Buena Vista Street (2012)

[sponono88]

​

Announced today at the Destination D event -

A brand new model will be re-built of the unused DL concept Rock Candy Mountain. The model will be placed in one of the shops in Buena Vista St. (possible new candy store?) and it will have a working train set running through it.

The original model built in the 50s was made of real hard candies and candy canes.

 

[Twilight_Roxas]

​

Announced today at the Destination D event -

A brand new model will be re-built of the unused DL concept Rock Candy Mountain. The model will be placed in one of the shops in Buena Vista St. (possible new candy store?) The original model built in the 50s was made of real hard candies and candy canes.

I guess this is removed from the Cartoon Wasteland.

 

[TP2000]

What will go in the Carthay Circle Theatre? Will it be an actual theatre or just a facade?

That question has been the source of many rumors, and some artwork from WDI back in '08.

There's one concept that has it as an updated version of the Walt Disney Story that used to play at Disneyland. But the fabulously expansive and lavishly presented Walt Disney Family Museum up in San Francisco that opened in 2009 kind of took the wind out of those sails. Anything they tried to do at DCA would pale in comparison.

There was some WDI artwork released in '08 that showed possible exhibit areas dedicated to Walt's life inside the Carthay Circle Theater. Not sure that will ever come to pass however.

Carthay Cirlce Theater Interior Concept 2008

Then about a year ago the Disneyland online community was buzzing about surveys that Disney was sending out to current Club 33 members. The surveys were asking about possible interest in a second private membership club in Anaheim, housed in the Carthay Circle Theater. Dining, cocktails and a lounge were mentioned in the survey, along with concierge services for members to help with Fastpasses, World of Color and Fantasmic reservations, hotels, tours, special events, etc.

As of now, there still is no official word on what Disney will be putting inside the Carthay Circle Theater at DCA. It's kind of a big mystery. But there is room in the facility for something, that at least we do know.

 

[sponono88]

I really don't think that will be an issue.. The Monorail already zips around the Fantasyland area, traveling around the Matterhorn mountain.. There's also the big Swiss mountain at the end of Main St. USA.. and yet it all seems to work. Sure, thematically it may look a bit off but it's all comes together nicely.

Besides, it will really only be visible for like 5 seconds at a time -- few people will care or even notice. If they really wanted to they could just enclose it and make it some sort of tunnel.. but again, I don't think this will be as big a thematic violation as it seems.

As for the Carthay Circle Theatre.. as TP pointed out, several concepts have been thrown around but nothing official has been announced yet. They have plenty of space for a good-sized showbuilding so whatever goes in here will be a pretty solid addition to BVS.

 

[TP2000]

And omg I just thought of something, won't the monorail have to run right through the middle of Buena Vista Street? After all that's where the current beams are in the middle of the Golden Gate bridge. What are they going to do about that? It would ruin site lines and wouldn't fit the theming at all.

Like sponono88 said, it will all make sense once it's built.

The monorail will zip over Buena Vista Street, over a newly built bridge and over the rooftops. You really only see it for a few seconds as it zips overhead, and it's just sort of one of those Disney theme park things that somehow makes sense and works well.

The monorail bridge is shown on this model, at the narrowest part of the street.

And from the main entrance, the bridge just meshes in with the streetscape.

WDI has announced that the new monorail bridge over Buena Vista Street will be modeled after the graceful and fabulously 1920's Colorado Street Bridge in Pasadena, California.

The passing trains on this new bridge should actually be more shielded from view than the current Golden Gate Bridge monorail setup.

 

[sueuk]

I'm really pleased to see this - we've never been to the West coast of America yet, we were going to go next year but have planned a WDW trip for the 40th anni, so it looks like Sept / Oct 2012 will be our first visit to DL. We're hoping to go to San Fransisco (to see the Disney Museum) for a few days then drive to Los Angeles for the rest of the holiday. How long will that take, and what's the weather usually like at that time of year?

 

[TP2000]

We're hoping to go to San Fransisco (to see the Disney Museum) for a few days then drive to Los Angeles for the rest of the holiday. How long will that take, and what's the weather usually like at that time of year?

September/October are very warm months, and in San Francisco that time of year is the warmest. It can be foggy and 62 in San Fran in July, but in October it's usually sunny and 85 to 90. Check out the weather forecast for San Francisco this week, and it's sunny and 89 for several days, much warmer than it is there in the formal summer months of June-August. http://www.weather.com/weather/today/San+Francisco+CA+USCA0987

You can drive from San Francisco to Los Angeles in about 6 hours if you take I-5 straight down, but honestly it's not much fun as you are on a freeway through an inland valley the whole way. Most of the trip you get a view like this on I-5 to LA, with occasional stops for gas...

But if you take the coastal route on Highway 1, a smaller and older highway, you'll get far better scenery and tons of activities and sights to see to fill up two days of travel. The highway travels right along the coast for much of the journey, and it's stunning.

