Today, we’re reviving our series about Disney’s Best Worst attractions with a tribute to a Disney California Adventure ride with a checkered past that isn’t even supposed to be operating anymore. Take one more taxi ride through Monstropolis with our look at Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!
Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!, a family-friendly attraction in the Hollywood Land section of Disney California Adventure, was originally known as Superstar Limo, which is widely regarded as the worst dark ride in Disney theme park history. Its replacement was initially regarded as an inexpensive patch job, which recycled the original ride track and vehicles while reskinning the celebrity caricature animatronics. But over the years, guests warmed to the attraction, which compares favorably in scope and detail to the classic Fantasyland dark rides.
Last year, Disney announced that Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue! would be closing in early 2026, along with surrounding portions of Hollywood Land, to make way for a new Avatar-themed land inspired by the Way of Water sequel. However, it now appears that Monsters, Inc. will continue running throughout the year and into 2027, as we don’t think Disney will want to lose the ride’s carrying capacity until the two new attractions in Avengers Campus are ready to open. Also, recent rumors suggest that Disneyland Shanghai’s Zootopia ride might be coming to DCA instead.
That means that Monsters, Inc. fans have at least a few more months to say goodbye to the DCA ride, before they can start looking forward to the Monsters, Inc. land—complete with a long-awaited hanging door roller coaster—now under construction at Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Studios.
Based on characters and the story from the Disney-Pixar film Monsters, Inc., the ride takes you through child-phobic Monstropolis as Mike and Sulley try to return baby Boo safely to her bedroom. If you haven’t seen the film, the story line won’t make much sense. In a nutshell, a human baby gets loose in a sort of parallel universe populated largely by amusing monsters. Good monsters Mike and Sulley try to return Boo to her home before the bad monsters get their hands on her.
The Imagineers did a very good job on the Monsters, Inc. ride, recreating the humor, characters, and setting of the film in great detail. The section of the attraction where you ride through the Door Vault with all of its lifts and conveyors is truly inspired. Special effects are first-rate, and lots of subtle and not-so-subtle jokes are worked into the whole experience. You’ll have to ride several times to catch them all.
Before disembarking, be sure to banter with sluglike supervisor Roz, an animatronic “living
character” that can see and interact with riders. This is the one feature we’ll miss the most when the ride is gone, although we’ve often seen Roz in unmanned automatic mode.
You used to be able to ride Monsters, Inc. without too much of a wait, but Lightning Lane and its impending closure have made the standby line much slower. Because it’s near several theater attractions, the ride is subject to experiencing a sudden deluge of guests when the theaters disgorge their audiences.
In a unique twist on the single-rider line operated by other attractions, Monsters, Inc. sometimes offers a Buddy Pass. If you are a party of one or two adults, with up to two lap-sitting small children, you can ask the ride’s greeter for a Buddy Pass, which will permit you to enter through the exit. Because Monsters, Inc.’s ride vehicles have three benches, Buddy Pass guests get to fill the otherwise empty back row, resulting in significantly shorter waits.
Overall, we rate Monsters, Inc. as 3 1/2 stars out of 5. However, it is an iffy attraction for preschoolers: Some love it and some are frightened. Increase your odds for a positive experience by exposing your little ones to the movie before leaving home.
Will you miss Monsters, Inc., or are you looking forward to something new coming to Disney California Adventure? Let us know in the comments below!
For all there is to see and do at Disneyland, check out The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland by Seth Kubersky with Bob Sehlinger, Len Testa, and Guy Selga Jr. All Disneyland fans should also check out The Disneyland Story: The Unofficial Guide to the Evolution of Walt Disney’s Dream by Sam Gennawey.
If you enjoyed this post, please subscribe to our YouTube channel and sign up for our newsletter here. Be sure to follow us on Threads, Facebook, Instagram,, and YouTube.
#theUGseries #unofficialguide
