Home Sweet Hotel: Staying Next to the Magic
Our home base for the trip was the Fairfield by Marriott Anaheim Resort, a Disneyland Good Neighbor Hotel conveniently located just across the street from the parks. (There’s nothing like a 5-minute walk to Disneyland’s gates in the morning!) The hotel was comfortable, family-friendly, and filled with Disney touches that kept us in the magical mood. As a Mouse One Travel agent, I often recommend the Fairfield to clients for its combination of value and location, and now I got to experience it firsthand with my own family.
Checking in was a breeze. The staff welcomed us warmly (even noticing our matching Mickey shirts) and we settled into a spacious room with enough beds for the four of us. We could even spot the evening glow of Disneyland Park from our window. After dropping off our bags, we wasted no time. Within minutes, we were strolling through security and onto the Disneyland esplanade, leaving the real world behind. Knowing our cozy hotel was just steps away made the whole trip feel easy and relaxed. Midday breaks? No problem. One afternoon we even popped back to the Fairfield for a quick nap to recharge (a necessary pause for our tired feet). If you’re planning a trip and looking for convenience, I can personally vouch that being so close to the parks at the Fairfield was a fantastic choice. It gave us more time and energy to soak up the Disney fun, which is exactly what we did!
Avengers Campus: Marvel Fans Assemble
Stepping into Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure Park was like walking into a Marvel movie. We’re a family of unabashed Marvel fans – we’ve had countless movie marathon nights together – so being in this land was a dream come true. The moment we saw the Quinjet sitting atop the Avengers HQ building and heard epic heroic music in the air, we all got goosebumps. “Marvel fans, assemble!” I shouted jokingly, and my daughters rolled their eyes and laughed (some dad jokes never get old). We spent an entire morning exploring every inch of Avengers Campus, and it truly felt immersive. Around every corner, there was something happening: one minute Spider-Man was flipping through the air above us in an acrobatic stunt show, the next we ran into Ant Man posing for photos, and my daughters couldn’t resist jumping in line for a picture, all of them fangirled pretty hard meeting Ant Man in the flesh!
But the real centerpiece of Avengers Campus for us was the attractions. First up: Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout!. You can spot the Guardians’ fortress (formerly the old Tower of Terror) from practically anywhere in the park – a towering collection of colorful pipes and bizarre creatures on the outside, courtesy of The Collector’s funky aesthetic. My daughters and I were beyond excited (and a tad nervous) to ride it, since none of us had experienced this Marvel re-imagining of the drop tower ride. I’ll admit, as a dad I had moments of “what have I gotten myself into?” as we entered the queue adorned with cases of alien artifacts and a video of Rocket Raccoon explaining his rescue mission. The atmosphere was spot-on.
The ride itself? Absolutely awesome and worth the hype. We blasted off to the tune of classic rock songs, up and down, screaming and laughing the whole time. By the end, our hearts were pounding and faces hurting from smiling so much. We ended up riding Mission: Breakout twice during our trip (using Genie+ Lightning Lane once and waiting standby the other time), and both experiences were slightly different with new songs and visuals. That randomization, plus the pure adrenaline rush, has definitely put Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! at the top of our family’s favorite Disney rides list.
Of course, we couldn’t leave Avengers Campus without helping our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Web Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure was next on our agenda. This interactive ride lets you team up with Spidey to wrangle an outbreak of out-of-control Spider-Bots, and it basically turns your arms into web-shooters via some cool motion-tracking technology. We donned our 3D glasses, hopped into our WEB Slinger vehicle, and immediately got to flinging our arms like crazy to shoot virtual webs. If anyone saw us, we probably looked ridiculous, but we didn’t care one bit. We were totally into it, competing with each other for the highest score. (Side note: my years of playing video games with the kids might have given me a slight edge. I want to claim that Dad beat everyone else’s score, but I’m not really sure of that fact!). By the end of the mission, our arms were honestly a little sore from all the enthusiastic web-slinging. We were laughing so hard at how intense we got that we had to shake out our hands afterward. WEB Slingers was such a different experience from a normal ride (more like a giant video game meets ride), and it was a hit with our family. Pro tip: stretching your arms beforehand isn’t a bad idea, especially if you’re as competitive as we are.
