Disney California Adventure Park is one of our favorite places to have fun TOGETHER as a family. There are so many attractions, restaurants and shows that have us laughing together, from the youngest to the oldest. We have chosen five Disney California Adventure Park attractions to feature here that we think are great for guests of all ages. These attractions have no height requirements and are among the most accessible attractions in the park.
A note before we begin: these are all attractions that we have personally done with (and as) very young children, but of course what your group considers scary may vary. If you are not sure if your group members will be intimidated by an attraction, consider helping them preview it by watching ride videos online or watching a movie. This can foster some helpful conversations about what appeals to each person or what makes them nervous. We have also tried to include current accessibility information here to the best of our knowledge, but Disney itself should be referenced for the most up-to-date information.
Here are our top 5 all-ages attractions at Disney California Adventure Park:
The Little Mermaid – Ariel’s Undersea Adventure in Paradise Gardens Park
This slow moving sweet adventure with Ariel will feel familiar to any fans of the movie. The Little Mermaid – Ariel’s Undersea Adventure is a nice early attraction for little ones. It also presents an opportunity for older guests to share happy memories of the first time they saw the movie. The songs are upbeat and the storyline moves along quickly. This is a dark ride, but all of the sets are so brightly colored that it is easy to forget that you are in the dark. If anyone feels a little nervous, your clamshell ride vehicle has bench seating that allows for easy reach in comforting a riding companion. Guests must transfer from ECV to wheelchair. Wheelchair access vehicle. Handheld captioning and audio description is available.
Toy Story Midway Mania! in Pixar Pier
Toy Story Midway Mania! is an interactive carnival themed attraction. A ride here is a great opportunity to put any wiggles to use in scoring points. Seated in pairs, you will don 3D glasses to launch virtual darts, balls, eggs and toys at screens throughout the ride. The stars of the beloved Toy Story movies are there to cheer you on. It is possible that some people may find the 3D glasses cumbersome, and the ride can get a bit loud, but we generally find that guests of all skill levels can have fun with this “4D” attraction. If this is a big hit with your crew, we also recommend checking-out WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure in Avengers Campus, another interactive ride with no height requirements. Guests must transfer from ECV to wheelchair. Wheelchair access vehicle. Designated transfer and load areas. Video captioning available.
Animation Building: Animation Academy, Turtle Talk with Crush and Sorcerers Workshop in Hollywood Land
The Animation Building offers a number of unique non-ride attractions in a climate-controlled setting. The Animation Academy is a particular favorite of ours: it can be attended by anyone comfortable holding a pencil. Turtle Talk with Crush is a sweet and often overlooked show. People who become overwhelmed for whatever reason can easily exit the Animation Academy or Turtle Talk with Crush and go check-out the Sorcerer’s Workshop. We like that these attractions can spark group conversations and perhaps encourage a shared interest in animation. You get to leave the Animation Academy with whatever drawing you create, so that also supports a fun shared memory. Bonus: the Animation Building usually hosts an Anna and Elsa meet and greet for the Frozen fans in your crew. Guests may remain in a wheelchair/ECV. Other accommodations vary by individual attraction.
Mickey’s PhilharMagic in Hollywood Land
A fun 3D film, Mickey’s Philharmagic features a cavalcade of classic Disney characters led by Donald Duck himself. At twelve minutes long, this can be a fun first movie for little ones, and any peril in the movie is cartoonish. The show feels familiar but fresh with lots of silly fun and effects. The theater is dark and the movie can be loud, or little ones may object to the 3D glasses, but this is a show instead of a ride, so you can exit if needed. We think this is a great movie for Disney fans of all ages to enjoy together. Guests may remain in wheelchair/ECV. Assistive listening, handheld captioning and audio description is available.
Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sully to the Rescue! in Hollywood Land
Monsters, Inc. Mike and Sully to the Rescue is a slow moving dark ride with a similar feel to the classic dark rides across the way in Disneyland Park’s Fantasyland. We think that the all-ages appeal of the Monsters, Inc. world comes across here. The attraction’s thrills come from the story and some fun visuals and silly characters rather than anything fast or particularly scary. The ride can be loud, and it is dark, but if your crew has seen the movie, they will probably be comfortable on the ride. Bench seats in the taxi ride vehicles make it easy to comfort a nervous rider. Guests must transfer from ECV to wheelchair. Wheelchair access vehicle. Handheld captioning and audio description is available.
Those are just five of the best all ages attractions at Disney California Adventure Park.
Here’s hoping that you have a blast in Disney California Adventure Park with your crew and that you make some golden memories together. For our favorite spots to relax at Disney California Adventure Park, visit this post. For general planning advice, visit our step-by-step guide for visiting Disneyland Resort here.