If you’ve read this blog, or my writings at LaughingPlace.com, for any length of time then you know that I have been critical of the weak effort Disney put forth to build a second gate to compliment the original theme park, and the only Disney… Read More »Hopeful thoughts about California Adventure Re-envisioning
From “Mad T Party” to the “Red Car News Boys,” a new lineup of characters and shows will offer something for everyone as they celebrate the grand re-opening of the California Adventure with the new Cars Land, Buena Vista Street and Carthay Circle Theatre, featuring a restaurant and lounge.
The new lands will be home for new characters and street performers, while “Pixar Play Parade” will return for twice-daily performances throughout the summer and the long-running hit “Disney’s Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular” is expected to add extra performances. The nighttime spectacular “World of Color” continues to satisfy guests with fire, water, lasers, animation and new story elements.
Read More »Disney California Adventure Adds New Entertainment to Fuel Cars Land & Buena Vista Street
When Pixar needed an artist to create authentic pin-striped styling for its ‘Car Artist’ Ramone in the movie Cars, they called on the best car artist in our world, Chip Foose. With Cars Land set to open at Disney California Adventure it only makes sens… Read More »Chip Foose adds Pin-Striped Touch to Ramone’s House of Body Art in Cars Land
What? You didn’t expect Disneyland not to try and capitalize on the billion dollar re-envisioning to its second gate. Here’s a new ad, named ‘Top Secret’, for Cars Land. With all that neon, Cars Land will certainly look incredible at night and really capture that… Read More »Disneyland releases Cars Land Commercial, it’s ‘Top Secret’
Can you believe it! We are just a little over 5 weeks away from the moment every Disney fan has been waiting for since 2008…the redo of Disney California Adventure will finally be completed! So, the OBVIOUS thing to do is move on to Part 4 of my DCA History Lesson! We have covered, so far, Sunshine Plaza, Golden Dreams, and Superstar Limo. This entry will be a lengthy one, since we are covering ALL of the past restaurants that have graced the face of the park. From quick service to sit-down, expensive to cheap, we are covering them all! Let’s get started then! Grab a tray, place an order, and let’s travel back in time!
Let’s start off with the Quick Service locations around the park. They all tried to be unique and themed, though they were just QS places, but sometimes…the theme just didn’t work. “Pizza Oom Mow Mow” and “Burger Invasion” were 2 of those locations. The former was a a mish mash of two connected beach cottages (with a variety of pizza choices). You ate in, what seemed to be, outside of a garage door adorned with airbrush art that they put on shirts when you go to the beach. One of the problems facing this was that there was NO BACKSTORY! With such an awkwardly designed place and no story of how it got there, it was just known as “That ugly restaurant by the Orange Stinger”. It opened in Feb. of 2001 and closed in Sept. of 2010.
Right beside the glory that is “Pizza Oom Mow Mow” (btw, what a terrible pun!) was “Burger Invasion”. This spaceship/hamburger crossover was one of the many McDonald’s locations across the domestic Disney theme parks. This one, though, had no inside seating and no coverings…which is a deal breaker for most people. The McDonald’s contract expired in 2007, but the Mickey D’s fast food joint stayed around until Sept. of 2008. After it closed, it stayed closed…for 2 years. Eventually this, “Pizza Oom Mow Mow” and the S.S. Rustworthy (look for that in an upcoming blog!) were demolished and were replaced by the beautiful and delicious “Paradise Garden Grill” and “Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta”
It is part three of my DCA History Lesson! Every week I will be bringing you a look back at something from DCA’s past, leading up to the June 15th grand re-opening of the park. So come along as we take a stroll through the past and remembering how great it was!
Today, we are heading over to the “San Francisco” area of the park (if you could call that an area) and reliving “Golden Dreams.” The exterior of the theater was a replica of Bernard Maybeck’s Palace of Fine Arts located in the real San Francisco. This 25 minute film took you through the history of California and the dreams the land created. Led by Califia, the Queen of California, played by Unofficial DCA Mascot Whoopi Goldberg, we traveled through the years and realized all the dreams that could stem from one state.
This opening day attraction was highly regarded…for what it was, a movie. It never got Soarin’ style ratings, but it was still very good. Disney tried to add their trademark emotion into the film, which they did with great success. Whoopi playing Califia was a great choice as a narrator and shed some nice humor into the film. Favorite line? When the MGM namesake is looking at ‘The Wizard of Oz” costume designers choice of silver slippers, Califia walks quickly behind Mr.MGM and says “Silver is nice, Ruby is better.” While it showed a huge span of time, it never came off as dull history lesson. They brought life into a film that had the chance to be extremely bland.
Everything I hear about Cars Land and Radiator Springs at California Adventure has me excited to witness the level of detail that went into creating the look and feel of the movie. For instance, did you know 779 new trees have been planted in Disney… Read More »Cars Land Horticulture Makes the Scene
Editor, this is the second post in a series on DCA History as it prepares to re-make itself effective June 15th.
This article is going to be BIG! Bigger than Madonna! Bigger than Leonardo…well maybe not that big. Yes, you guessed it, we are heading back to LAX to relive what is regarded by some as the worst Disney theme park attraction of all time…I know, harsh. So let us look back, grab a map to Drew Carey’s house, and climb aboard as we head to our own premiere as we remember…”Superstar Limo.”
The premise was relatively simple. You were the “Latest and Greatest” thing to come to California and your premiere of your new movie was showing at the Chinese Theater that day. To get there, you had to travel in your “Superstar Limo” through all of California’s celeb hotspots and see some of “Hollywood’s Best” on your journey. Your Hollywood Agent would repeatedly check up on you via a small screen in the limo with you. When he wasn’t there, an invisible announcer became your tour guide through Rodeo Drive, Bel-Air, Malibu and beyond. After encountering Regis Philbin, an awkwardly placed Madame Leota reference and multiple “directors and screenwriters” you finally make it to your premiere and meet the Unofficial Star of DCA, “Hollywood Favorite,” Whoopi Goldberg.