Disneyland is a place full of magic, happiness, and enjoyment, and somewhere, your inner child comes out to enjoy those nostalgic moments you once experienced as a kid. With Disneyland being the only amusement park the company opened, they decided to add another park that would share a similar experience or an even better one. This second park would be known as California Adventure; ever since its opening, parkgoers have debated which park is better. At first, California Adventure offered fewer attractions than Disneyland, so it was evident that Dislend was the superior park. However, over time, Disney has added many attractions and remodeled old ones to fit new films. So, does Disneyland still hold its place as number one, or has California Adventure surpassed the original?

Let’s start with Disneyland, which contains all the attractions related to the original Disney franchise. These include all the characters and movies we know and love, such as Peter Pan, Cinderella, Pinocchio, Winnie the Pooh, and the most notable, Mickey Mouse. The park’s atmosphere brings back memories and provides a sense of nostalgia. It feels unique and magical, but the rides in the park could be faster-paced and provide more of a thrill. They are meant for younger park-goers. This is okay, as some people love the park’s traditional atmosphere. Food is a critical component of any park and must also be considered. Overall, the park perfectly balances out between the traditional shows and rides for which Disneyland has always been known. The fact that most of the rides feel like carbon copies of one another with the characters swapped out earns the park a 9/10 from me.

Lastly, there is California Adventure, which is all about modern attractions. The park offers thematic attractions from the Marvel, Incredibles, Monsters Inc., Toy Story, and Cars franchises. These are my favorite movies; the rides offer more of a thrill as they are actual roller coasters, unlike Disneyland’s rides. The food cannot compete with Disneyland’s, but California Adventure still has great drink selections. The design and decor of California Adventure are unbeatable. You can even meet your favorite superheroes, such as Spider-Man, Black Panther, and Black Widow. California usually has many events at its parks; an example is in October, they have a boogie man bash where people get to come at 6 p.m. and stay until 2 a.m. dressed up in their favorite character or costumes. Finally, the merchandise is far better than Disneyland. Regarding merchandise, California Adventure beats Disneyland by offering Marvel-themed items. California Adventure gets a 9.5 rating because it is better than Disneyland, but the park could improve…

Overall, California Adventure is the better park and bang for your buck if you want to go to one amusement park. The park offers superior drink choices, themed merchandise, and faster-paced rides.