The New and Old Bargain Basement Imagineering at California Adventure

Sometimes you just have to feel for the folks at Imagineering who are given a project that is just doomed for failure. Pixar Pier comes to mind most recently. Often these cheaper less glamorous assignments go to less experienced people. But not always.

Tim Delaney, one of the best of Imagineering's stars, had the unfortunate task of creating Paradise Pier at the highly discounted California Adventure park. With the added burden of having to make it "hip and edgy", Tim set about his work. Ultimately, he was responsible for one of the new park's only successes: California Screamin'. 

So, here you've got a guy responsible for Disneyland Paris' incredible Space Mountain: De la Terre à la Lune, designing a whole land of minimally themed attractions to flesh out a park that was mandated to be "just good enough". No win situation. But back to the concept art. This piece looks as good as can be under these dire directives. Originally named "Surf City", giant versions of California icons will the skyline, with even the Maliboomer taking on the look of giant palm trees.

After the park was received by the press and Disney fans as a resounding failure, plans were finally put into place to make it a bit more classic, a bit more engaging, and a lot more worthy of bearing the name Disney. The process began with the addition of Toy Story Midway Mania which was housed in a beautiful new San Diego inspired building at the Pier. Work on the new design aesthetic culminated in the 2012 opening of Buena Vista Street and Cars Land.

Tim's art made the best of bad directions from top brass.

It was all promptly thrown away at the new demand of bringing Pixar and Marvel into the park at any (but a minimal) expense.

Some considerable investment went into transforming Twilight Zone Tower of Terror into Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout, but not for the new Pixar Pier. It's just another version of Bargain Basement Imagineering, something that got California Adventure slammed in the first place. Sounds like the new Marvel area won't be much better.

Apparently, the suits have learned little as they dismantle what little charm they had once built into Disneyland's younger sister. 

Want to see all the concept art that chronicles the history of California Adventure? Look at my Bargain Basement Imagineering series which begins here.