Home

[Kristof]

WOOOW



WALT'S CALIFORNIA -- A new visual icon in the tradition of California's great entertainment palaces will draw guests into the heart of Disney's California Adventure. Inspired by the Carthay Circle Theatre where Walt Disney premiered Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937, this new facility will house a next-generation "Walt Disney Story" featuring an interactive tribute to Walt's California experiences, and his entertainment legacy that continues worldwide today.




PART OF YOUR WORLD -- The first major ride based on Disney's classic The Little Mermaid comes to Disney's California Adventure with leading edge animation and special effects. Guests will dive into the magnificent scenes and magical songs from the movie.




KA-CHOW! -- As part of an all-new 12-acre area called Cars Land, Radiator Springs Racers will be a major new "E-ticket" attraction at Disney's California Adventure. Guests will take a trip into the world of Mater, Lightning McQueen and the gang from the Disney·Pixar film Cars, and race around hairpin turns and steep banks.


Edit: it looks like TLM got a budget cut     Instead of using suspended vehicles as originally planned, the concept art shows an omni-mover system similar to Phantom Manor.

[Kristof]

And here's the full press release:

Disney Announces Significant Expansion Plan For The Disneyland Resort

Multi-Year Build-out Plan Includes Major Attractions and a
New "Cars Land" at Disney's California Adventure

GLENDALE, Calif., October 17, 2007 -- The Walt Disney Company today unveiled a significant multi-year expansion plan for the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim that continues its growth as a multi-day, world-class tourist destination.
Announced by Disney President and Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger and Parks and Resorts Chairman Jay Rasulo at a press conference at Walt Disney Imagineering's Glendale headquarters, the expansion will bring new entertainment and major familyoriented attractions to Disney's California Adventure, including an entirely new Cars Land inspired by the hit Disney•Pixar animated film Cars.
"The success of the Disneyland Resort over the past few years provides us with both the opportunity and the need to invest for growth, to enhance and expand the experience for our guests and attract new visitors, while at the same time delivering attractive returns on the investment," said Iger. "This plan is a reflection of our belief in the bright future of the Disneyland Resort and our continuing commitment to grow the Anaheim Resort Area as a world class tourist destination."

Disney Imagineers will be bringing more of Walt Disney into Disney's California Adventure, celebrating the hope and optimism of California that attracted Walt to this land of opportunity in the 1920s. Guests entering the new Plaza will be instantly immersed in the world that inspired Walt during his early days as an animation pioneer. The new, interactive Walt Disney Story attraction will set the stage for the unfolding story of Walt that will permeate the park.

The expansive program reaches throughout Disney's California Adventure, with an amazing Little Mermaid attraction, a groundbreaking, signature nighttime spectacular and new viewing area for 9,000, and the addition of the 12-acre Cars Land featuring the world of Radiator Springs with three new attractions. Extensive landscaping, new retail and dining will create an even richer environment throughout the park in ways that reinforce Guests' connection with Walt.

"Our Disneyland Guests have a deep emotional connection with Walt Disney, whose life story really captures the pioneering spirit of California in the 1920s," said Rasulo. "The creative evolution of Disney's California Adventure will connect guests to Walt's own California adventure and reflect the place that he found when he first arrived with a cardboard suitcase in his hand and a head full of dreams."

The expansion is part of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts' overall growth strategy of continuing to invest in its core business of existing parks and resorts around the world, while exploring new opportunities to capture more of the growing family vacation market.
This announcement follows Disney's ground-breaking last month for a 250-room expansion of Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, including 50 rooms dedicated to the West Coast debut of Disney Vacation Club, the company's growing time share business.


Multi-day, World-Class Tourist Destination
Today's announced expansion builds upon the transformation of the Disneyland park into a multi-day destination resort that began in 2001 with the creation of the Disneyland Resort and the opening of Disney's California Adventure Park, Downtown Disney and Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa.  Since then, the Disneyland Resort has continued to grow with the addition of popular attractions and shows, including: Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer Island, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror,
Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!, Block Party Bash, High School Musical 2: Schools Out!, Disney Princess Fantasy Faire, and Jedi Training Academy, along with the re-Imagineering of Space Mountain and enhancements to Pirates of the Caribbean.

"This expansion builds on a commitment we made more than a decade ago to create and grow the Anaheim Resort Area as a world-class tourist destination where guests would want to stay for more than one day," said Disneyland Resort President Ed Grier.

"That investment has become a success for Disney, the Anaheim community and for the economy of Southern California."

According to the Anaheim/Orange County Visitor and Convention Bureau,
Anaheim is one of the fastest-growing tourist destinations in the country, enjoying some of the highest hotel occupancy rates in the nation and attracting millions of visitors each year who spend billions of dollars.


Coming to Disney's California Adventure Over the Next Several Years
In addition to the new themeing and attractions, Disney's California Adventure will receive new restaurant and retail innovations, landscaping to enrich the placemaking, facade and graphics enhancements, and an extensive menu of entertainment and events.
Disney's California Adventure is already home to some of the Disneyland Resort's highest-rated attractions and shows, including: Soarin' Over California, California Screamin', The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and the Broadway-caliber show, Disney's Aladdin — A Musical Spectacular.


