Disney's California Adventure Overhaul

[violarum]

There could have been a ton of ways to make the entrance aesthetically pleasing while still making sure it tells the proper story.

Overall, this entire overhaul plan is weak, creatively speaking. Putting characters everywhere is a terrible idea for improving this park.

The park potential's is truly unrealized. I've heard a lot of creative ideas from people on how to overhaul the park, and the best one I've heard would be to make the park revolve around the California dreamers, including Walt himself. Basically, DCA should become a museum of living facts that focuses on the personal stories of these people, as well as celebrate the past, present and future of California. It would be a place where California can be at home and where it can host its guests. The park would also connect itself to Disneyland much better with these changes.

Disney's idea of slapping characters everywhere just shows how they are truly creatively-bankrupt.

Thank you so much.

I agree with the entrance idea, and while I like the overall look of the new entrance, I don't think the design scheme will match so well with the new area in general. Something relating to California's outdoor spaces would work best, like what Disneyhead said with the portico design. The design flow from that entrance (if built correctly enough that it does stand out as an entrance which you can argue that this new one does) would help keep the general theme of California alive.

Or, perhaps, like you said with the dreamers, JLee, that idea would help the park be interpreted by people in a more secure fashion. I don't really like Mickey's face in the center of a ferris wheel with Ariel taking us down under the sea inside of a boardwalk building as well as Goofy teaching people how to "fly" in a structure that makes no sense. The characters plastered everywhere just makes it The Disney Company's California Disney Adventure with Mickey instead of Disney's California Adventure.

Granted, I'm pleased in excess over the Buena Vista St. area even if its entrance is a bit misleading. It's going to capture that Disney spirit well, I think. Or it's just going to be an excuse to make the section look pretty. Idk.

 

[Jymmymack]

As a season pass holder, I have to say that the boardwalk area is a MILLION times better than what it used to be. Mullholland madness was horribly themed, and everything thing else just seemed completely thrown together. Now at least there is an overall theme of Victorian boardwalk mixed with classic Disney shorts. Your ideas about honoring the dreamers are good, the only problem is that they already tried that and it failed miserably. When this park opened, it was a pseudo epcot with some rides. They had Golden Dreams, which honored great Californian dreamers, they had the farm, which taught about the how and why of farmers, they had the tortilla factory which taught you all about the proud history of... tortilla mass production, etc. This park is stepping up for the first time, especially with the addition of Cars Land and WoC. And while you may not think the new entrance or boardwalk are up to par, you didn't have to look at giant tin sun as a park hub centerpiece for ten years or see the excellent boardwalk consisting of a "strips n dips" stand and a Hawaiian and space themed pizza join and burger stand (because Hawaii+space=California).

This is what I used to have.

This is what I will have.

Fair trade.

 

[Jubilation Lee]

I agree that some improvements are definitely being done to the park, as I like the idea of a Buena Vista Street and a Paradise Pier with Victorian theming. However, I do feel that the idea of California dreamers has untapped potential that Disney hasn't looked into. Also, I actually enjoyed Golden Dreams when I visited the park. I thought it and Soarin' over California were the only two attractions there that were up to true Disney quality (not counting attractions in the park that were cloned from elsewhere), so I am actually sad to see it go.

 

[Jymmymack]

I agree, Golden Dreams was a great attraction, the problem is, nobody else went to it. It was DOA. When this park opened, Californians hated it. They thought it lacked themeing and attractions. Disney freaked. They thought they had another DLP on their hands. Up until two years ago, people would literally not buy park hoppers. They would not go in. All of my relatives would buy 3-day one park passes. My dad has only been in twice in 10 years. They asked people what was wrong, most of the answers were a lack of themeing. In Disney's eyes, the semi-educational CA theme was a huge flop and needed to be remedied. So, they turned to the idea of playing up vintage CA Hollywood esque sensibilities. Also, another thing to keep in mind, Disneyland gets a huge percent of its money from Californians (we are a pretty Damn big state). The last thing Californians wanted to be educated in was CA history. I spent summers in Yosemite, grew up with farms all around me, and lived 30 minutes from a real boardwalk. Why would I want to go see fake versions? With Epcot, you learned about the WORLD. A ton of places in one park. Hop from one country to the other. Can you imagine if Epcot had been devoted to Florida history?

