California Adventure for Beginners

Perhaps you've heard a lot about the huge remodeling of Disney California Adventure into a real theme park worthy of its Disney name. Maybe it's those terrific commercials that highlight Cars Land that caught your eye. Are your thinking that you'd like to see Disneyland during its 60th year celebration and have to decide whether or not to extend your stay and visit the second theme park on the property? Whatever your answer, my plan for Disney California Adventure for Beginners will be worth your reading time! 

If you've read my previous article Disneyland for Beginners, you'll notice some of the same strategies apply for her sister park. Namely, plan ahead, arrive before the park opening, and follow my carefully thought out plan.

I've been visiting Anaheim's second park since its opening in 2001, and I've watched how the additions and changes have altered the crowds and the best ways to see it all. I've even been able to ride the amazing Radiator Springs Racers three times in one day without missing any of the other headlining attractions! It's certainly not the same place it was in 2001, and that means there are now many more guests and longer wait times to go along with the highly increased charm and quality of the attractions.

The list of must-see attractions is much shorter as the park does not yet have the high attraction counter of Disneyland. That is a mixed blessing- there's less to worry about missing, but there's also more people waiting in line for the attractions that everyone wants to experience.

The new Buena Vista Street is a charming "first act"
for the revitalized California Adventure.

Before we begin with the actual plan, here's a list of the headlining attractions at California Adventure:

Radiator Springs Racers

Soarin' Over California

Grizzly River Run

Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

California Screamin'

Toy Story Midway Mania

Did you notice the list has a break in it? That's intentional. The very impressive, totally dazzling, Radiator Springs Racers is the newly crowned king of attractions, the most popular attraction in both parks, and the one on everyone's to do list. All else falls far second to it- even Soarin' Over California, the previous first place attraction.  It's so popular that recent family members trying to see it could not do so in their two day visit without a four hour wait. Some family members that have an annual pass and live nearby have still not been able to ride it. 

Now the plan.

With your ticket in hand, make sure you arrive at the front gates one hour before the park officially opens. Proceed directly to the line to get a FastPass ticket for Racers. FastPass will allow you to reserve a ride for a time later in the day. If in doubt of where to go, follow the crowd. They'll be lining up right alongside the Carthay Circle Theater. 

It's important to note that there are times when Racers does not open on time with the rest of the park. When this happens, you can still queue up for a FastPass ticket, but they will not begin distribution until the attraction actually opens. Get in line, and be patient. Getting the attraction up and running is a top priority. Trust me, the management at Guest Services does not want to deal with this as a problem and Disney itself would hate for the press to think their big budget attraction has difficulty operating to maximum potential. 

The rest of Cars Land is pretty terrific as well!

Even if its opening is delayed, attraction will usually open within the first half hour of the day. It's worth the wait. Make sure you receive one FastPass for each member in your party by having all of the tickets with whoever is going to wait in line for them.

Quick tip: If there's someone in your party who doesn't mind missing out on the ride (or getting an extra ride), let them go to the FastPass machines and send everyone else immediately to the queue for Racers. This ends of giving most of your party two trips in a minimal amount of time.

After Racers, there are two attractions vying for your attention next. Of course, they are at two different ends of the park. One is Soarin' (in the new Grizzly Peak Airfield, opening soon) and the other is Toy Story Midway Mania at Paradise Pier. Everyone in your party should not miss the former and teens definitely not the latter. Soarin' offers FastPass. Not so with the moving video game  Midway Mania. Remember, you won't be able to get a FastPass until you are within your return time for Racers, so keep an eye on the clock. 

Since you probably have a few hours before you can use your express ticket for Racers, head over to Midway Mania. Afterwards, go back to Soarin' and see if you can snag another FastPass. Walk past California Screamin' and check out the line. If it's relatively short, hop in. This coaster is great fun and the only one on the Disney property to send riders upside down. It's smooth as can be and offers incredible views of Paradise Pier and beyond. (Unfortunately, outside the park and Anaheim as well.) Keep in mind that if the park is open late, a second ride at night is a totally different experience and well worth the wait. 

If your ride time for Racers is near, (not probable), skip both attractions and take a spin on Mater's Junkyard Jamboree, a second level attraction that is absolutely laugh inducing and lots of fun. 


