Paradise Pier - beach culture?

[wtg2000]

I heard an Imagineer say that to celebrate California's beach culture they chose to build Paradise Pier. Does this evoke beach culture for anyone that's been there? They should really do something beachy like a surfboard ride or something. When I look at PP I think of Coney Island or Cyrstal Beach on Lake Erie in Canada where I went as a kid. As a non-Califorian PP doesn't say California to me, and the park, at least from what I've seen, doesn't appear to have anything evocative of the beach, which to me is the main image of California, even ahead of Hollywood.

 

[Diva of Dragons]

Actually, there used to be several of those boardwalk parks in CA. Santa Monica pier still has a very popular one. Balboa in Newport beach has a small one called the Fun Zone & I believe, San Diego does to. I was born & raised in CA beach towns (grew up in "Surf City") & I really like the Paradise Pier area. It reminds more of the way beach areas looked before they started tearing everything down to build generic beachfront condos & resorts. The parade has a lot of "typical" CA references. It's pretty cute.

<marquee direction="right" align="left" behavior="alternate"><font size=3><font color=#FF0066><font face="Comic Sans MS"><bold>LISA</marquee></font></font></font></bold>
<marquee direction="left" align="right" behavior="alternate"><font size=3><font color=#6600CC><font face="Comic Sans MS"><bold>"Diva of Dragons"</marquee></font></font></font></bold>
<marquee>

</marquee>

 

[Captain_Nemo]

As LAWeiss11 mentioned, once upon a time the west coast had dozens of Amusement park piers, most of which are gone now. The interesting thing is that they have pretty much been lost to our collective memory too. Almost anyone who is not old enough to remember them, doesn't know how big and popular they were. So I would say that some Californian's are just as confused as you are. However, there was an interesting documentary on local PBS stations about them fairly recently, so awareness is returning.

As to the surf boards, oh yea, Disney's got them! Old fashion 10 footers opposite Pizza oom mow mow. They are the back boards for a basketball toss game.

 

[Tink33]

The Boardwalk in Santa Cruz is still an operational seaside amusement park. When I was 10 years old I rode "The Wild Mouse". This ride is almost exactly like Molhulland Madness at DCA. That ride sure brought back great memories.

There are two surfboards to RIDE in the S.S. Rustworthy area. And if you wipe out, you may even get wet.