Another Voice
Charter Member of The Element
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2000
If a tree falls in California Adventure, does it make a noise?
Today marks the one year anniversary of California Adventure out here in glamorous Southern California a date being celebrated in an extremely low key manner. Michael Eisner and Paul Pressler are no where to be found, so Disneyland Resorts President Cynthia Harriss is left to make the official announcement about the parks expansion plans.
Fliks Fun Fair will be part of A Bugs Land which is part of The Golden State District of the park. It is officially described as a playland and specially designed environment which will offer the young and the young-at-heart a look at the world from a bugs point of view. It will feature five, bought-straight-from-the-catalog kiddie rides (the names and descriptions are taken directly from the press release):
Fliks Flyers, a simulated bug-size hot air balloon ride;
Tuck & Rolls Drive Em Buggies, a crazy drive-it-yourself bug car ride under P.T. Fleas circus tent;
Heimlichs Chew Chew Train, a miniature railroad ride;
Franciss Ladybug Boogie aboard spin-em-yourself ladybugs; and
Princess Dots Puddle Park, a playground themed around a giant-size sprinkler.
The official opening date is this fall, but rumors are that the park has been ordered to open the place as close to Labor Day as possible.
Also announced was a California version of WDWs Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, set to open sometime in 2004. No details about what makes the California version different from the full version were given, but you can probably guess.
On the rumor side, theres some interesting buzz. Its been well known for months that the hip and edgy facet of DCA was abandoned and the place was Disneyfied as rapidly as they could make new character costumes. Now comes word that the entire California theme will be quietly abandoned. No, theyre not going to remake the park over yet, but the mission to highlight California history, themes and experiences has been dropped. California will simply be a way to tie the entire parks decoration together. Lip service to the state theme will still be maintained but it will no longer guide which attractions and shows are put into the park.
Bugs have nothing to do with California, but they fit the existing farm décor. Pocahontas has nothing to do with California, but she fits the Native American décor. The Tower has nothing to do with California either, but will have Hollywood slapped on it (in the same way the DisneySea version will be themed to the American Waterfront by slapping Manhattan on their version). Everyone in Anaheim is rather happy with this change and its the first real step The Companys made in recognizing the basic flaws in the entire park.
One wild rumor is that Mickeys PhilaMagic will appear at DCA shortly after it opens at WDW (in either the Muppets building or the Millionaire hut), kind of an exclamation point on the complete reversal of DCAs entire design philosophy.
Well, not exactly. It will be another clone added to a place thats pretty much already the ABC Family Channel of theme parks. Imagination costs these days and Disney isnt willing to pay much. California Adventure might not be much about California anymore, but it will always be all about money.
Today marks the one year anniversary of California Adventure out here in glamorous Southern California a date being celebrated in an extremely low key manner. Michael Eisner and Paul Pressler are no where to be found, so Disneyland Resorts President Cynthia Harriss is left to make the official announcement about the parks expansion plans.
Fliks Fun Fair will be part of A Bugs Land which is part of The Golden State District of the park. It is officially described as a playland and specially designed environment which will offer the young and the young-at-heart a look at the world from a bugs point of view. It will feature five, bought-straight-from-the-catalog kiddie rides (the names and descriptions are taken directly from the press release):
Fliks Flyers, a simulated bug-size hot air balloon ride;
Tuck & Rolls Drive Em Buggies, a crazy drive-it-yourself bug car ride under P.T. Fleas circus tent;
Heimlichs Chew Chew Train, a miniature railroad ride;
Franciss Ladybug Boogie aboard spin-em-yourself ladybugs; and
Princess Dots Puddle Park, a playground themed around a giant-size sprinkler.
The official opening date is this fall, but rumors are that the park has been ordered to open the place as close to Labor Day as possible.
Also announced was a California version of WDWs Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, set to open sometime in 2004. No details about what makes the California version different from the full version were given, but you can probably guess.
On the rumor side, theres some interesting buzz. Its been well known for months that the hip and edgy facet of DCA was abandoned and the place was Disneyfied as rapidly as they could make new character costumes. Now comes word that the entire California theme will be quietly abandoned. No, theyre not going to remake the park over yet, but the mission to highlight California history, themes and experiences has been dropped. California will simply be a way to tie the entire parks decoration together. Lip service to the state theme will still be maintained but it will no longer guide which attractions and shows are put into the park.
Bugs have nothing to do with California, but they fit the existing farm décor. Pocahontas has nothing to do with California, but she fits the Native American décor. The Tower has nothing to do with California either, but will have Hollywood slapped on it (in the same way the DisneySea version will be themed to the American Waterfront by slapping Manhattan on their version). Everyone in Anaheim is rather happy with this change and its the first real step The Companys made in recognizing the basic flaws in the entire park.
One wild rumor is that Mickeys PhilaMagic will appear at DCA shortly after it opens at WDW (in either the Muppets building or the Millionaire hut), kind of an exclamation point on the complete reversal of DCAs entire design philosophy.
Well, not exactly. It will be another clone added to a place thats pretty much already the ABC Family Channel of theme parks. Imagination costs these days and Disney isnt willing to pay much. California Adventure might not be much about California anymore, but it will always be all about money.