Over $1 Billion is approved by Disney to improve DCA

[Darkbeer]

Al Lutz reported it on July 17th...

http://www.miceage.com/mc/mc071807a.htm

And Blue Sky Disney confirmed it today...

http://blueskydisney.blogspot.com/

Now, this won't be a long alert since what I'm reporting has been covered to a degree by Al over at Miceage when he spilled the beans Tuesday on some of what I was intending on reporting Wednesday. I would've posted it earlier, but have been waiting to hear from a couple of my sources. Still, I feel it's probably better to give a few of the details that I've received about what the Walt Disney Company has been up to for the last couple weeks.

I can't give all the details but the budget has been approved. Projects have been approved. Plans are now being finalized.

The Board approved a budget for the expansion/makeover of Disney's California Adventure. Let's just say it's a great deal of money and the figures my sources gave me are close to what Al mentions. Let's be clear that this is far more than what would have been approved under old management. More than it had when it was originally built and greatly more than Eisner would have ever given an underling like Pressler to play with. This will definitely be a "Bob Weiss" park. Two of Bob's most famous creations were never built...

[kiki]

Money well spent.

[Mr.Abominable]

I am very excited about all of this news! Darkbeer, can you please give me a little background about the writer of the Blue Sky Blog? I also find the re-Imagineering blog very interesting, any background on that one? Thanks.

[Andrew]

Not that it isn't great news, but I don't consider one blogger supporting another to be "confirming" anything.

[mkraemer]

I sure hope it's true! It's a shame that they have to redo a park that's so new, but it should've been done better in the first place. I am optimistic for the future of DCA.

It's like I tell my kids: If you don't have time to do it right, do you have time to do it over?

[spectromen]

What was the cost of building the original 2001 DCA? Just trying to determine exactly how much $1bil is going to improve the place.

[Bolivar]

That is a monumental amount of money. It is a million dollars a thousand times; it is ten million a hundred tikes.

I would think they could demolish the park, repave it as a parking lot again and then rebuild it for that.

[Darkbeer]

What was the cost of building the original 2001 DCA? Just trying to determine exactly how much $1bil is going to improve the place.

It has been reported to cost $650 million to build DCA, and $750 million to build the Grand California Hotel and Downtown Disney.

http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Stor...F6D29760E82%7D

Of course, additional money has been spent on additions in the last few years.

[VickiC]

And construction costs have risen dramatically in the years since.

Still I'd think 1 billion could make the park half again as large as it is now and add a good number of attractions.

[Bytebear]

What was the cost of building the original 2001 DCA? Just trying to determine exactly how much $1bil is going to improve the place.

I finally found it. $1.4 Billion original cost.

http://www.accessmylibrary.com/premi...-11493343.html

While I was looking, I found many articles from 2001, so if you want to stroll down memory lane, you can read some of the original previews and Reviews of DCA. What's interesting is that no one predicted Soarin' Over California to be a hit, or even considered it an E-Ticket. They all agreed that Superstar Limo was a stinker though. Enjoy.

http://www.mouseplanet.com/articles.php?art=mt000815dk (Guess this prediction was not quite right)

http://www.mouseplanet.com/dca/altrip1.htm

http://www.geocities.com/heartland/6295/dca.html

http://www.clubjosh.com/diaries/dca/

http://www.disneylandtoday.com/Calif...caoverview.htm (apparently Disneyland Today isn't quite today)

http://www.laughingplace.com/Info-ID-DL-DCAOpenings.asp

http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-69850560.html (free blurb, free sign-up for article)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...8/MN161000.DTL

http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/...ckval=GooglePM (sign up required)


LInk to many more news articles about DCA from 2001

[jcruise86]

What was the cost of building the original 2001 DCA? Just trying to determine exactly how much $1bil is going to improve the place.

A billion dollars in the hands of creative & talented artists could lead to amazing wonders, but if imagineers don't rise to the occasion it will be wasted.

It's like movie budgets: some people will make a bad movie for ten times what others spend to make an uplifting & thrilling film.

