Opened on July 17, 1955, Disneyland in California can be considered the pioneer of a new way to entertain people.
Contrary to popular belief, Disneyland was NOT the first theme park in the world—theme parks already existed at the time—but Disney paved the way for a new way of creating and managing them.
Where is Disneyland located?
Disneyland is located in Anaheim, about 45 km (28 miles) southeast of downtown Los Angeles and around 70 km (43 miles) from LAX airport. 
What is it made up of?
Disneyland is one of the parks that make up the Disneyland Resort, which is structured as follows:
- 2 theme parks (Disneyland and Disney California Adventure)
- 1 shopping district (Downtown Disney)
- 3 Disney-owned hotels (Disneyland Hotel, Paradise Pier, Grand Californian)
When is it open?
Both parks are open 365 days a year, with hours varying depending on the season and special events. They usually open at 8:00 AM and close at 10:00 PM, and Disneyland often stays open until midnight!
I recommend visiting the official park website to check the current hours and to download the park app, which will be very helpful before and during your visit.
How much does Disneyland cost?
It’s not easy to give a precise answer to this question because there are many variables that affect the ticket price, including:
- time of year
- length of your visit
- type of ticket
The time of year is one of the biggest factors—visiting the park during peak season can almost double the ticket price. Peak seasons are quite similar to those in Italy.
The length of your visit is another key factor. The more days you choose to spend at the park, the less you’ll pay per day.
The type of ticket matters, but not as much.
At Disneyland, two types of tickets are available:
- One Park per Day
- Park Hopper
With the One Park per Day ticket, you can visit only one park per day.
With the Park Hopper ticket, you can move between both parks—but there’s a specific rule you need to know.
If you purchase this ticket, you’ll be asked to choose which park you want to start your day in. After 1:00 PM, you’ll be allowed to switch to the other park and go back and forth as much as you like until closing time.
How many themed areas is it divided into?
Disneyland is made up of 9 themed lands:
- MAIN STREET, U.S.A.
- ADVENTURELAND
- NEW ORLEANS SQUARE
- CRITTER COUNTRY
- FRONTIERLAND
- FANTASYLAND
- TOMORROWLAND
- MICKEY’S TOONTOWN (Temporarily closed)
- STAR WARS: GALAXY’S EDGE
MAIN STREET, U.S.A.
Main Street, U.S.A. is inspired by Walt’s hometown of Marceline, Missouri, and was designed to resemble the downtown of an idealized American town at the turn of the 19th to the early 20th century (around 1910).
On the left side of the square, above the fire station, you’ll find the apartment Walt used when he stayed at the park.
From the window, you can spot a lit lamp that symbolizes Walt’s ongoing presence.
This land doesn’t feature many attractions—mostly various kinds of shops—but two are definitely worth mentioning.
The main station of the Disneyland® Railroad, the iconic train that every great theme park must have, takes you on a scenic tour around the entire park, including some fascinating indoor sections.
Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln is a show that amazed everyone when it premiered at the New York World’s Fair in 1964, showcasing a life-sized animatronic of Lincoln!
ADVENTURELAND
Adventureland is the area that immersed me most in its theme—everything here is adventurous and oversized, truly making you feel like you’re deep in the jungle.
There are three must-see attractions in this land.
Inside the Enchanted Tiki Room, you can enjoy the world’s first animatronic show. Sure, it may feel a bit dated and old-school, but that’s its charm—and if it weren’t for this show, we might never have gotten the incredible experiences we now enjoy at Galaxy’s Edge.
In the Jungle Cruise, you’ll be taken deep into a “real” jungle aboard a boat captained by your personal skipper, who will show you the wonders of these lands—and even tell you about the beauty of “the other side of the waterfall.” (A joke only a few will get.)
In Indiana Jones™ Adventure, you’ll try to survive swinging bridges, rolling boulders, flames, and demons—an absolute must!
NEW ORLEANS SQUARE
This exclusive land—found only here at Disneyland in California—faithfully captures the streets of the French Quarter in New Orleans. In this area, you’ll find two of the most iconic and widely imitated attractions in the theme park world.
Opened in March 1967, Pirates of the Caribbean set a global standard for how dark rides (indoor attractions) should be designed—and it’s also one of the few Disney attractions that inspired a blockbuster film series, not the other way around.
With Haunted Mansion, the Imagineers also set a new benchmark for classic haunted house rides. From the outside, it looks like a majestic mansion, but inside lies a major attraction built with a clever mix of old-school techniques and modern innovations that still leave visitors speechless.
CRITTER COUNTRY
Next to the Haunted Mansion stands one of the most famous mountains in all of Disneyland.
