As many of you know, this week prep begins for the hubcap and bathroom tiles to come down...
We have to wait a little while before the alphabet joins it as most construction on the front takes place in the new year, but progress abounds. Once the metallic sun goes down, prep work will begin for the new weenie; the replica of the
Carthay Circle Theater. The mosaic tiles will be slowly disappearing behind the California letters. The design, meant to appear as a postcard looking into the wacky world of the Golden State, never really connected with anyone. The artwork looked far better than the actual result, and the result didn't look that good. If you make theming that has to be explained then it's not good theming. A major problem is the fact that the real world the park was to represent, can be gotten outside for free. No need to pay almost $80 bucks for it.
The entire mark of the entrance (and park) were off. When you walk down the entrance, it doesn't take you out of the real world, it just tells you you're in a cheap replacement for it. Contrast this with Main Street U.S.A., which with each step you take, sends you into an idealised version of turn-of-the-century America. By the time you get to the hub, you've left reality and moved on to another world. One created by Walt and his dreams.
It's not the same over experience across the Esplanade. After moving that short distance from the gates to Sunshine Plaza, you're left wandering why you paid for something you can get outside. And usually better themed. That's a major mistake and one that made many a person not go through the turnstiles. I know a lot of people e-mailed me to say that I was saying the new theming is as good as
DisneySEA. Anyone who says that hasn't been reading this blog for very long. No theme is as as strong as TDS, save for Disneyland itself. And both of those aren't perfect either. There are cases and places where things have been put that don't belong. That said, I accept the new layout and explanation for Anaheim's Second Gate. It works a great deal better than the original plan ever did. I like how the new plan is a compliment and be a flip on the whole concept of Main Street.
While
Main Street U.S.A. is a romantic, idealized version of
Marceline, Missouri that Walt saw in is days as a young boy and
Disneyland is a reflection of his imagination.
Buena Vista Street will be a romantic, idealized version of Los Angeles, California that Walt saw in his first years starting his company and
California Adventure will be a reflection of the adventures created by his company. I like that. It's not perfect, but then again, the
Arabian Coast in
Tokyo DisneySEA is an attempt to wedge something from the desert, where there was no water anywhere to be seen, into an aquatic environment. And it works. You have to suspend your belief and reasoning when looking at it and also forget that the film makes no mention related to the ocean or water. But the Imagineers made it believable.
DCA will have a connection to the magic of the Disney Brothers company that started in L.A. so long ago. The entire park will be transformed into the Disney experiences viewed through the times and themes of the state where Walt made it all happen.
And when it's all done in 2012, it won't be really done. There will still be work to be done. There always will be. But a kid coming into that new entrance is going to have a much better experience than the tykes that walked past those letters in February almost a decade ago. As time goes by, the theming and detail will get better and slowly we will forget the mess this park was in the beginning. Let's just make sure we never let the Suits forget.
The second decade of this park is going to shine like Sunshine Plaza never did...
