Happy 8th Birthday, Disney's California Adventure!

[DisneyDaniel]

Hello to everyone at LoT (both those I've known for years here and the others who I've yet to meet). But anyway, it's been much too long since I last logged on to LoT (working and traveling too much again), but today is not about me -- it's all about Disney's California Adventure!

Happy 8th Birthday, Disney's California Adventure! You're my favorite theme park and I know the "Blue Sky" dreams for you from Disney Imagineering will make you an even better park for years to come. Opening Day of Disney's California Adventure: Feb. 8, 2001.

I'm off to the Disneyland Resort now, so maybe I'll bump into some of you there! :)

The weekend rain in Southern California is mostly gone today, so the golden sun will be shining in Disney's California Adventure on its 8th anniversary!

[flippyshark]

Your favorite park, huh? I knew such a person had to be out there somewhere. Anyway, I hope the ongoing changes won't ruin it for you. (There's been a lot of heartbreak for us D-landophiles of late.) If I lived about 3000 miles west of where I do, I'd join you for a celebratory scoop of Fantasia ice cream. (Are they still selling that?)

[JWBear]

Eight years already? I'm still in morning for the parking lot.....

[DisneyDaniel]

Thanks, flippyshark. Unfortunately, Fantasia ice cream has been gone from the Disney parks in California for a few years now. But at least Dole Whip is still sold in Disneyland!

You're right; I'm one of the few more vocal, admitted fans of Disney's California Adventure since the beginning (but I think there are a lot more DCA fans who are simply silent).

I will dearly miss the entrance (the gorgeous mosaic, Golden Gate Bridge, Sunshine Plaza and CALIFORNIA letters). The planned, new entrance gates for DCA look EXACTLY like the entrance to Disney's Hollywood Studios, so I'm very disappointed about the lack of originality there.

And, I already miss my favorite DCA attraction, Golden Dreams. But if its replacement -- a Little Mermaid dark ride -- will be a potential guest favorite, then so be it.

Overall, I think the planned changes and many, new additions are great and will finally give Disney's California Adventure the love, respect, money and attention it deserves.

[Alex]

I'd join you for a celebratory scoop of Fantasia ice cream. (Are they still selling that?)

Unless they revived it when I wasn't paying attention (a distinct possibility), then no they stopped making Fantasia several years ago.

[bewitched]

They're taking down the CALIFORNIA letters? Every time we go, Olivia has her picture taken in the "O" It's like a timeline of her visits. What a bummer. :(

[Andrew]

Eight years already? I'm still in morning for the parking lot..... You and me both, JWBear. I especially miss the up-front motorcycle parking.

Unless they revived it when I wasn't paying attention (a distinct possibility), then no they stopped making Fantasia several years ago. How to make Fantasia ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery:

sweet cream ice cream with pistachio syrup
banana
cherry pie filling
roasted almonds

This isn't 100% authentic, because Cold Stone doesn't have pistachio nuts. The almonds work almost as well.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Wow, EIGHT years ago. :eek:

Yay, Daniel! :) My favorite DCA fan! Good to see you here. Hope you have a great day at the park.

I've also got my fingers crossed for those Blue Sky improvements. Can't wait to see how it all comes out.

[JWBear]

I, for one, can't wait for the "paint by numbers" murals to go away.

[BarTopDancer]

Eight years?? HOLY CRAP!

[RStar]

Wow, time flys when you're having fun, no?

It seems like just a couple of years ago that I was visiting DCA about a week before it opened to the public. There are so many things that were open then that haven't been open for so long that the park I visited 8 years ago is already gone.

But I'm very excited about the changes. While I will be sad to see the Golden Gate Bridge gone, the new entrance sounds wonderful. I know the new gates will look exactly like Disney Studios, but the look is from a building that actually excisted in LA during the time period the time park is adopting so it makes since. I love that building, it was also in the movie Xanadu.

[Alex]

How to make Fantasia ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery:

I know you were offering that generally and not to me specifically. But Fantasia ice cream was gross so I don't miss it beyond the fact that it was nice that Disneyland had its own flavor. I just wish it had been an edible one.

Maybe something with peanut butter and apples.

[cirquelover]

I'd have to agree with Alex about the Fantasia ice cream.

It looks like I haven't been keeping up with the changes, sad to hear the Golden Gate will be gone. I guess I better check out what else they have in store. I did hear the Mickey ears aren't going to be on the loop anymore, I kind of liked those.

[alphabassettgrrl]

I will dearly miss the entrance (the gorgeous mosaic, Golden Gate Bridge, Sunshine Plaza and CALIFORNIA letters).
...snip...
Overall, I think the planned changes and many, new additions are great and will finally give Disney's California Adventure the love, respect, money and attention it deserves.

I'll miss those things, too, DD. :: sigh :: I do hope the new changes work out.


I did hear the Mickey ears aren't going to be on the loop anymore, I kind of liked those.

Yeah, I liked that, too.

I like DCA and I want it to be all it can be.