Part of our Disneyland Resort Pocket Guides series, everything you need for one land at a time: every ride, every shop, every restroom, and the details most guides skip.
Pixar Pier is Disney California Adventure’s boardwalk-style waterfront land, a seaside amusement park reimagined through four different Pixar film worlds. It opened June 23, 2018, replacing what had been Paradise Pier, and it’s genuinely one of the most photogenic corners of either park, especially once the Ferris wheel lights up at dusk.
Budget two to three hours here if you’re doing the rides, the games, and a real meal. Less if you’re just passing through for a snack and a photo by the water.
Rides at Pixar Pier
Incredicoaster
Best for: thrill-seekers, and the one true headliner in this land.
The only inverted coaster at the entire Disneyland Resort, a launch coaster that sends you chasing baby Jack-Jack through laser-lit tunnels, complete with an upside-down loop. Waits build fast here, especially midday, so treat it as a rope drop priority or an early Lightning Lane booking if it’s high on your list.
Pixar Pal-A-Round
Best for: everyone, a relaxing, no-height-requirement ride with real views.
A 150-foot Ferris wheel with 24 gondolas, each featuring a different Pixar character, and a genuinely fun choice built in: swinging gondolas for anyone who wants a little extra motion, or stationary ones for a calmer ride. One small tell worth knowing before you pick: the swinging gondolas typically have motion sickness bags tucked in the side pockets, which tells you something about how they actually ride even if the wheel itself looks tame from the ground. Take that as a useful data point when you’re deciding which option your family wants. This attraction has been through a few identities over the years, it opened in 2001 as the Sun Wheel, became Mickey’s Fun Wheel in 2009, and was reimagined as Pixar Pal-A-Round in 2018. It’s slow-loading, so if you want to avoid the biggest waits, ride it earlier in the day rather than mid-afternoon, when the line can spill out into the walkway.
Jessie’s Critter Carousel
Best for: younger kids and anyone who wants a gentle, whimsical ride.
A Toy Story-themed carousel where you ride one of Jessie’s critter pals instead of a traditional horse. Genuinely charming, and a good pick for a quick, low-key stop between bigger rides.
Toy Story Midway Mania!
Best for: competitive families who like a game built into their ride.
A 4D midway-style shooting game where your whole vehicle competes for the highest score across a series of Toy Story-themed rounds. It’s included with Lightning Lane Multi Pass (or Lightning Lane Premier Pass), and it’s popular enough that we’d book a return time earlier in the day rather than leave it for later.
Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind
Best for: families with younger kids who want a colorful, moderate spinner.
A spinning ride themed to Riley’s emotions from Inside Out, built in the space that used to hold the Maliboomer. Bright, fast-paced without being intense, and a solid choice for kids who aren’t quite ready for the Incredicoaster.
Games of Pixar Pier
Four traditional boardwalk-style games line the pier, all Pixar-themed: La Luna Star Catcher, Heimlich’s Candy Corn Toss, WALL-E Space Race, and Bullseye Stallion Stampede. These are pay-to-play with a prize on the line, a nice change of pace if your family enjoys carnival games, and very true to the land’s overall boardwalk-amusement-park concept.
Where to Eat
Table Service
Lamplight Lounge
The land’s signature dining experience, a California gastropub surrounded by genuine Pixar movie art and memorabilia, with waterfront patio seating looking out over the Ferris wheel and coaster. This is the downstairs level, reservations required, and they can book up well ahead of a trip, so it’s worth grabbing one early if this is a priority. We’ve actually done a full deep dive on this one already, upper level versus lower level, the full menu, and what’s actually worth ordering, read our complete Lamplight Lounge breakdown here if you’re planning a stop.
Lamplight Lounge – Boardwalk Dining
The upstairs counterpart to Lamplight Lounge, walk-up only, no reservation needed, with its own separate menu from the downstairs restaurant. A good option if you want the same waterfront setting and view without booking ahead.
Quick Service and Snacks
Adorable Snowman Frosted Treats
Monsters, Inc.-themed soft serve and treats. The “It’s Lemon!” option is a genuinely refreshing, non-dairy pick on a hot day.
Jack-Jack’s Cookie Num Num
An Incredibles-themed cookie cart, a good grab-and-go option if you’re mid-pier and don’t want to stop for a full meal.
Poultry Palace
Turkey legs and chicken drumsticks, a heartier savory option than most of the pier’s dessert-leaning stands.
Angry Dogs
Hot dogs with an Inside Out “Anger” theme, located on the western side of the boardwalk near the Inside Out area.
Señor Buzz Churros
Exactly what it sounds like, a quick churro stop.
Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff
Candy, saltwater taffy (“candy tears,” a sweet nod to the character), cake pops, candy apples, and frozen slushes. The shop’s interior design alone is worth a look even if you’re not buying anything, genuinely one of the more whimsically decorated spots in the whole land.
