Looking for a guide to Cars Land at the Disneyland Resort? You’ve come to the right place!
From Radiator Springs Racers to the Cozy Cone Motel, Cars Land at Disney California Adventure Park delivers high-octane fun for the whole family! This awesome land brings the world of Cars to life. There are rides, shops, fun places to eat, and so much cool decor it’s hard to take it all in!
When Cars Land originally opened nearly 15 years ago, my son was a little guy and absolutely loved the movie (we still do!), so spending time here was truly magical. Since then, we’ve been to Cars Land countless times.
As a Southern California local and Disneyland expert, I’ve learned lots of tricks and tips for making the most of your visit. I am excited to share them with you here in this complete guide to Cars Land.
Cars Land Disneyland
Inspired by the 2006 Pixar Animations Studios film Cars, Cars Land is an area not to be missed at Disney California Adventure Park at the Disneyland Resort.
Car Land spans 12 acres, making it one of the largest areas of the park. It has three rides and lots of fun shops and places to eat, plus opportunities to see the characters driving by.
Stepping into Radiator Springs will bring straight into the movie’s gorgeous Southwest landscape. Serving as a backdrop to Cars Land is the spectacular 125-foot tall Cadillac Range, the largest rock work created in a Disney theme park.
As amazing a sight to see as Cars Land is during the day, it’s even more beautiful at night. The whole town lights up as the neon signs along Route 66 illuminate, with the towering Cadillac Range illuminated behind it, as well. It is an amazing sight and our favorite time of day to visit!
Cars Land Rides
There are three Cars Land rides. The “E-Ticket” Radiator Springs Racers and two equally awesome though more little-kid-friendly attractions, Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree and Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters. Here’s a little bit about each of these Cars Land rides.
Radiator Springs Racers
Radiator Springs Racers combines classic storytelling in Disney “dark ride” fashion with a thrilling, high-speed race as its grand finale. This ride is easily Cars Land’s most popular attraction.
The convertible you ride in even looks like the characters from the movie, with eyes on the windshield and a mouth on the front fender.
The ride starts with a scenic drive through Ornament Valley and Radiator Springs; it ends with a thrilling ride racing side-by-side with another car.
If you’ve ever ridden EPCOT’s Test Track at Walt Disney World, you have an idea of what to expect on Radiator Springs Racers. The technology is similar, and 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!
The level of detail on this ride is amazing – from the way the characters’ mouths move to the decorations in town to the cute and clever wording on the signs. (Welcome to Taillight Caverns! This hotel serves a free Lincoln Continental breakfast!)
Although Radiator Springs Racers is often billed as a thrill ride, it’s pretty tame by thrill ride standards.
Is Radiator Springs for everyone? I give this question a hardy “Yes!” I would venture to say that as long as your kids are tall enough to meet the 40” minimum height requirement, they are old enough to have a blast on the ride!
Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree
At the top of Route 66 and the first ride you’ll see entering Cars Land is Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree. This ride is a swinging, spinning, tractor-pulling hoedown hosted by Mater.
While Mater – aka Larry the Cable Guy – belts out some truly hilarious songs, 22 baby tractors (11 on each of two sides) travel in overlapping figure eight patterns along interlocking turntables.
Guests ride in trailers attached to the baby tractors. The seat accommodates up to two adults and one child, secured by a single lap belt. Kids must be 32 inches or taller and accompanied by a rider 54 inches or taller to ride.
Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree may look like a basic kiddie ride at first glance, but it delivers an unexpected thrill that even adults will love.
The line for this ride moves quickly and never gets too long. It winds through some of Mater’s junkyard treasures, such as his collections of hubcaps, oil cans and license plates. There is even a hidden Mickey made from hubcaps tucked up in a corner.
Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters
If the theme for Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree is country hoedown, then Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters is all about a big Italian family celebration!
The premise here is that Luigi’s cousins (colorful mini Italian roadsters) from Carsoli, Italy are in town, showing off their signature dance moves. Guests ride in the cars, which whirl and spin to songs such as Mambo Italiano. Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters uses a trackless vehicle system, meaning that the cars are independent of each other as they traverse the dance floor.
The cars can move in all directions, and also spin around and move side-to-side. Each ride is different; sometimes they dance in formation, and sometimes with each other. In addition, each car has its own signature moves and there are also variations depending on which song is playing.
Just watching the ride while you are waiting in line is an Italian feast for the eyes!
Like Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree, up to two adults and one child can sit in each car, and the minimum height requirement is 32 inches.
Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters opened in March 2016. It replaced Luigi’s Flying Tires, a flying saucer-type of ride, which closed in early 2015 after ongoing technical issues. After going on this ride a ton of times over the years, I can definitely say this version is better!
Where to Eat in Cars Land
Dining in Cars Land is as much a part of the experience as going on the Cars Land rides! Disney did an amazing job integrating Radiator Springs and the characters into its dining and snacking options.
They also have some of the most unique alcoholic drinks at Disneyland – such as the Orange Cone-sicle (Orange-Vanilla Cream Slush with Vanilla Vodka, topped with Whipped Cream) – at the Cozy Cone Motel.
Flo’s V8 Café
Reminiscent of the classic roadside diners that dotted the original Route 66, Flo’s V8 Cafe is a quick-service dining location open for lunch and dinner. It is one of my family’s favorite places to eat, not just in Cars Land but at the entire Disneyland Resort!
Flo’s kitschy atmosphere and patio tables overlooking scenic Monument Valley and Radiator Springs Racers make this a memorable location to grab a meal.
Flo’s V8 Café serves American comfort foods such as fried chicken and turkey sandwiches. They also have one of the best salads at Disneyland.
More than the food though, it’s the atmosphere that will lure you in! Flo’s V8 Cafe showcases 60s-era car culture. Aside from its giant neon sign and retro façade, gas pumps, posters, trophies, jukebox tunes, and a black and white checkered floor give the whole place a fun, retro feel.
The restaurant’s décor also tells the story of Flo’s career as a singer in her 1960s heyday, with memorabilia from the Motorama Girls, including some of their gold records. These touches breathe a cool backstory into one of Radiator Springs’ most important characters.
Cozy Cone Motel
Check in to the Cozy Cone Motel and sample different treats at each of the five giant traffic cones. Okay, so it’s not really a motel (though how cool would it be to spend the night in Cars Land?) but it does resemble Sally’s motel from the movie. This is our favorite spot to grab a snack at Disney California Adventure!
Here is a rundown of what each Cone serves:
- Cozy Cone 1 – Churros
- Cozy Cone 2 – Ice Cream Cones
- Cozy Cone 3 – Chili Cone Queso
- Cozy Cone 4 – Frozen Cone-Coctions
- Cozy Cone 5 – Popcone
There is now one central spot for order (instead of the old way where you ordered directly from each cone) and then you’ll pick your order up at the appropriate cone.
Our go-to snacks include soft serve ice cream at Cone 2, frozen lemonade at Cone 4, and popcorn at Cone 5. The awesome thing about buying popcorn at the Cozy Cone Motel is you can pick your flavor! Options include Butter, Dill Pickle, Buffalo Ranch, White Cheddar, Sriracha, Pizza, or Garlic Parmesan.
Almost every Cone serves a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, as well.
To help alleviate crowds and replace the seating that was lost when the central ordering hub was added, Disney recently introduced an additional seating area.
Located right behind the Cozy Cone Motel, Red’s Community Garden provides extra seating and overlooks Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters.
Fillmore’s Taste-In
If you’re looking for healthy snacks at Disneyland, Fillmore’s Taste-In is a great option! This stand offers a great selection of fresh fruit (both cut up and whole), pickles, chips, bottled water, and juice.
Character Meet & Greets
The Cozy Cone Motel is where you can meet Mater and Lightning McQueen. They make alternate appearances in front of the lobby throughout the day.
You can also check out DJ’s Dance and Drive. Look for the ultimate party car and one of his impromptu dance parties on Route 66 in Cars Land.
Shopping in Cars Land
Looking for some Cars-inspired gifts or other mementos from your Disneyland trip? Cars Land has a number of shops that are so unique and fun, shopping in them is a must-do experience in Cars Land!
There are three stores in Cars Land: Radiator Springs Curios, Sarge’s Surplus Hut, and Ramone’s House of Body Art. Here you’ll find clothing, housewares, Cars-themed toys, pins, and more.
To be honest, I just love the way some of these places look more than the stuff they sell inside!
Radiator Springs Curios is our favorite because it features some really unique merchandise, including Cars-themed pins and vinylmation, antenna toppers, window clings, license plate frames, and magnets.
Holidays at Cars Land
Visiting Cars Land during Halloween Time and the holiday season is extra special!
Beginning every September, Cars Land transforms into Radiator Screams, dressed up with colorful “Haul-O-Ween” decorations. From the moment you approach Cars Land, you’ll see the seasonal changes, beginning with the Welcome sign.
