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Disney’s California Adventure
A New Theme Park
By Valerie Summers
California’s number one attraction, Disneyland, has
spawned a new theme park which will open February 8, 2001. The new
addition, named Disney’s California Adventure, is the 55-acre
centerpiece of a $1.4 billion expansion at The Disneyland Resort. The new
park celebrates the uniqueness of the Golden State giving guests a taste of the
fun, diversity and lifestyle of California.
On a gentler note, King Triton’s Carousel, a one-of-
a-kind ocean-themed carousel, features marine creatures instead of horses.
A mini-roller coaster for the younger set, Mulholland Madness, takes riders on a
wild and wacky trip on the California freeway system. A kid’s sized
version of a vertical thrill ride is presented on the Jumpin’ Jellyfish
parachute attraction. Another Paradise Pier icon is the Orange
Stinger, a massive steel structure fashioned in the image of a half-peeled
California orange. Paradise Pier features its own brand of skill-game fun
alongside the boardwalk at the edge of the lagoon.
The beauty of San Francisco’s Palace of Fine Arts Rotunda
stands as a monument to the Bay Area district of the Golden State where the
state’s dynamic spirit of technological innovation and artistic creativity is
celebrated in a variety of California workplace exhibits. Pacific Wharf, a
waterfront industrial area inspired by Cannery Row in Monterey, salutes the
diverse cultures, unique products and industries that are synonymous with the
state. California’s rich history is explored in an original
motion pictures created exclusively for Disney’s California Adventure called
“Golden Dreams,” a story of the people and events that shaped the state.
The Napa Valley, California’s world-famous wine growing region , is
represented by the Golden Vine Winery, sponsored by Robert Mondavi Wines.
Nestled at the base of Grizzly Peak is a beautiful contemporary mission style
structure housing the wine-tasting facility. Capturing the spirit of early California, the 750-room
Disney’s Grand California Hotel will be the first Disney resort to be located
inside a theme park and will overlook Downtown Disney, a public esplanade of
highly themed retail, dining and entertainment experiences. Downtown
Disney will connect the two theme parks, Disney’s California Adventure and
Disneyland with the Disneyland Resort hotels, thereby becoming the new “Main
Street” for the Anaheim Resort. Disney’s California Adventure successfully captures all
the fun, celebration and diversity that is California for visitors from around
the world to enjoy. For information:
Disneyland Resorts Disney's California Adventure ©2000 The DisneylandTM Resort. All Rights Reserved. |
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Among
the themed areas will be a California beachfront, a Hollywood-inspired district
and an area celebrating the state’s natural beauty and diverse cultures.
“Paradise Pier,” the ultimate beachfront amusement zone, will be filled with
attractions and graphics associated with the heyday of the great seaside
amusement park piers. A massive roller coaster, California Screamin’,
patterned after the world’s great wooden coasters, catapults
guests to 55 miles per hour up a launch ramp on a white-knuckle ride up,
down, around and over the nearly two-mile long track. When guests board
the giant 150-foot Sun Wheel they will be lifted up and around the giant
wheel, with some riders moved within the spokes of the structure, sliding
along interior curves as the wheel turns. The Mali-boomer positions guests
in an enclosure and vertically skyrockets them up 200 feet via a high-powered
compressed air launch system to hit the top and sound the gong.
“Hollywood
Pictures Backlot” will feature shows and attractions celebrating the magic of
movie making and the culture, fame and celebrity atmosphere that surrounds it.
The film industry played a pivotal role in creating the mystique which surrounds
California. Distinctive architecture, reminiscent of the golden age of
Hollywood, will mark the Hollywood Pictures Backlot. Attractions in this
area will include a giant Disney Animation complex, a ride on Superstar
Limousine and the 2,000-seat Broadway-style Hyperion Theater which will
play host to a variety of live spectaculars. Visitors will walk alongside
of movie star look-alikes on an idealized Hollywood Boulevard set. Guests will
encounter shops, restaurants and attractions that are all uniquely
Hollywood-oriented. At the ABC Soap Opera Bistro guests dine among
the angst-filled world of a daytime drama. The waiters and waitresses
dressed as soap star types will serve diners both food and the latest plot lines
from actual daytime soaps. ABC Soap Opera Bistro is a combination of real
sound stage location design and fine dining. Visitors will also enjoy a
hilarious cinematic romp with Jim Henson’s famous cast of lovable characters,
Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo and Fozzie Bear and other wild and crazy
Muppets. Gone Hollywood, focuses on the indispensable items that the rich,
famous and highly spoiled can’t live without. It’s all movie-star
parody.
“The
Golden State’s” principal landmark will be Grizzly Peak and the recreation
area will feature a Redwood Creek Challenge Trail for children’s play and the
spectacular Grizzly River Run white water ride. Grizzly River Run takes
guests aboard an expedition raft where the rushing currents sweep them splashing
down and around the mammoth grizzly peak. The areas also offers guests the
option for a more leisurely pace of walking and hiking the wooded region
emulating the state’s national parks. The Redwood Creek Challenge Trail
is a precarious obstacle course featuring cable slides, rope bridges, rock
climbing and cargo netting woven through the treetops. Evoking
memories of a fun-filled family camping experience, the Redwood Creek Challenge
Trail also offers educational programs on the great outdoors with folksy
homespun entertainment. Condor Flats, scenically designed as a 1940’s
high desert airfield, is the Golden State’s tribute to the state’s rich
high-flying heritage. Aircraft memorabilia, period buildings and
test equipment from the glory days of flying are incorporated into this region.