

Plus, you exit to a mostly-empty Route 66, which is pretty cool. Typically, the line dies down a bit by this point, but the real benefit is that you’ll be “wasting” your time waiting in line after the park is closed, anyway, so it’s not like you’re missing out on valuable park time. Ignore the posted wait time, as that’s always inflated to discourage guests from jumping in line for one final ride of the evening. Our final strategy is getting in line 5 minutes before Disney California Adventure closes for the night. Locals tend utilize the Single Rider line with much more frequency than tourists. They’re usually worst on afternoon, weekends, and any other times when Californians are disproportionately visiting DCA. Wait times for this fluctuate dramatically, but tend to be lower earlier in the day or towards the very end of the night. If this line is backed up to near the bridge, we recommend getting out of line and coming back later. See our Guide to Genie+ and Lightning Lanes at Disneyland Resort for more info.Īnother option–and one we use regularly–is the Single Rider line.

If we’d never done it before, we’d probably pay to skip the line and do Radiator Springs Racers around sunset, dusk, or late at night. While we’re not personally keen on the pay-per-ride option, we’ve also experienced Radiator Springs Racers (literally) hundreds of times and thus have no sense of urgency. The fastest option for experiencing Radiator Springs Racers is purchasing an Individual Lightning Lane. Our reasoning is that it’s easier to knock out two headliners early-on by starting on that side of the park. As discussed in our 1-Day Disney California Adventure Itinerary, we favor starting in Avengers Campus instead. As noted above, it’s also what most DCA visitors will do.

Fortunately, there are a few different ways to approach Radiator Springs Racers to accomplish exactly that–and minimize your time waiting in line.įirst, the straightforward rope drop dash. Radiator Springs Racers is so good that you’ll probably want to ride more than once. It’s a masterpiece of modern Imagineering, right behind Indiana Jones Adventure and the longer Pirates of the Caribbean as the most compelling rides that Walt Disney World fans need to visit California to experience. There’s a reason Radiator Springs Racers is #5 on our list of Disneyland & DCA Ride Rankings, and the #1 attraction in Disney California Adventure. This remains true a decade later, even after the addition of other popular newer rides like Web Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure and Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout. Rope drop at Disney California Adventure might as well be called the “Race for Racers,” because the vast majority of guests prioritize Radiator Springs Racers over everything else.

With that said, let’s get this guide to Cars Land rolling! (Okay, sorry for that awful pun…but it’s pretty consistent with the generally corny writing style of this blog, so are you really that surprised?) 5. (We’d also include Buena Vista Street, Grizzly Peak, and Avengers Campus on that list–albeit much lower down.) The entire Route 66 is fantastic, right up there with New Orleans Square as unique-to-Disneyland lands that every Walt Disney World fan should see. The land felt like stepping into the “set” of a Pixar film, and still does! Spanning a whopping 12 acres, Cars Land today remains something special.Ĭars Land is also one of the biggest reasons why Walt Disney World fans should make the road trip to Disneyland Resort. The new land played fast and loose with the park’s California theme, expanding that to Route 66 while bringing guests into Radiator Springs. Starting with a drive down memory lane, Cars Land opened on June 15, 2012. Both Buena Vista Street and Cars Land still feel simultaneously new and like they’ve always been a part of the park. ( Updated June 15, 2022.)įor Summer 2022, we’re revisiting this guide to Cars Land with some fresh tips & tricks in honor of the 10th Anniversary of Cars Land! It’s hard to believe that Disney California Adventure 2.0 is now a decade old, existing almost as long as the original incarnation of the park. This guide covers saving time in line for Radiator Springs Racers, what to eat, secret spots & moments, and more in this truly magical area of DCA. Cars Land at Disney California Adventure has solidified its place as one of the most popular theme park lands at Disneyland Resort.
