Disney California Adventure to launch food experience in March

[ToTBellHop]

Can they run the rides with actors so it feels like American Horror Story: Freak Show?

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Attractions simply can not operate. But what constitutes an attraction? Is the park itself not an attraction? The food and alcoholic beverages? What is it about the rides that they are deemed unacceptable by our overlords, while people milling about drinking and eating and shopping together is okay? Surely, there is some Science and Data I've missed.

 

[TP2000]

This is it, guys! Here's our chance to shine! It's finally here: Hot Dog Days are coming to California Adventure!


While it's not a huge shock that they're doing something like this, my big takeaway is that they do not seem to anticipate reopening the parks any time in the foreseeable future. For so long, DLR had been holding out hope that they could meaningfully reopen "soon," but this move seems to indicate they recognize that time won't come for many months to come. It's a reasonable middle ground, but given how slowly things move with Disney and how much effort this will take to set up, I doubt they expect they'll be allowed to reopen the parks before late summer at the earliest.

It's also worth pointing out that this event is only in DCA. They seemingly have no problem cheapening the "brand" of that park for this sort of event (or semi-temporarily annexing part of the park into DTD), but have no interest in doing something equivalent with Disneyland itself. Surely the other park would draw more guests and higher per-guest spending, so it seems the only reasonable explanation would be the imaging of the whole thing: tacky food festivals are okay for DCA, but not for DL proper.

I couldn't agree with you more on that assessment! And Hot Dog Days finally gets its chance to shine. (An obscure DCA 2001 reference on its 20th birthday!)

It took TDA long enough to work through all their bureaucratic layers and miles of red tape and finally catch up to Knott's Berry Farm, but better late than never TDA!

And honestly, what's a six month delay in getting this off the ground between friends?

 

[Stevek]

This is a bit more in-your-face. They’ll be opening a hotel soon, too.

They're only opening for DVC at the Grand Californian, right? That's all I ever heard back before the holidays and that was delayed.

 

[TP2000]

Attractions simply can not operate. But what constitutes an attraction? Is the park itself not an attraction? The food and alcoholic beverages? What is it about the rides that they are deemed unacceptable by our overlords, while people milling about drinking and eating and shopping together is okay? Surely, there is some Science and Data I've missed.

The whole thing is very murky. Never mind that for the past 8 months the statewide mandate has clearly stated that "Festivals" are forbidden. But Knott's has done food festivals and holiday festivals and crafts festivals for six months now, and Sacramento allowed it. Now DCA is bringing back the Food & Wine Festival.

I just checked, and the Blueprint For A Safer Economy mandates from Sacramento still ban Festivals until your county gets to the mythical Yellow Tier. (Link below)

Apparently, if you call it an "Experience" instead of a Festival, then it's perfectly safe. Science & Data!

I wonder if they'll have the guts to put this big marquee up again, or if they'll remove the word "FESTIVAL" from it?

COVID-19 Home

covid19.ca.gov

 

[Jiggsawpuzzle35]

The whole thing is very murky. Never mind that for the past 8 months the statewide mandate has clearly stated that "Festivals" are forbidden. But Knott's has done food festivals and holiday festivals and crafts festivals for six months now, and Sacramento allowed it. Now DCA is bringing back the Food & Wine Festival.

I just checked, and the Blueprint For A Safer Economy mandates from Sacramento still ban Festivals until your county gets to the mythical Yellow Tier. (Link below)

Apparently, if you call it an "Experience" instead of a Festival, then it's perfectly safe. Science & Data!

I wonder if they'll have the guts to put this big marquee up again, or if they'll remove the word "FESTIVAL" from it?

COVID-19 Home

covid19.ca.gov

Can we open up hockey games at Honda Center and call it “The Samueli Ice Hockey Experience” And Angel Stadium will have “Moreno’s Field of Dreams Experience“?

 

[mickEblu]

This is it, guys! Here's our chance to shine! It's finally here: Hot Dog Days are coming to California Adventure!


While it's not a huge shock that they're doing something like this, my big takeaway is that they do not seem to anticipate reopening the parks any time in the foreseeable future. For so long, DLR had been holding out hope that they could meaningfully reopen "soon," but this move seems to indicate they recognize that time won't come for many months to come. It's a reasonable middle ground, but given how slowly things move with Disney and how much effort this will take to set up, I doubt they expect they'll be allowed to reopen the parks before late summer at the earliest.

