Last updated on April 3rd, 2026
Looking for a list and details about Disney California Adventure thrill rides?
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Disney parks are known for their princesses, pirates, Mickey-shaped pretzels and family-friendly shows and rides. I’m a fan of all those things, but sometimes you just want to buckle up and scream your head off! Luckily, there are just enough thrill rides at Disney California Adventure to pump a little adrenaline to your day.
Keep reading for everything you need to know about thrill rides at DCA at the Disneyland Resort.
Screaming Your Way Through DCA: The Low-Down on Disney California Adventure Rides
People visit the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California for family-friendly fun. But when you have teens – or are enjoying a grown-ups only trip – a little more thrill may be in order. Luckily, Disney California Adventure is home to a bunch of cool options.
Keep in mind, compared to theme parks like Six Flags, “thrill ride” is a relative term. Most Disney thrill rides are on the milder side, but they’ll still pack a pretty thrilling punch!
The Incredicoaster
Formerly California Screamin’, the Incredicoaster was recently re-themed and re-opened as part of Disney’s transformation of Paradise Pier into Pixar Pier in 2018. The ride features the same track as before, but now has a story and characters from The Incredibles movie incorporated into the ride.
The Incredicoaster is one of the few traditional roller coasters in all the Disney theme parks across the globe. At the Disneyland Resort, it is the fastest ride and the only one that goes upside down.
The roller coaster was built to look like an old-fashioned wooden coaster (remember, it was originally part of Paradise Pier, which was designed to be reminiscent of a California beach boardwalk) but it is made from steel for a super smooth ride.
Ride it at night for the most dramatic tunnel views and to see the park below lit up!
Personally, I liked when it was California Screamin’ better. But that is probably because of all the Disney Pixar movies The Incredibles is one of my least favorite!
Also, I liked that the original coaster had an upbeat musical soundtrack; the new version has a lot of dialogue and frankly I just want to lean back and enjoy the ride without having to follow a story line!
Grizzly River Run
Grizzly River Run is among the tallest, fastest and longest river rapids rides in the world. It is also one of the best thrill rides at Disney California Adventure. Guests climb aboard a round raft that seats eight people. After ascending to the top, Grizzly River Run offers a free-spinning white water rafting adventure where everyone is bound to get drenched!
A few tips for riding Grizzly River Run:
Obviously, the hottest part of the day is when this ride is going to be the most crowded; when people are in the greatest need of cooling off.
Another tip is to go early in the day before the sun reaches its peak.
Or ride it in the evening, as long as you don’t mind walking around after dark wearing wet clothes! Nighttime is our favorite time of day to go. Much of the time it’ll be a walk-right-on situation with no line at all. You can even hop off and back on and ride it several times in a row! Because once you’re wet, you may as well keep going.
If you don’t mind your group being split up, Grizzly River Run offers a Single Rider Line. This can save you tons of time when the stand-by line in long.
For those in your party who may not want to get wet, or if you have little kids who do not meet the minimum height requirement, there’s a nice viewing area near the ride. Wait here and watch rafts come down the waterfall and laugh at everyone on them getting soaked.
Radiator Springs Racers
Located in Cars Land, Radiator Springs Racers is one of the most popular rides at the Disneyland Resort.
Radiator Springs Racers immerses riders in the world of Lightning McQueen, Sally, Mater and the rest of the gang. Guests ride in a convertible resembling a character from the movie Cars, complete with eyes on the windshield and a mouth on the front fender. Each car holds six riders.
Radiator Springs Racers starts with a scenic drive through Ornament Valley and Radiator Springs. It ends with a thrilling side-by-side race with another car.
If you’ve ever gone on Test Track in Epcot at Walt Disney World, you have an idea of what to expect on Radiator Springs Racers. The technology on this Disney thrill ride is similar. Your ride vehicle makes all sorts of cool moves – speeding up, slowing down, even bouncing around a bit as Luigi fixes you up with brand new tires for the big race!
Like almost everything with Disney, the devil is in the details. Keep your eyes open! From the succinct way the characters’ mouths move to the cute and clever wording on the signs (Welcome to Taillight Caverns! Free Lincoln Continental breakfast!), the attention to detail is meticulously wonderful!
Goofy’s Sky School
I struggled with whether or not to include this ride on the list. Truly, I did!
At any other park this would be way too mild for a list of thrill rides, but there are some pretty sharp twists and turns and a drop that will make your belly flip, so here it is.
Goofy’s Sky School is a coaster inspired by Disney’s “How To” cartoons from the 1940s – particularly the one titled Goofy’s Glider. Riders climb aboard a “flight-training vehicle” and up three stories, zipping along 1,200 feet of track. The height requirement to ride is 42 inches, so younger kids who ride will think it’s a blast!
Goofy’s Sky School is located in the Paradise Gardens Park area of DCA across from Jumpin’ Jellyfish. The ride vehicles hold up to four people in two rows.The ride is short – less than two minutes from start to finish.
Guardians of the Galaxy — Mission: Breakout!
I save the best for last, because Guardians of the Galaxy delivers the greatest thrill. It is my teenage son’s favorite, so it must be good.
Up until 2016, this ride was the Tower of Terror. After a complete revamp, it re-opened in May 2017 re-themed with a Guardians of the Galaxy and is now part of Avengers Campus. The ride uses the same structure as Tower of Terror and the same basic free-falling ride, but it has new visual and audio effects.
The story goes that the Collector has captured the main characters, and Rocket is on a mission to save them. Unfortunately, the raccoon’s rescue plan involves cutting power to the gantry lift, resulting in the ride’s crazy ups and downs at thrilling speeds up to 39 miles per hour.
There are six different scenes that run randomly, so you never know what you’re going to get! You can go on this ride multiple times to experience different stories, songs and fall sequences each time.
During Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort, Guardians of the Galaxy receives a special Halloween overlay. When the sun sets, the ride transforms into Guardians of the Galaxy – Monsters After Dark. It features thrilling music created especially for Halloween!
There are many other awesome rides at Disney California Adventure park, but if you are looking for high-octane thrills these five are your best bet. Be sure to check height requirements if you have a young thrill-seeker.
Final Thoughts: Disney California Adventure Thrill Rides
While it would be a stretch to say that DCA is a great park for thrill ride junkies, there are certainly a fair number of awesome rides to sprinkle into your Disneyland day.
While Disneyland Park most definitely has the corner on Disney magic and nostalgia, Disney California Adventure is the place adults can go to enjoy a few extra screams on the thrill rides.
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