Along Highway 1 from San Fran to LA you get many funky beach towns like Monterrey and their excellent aquarium and canning industry...

Carmel-By-The-Sea south of Monterey and is an amazing little town with famous restaurants and fancy shopping in this village with cobblestone streets, with more breathtaking coastal scenery and sweeping vistas from the road

Further south from Carmel you get to San Simeon and the famous Hearst Castle, the estate that William Randolph Hearst built with his publishing fortune and that hosted famous celebrity parties with silent film stars of the 1920's.

They offer tours of the grounds and show you the lavish ballrooms and dining rooms and fancy indoor swimming pools where Charlie Chaplin and 1920's Hollywood starlets socialized.

As you approach Southern California, you reach Santa Barbara, a charming small city with many historical sites and charms, plus great restaurants and stylish hotels. People from LA drive up to Santa Barbara to escape for the weekend, as it's very romantic. The Spanish Mission there is one of the most famous, and largest of these facilities that helped settle California in the early 1800's.

In short, you can buzz down I-5 from San Francisco in 6 or 8 hours and not see a thing, or take a day or two more and drive down Highway 1 and see the real California. I strongly suggest you get a good California travel book from Fodor's or some other reputable tour book and start researching what you may be interested in seeing along the way.

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

^I feel like I've just experienced Soarin' Over California 2.0. :lol: Thanks for the travelogue, TP. After looking at those pictures, I REALLY need to get out to California at some point.

 

[sponono88]

^I feel like I've just experienced Soarin' Over California 2.0. Thanks for the travelogue, TP. After looking at those pictures, I REALLY need to get out California at some point.

He makes me want to visit and I already live here :lol: Great write-up TP! I really love Santa Barbara, SO beautiful and such a nice change of pace from the hectic environment of Los Angeles.

I would also add the town of Solvang to the list - it's a slice of Denmark in the middle of Santa Barbara County! Think of it as a giant Danish pavilion (world showcase style) Restaurants, bakeries, danish treats, coffee shops, gift shops, horse-drawn streetcars, and of course the wonderful architecture.

they even have a Little Mermaid sculpture!

and you can't miss the world famous aebleskivers :slurp:

 

[TP2000]

Oh, yes, Solvang is fabulous!

Another thing to do very near Solvang in Buellton, and this one is very kitschy but a lot of fun, is have lunch at Pea Soup Andersen's. There are a couple of these restaurants in central California, but the Buellton location is the first and most famous. And the Danish-American food there is great, and perfect for a road trip lunch.

You can join generations of Californians who have had their picture taken as Hap-Pea and Pea-Wee splitting the peas for their delicious split-pea soup!

Pea Soup Andersen's - A Kitschy California Tradition!

But what we all need to remember most from this thread, is if you are visiting California and driving around through this very large and very diverse state...

You have to get off Interstate-5 and really experience the place! I-5 is for truckers and those simply trying to get to Oregon in a hurry, it's not for tourists who want to see the real California.

.

 

[TP2000]

We're hoping to go to San Fransisco (to see the Disney Museum) for a few days...

Another thought for you, in case you didn't know. The Walt Disney Family Museum is absolutely wonderful, and any Disney fan will find many things to amaze them there. But as WDW regulars, you should be warned that while Disneyland is featured heavily and gets one of the most extravagant exhibits in the museum, Walt Disney World is really not covered at all. A brief mention in the form of one panel on one display is made of the "Florida Project" plans late in Walt's life, but then literally a few feet later the museum ends with Walt's life coming to an end. The Disney designed pavilions for the 1964-65 World's Fair get more coverage than Disney World.

If you are looking for Walt Disney World material and information, you will find virtually nothing about it at the Walt Disney Family Museum. Disneyland fans will have a field day with the Disneyland exhibit, but Walt Disney World fans will be scratching their heads until they realize that property didn't exist until five years after Walt's death.

But any Disney fan should go to the museum! And plan on spending at least a couple hours there, if not a half-day depending on what is being shown in the theater and if you have a meal at the museum cafe.

 

[Blueliner]

He makes me want to visit and I already live here :lol: Great write-up TP! I really love Santa Barbara, SO beautiful and such a nice change of pace from the hectic environment of Los Angeles.

I would also add the town of Solvang to the list - it's a slice of Denmark in the middle of Santa Barbara County! Think of it as a giant Danish pavilion (world showcase style) Restaurants, bakeries, danish treats, coffee shops, gift shops, horse-drawn streetcars, and of course the wonderful architecture.

they even have a Little Mermaid sculpture!

and you can't miss the world famous aebleskivers :slurp:

And you can pretend you're in the movie "Sideways"! Not quite as wholesome as Disneyland, but entertaining nonetheless. :lol:

We live in Birmingham, AL, a manageable drive to WDW, and we visit WDW about once a year. My wife and I came out to DLR last December for a few days (combined with a work-related conference at the La Quinta Resort, which was awesome). We really liked it, and I think we are going to bring the kids out to California once things are complete in DCA. We're thinking Spring Break 2013, with 3-4 days in the parks and another 4-5 days in other parts of CA.