Cars Land
The expansion will culminate with an entirely new, 12-acre addition: Cars Land, immersing guests into a world inspired by the hit Disney•Pixar movie, Cars, playing to America's love affair with automobiles.
Radiator Springs Racers, a major "E-ticket" attraction, places guests right in the middle of the amazingly detailed, dimensional Cars world of Mater, Lightning McQueen, Doc and Sally. Guests get a quick race briefing from Doc and Lightning, and suddenly find themselves in the midst of a race around hairpin turns and steep banks.
Cars Land increases capacity to the park with two additional immersive family rides, featuring Luigi and Mater from the movie. Cars Land represents an unprecedented level of collaboration between Pixar Animation Studios and Disney Imagineering to create this extensive new area. The new land will substantially extend the total area of Disney's
California Adventure park.


Paradise Pier
Paradise Pier will host major new attractions beginning next summer with the opening of Toy Story Mania!, a ride-through, interactive adventure where Guests ride into a high-energy 4-D carnival midway hosted by Toy Story characters. Woody, Jessie, Buzz, Hamm and the gang come to life in amazing ways, immersing guests in the rich stories of the Pixar blockbuster Toy Story films.

A major ride based on Disney's classic The Little Mermaid comes to the park's Paradise Pier with leading-edge animation and special effects. Guests will dive into the magnificent scenes and magical songs from the movie. A Mermaid Grotto area with a fountain and sand castle will offer new play experiences for children.


Unique Nighttime Spectacular
The dramatic and unique Disney's World of Color will bring new nighttime
excitement to Paradise Pier. This nightly panorama of spectacular water effects, colorful lighting and music will bring Disney animation to life with an entirely new creative and technical approach. The 9,000 person viewing area offers prime waterside viewing of the show – and provides a site for live entertainment, music festivals, and outdoor film premieres.


Entry Plaza and Gateway
The totally new gateway to Disney's California Adventure welcomes guests into an immersive world of historic California streets as Walt experienced them as a young artist arriving with big dreams.
A new visual icon in the tradition of Los Angeles, California's great entertainment palaces will draw guests into the heart of the attractions. This new facility, which was inspired by Los Angeles' historic Carthay Circle Theatre that premiered Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937, will house a next generation Walt Disney Story featuring an interactive tribute to Walt's California experiences, and his entertainment legacy that
continues world-wide today. Red Car trolleys reminiscent of the old Pacific Electric Railway will travel up and down the main street.
New dining and shopping experiences and a slate of unique, live entertainment will bring energy to the Walt Disney Plaza.


Hollywood Pictures Backlot
Hollywood Pictures Backlot will be a new home for a slate of special ticketed events and chances to hear first hand from innovative directors, writers and animators. An update of the popular family show "Playhouse Disney" will provide an experience for younger children.


Golden State
The "Golden State" area of the park will see the addition of numerous new dining opportunities tied to the incredible bounty of California's farmland and its rich ethnically diverse food heritage. Food and wine festivals that celebrate the seasons, tastes and cultures of the dynamic communities of the Golden State will entertain guests, bringing unique one-of-a-kind experiences.


Preview Center
A Preview Center located on San Francisco Street in the Golden State region of the park will feature models, Imagineering concepts – giving park guests a sneak peek at the excitement that lies ahead.
The Preview Center is scheduled to open in late 2008.

[WDI1992]

wow looks and sounds absolutely great! Fantastic addition to the Resort, I think they can do with something like this...

[Anthony]

This new facility, which was inspired by Los Angeles' historic Carthay Circle Theatre that premiered Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937, will house a next generation Walt Disney Story featuring an interactive tribute to Walt's California experiences, and his entertainment legacy that
continues world-wide today. Red Car trolleys reminiscent of the old Pacific Electric Railway will travel up and down the main street.

*Baloo faints*

I'm going to have to read the rest later, it's too exciting... Brilliant that it's all absolutely true though, I can hardly believe it! :shock:

Little Mermaid: Think the Omnimover was mainly a capacity issue, not sure of the cost difference between that and a suspended ride.

[The Butlin Boy]

Wow, that sound and looks fantastic!

It is quite annoying that they are going to get the Little Mermaid ride designed for Paris, but perhaps this is the first step towards the Little Mermaid ride finally being made in its initial home here at DLP

[DisneyAlba]

I'm wondering, perhaps I glanced over it, but has anything been said as to when they plan to complete this? As in, in how many years time... Because I'll need to be planning a holiday by then.  

[Kristof]

Little Mermaid: Think the Omnimover was mainly a capacity issue, not sure of the cost difference between that and a suspended ride.

I don't think they can take the ride where it was supposed to be with an omnimover system.  The original version was to take you up and below the water, putting you in the scenes, while from what I can judge, you will now pass by the scenes.  

If you put on the TLM dvd extra feature, you'll see that this particular scene had your shell rise up from the water next to the boat, while in this one the shell clearly just moves around it.  

