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MusicalMouse
02-05-2011, 03:47 PM
So after thinking about the DCA overhall through 2012 and seeing what they plan on adding etc. I still feel like DCA needs more. DL is so packed full of attractions that the space to attraction ratio just doesn't work out in DCA. I feel like DCA is a lot of walking for little reward. Anyways, so I want to know what you think should be added to DCA. After looking at it on google earth, I found a few possible places for more attractions. What do you think could go in the following places or replace the following attractions?

1) The building to the left of the Hyperion Theater
2) To the left of Monsters Inc.
3) Inside Grizzly Peak (possibly?? I don't know if an attraction would fit under GRR but if it could... what would it be?)
4) Replace all the stock Paradise Pier attractions with some original rides
5) Replace the Redwood Creek Challenge
6) The circle space in the middle of California Screamin near the loading area.

Drince88
02-05-2011, 05:25 PM
5) Totally disagree. It's a great place for kids of many ages, and is still interesting enough for an adult to enjoy, even without chasing a little one.

And personally, I like the openness of parts of DCA. I'm concerned with how much the trolley is going to bottleneck walkways.

olegc
02-05-2011, 05:28 PM
the only reason I feel Disneyland is "chock full" is because they were limited in land and had 55 years to fill it. DCA is only 10 - and getting a lot of things to do. I think after 2012 you can think of DCA like Disneyland of 1959 - with a lot of rides and attractions but still some open space that you could consider it a park. My only wish was that there would be less concrete overall and more landscaping...

Mansion101
02-05-2011, 07:38 PM
It seems like everyone is in a big rush to get more, more , and more... i prefer them to perfect what we have first.(which they are doing) afterall it is only 10 years old. focus on perfecting what we have now, and spend time to imagine a well thought, proper, good attraction.

as Olegc has mentioned, it would be nice to have more landscaping .

Mansion101
02-05-2011, 08:30 PM
i know i know, we all hate replicas, but it would be interesting to have a mine train ride themed after "Snow White and the seven dwarfs" around grizzly peak, seeing how Carthey Circle is where it premeired

ogold72
02-05-2011, 08:33 PM
Slightly off topic, but what shuts down and when for WOC?

I say this because I think I liked DCA better before that show. It seems like half the place gets shut down on account of it.

MusicalMouse
02-05-2011, 08:39 PM
I just feel like at Disneyland there are attractions everywhere you turn and very little walking between each off them. Then at DCA you have to walk fifteen minutes just to get from attraction to attraction. My family has someone with arthritus and DCA kills them. Endless walking.

Also, I feel like there are very few attractions that everyone can enjoy. Each ride is either aimed for young kids or thrill rides for teens and adults. Very little for everyone. Sorry. I'm just venting my frustration. Don't get me wrong. I still love Disneyland and DCA and completely agree with all of you that DCA needs time to grow and mature. Just in comparisson to Disneyland, it's not even in the same league.

Mansion101
02-05-2011, 08:39 PM
Slightly off topic, but what shuts down and when for WOC?

I say this because I think I liked DCA better before that show. It seems like half the place gets shut down on account of it.


when they started up i think all of the peir was shut down... now i think its Mickeys Fun Wheel and Screamin... i think everything else is able to function properly..

SigalTchelet
02-05-2011, 08:41 PM
So after thinking about the DCA overhall through 2012 and seeing what they plan on adding etc. I still feel like DCA needs more. DL is so packed full of attractions that the space to attraction ratio just doesn't work out in DCA. I feel like DCA is a lot of walking for little reward. Anyways, so I want to know what you think should be added to DCA. After looking at it on google earth, I found a few possible places for more attractions. What do you think could go in the following places or replace the following attractions?

1) The building to the left of the Hyperion Theater
2) To the left of Monsters Inc.
3) Inside Grizzly Peak (possibly?? I don't know if an attraction would fit under GRR but if it could... what would it be?)
4) Replace all the stock Paradise Pier attractions with some original rides
5) Replace the Redwood Creek Challenge
6) The circle space in the middle of California Screamin near the loading area.

Replace Paradise Pier Attractions? Really??? Uh , a big fat NO from me. It is so charming. I went on the Mickey's Fun Wheel and California Zephyr on Thursday and thoroughly enjoyed it .

Today I went on Redwood Creek Challenge. It is a nice change of pace from the park. It's also a great place to let the kids run around and play.

There is no need to fill every empty space in California Adventure.

trypticon
02-05-2011, 08:41 PM
I'm more interested in having California Adventure the way it was when it first opened, and before the World of Color.

Maybe it's just me, but I honestly loved the sense of having much of the park almost to myself when I'd visit, due to it being so dead there.

