Reimagineering Disney's California Adventure: Movie Tie-Ins

Two of the big new rumors circulating on the web about the upcoming changes to Disney's California Adventure are new attractions based on movies. Why should this be? Have the imagineers run out of original ideas? Why does every new attraction need to have a movie tie-in?


Florida can still get the occasional attraction without a movie tie-in. Expedition Everest and Mission: Space were both original stories. When was the last time that the Disneyland Resort received an attraction with an original story? Soarin' would probably have to be the winner and it doesn't really have a story. Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, Mike and Sulley to the Rescue are just the latest in this trend.


If DCA receives a Little Mermaid attraction and a Ratatouille themed roller coaster they could very easily change the name of the park. Not to the rumored Walt Disney's California Adventure but to Disney's Shameless Self Promotional Adventure. DSSPA doesn't quite have the same ring as DCA but it would be a closer representation of the truth. Having a roller coaster themed to Ratatouille won't draw people to the park. Having a great coaster will. California Screamin' has a line everyday. It is a fun coaster to ride. They don't need to put a rat on a ride to try and dress it up they just need to make the ride so that it would be great on its own.

The Little Mermaid attraction is a little different story. Ariel has been waiting almost 20 years for a chance to get her own attraction. So, while I think there should be a Little Mermaid ride I think it should be in Fantasyland not in the San Francisco section of DCA.


Pirates of the Caribbean was a great attraction before the blockbuster movies were ever even thought about. The Haunted Mansion is still an all time favorite in spite of the horrible movie that was made based on it. Why is this? How can these attractions stand the test of time and be as popular today as they were when they opened 40 years ago? The simple answer is story and depth. Both of these attractions overload you with details. You can't ride them once and even dream about seeing them all. You also have an original experience that doesn't try to cram a story down your throat as much as it lets you experience the story for yourself.

Has this line of thinking forever disappeared at WDI? As new imagineers are hired are they led into a little room where they are brainwashed and tattooed with the words corporate synergy? I believe that there is still free thought and creativity in Glendale. I just hope that they are allowed to show it. Oh, and they should leave the rats in the sewer where they belong.

Reimagineering Disney's California Adventure: Part Deux

Recently, as more and more information becomes available I have decided that there are some good and some bad rumors circulating the web. I still look forward to improvements that are coming to Disney's California Adventure, but I am not sure that all of these will make it off the drawing board.


Al Lutz at MiceAge.com posted an article yesterday outlining some of the rumors he is hearing. Most of his report details some very exciting changes that could be coming to the park. One of these seems almost silly. The Route 66 section of Paradise Pier will be ripped out. Mulholland Madness will be making an exit from the park along with the McDonalds, and Pizza Oom Mow Mow. Replacing the food in the area would be a Victorian Beer Garden. This would be a very nice change. Replacing Mulholland Madness will be a Ratatouille themed roller coaster. Everything I have seen about Crush's Coaster from the Walt Disney Studios at Disneyland Resort Paris makes me think that they can do a very good Pixar themed coaster I just don't know if Ratatouille is the right movie. Are you going to board little rat cars and race through the sewers of France? How does that fit in California? Is there a large French population in Bakersfield that I am unaware of? As with all other projects that could potentially be included in the DCA overhaul I will reserve final judgment until it is announced and WDI shares some details of the attraction.


Another rumored attraction that I am having a small problem with is the Little Mermaid Omnimover. Don't get me wrong, I am all for a Little Mermaid attraction. A major presence in the park is at least 15 years overdue for Ariel. I just don't know how this will fit into the San Francisco section of the California park. If the exit will be the the Dome from Golden Dreams how does that fit with the Little Mermaid? On second thought I should probably forget everything I just said about the Little Mermaid and be happy that they are going to include Ariel, Sebastian, Flounder, and Scuttle in the parks. I am also excited for another omnimover. The Haunted Mansion and Buzz Lightyear Astro Blaster are both great uses of this ride system. Hopefully the Little Mermaid will be too.

Early 90's model of Discovery Bay

There are a couple items mentioned in the article that have me very excited. A preview center would be built in the San Francisco row houses that currently house nothing or almost nothing as there are some bathrooms on one side. This would be a showcase for all the additions and changes coming to the Disneyland Resort. How great will it be to see models and concept art of the next great E-ticket coming to the parks? I remember seeing models for Discovery Bay and WestCOT when I was younger and these models never came to be. How excited are we all be when they are displaying models for projects that we know will be coming in the near future?


Another change for the better is the enclosure of the Hyperion Theater waiting area. I haven't been to see the Aladdin musical in a couple years because I hate waiting out in the heat. With a refresh of the exterior of this theater it will become a more special venue than it already is. When I heard about the enclosed waiting area it gave me an idea for a new location for the Disney Gallery. The Hyperion Theater is a very tall building. The waiting area would not even come half way up the building when it is enclosed. You could put a second story on the waiting area to become the new Disney Gallery. I don't know if this would actually work or not but I think that having the great art above the great theater would add something to this section of the park.


Once the rehab is complete on the Hollywood Pictures Backlot it will look like 1930's Hollywood. I don't remember Monsters Inc. in 1930's Hollywood. Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck were around in the 1930's. Mickey's Philharmagic is another rumored addition to the park and I will be waiting in line for it. It is one of my very favorite attractions in all of Walt Disney World. I think it is an excellent 3D show. The only problem is that it would replace another great 3D experience, Muppetvision. It would go down the drain and disappear from the west coast. If only Muppetvision didn't have Waldo it would be absolutely classic. Now I will only be partially sad to see it go and look forward to Philharmagic.


There are still so many rumors floating about Disney's California Adventure that this post could continue indefinitely. For now we will stop right here and pick up again soon. The next few years are going to be very exciting for DCA and the Disneyland Resort.

If you would like to read Al's article in its entirety please click here.