Issue link: http://globelitetravelmarketing.uberflip.com/i/149736
rides will. The park, which opened in 1955, features rides for all ages, including some of the most ballyhooed roller coasters anywhere in the state (one favorite is Space Mountain, which speeds along almost entirely in the dark). Overall, Disneyland is divided into eight themed areas, or "lands." Some of these areas focus on actual history: Frontierland recreates the setting of the American frontier, while Main Street U.S.A. is patterned after a small Midwestern town (many believe Walt Disney got his inspiration from his own boyhood town of Marceline, Missouri). The park opened with one hotel, but since the 1990s, it has grown exponentially, adding a new theme park (Disney's California Adventure), a shopping district (Downtown Disney) and two additional hotels. The newest attraction, Cars Land, was inspired by the Cars movies, and opened in June 2012. Universal Studios Hollywood This film-themed park got its formal start in the 1960s when walk-throughs of Universal Studios soundstages and sets were expanded to include peeks at actual production. Over the years, the studio added a tram to shuttle visitors through the back lot; today, this tram remains the best way to experience stunt demonstrations and staged events (such as an encounter with the shark from Jaws). The rest of the park is divided into two areas connected by escalator: the Upper and Lower lots. Each of these areas features a collection of rides and shows that pay homage to iconic Universal movies, including King Kong 360 3-D, Jurassic Park: The Ride, Revenge of the Mummy: The Ride and WaterWorld. On the Upper Lot, the Simpsons Ride is popular among kids, while grown-ups love Universal's House of Horrors, a year-round haunted house. Transformers: The Ride 3-D opened on the Lower Lot in the spring of 2012. WOODY AND BUZZ LIGHTYEAR, characters from the Disney-Pixar "Toy Story" animated film series, pose in front of Toy Story Mania! at Disney California Adventure, left; Mad Hatter Tea Party ride at Disneyland, above. UNIVERSAL STUDIO'S Hollywood backlot, above; a magic key at Children's Fairyland in Oakland, right. Legoland California For a place dedicated to tiny plastic bricks (dubbed "Legos," of course), 2 0 1 3 t r av e l g u i d e to c a l i f o rnia 5 9