Describe California Adventure in a nutshell

[sponono88]

But essentially, it is scenes of Disney characters projected onto mists of water set to music. Again, I'm sure it will be worthwhile to see it. But it's hardly a new concept.

:brick:

No, that's not it at all.

California Screamin holds some records, but being the "longest" of any category of ride doesn't necessarily make it all that "unique" of an experience. Nevertheless, I do think it is a decent coaster and I mentioned that already in my post. I wouldn't consider it to be one of the best coasters I've been on by any stretch, but it's decent. The other rides might be unique in the sense that they are rare, but they are still "carnival" rides. Hardly worthy of a Disney caliber attraction. In fact, those types of rides represent the very thing that Walt was trying to avoid in distinguishing Disneyland as a unique experience.

Walt said he wanted to guests to experience rides together as a family. You'll be happy to know that most of the rides at the Pier are family-friendly I'd like to see a quote where he specifically mentioned carnival rides. Besides, Paradise Pier isn't a carnival - it's supposed to be a Victorian-era seaside boardwalk.

 

[Laura]

Having said all that, my point was that it is hard for me to imagine any show or attraction being "worth the price of admission" as another poster suggested it "might be".

The tram tour alone at Universal was worth the price of admission for me. :king:

Knott's Berry Farm was nice. It was a lot nicer than I expected, and the nicest amusement park I've ever been to on the "below Disney & Universal" level. The thing I didn't like about it was there wasn't a lot for FAMILIES there. There was either the crazy thrill rides, or the baby rides. Nothing in between. So we spent a lot of time sitting around watching our kids ride baby rides, and then they spent a lot of time sitting around with grandma watching us ride thrill rides. For this reason, I feel DCA is far superior to Knott's. At least 90% of DCA is suitable for families to enjoy together. I also prefer not to have every single ride be a skull crusher. DCA has much more variety.

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

Describe California Adventure in a nutshell? I think the phrase, "This Area Is Being Refurbished For Your Future Enjoyment" sums up the park pretty well at the moment. :lol:

In all honesty, its a bit of a mixed bag at the moment. There are some great areas like Grizzly River Rapids and Tower of Terror. Even the Paradise Pier area has it share of fun rides like California Screamin'. World of Color will only add to the park's appeal. Nonetheless, the place is filled with refurb walls; if this is the one chance you're going to get to see it, then go. If there is even a possibility that you'll get another chance in 2-3 years, I'd say let DCA wait til then and instead head over to Universal California. :shrug:

 

[Wilt Dasney]

WoC MIGHT BE the single factor that, combined with everything else there is to do at DCA already, makes it unquestionably worthwhile to spend a day at DCA instead of Knott's or USH.

Better?

 

[Ziffell]

This is where you totally lost me.

While I have fond memories of Knott's in the 1970's and 80's, it has really gone downhill in the past 10 years. Really downhill. The Knott's employees on my last visit a few years ago ranged from a couple of sweet little old ladies in Ghost Town, to dozens of bored and totally disinterested teens staring blankly at me, to a few scary standouts who seemed right out of a prison work release program without proper supervision.

As for Grizzly River Run being on par with Bigfoot Rapids, I'm sorry, but no.

Bigfoot Rapids, built in 1988, is your typical 80's theme park raft ride. No real theme here, just basic landscaping along a cement flume with mild white water segments. Bigfoot is mentioned in the title, and then never referenced again on the attraction. No bigfoot here. Cycle time is unimpressive at 3:10 minutes, including the lift hill.

Bigfoot Rapids Knott's Berry Farm

Grizzly River Run is much longer and grander than Kali River Rapids. Cycle time is 6:45 minutes including the lift hill, and it's unusually themed for a DCA opening day attraction. Backstory galore, geysers and waterfalls and water effects everywhere, with two big drops that make the ride very unique. Pictures speak a thousand words though...