Two of the three rides in Cars Land are transformed during Disneyland Halloween Time. Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree has a Halloween overlay, transforming into Mater’s Graveyard JamBOORee. Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters becomes Luigi’s Honkin’ Haul-O-Ween.
At Christmastime, Cars Land sees similar ride overhauls. Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters becomes Luigi’s Joy to the Whirl, and Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree becomes Mater’s Jingle Jamboree. Both rides feature fun holiday decorations and festive music during Christmas at Disneyland.
The streets, shops and restaurants in Cars Land are equally decked out for the holidays. My favorite is the Christmas trees made out of traffic cones, or the ones decorated with blingy hubcaps in front of Radiator Springs Racers.
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Cars Land Tips & Tricks
For better or for worse, Cars Land’s reign as the newest land at Disney California Adventure came to an end when Avenger’s Campus opened in 2021. But it still remains one of the most popular areas of the parks.
Here are some Cars Land tips and tricks to help you manage your time and not miss a thing!
1. Take Advantage of Rope Drop
Your best shot at short wait times anywhere at the Disneyland Resort is getting to the park early! If you’re there when the park opens (aka Rope Drop) you can just about walk on any ride.
If you’re starting your day at DCA, head straight to Cars Land at Rope Drop. There will be very short (if any) lines for the rides here. And it will definitely be the shortest wait for Radiator Springs Racers than any time later in the day!
2. Use the Disneyland App to Check Wait Times
Download the Disneyland app so you’ll be able to check wait times in real time. The app will give you an overview of posted and predicted wait times for all the rides at both Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure, including of course Cars Land!
3. Use Mobile Food and Beverage Ordering
If you’re hungry and don’t want to wait in line to order, use the mobile ordering feature on the Disneyland App at Flo’s V8 Café! This feature allows you to view a restaurant’s menu and pricing, place your order, pay, and pick up your meal at the restaurant all without ever having to wait in line.
4. Take Advantage of Single Rider Lines
The line for Radiator Springs Racers can stretch for two or more hours on a busy day. But did you know you can cut that wait time down to a fraction by using the single rider line?
With the Radiator Springs Racers single rider line, you’ll still wait in line with your family, but everyone will ride separately.
Basically, single riders are used to fill empty seats in ride vehicles created by other groups riding together. The single rider line is much shorter and goes much quicker than the regular stand-by line.
Important Note: Kids must be at least seven years old to experience Radiator Springs Racers as a single rider.
► Be sure to read this guide to Single Rider rides at the Disneyland Resort for tips, tricks, and a complete list of rides that offer Single Rider lines at Disneyland and DCA
5. Use Rider Switch if You Have Little Kids
If you are going to Disneyland with kids too small to ride, take advantage of Ride Switch. All three rides in Cars Land will let you do it! Rider Switch allows parents to trade off watching the kids; you only have to wait in line one time! Best of all, they let you bring a buddy. So if you have an older kid he gets to go twice.
6. Know Where to Go for the Best Photos
In this Instagram world, finding the best backdrops for your photos is essential. Whether you use Disney’s Photopass photographers or take your own pics, keep an eye out for the best spots in Cars Land.
Some of our favorite photo spots include the main entrance next to the Cars Land sign, in front of Flo’s V8 Café, at the Cozy Cone Motel, in the center of Route 66 with Cadillac Range in the distance, in front of Luigi’s tower of tires, and next to the Radiator Springs Racers ride.
7. Hunt for Hidden Mickeys
There are Mickey Mouses (Mickey Mice??) hidden all over Cars Land! Look for the Hidden Mickeys on the hoods of the cars in the windows of Ramone’s House of Body Art. We also spotted one in the line for Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree!
8. See Cars Land Light Up in Neon
What time does Cars Land light up?
Every night right at sunset, the neon lights turn on in Cars Land. Of course that varies throughout the year, so check online for sunset if you want to know when Cars Land will light up.
Every evening immediately after sunset, the lights go on in Cars Land. They start on the far end of Cars Land at the courthouse and move up Route 66 in a progression to the tune of the “Sh-Boom” tune from the movie.
Top Tip: Be sure to get to Cars Land Disneyland at least a few minutes before sunset so you can be there when 16 neon signs light up Radiator Springs! The best place to stand is the on Route 66 near Flo’s V8 Café.
9. Don’t Rush!
The most important tip I can offer is don’t rush through it and have fun along the way! Cars Land is an immersive experience. Don’t just go for the rides, but take the time to explore the whole place. Stop and smell the roses!
Or, you know, in the case of Cars Land, the tail-light “flowers” at Cozy Cone Motel.
Read these articles for more help planning your Disneyland vacation:
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