Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Monday, October 06, 2008
Miley's Sweet 16 Birthday Bash
I was at Disneyland yesterday and got to at least see the crowds for Miley’s party. I was not about to shell out $250 to get into this thing, but it did allow us to go to DCA for an extended period of time. See my Disney Tweets.
According to TV Guide, celebrities attending the event were David Archuleta, Jennie Garth, Steve Carell, Cindy Crawford, Tyra Banks and Jenniver Love Hewitt.
Billie Ray and Miley performed and they had a late night fireworks show, which we were surprised to hear so late at night.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Toy Story Mania
I had my first opportunity to ride Toy Story Mania at Disney’s California Adventure during the Annual Passholder preview. My first impression was that it was awesome. If you ask my wife, she’ll tell you the exact opposite. She absolutely hated it.
Now, I heard a lot of hype from the Disney’s Hollywood Studio’s opening and I was very much looking forward to the attraction. So here are a few of my thoughts.
Being that my wife is disabled and we have a baby, we got to enter through the disabled entrance and switch pass area. We got to bypass a huge line and go right on the ride. One comment about the queue, it’s very boring. Especially compared to the DHS version. The line has only midway style signs around the queue. It fits with the theme of Paradise Pier, which is very boring itself. Many of the elements in the DHS queue are inside the ride. Mr. Potato Head stands prominently in the front of the attractions and the line does pass him for good interaction. When we observed him, the line area was empty so I had to yell at him. It just didn’t feel that interactive, but I willing to give him the benefit of the doubt since it’s a preview day.
The disabled entrance is immediately at the main entrance to the attraction. They load you directly into your own vehicle and then that vehicle is loaded directly into the ride queue. The ride vehicle is quite large. It had two smaller cards which holds 4 people each. The guns are attached to the lap bars and the left gun is fired by a pull rope which is very reactive. The right gun has the pull rope and button on top.
We arrived as they just started to let the first group on. So they were letting a lot of empty cars go through. They soon let my vehicle on and I was the only one in my vehicle and the cars before and behind me were empty. It was a little creepy. Then the uncomfortable feeling I get when sitting in the load area while everyone is looking at me wondering why I’m on the only on the vehicle. Now the ride officially begins.
Your cars moves through this maze, much like a serpentine pattern and you see various Toy Story characters. The first thing I notice is that it's pretty bright inside the attraction. I expected it to be much darker like the Men In Black ride at Islands of Adventure. You get to the first screen and you're given instructions about shooting and the score. Very cool. Then you get into the game and you're firing away. The 3D technology is amazing. From the get go I did not even realize that I had the glasses on. The guns are very responsive and the target is excellent. What I like is that you're not shooting just to figure out with red dot is yours (like Buzz Lightyear). I was able to rapid fire without much fatigue. At first I can to figure out the scoring. The easy targets are not worth many points. The goal is to find the hidden targets, which are usually at the edge of the screen or appears in a different color.
This was nice, but when the ride is delayed and you're just sitting in front of a screen, they continue the game. You just can't earn any points. I was caught in the ring toss section and when you throw a ring around a rocket or alien with a jet pack, you get a nice cool breeze.
In the end, my score was 154,000 and I won a cat.
To me this was a lot of fun. The graphics and game play was amazing and I would ride this ride a lot. I'm sure there's going to be a single rider line.
My wife on the other hand was not impressed. I get the feeling she wanted a traditional ride. She felt it was merely a 3d video game. She also got to the reality of the ride. You go into a room with a lot of movie screens and you shoot things. There are no animatronics to look at and no cohesive story. It's a video game. I'll try to post some pictures.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Disney's California Adventure is Getting a Makeover
This just in. A press release about California Adventure.