Splash Mountain is a true masterpiece of entertainment—a brilliant blend of storytelling, outdoor and indoor segments, a catchy tune that’ll have you singing all the way through, and one of the steepest drops that will leave you soaked and laughing under the California sun.
Disney has recently announced that both versions of this attraction—at Disneyland and Magic Kingdom in Orlando—will be completely reimagined with a new theme based on The Princess and the Frog.
FRONTIERLAND
We Italians are quite fascinated by the “Old West”—which is probably why almost every Italian amusement park, from Gardaland down, has an area themed this way.
Here in Frontierland, there’s plenty to enjoy.
The Mark Twain Riverboat is a steam-powered paddle boat that takes you on a tour of the beautiful RIVERS of AMERICA, the main waterway in this area.
At the center of the RIVERS of AMERICA lies Tom Sawyer Island, an explorable island full of caves, tunnels, and hidden passageways just waiting to be discovered.
Big Thunder Mountain is also a pioneer among mine train roller coasters, found in countless parks around the world.
The version at Disneyland is the very first of its kind, and while there are now Big Thunder Mountains in nearly every Disney park, the one in Disneyland Paris is often considered the best.
FANTASYLAND
With 14 attractions, Fantasyland is the most densely packed land in all of Disneyland.
Here you’ll find the true Disney classics:
- Dumbo
- Pinocchio
- Carousel
- Casey Jr.
- Peter Pan
- Mad Tea Party
- Storybook Land
- “it’s a small world”
Many of these are also found at Disneyland Paris, while others are unique to California.
One standout is the Matterhorn Bobsleds, considered the first-ever steel roller coaster.
Inspired by the Matterhorn in the Alps, Walt Disney wanted to recreate the emotions he felt while visiting Switzerland during the filming of a documentary.
Alice in Wonderland, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, and Snow White’s Enchanted Wish are three hidden gems in this land.
Especially Snow White’s Enchanted Wish, which recently underwent a full refurbishment with added effects—don’t overlook it!
TOMORROWLAND
Tomorrowland has always been a tricky land for Disneyland.
The future ages quickly, which is why the version at Disneyland Paris is inspired by how the future was imagined centuries ago. Over time, many attractions here have been built, demolished, or updated:
- Autopia
- Star Tours
- Astro Orbitor
- Space Mountain
- Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
These are now classics across most Tomorrowlands worldwide.
Personally, I really enjoyed Autopia and Space Mountain because they’re quite different from the versions I’d tried in Orlando and Paris.
But there’s one attraction in Tomorrowland that you must experience: Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage.
I’ll admit—I couldn’t try it because it was under maintenance, but I really wanted to.
Originally opened in 1959 and re-themed in 2007 to feature Nemo, this attraction is a mix of a dark ride, an aquarium, and a projection show—all inside a submarine.
MICKEY’S TOONTOWN
This area is currently closed for a full renovation, but I can tell you they’re building an identical version of Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway—the one I tried in Orlando—and it’s absolutely amazing. 
STAR WARS: GALAXY’S EDGE
A near-identical copy of the one in Orlando—you can find my full review here. STAR WARS: GALAXY’S EDGE is pure bliss for any fan of the saga.
I’m not a huge fan myself, but once you set foot in Batuu—the fictional planet this land is set on—you’ll feel the need to choose which side of the Force you want to fight for.
Everything here is themed: the food, drinks, bathrooms, and shops will make you forget you’re still in Disneyland.
The only two rides here are:
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
In Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, you’ll be part of a crew on a mission to deliver coaxium (a super-charged galactic fuel) to a smuggler.
Each person is assigned one of three critical roles for the mission:
- Pilots work together to steer the ship and avoid obstacles (front row)
- Gunners use the triggers in the cockpit to blast enemy targets (middle row)
- Engineers repair the ship when necessary and perform other essential tasks (back row)
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
Nothing like this had ever been done before!
The level of immersion in Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is unmatched, and the technology used to bring it to life is the most advanced and complex ever seen in a theme park.
Here, you’ll take on the role of a Rebel, first captured by the First Order and then rescued by your fellow fighters.
Tips and Conclusion
As always, remember to follow my key rules, which you’ll find in this article, but here are a few additional tips that might come in handy.
Arrive at the park early—even before the official opening time. Wait in the central castle square for the official rope drop, and position yourself near one of the access routes to the lands. I recommend Frontierland for quick access to Rise of the Resistance, which usually has long lines.
After exploring this land thoroughly, head to the next one, and try to visit the park in a circular route—clockwise or not—so you never have to backtrack.
This way you’ll save time and energy, and even though Disneyland is fairly compact, a bit of strategy never hurts.
