This world-class theme park has something for both kids and adults

Our writer discovers the unexpected joys of Disneyland for adults.

I self-consciously adjust the giant pink Minnie Mouse ears on my head. As it turns out, if there is one place an adult can walk around wearing mouse ears, it is Disneyland Resort in California. I'm soon marvelling at just how many grown-ups are here. They far out-number the families, and are covered in Mickey Mouse ears, Disney backpacks, jumpers and jewellery. By my fifth and final day at "the happiest place on earth", my inhibitions have lowered and I proudly board a plane to Sydney from Los Angeles in a Minnie Mouse tracksuit with matching socks.

This is how it happens.

My first morning, I line up for the Incredicoaster at California Adventure Land, hoping for a thrill. I skip the crowds with my Lightning Lane access, trudging up stairs as the thundering coaster flies above me, screams fading in and out. I join the hollering chorus and feel my stomach churn. It is the first time my American companion has been to the park on her own. But looking back at our photo, it is clearly not her first time on the coaster - she smiles into the camera while my face contorts mid-scream.

At breakfast, the table next to me at Goofy's Kitchen erupts in happy birthday cheers. Monica Zapata from LA is celebrating her 49^th with a night at the Grand California Hotel. She loves "everything" about the park, especially Space Mountain. All the birthday boys and girls are identified by proud badges including Jen from my hotel, who laughs sheepishly as I wish her a happy 40th.

At my own table, I start off the breakfast buffet in proper adult mode, sticking to modest helpings of vegan hash, some fruit, and a Mickey Mouse-shaped frittata. As Goofy and other characters dance through the restaurant, I consider indulging my inner child. When in Disneyland? My second plate is piled high with PB&J pizza, sweet cinnamon rolls, French toast and some gooey smores pizza. My inner child is excited, but my inner adult can't quite handle all that sugar.

Disneyland's Toontown, home of Mickey, Minnie and their friends, has about a hundred prams stacked at the entrance. At times I wonder if my trip would be more fun with children tagging along, like the little boy in a giant Scully tail or the tiny Cinderella graciously curtsying to a security guard. But as parents endure the slow Minnie's runaway railway I spend my morning with a rum and frozen Coke (available from 10am at Smokejumpers), and embrace Disneyland without nappy changes.

Disneyland has nine lands, each with a different theme. Horse hoof prints in Adventure Land make way to droid tracks in the billion-dollar Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. If the sky-high rock formations, lightsaber lessons and giant immersive rides don't transport you to Batuu, seeing Storm Troopers, Chewbacca and Rey walk around will. The land was flooded with dressed-up fans during Star Wars nights.

The food available ranges from stereotypically American - oversized and over-sugared - to fancy restaurants with a six-month waitlist. I only get a glimpse of the Blue Bayou Restaurant while on the Pirate of the Caribbean ride. People dine in the dark under sparkly lamps as we float past. Californians seem to love their corn syrup, turkey, peanut butter and spice. But as a vegetarian with a low tolerance for spice and preference for real coffee, my options would have been limited if I didn't embrace the junkier offerings.

The tofu poke bowl at Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar is surprisingly delicious, but customers had better be careful which drink they order. "Aroya!" bartenders call out, clinging a bell, as thunder roars and "rain" (someone with a spray bottle) pours. A guest had ordered a Shipwreck on the Rocks. I go for a Krakatoa Punch, knowing the walls will light up with lava, and a Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Rum, just for the name. "I've really raised the bar," bartender Felipe jokes to my friend, whose chair is slowly sinking, another of the special effects - depending on which drink you order - at this crazy bar.

My legs dangle during the Soarin' Over California ride; I smell tangy oranges while hovering across orchards and dodge a golf ball aimed for my head. As we fly over horseback riders in the vast Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, I feel a pang of jealousy, wishing I was actually there and not suspended in front of a giant dome screen. Walking up the Adventure Treehouse, I'm momentarily excited to hear birds chirping, until realising the sounds are as fake as the tree. As a nature enthusiast, the trick to enjoying Disneyland was embracing it for what it is: yes, fake, but magical in its scale, creativity and use of technology.

The staff at Disneyland are famously friendly. A valet high-fives me with his Scully mitt every day and security guards at the perimeter of the parks banter with guests. "Are you evil?" one smiles at me, rustling through my bag to make sure I'm not carrying a gun.

Disneyland says the Anaheim resort is one of the most popular with Australians, and tour guide Emily says they tend to arrive in quick succession. "Some of them, they come for two weeks and just do Disney. I thought that was crazy," she says.

They say time flies when you're having fun, but five days at Disneyland feels like a lifetime. It's so big, I wander accidentally into a new land on my last day. There are so many things I haven't got around to, but I know I have to use my park early-entry privileges for a very important thing.

Getting there: Disneyland California Resort is about 40 minutes' drive from LAX international airport. You can take public transport (metro and bus), taxi or a shuttle.

Staying there: Anaheim Desert Inn and Suites provides a relatively affordable option, from less than $US200 ($300) a night, within walking distance. anaheimdesertinn.com

Explore more: disneyland.disney.go.com

The writer was a guest of Disney.