25 Years of Disney California Adventure? Looking Back at a Disastrous Past

Disney California Adventure park celebrates 25 Years! I was there shortly after opening. By the time I had my first visit, I had seen the reviews and wasn't sure what the actual experience would be like. But how often do you get to go to a brand new Disney theme park? I had to see it with my own eyes. My very wonderful father in law had worked for Kodak, a longtime sponsor of Disneyland, so he wanted to take our family of six to the new park on his dime. Now fully retired, I didn't want him to waste his money, so I told him I would go check it out myself first. Then, if it was worth the cash, I'd happily let him follow through. Thankfully, he trusted my instincts. My youngest daughter who was almost 15 talked me into taking her. Off we went.

The original souvenir map.

I really wasn't expecting to be as shocked as I was. Could it really be as cheap looking as they say? Certainly, Disney CEO Michael Eisner wouldn't build something on par with Six Flags next to the original and perhaps greatest Magic Kingdom!

Opening the park guide map revealed
a small park with cheap carnival attractions and retread films from Walt Disney World.

The night before, I drove off to the Disneyland Resort as it was now known, to buy my ticket and grab a map. Then I could be getting right at the park's gate before opening. 

One of the most creative parts of the park.

 

Seeing the entrance to the park from the Esplanade, I wasn't sure I got what they were going for. Even if the tile work work beautifully done in places, a cheap knockoff of the Golden Gate Bridge just felt out of place. Going in for a closer look, I was even more confused.

Just inside the gates. 

Disney must have scored huge discounts on corrugated metal.

It was everywhere.

Peeking through the park gates, it just screamed fast and cheap. Very un-Disney. What had they done? This tacky area was the one the suits wanted to show as a preview of what the park would hold? Certainly, the suits had lost their minds. What exactly were they smoking in my Colorado mountains when they planned this park to replace of the originally planned Westcot?

I walked in and hoped for the best.

Yes sir, the stores along the Sunshine Plaza entry street looked "hip and trendy" and just like any other theme park- but not a Disney one. Corrugated steel sides, lots of very loud neon and not a bit of warmth and charm.  Clearly the targeted look was something that would appeal to teens going into Hot Topic. Limited audience at best. It had to get better than this, didn't it?

Unfortunately, what I found for myself was true to what I'd read. The park was a reuse of other Disney attractions from Florida, far too many films, and a heavy dose of pure and simple carnival rides. There were only three noteworthy attractions and a whole bunch of "What the Hell were they thinking?" additions. Certainly, the executives had lost their minds. Certainly, the Imagineering team was embarrassed by the end result, and most certainly, the suits were now taking their guests' loyalty for granted. 

Just ahead of the entry was the golden, gilded sun icon including a very nice fountain around it.  I thought the sculpture to be pleasant, but as the landmark icon for the new park, it fell flat.  

The California Zephr. I really did love this being in the park. 

The main drag was no Main Street U.S.A. It was diminutive at best and quickly led guests into an entry into the park's other areas. The surprise to be found was the rather elegant and old school California Zephyr train. It housed another store (naturally), but it also held a clever coffee shop where they roasted the beans on site. Giving the whole entry area a burnt smell that I found either very intriguing or rather distracting  depending on my mood. But I loved the train itself. I even think Walt Disney would have loved it being in the park. Of course, since this was California Adventure, guests couldn't ride it, they could only walk in and make a purchase.

Then president Paul Pressler filled the park with highly detailed shops that reflected his retail preferences. Restaurants were also well themed and even quite expensive. Somehow, the real stars- the attractions themselves- were bare bones and a secondary experience in his eyes. He'd forgotten exactly why guests went to Disney.

The first fully desert themed land in a Disney park.

Straight ahead was Condor Flats and the park's best and centerpiece attraction Soarin' Over California. 

A rather plain but fitting exterior.

As they say, the pickings were slim, but the attraction was (and may still be) the best in the park. At the time, it was the new park's only true "E" Ticket. The Imagineers selected the perfect scenery to represent California, and the ride mechanism couldn't fit the attraction any better. I have to admit I got a little misty eyed flying over the state I grew up in. Nostalgia of a different kind than Disney is normally known for. As far as Disneyland's younger sister park went, it was mostly downhill from there.

GRR, somedays brr...

Moving on and with it warming up a bit, I was ready for a ride on Grizzly River Run. With a beautiful setting, I was expecting another true headliner, but without the expected but never delivered Audio-Animatronics, it's a solid "D Ticket" at best. 

Still a Disney girl deep down.

Tons better than Animal Kingdom's Kali River Rapids, though. A more complete and lengthier experience. 

