California Adventure

California Adventure has been all about change. 

The first time we went to Disneyland as adults was spring vacation in 1996, and at the time they were talking about building a West Coast version of Epcot, with more science and international, and they ended up running into problems with that. Instead, they ended up deciding to celebrate California.

The first time we went to California Adventure we thought it was really cool, but it didn’t get a lot of attention. At the time there was the Hollywood Backstage Lot, focusing on film-making; the Pacific Wharf, which looked very much like the San Francisco wharf; Grizzly Peak, which is kind of the hiking-outdoorsy part; Paradise Pier, which was like a boardwalk with old style carnival rides and game; and Condor Flats, which was devoted to the history of flight. (Those names may not be exactly right.) There was also A Bug’s Land.

Those are all important aspects of California history and culture, and there were cool things about all of them, but I believe part of the problem is that is was not Disney enough. For example, there was a movie about the history of California, hosted by Whoopi Goldberg. It was interesting, but not something people would do over and over again. That building is now the Little Mermaid ride. The first round of changes was to go through the Pier and make it more Disney, and they kept a lot, and they let some things go. I will get into that more as I go over the different lands.

Sadly, California Adventure has just never been as popular as the Magic Kingdom. There has been a lot worth doing there, from the very beginning, but attendance has been low, and it has kind of been the butt of jokes.

One of the more recent changes has been an update to the entrance, with Buena Vista Street.

In the Magic Kingdom, you enter into Main Street, and that is sort of like the Main Street of Any Town USA, with an arcade and a fire department and city hall, for anyone who grew up in middle America.

Buena Vista Street kind of gives that type of entrance to California Adventure, but instead of Walt Disney’s childhood, it is like what California was like when he went there as a young man, in the 1920’s. So there is a trolley that goes up and down the street, and there is a replica of the Carthay Circle theater where Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs premiered.

There is kind of a park-like circle in Disneyland right before the castle, with a statue of Walt and Mickey, and there is a corresponding one in Buena Vista street, but it is with an old-fashioned Mickey, more like he looked in the old black and white movies. 

Actually, the first shop in Buena Vista Street is Oswald’s. It’s designed like an old-fashioned gas station, and they sell magnets and shot glasses and things like that, I think. Oswald was a rabbit Walt Disney created when he was working for Universal, but then he lost the rights when he went independent. I had not known this, but Disney reacquired the rights in 2006, so he can be featured now, and it kind of fits. I like this nod to the past.

California Adventure is also where you get to see the future. I know, you would think that would be Tomorrowland, but I am referring to the Blue Sky Cellar.

Technically, the Blue Sky Cellar is part of the Pacific Wharf, but it looks like Wine Country, and it is not directly connected to the wharf, which has a distinct look and feel. Really, it was a restaurant and winery tour, and no one ever took the winery tour, including us, but that worked with the wharf, because they had a tortilla factory tour and a sourdough bakery tour.

Anyway, the restaurant is still there, plus a place where you can preview coming attractions.

We first noticed this last time, and went in. They had some sketches up of the new Cars Land that was being built. Generally they have some sketches, some models, and a video. The video that time was about Buena Vista Street, and it was interesting hearing the imagineers talk about what they were doing. 

I had mentioned the Cellar before, with the one guy talking about some day sharing the Fantasy Faire with his daughter, but every time we have been there it has been interesting and inspiring. You learn what is coming up, and listening to the people who are making it happen talk about it always makes it more exciting, because you hear their excitement.

So, I hope you will give California Adventure a chance. Maybe it is still finding itself, but there is plenty for you to find now. It is certainly the best place to find Pixar characters.

I think Cars Land will help. They have some great attractions, and once you are over there anyway, you might as well start checking out more of the rides. We'll be covering those for the next few weeks.