It's also worth pointing out that this event is only in DCA. They seemingly have no problem cheapening the "brand" of that park for this sort of event (or semi-temporarily annexing part of the park into DTD), but have no interest in doing something equivalent with Disneyland itself. Surely the other park would draw more guests and higher per-guest spending, so it seems the only reasonable explanation would be the imaging of the whole thing: tacky food festivals are okay for DCA, but not for DL proper.

True and I also think this could mean they do foresee a late or Summer opening of the parks. But it probably just makes more sense operationally at DCA. Without the rides, I don’t think the demand for DL is that much greater. If anything, I would feel more teased at DL. I don’t want to go back to DL until it’s fully operational.

 

[mickEblu]

Of course this is the part where I say why not the rides then? At least start with outdoor rides. Limit capacity and put zip code restrictions on guests if you re worried about people traveling. Why is is the inside of a store ok for Sacramento but the Ferris Wheel isn’t?

 

[Th3 DUd3]

Only took about a year for them to use my idea. You're welcome everybody.

Still waiting for my job offer Disney!

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Rides are simply unacceptable. In the New Order, they'll be replaced by quick service dining, shops, DVC booths and Instagram walls. Bob Cheapek couldn't be more pleased.

 

[fctiger]

Only took about a year for them to use my idea. You're welcome everybody.

Still waiting for my job offer Disney!

To be fair, these are probably ideas (out of many) they have thought of themselves, but the logistics, financial reality, unions, Covid-rules, etc is probably why they never did them. Again, we only focus on DL here because we are big fans, but outside of KBF, no other theme parks anywhere in California (or much of the country which I remind people most of the theme parks are still closed as well) is during this because they probably just don't think it will be successful enough.

 

[cmwade77]

And that may have been one of the big issues for us. Because of the heat, we could not handle staying very long nor do I believe there was any entertainment during our visit. I would have loved to see Krazy Kirk play but I don't recall seeing much of anything.

Most of the events had lots of atmosphere entertainment and unscheduled entertainment. They couldn't bring anything as popular as Krazy Kirk because of the crowds they would draw. But yeah when it is that hot it is hard, especially since they hadn't designed things to be taken to go at that point, I think future events will likely have items designed to be taken to go complete with reheating instructions.

 

[cmwade77]

Yes, and it’s a way to ensure that not ALL CMs will need to be brought back and retrained all at once.

This is partially for money, partially to passive-aggressively apply pressure in Sacramento. “See? We are safe!”

Although a good chunk of the food CMs currently back are actually DL CMs as they tend to be the ones with the most seniority and that is the order they are being called back in. Obviously they are some DCA CMs as well, as there are some with seniority there too, but a lot are DL CMs and a lot of them had to be trained on pouring alcohol.

 

[cmwade77]

Rides are simply unacceptable. In the New Order, they'll be replaced by quick service dining, shops, DVC booths and Instagram walls. Bob Cheapek couldn't be more pleased.

Well, if they expanded to the DL side, the Train could open, we know this because trains have been run at Pumpkin Patches and such as transportation and likewise the Monorail could reopen as transportation. Main Street Transportation could also reopen.

So in theory at DCA, the trolley could reopen as transportation as well.

 

[bestcoastracer]

For the most part, I have no issue with the festivals. They're intended to draw guests in during otherwise-quiet times of year, and seem to be reasonably good at it. I don't think they're as well crafted as the holiday events, but the food festivals are fine for what they are.

It was more a comment on how DL is treated as a high-brow experience, while anything goes in DCA.

There always seems to be a certain self-serious atmosphere about Disneyland that simply doesn't exist at DCA. DL is this mythical park where Walt's footsteps are worshiped, obscure details are elevated into starring roles, and decades of history and family memories are revered as a quasi-religious experience. DCA, on the other hand, is where they just dump whatever flavor du jour, whether it's the X-Games Xperience, Summer of Heroes, or Pixar Pier.

The decision-makers for the parks clearly have "rules" for what is allowed in each park, and DCA has a much lower threshold than DL for what's acceptable. The food festivals are fine for DCA, but aren't allowed in DL, even when the park is otherwise closed and crowds could easily be managed. I have to assume that's because there's just something about the food festival that someone believes isn't good enough for the hallowed ground of Disneyland (as though the State Fair, Circus Days, and Blast to the Past promotions of yore weren't equally cheesy).