One of my favorite photographs of the park at opening.

This section of the park is one of its most beautiful areas. It also is the one with the views from the overpriced Grand Californian Resort. As a day visitor, there's still geysers, waterfalls, dense forests and hidden paths to explore.  We then headed into what looked like San Francisco. What a misfire and an insult to the very beautiful city it's supposed to represent.

What the small walkway led to is the worst land in any Disney park ever: "Paradise" Pier.

Was this Disney or did I stumble into some alternate universe?

Just as certainly as the suits had forgotten what a Disney park was all about, the Imagineers had to be sorely embarrassed by what they were allowed to build. Barry Braverman was over the project. The great Tim Delaney, who had done such incredible work for EuroDisney aka Disneyland Paris was put in charge of the new park's carnival themed land, so he had to make the best of a bad decision. Fortunately, the faux wooden coaster that defined the land, California Screamin', was a hit due to his great engineering. To make matters even worse, they were placed front and center to promote their work in Disney promotional pieces. 

New lows in Imagineering design!

There seemed to be a sale on vinyl as well.

What I found for myself was true to what I'd read. The park was a reuse of other Disney attractions from Florida, far too many films, and a heavy dose of pure and simple carnival rides. There were only three noteworthy attractions and a whole bunch of "What the Hell were they thinking?" additions. Certainly, the executives had lost their minds. Certainly, the Imagineering team was embarrassed by the end result, and most certainly, the suits were now taking their guests' loyalty for granted. 

Aside from a wide range of flat rides, there was a row of cheap looking carnival games and the park's greater thrill ride, California Screamin'. And what a great, smooth, coaster it is! It's not really unthemed because of where it is placed, but it did take me awhile to get used to everything being exposed. (For the record, the move to Incredicoaster was a downgrade in the overall experience.)

 

A "love letter" to California's farmers.

This structure is now in Paradise Gardens.

(This photo is from a later trip. 

Notice the new theming based on A Bug's Life

 and Twilight Zone Tower of Terror in the background.)

We liked the look of Pacific Wharf, but we were surprised to find it really was just a well themed food court, albeit one with great food. A bakery and tortilla tour masquerading as attractions? Laughable. 

Tile representation of Northern California. 

Next up was The Golden State, the area of the park that was to most strongly represent the culture of California. The main attraction was Golden Dreams, a look at its history. This was another place where the budget for the park was cut, and it is very obvious to anyone paying attention. The presentation was originally to elements similar to the American Adventure at Epcot, but instead ended up being a glorified film. It wasn't a bad show, but without the Audio-Animatronics to ground it, the attraction certainly wasn't even close to repeatable. In addition, if you're not a fan of actress Whoopi Goldberg, you probably won't like she plays the main character. 

Nor will you like that Whoopi appears in not one but two attractions at California Adventure. Where? The Hollywood Pictures Backlot.

Retread films, a great animation pavilion, 

a strange stage show, and the worst attraction ever built.

 

Superstar Limo is the strangest attraction to ever be built at a Disney park. It represented everything wrong with California Adventure. Imagine running into Hollywood celebrities with distorted faces while you try to reach a premier where you end up being the star that is celebrated. Whoopi is there as is Tim Allen, Jackie Chan, Cher, Drew Carey and a long list of mainly B list types. It's snarky and full of industry inside jokes if you're part of the messed up Hollywood scene. Thankfully, the attraction was short-lived due to the fact it became the laughing stock of themed attractions as did the newest Disney park itself.

 

What did we see that we liked in this weird little park? Well, Eureka was truly a great parade. Puppets, performers on trampolines and roller skates and pogo sticks, made it a high energy presentation we really enjoyed. Almost Epcot like. Well almost. Only the oh-so-trendy theme song revealed what the park really wanted to be, and frankly, that was something that we just did not like. The Animation area was very well done, but a great mid-level attraction is not enough. I particularly enjoyed the Seasons of the Vine film. 

My daughter's assessment proved how well she understood the art of Imagineering: "It's like they forgot what made Disneyland great in the first place!" I could not have said it any better.

DCA 1.0 was a dinosaur soon to be extinct.

Dinosaur Jack's Glasses of Distinction, actually.

We left the park after about 4 hours, and even that included a leisurely lunch. We went to Guests Services to explain our disappointment in paying a full price for a cheapened experience. We were not expecting what happened next. Without us asking, we were offered tickets to Disneyland free of charge for the rest of the day. We jumped on it. I'd find out later this was the standard offer for other guests expressing their displeasure. 

