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2 0 1 7 T R A V E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 33 1950 (original admission started between 9 and 14 cents), making it the first official theme park in California, as well. According to some, it was one of Walt Disney's inspira- tions for the eponymous park he created five years later. Today, Fairyland includes small rides such as a mini Ferris wheel and carousels, and life- sized sets depicting scenes from timeless storybooks (Pinocchio's castle and the Humpty Dumpty wall are two favorites). The theme park also is home to the Storybook Puppet Theater, which opened in 1956. A number of the country's most famous pup- peteers got their start here, including a teenager by the name of Frances Oznowicz. You likely know him as Frank Oz. Disneyland If the lovable (and life-sized) Mickey Mouse and friends don't pique your interest and attention at California's most famous theme park, surely the 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 recre- ates 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 boy- hood 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 Adven- ture), a shopping district (Downtown Disney) and two additional hotels. One of the newest attractions, Cars Land, was inspired by the Cars movies, and opened in June 2012. In 2017 the park will welcome Star Wars Land, and will convert the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror into a ride aligned with the Guardians of the Galaxy brand. CHILDREN'S FAIRYLAND at Lake MerriX, Oakland, above; Disney characters and the Disneyland band, right; Kung Fu Panda, below; roller coaster Medusa, the longest and highest coaster in Northern California at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, Vallejo, boXom; Flight of the Hippogriff at the Wizarding World of Harry PoXer, Universal Studios Hollywood, opposite.