Shopping at Pixar Pier
Knick’s Knacks
On your left as you enter the pier, this is the general Pixar souvenir shop, apparel, pins, and gifts spanning the whole Pixar universe.
Midway Mercantile
Right next to Toy Story Midway Mania, this one focuses specifically on Toy Story merchandise.
Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff
Doubles as a shop alongside its candy counter, carrying Pixar-themed apparel too. Worth a look for the whimsical interior design alone, even if you’re not buying anything.
Restrooms
Restrooms are located behind Jessie’s Critter Carousel, easy to find once you’re in the Toy Story-themed section of the pier.
Roaming Characters
Pixar Pier doesn’t run on a single fixed meet-and-greet, characters rotate through a bandstand area with a musical troupe, and around the land more generally. Depending on the day, you might catch Mr. and Mrs. Incredible, Frozone, and Edna Mode from The Incredibles, Mike and Sulley from Monsters, Inc. and Monsters University, Dug and Russell from Up, or Woody, Buzz, and Bo Peep from Toy Story. Check the Disneyland app for that day’s specific characters and times, since the lineup shifts.
Photo Spots: PhotoPass and DIY
Disney PhotoPass photographers are typically stationed near the pier entrance close to Lamplight Lounge, especially in the afternoons. Check the Disneyland app’s PhotoPass map for exact current placement.
For DIY shots, the Pixar Pier bridge is one of the best photo spots in all of Disney California Adventure, it frames both the Incredicoaster and the Pixar Pal-A-Round Ferris wheel in one shot, and it looks especially good around dusk once the lights come on. The Pixar Pier marquee sign at the entrance is a classic, simple shot. And keep an eye out for the illustrated billboards along the pier walkway, several are themed to different Pixar films, and they’ve become popular photo backdrops in their own right.
A Quick FAQ
Which Pixar Pier ride should we prioritize first? Incredicoaster. It’s the headliner, waits build fastest here, and it’s worth either a rope drop sprint or your first Lightning Lane booking of the day.
Does the Pixar Pal-A-Round have a height requirement? No, none. It’s a good ride for the whole family, and you can choose a swinging gondola for extra motion or a stationary one for a calmer experience.
Is there a table-service restaurant in Pixar Pier? Yes, Lamplight Lounge, and it’s genuinely one of the better dining experiences in the whole park. Worth knowing it’s actually two separate venues, the downstairs restaurant requires a reservation, while the upstairs Lamplight Lounge – Boardwalk Dining is walk-up with its own different menu. We’ve got a full separate post covering the complete downstairs menu and upper-versus-lower-level breakdown if you want the details before you go.
Where’s the best photo spot in Pixar Pier? The pier bridge, it frames both the Incredicoaster and the Ferris wheel in one shot and looks especially good at dusk. The entrance marquee and the illustrated billboards along the walkway are both good backup options.
Is World of Color near Pixar Pier? Yes, it takes place in Paradise Gardens Park, right in front of Pixar Pier on Paradise Bay. We’ve got the latest on this year’s show swap, World of Color – Happiness ending and World of Color – ONE returning, in our current closures and updates post.
Will we definitely see specific Pixar characters at Pixar Pier? Characters rotate rather than holding one fixed meet-and-greet spot, so timing isn’t guaranteed, but Incredibles, Monsters Inc., Up, and Toy Story characters are all part of the regular lineup. Check the app for that day’s schedule.
Explore More
Pixar Pier sits near Paradise Gardens Park and the Pixar Pier entrance to San Fransokyo Square, both worth pairing with a visit here if you’re touring that side of Disney California Adventure. Read our full San Fransokyo Square guide here and our full Paradise Gardens Park guide here. Coming from the main gate, you’ll pass through Buena Vista Street first, then the Performance Corridor to reach the Paradise Gardens Park obelisk hub Pixar Pier connects to.
Coming from the main gate, you’ll pass through Buena Vista Street first, then the Performance Corridor to reach the Paradise Gardens Park obelisk hub Pixar Pier connects to. Once you’re at the obelisk, Lamplight Lounge sits right at the edge of the pier, easy to spot on your way toward the boardwalk games and the Incredicoaster.
If you’re building out your Lightning Lane plan for the day, our full guide is here: The Honest Guide to Disneyland’s Lightning Lane Multi Pass. And for the current status on World of Color’s show swap this summer, check our latest closures and updates post.
This post is part of our full Disneyland Resort Pocket Guides series (hub page link TBD).
Want the whole trip planned out, not just this one land? The Magic Made Easy Guide covers everything from rope drop to dining reservations in one place. And if you’d rather talk it through, we offer 1:1 Coaching, 60 minutes, just the two of us, mapping out your trip together.