That said, the execution of DCA's festivals tends to leave a lot to be desired, IMO. Instead of creating a sampling menu of new and different flavors, it's mostly just Instagram-ready novelty versions of comfort foods that do little to expand the horizons of most visitors. It tends to just feel like more of the same junk food that already served throughout the park, but it's fun because it's temporary. Epcot's non-stop festivals occasionally fall into this trap (most notably the Festival of the Arts, which ironically seems like it would be the most high-brow), but generally do a better job of avoiding it than DCA's. DCA's punch cards also do nothing to help the tacky feel of the event.

For what it's worth, although it was a much smaller scale, I found the old California Food and Wine Festivals of the mid/late-00's to be far more impressive and better fitting than the recent ones. They may not have been as flashy, but they really fit the park's mission, were less obtrusive, and genuinely offered the opportunity to taste new flavors, expand your palette, and even learn new cooking skills. There was a lot more to them than just simple food kiosks scattered across the park.

It has more to do with Disneyland's No Alcohol policy to why DCA is doing this fest and DL is not. Also, DCA has the infrastructure for festivals they do 2 per year now. Idk why they would do it in Disneyland.

 

[cmwade77]

To be fair, these are probably ideas (out of many) they have thought of themselves, but the logistics, financial reality, unions, Covid-rules, etc is probably why they never did them. Again, we only focus on DL here because we are big fans, but outside of KBF, no other theme parks anywhere in California (or much of the country which I remind people most of the theme parks are still closed as well) is during this because they probably just don't think it will be successful enough.

Umm, most theme parks in the rest of the country have been reopened, including some bigger ones like Silver Dollar City, Dollywood, Busch Gardens, pretty much all SeaWorld Parks, most Six Flags Parks, most Cedar Fair parks. Some have closed for the winter now as they do every year, but they most have opened already, although there were a few seasonal parks that opted not to reopen until next season because it wasn't worth their time once they could reopen.

 

[cmwade77]

It has more to do with Disneyland's No Alcohol policy to why DCA is doing this fest and DL is not. Also, DCA has the infrastructure for festivals they do 2 per year now. Idk why they would do it in Disneyland.

Also, as others have pointed out, the wider walkways make it more conducive to social distancing, hopefully they set up as much seating as the Knott's events have.

 

[BuzzedPotatoHead89]

Of course this is the part where I say why not the rides then? At least start with outdoor rides. Limit capacity and put zip code restrictions on guests if you re worried about people traveling. Why is is the inside of a store ok for Sacramento but the Ferris Wheel isn’t?

I agree. I am beginning to wonder if a slow “phase in” of rides could happen as a means of enticing visitors should Orange County get to “Orange Tier” in the late Spring or Summer. As one idea, what’s to stop them from upwelling a timed entry ticket to a “Pixar Pier Experience” treating the Pier as a “small amusement park” under the state guidelines. TSMM and TLM may need to be closed, but otherwise all other Pier rides and queues are already fully outdoors.

Even with the current strict capacity limit - spread over three of four (3 or 4-hour?) day parted shifts it would seem like a reasonable “add on” to a “food festival” ticket in the future if this continuing into May-July. Similar to the 2019 Galaxy’s Edge previews only with no overlapping “shifts”.

I also wonder if the Red Car (and/or Main Street vehicles) could be exempted as operational as transportation vehicle.

 

[fctiger]

Umm, most theme parks in the rest of the country have been reopened, including some bigger ones like Silver Dollar City, Dollywood, Busch Gardens, pretty much all SeaWorld Parks, most Six Flags Parks, most Cedar Fair parks. Some have closed for the winter now as they do every year, but they most have opened already, although there were a few seasonal parks that opted not to reopen until next season because it wasn't worth their time once they could reopen.

OK fair enough. Yes I looked around a few weeks ago and a lot of them were closed. But I guess it's because as you said it's winter time and a lot are just closed for this time.

But my point still stands. For the ones that are still closed, few attempted to do these kinds of events because the thinking probably is people show up to the parks to ultimately ride rides and not to eat food while gawking at closed attractions. It's probably just better staying closed.

 

[fctiger]

Rides are simply unacceptable. In the New Order, they'll be replaced by quick service dining, shops, DVC booths and Instagram walls. Bob Cheapek couldn't be more pleased.

No one is going to pay $150 just to just shop and eat though. I don't think they can be more pleased because they can't charge beyond $40-50 when no rides are open.