The 2010's - A Disneyland Resort Decade In Review!

[mickEblu]

The only thing that sounds good about these events are the short lines for the rides. But even then the tickets would have to be half the price they are for me to consider it. That or I’ll just go without my wife. That’s another way to get 50% off.

 

[waltography]

Call me crazy but the social club dorks and the dapper dorks are equally dorky to me. Seeing 20 year old unemployed people dress like they are a rich person from the 1920s but with neon colors doesn't seem classy to me. I may sound like an old man but my wife and I are very much in this age group and find it silly.

I accidentally showed up during a "dapper day" in 2015. I was eating at the Plaza Inn and seated next to me there was a group of "dappers" all talking to each other but they were all talking with the vocabulary of Victorian England (fake accents and all) and laughing how evil rich people laugh in plays/TV shows about that period. It was cringeworthy.

You’ll find cringeworthy people that go way too far in their aesthetics everywhere. Plenty of people see Dapper Day as just a fun day to dress up; don’t read too deep into it.

 

[Phroobar]

I miss Captain EO so much. My favorite attraction. Such a great and entertaining film with wonderful music and special effects and a unique Disney feel.

I was really upset that Disney never announced the closure of EO for Disneyland. It switched to a Guardian's of the Galaxy Preview sometime in 2013 which they claimed was temporary. (Even the Disneyparks twitter responded to a message of mine asking if Captain EO would return, which they said it would in a "couple of months"). Fans never got a chance to say goodbye as Captain EO never returned or had a send off.

I can only hope I get another chance to see this film. Was not a passholder at the time it was brought back but loved seeing it once a year for the time it was there.

Just visually seeing this picture of the Tommorowland theater with EO feels so right to me.

Captain EO is on YouTube. I think you can buy the official version on VHS or a bootleg on DVD. I miss seeing the walk around Captain EO and his crew back in 80's.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Disney should release a 3D Blu-ray with Magic Journeys, Captain EO, Working for Peanuts, Honey I Shrunk the Audience and other shorts on the same disc.

 

[Little Green Men]

I visited in 2010, 2012, and 2016.
2010 was basically a California trip. Staying at the Grand Californian.

2012 was a split trip between Aulani and DL. I got to experience Carsland and Buena Vista Street for the first time and DCA finally felt like a full day park.

2016 was another Aulani and DL trip. This time I stayed at the Disneyland hotel, a fun experience but I still prefer DGC. I plan to go again in 2020 to visit the Westcoast SWL for the first time. I’ll also see Pixar pier and probably Avengers Campus will be open too.

 

[BrianLo]

2017. This was an interesting year, and again the focus was on DCA when it came to new rides. The Tower of Terror was closed in January and reopened in May as Guardians Of The Galaxy: MISSION BREAKOUT!

The opening of this new ride also brought a wave of Marvel stuff to DCA that can't be called Marvel. It took over the rather bleak Hollywood Pictures Backlot with mixed success. It was called Summer Of Heroes, which is completely normal that you wouldn't include the word Marvel in your big Marvel thing.

At Summer Of Heroes you could meet your favorite Marvel characters, play Marvel games, eat Marvel food, watch Marvel stage shows, and buy Marvel stuff made in China. But don't say Marvel!

You know they are serious about something when they bring out the random patio umbrellas to get in the way. Go 2017!

2017 also saw the closure and leveling of A Bug's Land after 15 years of fun. The four kiddy rides and the Tough To Be A Bug Show were closed to make way for Marvel Land that isn't actually called that.

Over at Disneyland a re-routed and re-Imagineered version of the Rivers of America debuted as part of the construction of Star Wars Land just to the north. This was controversial here on this board, but I thought it turned out really nice. In my humble opinion, Disneyland now has the most attractive and entertaining Rivers of America complex of all the Castle parks.

They had a nice little opening ceremony with the re-routed Disneyland Railroad traveling along its new riverside trestles. The train was engineered by John Lasseter. Whatever happened to that guy?

Bugs Land Closed in 2018!

 

[TP2000]

I'm forgoing my usual 5 o'clock cocktail today because I'm going to have a very festive night and don't need the head start. Instead I will spend my last cocktail time of the decade here with you and offer these Deep Thoughts on the 2010's.

The 2010's were a wild and wacky decade. It started in the depths of the Great Recession and ended in a booming economy with the lowest unemployment rate in 50 years. So many of the fads and fashions of the decade found themselves intertwined at Disneyland via Social Media, appropriate as it really was the Social Media decade. As we've seen both parks saw tremendous growth when it comes to rides and entertainment, while at the same time there was some growth that got unexpectedly derailed and cancelled literally at the last second (4th Hotel, DCA Expansion into Esplanade, Eastern Gateway) and @FerretAfros did a fantastic job on summarizing all that here.

In my opinion, Disneyland at the start of the 2020's is positioned fairly well for the short term and the long term, although the executive leadership in charge is still a troubling sign for the mid term.

TDA's new President seems to be a vapid bobble-head who has no idea what she's gotten herself into, while her surprisingly clueless boss tries to polish up his damaged reputation so he can still have a shot at Iger's job in 2022. I really doubt Mr. Chapek will be around by '22, but stranger things have happened and maybe I'm just being too optimistic.

In short, while the 2010's brought some wonderful new things to Disneyland that we will be enjoying for decades, the place and the Company that guides it needs to see some course corrections if it is to remain as strong thru the 2020's.

But, that's for the Cubicle Drones and their Instagrammable Executives to worry about. We just get to sit here and have fun at the park and watch it all play out!

Whether you're a Cubicle Drone, a Neckbeard Blogger, a Dapper AP, or even Al Lutz's Company Shill Ghostwriter, I hope you have a very happy new year and I wish you the best for the new decade! Cheers!

