Disney California Adventure 10th Anniversary

I remember the grand opening for Disney's (Disney) California Adventures very well. The news media had assumed that the resort was going to be flooded and people would have to park at Anaheim stadium. The Annual Passholder previews that took place a few days earlier were incredibly busy. I was sitting at my desk at the office and trying to track how big the crowds were going to be. Disney had prepared for people camping out. My boss noticed that I was distracted, it was a slow work day, and she said "Get out of here" and I took her direction and went to Anaheim. What I found was something under 8,000 people and a park prepared for more than 25,000. I have stacks of the first day maps that they were handing out.

For me, some of the best stories was Michael Eisner claiming credit for the design of the parking structure in the Los Angeles Times, the variety of French Fries available at the different restaurants (no more), and my first ride on Soarin'. The woman next to me rode in on a wheelchair. Once the attraction finished she turned to me and said, "I cannot walk but today I learned I could fly."

Right as you walked into the park (even before since you could see it from the entrance turnstiles) was a 50-foot tall "Sun" made up of gold titanium and coated with shattered glass and tile. It sat upon a perpetual wave fountain. Since the "Sun" faced north, away from the real sun, six heliostats in the plaza track sunlight and bounce rays onto the sculpture.

Although this view still exists, it won't for very long. They called this area the "Golden Gateway" with a forced perspective model of the Golden Gate Bridge. For a long time, the smoke coming out of the Engineer Toys shop was coffee roasting from one of the adjacent shops. However, for many, their first reaction was to wonder why somebody was burning coffee.

Remember, DCA was supposed to be "hip" and "edgy" and a theme park designed for those who thought Disneyland was a bit corny. It featured a wonderful collection of high-end restaurants, some highly detailed shops, and a couple of attractions. One of the main draws was a new parade called Disney's Eureka! It was a theatrical look at the many cultures that make up the Golden State. Pretty groovy soundtrack and a solid attempt to actually be themed to California.

All of the various groups that make up our great state were represented. This dancer was part of the San Francisco Chinatown section. The whole show was quite elaborate. Compared to the rather puny parades that Disney has put on lately, this was an extravaganza.

This float is the parade's finale and has the "Golden Goddess" who represents California "as a brilliant melting pot." At any moment you expect Whoopi Goldberg's face to be projected on the float. Imagineering Executive Producer Barry Braverman said, "California represents fun, celebration, excitement, diversity, and freedom." He added, "There's a kind of brash California attitude that we wanted to capture. Much more pop culture and MTV with a little tongue-in-cheek thrown in. It's shorthand, impressionistic, and cinematic. Braverman claims, "First thing, we threw out the rulebook." Maybe that is why today Disney is spending $1.2 billion to bring back the rulebook.

Once upon a time, DCA featured a real farm. This was a way to show city kids that food really does grow on trees. I believe only the orange trees remain. This area was a very informative spot and part of Michael Eisner's initiative to teach and well as entertain. If you like tractors, this was the spot. According to the press release, the Bountiful Valley Farm "is a celebration of agricultural abundance." I must confess that I actually liked the idea of a small working farm with growing fruit trees, vegetables and other crops. There is a real disconnect for many with where our food really comes from.

Paradise Pier was a tribute to the many coastal play zones that were so run down that Walt Disney decided to build Disneyland. Here we see all of the things that he detested; Carny games, no shade, and only thrill rides that meant the family could not share the experience. Once cool thing was the wave machine that would activate the lagoon.

DCA is a result of a partnership started with Anaheim back in 1990. According to Imagineer Timur Galen, "If Disneyland had started as the only development in a sea of green, it was now the only green in a sea of asphalt." The outcome of this partnership was Disney Resort Specific Plan and the Anaheim Resort Specific Plan. DCA got the greenlight in 1995 and construction started in 1997.