Time Zones...

Going back into the magic of the past...



We've talked before about the retheming of Disney California Adventure, but I thought this time we'd explain it with a visual representation...

While I've talked quite a bit in the past about the new perspective on focusing on the park's representation of the Golden State. That view of California from the perspective of how Walt saw it. Basically, a representation of all the periods in which Disney lived in this state. So the experience is a Disney Experience, in whatever attraction is put in, and the various areas/lands will be made up of seeing a place from the perspective of the time he was here. These are my words, but the Imagineer's intent, just so you know.

The park is divided into the sections of Walt's life from his first entering in the Twenties, to his passing in the Sixties:

Paradise Pier - (1920's) An idealized seaside pier and harbor representing a walk by the shore during the early part of the twentieth Century, just as Walt Disney arrived in the state to realize his dreams. Set during the Post-Victorian/Edwardian Era representing a simpler, but vibrant life for those walking along the golden beaches of the growing and prosperous West Coast.

Buena Vista Street - (1930's) Set during the rising days of Walt's studio and the establishing of it as a major player in Hollywood, the Spanish Revival style will evoke much of what it was like to walk down the sidewalk of Los Angeles during that period.

Hollywood Land - (1940's) Imagined as the way it was viewed during the Golden Era of Hollywood. The Art Deco and movie studio influences are supposed to give you the feeling of being in a nostalgic interpretation of what Tinsel Town was like during this period.

Golden State - (1950's) A representation of the national parks that you would find in the state, like Yosemite or Redwood National Park. Drawing on inspiration from the Real Life series, this area with its woodsy feel and Arts & Crafts architecture invoke a rustic view of what it was like to see rural mid to northern California.

Cars Land - (1960's) Driving down Route 66 in its prime, seeing what it was like to travel through the open desert going down the "Mother Road" as an entryway into California. The end of the American way of life before the highways took over and pushed you past the lands, not through them. And as the sun set on this special time, it also quietly represents the passing of the company's creator.

And as far as A Bug's Land goes, well that happens to be a bridge land set between two others. It represents the lands and valleys that occupy the state, feed our nation and the world, but it doesn't represent a time period. But everything else has it, or will eventually have its own time and feel.

So think of this as a new beginning, not a middle and certainly not an end...

Timing...

Time, keeps on slipping...



Into the future...
If you've been to DCA this week you've gotten to experience the newly opened Paradise Park...

Nice, huh?

I've heard several people refer to it as lovely 20's theming. Now, as I'm an architectural lover and I know the Imagineers perchance for detail, I must correct.

Let me illuminate for you.

Those that tell you the pier looks the way it would have looked when the company's founder first arrived are wrong. The new front entrance will be late 20's/early 30's. A style known as Spanish Revival. The Hollywoodland section, will be themed more "Golden Age" to the mid 30's/late 30's that is known for its Art Deco Stylings (of note, the Disney Cruise Line's ships are designed in different styles, one Art Deco, the other Art Nouveau).

So the pier, which WDI describes as a "Turn of the Century" park would be considered Victorian/Edwardian, but not twenties. This would fall in line with the Arts and Crafts period themed Grand Californian which was popular around the same time (modeled after the Gamble House). Technical, eh? So, if you want to describe the feeling, music and atmosphere to someone when walking though the area, Mictorian turn of the century is the broadest, most accurate words to use. Not, the 1920's.

Remember, timing is everything...

Blue Sky Buzz: Going Vertical...

If you start showing up at DCA over the next few weeks you are going to finally see noticeable change...

After over a year the new pier will opening up to give guest a look at a much more detailed section of the evolving Victorian shoreline that Paradise Pier will become between now and 2011. Then later this year the rest of the boardwalk where the stores are will go down and transform into the same stylings as games near the Midway Mania attraction. The Maliboomer dismantling that was originally proposed, then abandoned, then postponed is now on again and the area will become a meet-and-greet location for guest and characters. The trees, benches and shading should serves as quite a contrast to the cold steel and themeless environment of this horrible import from Knotts/Six Flaggs.

Across the pier we should soon start seeing The Little Mermaid attraction begin to take shape and form surprisingly fast. By the Holiday season you'll be able to get a very clear idea of the detail and size of this new experience.

Around the same time, expect to see a mass of steel heading skyward over in the new Carsland area. This collection of metal and concrete will begin to take form and slowly become the primary focus of the park. It will be the white elephant in the room. You won't be able to avoid. And each day, week, month there will be some new detail to watch come into play.

As the seasons change and the year winds down you can expect to see one half of front entrance go down and then back up again as it's rebuilt to the past. The focus on the late 20's/early 30's will start to transform the entrance into something uniquely Disney and not look like something that was transported from The Block.

After all these years of hearing about expansion, construction and change the largest part of it will begin to happen this year. Next year will be even more chaotic with all the construction, but it will also bring a great deal of excitement. It's as if we're getting a whole new park. A park worthy of being across the Esplanade.

Truthfully, it is and we will...

Rain Check...

If you've noticed the pier in DCA isn't exactly full...

In fact it looks pretty dry, doesn't it? It was supposed to start being refilled last week, but a combination of minor technical errors and a little seen thing known as rain put a damper on the wetness happenings.

Fear not, should everything go according to plan, it shouldn't be too long before you see a steady stream of water trickling into the giant concrete swimming pool. But remember, it'll take close to three weeks to fill, so the rising will come slowly. Very slowly. But late November will come round and the sight of that mass of wire, pipe and beams should be a fading memory.

Weather permitting and the creak don't rise; only the pier...

The Rising...

Finally, we can say goodbye to looking at all that construction in Paradise Pier...

That's right. This week (today, actually) you're going to see a steady stream of liquid that used to be known as water inside that big concrete pit that we've all come to loath, err, I mean love. Yeah, I meant love.

Seriously though, it'll take a little less than three weeks, but come early November most people that come into the park will see an actual bay where all those nozzles, bars and tubes now lay. Of course, it'll really be nice when we're able to finally walk along that swanky new play area around it.

But it'll be the end of the year (Dec/Jan) before you'll get that chance...

Paradise Peer...

Today is the day we start noticing the Paradise Pier become smaller...

and smaller...

and smaller...

As it drains so that the construction crews can install the massive collection of water jets(1200-1700) for the "World of Color" show.

Lots of work to be done, a shrinking amount of time to do it in.


Let it begin...