Has Disney's California Adventure changed it's image?

[DodgerGirl]

When Disney's California Adventure opened in 2001 it was originally a park devoted to California history and California itself with California themes presented in it. But if you look at DCA today or even visit it gone are the California oriented stuff and now it's become a Pixar/Marvel park very much different from the image it had when it opened in 2001. Is this because DCA wants to be more popular than Disneyland or are they are trying something new? I remember when I first went DCA had good attractions and good rides such as Who Wants To Be A Millionaire Play It Soaring Over California Superstar Limo MuppetVision 4D and the California oriented parade Eureka and Main Street Electrical Parade but if you go to DCA over half the park is devoted to Pixar with Pixar Pier and Avengers Campus takes up nearly the section where Hollywood Pictures Backlot is and the Condor Flats section too. And they had the sense to remodel the classic California Screaming ride and rename it Incredicoaster which tells me that DCA will change it's name from Disney's California Adventure to Pixar Place and Marvel World. Another thing that DCA promised was that it was gonna be oriented to teens and older kids and have less characters in it than Disneyland but you see characters like Flik from A Bug's Life The Incredibles Ian and Barley from Onward and Marvel characters and very few princesses and Mickey and Minnie and so it makes me surprised that DCA changing it's image

 

[vacay77]

I think Disney is trying to attract more out of state visitors. My family visited DCA when it first opened and there really wasn't much there. We spent a couple of hours in the park and most of the day at Disneyland Park. Don't get me wrong, I love the California theming, and I love it when Soarin' turns into its California version on special occasions, but I think they needed to do something to make it an all day theme park. I also think they've tried to keep the California theming to some degree, like the pier. Cars Land is a perfect example of trying to keep the western theme - it reminds me of my home state Arizona.

 

[StormyCA]

I think its focus has turned towards 'showcasing' IPs, with a strong focus on Marvel and Pixar.

 

[By-Tor and Snow Pup]

Something my son pointed out to me.... No one ever wears California Adventure t=shirts. After he made that observation to me I started looking and I've yet to see one. There are shirts that are Cars themed or Mosters Inc. themed, but I haven't seen one California Adventure shirt. Anyway, lots of great experiences to have in DCA.

 

[Malcon10t]

You see Mickey and Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, Donald, Chip and Dale in DCA daily. They are generally on Buena Vista St and Condor Flats. Princesses are fewer, but they are scene currently on Buena Vista also.

 

[HIRyeDVC]

It’s all about IPs and I don’t blame them. Kids love them and Disney has spent billions acquiring them. But I don’t agree that DCA will become more popular than DL. You can clearly see that by looking at park reservation availability.

 

[SteveH]

DCA did not go well at launch, if you brush up on the history they had to make changes... desperately. Superstar Limo was an abysmal flop and showed how Disney had cheapened themselves... as well as other reasons. The cheap carnival type rides only echoed the cheapness of that area. IMHO they've done a decent job salvaging a bad experiencing with the new rides and changes.

 

[DLRExpert]

You can tell how much DCA means to Disney by how many park anniversaries have they celebrated. That answer is ZERO.

 

[SteveH]

@DLRExpert Touché!

 

[bwvBound]

Something my son pointed out to me.... No one ever wears California Adventure t=shirts. After he made that observation to me I started looking and I've yet to see one. There are shirts that are Cars themed or Mosters Inc. themed, but I haven't seen one California Adventure shirt. Anyway, lots of great experiences to have in DCA.

I have a lightweight DCA pullover sweater that I've taken all around the world in various travels. The embroidered design features the Monorail crossing through Golden Gate Bridge with the Sun Wheel in the background. The poor sweater is in poor shape these days but I keep it as I love the iconic image!

 

[StageTek]

Is this because DCA wants to be more popular than Disneyland or are they are trying something new?

It's because Disney wanted DCA to be more popular than DCA. Not more popular than Disneyland. Just more popular than it was for the first 10 years.

Something my son pointed out to me.... No one ever wears California Adventure t=shirts.

In all these years I've never noticed that. I suspect they started with some DCA t-shirts but they didn't sell. I just did a quick look at eBay and didn't find any - lots of area shirts and a few ride shirts but no California Adventure shirts.

