The Walt Disney Company finally went public today with its future plans for the much needed overhaul of Disneyland's sister park, California Adventure. Here are the details from Disney's official press release:Coming to Disney’s California Adventure Over the Next Several Years
In addition to the new theming and attractions, Disney’s California Adventure will receive new restaurant and retail innovations, landscaping to enrich the placemaking, facade and graphics enhancements, and an extensive menu of entertainment and events.
Disney’s California Adventure is already home to some of the Disneyland Resort’s highest-rated attractions and shows, including: Soarin’ Over California, California Screamin’, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and the Broadway-caliber show, Disney’s Aladdin - A Musical Spectacular.
Cars Land
The expansion will culminate with an entirely new, 12-acre addition: Cars Land, immersing guests into a world inspired by the hit Disney/Pixar movie, Cars, playing to America’s love affair with automobiles.
Radiator Springs Racers, a major “E-ticket” attraction, places guests right in the middle of the amazingly detailed, dimensional Cars world of Mater, Lightning McQueen, Doc and Sally. Guests get a quick race briefing from Doc and Lightning, and suddenly find themselves in the midst of a race around hairpin turns and steep banks.
Cars Land increases capacity to the park with two additional immersive family rides, featuring Luigi and Mater from the movie. Cars Land represents an unprecedented level of collaboration between Pixar Animation Studios and Disney Imagineering to create this extensive new area. The new land will substantially extend the total area of Disney’s California Adventure park.
Paradise Pier
Paradise Pier will host major new attractions beginning next summer with the opening of Toy Story Mania!, a ride-through, interactive adventure where Guests ride into a high-energy 4-D carnival midway hosted by Toy Story characters. Woody, Jessie, Buzz, Hamm and the gang come to life in amazing ways, immersing guests in the rich stories of the Pixar blockbuster Toy Story films.
A major ride based on Disney’s classic The Little Mermaid comes to the park’s Paradise Pier with leading-edge animation and special effects. Guests will dive into the magnificent scenes and magical songs from the movie. A Mermaid Grotto area with a fountain and sand castle will offer new play experiences for children.
Unique Nighttime Spectacular
The dramatic and unique Disney’s World of Color will bring new nighttime excitement to Paradise Pier. This nightly panorama of spectacular water effects, colorful lighting and music will bring Disney animation to life with an entirely new creative and technical approach. The 9,000 person viewing area offers prime waterside viewing of the show – and provides a site for live entertainment, music festivals, and outdoor film premieres.
Entry Plaza and Gateway
The totally new gateway to Disney’s California Adventure welcomes guests into an immersive world of historic California streets as Walt experienced them as a young artist arriving with big dreams.
A new visual icon in the tradition of Los Angeles, California’s great entertainment palaces will draw guests into the heart of the attractions. This new facility, which was inspired by Los Angeles’ historic Carthay Circle Theatre that premiered Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937, will house a next generation Walt Disney Story featuring an interactive tribute to Walt’s California experiences, and his entertainment legacy that continues world-wide today. Red Car trolleys reminiscent of the old Pacific Electric Railway will travel up and down the main street. New dining and shopping experiences and a slate of unique, live entertainment will bring energy to the Walt Disney Plaza.
Hollywood Pictures Backlot
Hollywood Pictures Backlot will be a new home for a slate of special ticketed events and chances to hear first hand from innovative directors, writers and animators. An update of the popular family show “Playhouse Disney” will provide an experience for younger children.
Golden State
The “Golden State” area of the park will see the addition of numerous new dining opportunities tied to the incredible bounty of California’s farmland and its rich ethnically diverse food heritage. Food and wine festivals that celebrate the seasons, tastes and cultures of the dynamic communities of the Golden State will entertain guests, bringing unique one-of-a-kind experiences.
Preview Center
A Preview Center located on San Francisco Street in the Golden State region of the park will feature models, Imagineering concepts – giving park guests a sneak peek at the excitement that lies ahead. The Preview Center is scheduled to open in late 2008.
Images © Walt Disney Company
This makes DCA sound exciting. I hope these new additions work.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jeff,
ReplyDeleteThis is the first full post of the press release that I saw (of course, Honor teased us about it first).
So, when are you going to make your DCA trip?
This sounds great- it will certainly enhance DCA.
ReplyDeleteOn the down side, it will mean the end of the California Muppet Vision*3D attraction (at least the original Flordia one (Jim's last project) will still be there).
ReplyDeleteOn the plus side, it seems we will finally have that Little Mermaid Dark Ride that was on drawing board for 17 years.
I'm heading to DL tomorrow, so this news has me especially excited! Guess this means I'll have to plan another trip in the future!
ReplyDeleteAh, sounds good... Hopefully it'll be up and running in the next 4 or 5 years when I plan on heading down there again...
ReplyDeleteI'm really excited about the retheming of the park around "Walt's California" and some of the new concepts they'll be bringing in. I do have reservations about Cars Land, though. While I haven't seen the film yet, I'm certainly not opposed to a ride or series of attractions based on it; but given that the thematic backdrop of this park is California, where "car culture" was essentially born, I'm a little puzzled (and disappointed) that the press release does not seem to indicate that there are any plans to use this area to evoke that whole mid-century Route 66 roadside SoCal environment that was so big (especially since Disneyland itself was kind of a key player in the development of that culture). I would love to see an Imagineered version of that kitschy era.
ReplyDelete"Red Car trolleys reminiscent of the old Pacific Electric Railway will travel up and down the main street."
ReplyDeleteThe Red Car? Shades of Roger Rabbit! Do you suppose they might use some of the RR/Sunset Blvd concepts developed (and never used) for the Studios in Florida?
Nic kramer, DCA's Muppet-Vision isn't going anywhere. It's just another stupid rumor that the highly-controversial Al Lutz has posted on and off for several years and has yet to happen.
ReplyDeleteSo, I really wouldn't worry too much if I were you.
John, you should really watch the movie. The entire Cars movie is all about the Route 66 enviromnent. The town of "Radiator Springs" where the movie takes place is entirely on Route 66. When Disney says they're making "Cars Land", I'm 90% willing to bet that's exactly the kind of theming they're going for - Route 66 imagery and theming, but calling it "Cars Land" to get all the kiddies to want to go.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, thanks for the tip! Now I definitely need to sit down and watch Cars!
ReplyDeleteis there any truth in the rumors, plan are in the oven for a real ca.
ReplyDeleteadventure next to Redwood National Park?
Mickbrindle@gotsky.com
i was at the disneyland resort just this past week and a cast member told me all about this! i am exteremly excited. DCA really needs an overhaul...thank goodness the THT of terror and california screamin' are staying! love those rides!
ReplyDelete