2. Soarin’

I agonized over what should win. Something that should be readily apparent about this list is how much better E-ticket attractions are today than they were a generation ago. Imagineers have stood on the shoulders on the talented cast members who came before them and raised the bar for greatness that much higher.

Soarin’ demonstrates this statement better than any other attraction here. An Imagineer felt stymied by the limited options to construct a ride that his workers had discussed. This individual sifted through his old toys and discovered an old erector set. At that moment, inspiration struck. Disney could build a large-scale version of the same premise and provide guests with an unforgettable ride, one that mimicked the sensation of flight.

On that day, Soarin’ was born. Imagineers added an IMAX digital screen in front of the ginormous erector set seats, giving each guest an eye-level view of the majestic surroundings. And it really does feel like you’re flying when you ride Soarin’!

1. Radiator Springs Racers

What’s the best E-ticket attraction at Disneyland Resort? I must vote for the one that a person loves so much that they’ve ridden it more than 10,000 times. Anything that merits that degree of devotion must be special, right?

Radiator Springs Racers invites guests to visit Radiator Springs, a sleepy little town off of Highway 66. I should mention that all of the inhabitants here are anthropomorphic automobiles, which may feel like Maximum Overdrive come to life, at least at first. Once you’re comfortable with the creep factor and reminded that you’ve been transported into a Pixar movie, you’ll quickly warm to the town.

This ride is a sibling to Test Track at Epcot and Journey to the Center of the Earth at Tokyo DisneySea. While those two attractions are more thrilling, I actually prefer the genteel nature of Radiator Springs Racers. It encapsulates that lost era when people would drive lazily down Highway 66 with no particular destination in mind. It was the thrill of adventure and the possibility of meeting kindly strangers that provided the excitement.

This E-ticket attraction brings Pixar to life in a way that’s never been done before since then, even as Disney builds Toy Story Lands at several parks. I would argue that it’s the best overall ride at Disneyland Resort and the one that guests would willingly pay the most to ride...especially that one guy.