The version in Disneyland was the first attraction created by Disney to use holographic material, which appears on a hand-held mirror in the scene where Lampwick turns into a donkey on Pleasure Island. The Pepper's Ghost illusion (used extensively in the Haunted Mansion) is used when the Blue Fairy disappears, leaving a pile of fiber-optic fairy dust on the floor.
This ride's history actually begins in 1976, when it was decided to remove the old Fantasyland Theater at Disneyland and shoehorn the ride into its place. It was originally intended for the guests to ride in cars designed to resemble Geppetto's wood-carved toys. However, it was all put in storage for a while before being revived for the opening of Magic Kingdom Version the Tokyo Disneyland in 1983. It then opened at Disneyland a month and a half later as part of the complete overhaul of that park's Fantasyland. Just as originally planned, the one in Disneyland is where the Fantasyland Theater originally stood, with a weathervane that looks like Monstro the Whale.
Summary
Guests board a woodcarver's cart and enter Stromboli's Puppet Theater. Pinocchio dances and sings with the puppets on the stage until the car goes through the theater's backstage area. Stromboli has placed Pinocchio and several other puppets in cages and Jiminy Cricket yells, "Look out!" as the car enters a giant cage itself.
After escaping the puppet theater, the car travels to Pleasure Island and through all of its fun stuff until they enter the Pool Room, where Lampwick is seen turning into a donkey. The other punished children, now transformed into donkeys, are locked in crates.
Once escaping from Pleasure Island, the car follows a sign that reads "To the Sea" and seagulls appear in the sky while Monstro lunges up from the sea in the direction of the vehicles.
Having avoided Monstro, the cars arrive safely in the Pinocchio Village, where they see the wishing star in the sky while an instrumental version of "When You Wish Upon a Star" is heard.
The cars then enter the ride's final scene, inside Geppetto's Workshop, where Geppetto, Figaro, Cleo, Jiminy and the various toys, clocks, puppets, music boxes and objects in the shop are all celebrating Pinocchio's triumphant return home.
The cars then arrive at the unload area, where the guests exit the attraction.