I also liked when there were a decent amount of places to eat there. Disney looked at the money the were making, and decided that there were too many places to eat. They closed a bunch of the restaurants, because of this. Over time they opened up the World of Color, and decided to remake California Adventure in a grand way, including closing, and destroying even more places to eat. Now they have huge crowds gathering in their once-dead park, and few places to eat.

But seriously, I hate all the construction going on there. I have to admit that the World of Color is a great show, but I really dislike the crowds it brings, and that it closes Paradise Pier.

MusicalMouse
02-05-2011, 08:42 PM
I was thinking this exact same thing. Possible as a part of grizzly peak (the side closest to Sunshine Plaza where there's no attraction and near the new theater being built) or replacing the Redwood Creek Challege Trail.

Mansion101
02-05-2011, 08:48 PM
dont forget that disney is first a company. they need to be able to make a profit out of their parks. so of course it wouldnt make sense to keep open a park that isnt making any money. i do understand that it is really really nice when the park is empty. lately when i think of disney first thing to pop into my mind is the crowds, lines,...then the magic.

ogold72
02-05-2011, 09:06 PM
dont forget that disney is first a company. they need to be able to make a profit out of their parks. so of course it wouldnt make sense to keep open a park that isnt making any money. i do understand that it is really really nice when the park is empty. lately when i think of disney first thing to pop into my mind is the crowds, lines,...then the magic.

I think Mansion101 hit the nail on the head. What I liked about DCA was the breathing room and shorter lines. I feel like there is so much to do there and I can actually get alot of action in one day.

Full disclosure here, I think WOC is a huge waste of my time. I saw it on the its premiere to the public, did the full up dining option at the trattoria with premiere area and was really disappointed. We still had to jockey for a good view since the viewing area is flat, had to walk all over people to get to a restroom (since we had to wait forever by being early to secure a semblance of a view) and of this to watch stock footage of movies I have already seen on a water screen. Sorry, but I am not smitten with the show. But I digress.

Otherwise I really like the layout and diverse areas and the fact its not packed wall to wall. I understand that Disney wants to maximize profit but I hope they can find the balance between that and an enhanced park experience by not having to clamor to get on a ride or constantly have people in your path.

I do agree that maybe the Redwood Trail could be scrapped for something more fun

olegc
02-05-2011, 11:19 PM
I also liked when there were a decent amount of places to eat there.


yes - and many of them were quite expensive - or not unique. and the reason there is so much construction is that they are trying to catch up for so many years of poor planning and lack of vision. there will be plenty of places to eat when it's all done in 2012 - but I doubt the crowds will go away.

besides - isn't that what a city park is for? the days of "strolling like walt did" have been gone for a while. the only reason DCA was so open because nothing was there. Might as well have called it Mall of America West - shopping and dining and a couple of rides...

potzbie
02-05-2011, 11:27 PM
There is no reason why Disney cannot install a simulation ride similar to STAR TOURS, similar to CALIFORNIA SOARIN' or similar to Universal Studio's SIMPSONS ride. Even similar to HONEY I SHRUNK THE AUDIENCE.

No roller coasters needed. -- Just a place to sit and be jostled around while screens all around you "move".
Low on real estate.
Quick in-out turnover.
Maintenance is easy enough.
To upgrade the ride, just change the animation / CGI.

olegc
02-05-2011, 11:42 PM
To upgrade the ride, just change the animation / CGI.

yeah - but we know how long those rides really go through before they "upgrade"... shoot, even HISTA went backwards to EO. The bean counters love to say simulators are cheaper - but that's only up front. making the new movie costs almost as much as making the original attraction. and if they could make one that doesn't cause motion sickness - i'm good with it. Otherwise it's not for me (good for some, just not for me).

and- as they say in the Blue Sky world - yeah, come up with anything you can think of... and how long can this thread go?

JerrodDRagon
02-06-2011, 01:00 AM
I was thinking this exact same thing. Possible as a part of grizzly peak (the side closest to Sunshine Plaza where there's no attraction and near the new theater being built) or replacing the Redwood Creek Challege Trail.
If they did it right they could add a new Mine Ride (using the tech from the new Snow White mine) and they could even use the new "interactive" Q and have things for kids to play on while waiting for the ride like the rock climbing wall and cave that lets you find out what animal you are etc.
Then everyone wins

mkraemer
02-06-2011, 08:22 AM
I'm reading this thread with some amusement, when I compare how much space there is in the WDW Magic Kingdom with Disneyland or California Adventure. There's fewer attractions and whole lot more area there; it's very spread out. I know, I know, it's not an apples-to-apples comparison.

But there will be a mine-train coaster in the new Fantasyland expansion in the Magic Kingdom, so if that's something you've got your heart set on, Orlando awaits you!