Grizzly River Run at DCA

These pictures kind of remind me of those cheesy "before and after" ads where the "before" picture looks worse largely because of just poor photography. :lol: I noticed that all of your shots of Bigfoot Rapids are flat and lacking in definition, where your shots of Grizzly River Run have the color saturation turned up a bit in Photoshop and are all well exposed.

 

[Ziffell]

The tram tour alone at Universal was worth the price of admission for me. :king:

That's a pretty major part of USH so I'll give you that. Although I still wouldn't personally say that it, alone, justifies the entire admission price, it's an example that comes closer to anything else. That's largely because of how long it lasts and how much you see.

Knott's Berry Farm was nice. It was a lot nicer than I expected, and the nicest amusement park I've ever been to on the "below Disney & Universal" level. The thing I didn't like about it was there wasn't a lot for FAMILIES there. There was either the crazy thrill rides, or the baby rides. Nothing in between. So we spent a lot of time sitting around watching our kids ride baby rides, and then they spent a lot of time sitting around with grandma watching us ride thrill rides. For this reason, I feel DCA is far superior to Knott's. At least 90% of DCA is suitable for families to enjoy together. I also prefer not to have every single ride be a skull crusher. DCA has much more variety.

I actually have found Knott's to be just as family friendly as DCA, if not more so. The entire Ghost Town area is very family friendly, as well as educational (yet not boring). And of course there is Camp Snoopy.

 

[sponono88]

These pictures kind of remind me of those cheesy "before and after" ads where the "before" picture looks worse largely because of just poor photography. :lol: I noticed that all of your shots of Bigfoot Rapids are flat and lacking in definition, where your shots of Grizzly River Run have the color saturation turned up a bit in Photoshop and are all well exposed.

I have experienced both rides and Bigfoot Rapids doesn't come anywhere near GRR. Even with the best pictures, BR just doesn't measure up - imo.

 

[TP2000]

These pictures kind of remind me of those cheesy "before and after" ads where the "before" picture looks worse largely because of just poor photography. :lol: I noticed that all of your shots of Bigfoot Rapids are flat and lacking in definition, where your shots of Grizzly River Run have the color saturation turned up a bit in Photoshop and are all well exposed.

I should admit to you that I have absolutely no skills in Photoshop. I don't even know if my computer has it? I just got my first digital camera a year ago, and I have absolutely no idea how to get beyond turning it on and taking cheesy pictures of my nephews eating ice cream sundaes, let alone working in Photoshop and altering other pictures I found on the web during a 45 second Google search. But I thank you for thinking I have more skills than I actually do. :lol:

If you can find better pictures of Bigfoot Rapids, please be my guest and share with us. But from what I remember of my last trip to Knott's a few years ago, which included a ride on Bigfoot Rapids, these pictures look exactly like that section of the park and that ride facility.

Please share with us better pictures of that ride, I'd love to see 'em. :animwink:

 

[Ziffell]

I should admit to you that I have absolutely no skills in Photoshop. I don't even know if my computer has it? I just got my first digital camera a year ago, and I have absolutely no idea how to get beyond turning it on and taking cheesy pictures of my nephews eating ice cream sundaes, let alone working in Photoshop and altering other pictures I found on the web during a 45 second Google search. But I thank you for thinking I have more skills than I actually do. :lol:

If you can find better pictures of Bigfoot Rapids, please be my guest and share with us. But from what I remember of my last trip to Knott's a few years ago, which included a ride on Bigfoot Rapids, these pictures look exactly like that section of the park and that ride facility.

Please share with us better pictures of that ride, I'd love to see 'em. :animwink:

With all due respect, it was you who chose to post the photos as a means of somehow supporting the case you're trying to make. No one here asked you to do that. I simply pointed out that the difference in photo quality, and not necessarily the subject matter itself, was very interesting... not to mention kind of obvious. :lol:

 

[TP2000]

With all due respect, it was you who chose to post the photos as a means of somehow supporting the case you're trying to make. No one here asked you to do that. I simply pointed out that the difference in photo quality, and not necessarily the subject matter itself, was very interesting... not to mention kind of obvious. :lol:

Apparently Bigfoot Rapids doesn't lend itself to profesional photography. That's all I could find on Google Images. Can you find something better? I couldn't.

