California Adventure Attraction Posters Missing in Action

Months back, someone on the MiceAge chat boards quietly mentioned that Disney California Adventure would soon be receiving its own set of attraction posters. The Blue Sky Cellar premiered three of them. The first one to be seen months ago was one for the Silly Symphony Swings (look here), with The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, World of Color, and Buena Vista Street with its Red Cars. Hopefully, these are only the first of many, as attractions such as Soarin' Over California and Radiator Springs Racers deserve one as well.

Somewhere in my on and off again collection of vintage looking travel posters, I unintentionally ran across this stunningly beautiful one for the community of Boulder, Colorado. It got me to thinking this is the right look for a poster for Grizzly Peak recreation area or even for Carsland. Similar look to those peaks even though the colors are different!

Minty Fresh

Wanna look at the latest plans on the board for the constantly evolving California Adventure? For the latest and greatest look at all the wonderful concept art in the recently changed Blue Sky Cellar, you just have to go to Mint Crocodile's excellent Magic Eye blog. It is the posting for January 28, 2011- and it is quite the show. Dare I say, California Adventure may one day be a beautiful park? Evaluate it for yourself.
(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

California Adventure: Disney's Complete About-Face

If Walt Disney World guests cover the gamut of shapes and sizes, it seems the guests of Disneyland and California Adventure comprise an entirely different lot. During my visit last week, I was surrounded by young blonde beauties with silicone enhancements in all the right areas and blindingly white teeth, and young men with jet blackened hair or none at all, bronzed faces, bulging biceps and perfectly placed tattoos. It was Southern California's Ken and Barbie show for the new century! But it was also a good complement and imagery to describe the transformation of Anaheim's second Disney theme park.

California Adventure has truly become Disney's Complete About-face. Eschewing the "hip and edgy" focus of 2001, this Disney ugly duckling is changing rapidly. The new-park-in-the-making is heading back to the future with immersive theming, Disney charm, and old school, story-rich attractions. The wait is half over as the surgeons complete their work.

Having been to the Disneyland Resort last year about the same time- and the differences in this park (and my trip report and impressions) couldn't be more different than if I was comparing the park of 2001 to the park of today. I had one day to cover both parks this time. Thankfully, it was an overcast day, so my one day park hopper- along with some advance planning- brought me 23 attractions between two parks, leisurely strolls for exploration, and a "blue" ticket for World of Color. For this post, I'll focus on California Adventure alone.

Having seen all the latest photo updates, I thought I'd had a good feel for the current state of things. I was wrong. Nothing beats first person visuals. Approaching the gates, it was rather strange to see the right mural dismantled, and later, the sun sculpture following suit. With half of Paradise Pier behind walls and the Bountiful Valley Farm area a distant memory, the whole of the park felt under the knife of surgery. Much like Heidi Montag before and after- and during.

The line for a World of Color ticket was the longest line I waited in all day for either park- about 15 minutes- and I was at the gates just minutes after opening. Going into Condor Flats, I was reminded how much I liked this area of the park and just how much I disliked the fact that Fly 'N' Buy had become another generic Disney merchandise location versus the unique offering it once was. Not too sure about how Fastpass for the show worked, so I skipped getting one for Soarin' Over California, the one attraction at California Adventure that I never miss. No worries, my wait later on was one single ride cycle. In fact, I never bothered with another Fastpass all day.

The not-too-golden ticket in hand, Grizzly River Run just seemed like a bad idea at the time, so I wandered through bathroom row (San Francisco), turned into Paradise Pier and headed for Silly Symphony Swings. Beautiful building, well positioned, and a very enjoyable ride over Paradise Bay. Very enjoyable solo ride. No other person in sight. What a difference being out in the open air made instead of being inside a peeling Orange Stinger! Touring the lower level of the building after the ride, I was impressed with the thought and detail put into this simple makeover. And I loved Mickey on top. Well done.

Rounding the bend and passing the now defunct Maliboomer was a joy. Continued straight on to California Screamin', passing Toy Story Midway Mania- which posted a forty minute wait already. No single rider line, so it wasn't worth the wait. Not a must see in my opinion.

I had the pleasure of riding the coaster next to someone who hadn't ridden before, her husband betting she wouldn't do it. Laughing through the entire ride once we were past the launch, she kept saying how smooth this was. California Screamin' is a great coaster- and it will be even better with a fresh coast of paint and perhaps even a new queue. The coaster looks horrible- dirty and tired- but the ride is as great as always. The cheap queue and set up do this attraction an injustice.

