Disneyland Resort (DL, DLR, DCA) Discussion Thread

[Mechanic]

The Tahitian Terrace was great. The Mahi Mahi they served there was one of my favorites. They had a selection of non-alcoholic drinks (of course) that were also very good. The atmosphere in the evening was pretty unique as you were sort of secluded away from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the area. I was really disappointed when they decided to remove that particular restaurant. It was my second favorite to Blue Bayou. I would love to see it make a comeback as an upscale dining option inside Disneyland.

[JJnCFL]

For me I enjoy dining at DL over DCA. Blue Bayou (though only been once, was the best dining I've ever had there), Plaza Inn, French Market & Cafe Orleans are my other favs. Though I'm looking forward to trying the new additions at DCA, they all look mouth watering! Can't wait to try Carthay Circle Restaurant, definitely looks to be DCA's "Blue Bayou". I guess after having a horrible experience at the Lucky Fortune Cookery with a rice bowl that had severely undercooked hard rice last time I ate at DCA, it left a bad taste in my mouth. I did however enjoy Ariel's Grotto and the character dining was fun. Can't wait to come back and try all the new stuff!

[OldJJman]

I'm almost sorry about posting my review now, especially after seeing how it has all exploded.

 

Fact of the matter is: I pretty much agree with everything Ratuso (yes, I know his name) has said. A lot of that is pretty much backed up by the L.A. Times article that he posted. That article really sums up the way I feel as well. DCA has almost always been like a "gimmick" park. Not a "best of" or "collection of"... just gimmicky. When it opened, there were no real "signature" attractions aside from "Soarin", CS and perhaps GRR. Each "land", though designed to replicate a certain aspect of "California culture", fell somewhat short of the mark in most people's eyes. Granted, from day one, the themeing is/was VERY well done. BUT, most people never stopped to look at what was presented. They just walked on by to the next attraction that might hold their interest, as few as there were/are. Problem was/is, and remains to this day, is that there is no continuity throughout the park.

 

Every thing that's been added in the meantime (before this whole 1.1B$ thing) has been merely a band-aid. Disney, in this case, is very reminiscent of a great scene from "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" - "It's just a flesh wound." You have severe bleeding, and you put on band-aids:

 

Tower of Terror

Who Wants to be a Millionaire? Now gone.

Changing Superstar Limo to Monsters Inc.

Bugs Land

ElecTRONica/Mad-T Party

 

All were/are band-aids. Paradise Pier seems to be the worst offender of all. I actually think the ONLY things that were done right were the changeover from the "Sun Wheel" to "Mickey's Fun Wheel", and the addition of TSMM. I even have to throw in WoC, as much as I despise it - as the crowds (NOT just the fanboys) really like it. But - Maliboomer - it went. The chairswings - gotta go. Golden Zephyr - gotta go. Goofy's Fly School - c'mon. An off-the-shelf Mack mouse?? I am truly surprised that that wasn't sold to a carnival (where it belongs) and had something like Crush's Coaster from WDSP installed in it's place. Those things just don't say "Disney".

 

Like I said in the beginning of my review of the revamped DCA:

 

"Wow. This is what DCA should have looked like opening day!"

 

I stand by that 100%!

 

However, the park has a LONG, LONG way to go, before becoming a full fledged, stand alone, one-day park.

 

Rides wise, I think Disneyland is now overdue for something before going back to DCA. They can ride this revamp for at least a few years.

 

Unfortunately, I think that Joey might be off a little on this one. While he is correct in saying that Disneyland does need some serious attention (Tomorrowland), the Carsland area of DCA can only do so much. And when the dreaded (IMO) Harry Potter (I'm NOT a fan) opens at USH, that will certainly take it's toll, as HP is VASTLY more popular than Cars will ever be.

 

When it comes down to the almighty dollar sign, you can bet Disney can, and will, take notice.

 

I do think that Carsland and RSR in particular, are a major step forward. It was done right. It does have its signature attraction. Though *I* feel that, ever so slightly, it could have been so much more. (Inesrt here the fact that Wes pointed out - the cars DO race - a truly unique feature that does make this ride different from its' counterparts.)

 

So please, don't jump on Ratuso for his opinion, as it pretty much shadows my own.

 

I may just express it a bit nicer.

 

 

JJ

[BeemerBoy]

I'm almost sorry about posting my review now, especially after seeing how it has all exploded.

Don't be. Your review was valid and appreciated.

 

 

I may just express it a bit nicer.

Bingo!

 

 

I agree with you that the park is far from complete at this point. Like I mentioned before though (along with the implied stupidity for thinking so), the investment that was made has certainly transformed it into something I'd now be willing to visit in combination with the obvious DL visit(s). I also really like the idea of it becoming the "food park" of that resort, much like Epcot is to WDW. Therefore, money well spent....in my opinion.

[Erik Johnson]

What was wrong with your review Jeff? It was fine, plus since I was with you that day I know that it was honest.

[larrygator]

However, the park has a LONG, LONG way to go, before becoming a full fledged, stand alone, one-day park.

 

But then again, none of the other Disney parks in Orlando are full fledged, stand alone, one-day parks either.

[Rastuso]

Us old long haired guys gotta stick together.

 

The difference with WDW parks is that mist everyone ther has park hoppers. Many DL tourists don't, so DCA needs to justify a full day ticket purchase.

 

-RO

[OldJJman]

However, the park has a LONG, LONG way to go, before becoming a full fledged, stand alone, one-day park.

 

But then again, none of the other Disney parks in Orlando are full fledged, stand alone, one-day parks either.

 

I want to disagree with that, but then I'd contradict myself about DCA.

 

I guess from an enthusiast standpoint, you'd be right. But for Joe Consumer and his family, I guess they all could be full day parks (incl DCA). I mean that each one has enough attractions AND shows, that could take up a full days' time. Even AK.

 

 

JJ

[larrygator]

However, the park has a LONG, LONG way to go, before becoming a full fledged, stand alone, one-day park.

 

But then again, none of the other Disney parks in Orlando are full fledged, stand alone, one-day parks either.

 

I want to disagree with that, but then I'd contradict myself about DCA.

 

I guess from an enthusiast standpoint, you'd be right. But for Joe Consumer and his family, I guess they all could be full day parks (incl DCA). I mean that each one has enough attractions AND shows, that could take up a full days' time. Even AK.

 

JJ

 

You're right, if you factor in shows they become full day parks. Since I'm not a show person I never take that into account.

[PAL]

However, the park has a LONG, LONG way to go, before becoming a full fledged, stand alone, one-day park.

 

But then again, none of the other Disney parks in Orlando are full fledged, stand alone, one-day parks either.

 

Exactly what I'm thinking. I'd take DCA over the Studios any day. Epcot... From an attractions standpoint, yes, but I'd still rather hang at the 'Cot. DCA is more fully realized than the widely scoffed AK (although I love the detail in the park - I prefer it to the Studios.

 

If DCA isn't an equal to Disneyland, at least it's infinitely better than the original stucco mall.

[SLUSHIE]

I was going to say something earlier about how the writer of the article has probably never been to Disney World, since a major point was that DCA has about half the rides as Disneyland or something like that. DCA has more major rides than any of the other WDW parks, but obviously each of the other parks has its own unique offering. DHS has the shows, EPCOT World Showcase, and DAK the animals. As far as major 'thrillish' attractions, DCA has somewhat of an equivalent to the big hitters in all the other parks, except Mission Space I guess.

 

I think that's one of the issues with DCA is that everyone wants it to be another park packed with rides like a MK style park. I think it wanted to be a park with shows but it didn't really bring them to the table. DHS has I think 4 shows, and has had some other ones in the past. I think I remember them having a hunchback show at one point. People seem to regard these shows pretty highly, it's not something I'm all that interested in but it does bring something else to to the table for some people.

 

The park also lacks spontaneous performances like at World Showcase. They could put a classic style magic act in Paradise Pier, something you can still see at places like Pier 39 in SF. Wouldn't be all too hard, just needs a little stage.

