NEW DCA Letters are up

[Dizneydaz]

Don't know if this has already been posted but we went for a few hours yesterday and saw this

Looks pretty cool-though it does make me think I'm in Florida (at DHS)

 

[Sherry E]

Ahhhhh....but see, if you had ever been to the old Pan Pacific Auditorium when it existed, you wouldn't think of Florida!

I think of my childhood when I see that new DCA entrance! It really brings back memories for me! The old PPA used to be across the street from where my grandmother lived, and on Saturdays she would walk me over there for rummage sales or movies or ice shows - all kinds of things! (Part of the movie "Xanadu" features the exterior of the old Pan Pacific Auditorium, in fact.)

So we SoCal people actually had that specific architectural marquee design (though not at a Disney park) way, way, waaaaaaaay before Florida ever got hold of it! It is a part of Southern California - and today, all that is left in that spot that is even reminiscent of the PPA is Pan Pacific Park, which is right next to The Grove and Farmers Market.

Thanks so much for posting these photos, Dizneydaz - I now must share them with my friends who also grew up with Pan Pacific Auditorium!

 

[skiingfast]

Thanks for posting. I heard they were up and it's nice to see pictures.

Nothing will really rival the CALIFORNIA letters, but should this? They wouldn't fit with the new gate design anyway.

 

[MyYearWithTheMouse]

I believe the one at WDW is supposed to be a reproduction of the original in Los Angeles, to set the "Hollywood" mood at Disney's Hollywood Studios. I could be wrong though.

 

[disneydreamer74]

Looks great!! Has anyone heard when they are expected to be finished with the front entrance? I like the direction Disney is going with the new theme!!

 

[Mexikolla]

I was JUST thinking about this today! I miss the old letters but I have to admit the new letters are nice too

Looks great!! Has anyone heard when they are expected to be finished with the front entrance? I like the direction Disney is going with the new theme!!

I would like to know as well. Our annual trip is the last weekend in November.

 

[*NikkiBell*]

Personally, I LOVED the big California letters out front when I saw them last summer. They really set it apart from DHS which is what it looks like now. Yeck.

 

[GoofyDuck32]

Totally Lame, they should have kept the CALIFORNIA letters, this is just a carbon copy of DHS. It does look nice, but its better when all the parks have a unique look to them, this just looks uninspired.

 

[Disney Dreams]

Wow! It's old CA goes to DHS comes to CA!

Thanks for the pics. First I've seen of there new entrance.

 

[Sherry E]

Wow! It's old CA goes to DHS comes to CA!

Thanks for the pics. First I've seen of there new entrance.

Dreams -

Exactly right! That's a really great way to put it - it's old CA (or old SoCal/old Los Angeles) goes to DHS comes to CA! So even though people may equate this particular architectural design/look with Florida and DHS because it made it from Pan Pacific to WDW before it got over to DLR, in my mind I am thinking it makes sense that a piece of old CA/old Los Angeles has now come full circle and made it back to CA! Every time I enter the new gates of DCA, I will be thinking, "Yep...this is good ol' Pan Pacific Auditorium all over again," while others will be thinking, "This looks exactly like DHS!"

(The real Pan Pacific Auditorium had become a hollowed-out refuge for homeless people after it closed as an operating venue, and then there was a big fire. That was pretty much the end of PPA.)

 

[PinkBudgie]

Seeing that up made me realize why they changed the name from Disney's California Adventure to Disney California Adventure. With the redo to look like Cal at Walt's time they didn't want people to think it was (Walt) Disney's California adventure. Like it was Walt's adventure. They wanted people to realize that it is a California Adventure brought to you by Disney (the company). Does that make sense?

 

[DisSarahK]

I've never been to Florida, so I don't know anything about that comparison. All I know is that I miss the big California letters and I think these new letters look dated--in a not so good way.

Then again, I'm not a big fan of California Adventure in the first place. I'd gladly skip it altogether and spend all my time in Disneyland.

 

[skiingfast]

Seeing that up made me realize why they changed the name from Disney's California Adventure to Disney California Adventure. With the redo to look like Cal at Walt's time they didn't want people to think it was (Walt) Disney's California adventure. Like it was Walt's adventure. They wanted people to realize that it is a California Adventure brought to you by Disney (the company). Does that make sense?

The name changed a while back, maybe in the Fall or last Summer or maybe even before. Do you have any maps you can look at?

Anyway you are onto the reason. They didn't want everything saying Disney's .... to affiliate with Walt. They just wanted Disney as to bring in under the Disney company.

Though I understand what you mean. It could be Disney's Land and Disney's California Adventure(more so with this redo.

But now it's Disney California Adventure. Disney Hollywood Studios. Disney Animal Kingdom. Using Disney as an adjective not a noun.

 

[oilergirl]

I actually preferred the old CALIFORNIA letters...by far.

 

[marcemc]

We were there last may wondering what the new entrance will look like.

Thanks for posting the pics

 

[miry]

I miss the old letters especially the seasonal changes that they would make to them.

 

[Domchi002]

I have to admit, I don't really know if I like the new entrance.
The old letters were unique and this just seems...familiar.
I guess I was hoping for something new and different.
Will be there for Labor Day weekend, we'll see how it looks up close and personal, hopefully I will be pleasantly surprised!

 

[papamouse1]

Wow!! They weren't kidding, looks like DHS for sure

 

[Eeee-va]

Thanks for the pictures! I like these new gates (way nicer than the old ones, even if they are a lot like DHS's). But I miss the old letters too. I know they couldn't have kept both, but I wish they could have.

I have READ (so this may or may not be the plan at this point) that once the new gates are ready for guests, they will start using them...but then they will have the whole front plaza walled off, so you'll be funneled through walls until you come out of a utility entrance near Soarin'. That's supposed to last a long time, I think at last until our trip in late November.

Disney Construction Adventure indeed! Sure will be pretty when they're done with it, though.

 

[sophies*mom]

I've never been to Florida, so I don't know anything about that comparison. All I know is that I miss the big California letters and I think these new letters look dated--in a not so good way.

Then again, I'm not a big fan of California Adventure in the first place. I'd gladly skip it altogether and spend all my time in Disneyland.

I wondered why they took down the letters. And I could do without DCA and spend all my time at DL, too

They didn't want everything saying Disney's .... to affiliate with Walt. They just wanted Disney as to bring in under the Disney company.

Ah. I wondered what the big deal was with simply removing the 's but that does make a lot of sense.