 

[Animaniac93-98]

One of my favorite Disneyland moments this decade was seeing “A Salute to the Golden Horseshoe Revue” back in 2012. They put on such a good show and made me wish for the classic show even more. Wish I could have seen it twice.

Found a video from opening day Jan 10 2013, almost exactly 7 years ago. A shame they only did it for a few months:

 

[Phroobar]

There is no official home video release of EO. Closest was a production laserdisc that was on ebay, but that has never been captured. I'm a big fan of 3D and would love a 3D bluray release of this as well as Thriller 3D.

Maybe the VHS I saw was from when MTV showed the entire music video shortly after the attraction opened. I could have sworn Disney sold it too.

 

[THE 1HAPPY HAUNT]

The main characters from The Black Cauldron.

I meant the red head

 

[THE 1HAPPY HAUNT]

It was the exact same ride experience, but without the immersiveness of the rotating chickens.

It was also still Presented by Alamo, but in 2016 that sponsorship apparently moved over to Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters, Presented by Alamo.

Ah. Thx. That was the version I rode then.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

At least we'll have something to look forward to in the 2020s!

 

[Jedi Stitch]

Thank you for this post. I really enjoyed it. I honestly did not know that DCA, only really looks like it does from the recent decade. 2018 was my first visit for DCA at the end of Pixar Fest.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Late August/early September 2016 - My first, and to this point, only visit to Disneyland.

I wept as I walked through the entrance tunnel - I was overwhelmed that I was actually walking in Walt's park. I was amazed by what I found. And I realized how the "blessing of size" in Florida has been turned into a curse. I wondered at some choices, like why the Astro Orbiter is stuck in the entrance to Tomorrowland. I lamented not being able to take a ride on the railroad, or experience the Haunted Mansion. We all loved the original PotC, and the Matterhorn. Loved the John Hench nod in the Space Mountain queue. Disappointed we didn't have enough time to see the Tiki Room. Proud of my wife for completing the Coast-to-Coast Challenge. I was impressed by DCA, but am not looking forward to seeing what they've done to Paradise Pier. RSR is still talked about within our family from time to time. I admit, at the time I was wow'ed by Paint the Night. I'd have to see it again to know if my opinion is the same.

I also found and took my permanent avatar photo. May Walt's spirit forever shine over Disneyland (despite the best efforts of the current management regime to ignore that old dead guy except when they need to trot him out to sell nostalgia and/or merchandise to the rubes).

I look forward to returning some day and seeing the changes.

 

[Figments Friend]

2013 was a rather mellow year, although the Resort set new attendance records on the back of all the new stuff added over at DCA.

Disneyland debuted it's new Fantasy Faire princess pavilion thing on the western flanks of Sleeping Beauty Castle. It replaced the original Carnation Plaza Gardens. It featured a small theater for stage shows, multiple meet-n-greet rooms, plus a gift shop and snack bar. Cuteness overload!

On the opposite side of Fantasyland, the new stage show Mickey & The Magical Map debuted.

Oh my gosh TP....this is such a great idea for a thread!
So timely, so good.....thank you for thinking of it!
Hope you had a GREAT time in the land of the swaying palm trees ( Hawaii, not Southern California...but i digress...)

2013 was a BIG year for me and the Disneyland Resort.
Although 2007 was my first ever visit to 'Uncle Walt's Park' and California as a whole entity, it was 2013 that mattered because i was taking a 'pilgrimage' on my own terms.
The previous visit was with a group, and you know how that can go sometimes....
So i HAD to come back and experience the place properly.

It was Tony Baxter's 'retirement' that year that motivated me to visit DIsneyland again in 2013.
And we all know what happened after that....
Saw the place from a completely different perspective and wider eyes.



I love this thread.
I LOVE DISNEYLAND !!


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[Figments Friend]

Hold up, Tarin & Elionwy actually existed at one point?!

Yes, as did Gurgi.
I've shared the one walkaround Gurgi photo i have before in another thread here some years ago.....



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[Figments Friend]

I'm not going anywhere unless an opportunity at Gap presents itself! ☺

But Bob, i thought you were slated in to be 'the other Bob' s replacement when he jumps out of the Company in his golden parachute and 'retires' from being CEO...?



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[Figments Friend]

There is no official home video release of EO. Closest was a production laserdisc that was on ebay, but that has never been captured. I'm a big fan of 3D and would love a 3D bluray release of this as well as Thriller 3D.

Somewhere i had read that a non-3D 'Captain EO' was released officially on home video ( VHS ) overseas in the UK and possibly other European territories in the late 80s / very early 90s.
It was never released officially here in the USA for obvious reasons, as Disney wanted people to visit the Parks to see it.
There may have been US licensing issues as well that kept it from being released here officially.


Unofficial copies ( non-3D formatted ) are easy to find 'out there'.
Most are universal and should work on any Dvd player.
I've had a nice copy for several years now, and enjoy watching it once in a while.
Not at all the same as seeing on the big screen at Disneyland, but a nice substitute for home viewing.

MTV aired the film in full in 1996, but it is the only time it was ever broadcast on tv.
A lot of bootleg copies were probably sourced from this broadcast.

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[brb1006]

Yes, as did Gurgi.
I've shared the one walkaround Gurgi photo i have before in another thread here some years ago.....



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If you're able to find that photo again in the future. Please let us know.

 

[Californian Elitist]

The firework show, “Magical,” ended this past decade in 2014. I thought it was a very well-done firework show and was easily my second favorite, after Remember. I miss it a lot, wish they’d bring it back.

I remember working one night and seeing the giant Dumbo puppet from the show hiding in a dark corner near the castle and nearly peeing myself from fear. It looked like a monster and I nearly screamed. Didn’t realize it was the puppet until a few seconds into staring at it.