We went home after visiting Disneyland, so thankful that the original and best Imagineers had designed the place under Walt's leadership. My father in law was glad I had him hold off, saving him time and money.

My daughter and I told our tales of California Adventure, but it led to a surprise: My ten year old son was now certain he had to visit the park!

WHAT??

 
What a difference a few days and a few years can make. 

As a ten year old boy, his thoughts on the park were vastly different. Very different likes and perspective than his sister. In fact, he loved the place. LOVED it.

We got there about a half hour before opening. At the time the gates opened, we were ready to go. Beginning our day with Soarin', it was a huge hit, and it still was with me. Then, time for a snack. Really, just coffee for me, and you can guess where we went. That beautiful little train was calling me. Next up was It's Tough to Be a Bug. Another hit. It seemed like it didn't fit the park in my mind, but for my son, it was just a fun film. No winery and no Seasons film because the thrills of Paradise Pier lured him in. On to the carnival! All the rides there were just taken in excitedly as part of the vibe. A huge serving of soft swirl ice cream was a must. The now long gone cement dinosaur was cool, very cool in fact. Even the quirky and cheap Mulholland Madness was something he loved. I still thought this part of the park was an ugly waste, but I didn't say so. He was having a great day already.

Grizzly River Run meant two rides in a row and one later that night. Riding in the evening is a whole different, much better experience. We spent some time at the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail, but we left as he was quickly bored. Lunch was darned good at the Lucky Fortune Cookery.  He even found the Tortilla factory fun. Who doesn't love fresh and hot little cakes of goodness?

From climbing the C-A-L-I-F-O-R-N-I-A letters at the front of the park gates, to getting drenched on Grizzly, to three rides on Screamin' in a row- the last one without me (thank God!) and just about all we did in between, it was very different experience with my son.  

Through his eyes, Eureka was a great parade. From flying cream pies in Muppets to more Bugs, each 3D film made him laugh. Superstar Limo, however, was not his favorite or even funny in his mind, proving even a ten year old can have good taste!

Pluto makes the day fun!

There it was! I had an enlightened thought. California Adventure was a "Ten Year Old Boy Park". He didn't want or care for great theming, layers of detail, or sophistication. He didn't miss the animatronics. He didn't miss the love put into designing the place. He just wanted to have fun. Although I could have just taken him to Knott's Berry Farm, I started to see the park through his eyes. My perspective on the park remained it was far from Disney's best work- perhaps its worst (that was until I saw Walt Disney Studios Paris for myself- but in spite of its shortcomings, we had a great time together. 

It was just what the suits were hoping would happen, but this didn't mean everyone would come. The numbers were dismal, and change was on the horizon even after a couple of high profile additions.

What do I think of the park 25 years later? The addition of Cars Land and Buena Vista Street are fantastic and worthy of the Imagineering name. Since that, the place has unfortunately gone back to its old ways.

I'm not all that interested now. As a theme park fan, I will keep tabs on the place, but it will not get my hard earned money. I haven't returned since 2018. My daughter returned once in 2011. The last group of family that went- including my son who visited when he was ten- all else first timers in 2022, decided the park was not worth the money and not at all close to Disney quality.

Will I go back soon? Only if Coco is great! Otherwise, not until Pandora shows up- and even then, I might delay a visit.
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Want more Disney California Adventure? Here you go!

Bargain Basement Imagineering - 1.0

Bargain Basement Imagineering  - 1.5

Bargain Basement Imagineering (or Back to the Drawing Boards)

Imagineering A New Dream- DCA  2.0 - The 2017 Announcement & Reimagining

California Adventure's Cool Retro Attraction Posters

20 Years of DCA: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Disney's Real California Adventure: The Challenge and the Reputation at Stake

Ten Years of Disney California Adventure

A California Adventure Christmas- and More Dirty Secrets of Disneyland 

(Photographs copyright Mark Taft. Concept art and maps copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

 

Rare California Adventure and Grand Californian Concept Art

Imagineering's R. Tom Gilleon created a beautiful slice of concept art for the ill-conceived and executed California Adventure theme park. Here's the view from the winery portion looking at Grizzly Peak and the Grand Californian Resort- probably the most successful piece of the expansion from a design point. 

Back when it all was made public in 2001, let's just agree that the public was not impressed. Thankfully, many years later, Robert Iger admitted it was a mistake -a brand withdrawal- and committed the funds and talent to make the renewed park something closer to what it should have been at opening.

The new shiny Cars Land and Buena Vista Street were unparalleled successes for the little park, but the suits later under much of what was gained by changing Twilight Zone Tower of Terror to Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout. Things only went from bad to worse when the already awful Paradise Pier took another downgrade and became Pixar Pier. Talk about a brand withdrawal!

