Halloween at Disneyland Part 2: California Adventure

Welcome back to my tour of Disneyland, Halloween 2021! I'm sure you're dying to see what California Adventure does to celebrate the spooky festivities.

California Adventure

The California Adventure archway is extra-spooky thanks to Oogie Boogie. There are some special night events with photo ops like this one set up.

You can spot the Headless Horseman when you enter the park.

The first place I always head is Cars Land – you're sure to have a happy "Haul-O-ween" with Lightning McQueen, Mater, and friends!

I love how the Cozy Cone Motel effortlessly gets into the Halloween spirit.

If you're lucky you'll see some of McQueen's friends dressed up for Halloween, too!

I thought these spoof Halloween movie posters were a fun touch!

The best part of all? You'll be happy to know that the SINGLE RIDER LANE has been restored at the beloved Radiator Springs Racers ride! Simply hop on and hop off!

Pixar Pier

From here, I checked out more of Pixar Pier than I have before and even caught a few characters.

There wasn't really anything Halloween-related in terms of decorations here, which was surprising.

I love that Bing Bong actually cries candy inside the shop.

I had some time, so I thought I'd get a few aerial shots on the Pixar Pal-A-Round. This wait was really long, so I don't feel the urge to back anytime soon! 

It probably wasn't the best time for photos since the water has been completely drained for maintenance on the World of Color equipment. But you can see the Matterhorn from here!

There's also this Inside Out ride hidden in the back.

Over in Paradise Gardens Park you can find even more Coco celebrations for the Plaza de la Familia.

You can catch a musical performance, post a message to your loved ones on the Memory Wall, and even design your own paper alebrije masks. The Parade Garden Grill also serves up delicious Mexican food.

I can't resist the Little Mermaid ride on my way back toward Soarin'. The wait typically isn't too long, and the animatronics are top-notch. Ariel's hair looks so real!

If you haven't been on the Monsters Inc. ride, it's super cute! Again, no special Halloween decorations here, which seems like it would have been a no-brainer.

Avengers Campus

Of course, no visit to California Adventure would be complete without the new Avengers Campus! Sadly, I have not been able to get on the new Spider-Man Web Slingers ride to tell you about it due to the lottery system "virtual queue." Of course, there's still Guardians of the Galaxy (another missed opportunity for some Halloween decorations!) and Pym's Test Kitchen to check out!

If you're lucky you can catch some characters posing for COVID-friendly photos (some of this is circa June 2021). This could include Spider-Man, Iron Man, Black Widow, Thor, Captain America, Dr. Strange, Black Panther, Gamora – even the Dora Milaje! You'll get a different experience every time as you never know when they'll be stopping by. Plus, I discovered a special Marvel character I can't wait to show you in Part 3!

On your way in you'll hit the Web Suppliers shop with all your Spider-Man gear like spider bots and web slingers that pair with the new ride to customize your experience.

Special backpack lets you carry your spider bot with you!

Your very own web slinger!

At the back of the shop you can see a running list of high scores from the ride.

Another new staple is Pym's Test Kitchen, which pretty much takes regular food and makes certain parts super big or super small. So if you're in the mood to pay for a $13 oversized pretzel, go for it. The Tasting Lab also serves up specialty drinks.

I thought these giant soda cans and ketchup/mustard made the experience come to life!

Other fun food items include the shawarma and Terran Treats. 

I tried this last time and thought it was good, but surprisingly cold!

Another fun stop is Dr. Strange's Ancient Sanctum, where you might be able to catch the Sorcerer Supreme. Also great for photos!

You can also see the Avengers' Quinjet on the roof of the Avengers Headquarters.

Another focal point is obviously the Guardians of the Galaxy ride.

I thought this was cool on the ground.

Check out the gift shop on your way out of the Guardians ride, dubbed "The Collector's Warehouse," where you can create a customizable phone case just like the one in Tomorrowland!

Expect a lot of Baby Groots

You can access more Avengers designs here that you won't see at the Tomorrowland shop. Choose your design, add customization, and take the ticket to the counter to pay. Your case will be printed and you can pick it up later at a nearby location.

Up next? Food, characters, and shopping in Part 3!