Disneyland Resort (DL, DLR, DCA) Discussion Thread

[atem122]

I think what the sun needs are triangular "sun rays" coming off of the circle part, it just looks too plain and out of place without them

[Top Thrill Dragster]

http://blueskydisney.blogspot.com/2009/04/blue-sky-buzz-under-new-management.html

 

Interesting, Paradise Pier will have a back story.

[BeemerBoy]

^They should have put the original Mickey. haha That scary i'm gonna rape you one. I mean they want to go back to the roots right.

What?

[Hercules]

^ I second that.

[COASTER FREAK 11]

^They should have put the original Mickey. haha That scary i'm gonna rape you one. I mean they want to go back to the roots right.

 

uhhh....

[Mechanic]

Well, Mickey's first appearance was in Plane Crazy, so it doesn't get a whole lot more "old-school" than this. Friendly, cute, loveable mascot of all mascots, or predatory rapist? You decide.

[FitchCoaster]

^ If I'm not mistaken, he was calling the old-school Mickey the predatory rapist one. And he wants rapist Mickey on the wheel.

I'm really hoping I've got it all wrong, but that's what I get out of the post... hahahaha.

 

^They should have put the original Mickey. haha That scary i'm gonna rape you one. I mean they want to go back to the roots right.

 

Anyways, I'm excited about the future of Paradise Pier. I like that they're really sticking to the Victorian theme. And the fact that Paradise Pier will actually have some kind of story to it is pretty cool, I think it'll give the area some character that it was missing before.

I'm reaalllyyy freaking excited for World of Color, I'm a huge fan of those type of shows.

[LewJB]

Does anybody know what they plan to do with Mulholland Madness. I'm still so surprised they chose to keep it

 

Though already the area is starting to convey much more thorough Disney quality. Especially when that freakin' Orange goes.

[atem122]

^They're re theming it to goofy's sky school, IMO it doesnt look too much better, but they'll probably make it cool somehow

[packfanlv]

^I've heard that Phase 2 of this renovation will also see them remove it even after the retheme. Of course, Phase Two is several years away, so I wouldn't be surprised if it lasted another decade.

[LewJB]

Do they have any publicised structure of this overhaul. It's all a bit here and there, people planning to go in the future could benefit from a 'construction' calender so they can know what to expect?

 

And also, what's the immediacy of the attractions opening. I mean, obviously Fun Wheel will as soon as it can - but when World of Colours in it's entirety is finished - to they plan to start utilising it straight away?

 

Sorry for the questions.. just very interested in this all!

[Sir Clinksalot]

^ From MiceChat's "DCA Project Tracker"

 

http://micechat.com/forums/disneyland-resort/114502-disneys-california-adventure-project-tracker-iv.html

 

BUENA VISTA STREET

 

Overall Project: Retheming of Sunshine Plaza into Buena Vista Street (originally planned to be called Walt Disney Plaza). New park icon, the Carthay Circle Theatre, Red Car Trolley transportation system, and various shops and restaurants.

Project Status: Originally planned to begin Early 2009, the project is now scheduled to being September 2011.

Open Date: Summer 2012

 

HOLLYWOODLAND

 

Overall Project: Utilizing Stage 17 as temporary entrance into theme park. Retheming of Hollywood Blvd, including facade enhancements and addition of Red Car Trolley route. Various expansion and re-theming projects. Land planned to be renamed as "Hollywoodland"

Project Status: Hollywood Land remodeling and enhancing will begin in Phase 2.

Open Date: Unknown

 

PARADISE PIER

 

Overall Project: Retheming of Pier to Victorian-era theme. Addition of Toy Story Midway Mania attraction. Retheming of Games of the Boardwalk, Mullholland Madness, Sun Wheel. Removal of Maliboomer, Pizza Oom Mow Mow, Burger Invasion, Golden Dreams. Addition of Beer Garden, themed shops, and Voyage of the Little Mermaid & Mermaid Grotto.

Project Status: In Progress

Project Completion/Soft Open: First phase concluded with the opening of Toy Story Midway Mania! and the surrounding area's re-theming with soft-openings in April 2008 and a official opening in July 2008. Additional phases of this project are on-going.

 

CARS LAND

 

Overall Project: Utilizing 12 acres of the Timon Parking Lot, this is new land will feature three new attractions, and a major dining complex themed to Disney-Pixar's Cars

Project Status: Project in development. Cars Land foundation work to begin late 2009.

Open Date: 2012

[LewJB]

Ahaa, thanks very much.

 

Aah, that doesn't read too badly, actually. I guess the lake in PP is obviously going to be the largest and most obviously site of construction. Hopefully they can finish the staging and re-fill it quickly.

 

I was thinking the other day... I actually think the loss of the Mickey silhouette will be a big shame, especially at night when it shines neon and radiates 'Disney' to those driving past. I guess such a novelty is being lost for a more quality product though.

[COASTER FREAK 11]

Here is a little update from today, plus some Imagineering merchandise.

The magnet is kinda small. But they also have a hat with Mickey on it, and a shirt with the concept art map on it. Its being sold in the Greetings shop at the front of the park.