For a touch of "Old School Disney": Animation, 

Grizzly River Run

Among the few successes at the brand new California Adventure park that arrived in 2001 was this white water rapids thrill ride, Grizzly River Run. Instantly, it became the best themed, most beautiful circular raft ride ever found in an amusement park- even without any Audio-Animatronic characters. Seeing the centerpiece attraction on par with Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, more was expected  Fans were quick to praise the attraction and equally quick to express their dismay of no robotics.

As it stands, Grizzly River Run is an incredible ride for those who love the white water type attractions. It's worth one ride during the day and another at dusk when the park takes on a whole new look with the lights of Paradise Pier in the background.

Now that Grizzly Peak Airfield is complete, and Condor Flats is history, its time to once again encourage the Imagineers to add some classic animal characters to the attraction. In effect, this will take the ride from a "California Adventure E Ticket circa 2001" into an "E Ticket" attraction worthy of its designation in any Disney park. It's the little things, the great details, that can take an attraction from ok to great, don't you think?

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Grizzly Peak Airfield Opens

I'll cut to the chase: The new Grizzly Peak Airfield looks terrific! California Adventure's original Condor Flats has been rethemed into a beautiful expansion of land that now connects Soarin' Over California to the rest of the wilderness. With Grizzly River Rapids nearby, the whole transformation of the area just settles so well.

The photos are not mine- and are labeled unknown- but go right to this link at MiceAge for a few pictures.

If you're looking for a "Minty Fresh" update, head over to Magic Eye. As always, Mint Crocodile's photo essay is one of the best on the web! Enjoy!

Grizzly Peak Airfield Nearing Completion

At the opening of California Adventure in 2001, there was much to complain about but also bits to like. I fell into both sides of the debate. However, Condor Flats was one of the areas in the park that I really enjoyed. And who couldn't love the amazing Soarin' Over California? It brought this man to tears by the end of it. 

With the transformation of the park into something really worthy of the Disney name, Condor Flats was on the chopping block to be remade into the Grizzly Peak Airfield, effectively increasing the size of the are once known as The Golden State.

Thanks to local fan and photographer Mint Crocodile at the terrific Magic Eye website, we get a glimpse of the almost completed project. Take a look here. It's nearing completion and will be a great addition to an increasingly beautiful second park.

(Photograph copyright Mint Crocodile.)

New Art for Grizzly Peak Airfield

It's finally here! Concept art for Grizzly Peak Airfield. Disney Imagineering has just released some concept art giving us a preview of changes to come.

Taste Pilot's becomes Smokejumper's Grill, with a new improved menu that is sure to please guests and will most likely retain a few favorites from opening day.

Opening March 20, just a week and a half away, the interior will have shades of the former tenant but will also offer some new touches more in theme with the forest environment.

It's the revamping of Soarin' Over California that has me the most excited however. When it reopens in time for the kickoff of the 60th Anniversary celebration, there will be refreshed visuals and special effects. This classic attraction gets a new exterior and soon enough, a new film as well. Soarin' Over the World / Horizon has to first open at Shanghai Disneyland, but it will make its way to California Adventure. 

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

The Deconstruction of Condor Flats and Robert Iger's Big Bucks

You gotta hand it to both MouseInfo and Magic Eye! When you need the sites to come through with some great photos, they certainly do. 

Just as with our New Year's resolutions to improve ourselves, be it with health or spiritual resolutions, Disney is jumping in to transform California Adventure's Condor Flats into the Grizzly Peak Airfield.

The exterior transformation of Taste Pilot's Grille and the dismantling of the old mist spewing engine next to Soarin' Over California tell me that Imagineering is doing a serious revamp of the area- much more than new paint and a few new pines trees.

All the work should look fantastic when completed. This does bring up a serious question: Why does the Disneyland Resort seem to do so much better than Walt Disney World when it comes to "plussing" the parks and all around general maintenance? Even California's Frozen offerings are off the charts compared to the abysmal "attractions" offered at Disney's Hollywood Studios. 

Could it be the suits at the Walt Disney Company think they can fleece the buying public? I guess somebody has to pay for Robert Iger's $46 million dollar salary for 2014! 

(Photographs courtesy MouseInfo and Magic Eye.)