Originally Posted By Darkbeer There are plenty of threads talking about is coming up and what is ahead for DCA, and all the wonderful and great plans to fix the park. But why do they need to fix the place? Let's look at some of the comments in the news article from this morning... Let's start with the Wall Street Journal article. <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119257768823361264.html" target="_blank">http://online.wsj.com/article/ SB119257768823361264.html</a> >>Since its 2001 debut, the Walt Disney Co. theme park Disney's California Adventure has floundered in the shadow of its legendary neighbor, Disneyland.<< Floundered..... That is an interesting choice of words. >>California Adventure has been criticized as lacking Disney's trademark creative spark. The California theme has fallen flat with visitors from the western U.S., who make up the bulk of attendance. << Gee, haven't folks talked about how bad the California theme was since it was announced? >>Jay Rasulo, who inherited California Adventure when he became president of the parks in 2002, says the park has had some success in extending the time visitors spend at the resort as a whole and does have some popular rides. But he concedes: "Guests have told us that when they stand in California Adventure, they don't have an emotional connection to it." << Gee, it sounds like the Guests have spoken, and the surveys say... DCA is a dud, and this from an official spokesperson of the Walt Disney Company. >>Several of Disney's efforts in recent years have had teething problems that forced Disney to spend big money on efforts to fix them, raising questions about Disney's theme-park strategy. New Disney parks in Paris and Hong Kong -- seen as too small and lacking insight into the cultures they serve -- have needed big additional investments after initially drawing slim crowds.<< Gee, haven't a lot of folks said, you need to spend money to make money, aka build QUALITY first. Nobody expected DCA to be as big or offer as many rides as Disneyland when it opened, but they expect something new and better, and only one attraction, Soarin' delivered that, but with an awful queue. >>Even so, California Adventure has had special problems. On a recent afternoon at the Disneyland Resort, 18-year-old season-pass holder Megan White made a standard complaint: "Disneyland is a magical place, but California Adventure is just a theme park you can get anywhere." Ms. White, of Valencia, Calif., adds she spends most of her visits at Disneyland, only entering California Adventure for one or two rides because it has "no imagination."<< Another long repeated comment on the boards, somewhat related to the prior comment.
Originally Posted By Darkbeer Now the LA Times article... <a href="http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-disney17oct17" target="_blank">http://www.latimes.com/busines s/la-fi-disney17oct17</a>,0,3512509.story?coll=la-home-center >>The struggling park, which sits in Disneyland's shadow, was a disappointment from the start, failing to draw the crowds the company had anticipated. << A Disappointment from the start, that is what we have been talking about since day 1, but some folks on the boards claimed otherwise. Looks like today's announcement wll finally end the debate that DCA has been a disappointment, or as Roy Disney called it, a Failure. >>"I love it but not in the same way as Disneyland," said Taylor Rockwell, a visual-effects production assistant who is an annual Disneyland Resort pass holder. "They tried to work the California angle but it wasn't successful. What is there now just isn't up to Disneyland standards."<< As mentioned in the post above, nobody expected the same size or amount of rides when DCA opened, but they did expect that the park would match (or be better) the standards Disneyland has set.
Originally Posted By Schmitty Good Vibes Take cover DB, you're gonna get slammed. "I love it but not in the same way as Disneyland," I like it. I love Disneyland. "They tried to work the California angle but it wasn't successful. What is there now just isn't up to Disneyland standards." My opinion is that it's not the "California angle" that is the problem. It's the falling short of Disney standards. Perhaps the budget had something to do with this, but I see a real lack of imagination and the prevalence of thought that something like Mullholand Madness was "good enough".
Originally Posted By Schmitty Good Vibes >>>You're kind of an obsessed fellow, aren't you?<<< Yeah, but to know him is to -er, like him a lot.
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORDDU: Thank you for the articles, Darkbeer, duckling! My sisters and I hope you know how much you're appreciated here in Morva. Thanks to you're ever present diligence, we are all better informed. ORWEN: Hugs & kisses!!! ORGOCH: Got frogs???
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORDDU: Why, Schmitty, duckling!! Nice to see you again too, dear.
Originally Posted By Darkbeer Watching the KTLA Mornign News... Sam Rubin called DCA a "Dud" Frank Buckley, one of the Anchors says he finished DCA in about an hour and a half... And here is what Hugh Hewitt said over at TownHall.com <a href="http://www.townhall.com/blog/g/71a27f55-9a81-40b7-af9d-80c25b50ecc3" target="_blank">http://www.townhall.com/blog/g /71a27f55-9a81-40b7-af9d-80c25b50ecc3</a> >>Disney is admitting that its Anaheim "California Adventure" is a flop.<< Amazing stuff coming out in the media today... O/T, but funny. The KTLA reporter that was doing a lie report from Anaheim (Across the street from the Timon Parking lot entrance on Harbor), talked about the "Pie Ride". She was talking about Knott's Beary-y Tales which was open from 1975 to 1986.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip Darkbeer is a real piece of work, huh? Instead of looking at the parts of the article that tell how Disney has approved spending a gazzilion dollars to make the park better and what those plans include, he just rehashes the same-old, same-old.