Beyond the big rides, we soaked up the rest of Avengers Campus’s offerings. We watched the Dora Milaje (the fierce warriors from Black Panther) demonstrate combat training and invite young guests to join in (my girls nudged me to volunteer – I declined, sticking to embarrassing them with dad jokes instead). We grabbed shawarma from the Shawarma Palace cart for a quick lunch snack – because how can you not eat shawarma in Avengers Campus? It was actually delicious! There’s something surreal about munching on the same food the Avengers did after the Battle of New York, while standing in a theme park Marvel land with your kids. All in all, Avengers Campus completely won us over. It’s a must-visit for any Marvel fan, and it gave us some of the most unforgettable moments of our trip.
Savoring the Taste of California
Our trip happened to coincide with the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival, and as a family of foodies we could not have been happier about the timing. This annual springtime festival transforms Disney California Adventure into a culinary celebration, with kiosks offering tapas-sized dishes, desserts, and drinks inspired by California’s diverse cuisines and produce. Think farm-fresh bites, craft beers and local wines, and creative takes on classic West Coast flavors. During our visit, we spent midday hours wandering from booth to booth, essentially having a gourmet grazing lunch spread out over several delicious hours.
One of our favorite festival bites was a zesty Baja-style fish taco we found at the LA Style booth. It had a tangy slaw and cilantro-lime crema that hit the spot on a warm afternoon. We also indulged in a rich, garlicky mac ‘n’ cheese topped with crispy smoked bacon from the Garlic Kissed booth (the aroma alone drew us in!). To satisfy our sweet tooth, we shared a Mickey-shaped caramel-peanut milk chocolate macaron that was almost too cute to eat… almost. For research purposes, of course, we felt compelled to sample a variety of mocktails as well: I sipped a refreshing strawberry mockjito. Everything was so good.
The atmosphere during the festival was lively and fun, with live music on the Pixar Pier stage and cooking demonstrations happening throughout the day. We caught part of a chef presentation where they were teaching how to make a perfect homemade pizza dough, not exactly what we expected to do at Disneyland, but hey, we learned something new! As the afternoon sun started to fade, the festoon lights came on and the whole place felt like a big California foodie fair. Even if you’re not a hardcore foodie, I’d highly recommend planning a trip during the Food & Wine Festival if you can. It added an extra layer of enjoyment for our family – we still talk about that tacos and mac ‘n’ cheese, and I’ve been inspired to recreate a few festival recipes at home. Disney knows how to do food festivals right, and this one truly gave us a taste of California we won’t forget.
Revving Up Fun in Cars Land
After filling our bellies with festival goodies, we ventured into one of my personal favorite areas of Disney California Adventure: Cars Land. If you’ve ever seen Pixar’s Cars, walking into Cars Land feels like jumping straight into Radiator Springs from the movie. The attention to detail is incredible, from the Cozy Cone Motel to Flo’s V8 Café, every building and rock formation looks like it was lifted right off the screen. We arrived in the late afternoon just as that golden hour sunlight was hitting the Cadillac Range mountains. My daughters and I actually paused and just said “wow” as we took it in. It’s crazy how a theme park can spark such nostalgia, but I instantly remembered watching the first Cars movie with them when they were little girls, and here we were now, standing in the real Radiator Springs together. Talk about full circle Disney magic.
Of course, the crowning jewel of Cars Land is Radiator Springs Racers, one of Disney’s most impressive rides. We grabbed a Lightning Lane return time earlier (Radiator Springs Racers is popular, and for good reason) and now it was time to race. The ride starts as a leisurely drive through Ornament Valley, past stunning red rock buttes and waterfalls, with animatronic Cars characters like Mater and Lightning McQueen popping up to banter with you. My daughters and I were grinning at each other like kids. The animatronics are so realistic, and the scenery is breathtaking. But soon the real fun kicked in: we lined up side-by-side with another car full of guests and suddenly we were off, zooming through the desert in a high-speed race to the finish line! We whooped and hollered the whole way. Our car narrowly “won” the race by a nose, cue celebratory high-fives all around. (Apparently who wins is random, but we took those bragging rights anyway.)