(Concept art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

A New Attraction for Disneyland Paris

Here is an interesting piece of news! Some mysterious poster on one European discussion board presented this piece of concept art for adding a version of California Adventure's Grizzly River Run to Frontierland at Disneyland Paris.  

Much hunch is this is part of something that was proposed long ago when the suits decided there needed to be something new at the park to drive attendance and before the (correct) decision to totally refurbish the place, bringing this most beautiful of all Magic Kingdoms up to Disney show standards. Perhaps is was even proposed before the bones of the California Adventure attraction became the backbone of the Grizzly Gulch's Runaway Mine Cars of Hong Kong Disneyland. Recycling in the parks is such a common occurrence, but so far, if you've noticed, nothing makes it over to the other parks if it came from Tokyo DisneySea.

Certainly this addition would more appropriate to the theme than Splash Mountain, which is full of cartoon characters and once also proposed for this park.  I'd hate to see the further cartooning of the lands there.  

However, a rapids ride is full of water, much more so than Splash, and Paris has very cold winters. I've been there in late October and in January, and it is already cold and sometimes harsh even in the Fall. So, we shall see how this plays out. However, I bet the Imagineers are on to something new for the park once all the refurbishments are complete. 

(Concept art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

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.)

A Dinosaur for Hong Kong Lands in Shanghai

Over four years ago, I was "gifted" with this piece of very rare concept art for Hong Kong Disneyland. The concept was obviously never brought to fruition, as the park opened with no dinosaurs at all. Even the recent and very successful expansion - which brought us Mystic Manor and more- yielded not one single prehistoric creature. Not one. But as you can tell by this post  where I chronologically present all the dinosaurs in Disney theme parks through the years and the wild success of Jurassic World, dinosaurs never go out of style. With kids of all ages.

Was this unbuilt attraction scheduled to go into the outdoor jungles of Adventureland? Was it meant for an indoor weather-proofed warehouse a la Indiana Jones? Or perhaps a roller coaster through the jungle? Maybe even a combination like what was once proposed but abandoned for the dinosaur area at Animal Kingdom?  

This we know- dinosaurs will appear in China. An attraction is built in an entirely different form at Shanghai Disneyland as part of the Roaring Rapids attraction at Adventure Isle. Instead of a train or car, expect to see a creature such as this while plunging down a wild raging river in a rounded craft similar to those found on Grizzly River Run at California Adventure. 

If you're like me, you cannot wait to see more concept art... or the final result!

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Sneak Peak: DCA's Condor Flats Becomes Grizzly Peak Airfield

It seems as if one of the "gifts" to celebrate the 60th birthday of Disneyland includes even more cosmetic work on its much younger sister, California Adventure. 

The addition of Cars Land, the revamping of Paradise Pier and the full on cosmetic surgery of the Sun Plaza into Buena Vista Street has made Anaheim's second park finally worthy of the Disney name. She certainly was an unattractive child, but as she's entering her teen years, she's shaping up quite nicely! And there's more to come.

Coming your way soon. Photo from MiceAge.

MiceAge is reporting that DCA's Condor Flats will be melted into the Grizzly Peak area. Newly renamed Grizzly Peak Airfield. This will involve a transformation from the dry desert landscape into the lush greenery of the California forests. The news is nothing new if you've kept your eyes open- and if you have a copy of Jason Surrell's The Disney Mountains: Imagineering at It's Peak. Inside is this piece of concept art that shows it all.  

The newest park map shows Condor Flats closed.

Click on this for a larger image.

From the always excellent Magic Eye website.

Instead of cactus greeting guests coming off Carthay Circle, the pine trees will welcome guests to a mountain top airstrip. Soarin' Over California now sports a fresh mountain look, and everything around it will fit seamlessly into the atmosphere as Grizzly Peak looms in the near distance. Given the work is mostly new landscaping and much paint, the finished product should be done by the Summer season, hopefully at the beginning of it. 

Another slice of DCA 1.0 disappears.

In the old days, as much as I loved the look of the desert airstrip, it was truly an abrupt change to round the bend and find the Grand Californian Resort, then the geysers of the rapids adventure. But that was DCA 1.0, when transitions mattered little, hip and edgy was the order of the day, and the suits felt as if the guests were too dumb to notice the company had delivered an inferior product but charged full fees for it. It certainly was cheap. (Take a look at my multi-part series Bargain Basement Imagineering. This approach created some of the shallowest, themeless attractions ever to be seen at a Disney park.)

