Reimagineering Disney's California Adventure

Is there anything that is more exciting to a Disney Park nut than new construction in the parks. construction walls? You have the excitement of new attractions that nobody has ever experienced. The first construction walls that I really remember were for Splash Mountain. Over the course of a couple years as we would visit and watch the progress they made I couldn't wait to get on that ride.

For the last year every time I would visit I would look at the wall around the lagoon and wonder what it was going to be like to ride the submarines again. I think the expectations may have got the better of me since I was not that thrilled with the new ride. Maybe I will love it when the line is under an hour.

Now when you visit Disney's California Adventure they have a big section of Paradise Pier walled off for construction of the Toy Story Mania attraction. I hear this 3-D shooter attraction will be similar to Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters only more interactive. Since this has been under construction I find it harder to enjoy California Screamin' because I spend so much of the ride just trying to get a glimpse of the construction. I truly can't wait until this opens so we can see what the imagineers were able to come up with this time.


This is going to be a very exciting time for everyone, like me, that likes to see construction walls. As DCA prepares for a major rehab, refresh, and re-theming the walls will start going up sometime in October and they will be up in one area or another for the next several years. I have heard estimates anywhere from five to ten years. In my book that means several years of anticipation.

I would go into detail on all of the rumored changes to DCA but if you are reading this then you probably know them already. If you are in need of more details I would suggest reading Al Lutz's article on MiceAge.com or one of the posts by Honor Hunter on his Blue Sky Disney blog. Needless to say there are rumors of the whole park being changed and rethemed and several E-ticket attractions being added to the roster. There is so much unconfirmed information out there right now that if even half of the reported changes come true it will make DCA a special place. I am not among the masses of people that hate DCA. I really like it so this makes me a little odd as a Disney fan. I have always felt that DCA is small and could use some growth and that the western side of Paradise Pier needed serious work. I am sure that both of these issues will be addressed behind construction walls during the years to come.

If Disney is absolutely committed to fixing DCA then who knows what we may end up with? There isn't the space for a grand overhaul of the entire park and turning it into Epcot West or Tokyo DisneySea East, but they will surprise most, delight many, and disappoint a few. I believe that I will be surprised and delighted. Take DCA, throw a billion dollars at it and see what you end up with.

If you would like to keep updated on all of the latest rumor and rumblings regarding DCA I recommend the following sites:

Miceage
Blue Sky Disney
Jim Hill Media
Mouse Planet

As the Subs Turn

Today was my first day at Disneyland since May 2. I haven't seen Pirates Lair yet and I had not seen Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage. I have been looking forward to the subs since I knew that they were being brought back. When I was younger I used to look forward to that ride more than any other and at one time I thought you really were diving under water. The Submarine Voyage may not have been futuristic but they fit Tomorrowland like a glove.



While I waited in the queue today I watched the subs circle the lagoon and really got a kick out of the seagulls on the buoy. We moved our way up closer and closer to the front of the line and we were getting more and more excited. Finally it was our turn to be boarded. I made my way down the spiral staircase for the first time in 10 years. I sat down in the seat that used to feel a lot bigger. Then we waited. Finally we pulled out into the lagoon and I remembered why I loved the attraction so many years ago. It was just fun to be able to feel like you were in a submarine below the surface.

Then we entered the show building. I wasn't disappointed but it sure didn't live up to my expectations. The animations were exceptional. The effects did leave quite a bit to be desired. I would have thought there would have been more for the kind of money that you hear went into this.

In a perfect world there would have been a better blend of the animated effects and the physical props. When the angler fish attacks them it would have been much more impressive if it would have moved. No wonder the two little fish can get away. He just sits there and sits there and sits there. I can only wish that the jellyfish in the ocean were engineered by Disney. If they all had poles coming out of the top of them then we would probably see them before they stung us and I wouldn't have had to endure the ridiculous questions that I did when I was stung by a jellyfish (i.e. Did you have somebody pee on you? NO!).

It also could be made a little more clear that a whale is swallowing you. I knew it was happening but it wasn't very easy to follow. I know that my son didn't catch that particular point in the story and he would be in the target audience.

I am happy that the subs are back and I love to the kinetic energy that having them run again brings to Tomorrowland. I will visit them again when the line dies back down to a reasonable amount of time too. I was just left wanting more. Here is hoping that Tony Baxter, Bob Weiss, and all the Imagineers responsible for Disneyland Resort will really be able to go full force into their upcoming projects.

Weekend Plans

Today I am noticing the excitement that comes with a looming trip to Disneyland. We are leaving on Thursday and the first thing when I woke up I was making a list in my mind of everything that I need to get done before we leave. Laundry is done, DVD player is charged, camera is ready. Tonight we'll be getting together all of our toiletries and other miscellaneous junk and arranging them. Tomorrow we get out the suitcase and pack.

We are only going for a long weekend but it still has be excited. We will be taking our eight week old baby to Disneyland for the first time. He won't remember this but some day when he is jealous of something that his older brother got that he didn't I can tell him that he went to Disneyland for the first time at eight weeks old and his brother was eleven months old.

We will also be able to ride the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage for the first time. My son is very excited to see the seagulls. He has been telling us about them since I showed him a video in June. Every time that he has been to Disneyland he has only been able to see the construction wall. It will be nice to crawl down into the subs again.

I am undecided on just how big of a geek I will be this weekend. I love to collect and trade Disney pins. Friday night they are having a Pin Trading Night at the Paradise Pier hotel and Sunday morning they are releasing four limited edition pins and having the artists sign them. I know I will be getting one of the four pins. I just don't know if I will go to the pin trading night.

On Saturday we will be going to Angel Stadium to watch the Twins beat up on the Angels. I am very excited for this weekend. Could there possibly be a better way to spend a weekend in the summer than Disneyland and baseball?