Even Ugly Disney Parks Can Have Great Concept Art

Here's proof that even the ugliest of Disney theme parks can have terrific looking concept art. This time, it's not the Walt Disney Studios Paris - still winner of the title- but Disney's California Adventure 1.0 and the much aligned Paradise Pier. 

Given a continually slashed budget and a less than great idea for a theme, Imagineer Tim Delaney did the best he could to portray the Bargain Basement Imagineered park in a positive light. Using dashes of color and plenty of swirling shapes, Tim created a very attractive painting. It's too bad the area of Paradise Pier was more realistically a sign of trying to fool Disney fans into thinking this park was cutting edge work. 

After a solid but not thorough reworking in 2012, this seaside diversion did have much more charm than the original incarnation. Will the transition to Pixar Pier kill that? We'll have to see.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

The Problem with the Symphony

What is it about California Adventure's Silly Symphony Swings that makes me less than enthusiastic about the Imagineers plans for this extreme park makeover? Sure, it takes up so little acreage that it makes sense to do something similar to the previous Orange Stinger attraction. Yes, it is nice to see Mickey make a comeback in the parks versus adding yet another character attraction from the great Pixar films. Still, something remains, and it is disturbing.

Here it is- cheap carnival rides like this remind me of the ego and the disrespect the suits in charge of California Adventure had toward its long time Disney park fans. And rides like this and the Mailboomer and Mulholland Madness remain.

The simplest arguments to support their actions say "Disneyland has its spinners as well." Absolutely, but the difference between the ugly Paradise Pier and Fantasyland is as profound as the artistic difference between the whole of each park. At Disneyland, the few spinners flesh out the park, while at the other, these carnival rides make up a large portion of the attraction roster.

Disneyland was crafted with care by Walt himself, but the resort's second gate was ultimately designed by the accountant's pen and the corporation's financial gurus. Big difference and even bigger different end results. One park is a cultural icon for all generations; the other a punchline for joke after joke. Here's hoping World of Color and The Little Mermaid begin a great relaunch in earnest to an ill executed project.
(Concept art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Silliness at California Adventure

So it begins. All those additions- and subtractions!- at the Paradise Pier district of California Adventure will finally start. The concept art above is one of the lesser attractions in the area. Replacing the ugly and out of place Orange Stinger is the Silly Symphony Swings, a retheming of this carnival staple. (Double click on the image- it's really quite large.) The rest of the pier needs the makeover as well. It is the poorest excuse for a themed land at Disney since the Sunshine Plaza.

Some folks at Disney are probably quivering at the thought of still spending big bucks to redo the park right now. But it is a necessity. If anyone thinks tourists will continue to come into the park in the current state and see an increase in the future, well, that's just silly. 

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)