With the success of DCA 2.0, a new day has dawned. Here's hoping that Phase Two of the renovation begins as Condor Flats goes away. And what else was in that book, anyway?

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Surprising View at California Adventure

It's the summer of 2013, and the new expansion of Disney California Adventure is about one year old. The gorgeous Buena Vista Street and the stunning Cars Land (with super E Ticket  Radiator Springs Racers) continues to sop of the crowds. 

It would be very easy to overlook some of the older parts of the park as we're busy exploring what's new. Yet, sometimes pieces of the old present some excellent photo opportunities as well as take us to a place far away from the city of Anaheim.

Such is the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail. If an adult (and childless) guest can get beyond the toon focused, family friendly entrance, some terrific views are to be found. Like the one above.

Looking at this, it's easy to imagine yourself far away and high above the crowds. Well done, Imagineering. 

(Photograph copyright Mark Taft.)

Minty Fresh

Just a quick shout out of thanks to Mint Crocodile and the Magic Eye blog! I look forward to his Thursday updates so much. This shot of the new paint job on the Grizzly River Run rapids lift tells me much about the new look for the park. Add in Buena Vista Street and a classy old school looking Cars Land, and it should be magic. Adios hip and edgy! Hello retro cool!

(Photograph copyright Mint Crocodile.)

Ten Years of DCA: Our First Visit to California Adventure Version One

Continuing with our week long look at California Adventure at Ten Years...
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It was finally time to take our trip out to California and see Disney's latest stateside theme park. To say I was very skeptical about California Adventure would be quite the understatement. Having read all the newspapers and on line reviews, I knew intuitively that the place was a dog- and I wasn't exactly surprised by the results.

My in-laws had planned to take all of us to the park which given their incredible generosity meant they would be paying for the day. With our family of six and a few other siblings and their kids joining us, it would have been quite the expensive day. Explaining what I'd read and describing the photos I had seen, I told them I would explore the park first, then we'd talk about going together. I wanted to save them some money. They understood (and were ultimately happy with waiting!)

As it turned out, I'd be making two trips to the park that week, but I certainly didn't expect things to work out this way.

It was fall of 2001, and my youngest daughter would be my companion for the day. The other kids had decided to wait to go with their grandparents should they make that decision. Off we went to see the new park.

The first visit to any Disney park is quite the thrill for me. I can't wait to see what the Imagineers have cooked up. Exploring endlessly, the rush of new attractions, seeing something new and wonderfully detailed around every corner. I couldn't wait to go, and this time was no different.

We were there at opening time, a tradition for us die-hards. In contrast to seeing the entrance of the park from some distance away, peering through the gates, I was a bit shocked at what I saw. It all looked so ordinary. Not a good sign- and not the way to make a great first impression. I tried to remain optimistic.

There certainly were things to like about the park. They just weren't immediately noticeable. Although I found the sun sculpture to be fairly bland, I did enjoy the small fountain in front of it with its multi hued tiles. As I turned to Condor Flats, I got my first real glimpse of the California Zephyr. I knew it would be a spot for further investigation- but I just had to get to Soarin' Over California right away.

Although it was obviously very small from the photos I had seen, I just knew I would like Condor Flats. The theming was excellent with its retro aviation feel, high desert landscape, and an attraction that lets guest fly. What could be better?

Soarin' Over California became an instant favorite of both of us. I love my home state with its varied textures of people, landscapes, and activities. Certainly, I would be lying if I didn't say the attraction brought a few tears to my eyes and a desire to hop right back on. Some folks view the Quonset hut architecture as annoying. I find it quite fitting and actually prefer it to the set up at Epcot. The tributes to great aviators is a small bit of Disney "edutainment", a perspective that I find missing from plans for the park's do-over.

Instead of hopping back in line, we dove into the Fly 'N' Buy shop. Great detail, unique merchandise, an overall fun feel. Eventually, it was time to keep exploring, and I was warming up to a ride on Grizzly River.

Rounding the bend, two design aspects surprised me. One, the monorail cuts right through the area. Two, the beautiful Grand Californian hotel was in full view and accessible by park guests. In fact, ten years later, these two things still catch me off guard. Once past the shock, it was clear to see that this wooded section of the park was one of its most beautiful areas. With geysers, waterfalls, dense forests and great hidden paths to explore and view it all, this representation of the stunning Northern California geography is one of the finest examples of Disney storytelling. (In fact, the very top photograph is one I left extremely large so you can get a great perspective on how the area feels.)