Radiator Springs Racers was an absolute highlight for us. It’s the perfect blend of storytelling and thrill, and it’s mild enough that just about anyone can enjoy it, yet exciting enough to get your adrenaline pumping. After our race, we stuck around Cars Land as evening set in. I’m so glad we did, because when the sun went down, the neon lights came on, exactly like that scene in Cars where the town lights up to Sh-Boom (Life Could Be a Dream). The whole street glowed with retro neon signs in blues, oranges, and pinks. There was a spontaneous feeling of camaraderie among everyone there; we all stopped to soak up the atmosphere, humming along to the ’50s tunes playing in the background. We snapped a bunch of photos under the neon lights, and I may or may not have gotten a little misty-eyed watching my daughters pose goofily in front of the Cozy Cone Motel sign. It was one of those perfect moments where time slows down for a second, just pure joy and family togetherness in a place that somehow feels both brand new and nostalgically familiar.
Before leaving Cars Land, we treated ourselves to giant swirl soft-serve cones from the Cozy Cone (had to do it!) and did a little souvenir shopping at Radiator Springs Curios.
The Magic Never Gets Old
On our last evening, we park-hopped back over to Disneyland Park because no trip is complete without a dose of classic Disney magic. We wandered down Main Street, U.S.A., gazing at the shop windows and snacking on some fresh popcorn (the scent of Main Street popcorn is basically impossible to resist). We took a nostalgic spin on Pirates of the Caribbean, and I chuckled when my eldest daughter recited half the script along with the animatronic pirates, proof that some Disney memories really stick with you! We also made sure to fly with Dumbo, catch a ride on Hyperspace Mountain (my kids might be grown, but hearing them giggle-scream on a roller coaster still brings me endless joy), and of course, pay a visit to the Haunted Mansion to say hello to the 999 happy haunts. There’s something comforting about revisiting those childhood favorites together; it felt like not a day had passed since our first family Disney trip, even though so much has changed.
As night fell, we found a spot in the hub facing Sleeping Beauty Castle, which was shimmering with lights. Moments later, the sky exploded with color in Disneyland’s fireworks spectacular. Standing there with my arms around my daughters, the music swelling (“When You Wish Upon A Star” always gets me), I had one of those out-of-body emotional moments. In the flash of the fireworks I could see in my mind the little girls my daughters used to be – twirling in princess dresses, perched on my shoulders to watch the very same castle show. And here they were now as strong, beautiful grown women, still singing along to Disney songs and enjoying the magic with their dad. I won’t lie, I definitely had tears in my eyes (happy tears!). Disneyland has a way of touching the soul like that, and sharing it with family is an unbeatable experience.
When the last burst of fireworks faded, we slowly made our way out, hand in hand, savoring the final moments in the park. We took one last family selfie in front of the Mickey floral mosaic at the train station, capturing the end of this chapter in our story. It’s incredible how a place like Disneyland can make you feel like a kid again, no matter your age. Our trip was filled with laughter, adventure, and so much love – truly, memories to last a lifetime.
As a dad and a travel agent, nothing makes me happier than seeing my family caught up in the joy of travel and togetherness. This Disneyland journey reminded me why I do what I do to help others experience that same kind of magic. If you’re dreaming of a Disney trip with your own family, whether the kids are young or grown, do it! There’s a special kind of pixie dust in these adventures that brings you closer together. I know my family felt it.
Until our next adventure, I’ll be here happily planning Disney getaways for others and cherishing the ones I’ve had. Thanks, Disneyland, for proving once again that the magic never gets old, and neither do we.
