California Adventure gets back to roots of Disney

By Gavin Kirkwood

Disney’s California Adventure has always been hidden in the shadows that Disneyland casts. With sporadic attractions that vary in style and theme and too few amusements to meet the diverse preferences of the masses, it has taken a back seat while the older and more notorious park dominates the market.

Not anymore. Disney is planning on spending $1.1 billion on expanding the theme park and giving it an opportunity to be at least as big as Disneyland. Disney plans to remodel the entire amusement park capturing the 1920s vintage Los Angeles and Hollywood theme that would have been common for Walt Disney when he decided to build his dream.

With all the new plans, I think Disney’s California Adventure will greatly resemble the original Disneyland and yet remain unique focusing on our beloved state of California and artfully portray the unique history that this state has known. Not only is Disney focusing on the essence of California, but also on Walt Disney himself. He will be a constant theme throughout the park with monuments and attractions commemorating his creative genius and his impact on the world and entertainment as we know it. I think Disney’s California Adventure has great potential to become the heavyweight that Disney is. With these two powerful concepts leading the way, I think it will grow in popularity and slowly reach the hearts of all who enjoy the wonder and excitement that is Disney.

California Adventure is a drag on Disney

By: Jennifer Northway

Recently, visitors to California Adventure are greeted with a work in progress park full of the construction of new developments aimed at expanding the guest demographic of California Adventure to a demographic as wide and diversified as the Disneyland Park. In short, California Adventure is not making as much money as Disneyland and has significantly smaller attendance.

There are many changes being implemented to make the park more successful. Such changes include adding an entire “Cars-land” and a new “Little Mermaid” ride. Despite these changes, I am confident in the fact that Disneyland will always be more successful because of the premises of the park and the quality in the stories that are told there. When guests enter the Disneyland park they are greeted with a plaque that reads “Here you leave today and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow and fantasy.” Cars may be a good movie but it will not be successful to plan an entire “land” around a movie that made a lot of money.

California Adventure will not see long-term success because the current Disney Imagineers neglect the principles of good artistry and storytelling that created the memorable Disneyland attractions. There is a reason why many of the classic rides have gone through little or no change and still continue to enthrall and capture the imagination of the generations throughout the last 50 years.