AEfx said:
DCA is a bunch of cloned shows and off-the-shelf lightly themed rides - if that is what Disney wanted to bring to Orlando, I'd be the first one to say heck no, we don't need it.
AEfx
I usually find your posts very informative, and I tend to agree with most of them, but this one just doesn't seem right. I mean I don't know why DCA isn't very popular I find it interesting and I love the themeing, but then again I am a native Californian.
When I flew back to California for my July 17-20 Disneyland Resort visit I got to explore DCA a little more. I had only been there once before for 1-3 hours in the dark. Sure they have some cloned things just like WDW's Magic Kingdom has some cloned attractions from Disneyland. But what isn't cloned is awesome......I mean the Aladdin show is off the hook it looks like it belongs on Broadway and the sets and effects blow away any show in WDW. They have an ugly bug ball where kids can dance with Flik and his friends. They have a comedy act in their backlot that changes everyday, and a character design show in the same place later on. They have a history of California show called Golden Dreams, and a Brother bear show that I thought was alot more interesting than Pocohonta's show.
The only shows that are really cloned are Muppet Vision and Disney's Playhouse......and Turtle talk if you consider that a show........but even their Animation building looks better, and has a better feel and themeing to it. I mean you don't just stand at these monitors and push buttons and design your face or manipulate your voice, you are immersed in doing this in the Beast's Library or in Ursula's sea lair.
The new Block Party Bash parade is better designed then anything I have ever seen.....its great I just can't say that enough, people need to experience it. On top of that they have Disneyland's classic parade The Electrical Light Parade, which I remember from my childhood.
DCA also has tours of a tortilla factory, winery, and bread factory where they give you fresh products for free, something I have never seen in WDW, and which I found to be a nice side-trip.
Now we come to the rides, starting with Grizzly River Run which I am sorry to say but is longer and better thought out, and designed then Kali River Rapids. Now I am going to be disappointed everytime I ride that. The ferris wheel isn't your typical ferris wheel. The maliboomer has a nice twist on a straight drop ride, and the Mulholland ride is just a little better than the Dinorama time traveling outdoor mini coaster at DAK. A Bug's land (a whole land WDW doesn't have) is full of highly themed rides that I can't believe don't show up in WDW, I loved riding them with my kid. People who say DCA suffers from themeing should take a special look at this area.....I mean abandoned popsicle stick benches as a little touch. And the new Monster INC. ride looks like it is going to be awesome (at least the concept art at DL and the outside of the building look cool.) The only other cloned ride that I can think of at DCA, that being The Tower of Terror is better than WDW's. The Tower is more beautifully themed, and the inside the elevator pre-drop show is more intriguing, and it just personally grabs me more.
Basically I am just trying to say because it doesn't work in southern california, and becuase not that many people go to it down there doesn't mean it isn't great. Southern Californian's tend to be full of themselves (I am one I should know) we already feel like we know Cali's history and important facts, so why should we pay someone else to show us, besides if we are going to DL it is to see DL and all of the rides that correspond to the movies we grew up with.
But that is just my opinion on DCA.