[Another Dimension]

What's interesting is that no one predicted Soarin' Over California to be a hit, or even considered it an E-Ticket

Flocks of APs and many other Guests online still think Soarin' is barely a D-ticket, if that, by their standards.


That now completely impossible to please / do nothing but complain online and to Guest Relations / only pine for what other Disney parks have crowd that internally Disney loathes....


Yet most of them ride Soarin', and visit DCA for that matter, many many many more times annually than those who actually LOVE DCA.
Recently or from day one.

Over-frequently visiting a place they HATE with a passion.


Those people will never make any sense....

[Bolivar]

I finally found it. $1.4 Billion original cost.

But as Darkbear pointed out, that was the total cost including DTD and the Grand Californian. The cost of DCA was $650 million.

[gtpinoy]

Is there room to expand DCA? Boundaries have Katella Ave to the South, Disneyland to the North, Lion King Parking Lot/Harbor Blvd to the East, and Disneyland Dr to the West. Where do you think the 1 billion is going to go to?

[Bytebear]

But as Darkbear pointed out, that was the total cost including DTD and the Grand Californian. The cost of DCA was $650 million.

Yes, the $1.4 B includes the park and the hotel (and probably DTD, but can't be sure), so this $1 B is a lot of money any way you slice it, and considering much of then infastructure is in place (GRR, ToT, Soarin', Screamin') they should be able to do some amazing things. (Fingers crossed)

Is there room to expand DCA? Boundaries have Katella Ave to the South, Disneyland to the North, Lion King Parking Lot/Harbor Blvd to the East, and Disneyland Dr to the West. Where do you think the 1 billion is going to go to?

From what I have read, they are going to only do improvements on what already exists, and not a lof of additions, although I do hear about the Cars Test Track type ride fillling in the Lion King Parking lot. but I really think they need to rethink some of the layout and connect the Tower of Terror area with Paradise Pier or Bug's Land some way.

What I would love to see is a "real" San Francisco area including a Chinatown instead of those lame facades by the bathrooms. I love the idea of theming much of the park in Victorian era architecture.

[screamin4ever]

Where do you think the 1 billion is going to go to?

That's the big worry to me. I hope someone is double and triple checking how the money is being spent. Not to stop the creative types, but there is a balance between spending sprees and cheap. No more Mission: Space fiascos please.

[Suzie Minnie]

That must be why they stopped as as we were leaving CA Adven. and asked us a bunch of questions on our thoughts about the park and attractions. I thought the rides were excellent, we liked it. I told them that the roller coaster called Mulholland Madness needs major updates. It was so jerky and uncomfortable to ride. Maybe b/c it is a kiddie coaster?

I would like to add that I sent away for the Disney DVD vacation planner (you can sign up for one on their website) and they sent me an offer. 3 day park hopper pass plus 2 night stay for $196. I thought that was a great deal. Too bad we received the offer the day after we returned from our trip. Has anyone taken advantage of that offer? If so, how was the room? The room is at the Jolly something hotel.

[Suzie Minnie]

While we were at City Hall, we tried to get Vineyard room recipes and they don't have any. Does anyone know where I can find them?

[DianeM]

Very cool. I actually like a lot about DCA, but it could be so much better. It needs warmth, and direction. Heck... it needs directions. It's hard to get from region to region without getting lost, even with a map. I really don't get the whole point of the "back lot" area. Muppets is fun, but there is a lot of wasted space between there and Tower of Terror. And the new Monster's Inc ride is a travesty. I've been on better rides are carnivals. The dark rides at Disney are pretty tame, but at least they have a sort of dark fun to them. Pooh and Monster's Inc are boring to anybody over the age of 5. There is no reason that a ride can't be good for kids and adults. I love Buzz Lightyear, and that's a very "kid friendly" ride. Turtle Talk rocks. The old Bear Show was amazing.

I'm really looking forward to the changes. I'd like to see DCA become the kind of park that my nephew can have fond memories of in 30 years.