Although the biggest picture is from beary-tales.com, a website devoted to Knott's Berry Farm fandom.

There's some amateur YouTube video of ride-throughs available, if anyone is interested in seeing what it looks like from inside the raft.

Google up Grizzly River Run however, and the pictures are plentiful and nicely presented.

 

[Ziffell]

That's all I could find on Google Images. Can you find something better? I couldn't.

I haven't even tried. I think it's a much bigger deal to you than it is to me. :lol: I'm just expressing my opinion, whereas I think you seem kind of bent on "convincing" everyone that you're right.

 

[Ziffell]

Describe California Adventure in a nutshell? I think the phrase, "This Area Is Being Refurbished For Your Future Enjoyment" sums up the park pretty well at the moment. :lol:

:ROFLOL:So true!! And actually I think the presence of all the construction walls really speaks volumes about how inferior DCA has always been to all of the other Disney parks (and also some non-Disney parks).

 

[TP2000]

I haven't even tried. I think it's a much bigger deal to you than it is to me. :lol: I'm just expressing my opinion, whereas I think you seem kind of bent on "convincing" everyone that you're right.

No better pics of Bigfoot Rapids then? Okay. We'll just let the pics sponono88 and I posted on here earlier speak for themselves. :animwink:

 

[TP2000]

:ROFLOL:So true!! And actually I think the presence of all the construction walls really speaks volumes about how inferior DCA has always been to all of the other Disney parks (and also some non-Disney parks).

DCA circa 2001 was an epic disaster in the history of American commerce and industry. In my opinion it ranks right up there with Edsel and New Coke. But after a couple years Ford could quietly shut down Edsel production and use the factory to make Mercurys instead, and Coca-Cola quietly phased out New Coke on the same bottling lines that now make regular Coke. But Paul Pressler and Cynthia Harriss were stuck with DCA just staring them flat in the face on the old Disneyland parking lot. They couldn't hide that turkey of a park in '01.

I delighted in watching them throw every panicky gimmick they could at that place in '01 and '02, from FREE KIDS ADMISSION! to Steps In Time 2.0 to the Electrical Parade to Fiesta Latina to Rockin' The Bay to Millionaire! to the XGames Spectacular. It was a laugh riot of frantic stopgap measures that did nothing to hide the fact that the park as originally designed and budgeted was a huge disaster for them.

As for being inferior to all of the other Disney parks, that was true until Walt Disney Studios Paris opened. That made even DCA look good.

DCA has come a long way in the last 9 years, with most of the improvement coming in the last five. With Bugs Land and Tower and Midway Mania added, it's right at that tipping point going into this new decade. Add World of Color, plus the five new rides coming online in 2011 and 2012 and some massive remodeling and rethemeing, and I think it's going to head towards the top of the list. It won't be an Epcot (what could be really?), but it's going to be darn good second gate in 2012.

 

[Ziffell]

No better pics of Bigfoot Rapids then? Okay. We'll just let the pics sponono88 and I posted on here earlier speak for themselves. :animwink:

Whatever you have to do to convince yourself I suppose. :lol::wave:

 

[Ziffell]

DCA has come a long way in the last 9 years, with most of the improvement coming in the last five. With Bugs Land and Tower and Midway Mania added, it's right at that tipping point going into this new decade. Add World of Color, plus the five new rides coming online in 2011 and 2012 and some massive remodeling and rethemeing, and I think it's going to head towards the top of the list. It won't be an Epcot (what could be really?), but it's going to be darn good second gate in 2012.

