Disney California Adventure Expansion?

[captainhookfan]

I was recently looking up Disneys California Adventure online and read somewhere that DCA is going to be expanding in the near future. Apparently, there are plans being made to add a cars land based around the Pixar film Cars and there will be several new shows, parades and entertainment venues coming as well. Some of those include a new Pixar parade featuring characters from all 9 Disney/Pixar films as well as a High School Musical show which I guess is already performing. The parade is premiring on Friday, March 14th, 2008, so I hope to get out for that new parade premire as I love those type of things. There is also suppose to be a couple new rides titled, Toy Story Mania and something to do with the Little Mermaid. Apparently the Little Mermaid ride will be like the Peter Pan, Pinnochio Village Haus and Snow White Scary Adventures rides, just down under the sea. Toy Story Mania will feature all of your favorite carnival games that guests will get to play as they ride around in a cart, just like the Buzz Lightyear Astroorbiter ride. Some of the games will include the ring toss, the ever poppular dunk tank and the balloon dart toss. Why would they do this since their experiencing such low attendance? Doesn't make any sense to me, I guess everyone just wants to be in Disneyland instead. Have a great night !

 

[PeoplemoverTTA]

Welcome to the boards :wave:

It's definitely a good time for DCA....lots of changes, presumably for the better (the park was pretty bland when I've visited, so I'm looking forward to Lasseter's changes).

I recommend checking out the Disneyland forum here at WDWMagic - you'll find lots of scoop and conversations about the changes coming!

 

[CThaddeus]

I was recently looking up Disneys California Adventure online and read somewhere that DCA is going to be expanding in the near future. Apparently, there are plans being made to add a cars land based around the Pixar film Cars and there will be several new shows, parades and entertainment venues coming as well. Some of those include a new Pixar parade featuring characters from all 9 Disney/Pixar films as well as a High School Musical show which I guess is already performing. The parade is premiring on Friday, March 14th, 2008, so I hope to get out for that new parade premire as I love those type of things. There is also suppose to be a couple new rides titled, Toy Story Mania and something to do with the Little Mermaid. Apparently the Little Mermaid ride will be like the Peter Pan, Pinnochio Village Haus and Snow White Scary Adventures rides, just down under the sea. Toy Story Mania will feature all of your favorite carnival games that guests will get to play as they ride around in a cart, just like the Buzz Lightyear Astroorbiter ride. Some of the games will include the ring toss, the ever poppular dunk tank and the balloon dart toss. Why would they do this since their experiencing such low attendance? Doesn't make any sense to me, I guess everyone just wants to be in Disneyland instead. Have a great night !

These changes have been discussed quite a bit since the announcement was made back in October (a search should reveal quite a few threads about it). By the way, Toy Story Mania is set to open in both California Adventure and Disney's Hollywood Studios within a month or so of each other. Oh, and just for the sake of accuracy, the attractions are Pinocchio's Daring Journey (Village Haus is the restaurant around the corner from it) and Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters. Astro Orbitor is actually the Rocket Jets-ish attraction at the front of Tomorrowland. Finally, the High School Musical 2: School's Out parade/street show has been running since around August at both California Adventure and Disney's Hollywood Studios.
As to why they're doing it, you answered your own question. California Adventure is getting a billion dollar makeover because they're "experiencing such low attendance." They're basically admitting they built the Park on the cheap (too many shops and restaurants) and while it has a few great attractions (California Screamin', Soarin' Over California, Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular, the Animation Building, It's Tough to be a Bug, and Muppet-Vision), it has a lot of clunkers as well (everything other than California Screamin' in Paradise Pier, Grizzly River Rapids, Tower of Terror). The more love they give that Park, the better. Disneyland's neighbor should be made worthy enough to call itself that.

 

[Sosai X]

It says something when you can't even buy a single admission ticket for DCA. You have to buy a park hopper for both Disneyland and DCA. So, techically, admission to DCA has been a "free with your purchase of a Disneyland ticket" situation ever since it opened 7 years ago. Think of it as the secret toy surprise that comes in a box of Disneyland Cracker Jacks.

 

[CThaddeus]

It says something when you can't even buy a single admission ticket for DCA. You have to buy a park hopper for both Disneyland and DCA. So, techically, admission to DCA has been a "free with your purchase of a Disneyland ticket" situation ever since it opened 7 years ago. Think of it as the secret toy surprise that comes in a box of Disneyland Cracker Jacks.

Are you sure? Isn't the One Day, One Park pass good at either Park? And the Park Hopper pass ($91 for adults, $81 for kids) is anything but free in comparison to the One Day, One Park ticket ($66 for adults, $56 for kids). Of course, they have had to resort to selling discount SoCal passes (the two for one deal you mentioned) during the off seasons, but then they've always had something similar for the locals when the Park is less than crowded.

 

[Disneyfalcon]

The one day one park pass is good for either park.

The So Cal passes are a way of getting into DCA "free" but even those are only good for a few months in the Spring.