Glanced at the renamed Paradise Pier Ice Cream Company. Nice changes, nothing more. But it was a reminder to me of how much time we Disney park lovers have invested in watching California Adventure's transformation live and on line. We / I have made so much out of even the littlest changes. Before anyone yells "Fault", I think it is a compliment to Disney Imagineering that we are so passionate about their work. It's brand loyalty the suits love when we spend cash and heap praise; one they disdain (and maybe even mock) when we rightfully attack a poor product or project. The truth is, you cannot have one without the other.

By this point in the morning, I was ready for a brief stop at the Winery tables before entering the Blue Sky Cellar. Sitting there, it hit me how much this park has in common with Florida's Animal Kingdom in one important aspect. In both parks, a sunny day makes all the difference in the world.

With so many of the attractions outdoors, California Adventure designers rely on beautiful weather by the hand of God to complete the perfect lens through which to view the park. When it is sunny and bright, the lush greens of the Golden State's pines provide the perfect backdrop for the sparkling waters around it. The geysers' spray dances in the sun, making getting drenched much more fun. Attractions alongside Paradise Bay have a bit more allure. Even the rather pedestrian streets of the Hollywood Pictures Backlot seem welcoming. On a cloudy and overcast day, the lines are short, but the trade off is the park feels drab and its shortcomings are more obvious.

Surveying the work for Cars Land and the incredible looking Radiator Springs Racers, I had one thought in mind: I cannot wait for this to open! Route 66 belongs here, and the towering bluffs will finally create a berm from the outside world, allowing more magic to shine through. Greatly detailed buildings and beautiful neon at night- it's a bit of Disney's Hollywood Studios best atmosphere given a west coast twist. And what can I say that hasn't been said about the land's premier attraction? Cars is not my favorite Pixar movie by a long shot, but the film segment where the characters race through the land is made for an attraction. Test Track rocks, so it is a great match of story and technology. I'll ride Racers every visit just like I do Soarin'. More Disney is a good thing here. Let's just hope the show elements remain working, unlike the Yeti at Animal Kingdom's Expedition Everest!

It was time for Tower of Terror- and a look at the construction surrounding the coming Red Car Trolleys. The ability to connect through Flik's Fun Fair is an improvement in traffic flow. The area is one of the best designed and most charming in the park, and too many adult visitors have missed it in the past.

Ever ridden the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror with only three other people? I did for the first time. Going into the library and then the empty boiler room is an entirely different experience. I slowly explored a few references to the television show. Nice not to be rushed by the folks behind me, but kind of creepy, too. It would be even creepier with a darkened lobby at the beginning to set the tone. However, this was the one time the darkened skies added to the atmosphere. In fact, for a brief moment I wondered if the lightning was real.

Before returning to Disneyland, I wandered into the Blue Sky Cellar, noticed much hadn't changed since my last visit, and decided to return to this park an hour or two before lining up for World of Color.

Flash forward several hours. I stopped in Baker's Field Bakery for a treat and a cup of coffee. Dusk was approaching in about two hours, and I wanted to pause and sit by the train and take in the details found in this soon to be demolished area. The California Zephyr is one of the few original pieces of California Adventure that I will miss. It's elegant with great visual impact and true to theme. Sun Icon- adios. Golden Gate Bridge- goodbye. Maliboomer- see you later. Sun Plaza- meet Buena Vista Street! No loss to any of the old ugly pieces of the past. But to lose this train, a great piece of real history and simple charm- not a good idea. Not at all. Attention Imagineers: If you find a home in this park for the train, you'll win many fans. It fits the new theme beautifully. Walt was a railroad buff after all.

Finishing my coffee, a bit of hang gliding was next on my agenda. Front row- first time since my first visit in 2001. Nice, really nice. Being a Californian in Colorado, Soarin' always brings a tear to my eyes.

Since the skies had warmed up, I jumped in a nonexistent line for Grizzly River Run. What a blast to ride as the sun is disappearing into the horizon. The details on the ride seem to be increasing, and I hear there are more to come. (Were there always "miners" sound effects in the caves?) For water rides as these, the other riders make or break the journey, and in this case, a nice crew from Northern California were the perfect rafters to share a journey with.

Almost time to queue for World of Color, but I had time for a trip to Monstropolis. Again, no line. The quirky Superstar Limo was laughable in not a good way. I was worried Disney would continue to "cheap out" as they transformed the ride to Monsters Inc, but they did not go the route I expected. Monsters is among my favorite "C" ticket dark rides in any Disney park. Mike, Sully, and Boo are great characters, the effects terrific, and the storyline great fun.

