Disneyland still has dozens of the classic rides and attractions created by Walt and his team of Imagineers more than fifty years ago, but this theme park also continues to be on the cutting edge, with exciting new rides, shows, and attractions designed for the entire family.

Today's Disneyland offers more than sixty rides, shows, and attractions. The park is divided into areas known as lands, and each land has a theme: adventure, the frontier, the future, fantasy, cartoons, and so on. If you're traveling with kids, you'll spend a lot of time in Fantasyland and Mickey's Toontown.

Most rides within Disneyland aren't “thrill” rides. With a few exceptions, you won't be dropped, swung, spun, tossed, or forced into a state of nausea or dizziness. What you will experience are classic moments in Disney history presented in innovative ways, often using special effects, Audio-Animatronics (robots), and beautifully designed sets or architecture.

Most of the Disneyland rides tell (or retell) a story featuring popular Disney characters. These rides tap all of your senses to create a fantasy-like experience. You can learn about each one of them in detail in Chapter 9.