After the virtual tour from you and TP2000, I am wondering if it might be worthwhile to fly into San Francisco (which I have loved visiting in the past), rent a min-van, and meander down the coast and into DLR. From there, maybe we can venture further sourth to San Diego.

I need to start saving now!

 

[sponono88]

The remaining half of Mural (west) is behind tarps. Certainly not a pretty sight but it has to be done..

A look at the entrance, sans murals

Most of the rays have been removed from the Sun sculpture. Also, the walls were given an elecTRONica theme to make them blend in with the stage

source: MintCrocodile

 

[sueuk]

Thankyou very much TP2000, you've persuaded us that a coastal drive would be the best way to go. We'll have lots of time for research as it won't be till 2012, but it looks lovely. I read about the museum in my D23 mag, so was expecting family history more than park stuff. I'll probably have more questions when it gets nearer!!

 

[TP2000]

Thankyou very much TP2000, you've persuaded us that a coastal drive would be the best way to go. We'll have lots of time for research as it won't be till 2012, but it looks lovely. I read about the museum in my D23 mag, so was expecting family history more than park stuff. I'll probably have more questions when it gets nearer!!

Sounds great!

San Francisco is one of America's truly great cities, and always a fun place to visit. I hope you give yourself some time to take in the typical tourist things, like riding a cable car over the hills with the breathtaking views, and just generally being a tourist in a fun and cosmopolitan city.

The Walt Disney Family Museum will be a true delight for you as a Disney fan. It's extremely well done and well presented. The rather staid and mundane exterior in the Presidio...

actually hides a rather lavishly presented interior with state-of-the-art exhibits and displays...

I gave myself two hours to see the museum last year, thinking that was all the time I needed, but I ended up staying inside for about four hours, including a snack from the cafe and browsing in the gift shop. There's just so much to pour over, and so many of Walt's personal effects to marvel at, that the time begins to fly by. And I didn't even take in one of the movie presentations they do in the basement theater. It basically traces Walt's entire life from his ancestors and birth, through to the day he died. It was absolutely fascinating, and I learned so much about the real man behind the name!

 

[TP2000]

I honestly don't see why the murals and sun sculpture should take so long to remove. I mean its probably more complicated than I realize but couldn't they just bust it out? haha Not like they're trying to save any of it, get some heavy machinery in there and bulldoze it down!

Don't forget, this is all taking place inside an operating theme park. DCA is playing host to thousands of paying customers per day, who are walking in busy walkways literally within a few feet of all this major construction.

The pictures can't do it justice, as this extreme makeover is all taking place within very narrow confines and with very small clearances between the major demolition and busy walkways full of people heading to Soarin' and World of Color and Tower of Terror. There's not a whole lot of room to spare!

 

[disneyland075]

In early September, initial work will be begin on DCA's brand new main entrance - Buena Vista Street (opening 2012). Set in 1920s Los Angeles, Buena Vista Street will feature new shops and restaurants, trolleys, the Carthay Circle Theatre, lush landscaping and new entertainment; all of this will bring to life the California that Walt saw when he first arrived here.

To make way for BVS, Sunshine Plaza (DCA's current entrance) will be dismantled in several stages. In September, the Sun Icon and fountain will be removed; On October 1st, the main entrance mural and palm trees will be removed. Keep an eye on this thread to see current construction and project updates.

spooner can use u pix athor disney froms threre not ion picture of the berna vista street and can can my use them for is website too plase matt myers

 

[sponono88]

A black tarp covers the remaining section of the mural. The palm trees on that side are also gone:

The construction walls go all the way outside the park

source: MiceChat's In The Parks update

And the sun continues to be dismantled:

This image from a Blue Sky Cellar video gives a closer look at the Buena Vista St. model

(click on the picture to enlarge it)


source: MintCrocodile

 

[mechurchlady]

I am back from DCA trip. Getting to Tower of Terror and Hyperion requires going through Bug's Land. Very firm CMs are telling people to stay right and attempting to keep the crowd going in an orderly fashion. A sea of walls from the entrance to Bugs Land to the parade route/main walkway. The fenced off area in the plaza is now a stage for a nightly show called Electronica. There is a big screen over the stage with images from the show, I think. Corn dog sign says you can get them at Award Weiners and pins are now at the shop across from Soarin', Fly By may be the name. Yesterday the Drawn to Magic show was dark. Aladdin show has some new jokes but the elephant was not there. Aladdin walked the path instead of riding an elephant.

 

[SeaCastle]

I wonder how they will prevent sight line problems with the huge orange Soarin' building on BVS. :shrug: And thank gosh that puny sun sculpture is almost gone. That just did not deserve to be called an "icon".

It wasn't meant to be the park icon...Grizzly Peak was. (According to LeeMac on LP.)