May 25, 2024

No Laughing Matter: Introducing Disney’s California Adventure!

Do you remember this television ad? "Come to California Adventure! We have a Ferris wheel, lots of flat rides and spinners, and an entry area that brings you back to the malls from the 1970s and 1980s. Ignore that old school park across the way- Disneyland is outdated while we are hip and edgy with B List celebrities and Beach Boys music. So, come to Disney’s California Adventure where you can have the best of what Knott's Berry Farm has to offer- All at Disney's inflated prices." No, I don't remember it either, but it could have happened.  

Disney California Adventure has quite the history. It was the laughing stock of the theme park industry when it opened in 2001, especially compared to the jaw dropping beauty of Tokyo Disneysea which opened a few months later. Yet, Anaheim's second park looked like an absolute Imagineering masterpiece when placed up against the Walt Disney Studios Paris park. 

I was there opening year, and the park was an unmitigated disaster. It was so bad and so against everything Walt Disney stood for, that I walked out just a couple of hours later and asked for a refund. Instead, I took the offer to get into Disneyland for the rest of the day. I was not alone. Word of mouth spread quickly. The park built on the cheap by then CEO Michael Eisner was a disaster. The press had a field day.

The very ugly concept art for a very ugly park.

The quickly announced budget version of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror open in 2004, but it wasn't enough to bring in the crowds or give it an authentic Disney park feel. 

On October 17, 2007 new CEO Robert Iger announced a total redesign of the park and to thunderous response. It was a "brand withdrawal" in his words- not up to par with what a Disney park should be. 

The project took many years. It brought the amazing Cars Land and Radiator Springs Racers, the brand new entry Buena Vista Street, an evening show on the lagoon World of Color, and a new dark ride based on The Little Mermaid. When the last stage opened in 2012, the crowds responded favorably and attendance went way, way up.

To be honest, I've had zero desire to visit California Adventure since I've seen Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout.  Nothing they have added/subtracted at the park has been a draw. And frankly, more Marvel won't do it for me.

There's been many changes and additions since, some good, some bad, and some very bad.  A Bug's Land gave way to Avengers Campus, while Paradise Pier became Pixar Pier. the rustic and attraction free Pacific Wharf (bakery tour and sourdough bread exhibit asidebecame Big Hero 6's San Fransokyo. You judge for yourself whether these were great moves or not.

The little park that was the step child in Anaheim has a fascinating story to tell- and when you look through the concept art, you can see it was all Bargain Basement Imagineering at its finest. (Worst?) 

Follow the full story by reading at the series below. Look at the tons of concept art and evaluate it all. You'll be shocked at the park's awful  design and beginning compared to what it is now. Will the D23 in August help the park go forward or backward? We shall see.





Various other articles on the park:









(Concept art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

No comments:

Post a Comment