DCA 1.0 Memories

[cruisehopeful]

I think I'll always miss the garden area and Bug's Land. I get wanting to reach more people by adding Marvel and Disney is all about the profit. I'm always a little bit sad when I walk by where I used to go to It's Tough to be a Big.

 

[Tinkaboo]

I do miss Bugs Land but it was all kiddy rides and while aesthetically appealing, wasn’t much I could do there. I LOVE Avengers Campus and it has brought me more joy than Bugs Land ever could. I miss TOT but since i can’t ride it anymore anyway, Guardians fits within the campus.

But this thread more than brings home the whole idea that yes, CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE was once all about Cali. We’ve lost so much of that…I def think a new updated name is needed, though Disney would probably come up with something lame. I’ll just call it “theme park formerly known as parking lot”…..

 

[Princess351]

Such a fun thread! We went a few years after it opened, but I remember the Golden Gate bridge, and those giant "California" letters out front. I do miss those. I refused to ride the Maliboomer, so I can't say I'm sad it's gone. . I have heard about "Superstar Limo"... actually wish I could have experienced THAT!

 

[starry_solo]

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

Oh yeah, the tortilla factory, and if it was your birthday, they’d give you half-a-dozen tortillas in a bag for free!

 

[LAS2AMS]

You know Supestar Limo was bad when they closed it in less than a year and left it sitting for years… despite being the only dark ride, in a park that had few attractions at the time. The attraction is still there - the Monsters Inc ride is a low-cost make over.

The ride rarely had anybody waiting - usually just walked right on - which made it good to cool off in the warmer months in 2001.

 

[OlliePop27]

Does anyone remember the short lived Luminaria or when they brought back MSEP but to DCA?

The last time we saw the Blue Fairy lead float if my memory serves me corrrectly.

 

[Iceman93]

You know Supestar Limo was bad when they closed it in less than a year and left it sitting for years… despite being the only dark ride, in a park that had few attractions at the time. The attraction is still there - the Monsters Inc ride is a low-cost make over.

I actually liked SSL, but it was one of those "so bad it's good" kind of things (like people who say pugs are cute... yeah, so ugly they're cute).

But I think Imagineering did an AMAZING job when they turned it into Monsters, Inc. Yes, it was a low-cost make over, but if you didn't know that you'd think it's just a great dark ride in the classic Disney tradition. I'll be sad when it eventually goes away to make space for some new IP.

 

[amyg1975]

We ate at the soap opera cafe (no clue what the name was) and we thought it was so fun!

 

[Lumpy1106]

We ate at the soap opera cafe (no clue what the name was) and we thought it was so fun!

I wish they'd bring that to DHS. That would be such a perfect fit. maybe, dare I say it, they replace the Drive-In Diner? We ate there once and left pretty unimpressed.

 

[longboard55]

If this is includes the Disneyland hotel so many great memories. How about the Monorail bar where all the dads would drop in for a quick couple drinks. Or Neon Cactus which was a fun little dance place. Or how about those epic Mothers Day Brunches in the Ballroom.

 

[LKing]

If this is includes the Disneyland hotel so many great memories. How about the Monorail bar where all the dads would drop in for a quick couple drinks. Or Neon Cactus which was a fun little dance place. Or how about those epic Mothers Day Brunches in the Ballroom.

I remember going to the DLH evening water show in the 70s. I think we used to stay in the Bonita Tower.

 

[LAS2AMS]

I wish they'd bring that to DHS. That would be such a perfect fit. maybe, dare I say it, they replace the Drive-In Diner? We ate there once and left pretty unimpressed.

You’re at least 15 years late. There’s only a few soaps still airing and only one on ABC. The average viewer age is nearly 70…

 

[LKing]

Meanwhile, CBS just announced a new daytime soap opera, Beyond the Gates.

https://www.today.com/popculture/tv/beyond-the-gates-cast-soap-opera-cbs-rcna171802

 

[LAS2AMS]

Meanwhile, CBS just announced a new daytime soap opera, Beyond the Gates.

https://www.today.com/popculture/tv/beyond-the-gates-cast-soap-opera-cbs-rcna171802

Surprise! At least we got the Little Mermaid dark ride attraction. DCA could’ve recycled the footage from the movie previously shown there (featuring Whoppie) and rethemed it into a The View photo opportunity spot.

 

[LilyJC]

We definitely miss the Maliboomer - it was our favorite! And I really loved California Screamin. The Red Hot Chili Peppers “overlay” (?) was so fun! I absolutely despise Incredicoaster at this point and basically refuse to go on it - can’t stand “Jackjack” being yelled in my ears

 

[Lumpy1106]

You’re at least 15 years late. There’s only a few soaps still airing and only one on ABC. The average viewer age is nearly 70…

I don't think you have to be a hard-core soap-watcher to appreciate the live theater taking place around you as you eat.

Sorry to say we did not eat at Soap Opera Bistro in the short time it was open - so maybe it wasn't that great? Still, something like that would be a big plus in DHS. DL has a much more local crowd so the sit-down places tend not to do as well as they do in WDW. Then again, maybe it just hit a little close to home;

I would eat here every trip

 

[LAS2AMS]

I don't think you have to be a hard-core soap-watcher to appreciate the live theater taking place around you as you eat.

Sorry to say we did not eat at Soap Opera Bistro in the short time it was open - so maybe it wasn't that great? Still, something like that would be a big plus in DHS. DL has a much more local crowd so the sit-down places tend not to do as well as they do in WDW. Then again, maybe it just hit a little close to home;

I would eat here every trip

I wouldn’t mind DCA brought it back. I’d also be down for bringing (back, from the now-DHS) SuperStar Television into the vacant Hyperion Theater and reliving the General Hospital scene .

But Disney could, and should, create an interactive dining environment based on something more modern. Given their huge catalog, that shouldn’t be difficult. Of course, they seem to be disinterested in live entertainment thee days. Remember that Pixar Fest was suppose to last all summer long but ended before school out.

In fairness, Disney isn’t alone. Knott’s has pretty much ended all live entertainment for similar reasons.

 

[LKing]

Remember that Pixar Fest was suppose to last all summer long but ended before school out.

Pixar Fest was supposed to run from April 26 - August 4. To my knowledge, everything ran that entire time (ie. food, parade, Fantasyland theater show) with the exception of Club Pixar Dance Party which was cancelled on June 2.

 

[DizMe]

I never got to DCA 1.0 in the very beginning. I had a baby in June of 2000 and twins in early 2003 so I just didn't get down there until a few years later, but I loved a lot of what you guys have mentioned. I didn't experience some of the earliest things but I loved DCA back in the earlier days.

I'm very much enjoying this thread!

 

[LAS2AMS]

Pixar Fest was supposed to run from April 26 - August 4. To my knowledge, everything ran that entire time (ie. food, parade, Fantasyland theater show) with the exception of Club Pixar Dance Party which was cancelled on June 2.

That was the headliner . Sources had indicated the show would be cut as a result of the cast member entertainers unionizing… although the Register claimed it was cut because kids and parents alike thought it was boring. But if that had really been the case, Disney could’ve tweaked it…

The various billboards Disney has long term agreements with started advertising Pixar Fest very early this year… but by early June, they changed to the Coco event.