Fav 5 Disney's California Adventure {Travel Guide}

12/21/2017

Recently I shared the basics of Disney Parks and today I'm giving you my five favorite things, aka Fav 5, from Disney's California Adventure Park (DCA) in Anaheim, California.

Disney's California Adventure is the younger of two Disney parks on the West Coast. The "other" park just next to Disneyland. California Adventure is ode to Cali with varying areas and time frames of the State's history featured throughout the park, plus all of the Disney and Pixar magic you'd expect from Disney.

There are seven "lands" in the park

Cars Land (of the Cars movies)
A Bug's Land (of A Bug's Life movie)
Buena Vista Street
Paradise Pier
Grizzly Peak
Pacific Wharf
Hollywood Land.

Oogie Boogie, from the Nightmare Before Christmas Movie, greets you at the entrance to Disney's California Adventure during the Halloween Season

The park was decked out in Halloween decor when I visited in October. Our crew included two grown ups, myself and my Sister in Law, and two kids, my 7 year old niece and 1 year old nephew. We spent just around 8 hours in the park.

Here are my Fav 5 spots at Disney's California Adventure:

1. Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters - my favorite ride
2. Flo's V8 Cafe - an adorable, quick, and tasty eatery
3. Lavender Lemonade at Schmoozie's Cafe - the best cool and refreshing drink
4. Veggie Tacos from Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill - yeah, they were exceptional!
5. Boudin Bakery Tour and Sourdough Bread Bowls - a taste of San Francisco in Southern Cali

Our crew included two overly enthusiastic grown ups, a 7 year old, and a 1 year old

Cars Land is easily the most themed and BEST of all of the lands and their Halloween decor was not to be beat.

Mater, dressed up as Elvis (and Dracula?) for Halloween, drives past Flo's V8 Cafe in Cars Land at Disney's California Adventure Park

1. Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters, located in Cars Land, is the ride that makes you smile, laugh, oooh and ahhh. Last summer we fell in love with this ride and this year we sprinted from the park entry directly to Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters for our very first ride of the day.

The whole experience is themed for Italian language, Italy, and cars. If you've seen Cars, the Pixar Movie, you're familiar with Luigi, the owner of Casa Della Tires in Radiator Springs. If not, you'll love it regardless. The cafe lights and flags above combined with the classic cars and silly music can make any Grumpy dwarf smile. The cars dance across the floor while you hold on (or put your hands high). You spin and float around, then all the cars perform together for the grand finale! Even watching the riders before you is fun.

The best part of the ride is that just about anyone can enjoy it. All 4 of us (2 adults, big kid, and baby) LOVED it. Last year Mamma rode pregnant and this time 1 year old Wyatt felt like a King twirling around and scanning the cars for his big sister. We rode in 2 cars, Aurora and I in one, Mamma and Wyatt in the other.

This ride is a must and it's even more magical and beautiful in the evening.

Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters, my favorite ride in Cars Land at Disney's California Adventure Park

My 7 year old niece, anxious to ride Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters, my favorite ride in Cars Land at Disney's California Adventure Park

2. Flo's V8 Cafe is a quick service restaurant also located in Cars Land. The vintage/cars theme from Cars Land flows seamlessly into the restaurant and the food is excellent.

You'll know Flo's from Cars and the interior is just like the movie. It's TOO CUTE and even the waffles are on theme, featuring Mater, the famous tow truck from Cars! The kids loved it and so would my Dad/any other old guy car enthusiast. Added bonus for a ton of indoor seating.

We stopped at Flo's for breakfast and shared the American Breakfast of Scrambled Eggs, Breakfast Potatoes, Bacon and a Biscuit for $8.99 and the Kids Waffles served with Turkey Bacon and fresh Fruit for $6.49. Overall it was a tasty and filling meal to carry us through a few hours of riding. [Yes, we shared just 2 meals. The big kid ate breakfast at home before we left and we had tons of snacks to supplement, see the Disney Basics post for more strategies.] I'd intended to have just one bite of the biscuit but it tasted perfectly homemade and I ate the whole thing! The potatoes were also worth mentioning.

Flo's V8 Cafe also serves lunch, dinner, milkshakes, coffee, tea, wine, and beer. They've even got seasonal offerings like rotisserie-roasted turkey breast and pumpkin pie [served only on Thanksgiving Day] and Holiday Peppermint Candy Cane milkshakes and Chocolate Peppermint pie leading up to Christmas!

The interior of Flo's V8 Cafe in Cars Land at Disney's California Adventure

Mater Waffles at Flo's V8 Cafe at Disney's California Adventure

3. The Lavender Lemonade at Schmoozie's Cafe in Hollywood Land is the most Instagrammed item in the park, thanks to its light up ice cube! I'm happy to report that it's not only cute but the BEST cool and refreshing drink, totally worth the $7.59. While my sister-in-law ordered it for herself I stole more than a few sips. She became obsessed with this lavender lemonade and has been trying to recreate it at home!

Schmoozie's also serves smoothies and espresso drinks. Head here when you're not yet ready for another meal but need a beverage.

Lavender Lemonade at Schmoozie's Cafe at Disney's California Adventure

4. The Veggie Tacos from Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill at the Pacific Wharf were exceptional! I'm still fairly new to meat-less eating but I know that often times a veggie anything is just stuffed with lettuce and tomato and totally unsatisfying. This was not the case with the veggie soft tacos Monterrey. They're not an official item posted on the menu but part of the fine print lis of the items which can be made vegetarian. The other tacos Monterrey items are $11.99, which I assume this dish cost as well.

The warm flour tortillas are packed with roasted carrots, zucchini, and yellow squash, plus shredded cheese and served with a bit of sour cream, guacamole, and pico de Gallo on the side, plus rice and refried beans. This was a simple, delicious, and filling meal. Thanks for looking out for the vegetarians, Disney.

Vegetarian soft tacos Monterrey from Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill at Pacific Wharf, at Disney's California Adventure

5. Boudin Bakery is a fixture in San Francisco and Disney's California Adventure's got a Boudin Bakery Tour and the famous Sourdough Bread Bowls. If you love the City by the Bay you will love this taste of San Francisco in Southern Cali. The tour is a brief walking tour and includes a bread sample. You can see the Mickey Mouse loaf below and there are many other novelty shaped breads for you to enjoy.

There's also a cafe where you order any of their hot/prepared food items. Seating is plentiful outside.

I was delighted to order broccoli cheddar soup in a sourdough bread bowl. My 7 year old niece was shocked to discover macaroni and cheese in one! This meal was tasty, reminiscent of one of my favorite cities, and just enough food for a mid-day park meal.