The Top 10 Things to Do at Disneyland

Rides are the reason most people go to Disneyland, and they've got a broad range of options, from gentle boat trips to the white-knuckled, scream-yourself-silly kind.

The Disneyland Ride Guide and California Adventure Ride Sheet have all the details, listed by type, height restrictions, and photos.

What could be more fun than meeting your favorite Disney character in person? Minnie and Mickey Mouse have residences in Disneyland's Toontown where you can drop in, and the Star Wars characters hold meet and greets in the Star Wars Launch Bay in Tomorrowland.

You'll also find a whole host of other characters around the parks and at special character breakfasts.

If you're going to Disneyland for a special birthday, honeymoon, anniversary or another occasion, you don't have to celebrate alone. And you don't have to pay a penny extra, either.

When you arrive, stop at Disneyland's City Hall or California Adventure Guest Relations to pick up a souvenir birthday or celebration button. 

Wear the button and you'll feel like a celebrity all day, with Cast Members and other guests offering you best wishes all day.

You'll find a themed store outside many of the most popular rides full of tempting souvenirs.

You'll find lots of shops along Main Street U.S.A. and along the street near New Orleans Square. The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique near the castle sells costumes to suit all the mini princesses that visit the park. 

The Disney Gallery on Main Street or Off the Page in California Adventure are the best places to head to score a special collectible, or try the World of Disney Store in Downtown Disney.

In some respects, every day feels like a holiday at Disneyland. It's like Fourth of July every time they set off the fireworks.

Disneyland also gets gussied up for Halloween, and Mickey Mouse hosts a Halloween Party that has its own parade and fireworks.

The park also celebrates Christmas with handmade candy canes, festive treats, and holiday-themed overlays at It's a Small World and Haunted Mansion.

Disneyland and California Adventure have some great live shows featuring singing, dancing, and sometimes a little audience participation. If you aren't into rides, you could easily spend an entire day just watching the shows.

The Frozen show at California Adventure is a favorite. California Adventure has other options, too, including the World of Color, a water-and-lights show worth staying up late for.

In most places, you're lucky to see one parade a year, but at Disneyland, you can watch two or three in a single day.

In Disneyland, the Pixar Play Parade (which was previously at California Adventure) runs once or twice a day.

At California Adventure you can watch the spectacular Paint the Night, a lighted parade with over-the-top effects. 

Disneyland has fireworks about 250 times a year, and they're some of the best you'll see anywhere. They're launched using low-smoke, low-pollution, quieter technology. Plus, they're not just pretty, but they tell a story, too, with the help of some amazing projection effects that go with them. 

A perennial favorite Fantasmic! also offers a generous helping of fireworks and special effects.

You'll find plenty of places to eat in the parks and just outside them, too, from a simple pretzel and a fountain drink to a full, sit-down dinner. Most are first-come, first serve, but a few require reservations.

You can also have a meal while getting a chance to meet the Disney characters at the hotels and inside the theme parks.

People-watching is a favorite thing to do at Disneyland while you're relaxing and taking a break from running around and exploring the park. Find a bench or a place to rest, and watch all the visitors and characters stroll by.

Some of the best spots to do this are the benches around the "hub" between Main Street U.S.A. and the castle. In California Adventure, head to Paradise Pier or Hollywood Land.