 

[Brian G.]

Can you imagine if Epcot had been devoted to Florida history?

I can! I would love to learn about swamps, oranges, and Fountains of Youth!

 

[Jymmymack]

^Hahaha! Exactly! And ironically enough, we literally had an attraction themed to oranges.

 

[Rock'nRoller]

Well after going to the park, I can honestly say this. I think with all the construction going on, it wouldn't kill Disney to just close the park during the slow months and get all the work done. That way, when they open the park, they can have a HUGE wave of guests come in and make-up for the lost of money.

 

[jtsalien]

I have to agree that the whole dreamer theme of the original CA Adventure was doomed to fail. Disneyland makes it's money as a local park. And locals either already know everything they want to know about their home state, or don't care at all. Golden Dreams was awesome for me. I loved it. I'm pretty sure I always cried. But there was only one other family with mine in the theater. Paradise Pier looks much better now. And I can not wait to see the new Trolley.

 

[Jubilation Lee]

I don't agree with this. The upgraded dreamer theme idea that I've heard people come up with is vastly different from what the original DCA had and isn't education focused. I'll try to see if I can explain it and better detail later.

There was a lot of problems Golden Dreams had that caused it to not attract attendance. The building didn't look like it housed an attraction to the average guest, lack of a countdown clock, lack of an entertaining preshow, and several other issues caused a lacking of attendance. Disney never gave the attraction a fighting chance.

 

[Jymmymack]

I'd like to hear the upgraded dreamer concept. But I have a question. Isn't the new entry plaza dreamer themed? It's supposed to be what the wide-eyed Disney saw when he first came to Burbank? Capped off with the young Disney partners statue in front of the Carthay theater? It's a pretty cool juxtaposition to have old Walt with mickey across the street in the middle of his greatest success while across the street young Walt and mickey stand in the middle of where it all started.

 

[BJCool]

A new photo construction update courtesy of Westcoaster:

http://www.westcoaster.net/updates.php?updateCD=080111


You can really see how barren the current entrance area has become with its prep to be turned into Buena Vista Street.

 

[Brian G.]

Thanks for sharing. I'll be grabbing an update when I go in 2 weeks.

 

[BJCool]

New photo update courtesy of Disneygeek:

http://disneygeek.com/updates/disneyland_update.php?page_id=1&update_dir=2011_08_05



Of particular interest:

Disney's Wonderful World of Work Walls!

Lights and Electronic Sign Being Put In For Temporary Entrance

Wide Shot of Main Entrance with Obvious Changes For Construction

Scaffolding Going Up Backside of Cadillac Range (Possibly to Cover Exposed Metal Supports?)

 

[Rock'nRoller]

^ Huh. They didn't have those walls in the Hollywood section. :inquisitive:

 

[BJCool]

New update courtesy of Westcoaster:

http://www.westcoaster.net/updates.php?updateCD=080811




Of particular interest:


Carthay is still a mystery under tarps

Cars Land mountains slowly but surely are becoming more and more orange

Mater has trees/light poles going in at the ride's site

 

[MIAboy]

The top of the tail fins look too white. I hope it gets fixed.

 

[violarum]

They're still unpainted to the shades that they will be as per the early art.

 

[BJCool]

The Disneyland Resort has donated the California Zephyr train to Western Pacific Railroad Museum

[video=youtube;20ZZD2rPmHc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20ZZD2rPmHc[/video]

 

[MIAboy]

FUN FACT: Radiator Springs Racers is currently the most expensive attraction ever constructed in the Walt Disney Company's History.

 

[UNIrd]

FUN FACT: Radiator Springs Racers is currently the most expensive attraction ever constructed in the Walt Disney Company's History.

Wow. I hope that it shows in the attraction and isn't just due to inflation, increased labor and construction costs, terrible money management and frivolous spending, etc.