Time for the nighttime spectacular. The thirty five minute wait passed rather quickly due to the color patterns on the Fun Wheel. The set up is rather messy, and I much prefer the take your chances approach used for Disneyland's Fantasmic. Personally, I think this is just the suits way of presenting World of Color as an event. If it is difficult to see and expensive to do it the best, it must be something special. Guess it works.

Much has been written about this new century Disney extravaganza, so I keep it brief. The music soars, the images are somewhat blurry, a story is unnecessary, and the water fountains bring a brand new dimension to the night. I just wish the after show would have lasted longer. Being in the back of the viewing area, I could easily see the higher streams shooting up, but the richer amazing colors of the smaller jets were harder to see. As with Epcot's Illuminations, the Imagineers' new show is a fitting way to end the evening, but I wish it were only the beginning of a few more hours to tour the park at night. California Adventure has always shone better after dark, and riding Screamin' over a neon lit bay is a different thrill than riding during the day. Why not get more play out of all that atmosphere from the Pier in the evening?

I ended my Disney day at this point, aside from a walk through Downtown Disney. I strolled through the night tired but happy as I realized the Disney Magic was finally ready to strike twice in Anaheim. I do not get to Walt Disney World very often, as family is in Southern California not Florida. My Disney fix comes from the west coast. To say I was disappointed in California Adventure in 2001 would be saying the obvious.

When the calendar hits 2012, it will be a difficult choice should I have only one day to visit a park. I'll always love Disneyland, but at least for awhile, I'll have a love affair with the other park once she's been through surgery. She's working hard to earn my love, and she's almost ready for her second debut.

(Photos copyright Mark Taft.)

All Over the Place

Bunch of randomness today:

Going to see Sting tonight at Colorado's famed Red Rocks outdoor amphitheater. An unexpected gift from my kids- and I couldn't get tickets.

Can't wait for the premier of California Adventure's World of Color- even more excited about the next phase of the Blue Sky Cellar!

God has pulled off a relationship miracle when all seemed hopeless. Thank you, Lord Jesus! You are amazing. How do folks do life without you?

Our daughter's wedding is one week from Saturday- boy, is there a lot to do when you host it all in your garden!

Randy L. Schmidt's new epic on Karen Carpenter continues to make me think...

Just loving Criminal Minds these days. Great cast, solid scripts. Good acting, too.

Too many jerk celebrities- and thank God that Van der Sloot has been jailed.

See you later for a Sting concert review!

In the Disposal

It is about time.

One of the most unfortunate and glaring statements that Disney's California Adventure had very little Disney in it begins to vanish today. The ugly and charmless "Orange Stinger" ride begins its transformation into the mildly better "Silly Symphony Swings". 

Will Paradise Pier ever become an area worthy of the Disney name? Probably not, but it is markedly better than the carnival that premiered in the Disneyland parking lot in 2001. Hopefully, this Friday's debut of the latest version of the Blue Sky Cellar will bring something more to cheer about.

"Bargain Basement" Imagineering- California Adventure 1.0

Note: I had no idea this series would be so popular when I first posted it! Many years later, it is a continual favorite. And remember, it is Part One of a multi-part series. Enjoy! (July 2013)

While Disney fans around the globe are checking out the beautiful new Blue Sky Cellar at California Adventure, it seems more than appropriate to look back on what was actually built come opening day. Why? First, it will help us keep all this new and wonderful concept art in perspective. Remember, this is what the park will potentially look like once work is completed. The painters brush can be unintentionally deceiving! Secondly, due to the cost-cutting measures of the leadership of the time, it reminds us what poor foundations the Imagineers are stuck working with trying to improve this discount park.




As we look at concept art from the first incarnation of California Adventure, let's compare what we saw in the preview center versus what the park really looked like to an opening day guest. Many visitors, myself included, expressed displeasure at what was found at this new park. So did the media and for a good reason.


Let's begin with the park entrance. The tile murals flanking the sides are really well done. The CALIFORNIA letters are a unique touch and both together clearly communicate this is not Disneyland. It's not a bad design, there's just no follow through. When the Disney advertising experts have to create a fictionalized version of the entrance for promotional purposes, this should be the first clue that the park has some serious problems and design flaws.

It is what we encounter once walking past the turnstiles that shouts "bargain basement" design. Looking right through the gates brings a very ordinary looking area, nothing to entice a visitor who is considering a day at this park.

