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First there was Disneyland, Walt Disney's labor of love. Originally ridiculed as an expensive failure, Disney's incredible achievement eventually captured the hearts and minds of millions of guests and forever changed the very definition of entertainment, let alone the amusement industry.
After Disney died, the company opened Walt Disney World in Florida. With tens of thousands of acres, the east coast vacation resort added parks, hotels, golf courses and other diversions at a furious pace and quickly eclipsed, in sheer magnitude, the California park that inspired it. After a few false starts, Disneyland embarked on its own building spree in 2000 and is now a destination resort in its own right, albeit crammed into a much tighter footprint than its right-coast counterpart.
The original Disneyland Park shines at the center of the property. Smaller scale and more intimate than Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom (although actually boasting more attractions), there is a certain magic in the air. Maybe it has to do with Walt Disney's hands-on role in shaping the park and actually walking its grounds.
Disney's California Adventure, the second park, is something of a work in progress. Comparatively small and offering a scant dozen or so attractions, the park barely provides a day's worth of activities. Initially geared more to adults, Disney appears to be rethinking its concept and retooling for a wider family audience. Still, the unique park has some wonderful attractions and has that special Disney touch.
The circa-2000 Grand Californian Hotel joins the rehabbed Disneyland Hotel and the acquired Paradise Pier Hotel. Rounding out the resort is the Downtown Disney dining/shopping/entertainment complex.
More accessible than the massive Walt Disney World, the Disneyland Resort nonetheless provides a delightful escape into a fantasy themed environment. Its relatively central location provides a good base from which to visit other Southern California parks as well.