Postcard from Cars Land, Disneyland

My three-year-old son Leonardo is my date for the grand opening of the new Cars Land at Disneyland. This is a kid who sleeps on Lightning McQueen sheets, wearing McQueen jammies, holding a red car in each chubby dimpled hand. From the moment we saw the Welcome to Cars Land sign, our minds were blown. Disney has recreated the fictional town of Radiator Springs — all of it, from the vinyl booths of Flo’s V8 Café to Luigi’s Casa Della Tires.

Tip: Estimated wait times can be long — so bring plenty of snacks, hats and sunblock. Go first thing in the morning and head straight for the ride.

A version of this article appeared in our September 2012 issue with the headline “Cars Land, Disneyland,” p. 28.