Pixar Pal-A-Round

June 2018 – present

LOCATION

Pixar Pier – The Pal-A-Round is the tallest landmark south of Grizzly Peak, so it’s hard to miss – but the entrance is a little hidden. To find the entryway, just keep moving toward the base of the wheel. You’ll see it as the path slopes toward the water, between the Silly Symphony Swings and Midway Mania!.

BACKGROUND

California Adventure ran a ferris wheel from day 1, though the wheel is now in its third iteration. From 2001 until the 2007 – 2012 project, the Sun Wheel welcomed visitors streaming in from Golden State. After the refurbishment, Mickey’s Fun Wheel became the focal point of Paradise Pier. And with the opening of Pixar Pier in 2018, the wheel became the Pixar Pal-A-Round, the first time the attraction dropped “wheel” from its name altogether. In each iteration, the décor, color scheme, and characters on each car transformed, but the structure and experience itself stays true to its beginnings.

EXPERIENCE

Details:

• Single Rider Line – no
• Fast Pass – no
• Height Requirement – none
• Duration – 9:00

On the Pal-A-Round, visitors choose their destiny. Option 1 – the stationary cars. This option provides a typical wheel experience, with an incredible view of California Adventure. And Option 2 – the swinging cars. These vehicles slide on tracks, rocking and rolling each time the wheel moves. Both vehicles complete a full circuit on the wheel, though to be honest – on the swinging cars, sometimes you have no idea whether you’re moving up or down!

MY RATING: ★★★☆☆

No attraction frightens me more in California Adventure than the Pixar Pal-A-Round. This wheel is high, and for some reason, it just seems less intimidating to tackle heights when you’re zooming on a coaster. But on the Pal-A-Round, you stay suspended high in the air for almost 10 minutes. If you’re not afraid of heights, you’ll notice the view is gorgeous, and if you’re a thrill seeker, the swinging cars are very exciting.

The only real complaint I have with this attraction is that the wheel spins just one full time between onloading and offloading. Much of your ride time is stationary, since the massive wheel takes a lot of time to load. If the wheel spun two or three times before pausing, I would up this rating to five stars. But for a long wait, spinning around only once can be pretty frustrating.

TRIVIA

At its peak, the Pixar Pal-A-Round measures 160 feet tall.

The only other wheel in the US combining stationary cars with sliding cars is the Wonder Wheel on Coney Island.