Passing through a pretty long but fairly empty queue since it was Fall not Summer, my daughter and I boarded one of the circular rafts for the Grizzly River Run. The extended up ramp provided some great views of the park- and unfortunately, some not so pleasant. But I'll get to that later.

The ride itself was a kick! The scenery was great, the waterborne journey thrilling enough for all ages, and the long spinning drop at the end a lot of fun. In spite of the lack of animatronics, the attraction was another winner. I was surprised it took up so much real estate in a park that was very short of acreage, however. We both expected some smaller attractions tucked into or directly around the mountain, but they were not to be found.

Moving on, we stopped to explore some of those hidden paths, enjoying the little discoveries. Bypassing the children's playground for the time, we headed into what looked like San Francisco.

This short little street contained absolutely nothing. What a waste. We used to live half an hour from the great city on the bay, and I couldn't have been more disappointed in the shortsightedness of the park's planners! Why was that Golden Gate Bridge at the front of the park, the bay at the back, and why was this great city only represented by restrooms? A wasted opportunity and an instant reminder that this was indeed an accountant built theme park.

At the end was the dreaded Paradise Pier. And I do mean dreaded. From the on line photos, to seeing it from Katella Avenue and Downtown Disney to my first view of the place, Paradise Pier (even in its current incarnation) reminds me of everything awful about Disney's Bargain Basement Imagineering. 

The failings of this area of the park were instantly recognizeable and have been thrashed about in all types of trip reports from the beginning.

California Screamin' is an excellent roller coaster, but it is a poor excuse for the theme of a land in any Disney park. The iron rides did not impress us, and we took in both the ugly Orange Stinger and Golden Zephyr with its the elegant looking rockets. Disheartened again, we walked into a couple of shops, and then we quickly left the carnival.

The Golden Vine Winery and the Pacific Wharf complex were a breath of fresh air again. Both were just excuses for shopping and dining, but they were beautiful in their design and execution. After a quick viewing of the sublime Seasons of the Vine film and a taste of wine to wash away Paradise Pier, we ventured back towards the entrance of the park.

Stopping for lunch left us longing for some Chinese cuisine. We headed to the Backlot. It was also a good time to talk about our day and what was left uncovered.

Like her parents and other siblings, my youngest daughter is a big fan of the Disney parks. She's got a pretty sophisticated taste, and even as a fourteen year old when first visiting California Adventure, she had some insightful comments to make. One of her most telling was the following, "It seems the Imagineers forgot what makes Disney Disney." We sat there looking at the guidemap. Kind of bewildered what to do next as we realized there wasn't much left to see but the overlooked attractions in the Hollywood Pictures Backlot and It's Tough to Be a Bug.

Before eating, I ducked into the California Zephyr's shops and eateries and took in all the little detail to be found. What a clever idea to use a train for this complex. The photos on the walls, the mural, the little touches all said Disney. It was so different than what I'd just seen in Paradise Pier and San Francisco's street, it was as if this park was designed by two very separate design aesthetics.

Hollywood Pictures Backlot was a jolt back into the new California Adventure reality. My distaste for seeing the back of the sets cannot be emphasized enough. It screamed cheap- not hip, not intriguing, not fun. 

Superstar Limo was another jolt. I actually found the attraction to be quirky and fun and alternately cold and unappealing. Disney was jamming their "B" list of stars down my throat. (That said, I love Jackie Chan!) We had to ride again and answer the question, "Was that really what we thought it was?"

About the time we were ready to call the Backlot a failure, the Disney Animation showcase beckoned. The contents and presentation were unexpected. We loved it, particularly the atmosphere transition in the Beast's library. We laughed doing character voiceovers and mostly just enjoyed sitting in the lobby watching "the classics" go by on the large screens.

What was left? Two 3D films- Muppets and Bugs. Neither are great but both are enjoyable. It was odd to do them back to back, and it was very easy to do as they are both so close together. The combination left us a little shell shocked- and then I started counting the number of films I'd seen that day. Wow.

After a bit of unsuccessful souvenir shopping- aside from a map and the park soundtrack for my collection- we were done with the park. Not quite the full day we hoped for, neither was it quite the park we wanted either. I asked my daughter if she would come back. Her response was "Once they start adding in some Disney quality classic attractions." That meant things on the scope and scale of her favorites: Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (her very favorite coaster) and Indiana Jones Adventure. She is her father's daughter. After one more ride on Soarin', we went home. My daughter and I had a good time doing something new, and we always have fun together like I do with all my kids, but the park was not the home run the Disney Company wanted.
It was upon returning home that I discovered the difference a few days and a few years can make.

