DCA 1.0 Memories

[OlliePop27]

I thought it would be fun to start a new POSITIVE thread about good memories of days gone by at DLR.

DCA 1.0 (circa 2001) certainly left much to be desired. I have good memories from May of the opening year viewing it as my amazing Disneyland PLUS a few cool new rides. Grizzly Run, Soarin' Over California, and California Screamin'. Those rides were so cool back then, and still are now. Back then you could really see Grizzly Peak before the trees grew in.

I remember the Whoopi Goldberg show in the Palace of Fine Arts building. I thought the Orange Stinger was a cool visual. I also feel lucky to have ridden possibly the worst Disney ride ever - Superstar Limo. I still think of it every time I ride Monsters Inc!

I much prefer DCA 2.0 and I'm excited about the upcoming additions, but it's fun to think about what was.

Do you have any great memories of DCA 1.0?

 

[LKing]

I attended a really interesting panel at D23 with Bob Weis. He was involved in the design of Tokyo and Shangai, but was also involved in DCA 2.0, including Cars Land. His story, which starts with him selling popcorn at the parks, is really entertaining. His book was sold out at D23, but I plan on buying it when it is released next week. Dream Chasing

Also at D23 was this beauty. It pre-dates DCA 1.0. Who else remembers riding it?

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

I'm actually the rare person who loved DCA 1.0! I still miss the Golden Gate Bridge and hearing "California Dreaming'" as we walk into the park. I loved the boardwalk area and miss Maliboomer I get why they felt the need to up the theming, but I do miss the more traditional boardwalk feel without all the characters (Mulholland Madness, Orange Stinger, etc.). I also loved that Whoopie Goldberg film. I've tried to find it online in the past and couldn't. Would love to watch it again. Fun thread!

 

[OlliePop27]

I'm actually the rare person who loved DCA 1.0! I still miss the Golden Gate Bridge and hearing "California Dreaming'" as we walk into the park. I loved the boardwalk area and miss Maliboomer I get why they felt the need to up the theming, but I do miss the more traditional boardwalk feel without all the characters (Mulholland Madness, Orange Stinger, etc.). I also loved that Whoopie Goldberg film. I've tried to find it online in the past and couldn't. Would love to watch it again. Fun thread!

I liked the Beach Boys songs!

 

[Lumpy1106]

I was there. DW and I went very early on, on a rainy day. Both California Screamin' and Mulholland Madness were closed. People were lined up demanding refunds. Good memories? Hmmm... I was in good company, does that count? We had a good time.

Two very positive things are still there - Grizzly River Rapids and the Original Soarin' Over CA. Both are practically unchanged today.

SSL was every bit as bad as the reports have said.

Bountiful Valley Farm was where Carsland and Avengers Campus is now. When the kids were very little we'd take them there on hot days and let them play in the water. We'd actually take them off to the side and change them into swimsuits. I can see the Disney purists cringing just from the suggestion of doing that, but the kids had a blast.

If you get a chance, do go and experience the Animation Courtyard in DCA - that was original to the park and really well done. Unfortunately it's also slated for removal in the next Avengers Campus expansion.

Tough to be a Bug and Muppetvision 3-D were both part of the original park - both now gone. Muppetvison had a massive queue area than never got used. That kindof tells you what the Imagineers expected if that was to have a massive line.

 

[Kit Jackson]

The first time I went it was DCA 2.0. However, one of my trips was during the California Food and Wine festival so I got to experience the California version of Soarin' which I will say is vastly superior in every way to the global/world version of the ride.

 

[StarlitNight05]

I LOVED DCA 1.0! The Mickey on California Screamin was awesome (miss it), but I suppose the sustitute of having Mickey on the Fun Wheel was a good compromise. That sun face was sort of strange!

Bugsland was so cute. I loved all the plants and the entire atmosphere! Now it feels like a giant concrete and asphalt lot with Avengers Campus (sorry, Avengers Campus fans).

I also miss hearing Beach Boys songs on the pier, and seeing the California letters and Golden Gate leading up to the entrance. At least I can still go visit the letters whenever I make it over to Cal Expo (I live in Sacramento).

Funny side story, I was just at a local consignment store, and they had tons of fake TVs with DCA 1.0 at night (see below). I guess they were used for furniture displays? I totally wanted to snag one since they were only $10, but then DH was asking me what I would do with it, and I didn't have a good answer. Maybe I can take the stand part off and hang it on a wall?

 

[Lumpy1106]

Bugsland was so cute. I loved all the plants and the entire atmosphere! Now it feels like a giant concrete and asphalt lot with Avengers Campus (sorry, Avengers Campus fans).

Bugsland came later, but no matter - I fully agree. Bugsland was what Toy Story Land in DHS should look like. Not a fan of Avenger Campus. It's theming the way Six Flags would theme, WELL below Disney standards!

 

[Lumpy1106]

I just remembered the tortilla factory. This was where Ghirardelli is now. You could get a fresh tortilla, then head across the way and get some sourdough bread. This area smelled great.
https://yesterland.com/tortilla.html

 

[OlliePop27]

I LOVED DCA 1.0! The Mickey on California Screamin was awesome (miss it), but I suppose the sustitute of having Mickey on the Fun Wheel was a good compromise. That sun face was sort of strange!

Bugsland was so cute. I loved all the plants and the entire atmosphere! Now it feels like a giant concrete and asphalt lot with Avengers Campus (sorry, Avengers Campus fans).

I also miss hearing Beach Boys songs on the pier, and seeing the California letters and Golden Gate leading up to the entrance. At least I can still go visit the letters whenever I make it over to Cal Expo (I live in Sacramento).