But I won't judge of course lol, the ride is far from finished and probably still being designed.  It's still pretty amazing they've dusted off the old Euro Disney plans.  

[Dlrpfan]

Wow im really impressed and cant wait for the updates now! i like the whole new look paridise pier ideas and Walts california. Does anyone know when the target completion date is?

[Kristof]

Even more details and concept art on Miceage!  :shock:

http://www.miceage.com/allutz/al101807a.htm

*continues reading*

*finished reading*

Wow, I wish Euro Disney SCA could get a billion euro's for WDS.  

[penfold12]

I read that the Villans make over of California Screamin' was dropped because of the speed the ride goes at. It was felt that the propsed changes would be wasted beacuse riders wouldnt get a full impact because the cars obviously move to fast to get any real theming because it it out side as opposed to Space Mountain for example.

[Anthony]

Wow, I wish Euro Disney SCA could get a billion euro's for WDS.  

Yeah, it certainly makes the €200m spent on WDS pale into insignificance.

One line has stood out to me already:

The current broad expanse of cement known as the Sun Plaza is universally derided amongst Imagineers for having no curbs and no welcoming feature that invites people to stop and sit.

Please, please let them be thinking this about the streets of WDS too...

The Carthay Circle Theatre is interesting. It seems like it'll sit almost like a Castle on one corner of the main plaza, with the Walt Disney Story inside. If they were looking for something to use as the centre of an expanded WDS in the very distant future, this might be a perfect template...

Theming the starbust of the Sun Wheel to the opening of the old Mickey Mouse cartoons! Such a great idea!

the existing Mulholland Madness coaster will be rethemed as Goofy's Flying Academy

Wow, not a Pixar theme? A ride based on a Disney VIP character? Whatever next?! :shock:

A full-sized moving, talking and dancing Tow Mater will be the disc jockey at a spinner ride that will have passengers being whipped around the desert floor in truck trailers.

...etc

Ladies and gentlemen, Cars Quatre Roues Rallye is officially about to be blown out of the water.

Bob Iger's reported visit to WDS recently gives us a little hope anyway. EDSCA may have hardly any money, but some of the developments here might eventually filter down in the direction of Paris. Lutz says a lot of this was made possible because of the strong 50th... from a DLRP perspective we've just got to hope the 15th brings another Paris-sized boost in a few years the keep things at WDS rolling forward.

[Anthony]

A video report from ABC news, including Bob, Jay and some more concepts:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ff-Qie7L8Fc

It reminds me of all the stuff they showed at the EuroDisney grand opening, except this is actually happening. :shock:

And a great LA Times map posted by MouseTimes.com:



And another nice map: click here.

[Owain]

Heres a list from kraxleRIDAH on theme park review of all things coming to DCA;

New Park Entrance Complex by 2011

- New Art Deco turnstiles pushed out to the current California letters
- Pacific Electric Red Cars from Walt Disney Plaza to future Cars Land entry
- Antique vehicles to Hollywood
- Carthay Circle Theater with new Walt Disney Story
- Walt Disney Plaza
- New "Partners" statue: A youthful Walt and an old-school looking Mickey
- 1920's Los Angeles architecture and facades complete with street curbs and furnishings

Paradise Pier Remake 2008-2011

- Toy Story - Midway Mania! in 2008
- DCA Preview Center in 2008
- Disney's World of Color Spectacular in 2009 with new amphitheater
- 100$ million dollar The Little Mermaid attraction and sea-grotto play area
- Goofy's Flying Academy (retheme and renaming of Mulholland Madness)
- Beer Garden
- High-tech LED lighting system for Sun Wheel / Sun Wheel renamed and redecorated
- Victorian architecture and themeing throughout
- Disney-Pixar character overlay to California-themed midway games
- Mickey head on California Screamin' replaced with Victorian-era billboard

Cars Land expansion 2012

- 12 acre expansion into the existing Timon Lot
- $200+ million dollar Radiator Springs Racers E-Ticket
- Luigi's Bumper Tires C-Ticket (Walt's Flying Saucers)
- Mater's Spinner C-Ticket
- Drive-In Movie Restaurant
- Radiator Springs area development, stores, quick serve dining
- Realigned parade route

And i here that there getting rid of the mickey head on california screamin'  

Edit: It's going to be replaced with a Victorian-era billboard. :lol:

As shown below ;

[Dlrpfan]

LOL! No more billboards!!!!!!!
I personally think they should leave CS and the Sunwheel alone as  they look great allready

[DisneyParksFan]

^ I agree.

If they're making it more Disney...you think they would want to keep the mickey head on CS.
Plus, what I dont understand is...why would they want to move (or build a new one?) sun wheel over to CS loading area and put a mickey face on there? I really like the mickey head on CS near the loop. It looks great!

Well, I'll be there in March of 08 but nothing will be completed by then.
I can take pictures if anybody wants some...then in the future we can compare what currently is there to what was there

I saw Mullholland was being re-themed to a Goofy's Old Flying School (similar to the concept at WDW?)

-DPF