We arrived home and began to share our perspectives on the new park. My youngest son was quite disappointed that we all chose not to go with the entire family after hearing the description. And so began the thought that I would go again with him in tow a few days later.

Back then, he was ten years old. Very different likes and thinking than a fourteen year old girl. In fact, he loved the park.

Again, we got there at opening and began our day with Soarin'. A hit. We retraced our steps and took in It's Tough to Be a Bug. Another hit. No winery and no Seasons film as Paradise Pier lured him in. All the rides there were just taken in as an expected part of the atmosphere. Soft swirl ice cream was a must. The cement dino was cool. Even Mulholland Madness was a treat watching him ride next to me.

Grizzly River Run was another favorite, with two rides in a row and one later that night. (Riding in the evening is a whole different experience. I like it better than during the day!) We spent a short amount of time at the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail, but he was bored after a few minutes.

Time for lunch, and that meant burgers and Taste Pilot's Grill. Give me a great burger topped off with bleu cheese, and I'm a happy guy. Munching french fries and drinking Coke was a good time to talk about what we'd seen and ridden up to this point.


From climbing the C-A-L-I-F-O-R-N-I-A letters at the entrance, to getting soaked on Grizzly, to 3 rides on Screamin' in a row- the last one without his Dad, and everything in between, it was an entirely different take on the day. There was still more to do.

Eureka was a great parade. From the use of trampolines to roller skates and pogo sticks, it was a high energy presentation even with its oh so off-the-mark theme song. Flying cream pies in Muppets to more Bugs, the 3D films continued make him laugh. Superstar Limo, however, not so much. Even a ten year old can have good taste!

Of course, Pluto makes the day fun!

And there it was- California Adventure was a "Ten Year Old Boy Park". He didn't want or care for great theming, layers of detail, or sophistication. He didn't miss the animatronics. He didn't miss the love put into designing the place. He just wanted to have fun. Although I could have just taken him to Knott's Berry Farm, I started to see the park through his eyes. My perspective on the park remained it was far from Disney's best work, but we had a great time together.

Our three youngest kids have all been to the park since 2001. Not my wife, not even once. She is willing to wait for the great reveal of the remade park. Maybe by California Adventure's twelveth anniversary, she will be thrilled with what she sees. I think I will be. Yet, I'll always remember my first two trips with great fondness. Our kids were young, and we were, too.
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Tomorrow, we'll take a look at the Walt Disney Company's emergency plans to save the park while retaining their reputation. As we will find out, it wasn't all that great of a plan!
(Photos copyright Mark Taft.)

Ten Years of DCA: Disney's Real California Adventure

Disney's California Adventure theme park opened 10 years ago today. Beginning with yesterday's post, Insights and Sounds will feature a week-long series of articles on the park. Some fresh, some old favorites from years back. Hope you enjoy it!

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The newest playground in Anaheim, and the quickly planned younger sister to world-renowned Disneyland, debuted to great expectations for fans and company alike. In hindsight, the Imagineers knew they had big trouble on their hands as the classic Disney Imagineering that had brought attractions par excellence to Disneyland and Florida's Epcot had given way to new fangled Bargain Basement Imagineering.

I was among those hoping for the best but preparing for the worst. The park's preview center did not excite me, as I was savvy enough to look past the artwork and models to discover what I heard was true: this park was clearly built to satisfy the need for a second park, but the Walt Disney Company was delivering a sub par product designed solely for profit and not for the love of the art of Imagineering. Gone would be attractions on the magnificent scope and scale of Pirates of the Caribbean, the Haunted Mansion, or Journey into Imagination. Early reviews were largely negative with only the Disney suits singing the new park's praises.

The preview guide to the park tells a story all its own. Yes, there were gems to be found here, but by and large the development was filled with film based hand me downs from Florida and reproductions of cheap iron rides found at numerous county fairs all over America. Not the stuff of greatness nor the way to draw guests and convince them that Disneyland was now a resort.

The new park's Eureka parade was one of the opening highlights. Silly theme song aside, (Disney should never go for "trendy" in music or park execution), this parade was full of energy and a bit of class. The performers gave 100% and the floats excellently delivered tribute to the state and the people who call it home.

The full blown fold out map (click on the image for a very large view) promised new and special places to explore, but ultimately the park offered only a couple of world class draws. As with the attractions themselves, even the "districts" within varied greatly in quality. This was Imagineering by committee, and it was clearly obvious to the most casual observers as the quality of the park varied from area to area.