 

I mean I like rides but I don't want the park to be forced into a different version of a MK park.

[1pizza14]

I went to DCA today for the first time and thought I would give a quick review of Carsland, and the park itself.

 

I was impressed with the theming and Buena Vista street. I enjoyed the trolley ride and the newspapers along with the constant entertainment around the street. I ended up waiting 30 minutes in line at 8am to get a fastpass for RSR. I got a 4:00 return time and all tickets were gone at 8:40 ish. The standby line was 2 hours when I used my fastpass ticket at 4.

 

As for RSR. I liked the ride, I thought it was fun and above average for most Disney rides. Is it an AMAZING ride, no. I personally prefer Test Track or other types of rides. The theming was top notch and the ride was pretty short (IMO). Is this ride an E ticket? YES. I don't really know what the contant arguing of is this an E ticket or not.. it is.

 

In other notes, I really liked the Redds Lemonade from the Cones restaurant and Flows steak was just OK. I am debating wether I should do a PTR or not..

[UberBeavis]

I had a blast in Cars Land, and despite the crazy crowds, I still wanna go back.

 

Now all I need to do is figure out how to hack the "Glow with The Show" ears so they'll react to my home theater light show.

[ILoveRides]

Here's a look at the refurbed Matterhorn:

After the DCA media event we headed over to Disneyland because we heard that a certain snowy mountain may have been given a little TLC.

Snowy mountain spotted!

Yep, the Matterhorn has officially reopened after its lengthy refurb.

Are my eyes tricking me, or is there something up on the top of the mountain?

That's no trick! Disney brought back the mountain climbers! I remember the mountain climbers from my childhood. They were gone. They're back. EPIC WIN!

90 minute wait.

I spy new bobsleds.

Hello new bobsleds!

I also spy NEW LANDSCAPING. And I must say, of all the changes, I think the refreshed landscaping may be my favorite.

There are also some festive musicians who play music way up on the mountain.

They're awesome!

The view from up there must be pretty neat.

The monorails enjoy listening to the music as they circle the mountain.

New bobsleds. You can only sit one-person-per-seat now though.

But people seem to be enjoying them.

Forget the bobsleds though, the real star of the show is LANDSCAPING!

Mr. Bee says, "Yep, the landscaping is where it's at!"

The station and Matterhorn signs look pretty similar.

But forget the station and signs, it's all about the landscaping! Mr. Bird says, "I really appreciate all the new landscaping!"

Well the landscaping isn't EVERYTHING. They also added single rider lines on both sides, and that's pretty neat.

I like the adding-single-rider-lines trend going on. Most trains leave without empty seats, and guests who don't mind riding alone get a significantly shorter wait. These lines can also help a lot for guests who may only be able to stay one or two days at the resort, but still want to do everything.

Here's the main sign. It looks pretty similar.

Here's the main sign, with some LANDSCAPING in the foreground! Fancy!

The old 2 riders per seat signs have been replaced with 1 rider per seat signs. Which I suppose is good, because you can't sit 2-to-a-seat anymore.

Here's the new hotness that I'm sure everyone is wondering about.

Lets take a ride and see how they feel.

I was expecting a little more work to be done on the show scenes. The snowfall effect on the lift looked the same. The crystal cave seemed the same too. There may have been some new LED lighting here, but if so it wasn't too noticeable in the daytime.

The yeti lighting was improved a bit, but still, nothing huge.

And the new bobsleds? Well, they feel about the same. I was hoping for a smoother ride, considering we had to give up one of the coolest features of the Matterhorn - 2 per seat seating - to get these new sleds. But they feel pretty much like the old ones. Spears was in a middle seat and claimed they were a little less rough there, but in the back I didn't notice much of a difference. So in my opinion the only advantage of these new sleds from a guest standpoint is the theoretical higher capacity (there are less seats, but more of the seats will be filled).

