Good by CALIFORNIA, and Golden Gate.

[abelambriz]

going to have to stop bye and say goodbuy letters

 

[momrek06]

Ohhhh, while I will miss the letters and the bridge, I love change. Didn't the article/blog say that DL wanted to make it look like the park was when Walt was here?

No worries about DHS, they copied DL before DL actually did the remodel to DCA!!!!!

 

[dmked]

I love the letters! We always take a picture by the A

 

[Janell]

I too am not a fan of DHS knock off. I know why they do it, its cheaper to build something that is already designed and they have the construction drawings and details for. Sure they have to adapt them to DCA site, so they may not be exactly the same. But close enough so there isn't a full re-design.

I find it sad that all the parks are going to look like each other. Its like merchandising, they have the same things everywhere. Its cheaper for them and it has taken away the unique of the different parks.

 

[ter-moo]

I like the letters...they could at least keep them but spell some other word...
Well, the new entrance BETTER BE GOOD!!

Another word like what?

FAIL OR I CAN ?

OF CRANIAL I ?

OIL CAN FAIR ?

FAR IN A COIL ?



I think we have a new game here!!!!!

On another note, I must say that I think the new themeing will be a bit more able to stand the test of time. I always found it odd to have a park dedicated to all the sights of California, while IN THE STATE ITSELF where you could go see the REAL THING!!! And though I liked the letters, the mosaics, etc., always looked a bit cheesy to me--almost like a high school theater backdrop. I was surprised to see them up close and see that they were actually mosaic and took quite a bit of work to produce. The overall effect was not as beautiful as the work that went into creating them.

The new idea will be more historic: i.e. what CA looked like when Walt first came to town. It will serve the same nostalgic purpose as Main St. USA does, but more in keeping with the whole CA/movie/Walt's history theme. I'm looking forward to it!!!

 

[CADisneyMom]

I was just there this past week with my aunt who didn't know that they were getting rid of the GGB and the letters. I hate to see the letters go, and I forgot to buy one of the postcards that shows it perfectly, so I might have to have my daughter take a picture next weekend when she's there so that I have it. I really want her with the C for her name. Hopefully she can get the postcard for me.

If anyone has a good picture of the front of DCA, either the original - candy cane - or WoC, I would love to get a copy of it, you can PM me with the pic.

 

[DoomBugger]

I always found it odd to have a park dedicated to all the sights of California, while IN THE STATE ITSELF where you could go see the REAL THING!!!

Wouldn't it be even weirder to have a California-based theme park in another state other than California? California is a huge, huge swath of real estate and unless you are spending extended time in CA and traveling hundreds of miles you really can't just see it. This is one of the reasons why they used CA as a theme; people can't and won't see everything while visiting CA with their children and there is no other reasonable place to do it. I don't envision a CA themed park being erected in South Carolina or Wyoming, that would be weird.

There is a lot of difference in culture and distance between the Hollywood studios, San Francisco and the redwood forests of the top of the state... and most non residents won't ever see all regions, especially in a single day. Remember, it's for kids!

I always liked the California theming and felt they didn't do enough to capture the Golden State... but I look forward to the new California Adventure additions both long and short term.

 

[FlameGirl]

I'm sad to see the letters go, because every year we would take a photo of my daughter in front of the N and it's been fun to look back through the years of photos and compare how she's grown.

Bye letters.

 

[JH87]

The blog posting did say they were keeping the letters to possibly use in the future...maybe at some other location within DCA?
I don't know where, but i agree with those of you who are saying they shouldn't remove such a popular spot where everyone takes photos...
I haven't seen DHS so I don't know how it's being copied, and I like the remodel

 

[ter-moo]

Wouldn't it be even weirder to have a California-based theme park in another state other than California? California is a huge, huge swath of real estate and unless you are spending extended time in CA and traveling hundreds of miles you really can't just see it. This is one of the reasons why they used CA as a theme; people can't and won't see everything while visiting CA with their children and there is no other reasonable place to do it. I don't envision a CA themed park being erected in South Carolina or Wyoming, that would be weird.

There is a lot of difference in culture and distance between the Hollywood studios, San Francisco and the redwood forests of the top of the state... and most non residents won't ever see all regions, especially in a single day. Remember, it's for kids!

I always liked the California theming and felt they didn't do enough to capture the Golden State... but I look forward to the new California Adventure additions both long and short term.

I agree that a CA themed park would be weird in another state, but I think the idea of themeing it to a time period that you CAN'T see anymore is a little more logical. I understand that CA is a huge state, but you really can see most of the things depicted in the park in a few days. It's only a 6-7 hour drive from Anaheim up to San Francisco, for instance. I just figured that if you were taking a vacation to CA from somewhere else, you'd see more than just Disneyland--and possibly could see many of the sites that the park conveyed. Most of the park's CA landmarks aren't interactive, either (like, for instance, Epcot's World Showcase) so it always seemed just slightly odd, IMHO.

 

[DoomBugger]

I agree that a CA themed park would be weird in another state, but I think the idea of themeing it to a time period that you CAN'T see anymore is a little more logical. I understand that CA is a huge state, but you really can see most of the things depicted in the park in a few days. It's only a 6-7 hour drive from Anaheim up to San Francisco, for instance. I just figured that if you were taking a vacation to CA from somewhere else, you'd see more than just Disneyland--and possibly could see many of the sites that the park conveyed. Most of the park's CA landmarks aren't interactive, either (like, for instance, Epcot's World Showcase) so it always seemed just slightly odd, IMHO.

Ya the original idea for the DL parking lot in Anaheim was an Epcot "West" but that fell out of favor and the California theme came to fruition. I always felt like they didn't do enough with the California theme but a different time period would have been cool, as really with the original Disneyland park you really do travel through time... and that is part of it's charm.

I do enjoy Epcot and all the parks in FL but I think ultimately it was good that they decided to do a park in Anaheim next to Disneyland Park that wasn't simply a remake of a previously created park, even if in many ways California Adventure is essentially a combination of elements of the Walt Disneyworld Parks. I see it as a generic platform with a California inspired background theme.

As the park continues to add good, memorable attractions like Tower of Terror and Toy Story Mania it won't matter what the theme is! It will just be a really good Disney park, next to the greatest park of them all! Also I do think as the park ages it will also fill out in the landscaping and foliage departments, as after 55 years Disneyland Park has filled out wonderfully with all kinds plant life, one of my favorite things about "Walt's" park.

 

[lapdwife]

The last of the mural was coming down when we left the CM party at 1 this morning. It's a bad shot, but I had to get the last glimpse.

 

[skiingfast]

The last of the mural was coming down when we left the CM party at 1 this morning. It's a bad shot, but I had to get the last glimpse.

That's cool that you got it in action.

 

[iheartdisney]

i will miss the letters, and i am also in the camp that HATES the artwork for the new entrance. It doesn't get more generic.
I am also mourning the "giant hubcap fountain"- physically it is still there, but its been blocked for the longest time. Many of our first trips, my two toddlers would try to chase the water at is moved from one end to another.
One last thing that I haven't seen addressed... is anything happening to Bug's Land? It is the awesomest theming, but where does it fit in to the new "Walt's California" theme?