EDIT TO ADD:

I have a lightweight DCA pullover sweater that I've taken all around the world in various travels. The embroidered design features the Monorail crossing through Golden Gate Bridge with the Sun Wheel in the background. The poor sweater is in poor shape these days but I keep it as I love the iconic image!

I just found this shirt on eBay. It's beautiful. I was there opening day and wish I had purchased one.

 

[starlite_]

Before the IPs there was never a good reason to spend the day there tbh. If I wanted to go to a California Fair I would go to Del Mar (or whatever is it's name these days)... More intense rides and way cheaper. I think it took us 3 hrs to do everything we wanted the one time we park hopped before it started it's remodeling, so probably around 2005.

 

[Epicnemesis]

Launch DCA was a bit of a train wreck and is the perfect embodiment of the late stage Eisner era. There were a handful of cool attractions, and a few things that didn’t make much sense.

I’m okay with the introduction of themed lands even though the park is a bit hodgepodge as a result. Marvel, Car, and Pixar all deserve their own areas. (Pixar Pier is a lazy implementation though.)

 

[jordan13402]

Something my son pointed out to me.... No one ever wears California Adventure t=shirts. After he made that observation to me I started looking and I've yet to see one. There are shirts that are Cars themed or Mosters Inc. themed, but I haven't seen one California Adventure shirt. Anyway, lots of great experiences to have in DCA.

this is a great observation actually...you see DLR shirts everywhere in everyday life from folks going there for vacations...I've never seen a DCA shirt

 

[DLRExpert]

Original DCA needed some major help. DCA 2.0 (BVS, CL, PP, WOC) helped a lot.

They then wanted to push more IP, especially ones that they couldn't fit into Disneyland.
Frozen Musical (Aladdin was way better, but Frozen merch sells more), Guardians (have to push a new movie instead of launching with AC), Pixar Pier (have to fit a Toy Story type land somewhere at the DLR), Avengers Campus (glorified meet n greet with a barely passable new attraction).

I cannot help, but think they have been taking small steps backwards since 2.0. With Avengers Campus being the biggest step back. However, you can say this with most of the Disney Parks (not counting Tokyo) at the moment.

 

[DisneylandFan22]

I agree with many of the previous answers. DCA was built on the cheap and didn't go over well at all. People thought it was cheap, not enough attractions for the price, and not a good idea to theme the park after California when it is in California. Disney finally recognized this and started a major upgrade of the park. For example, theming Buena Vista Street after what Walt would have seen when he first arrived in California. I really like this touch since Disneyland is supposed to represent the Main Street he experienced as a boy.

 

[BrianL]

DCA is pretty great now, so I thik they picked the general right direction. I like it being more IP centric. I think they should have put Galazy's edge at it, but I know space constraints are tough. I am excited to be going back to it in a few short weeks!

 

[Kit Jackson]

I do wish they would bring back the original California themed Soarin'. I think it is far better than Soarin' Around the World. I am not someone who grew up going to Disneyland. I am not a local. This is not based on nostalgia for places that I have seen and lived. I have only been to Disneyland twice. On my second trip I got to see both versions of the ride and decides that I liked the California version far better.

I agree that the theming of California Adventure is no longer as coherent, but the rides have vastly improved. I love CarsLand and Midway Mania is one of my favorite rides.

 

[eMoneyBug]

you are spot on that there was a definite intentional change with this theme park, if anything they should change the name of the park from California Adventures to something else that reflects the direct it is now and is going towards the future.

 

[Epicnemesis]

I do wish they would bring back the original California themed Soarin'. I think it is far better than Soarin' Around the World. I am not someone who grew up going to Disneyland. I am not a local. This is not based on nostalgia for places that I have seen and lived. I have only been to Disneyland twice. On my second trip I got to see both versions of the ride and decides that I liked the California version far better.

I agree that the theming of California Adventure is no longer as coherent, but the rides have vastly improved. I love CarsLand and Midway Mania is one of my favorite rides.

Agreed, especially since it’s called CALIFORNIA adventure, and as mentioned, there isn’t a whole bunch going on in the park that is about California at this point.

World makes so much sense in Epcot with the world showcase. Doesn’t make sense inDCA.