After years and countless visits to Walt Disney World together (we racked up our tenth this past November), we finally got to see how the other half did it—on the West Coast, that is. Disneyland held so many similarities—but also striking differences, to its Orlando counterpart, and it was a thrill to explore it all, all the while keeping mental notes on which we favored more.

California Adventure was an entirely different story, with attractions never seen (and likely not to be seen) in Florida, and I’m fairly certain I found my favorite Disney ride of all time within its gates. As promised, it was the happiest stay at the Happiest Place on Earth, and I’m thankful that we made it a part of our California getaway.

Stay tuned for our East vs. West Coast tally, on its way!