Cars Land

Disney California Adventure and it’s Crazy Past – Up the Waterfall Podcast

10 February 2020 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

Disney California Adventure has had quite the history in its short 19 years of existence. February 8th saw DCA’s 19th birthday, so to celebrate we thought we’d venture Up the Waterfall and discuss all the crazy changes this young park has experienced over the years. It’s definitely had some…growing pains. Special thanks to Yesterland.com for all the incredible photos from California Adventure‘s opening days.

Personally, I did not get to enjoy Disney’s California Adventure in its original or even secondary “glory.” This was due to the fact that around the time it was built I was not only dealing with two kids under two, but I was still in California-is-a-foreign-country-I-may-never-get-to mode regarding Disneyland. (But once I did get to experience the Disneyland Difference, I fell head-over-heels in love!)

As a result of not visiting California Adventure for years, I missed a lot of the things we discuss in the beginning of the episode. Sure, I knew about Super Star Limo and the pun-filled Paradise Pier area, but that was sort of it. So this episode was really fun for me to discover some of these things for the first time too.

In this episode, we start out with the history of a second park on the west coast; where and what could have been. Next we chronicle how Disney’s California Adventure first came to be. We cover all of the strange design and attraction choices that existed at park opening in 2001. Followed by the little changes and the major changes that followed.

Flik's Flyers — ARE Egg Rolls the fastest?

When I finally got to visit DCA in 2011, it was full of construction walls and not much else. Really, just Paradise Pier and World of Color were the highlights for me. Certainly, when I returned in 2012, it was a whole new world. Cars Land, Buena Vista Street brought with it a new design standard. All the additions that came with those areas really improved the whole park, making it a must-see destination.

Rounding out the discussion, we share where we think the park will go in the future with the upcoming Avengers Campus. Above all, we ponder what will become of Disney California Adventure in the years to come. What do you think will happen?

We hope you enjoy this week’s episode of Up the Waterfall!

How to Listen to Up the Waterfall

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How to Watch Up the Waterfall

Head to our Up the Waterfall YouTube Playlist – where you can see our opening sequence and some unique images of the Disney California Adventure over the years. Here’s the latest episode:

Feel free to comment below with your memories of Disney California Adventure, any questions or info you’d like to add, or if it’s easier, head to the Zannaland Facebook page and join the discussion there with fellow DCA fans!

How Can I Learn More About This Episode?

Here are some of the books we referenced for this episode (the links will go to the item on amazon.com and are affiliate links – meaning no extra cost for you but a small portion goes back to zannaland if you make a purchase – thank you for supporting our site!):

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Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters Opens March 7 in Disney California Adventure

25 February 2016 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

When Luigi’s Flying Tires closed a little over a year ago over in Cars Land at Disney California Adventure, we all wondered what would replace the fun, albeit short-lived and plagued-with-issues attraction. Well wonder no more, because Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters is less than a month away from opening, and Erin Glover over at the Disney Parks Blog, has shared some fun news and a sneak peek of the ride. It looks adorable, and based on how much fun my family has on Tow Mater’s Junkyard Spin, I know this will be a big hit. While the ride looks simple and very kid-friendly, it seems to be very advanced in its technology and possible combinations for ride paths. I can’t wait to check it out myself (hopefully) soon!

Here’s more from Erin:

Luigi has invited his cousins from Carsoli, Italy, to Radiator Springs for a special celebration! In this all-new attraction, Luigi will turn the tire storage yard behind his Casa Della Tires into a dance floor! Cars Land guests will be able to ride along with Luigi’s cousins as they move and spin to upbeat Italian music, performing the traditional dances of their hometown village.

Each dancing car will have its own high-spirited personality and signature dance moves – making every ride unpredictable, as you won’t know which way they will turn and spin next! Take a look at how Walt Disney Imagineering created this carefully choreographed dance in this behind-the-scenes video:

Join the dance yourself when Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters opens March 7.

What do you think? Are you excited to meet the cousins? I love that they all have names and personalities, and that the ride will be different pretty much every time.

Guest Post: Tom Bricker Shares Spectacular Highlights From Cars Land

16 July 2012 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

I’m so pleased to have Tom Bricker back sharing his amazing photo skills and some highlights from his recent visit to the grand opening of Cars Land at Disney California Adventure. Please welcome Tom again and enjoy his post below:

Cars Land at Disney California Adventure is quite possibly the most beautiful land in any Disney theme park, and is definitely the most immersive. As soon as you set foot in Cars Land, you feel as if you’ve exited Disney California Adventure and stepped foot onto Route 66 in the Pixar film, Cars. Words certainly do not do the beauty of this amazing new land justice, and even photos barely do it justice. That said, I’ll try to do justice to the jaw-dropping beauty of Cars Land by sharing some photos I’ve taken of this all-new land.

If these photos piqued your interest in Cars Land, make sure to check out my Cars Land photos and Radiator Springs Racers photos, where you can view hundreds of additional photos of Cars Land and its flagship attraction, Radiator Springs Racers! Are you thinking about booking a trip to Disneyland Resort to experience Cars Land? Have you already experienced it? Share your thoughts in the comments!