I don't think the OP is talking about a trip in 2012. We're talking about the current state of DCA, which isn't all that impressive. As for how it some day WILL be? Well, we'll only be able to speak about that when it actually happens won't we? :wave:

 

[sponono88]

I don't think the OP is talking about a trip in 2012. We're talking about the current state of DCA, which isn't all that impressive. As for how it some day WILL be? Well, we'll only be able to speak about that when it actually happens won't we? :wave:

The park itself has changed quite a bit from opening day. Changes, both big and small that have made a significant difference. New attractions, aesthetic improvements, new entertainment, etc. I'll go as far as to say that the food options at the park surpass those at DL.

Currently DCA has the only live stage show at the resort, and two parades (the only parades at the resort as well.) DCA saw the addition of Block Party Bash, Pixar Play Parade, and Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular. Paradise Pier received aesthetic improvements to its midway games with enhanced Victorian architecture. Add to that Midway Mania and the impressive building its housed. HPB received a refurb with a new look for the backlot with new paint scheme, trees, fountains, and a new archway to designate the new area.

Tower of Terror, A Bugs Land, and Monsters Inc: Mike and Sulley to the Rescue. This was all before the billion-dollar expansion was approved. Even San Francisco street received planters and curbs to help make it look more authentic. And as far as I know, both WoC and TSMM were both budgeted and planned for before the big expansion came into the picture.

that only covers the changes from 2001-2009 - I haven't even covered all the changes that occurred this year and will continue to happen until everything is done in 2012.

As for what DCA will look like - we know what to expect based on what we see in the Blue Sky Cellar, videos, concept art. I don't have to wait until it happens - everything points to the fact that the billion dollars will be well-spent.

 

[Ziffell]

The park itself has changed quite a bit from opening day. Changes, both big and small that have made a significant difference. New attractions, aesthetic improvements, new entertainment, etc. I'll go as far as to say that the food options at the park surpass those at DL.

Currently DCA has the only live stage show at the resort, and two parades (the only parades at the resort as well.) DCA saw the addition of Block Party Bash, Pixar Play Parade, and Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular. Paradise Pier received aesthetic improvements to its midway games with enhanced Victorian architecture. Add to that Midway Mania and the impressive building its housed. HPB received a refurb with a new look for the backlot with new paint scheme, trees, fountains, and a new archway to designate the new area.

Tower of Terror, A Bugs Land, and Monsters Inc: Mike and Sulley to the Rescue. This was all before the billion-dollar expansion was approved. Even San Francisco street received planters and curbs to help make it look more authentic. And as far as I know, both WoC and TSMM were both budgeted and planned for before the big expansion came into the picture.

All of this work was sorely needed just to elevate DCA from being the joke of the theme park industry. Even with everything that has been done to it, DCA is still near the bottom rung of the ladder.

As for what DCA will look like - we know what to expect based on what we see in the Blue Sky Cellar, videos, concept art. I don't have to wait until it happens - everything points to the fact that the billion dollars will be well-spent.

Doesn't change the fact that, unless you have a time machine or a crystal ball, you won't know until it happens. :wave:

 

[sponono88]

All of this work was sorely needed just to elevate DCA from being the joke of the theme park industry. Even with everything that has been done to it, DCA is still near the bottom rung of the ladder.

Doesn't change the fact that, unless you have a time machine or a crystal ball, you won't know until it happens. :wave:

I have a crystal ball.. and it's called the Blue Sky Cellar :animwink:

I'm curious, when was the last time you visited DCA?

 

[Ziffell]

I have a crystal ball.. and it's called the Blue Sky Cellar :animwink:

It almost seems insulting toward Disney in a way that you aren't willing to judge it on the actual end product. You stated earlier that "everything points to the fact that the billion dollars will be well spent"... but it isn't really a fact yet is it? It can't be a fact until it's actually happened. I'm curious, are you worried on some level that it won't actually live up to what it's being presented to be?