Beyond the gorgeous tile murals and giant C-A-L-I-F-O-R-N-I-A letters at the front of the park, a poorly designed and cheaply executed "Entry Plaza" signaled this was a new and sad era in outdoor Disney entertainment. Instead of immersive and thoughtful, this was a pedestrian area merely "good enough"; one to be found in any shopping mall nationwide. Even Anaheim's nearby shopping center, The Block in the city of Orange, had better design and theme. Garish and uncreative, this was a bad beginning to an overall mediocre experience, and it certainly did not create an expectation of Disney quality at its best.

Thankfully, when guests turned right off the plaza, Condor Flats came into view. As part of the central Golden State district, this all too small area was filled to the brim with a nod to California's strong roots in aviation. The park's premier draw, Soarin' Over California was the perfect blend of thrill, new technology, and light travelogue. All combined, this filmed journey through the state drew raves and rightly so. Even without narration, the spectaular scenery of the Golden State was enough of a draw to create lines not seen since the heyday of Disneyland.

The neighboring Grizzly Peak Recreation area offered a fairly common circular raft adventure amidst recreations of California's spectacular northern landscapes. Beautiful waterfalls, stunning rock work, and deep grottoes enhanced Grizzly River Run, raising it far above the earlier completed Kali River Rapids from Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park in Florida. An imaginative woodsy playground rounded out the area. It provided some great views of the place but it required use of a lot of land in a park starving for more.

A series of films flesh out the Golden State, each with varying degrees of success. The Whoopi Goldberg based excursion Golden Dreams showcased state history in a heart warming but very politically correct manner. The budget had been severely cut from the Audio-Animatronic show originally planned- and it was evident something was missing. Now removed, the film was not a disaster but neither was it one that warranted repeat visits. At the nearby Pacific Wharf, an area inspired by Monterey Bay's Cannery Row, the two small films on bread and tortilla making are only noteworthy due to the free samples given out during the latter's factory tour. Again, contemporary celebrities diminished what should have been small but charming gems.

It's Tough to Be a Bug, came right from the Animal Kingdom. It is a bit of fun for those loving to be scared, poked and spit at. Quite a long stretch thematically for a California theme, but it is a crowd pleaser. The surrounding area filled with farm equipment was not.
The most successful of the area's films was to be found at the Golden Vine Winery. Housed in a small theater, the short presentation known as Seasons of the Vine brought a bit of Epcot's elegance and class to a mundane park. The soundtrack was as delightful as the film!

From this point, Disney's California Adventure begins to fall apart. The Paradise Pier area is one of the poorest excuses for a themed area that Disney has ever built. As seen in this screenshot from the opening day map (above), the area is filled with roadside carnival rides, cheap midway games and one truly magnificent- if sadly unthemed- roller coaster! California Screamin' ranks among the company's best thrill attractions. Not for its great story and landscapes but for the adrenaline rush it provides. Day or night, it is one terrific experience. It was one of few repeatable attractions in the park.

Leaving behind the pier, the Hollywood Pictures Backlot concludes the offerings at the park. From the strange and awful Superstar Limo- the park's only dark ride- to the beautiful Disney Animation exhibits, the area is completed by another retread from Florida, the Muppets 3D film, and a great theater offering the Steps in Time musical.
To the observant, a few things were instantly clear:
1- The park is filled with film based attractions, county fair rides, repeats from Florida, and very few original attractions.
2- Budgets were slashed midstream during the park's construction. The end result is a park that feels incomplete and less than atmospheric, much stronger in some places than in others.
3- Shops and restaurants are the true stars of the park, with lavish budgets given to create a strong pull for guests to be constantly opening their purses and wallets.

Guests were not fooled by this lackluster park. Long lines formed at Guest Services for complaints, refunds, and complimentary passes to Disneyland. Visitor numbers dwindled as the press reported what they saw. Even The Simpsons television show parodied and lampooned the place. The park was a creative failure and a financial flop. Disney had a public relations nightmare on its hands.

Stunned, Michael Eisner and the suits in Burbank rushed to revive their dying newborn. Plans were quickly put into place to add new excitement and shows. The next chapter of California Adventure was about to begin- and much sooner than the company expected.
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Tomorrow, we'll look at some of the hopes and dreams for the park as expressed in the Imagineers art. You'll see Bargain Basement Imagineering at its finest with one of the largest collections of California Adventure artwork on the web. In fact, I've added even more pieces in the last few days! Every day this week, we'll discuss different aspects of the park's execution, the public's reaction, and its continuing transformation. I'll throw in some trip reports with early photos and take a look at what lies ahead. Join me, won't you?

Come back every day this week for more articles on California Adventure!
(Images copyright The Walt Disney Company.)