After Disney died, the company opened Walt Disney World in Florida. With tens of thousands of acres, the east coast vacation resort added parks, hotels, golf courses and other diversions at a furious pace and quickly eclipsed, in sheer magnitude, the California park that inspired it. After a few false starts, Disneyland embarked on its own building spree in 2000 and is now a destination resort in its own right, albeit crammed into a much tighter footprint than its right-coast counterpart.

The original Disneyland Park shines at the center of the property. Smaller scale and more intimate than Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom (although actually boasting more attractions), there is a certain magic in the air. Maybe it has to do with Walt Disney's hands-on role in shaping the park and actually walking its grounds.

Disney's California Adventure, the second park, is something of a work in progress. Comparatively small and offering fewer attractions, the park barely provides a day's worth of activities. Initially geared more to adults, Disney is retooling the park for a wider family audience. Still, DCA has some wonderful attractions and has that special Disney touch.

The circa-2000 Grand Californian Hotel-- and it is quite grand -- joins the rehabbed Disneyland Hotel and the acquired Paradise Pier Hotel. Rounding out the resort is the Downtown Disney dining/shopping/entertainment complex.

More accessible than the massive Walt Disney World, the Disneyland Resort nonetheless provides a delightful escape into a fantasy themed environment. Its relatively central location provides a good base from which to visit other Southern California parks as well.

Check Disneyland's Fastpass attractions and learn how to make the most of the Fastpass program.

Putting the Disney into Disney's California Adventure
Learn about the massive 5-year, $1.1 billion expansion and makeover of Disney's California Adventure that was announced in 2007. The transformed park will include a new entry plaza, a new Cars Land, new attractions, a new nighttime spectacular, and more.

New for 2008:

• Disneyland Resort Ride Guide 2008
• See photos of the Disneyland Dream Suite and more at the Disneyland Resort 2008 Preview Photo Gallery.
• Toy Story Mania Preview
• Disneyland Dream Suite Exclusive Photo Gallery
• Pixar Play Parade at Disney's California Adventure Photo Gallery
• Yo Ho, Yo Ho, the Pirates' Ride for Her- Contest winner joins the classic Disneyland ride, Pirates of the Caribbean.

Disneyland Park
An overview of the original Disneyland park.

Disney's California Adventure
An overview of Disney's theme park ode to the Golden State.

Yo Ho, Yo Ho, the Pirates Ride for Me
Check out the seminal Pirates of the Caribbean E-Ticket attraction, including a review, some below-deck insights from Disney Imagineering legend Marty Sklar, a 16-photo gallery--even the lyrics to the rousing "Yo Ho" song. Drink up, me 'earties!

They're Dying to Meet You at the Haunted Mansion
An overnight sensation (that was actually many years in the making), the classic Haunted Mansion ride has remained enormously popular; casual and ardent fans alike typically pair it with Pirates of the Caribbean as the archetypal Disney attractions. Here is my full review, plus links to behind-the-screams secrets revealed, Museum of the Weird facts about the ride, a Haunted Mansion Photo Gallery, a history of the attraction from Disney legend Marty Sklar--even the lyrics to "Grim Grinning Ghosts," the Haunted Mansion theme song.

The Tower of Terror Rises Again
The Twilight Zone Tower of a Terror is a modern-day classic Disney theme park attraction. Combining a thrilling freefall ride, dazzling effects, and an inspired and fiendishly clever storyline based on the seminal "The Twilight Zone" television series, Disney Imagineers have created a ride that, like a select few E-ticket attractions, is so much greater than the sum of its parts. Read my review, check out the photo gallery, and discover how the California Tower compares to its Florida counterpart.

Jonesing for Disneyland's Indy Ride
An E-Ticket tour de force, Indiana Jones Adventure immerses guests into the world of the popular movie series through the use of Disney's innovative Enhanced Motion Vehicles, highly elaborate sets, and a stunning array of effects. Rather than retell one of the Indiana Jones films, it creates a new story and casts riders in leading roles. It is one of Imagineering's crowning achievements.

Nemo Subs for Mermaids in Disneyland's New/Old Submarine Voyage
When the Submarine Voyage, a classic ride that was one of Disneyland's signature attractions, closed in 1998, it left a literal and figurative void at the park. It took an enormously popular lost clownfish for Disney to find the inspiration and budget to bring the subs back. With its new Finding Nemo overlay, the ride is perfectly positioned to appeal to today's Pixar-lated kids as well as their nostalgia-fueled parents. The combination of deft storytelling and Imagineering magic makes the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage an alluring, sea-worthy E-ticket attraction for Disneyland's next 50 years.

Bringing Disneyland's Classic Sub Ride Back from the Depths
Go behind the portholes to learn about a plucky Disney Imagineer's long and intrigue-filled voyage with the submarine attraction.

Peeking into the Mouse Hole
Discover how the Disney Imagineers develop the Disney theme parks and attractions.

Disney's HalloweenTime
Info about the resort's Halloween events.

Christmas and the Holidays at Disneyland
Info about the resort's holiday events.

Are you looking for hotel accommodations?
Compare rates for Disney's Grand Californian Hotel at About.com's booking partner, Kayak.

Compare rates for Disneyland-area hotels at About.com's booking partner, Kayak.