PDA

View Full Version : MP veteran finally sees DCA...



SimpTwister
08-15-2003, 09:51 PM
...and I LOVE it.

I've been reading all the negaive buzz since the park was announced. I agreed that it was dumb to build a California park in California. I was prepared for mediocrity.

I finally saw it in person on 7-29-03!

Truth is, it is a wonderful theme park. There are only a handful of parks in the entire world that are even in the same league as DCA. The other 9 Disney parks, the Universal parks, maybe Knott's, perhaps some of the Busch or Warner parks.

OK, it has its problems:

-The Sun Icon is indeed hideous, though the plaza and fountain are very nice.

-The NE corner of HPB is a ghost town, but you knew that.

-The GCH is a somewhat incongruous backdrop for Condor Flats (though it's just fine for the Grizzly Peak area).

-The Bountiful Valley Farm's transformation into A Bug's Land is a bit awkward. What does a Farmer's Market have to do with Bugs? And what do Bugs have to do with California?

-Though FFF is very nice, the unfortunate wild variations in scale keep it from being the immersive experience it could have been.

-Here's the big one, and no surprise at all: Paradise Pier is even lamer than I expected. It's not even the 'Disney version' of a carnival; it's just a carnival. The fact that it takes up 1/3 of the entire park makes it all the worse. In particular, the area between Golden Dreams and the Orange Stinger is a big mess. If they could pare PP down to just the south side of Paradise Bay, it would be a huge improvement.

-It's true there's a dearth of E-Tickets. (IMO, TOT will edge the park into 'acceptable' territory, and the next one after that will put DCA over the top.)


So much for the negatives. What did SimpTwister LIKE about DCA?

-Soarin'
-GRR
-Animation
-Aladdin
-Muppet*Vision
-ITTBAB
-Golden Dreams
-The laid back, grown up atmosphere
-Most of the food I had there
-The waterfall on the SE side of Grizzly Peak
-The CMs

My 10 y.o. daughter (who turns 11 today!) said she liked DCA more than DL in many ways. She apreciated the more 'grown up' feel.


It's been said that Disney misread their audience, and they were blaming the public for not 'getting it'. Well, I guess I 'get it'!

It's been said that with DCA, Disney was trying to lower their standards and build a park 'on the cheap'. Actually, I found it luxurious! (except for PP, of course!)

A very, very nice park. I love DCA!


:D

teach
08-15-2003, 10:15 PM
I'm glad you enjoyed the park.

My family and my experience this summer was very similar. DCA is slowly coming into its' own. One needs to experience DCA and not compare it to others but try to see it for the value in itself.

Kuzcotopia
08-16-2003, 05:02 AM
DCA is a lot of fun. It just needs some time to grow.

It's a shame they didn't build it out more at first. But it'll get there.

CaliforniaCrazy
08-17-2003, 10:35 PM
The only way I'll go back to DCA is to ride TOT when it opens. Oh, and it wouldn't hurt for them to re-open Superstar Limo. ;)

Cadaverous Pallor
08-18-2003, 12:07 PM
Originally posted by CaliforniaCrazy
Oh, and it wouldn't hurt for them to re-open Superstar Limo. ;) Don't even say it! Yes, it would hurt to see that ride running again. Blech. :rolleyes: