Celebrating 15 years of California Adventure

[Phroobar]

Does anyone remember the commerical/promo of the park that showed Buzz Lightyear along with the various Disney Characters taking a glimpse at the new park? I remember seeing it for the 2000 VHS release of Disney's Tarzan.

I remember Disney characters were not allowed in the park. Guests hated that.

 

[Californian Elitist]

How I don't miss being able to get McDonald's at the park.

 

[brb1006]

I remember Disney characters were not allowed in the park. Guests hated that.

I remember the only time the characters were seen was at the "Disney Electrical Parade" which ran there until 2010. The characters did start showing up more often once DCA got a new look around 2012.

 

[DDLand]

Does anyone remember the commerical/promo of the park that showed Buzz Lightyear along with the various Disney Characters taking a glimpse at the new park? I remember seeing it for the 2000 VHS release of Disney's Tarzan.

Yes. That commercial made it extra clever when they made this one:


Paying homage to their own commercial.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I remember Disney characters were not allowed in the park. Guests hated that.

The characters were never deliberately avoided like with EPCOT Center, and it is a nonsense point to try and draw out of reactions. Known entities are the only way to express desired qualities for a creative endeavor. Disney's California Adventure was a lousy experience because the experiences were poorly conceived and executed, not because it lacked familiarity and repetition.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

At least Superstar Limo fit into its themed area. Why the heck is there a Monsters Inc. ride there now? I close my eyes and imagine it's Tim Allen and Whoopi Goldberg instead of monsters!

 

[ShoalFox]

I miss the original Paradise Pier area music. I've not been since 2009, but I've heard the new loop online and I haven't liked it. I always thought it was strange that DCA got bad reviews; I liked the park a lot the two times I went.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Who among us was lucky enough to ride Superstar Limo? I envy you!

 

[mickEblu]

I rode it. It was every bit as awful as people say. Lol. Almost so bad that it was good. Almost

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

They should have changed it back when Joan Rivers died. Superstar Limo Tribute!

 

[Californian Elitist]

I remember the only time the characters were seen was at the "Disney Electrical Parade" which ran there until 2010. The characters did start showing up more often once DCA got a new look around 2012.

Maybe I'm thinking of someone else, but I thought you said you had never been to the DLR?

 

[Californian Elitist]

I miss the original Paradise Pier area music. I've not been since 2009, but I've heard the new loop online and I haven't liked it. I always thought it was strange that DCA got bad reviews; I liked the park a lot the two times I went.

Did you go in 2001, when it first opened?

 

[TP2000]

Who among us was lucky enough to ride Superstar Limo? I envy you!

I rode it multiple times. I distinctly remember my first ride, and how absolutely baffled I was. I rode it a second time after the shock wore off, and it was even worse the second time.

Happy birthday DCA! I can't think of any Disney theme park that has expanded and improved so much in its first 15 years like DCA has, with the lone exception of Disneyland circa 1955 to 1970.

 

[Kiwiduck]

I think the soap opera bistro looked fun, even though I don't like soaps. This is one thing I wish I could have tried.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

You're telling me I could have walked into the animation building circa 2001 and ate at a restaurant where actors reenacted soap operas around the table? Why in God's name would they get rid of that? Spock, start your computations for time warp!

 

[Californian Elitist]

I rode it multiple times. I distinctly remember my first ride, and how absolutely baffled I was. I rode it a second time after the shock wore off, and it was even worse the second time.

I laughed so hard when I read this, mainly because I was shocked and confused as well when I first experienced Superstar Limo. And I was a kid.

One has to wonder what they were thinking with that one.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

They were thinking, ''What would ridiculously entertain Endor Sightseer, though he would never be able to experience it due to its extremely short lifespan?''

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

I remember the only time the characters were seen was at the "Disney Electrical Parade" which ran there until 2010. The characters did start showing up more often once DCA got a new look around 2012.

This is categorically false. Disney characters appeared in the park from day 1 in various meet-n-greets, they just weren't involved in the entertainment at first (they weren't in the parade, etc.). The fab five were in Sun Plaza, Kuzco, Kronk, Quasi and Esmeralda were in Hollywood Backlot, Chip, Dale, Pooh, et al were in Grizzly Peak, etc.

By June 2001, mini character shows had been added throughout the park (Max joined LaFeet, the bizarre painting Donald show in Grizzly Peak, the Farmer Mickey show in particular was absolutely painful). The Electrical Parade came in July 2001, adding a major show with characters as there were none at the time - Eureka and Steps In Time were character-free. Goofy's Beach Party Bash replaced Lights Camera Chaos! relatively quickly (can't remember exactly when), and by 2005 Block Party Bash brought a daytime character parade to the park three years after Eureka disappeared.

It was originally the plan to not have characters in the park, but that was canned and reversed before the park ever opened to guests.

All that to say, DCA was full of characters well before 2012.

 

[FigmentForver96]

If Superstar Limo was planned to be that horrendous then they could not have done a better job. One can literally feel their brain cells rotting away as they watch the videos.

 

[brb1006]

Maybe I'm thinking of someone else, but I thought you said you had never been to the DLR?

I was referring to the time DCA had a dance party featuring various Disney characters called "Dancing With Disney" from 2012 - 2014 since I seen videos of that event on Youtube.