Was the 1.1 Billion Dollar DCA Overhaul enough?

MK-fan

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
With the news of 3 major rides coming to DCA, it’s finally looking like DCA will be more of a well-rounded park. The park has mainly rethemed and updated rides over the last 12 years which has been a bummer for sure.

The 2009-2012 Billion Dollar overhaul of the park gave DCA more of an identity and more aesthetically pleasing as well.

Here is a timeline of everything that was added to the park between 2009-2012:

2009: Mickey’s Fun Wheel
Rethemed Games of the Boardwalk

2010: World of Color Show
Silly Symphony Swings retheme
Hollywood Backlot and Paradise Pier receive aesthetic changes to fit the 1920’s period

2011: Ariel’s Undersea Adventure
Goofy’s Sky Skool
Paradise Gardens with New restaurants

2012: Radiator Springs
Buena Vista Street
Grizzly River Run gets aesthetic changes to fit the 1920’s period

In total, the park received the Racers E-Ticket, two C-Tickets (Little Mermaid and Flying Tires) and a B-Ticket (Junkyard Jamboree). The park came out more beautiful than ever but the ride roster was still severely lacking IMO.

It begs the question whether 1.1 Billion was enough money for the overhaul considering we only got one major ride out of it. It was rumored that we would get more in Phase 2 of the overhaul but that never happened.

What are you’re thoughts and opinions about the 2009-2012 major overhaul of the park and whether it was enough?
 

October82

Well-Known Member
The DCA redo was pretty clearly successful and about more than pure attraction count. It increased attendance and, more importantly, changed people’s perceptions of the park. DCA became a park with a nascent identity even if the execution was uneven.

It still wouldn’t compare from a thematic perspective to other second gates or the best offerings from Disney’s competitors, but it had a solid foundation that continued investment and expansion could build on. Ultimately, better use of the Bug’s Land area, Hollywoodland, and updates to Paradise Pier were still necessary to turn the park into a fully realized experience, but DCA in 2012 was already enough of a success to extend guest stays.

Unfortunately how Disney chose to execute those next steps has largely been to detriment of the park’s identity. DCA is a less coherent and more uneven park today than it was in 2012 despite further significant spending by the company. Like many, I’m not especially optimistic about its future - it has become a place for Disney to dump the IP du jour, with perhaps its saving grace being that it has protected Disneyland itself from losing much of its historical charm.
 
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Miru

Well-Known Member
The DCA redo was pretty clearly successful and about more than pure attraction count. It increased attendance and, more importantly, changed people’s perceptions of the park. DCA became a park with a nascent identity even if the execution was uneven.

It still wouldn’t compare from a thematic perspective to other second gates or the best offerings from Disney’s competitors, but it had a solid foundation that continued investment and expansion could build on. Ultimately, better use of the Bug’s Land area, Hollywoodland, and updates to Paradise Pier were still necessary to turn the park into a fully realized experience, but DCA in 2012 was already enough of a success to extend guest stays.

Unfortunately how Disney chose to execute those next steps has largely been to detriment of the park’s identity. DCA is a less coherent and more uneven park today than it was in 2012 despite further significant spending by the company. Like many, I’m not especially optimistic about its future - it has become a place for Disney to dump the IP du jour, with perhaps its saving grace being that it has protected Disneyland itself from losing much of its historical charm.
Exactly.
 

DLR92

Well-Known Member
I got to see snippets of DCA before the 1.2 billion dollar was about to initiate in the process.
Wow, was that park clearly cheap. I went back to Disneyland promptly with the park hopper.

The makeover was clearly needed. I went to visit DCa throughout the makeover process. It was fun by then. I think the park headed to right direction at that time. World of Color was a nice night show addition. I remember guest clearly went crazy to want to watch at night. DCA was before dead after night down.

I did wish their was extra money for Hollywoodland though.
 

Consumer

Well-Known Member
It was absolutely worth it. Between 2001 and 2010, I never went to DCA. Between 2011 and 2016, I went to DCA several times. Between 2017 and 2024, I've been to DCA once, and that was only because I was gifted a park hopper ticket.

The 2012 remodel was exactly what the park needed. It created a unified theme that perfectly complemented Disneyland. Since then, the park has regressed to a state worse than it was in 2001. Give me the "California" letters and the Mickey ears on California Screamin' over Mission Breakout any day.
 

Miru

Well-Known Member
It was absolutely worth it. Between 2001 and 2010, I never went to DCA. Between 2011 and 2016, I went to DCA several times. Between 2017 and 2024, I've been to DCA once, and that was only because I was gifted a park hopper ticket.

The 2012 remodel was exactly what the park needed. It created a unified theme that perfectly complemented Disneyland. Since then, the park has regressed to a state worse than it was in 2001. Give me the "California" letters and the Mickey ears on California Screamin' over Mission Breakout any day.
I’d argue it’s still marginally better than 2001… except for removing MV3D!
 

TheRealSkull

Well-Known Member
It was absolutely worth it. Between 2001 and 2010, I never went to DCA. Between 2011 and 2016, I went to DCA several times. Between 2017 and 2024, I've been to DCA once, and that was only because I was gifted a park hopper ticket.

The 2012 remodel was exactly what the park needed. It created a unified theme that perfectly complemented Disneyland. Since then, the park has regressed to a state worse than it was in 2001. Give me the "California" letters and the Mickey ears on California Screamin' over Mission Breakout any day.
Seemed like DCA's peak was 2015. When they completed Grizzly Peak Airfield, it truly felt just right.
 

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