Walt Disney Imagineering Blue Sky Cellar

[a2grafix]

No, Screamin' doesn't close for work until much later in 2009. And Mulholland Madness doesn't get tunred into Goofy's Sky School until late '09, reopening in Spring, 2010.

Well, that is terrific news. I thought that Disney would be closing certain sections of DCA the way I read into it.

Great news. Now I will be able to add California Screamin' and Mulholland Madness to my "done" roller coaster ride list (a very long list).

 

[Snapper Bean]

No, Screamin' doesn't close for work until much later in 2009. And Mulholland Madness doesn't get tunred into Goofy's Sky School until late '09, reopening in Spring, 2010.

I am headed to DLR mid-August 2009. I am figuring that they won't be doing any major refurbs during their busy summer schedule. Would you agree with that conclusion?

Snapper Bean

 

[TP2000]

Yes, that would be the safe bet.

And yet this DCA extreme makeover project is unprecedented in it scope. Disney has never done this before to an operating theme park, much less one that is only 7 years old. You never know how this thing will play out over the next three years now that it has started.

If I were you I would just go for the August vacation, but keeping checking online for developments to the construction calendar. That way, if there are things closed in August, you will know beforehand by May or June at the latest.

 

[Snapper Bean]

Yes, that would be the safe bet.

And yet this DCA extreme makeover project is unprecedented in it scope. Disney has never done this before to an operating theme park, much less one that is only 7 years old. You never know how this thing will play out over the next three years now that it has started.

If I were you I would just go for the August vacation, but keeping checking online for developments to the construction calendar. That way, if there are things closed in August, you will know beforehand by May or June at the latest.

Thanks and understood. The trip is booked for August at this point and even a major refurb wouldn't change that. However, I feel pretty confident that Screamin won't be taken down during the summer months when they need DCA to take attendance pressure of of DL. I appreciate your insight. I can't wait to get back to DLR.

 

[Hoop Raeb]

So I've been studying the maps and Google Earth until my eyes have gone crossed. Any ideas if they'll have to doze one of the buildings in Bug's Land to make an entrance to Cars Land? And I'm wondering if they'll take the entire parking lot behind DCA for Carsland. The lot looks huge and much bigger than what they have planned.

 

[CaesarBoxFan]

So I've been studying the maps and Google Earth until my eyes have gone crossed. Any ideas if they'll have to doze one of the buildings in Bug's Land to make an entrance to Cars Land? And I'm wondering if they'll take the entire parking lot behind DCA for Carsland. The lot looks huge and much bigger than what they have planned.

I don't think that they'll bulldoze part of Bug's Land. It'll most likely be the old Bountiful Valley Farm area west of BL.

Take a look at this pic from Screamscape:

http://www.screamscape.com/html/dca_-_general_0.htm

 

[Kristilovesdw]

So I've been studying the maps and Google Earth until my eyes have gone crossed. Any ideas if they'll have to doze one of the buildings in Bug's Land to make an entrance to Cars Land? And I'm wondering if they'll take the entire parking lot behind DCA for Carsland. The lot looks huge and much bigger than what they have planned.

I don't think that they'll bulldoze part of Bug's Land. It'll most likely be the old Bountiful Valley Farm area west of BL.

Take a look at this pic from Screamscape:

http://www.screamscape.com/html/dca_-_general_0.htm

Here is a quote from Disneygeeks about the entrance to Carsland:

An overview. You can see the entrance will be near the Wharf where there currently is a backstage gate (same gate that was used to reach the X-Games space when it was at DCA)

 

[CaesarBoxFan]

Right, so the Screamscape estimate looks just about right looking at the concept art.

Also to add: I think that Carsland just might take up all of the Timon Lot. It doesn't make sense that CL will split the lot in two and cut off the pay booths from the rest of the lot if you catch my drift.

 

[TP2000]

Right, so the Screamscape estimate looks just about right looking at the concept art.

Also to add: I think that Carsland just might take up all of the Timon Lot. It doesn't make sense that CL will split the lot in two and cut off the pay booths from the rest of the lot if you catch my drift.

The entire surface lot will likely be shut down by the time Cars Land opens. But the toll booths will be the last thing to go as DCA continues to expand into that lot in the 2010's and 2020's. The use that toll booth as a major access point for the Mickey & Friends parking structure a mile north, even on days they aren't parking cars in the Timon Lot. The entrance to Disneyland has been in the same spot on Harbor Blvd. for 53 years, and old habits die hard among locals here.

My parents who have been visiting Disneyland since the mid 50's still insist on pulling into the place off of the same entrance on Harbor Blvd. Then they pay at those toll booths, and are given a street map of how to exit the lot, turn right on Disneyland Drive, make a U Turn at Ball Road, and come back down from the north into the Mickey & Friends parking structure where their Harbor Blvd parking ticket will be honored for entry. Disneyland's parking department does this daily, and they just deal with it.

When that parking entrance off of Harbor Blvd. finally closes and those toll booths are finally shut down, there are tens of thousands of Southern Californians who will be totally confused. Some will probably even think Disneyland shut down and no longer operates, and they'll just turn around and go home. :lol:

But I'm kind of not joking. I imagine Disneyland management is dreading the day they'll finally have to shut down that Harbor entrance and the toll booths. They're going to lose some business from people that have been entering Disneyland that way for over half a century.

 

[CaesarBoxFan]

^^^^^

That's true. I never thought about that. So most likely the toll booths will stay as more and more of the lot is taken over by DCA expansion.

 

[Iknewagirlnamed]

The Cars Land expansion and E Ticket ride looks totally unprecedented in scale and scope!

http://www.laughingplace.com/Lotion-View-746.asp

As soon as I saw this I immediately hoped that they don't do a Cars over-lay of Test Track at Epcot!

 

[grunter]

To be perfectly honest, I'm still not convinced this makeover will "fix" California Adventure.

Why choose a second-tier Pixar property like "Cars" to anchor the most significant changes to the park?

If as much care and energy were put into making, say, a full-scale Halloweentown for a "Nightmare Before Christmas" themed area of the park, I'd be camping out right now to see the place. But "Cars?" That's just not a draw for me.

It's the same mistake they made with devoting too much space to the "Bug's Life" land. While I loved some of the theming touches in that part of the park, the audience for this proportionately too-huge area was skewed much too young. The "rides" - if you can call them as such - were such low capacity, dressed up fairground props that it could hardly be called an "attraction" in the Disney-style.

And I have a feeling that one of my favorite hidden gems of California Adventure will be bulldozed for the sake of the "upgrade." Namely, the "Brother Bear" playground and storytime fire pit currently located near Grizzly Run. It was a quiet little nature retreat that reminded me of the best aspects of Fort Wilderness and River Country from the late 70s to early 80s.

 

[CaesarBoxFan]

Using your argument, Song of the South shouldn't anchor Critter Country because it is such an obscure Disney movie. Yet we see hour long waits to ride SplM.

It doesn't matter if the tie in is Cars or Chicken Little or Bolt, if the ride is awesome, people will ride it.

EDIT: to Iknewagirlnamed: I don't think they'll overlay Test Track, WDI will most likely put a smaller version of Carsland into the Backlot Tour area in DHS to expand Pixar Place.