Everything in Disneyland is bigger and brighter than anywhere else in America. The slices of pizza are thicker, the hot dogs are super-jumbo size and the rides are beyond your wildest dreams. And that’s what makes it the perfect place to take the family for a holiday experience they’ll remember for years to come.

Disneyland is a dream destination for many Australian families and once you get there it’s certainly worth all the money-saving. Everything’s at your fingertips when you stay at Disneyland Resort, which comprises three hotels, or there are many other options nearby. You’ll also find an abundance of restaurants to suit every budget, and the best part is it’s all within walking distance.

4th dimension!
Expanding your imagination is what it’s all about in the world of Disney. The latest and greatest ride at Disney’s California Adventure Park is Toy Story Mania. This whiz-bang journey has you blasting off into ‘infinity and beyond’ as you team up with Buzz Lightyear and Woody.

The unique twist of this interactive ride is its four-dimensional fun. As you spin around in your carriage, wearing 3-D glasses and using a cannon to blast at virtual targets, plates smash as they fly past you, you’re squirted with water and streamers and balloons burst as cosmic smells envelop you.

This great family game is interactive, so every time you take a spin in your cruiser, the ride is different, depending on which enemy targets you zap. Riders’ scores are tallied and measured against your opponents, and you can even email your score back to friends at home.

Join Woody and his mates in a
shoot-'em-up battle on Toy Story Mania.

Disney storytellers are really taking things to new interactive heights. Also at California Adventure Park is Turtle Talk with Crush, where an animated 3-D Crush, appearing just as he did in Finding Nemo, takes questions from the audience in real time. It’s incredible to see!

High-tech toys
But the fun doesn’t stop there. Disney has reopened its classic Innoventions Dream Home. It’s a hands-on showcase giving you a glimpse into the family home of the not-too-distant future. Described as ‘high-tech and high-touch’, the kids can have a jam session on the virtual drum kit and keyboards, Dad can lose himself in the wall-sized 100-inch plasma TV, and Mum will love the virtual kitchen where appliances ‘talk’ to each other and post photos on virtual bulletin boards.

Try getting the kids away from the Magic Mirror where, at the sound of a voice, they can try on any outfit in the wardrobe.

If thrills are your thing, you can’t go past Space Mountain. The world’s first computerised roller-coaster flies through the twists and turns of hyperspace. Don’t forget to hold on tight!

Everyone loves a classic
It’s not all high-tech and virtual at Disneyland. All the traditional rides are great for family fun. You’ll love cooling off with a ride on Splash Mountain, and the Indiana Jones Adventure is so scary it’ll test your screaming power, as will the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror ride.

Everything at Disneyland is designed to suit the family budget and all your adventures help contribute to memories that will last a lifetime.

To go
To discover more about Disneyland, visit www.disneyland.com. Fly to LA with Air New Zealand. Visit www.airnewzealand.com.

 Check out the best Aussie interactive rides