Funny side story, I was just at a local consignment store, and they had tons of fake TVs with DCA 1.0 at night (see below). I guess they were used for furniture displays? I totally wanted to snag one since they were only $10, but then DH was asking me what I would do with it, and I didn't have a good answer. Maybe I can take the stand part off and hang it on a wall?
View attachment 896613

That pic is amazing. I wonder how many people have no idea it's an old DL photo and just a random boardwalk scene!

I still have an old Disneyland Resort shirt from 2001. It has the Disney cursive D saying Disneyland Resort, with the castle and Grizzly Peak, and the monorail going around it. It was the original resort logo before they changed things.

 

[HyperspaceMountainPilot]

I'm actually the rare person who loved DCA 1.0! I still miss the Golden Gate Bridge and hearing "California Dreaming'" as we walk into the park. I loved the boardwalk area and miss Maliboomer I get why they felt the need to up the theming, but I do miss the more traditional boardwalk feel without all the characters (Mulholland Madness, Orange Stinger, etc.). I also loved that Whoopie Goldberg film. I've tried to find it online in the past and couldn't. Would love to watch it again. Fun thread!

You are not alone! Probably not a coincidence that you are also a California native... there were a number of "inside jokes" that might not be as clever if you weren't already familiar with various parts of the state. My very favorite was Mulholland Madness, because of it's nod to the occasionally terrifying curves of its namesake. I also loved the California boardwalk ambiance and music. I miss the tortilla factory and even Seasons of the Vine, lol. Mostly I think I miss that for much of the opening year lines were really short everywhere!

 

[Pluto468]

We used to park in Mickey and Friends and ride the tram to Disneyland. There would always be announcements about the new park coming soon, and the new hotel based on the California arts and crafts movement. It was SO exciting when we could finally go into DCA.

The day it opened I thought it was pretty cool. I loved the boardwalk games and still have a plush flower I won that day! We went on Grizzly River Run and got soaked.

I loved the look of the boardwalk and California Screamin and ferris wheel.

Soarin was so amazing and a real favorite.

King Triton's carousel was so unique and I loved that ride.

This wasn't at opening, but one of my favorite things they did at DCA was having soap opera stars there. I met alot of my favorites
I also really liked the High school musical show they put on, and seeing Aladdin was amazing.

 

[Pluto468]

My very favorite was Mulholland Madness, because of it's nod to the occasionally terrifying curves of its namesake.

Having been on the real Mulholland Drive enough, I didn't even need the roller coaster lol.

 

[pennym]

I loved Bugs Land. I know it's not 1.0, but walking in past all those wildflowers and seeing the little area from the movie was awesome. The 3D show cave was incredible theming, and I loved the planting and the coolness of the area. Now it's a soulless, hot concrete jungle that I walk straight through as fast a possible. What a disappointment.

 

[Meriweather]

I miss the Golden Gate Bridge.

Also miss Bug's Land

 

[ter-moo]

I always thought the themeing was a little off--why would you want to see a smallish "version" of California when you were actually IN California and could see the REAL thing?! But, I did love the park and its atmosphere--particularly the Boardwalk area as others have mentioned. I also liked the big CALIFORNIA letters in the plaza.

I think the re-do was brilliant, however, and I love the feel of walking into Walt's California as it was when he first arrived. Having a cohesive Main Street and Hollywood area really helped to nail down a better theme. I hope with all the new changes being planned that they don't do away with that. (The fact that they are getting rid of the trolley makes me a little nervous...) I'm not crazy about the re-do of CA Screamin', since the added tunnels take away some of the fantastic views it once had. And I miss Neil Patrick Harris' voice...

What else do I miss most about the original? My kids (even as teens!) and I LOVED Ursula's Grotto inside the Animation Building where you could put your voice into a cartoon scene. I can't tell you how many fun hours we spent in there! The rotating Toy Story animation machine thingie (not sure what to call it) that was in the lobby area was really cool too. It was too bad that they took so much out of that building.

Even with all the changes, the Animation Building is such a treasure and so magical. I love just sitting on the comfy couches in the big lobby area and watching all the movie magic around me, while little kids chase the projections around on the floor. It's relaxing, immersive, lovely, COOL (on hot days) and just a perfect place for a little downtime. If they ever take it away, I will be furious.

 

[LKing]

A cast member recently told us that this tree was part of the original Bugs Land.

 

[LAS2AMS]

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[LKing]

I thought there was something about wanting to cater to international tourists from Asia who wanted an all inclusive experience and were willing to pay for it. If they created a postcard of California, tourists wouldn't feel the need to travel to other places. If I recall correctly, they also felt that the Asian market would spend more money on high end dining and shows.

It has been many years so I could be completely off with this. Does any other local remember something similar?

 

[LAS2AMS]

I thought there was something about wanting to cater to international tourists from Asia who wanted an all inclusive experience and were willing to pay for it. If they created a postcard of California, tourists wouldn't feel the need to travel to other places. If I recall correctly, they also felt that the Asian market would spend more money on high end dining and shows.

It has been many years so I could be completely off with this. Does any other local remember something similar?

I hadn’t heard this before but it seems reasonable. I saw a program once in which the lead Imagineers claimed they settled on California as they wanted a mature theme but had a very limited budget - the scope of which was limited due to heavy opposition from local residents. Kinda wild to go from the WestCot concept to California Adventure.

The park was initially targeted toward adults (not to be confused with “Disney Adults”) and not children, which probably limited the IP that went into it. That by itself would’ve made theming challenging. Of course, most of what was built at WDW those days had limited IP anyway.