Al Lutz reported it on July 17th...

http://www.miceage.com/mc/mc071807a.htm

And Blue Sky Disney confirmed it today...

http://blueskydisney.blogspot.com/

[Suzie Minnie]

I think they should bring Country Bear back and put it in DCA. Also, they should add test track (ride at Epcot) and alien encounter (attraction at Walt Disney World). It would be nice if they added that International Street that Disney once thought about putting next to Main Street. That way it would be similar to Epcot but different.

Also, that Hemlich Choo Choo Train was silly. The best part about that ride was watching the looks on adults' faces as they were getting ready to get off of the ride. The kiddy rides were too babyish. Walt Disney wanted something both kids and adults could enjoy together, many rides at DCA miss that mark. The ladybug ride was just a repeat of the tea cups. If we wanted a carnival, we could go to any park, but we want Disney.

I liked the Monster's ride. You are right, the place lacked warmth and charm like Disneyland has, also navigating the park wasn't easy. There was a lot of wasted space.

The Aladdin show was fantastic!

Overall, we liked the park but they are right, they need improvements.

[DBJ]

Easy fixes for DCA.

1.) Path from TOT to Bug's Land.
2.) Train, tram, or boat ride transport ride around park - with "dark ride" sections, essentially their USH backlout tour.
3.) Move the Orange & airplane ride out of bay, over to Bug's Land, replace with Little Mermaid's Castle from TDS, offers seating for Lagoon show (so basically replacing the LM theater show from TDS for lagoon show - World of Color ?). New castle wraps around Jumping Jellyfish, new all ages spinner flat.
4.) Crush Coaster replaces Mullohand Madness in theme at least, and being next to Little Mermaids Castle, creates area of park all theme around water characters.
5.) Everest ride, themed to a locale in CA instead like Yosemite. Tall structure, creates backdrop for...
6.) Carland, the "Cars" inspired area of park with Test Track style ride, also hopefully includes "Cars" teacup-esque attraction from Disney Studios Paris.
7.) Elaborate Pirates/Splash Mountain/JTA esque ride - a long dark ride, not themed around pirates, for whole family, twin channel ride, one has 80ft drop, other channel doesn't, true all ages attraction.

I'll be interested to see what they cook up, hopefully less focus on retail this time around and more on attractions.

[Bytebear]

I would love to see the Country Bears return, but have it near the Brother Bear play area and have the stage semi-enclosed to protect the animatronics, but the audience watches froun outside benches like you would see at a scout camp, similar to the Fantasyland Stage but not quite as large You could theme it as the great outdoors with a central fire pit. Make it feel like you are on a camping trip.

[Suzie Minnie]

DBJ, I like your ideas too. I didn't even think of the Everest type ride, that would be a must!

[vfire]

There's still quite a bit of unused space in the park including the Millionaire building. They should work on that first before expanding outward, though the Cars Test Track ride will inevitably spill out into the Lion King parking lot. I could do without a teacup style Cars ride like in Paris. The teacups in DL are great, but I don't need carbon copy rides. Francis boogie should hit the scrap heap in the next go around. I'd rather see another water/splash area in its place, or even a "picnic" area with model ants everywhere.
I like the Monsters Inc. dark ride (and I've never been to a carnival with a ride like that), but the park could still use a spectacle ride for the whole family like Pirates of the Caribbean in DL. Orange Stinger, Mulholland and Mailboomer should all hit the scrap heap. They're the kind of rides you can get anywhere, and lack any Disney magic. That whole corner with McDonald's in Paradise Pier should be completely bulldozed and seems like it will be.
There's just so much dead space in the park that could be utilized, even little things such as putting a Chinese take-out place back into the Wharf area. I don't know how you can have a California themed park without any Asian food.
As everyone else has said, hopefully they use the money well and add some magic to the the place, otherwise it's just a glorified Six Flags park. DCA has some good things going for it, it just needs the blights removed and better attractions and theming added.

[Disneymademoiselle]

Does anyone know if Lasseter will be overseeing "Operation DCA?"

One can only hope.