Here is the key chain.

They are also selling Blue Sky Cellar / DCA makeover stuff! This is the fridge magnet.

There is a ton of these things sitting out there. Not sure if they are for air or water though.

There is a lot of new stuff out there!

This is where I think the control booth will be for the show, not 100% on that though.

This is where all the dirt for stinger is coming from...that's a big pile!

They are expanding the viewing area out to the poles. The poles will go all the way around.

Look...another tower! They keep adding more of these!

The wall is done under stinger, and they are filling it in with lots of dirt.

LOOK! most of the scaffolding is gone! Opening soon!

Mr. pipe cutting machine.

Lots of plastic pipe being cut up!

They have moved some of the stuff around on the platform.

Close up!

Pouring cement into a wall of some sort.

[LewJB]

I'm so confused about that stage.

 

Is it going to be submerged and then have the ability to raise out of the water for the show or something, or does it exist merely to hold effect apparatus for the show, so will remain submerged? I really have no idea what its purpose is.

 

It's frickin' huge!

[montezooma]

Does anyone know if this stage will be similar to the stage that they use in "O" at The Belagio?

[FitchCoaster]

^^ From what I've read, I think (not 100% sure) that it's going to remain submerged for the show, but after the park closes, it will raise so the jets and stuff can be inspected.

And yeah, it looks even bigger in person! The scale of the show is going to be massive, I so can't wait!

[COASTER FREAK 11]

The stage will rise to just below the water line, exposing only the tops of the fountain nozzles. Then will lower back down after the show is done.

 

The platform will rise up and down using scissor lifts, and the whole stage is buoyant from the pontoons underneath. (they are blue and black in the picture)

 

The "O" stage uses very different "screw" technology to raise and lower most of their stages.

You can see there are three lifts in the photo as well as the pontoons under the platform.

[PeoplemoverMatt]

Over at the Fun Wheel, Disney has decided NOT to build new Victorian-style elaborate wooden queue for Mickey's Fun Wheel and instead has returned the cheap-looking orange tarps to the same barren concrete wasteland of a queue the Sun Wheel has always had.

 

While the Wheel itself sports new paint, new lights, and the faces of several Disney characters, most noteably a giant Mickey where the sun used to be, the ONLY change to the queue will be the handrails now being red, and whatever new marquee they decide to quickly throw up there.

 

Mickey looks nice, but the queue has good healthy dose of FAIL.

[atem122]

Why would Disney do that?!!!!! Wasnt the whole point of the re theme to make people forget about how Disney cheaped out in the past?!!!

[the ghost]

Apparently scream scape has a little insider information regarding Worlds of Color special effects. Here is the article

 

www.screamscape.com/html/disney_s_california_adventure.htm

[PeoplemoverMatt]

Why would Disney do that?!!!!! Wasnt the whole point of the re theme to make people forget about how Disney cheaped out in the past?!!!

 

Well, sort of. I took the renovation plans as a sign that they at least intend to make the unbearable parts of the park nicer to look at, and be around. The former Paradise Pier had a pretty view across the water, but became downright insulting once you were close enough to see all the cheap neon lights, stucco, bare concrete walls, and overall total lack of theme in Screamin' and Fun Wheel's respective queues. Other parts of DCA suffered from similar insulting appearances. Those were the parts that it looked like Disney was out to change in all these plans. But now things like a nice looking queue have been deemed a low priority as the money's been re-routed...somewhere. The budget hasn't been cut since it's too late for that, so I can't help but wonder what got the money that was going to be Fun Wheel's queue?

 

Unfortunately for the Fun Wheel, the elaborate queue was the one part of its plan that would put the ribbon on the "We're not being cheap anymore" package, and now it's not going to be there at least for the Fun Wheel's re-opening in a couple weeks. It may be built at a later date, but for now, the queue will remain barren, concrete, and almost totally exposed to the sun.

 

Imagine if the Games of the Boardwalk, which re-opened recently, had just put Disney characters in the games, and painted the stucco a different color, instead of totally redoing the facades like they did. This is essentially the end result of Mickey's Fun Wheel. Mickey looks nice, and I'm sure the new lights will sparkle, but the "facade" if you will won't be changing at all for now. Yay bare concrete, white posts, and cheap orange tarp. Pretty sad.

[Guest]

If World of Color is as good as its supposed to be, and they still re-do the parks entrance and Radiator Springs Racers is as good as it looks it will be, really who cares about the Fun Wheels queue (and thats probably why they decided its not worth it right now).

[Sir Clinksalot]

I think the fun-wheel looks great, but am VERY dissapointed they didn't go for the full-queue treatment on it. It's just going to look STUPID. So basically all they did on the wheel is slap some paint on it and a mickey face instead of a sun.

 

WOW, way to improve on that themeing there Disney.

[packfanlv]

^I'm pretty sure they just ran out of money. The Wheel's queue is mostly hidden from walkers by and they are instead using the money to re-theme the other side of Paradise Pier including Souvenir 66 and Corn Dog Castle and of course the Orange Stinger. While in a perfect world they can do everything, at least the most visible areas are getting re-done for now. IMO that is a big win.