In the past, trips to Disneyland were often day trips -- and ones that many families took "just for the kids." Things have changed since then. Today's Disneyland includes tons of attractions geared to adults as well as children, and it's so expansive that you may need two or three full days to see it all. (You may even want to stay for four or five days, to take advantage of the many amenities at Disneyland Resort.)

Disneyland is divided into eight themed areas that comprise more than 60 major attractions, 50 shops, and 30 restaurants. At the entrance, you walk through one of two tunnels, past a re-created 19th-century railroad station, and exit onto Main Street, U.S.A. Walt's hometown of Marceline, Missouri was the inspiration behind this romanticized image of small-town America, circa 1900. Trolleys, double-decker buses, and horse-drawn wagons travel up and down the scaled-down thoroughfare, and the sidewalks are lined with rows of shops selling everything from crystalware to sports memorabilia to photo supplies. At the railroad station, you can board a steam train for a ride around the park, making three other stops before returning to Main Street station.

As you walk to the end of Main Street, you will reach a central plaza, which serves as a hub for the rest of the park. Directly ahead is Sleeping Beauty's Castle, which marks the entrance to Fantasyland. Built with a medieval European village theme, this is where you'll find many of the kiddie rides (including such favorites as the spinning tea cups of the Mad Tea Party and the King Arthur Carrousel). You can ride on the Casey Jr. Circus Train, go soaring on Dumbo the Flying Elephant, or race down the Matterhorn in a bobsled. There are also attractions where you can ride in small cars through various scenes from several Disney animated movies, including Peter Pan,Alice in Wonderland, and Snow White. Finally, "It's a Small World" takes you for a boat ride through many different countries as the cloying tune plays in the background. Be sure to see "Snow White: An Enchanting New Musical," a live action show retelling the classic fairy tale.

As you walk through Fantasyland, you will come to a tunnel leading under the railroad tracks and find yourself in Mickey's Toontown. This entire area makes you feel as if you are in a cartoon. The homes of Mickey, Donald, Goofy, and many other Disney characters can be explored here. After a tour of Mickey's House, you have a chance to meet Mickey and have your photo taken with him. At Goofy's Bounce House, children can jump on the furniture and everything else inside. Gadget's Go Coaster is a small roller coaster designed to give children their first taste of this kind of ride.

Tomorrowland is located in the eastern part of the park. Here you can ride on the Astro Orbitor and pilot small rockets around in a circle, or drive miniature cars at the Tomorrowland Autopia. No driver's license is required. If you're a Star Wars fan, you can try Star Tours, a flight simulator that allows you to experience space travel and even re-enact one of the battle scenes. Space Mountain (reopening in 2005) lets you take a thrilling roller-coaster ride in complete darkness. There are also shows at Tomorrowland, which include the 3-D Honey, I Shrunk the Audience, and a Buzz Lightyear stage show for fans of the Toy Story space ranger.

Moving to the western side of the park, you come to Frontierland. The Big Thunder Mountain Railroad roller coaster, themed after a runaway mine train, is popular here; so are cruises around the Rivers of America on the Mark Twain riverboat or the sailing ship Columbia. If you want to explore Tom Sawyer's island, you can hop aboard a raft and sail over to kids area, complete with places to explore (such as Injun Joe's cave), treehouses to climb, and jungle gyms to play on. The Golden Horseshoe Stage runs two different Western-themed shows on different days.

Next to Frontierland is the jungle-themed Adventureland. Here, the Indiana Jones Adventure lets you take a hair-raising jeep ride through the Temple of the Forbidden Eye, and the Jungle Cruise takes you down a tropical river where lions, tigers, elephants, and even headhunters can be seen on shore. If you don't mind lots of stairs, you can climb up into Tarzan's treehouse for a bit of relaxation; you can also stop and watch birds and flowers sing in the Enchanted Tiki Room.

Just up the river and outside the jungle is New Orleans Square. In addition to quaint shops, restaurants, and live Dixieland music, two of Disneyland's most popular attractions are here. Pirates of the Caribbean lets you take a cruise past cursed treasure and participate in a pirate raid on a coastal town. For a spookier thrill, you can pay your respects at the Haunted Mansion. Though few adults find this attraction scary, some small children may be frightened by the dark areas in the ride. In November and December, the Haunted Mansion has special holiday decorations based on the movie The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Critter Country is past New Orleans Square. This rather small area has just two attractions. Splash Mountain is a flume where you ride in logs through scenes from Disney's Song of the South, before racing down a five-story drop into the briar patch below. (Plan on getting a little wet if you take this ride.) The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is a movie-themed ride similar to those in Fantasyland. This time you ride in "hunny" pots through the story of Pooh Bear and his friends.

Disneyland puts on some excellent shows. In addition to the daily parade, be sure to check out the fireworks show that runs nightly during the summer, weekends, and holidays. In summer be sure to see Fantasmic. This musical, fireworks, and laser show features Mickey and friends waging a spellbinding battle against Disney's villains. The battle takes place on the Rivers of America, so be sure to pick out a good spot along the river in Frontierland or New Orleans Square early.

In May of 2005, Disneyland plans to begin its 18-month celebration of its 50th anniversary. As a part of the festivities, Disneyland will feature a new parade and fireworks show. Space Mountain is slated to reopen with even more thrills than before, and a new attraction, Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blaster, is expected to open, allowing you to board a space cruiser and fire personal laser cannons to hit targets and earn points.

In summer Disneyland usually fills with visitors. If possible, visit on a midweek day, and buy your tickets in advance either online or from one of the area hotels. If you're planning on purchasing tickets at the park, arrive early; the box office opens a half hour before the park does. It's a good idea to hit the most popular rides either just after the park opens or in the evening, when crowds are thinner. You can best avoid long lines by using a FASTPASS, which allows you to schedule times when you want to go on rides, and wait in shorter lines -- usually only 10 to 15 minutes. FASTPASS machines are located near the entrances of the top attractions. Simply feed in your park admission ticket, and you receive a pass with a printed one-hour time frame (generally 1-2 hours later) during which you can return.

Disney characters appear for autographs and photos throughout the day; check the printed program, which you can pick up at the entrance for information about designated character greetings as well as showtimes.

Plan meals to avoid peak mealtime crowds and more long lines. If you want to eat at the Blue Bayou in New Orleans Square, make reservations in person as soon as you get to the park -- or better yet phone ahead (reservations are taken up to a month in advance).

You can store belongings in lockers just off Main Street; purchases can also be sent to the Package Pickup desk at the front of the park. Main Street stays open an hour after the attractions close, so you may want to save your shopping for the end of your visit. If you plan to visit for more than a day, you can save money by buying two-, three- and five-day Park Hopper tickets, which grant same-day "hopping" privileges between Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure. COST: $50 (1-day pass), $98 (2-day), $124 (3-day), $184 (5-day).