The Sunshine Plaza reigns as the ugliest and least original park entrance area in Disney's history. Yes, this includes the even less imaginative Walt Disney Studios in Paris! Framed by an out of place replica of the Golden Gate Bridge, the environment matches a low budget outlet mall, appropriately setting the stage for what is found in most of the park.

The Sun fountain is an interesting structure, but it really belongs in an open garden at a hotel, in the midst of a walkway from the parking area or just someplace else. Not large enough in scale to impress, not a fitting centerpiece for the park. In some ways, it is appropriate. This is big and flashy with a contemporary edge- but it lacks substance.

Moving on, let's head to the Hollywood Pictures Backlot. At first glance, it is a pretty Disneyesque area, a more playful version of the main drag at Disney's Hollywood Studios. The centerpiece, and clearly the highlight at opening, is Disney Animation.

Frankly, this is one impressive showcase! Beyond the park's signature flight simulator attraction, this gem is filled with the kind of care in execution that should have been found all over the park. The Animation Courtyard has an impressive layout that dazzles, and The Sorcerer's Workshop, including Beast's Library, feels like a walk-thru dark ride, drawing guests in further and further inside. It's easy to spend an hour here just watching the transformation in the library. Well done, Imagineers! In a nod to the Studios old working animation area, The Animation Academy truly provides a fun and informative demonstration of the art of the wonderful and ageless 2-D process. (Below is altogether different concept for Disney Animation.)

Beyond this great little attraction is where the troubles begin. Wandering around the rest of this land, guests discover raw steel and bland walls lie behind the great looking storefronts. Even the seemingly impressive Hyperion Theater is really just one great optical illusion. Just a big box but one with state-of-the-art facilities inside. However, it is a facility with no lobby and no restrooms!

Nearby, the past its prime MuppetVision 3D show is found. Not too thrilling an idea or presentation. It's a quick retread from Florida to save some cash- and an attempt by Disney to relaunch a very tired but admittedly once charming franchise.

The worst of the (Back) lot, however, is the only dark ride found here in 2001. In one of the oddest moves ever for a Disney park, the Imagineers designed and built the strange Superstar Limo attraction. The building housing the ride is at once quirky and likable to some degree, but the experience inside is just plain bizarre. Hosted by an on-screen agent who seems like someone you'd never let your children be alone with, the limo ride takes you through a tongue in cheek and trendy Hollywood filled with animatronics of "B" list celebrities from the Disney Studio. It quickly became the laughing stock of the theme park industry and a symbol of everything wrong with California Adventure. Less than a year from its premier, this ride quickly disappeared forever.

In a bit of poor planning, the Backlot's main street becomes a dead end, so let's cross back over to Condor Flats, a recreation of a California desert airfield.

Condor Flats effectively marks the entrance to The Golden State district, the portion of the park that truly strengthens the California theme. The airstrip is a small area to be sure, but it houses the park's signature attraction, Soarin' Over California. All the quibbles of the queue and its minimal theming aside, this film experience is the emotional heart of the park. Californians are rightfully proud of their state and its stunning diversity of landscapes. The photography is exhilarating, the musical score heightens the mood, and the ride mechanism impresses to thrilling results. It is the single standout attraction in the park. This crowd pleaser should not have been duplicated at any other resort. Period.

The true icon of this park, and one that for the first time is positioned to please hotel guests instead of park visitors, is Grizzly Peak. No expense was spared in creating an authentic and beautiful mountain environment. The rockwork created by the Imagineers ranks with the best of their efforts, including Big Thunder Mountain and the younger Expedition Everest. The landscaping is superb. The network of waterfalls, winding paths and viewing areas makes this part of the Grizzly Peak Recreation Area the most beautiful location of the entire Disneyland Resort. (Below is an amazing piece of artwork. Like the others, makes sure you click for a larger image.)

The setting for the Grizzly River Run is spectacular and "E" ticket worthy. However obvious short cuts have been taken with this attraction, starting with the design of the watercraft. The promotional poster below shows a whitewater excursion with an authentically styled raft. Somewhere between concept and execution, the attraction ended up with standard theme park fare circular rafts. Certainly the same company that could imagine and engineer leading edge ride systems for other attractions could find a way to build an authentic raft that was safe while providing the desired thrills!

Further cost-cutting took place by the exclusion of animatronic animals. Every other nature-based attraction designed by Disney uses them to good effect. From slow moving rides like The Jungle River Cruise to the high speed adventures of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, there is simply no excuse for their absence except budgetary restraints. It's still a very fun attraction with terrific views of the park (and the less than beautiful city of Anaheim), but it could be so much more than it is.