Yeti sighting #2. Once again, improved lighting, but nothing Earth shattering. Which isn't a bad thing - it's just not an amazing thing either. Something like on-ride audio or a Yeti with more movement would've blown people away, but I guess it just wasn't in the budget.

So how do I sum up this rehab? The new sleds and lighting inside the mountain were kind of "meh." However, the new night-time lighting package on the outside of the mountain (not pictured in this report because it was daytime), the revival of the mountain climbers, the new paint job, the single rider lines, and of course, the LANDSCAPING were all done very well. So on the whole, things look really good and have been spruced up, but there isn't anything that will blow you away, and I do miss 2-per-seat-seating.

But yay for the single rider line so you don't have to wait in this!

And yay for LANDSCAPING!

Bye bye Matterhorn. You're still my first roller coaster, and for that I love you!

[JJnCFL]

^Thanks for the update! Can't wait to see the changes in person!

[dylanreich]

I'm going tomorrow to ride RSR for the first time! I'll definitely have to get in on the single rider action.

[Top Thrill Dragster]

Got five rides on RSR today, Single rider line is a huge time saver!

 

 

Nothing blew me away and I can totally see how some people would not consider this an E ticket or a kids E Ticket. The ride felt like it was missing something.

 

Fun ride, but not Disneys best like some are making it out to be. Still prefer Tower, Indy, Space, Splash, and Thunder Mountain over RSR. Glad I didn't have to wait more than an hour for this.

 

 

 

Oh, and Maters Junk Yard Jamboree, what a fun ride! Was not expecting much from this but was very surprised on how much that ride whips you around.

[Jew]

Rode today...My thoughts are this: it's visually stunning. The rock work and animatronics are top notch. I definitely enjoyed it as a theme park nerd. However, I agree that it is missing a "OMFG WOW" moment to really set it apart. But if you liked the movie (as I did), you'll definitely enjoy the ride. It's fun and well done. The windshield eye wraps are not short people friendly: with the darker show lighting inside the show building, I couldn't see anything in front of me clearly.

 

The land itself is definitely the most detailed of any Disney land outside of TDS. It is smaller than pictures make it look. Crowd control in the area is messy.

 

The true star of DCA 2.0 is the Carthay Circle restaurant. Not only is the food delicious, it is one of the most immersive environments found in any Disney park. You are definitely taken back to the 1930's when inside that place.

[cfc]

The exterior of the Matterhorn has never looked better, and adding a single-rider line was a great idea.

 

As for Harold the Abominable Snowman, well, at least he can still move.

[Erik Johnson]

They really need to add padding to the new Matterhorn trains. The ride always has been bumpy, but the old trains had padding. The new trains have none, so your back feels everything.

[coasterfreak101]

Interesting that they're projecting a higher capacity with less seats...I get that all the seats will be filled, but they were almost always all filled (and in family cases with two people) when I was there. Seems like this reduces capacity, plain and simple. But maybe I'm missing something.

 

As for Harold the Abominable Snowman, well, at least he can still move.

 

Eat your heart out Animal Kingdom!

[Hilltopper39]

Those climbers and the musicians on the mountain are really nice touches. Disney should make climbing the mountain an up-charge attraction, I'm sure enough nerds would want to do it (myself included)!

[OldJJman]

Eat your heart out Animal Kingdom!

 

At least for a week or so.

[cfc]

Eat your heart out Animal Kingdom!

 

At least for a week or so.

 

Then it's time for "B Show Harold"?

Edited June 22, 2012 by cfc

[Sir Clinksalot]

Interesting that they're projecting a higher capacity with less seats...I get that all the seats will be filled, but they were almost always all filled (and in family cases with two people) when I was there. Seems like this reduces capacity, plain and simple. But maybe I'm missing something.

 

Well, technically seats were filled, but most trains would go out with 4, maybe 5 people. Most people didn't sit 2 to a seat as the ride was designed to.

 

So yes, while the old trains "technically" had more seats, you'd rarely get 6 to a train, and even more rarely 8 to a train. If you are getting 6 people on every train instead of the average of 5 then your capacity is better.