DISNEY ANNOUNCES SIGNIFICANT EXPANSION PLAN FOR THE DISNEYLAND RESORT
Multi-Year Build-out Plan Includes Major Attractions and a New “ Cars Land” at Disney’s California Adventure
GLENDALE , Calif.,October 17, 2007 -- The Walt Disney Company today unveiled a significant multi-year expansion plan for the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim that continues its growth as a multi-day, world-class tourist destination.
Announced by Disney President and Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger and Parks and Resorts Chairman Jay Rasulo at a press conference at Walt Disney Imagineering’s Glendale headquarters, the expansion will bring new entertainment and major family-oriented attractions to Disney’s California Adventure, including an entirely new Cars Land inspired by the hit Disney• Pixar animated film Cars.
“ The success of the Disneyland Resort over the past few years provides us with both the opportunity and the need to invest for growth, to enhance and expand the experience for our guests and attract new visitors, while at the same time delivering attra ctive returns on the investment, ” said Iger. “This plan is a reflection of our belief in the bright future of the Disneyland Resort and our continuing commitment to grow the Anaheim Resort Area as a world class tourist destination.”
Disney Imagineers will be bringing more of Walt Disney into Disney’s California Adventure, celebrating the hope and optimism of California that attracted Walt to this land of opportunity in the 1920s. Guests entering the new Plaza will be instantly immersed in the world that inspired Walt during his early days as an animation pioneer. The new, interactive Walt Disney Story attraction will set the stage for the unfolding story of Walt that will permeate the park.
The expansive program reaches throughout Disney’s California Adventure, with an amazing Little Mermaid attraction, a groundbreaking, signature nighttime spectacular and new viewing area for 9,000, and the addition of the 12-acre Cars Land featuring the world of Radiator Springs with three new attractions. Extensive landscaping, new retail and dining will create an even richer environment throughout the park in ways that reinforce Guests’ connection with Walt.
“Our Disneyland Guests have a deep emotional connection with Walt Disney, whose life story really captures the pioneering spirit of California in the 1920s,” said Rasulo. “The creative evolution of Disney’s California Adventure will connect guests to Walt’s own California adventure and reflect the place that he found when he first arrived with a cardboard suitcase in his hand and a head full of dreams.”
The expansion is part of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts’ overall growth strategy of continuing to invest in its core business of existing parks and resorts around the world, while exploring new opportunities to capture more of the growing family vacation market. This announcement follows Disney’s ground-breaking last month for a 250-room expansion of Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, including 50 rooms dedicated to the West Coast debut of Disney Vacation Club, the company’s growing time share business.
Multi-day, World-Class Tourist Destination
Today’s announced expansion builds upon the transformation of the Disneyland park into a multi-day destination resort that began in 2001 with the creation of the Disneyland Resort and the opening of Disney’s California Adventure Park, Downtown Disney and Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa.
Since then, the Disneyland Resort has continued to grow with the addition of popular attractions and shows, including: Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyer Island, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror,Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!, Block Party Bash, High School Musical 2: Schools Out!, Disney Princess Fantasy Faire, and Jedi Training Academy, along with the re-Imagineering of Space Mountain and enhancements to Pirates of the Caribbean.
“This expansion builds on a commitment we made more than a decade ago to create and grow the Anaheim Resort Area as a world-class tourist destination where guests would want to stay for more than one day,” said Disneyland Resort President Ed Grier. “That investment has become a success for Disney, the Anaheim community and for the economy of Southern California.”
According to the Anaheim/Orange County Visitor and Convention Bureau, Anaheim is one of the fastest-growing tourist destinations in the country, enjoying some of the highest hotel occupancy rates in the nation and attracting millions of visitors each year who spend billions of dollars.
Coming to Disney’s California Adventure Over the Next Several Years
In addition to the new themeing and attractions, Disney’s California Adventure will receive new restaurant and retail innovations, landscaping to enrich the placemaking, facade and graphics enhancements, and an extensive menu of entertainment and events.
Disney’s California Adventure is already home to some of the Disneyland Resort’s highest-rated attractions and shows, including: Soarin’ Over California, California Screamin’, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and the Broadway-caliber show, Disney’s Aladdin - A Musical Spectacular.
