Disneyland Review: Radiator Springs Racers

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: A fun visit with favorite characters before fun race.

Cons: Screens on windshield could be more see through.

The Bottom Line: 

Blast from start to end

Characters plus thrilling race

On your mark, get set....

Race with Lightning McQueen, Mater, and All Your Radiator Springs Friends

For the last couple of years, "Pardon Our Pixie Dust" signs have been everywhere around California Adventure.  Finally, a year ago, the signs came down, and the public got to see the results.  One of the biggest changes is the new Cars Land, and the crown jewel of this area is Radiator Springs Racers.

When you step into Cars Land, you are taken to the town of Radiator Springs from the Disney-Pixar movie Cars.  It's a wonderful recreation.  At the end of the street are the rock formations from outside of town, and back in there is where you will find this new ride.

The lines are long, and I expect them to stay that way for quite a while.  To help with that, they offer both FastPass (come back during a pre-set window for a much shorter line) and Single Rider.  With how the cars are set up, the Single Rider lines moves pretty quickly, but don't expect to ride with your friends.  While you are winding through line, you can get a feel for the history of this small town as you wander through some of the original buildings and read a historical marker.  Yes, the detail starts that early.

Once you get to the front of the line, you are put in cars that seat six, three in each row.  (Told you there's a reason the single ride line moves quickly.  That odd number means at least one single rider usually goes per car.)  You buckle in with shoulder restraints if you are on the outside and just a lap restraint if you are in the middle.  And then you are off.

You actually start off with a leisurely drive through some of the landscape you have been admiring.  And let me tell you, it looks like you are driving through rock formations.  The detail on this ride is absolutely stunning.  You are taking the journey that Lightning McQueen and Sally took part way through Cars, and they even play the soundtrack from the movie to start you off.

Then you go inside a tunnel and find yourself running into characters from the film - almost literally.  Everyone from Radiator Springs has at least a cameo and a line.  Turns out you've come to Radiator Springs for a race.  Before you do, you go tractor tipping with Mater.  Then, as the single track splits into two, you either get a fancy new paint job or new tires.  At this point, you've lined up with another guest car, and Luigi sends you off on a race.

This part of the ride takes you through a couple of steeply banked turns and some hills.  It's neck and neck until the end, when one car wins and the other loses.  It's random who wins and loses, I'm at 50% myself.

All told, the ride takes just under four and a half minutes, and it's left me with a smile on my face every time I've done it.  The fastest you really get is around 40 miles per hour, but if you get caught up in the spirit of the ride, it feels like more.

Honestly, this is a variation of Test Track in Florida.  The difference is, this one has much better, more exciting, more interesting, and more magical themeing.  There, the theme is of a test track, and its okay.  Here, the rich detail around you and the use of the characters from Cars makes it so much more fun.  Unfortunately, this also means the ride will probably be plagued with the same down time that the ride in Florida does, but only time will tell for sure on that one.

The biggest flaw in this ride is the ride vehicles themselves.  They are designed to look like they fit into the world of Cars, right down to the eyes on the windshields.  That screen can block your view of some of the things you pass on the ride, especially if you are in the middle seat.  On the sides, it is fairly easy to see around.  I'm not sure how they fix that, although I consider it a minor issue since you can still see much of what is happening around you.

You need to be 40 inches tall to ride the ride.  It is accessible for the disabled, although you do have to transfer into the ride car to ride.

The first time I rode this, I turned to my friend and stated that California Adventure has a huge hit on their hands.  Every time since, my opinion hasn't changed in the slightest.  And yes, I went on it four times in the first week it was open.  Radiator Springs Racers is that much fun.