Disney's California Adventure Then, Now, and In The Future, Part One

Disney's California Adventure started it's construction in 1998 and opened on February 8, 2001 and is the second theme park in the Disneyland Resort. The park is 55 acres and was built on top of the old parking lot for Disneyland Park. Along with two new hotels and a new shopping district Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel, and Downtown Disney this was the largest expansion ever built on the Disneyland property. Disney's California Adventure originally consisted of four theme lands Sunshine Plaza, Hollywood Pictures Backlot, The Golden State, and Paradise Pier. but in 2003 A Bug's Land was constructed. Disney's California Adventure is going through a $1.1 billion expansion due to initial lack of success to remove or update attractions and lands.

The Dedication speech was given by Michael Eisner and it goes like this,

     "To all who believe in the power of dreams... welcome. Here we pay tribute to the dreamers of the past... The native people, explorers, immigrants, aviators, entrepreneurs and entertainers who built the Golden State. And we salute a new generation of dreamers who are creating the wonders of tomorrow ... From the silver screen to the computer screen ... From the fertile farmlands to the far reaches of space. Disney's California Adventure celebrates the richness and the diversity of California ... Its land, its people, its spirit and, above all, the dreams that it continues to inspire."

Sunshine Plaza

Sunshine Plaza is the park's entrance and it is made to feel like stepping into a California postcard with San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge and the great California sunshine around the state's colored mountain ranges. From Sunshine Plaza guest can enter two of the parks lands Hollywood Pictures Backlot and Golden State.

Starting this year in 2010 Sunshine Plaza will close and turn into Buena Vista Street to surround guest with what Los Angeles looked like to Walt Disney in the 1920's. The new visual centerpiece of the park (above) will be a replica of the Carthay Circle Theater which held the premier for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs which will host a version of the "Walt Disney Story". Also there will be Red Car trolleys that will start at the entrance of the park and go all the way to the Tower of Terror. Here is some concept art and models of how Buena Vista Street will look when complete.

Below is how the new statue in the center will look

Paradise Pier

Paradise Pier is a land themed to look like the famous boardwalks of California with restaurants and games. This land was originally home to seven attractions The Orange Stinger, California Screamin', the Maliboomer, the Sun Wheel, Jumpin' Jellyfish, Golden Zephyr, and Mulholland Madness. In the middle of Paradise Pier is Paradise Bay a large body of water that resembles California's bays. Below are old photos of Paradise Pier.

Paradise Pier was the first area of California Adventure to be updated. the land will be re themed to look like a romantic Victorian boardwalk of the 1930's. Toy Story Midway Mania opened on June 17, 2008 and was the first new attraction of the expansion which is themed to be around carnival midway games staring Toy Story. The attraction uses a state-of-the-art 4D system and a new type of game technology, also there is a audio animatronic Mr. Potato Head that can remove a body part his ear. Pictures, concept art and a video can be seen here.

The Sun Wheel later closed and was changed into Mickey's Fun Wheel which opened on May 8, 2009

The Mickey Mouse head on California Screamin' was later removed and a new sign is up there now here is a before and after picture of it.

Above is before below is after.

The Games of The Board Walk received a facelift also to look like Victorian buildings, and to be themed more around Disney movies and Characters.

Below is some concept art for other attractions that will appear in Paradise Pier

 with the expansion.

Walt Disney's World of Color going to be a new night time water show in Paradise Bay that will open in March of 2010. The show should have 1200 fountains and special light and laser effects.

Below is a new video that was just released by the Disney Company showing the construction process of Walt Disney's World of Color.

Goofy's Sky School is going to replace Mulholland Madness in 2010.

The Orange Stinger has already started to change into Silly symphony Swings and will open back up in April of 2010.

Well that is it for Part One I will have Part Two up and running shortly.