Cars Land
The expansion will culminate with an entirely new, 12-acre addition: Cars Land, immersing guests into a world inspired by the hit Disney/Pixar movie, Cars, playing to America’s love affair with automobiles.
Radiator Springs Racers, a major “E-ticket” attraction, places guests right in the middle of the amazingly detailed, dimensional Cars world of Mater, Lightning McQueen, Doc and Sally. Guests get a quick race briefing from Doc and Lightning, and suddenly find themselves in the midst of a race around hairpin turns and steep banks.
Cars Land increases capacity to the park with two additional immersive family rides, featuring Luigi and Mater from the movie. Cars Land represents an unprecedented level of collaboration between Pixar Animation Studios and Disney Imagineering to create this extensive new area. The new land will substantially extend the total area of Disney’s California Adventure park.
Paradise Pier
Paradise Pier will host major new attractions beginning next summer with the opening of Toy Story Mania!, a ride-through, interactive adventure where Guests ride into a high-energy 4-D carnival midway hosted by Toy Story characters. Woody, Jessie, Buzz, Hamm and the gang come to life in amazing ways, immersing guests in the rich stories of the Pixar blockbuster Toy Story films.
A major ride based on Disney’s classic The Little Mermaid comes to the park’s Paradise Pier with leading-edge animation and special effects. Guests will dive into the magnificent scenes and magical songs from the movie. A Mermaid Grotto area with a fountain and sand castle will offer new play experiences for children.
Unique Nighttime Spectacular
The dramatic and unique Disney’s World of Color will bring new nighttime excitement to Paradise Pier. This nightly panorama of spectacular water effects, colorful lighting and music will bring Disney animation to life with an entirely new creative and technical approach. The 9,000 person viewing area offers prime waterside viewing of the show – and provides a site for live entertainment, music festivals, and outdoor film premieres.
Entry Plaza and Gateway
The totally new gateway to Disney’s California Adventure welcomes guests into an immersive world of historic California streets as Walt experienced them as a young artist arriving with big dreams.
A new visual icon in the tradition of Los Angeles, California’s great entertainment palaces will draw guests into the heart of the attractions. This new facility, which was inspired by Los Angeles’ historic Carthay Circle Theatre that premiered Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937, will house a next generation Walt Disney Story featuring an interactive tribute to Walt’s California experiences, and his entertainment legacy that continues world-wide today. Red Car trolleys reminiscent of the old Pacific Electric Railway will travel up and down the main street. New dining and shopping experiences and a slate of unique, live entertainment will bring energy to the Walt Disney Plaza.
Hollywood Pictures Backlot
Hollywood Pictures Backlot will be a new home for a slate of special ticketed events and chances to hear first hand from innovative directors, writers and animators. An update of the popular family show “Playhouse Disney” will provide an experience for younger children.
Golden State
The “ Golden State” area of the park will see the addition of numerous new dining opportunities tied to the incredible bounty of California’s farmland and its rich ethnically diverse food heritage. Food and wine festivals that celebrate the seasons, tastes and cultures of the dynamic communities of the Golden State will entertain guests, bringing unique one-of-a-kind experiences.
Preview Center
A Preview Center located on San Francisco Street in the Golden State region of the park will feature models, Imagineering concepts – giving park guests a sneak peek at the excitement that lies ahead. The Preview Center is scheduled to open in late 2008.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Rockin' California Screamin'
I finally got on California Screamin’. If you read my last review, I said the Rockin’ Space Mountain turned a great ride into a good ride. California Screamin’ is the same great ride that it always was.
It’s merely a change in soundtrack. I’m not a fan of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, but it was a really good song and I’m happy for a change.
In summation, it’s a good promotion for Disneyland to get people to come to the parks during the off peak season and while a lot of rides are down. I’m glad it will go away and that the change is not permanent.
Cheers.