I think that everyone's got a valid opinion about how they like the park and the changes that are being made (I know I sure have mine). But a big part of the Disney experience is to have new and hopefully improved attractions to enjoy. Some of them work better than others, obviously.

dcbell05
02-07-2011, 09:55 AM
Exactly MKraemer! After finally getting out to WDW a couple years ago, it made me realize how close everything is. Walking through the Animal Kingdom expecially (it really does feel like you're walking across all of Asia/Africa to get from one attraction to another). However, it's all themed well. Animal Kingdom is spread out like a jungle. DCA is themed after CA. SO, the attractions (the boardwalk, Redwood Creek Trail, and Hollywood areas) are all attractions that make sense for the theming.
Would I like to see more attractions? Of course! I am excited for Ariel's Grotto, Cars land, and Goofy's flight school, but I have come to love how spread out the whole park is. I appreciate that I'm not bumping into people as much. While it may be a lot of walking, it's also nothing compared to WDW and the amount of walking and shuttling you have to do.
I wish they would bring the Halloween party back to DCA. While I did love it this past year in DL, I think it was better in DCA when there was WAY more room to Trick or Treat and such.
But, that's JMO.

The old man
02-07-2011, 06:19 PM
I don't think you can call such a small park, "spread out." Look at the major attractions. Soarin' is a short walk to GRR. Screamin' is a short walk to Mania. All those awful off-the-shelf carny rides and attractions are right next to each other. Only TOT is sitting by itself.

queenbetsey
02-07-2011, 06:36 PM
[B]I would like it if they would put in rocking roller coaster perhaps in the old milionaire building. haven't been in a while to dca. went to dl last nov with my year to vol. ticket. dlr has just gotten too expensive. we prefer to take the money our passes cost and apply that to wdw trip. just seems like i am getting more for my money there.

Bytebear
02-07-2011, 07:01 PM
I get the "spread out" feel that people are describing for DCA. In Disneyland, you go to Fantasyland, and you have 4 dark rides, and the Carossel all within a few feet of each other, and then you have Dumbo, Teacups, Storybookland and Alice all right there too. That's A LOT of rides in one small area.

Tan Da Man
02-07-2011, 07:35 PM
I like DCA for what it is. I can go there and have a different type of an experience than I do at Disneyland. Do I wish there was more? Of course, I wish the same for Disneyland too, but I do enjoy it and come 2013 I really think its going to be greatly improved.

Donald Duck Fan68
02-07-2011, 08:14 PM
1) The building to the left of the Hyperion Theater
2) To the left of Monsters Inc.
3) Inside Grizzly Peak (possibly?? I don't know if an attraction would fit under GRR but if it could... what would it be?)
4) Replace all the stock Paradise Pier attractions with some original rides
5) Replace the Redwood Creek Challenge
6) The circle space in the middle of California Screamin near the loading area.

1) This space is probably not big enough for much; Hollywoodland doesn't really have much for eating, so a nicely themed restaurant could go here (isn't that what the building was originally?) If they're going to put in any kind of attraction, it needs to be something that put's the guest inside the movies, but the classic movies of the early Hollywood era to stick with the theme. Or maybe a place to eat that combines the two; I always thought it would be kind of fun to watch the Disney characters directing/filming some old time silent movies in a keystone cops kind of way.

2) The building to the left of Monster's Inc has a lot of potential IMO, because I think there's room for expansion behind it (they won't need the old tram turnaround point anymore). What about a high capacity dark ride through Walt's early silly symphony stories? Or, an idea I've heard of is The Great Muppet's Movie Ride, creating the classic scenes from timeless movies but with Muppet characters playing the parts. They would likely need to replace Muppets 3D if they did this. They could probably plan a decent indoor thrill ride, but I can't think of what might be a good fit without forcing something.

3) I don't think it's possible to put an attraction inside Grizzly Peak; maybe a small scale train ride around GRR of some kind. I would prefer that they add a few more show elements to GRR, like, I don't know, maybe grizzlies?

4) I'm just not sure it's possible to replace some of the stock rides with anything other than what they already have. Afterall, they're replacing Maliboomer with a park. Could an original themed ride have fit in that spot? I doubt it, so we get a park instead.

5) I'm okay with leaving the challenge trail for now.

6) I don't think there's enough room in that circle area to put anything worthwhile. However, the remaining boardwalk merchandise stores that don't have the Victorian look can become a que for a new ride where the showroom extends into the backstage area. I've been thinking that the Pier is missing a funhouse or tunnel of love, but with a twist. You enter the ride thinking all is well, but then the ride get's taken over/invaded by the Underminer and Bombadier and the Incredibles come to the rescue.

Also, what are they planning to put inside the Carthay Circle Theater?

stan4d_steph
02-09-2011, 06:50 AM
Also, what are they planning to put inside the Carthay Circle Theater?An upscale dining location, on the order of Napa Rose or California Grill.