Originally Posted By jonvn As has been said before, it started out with a lot of promise, and it was just muddled up over the last few years to the point where it's really lost focus and reason to be. So now they're going to fix it. They really did not handle this place as well as one could have hoped. I hope that the changes are ok.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan Darkbeer, my apologies. I don't understand the need for hundreds of threads repeating the same talking points, but I should either ignore it or move on. But I shouldn't have made a personal attack. My apologies.
Originally Posted By ni_teach Darkbeer is only quoting what OTHERS have said. I don't think that people should be upset with him for what other have said. Also he is a very nice guy and take great pictures. Don't shoot the messenger.
Originally Posted By Schmitty Good Vibes >>it was just muddled up over the last few years<< Somebody posted this thought on another thread, but I think it was a bullseye: There fixes were to put in Bugsland, which I suppose is fine (haven't ventured in there, and likely won't), but it has little appeal to adults. Another was to put in Tower of Terror, which is also fine, except little ones can't enjoy it. They weren't looking at things the whole family could enjoy together. Muddled up is right.
Originally Posted By jonvn "There fixes were to put in Bugsland, which I suppose is fine (haven't ventured in there, and likely won't), but it has little appeal to adults. Another was to put in Tower of Terror, which is also fine, except little ones can't enjoy it. They weren't looking at things the whole family could enjoy together." Exactly how I feel. Who said this? I have said as much before. They are fragmenting their audience by putting in rides for this group or that group. It didn't start with DCA. I think it started with Toontown (which I don't like). It's just gotten more pronounced as their talents seem to be failing them.
Originally Posted By Mr X Kar2oonMan makes a good point. Darkbeer is a friend of mine from WAY back, and he posts what he feels like posting. So don't the rest of us. But BOY, everything he posts (and he posts some really INTERESTING stuff imo) gets immediately met by "hey darkbeer, you SUCK" kind of replies. Shooting the messenger rather than listening to the message. My personal take on it is, if you don't care for Darkbeers posts...DON'T CLICK ON THE TOPIC. What is the point, really? Other than to slam the guy for contributing to the boards (in a way you don't care for)? I'm starting to resent that quite a bit...DarkBeer is a Disney fan just like everyone else, if he wants to post some stuff what the heck is wrong with that? And I must say that, at this point, the detractors are much more annoying than the original poster (no, I'm not trying to say you're annoying DB, lol).
Originally Posted By Mr X Jon, what year was toontown? I'm curious if it correlates to MGM in some way timewise. But events seem to have marked a turning point in my mind, anyway.
Originally Posted By DlandDug The reason all this is being brought up "again" is because it is in the news TODAY. The OP isn't bringing up old stuff, he's quoting TODAY'S NEWS. But the ever vigilant defenders of DCA will, of course, go right on presenting revisionist history, whil claiming SOME people just won't "let it go." >>As has been said before, it started out with a lot of promise...<< Actually, it started with a lot of promises, none of which were delivered. That is why it failed, and why it is today officially acknowledged as same, and is being essentially started over. You do realize the present investment represents more money than was spent to build the thing in the first place. So maybe they will get ot right this time around. I have always held good thoughts about DCA and the Resort, despite the obvious failure that DCA has been.
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt "The reason all this is being brought up "again" is because it is in the news TODAY. The OP isn't bringing up old stuff, he's quoting TODAY'S NEWS." Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm certainly no psychic, but I wouldn't be the least bit surprised that the flaming of DCA will continue long after these changes have been completed 5 or 10 years from now. It's obvious that there are people in this forum and others who simply get a kick out of deriding the place and the people in charge of it.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip TrainGuy: I appreciate Mr. Kar2oon Man's concern for one of LPs Engineers, but Mr. Darkbeer should really not criticize any park with a train. My brothers and I think that Heimlich's Chew-Chew is an outstanding attraction. Well, at least the GOOD brother does. FamilyGuy: Not to mention that DCA is an OUTSTANDING family park. My heart just overflows with joy when I see all the little Cabooses enjoying the many fine attractions in the Bugs Land. DVCGuy: Engineers, Cabooses... what's with all this stupid train stuff? It is GREAT that the Dark-man keeps harping on the same old stuff. That is the way of the DVC... keep saying the same things over and over and sooner or later people will believe it. Besides... they are putting in DVC at the Grand Californian. Who needs a stupid Theme Park? Train Guy: I think my brother DVCGuy is really going down the wrong track. I'm sure all the Engineers and little Cabooses out there would love DCA if they just gave it a try. FamilyGuy: I agree. It is just shameful how good wholesome family activities are looked down upon these days. Got kids? My apologies to the witches...