Guests quickly noticed a trend in this new era Disney park: there may have been discounting on the attraction detail, but no expenses were lost when it came to the shops! California Adventure has some Disneyland quality shopping areas, and the Rushin' River Outfitters (below) is no exception.

Continuing a trend that began with Disneyland itself, the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail is a new take on the original park's Tom Sawyer's Island. Both provide plenty of fun as well as an area where younger visitors can run free. It is a nicely themed playground but not much more.

The limited number of attractions and cutbacks aside, this region of California Adventure provides the immersive environment that Disney guests are accustomed to finding at the parks. If only the rest of the small park had this much charm and care taken with it! The glaring shortcomings are only heightened when we enter into the San Francisco area, one far removed from the Golden Gate Bridge we found at the park entrance.

This tiny little sliver of San Francisco houses only restrooms, leaving guests who expected an elegant area such as New Orleans Square in a state of shock. In place of a fully realized cityscape, we find Golden Dreams, the film tribute to the history of the state. Originally envisioned as Circle of Hands, it was intended to be a heartwarming multimedia presentation of the brave men and women who settled and worked the land. Budget cuts again derailed the project. We are now left with a small scale but warm and politically correct vision of history. Unintentionally, this show is also one of the best arguments for Disney to stop using its a film stars as part of their attractions.


As we move around the bend, the beautiful Golden Vine Winery comes into view. Of course, so does the Pacific Wharf food court, Bountiful Valley Farm, and the surprising Paradise Pier.

The winery area charms guests with a sophistication not found elsewhere. Of course, like Napa Valley itself, we find a couple of pricy restaurants among the park's vineyard. Attractions? Oh yes, Seasons of the Vine is here- yet another film, this one highlighting the process of the art of winemaking from field to table. It is a slice of Epcot Center, an undiscovered gem. The music and photography perfectly capturing the area.

Across the way on this side of the bay is the Pacific Wharf. What could have been a wonderful setting for some California themed Disney attractions is reduced to mostly a food court with a couple of bakery tours using short films to tell the manufacturing story. The educational aspects of the park are important, however, they needed to be balanced out with traditional Disney attractions to justify the full ticket price.

Butting up to the Wharf is Bountiful Valley Farm, showcasing the agricultural impact of the state. Aside from yet another film, this one a clone of an additional 3D attraction from Florida, guests to the area are left without much to do except viewing tractors and watching a quite unimaginative fountain. In the age of "bargain basement" Imagineering, it's Disney storytelling at it's sorry best.

Controversial. Cheap and tacky. Off the shelf. Not what Walt would have wanted. Paradise Pier is all these things and more. And less.

Once guests had experienced the limited number of attractions in the other areas and the truly good live entertainment to be found, many headed toward Paradise Pier hoping to round out their day at Disney's recreation of a seaside amusement area.

The California Screamin' coaster stands tall over the area, and it is a roller coaster ride very worthy of a Disney park. Unfortunately, it is just a coaster- no great theming to be found here. No journey to outer space, no wildest ride in the wilderness, just an exposed track reaching for the sky. It is fun, day or night, but there are no Disney touches to be found except the giant glaring Mickey head. In this new fangled park, big, loud and obvious has mostly replaced the charming nuances of designers from earlier generations.

The rest of Paradise Pier is fleshed out with carnival games, kiddie attractions, swing rides, and an impressive Ferris Wheel. There's truly nothing magical or Disney here, yet the advertising department thought this was one of the best areas to show to promote the new park. What were they thinking? The public was not fooled, and the executives at Disney were left with an embarrassment on their hands.

Which brings us back full circle to the Blue Sky Cellar, housed in the old Seasons of the Vine building. Yes, it seems Disney is seriously trying to redeem itself by re-Imagineering the park. Starting with the areas that guests complained about the most, the makeover has started. The entrance to the park will be reworked. The Hollywood Backlot will get more improvements. The Pier will be a challenge but will still be a carnival. Plans even exist for a wonderful new land and a couple of great attractions worthy of the Disney of old. Will we see them? Will the proposed changes turn California Adventure from dud to star?

What can we learn from the "Bargain Basement" Imagineering? Concept art can be deceiving, and budgets can be reduced. However, I have a hunch Disney has learned some important lessons from trying to fool us as they did in 2001. They've got one last chance to redeem themselves, and my money says they will.

(Note: And they did. Keep reading for more segments of this series!)

(All art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)