Now that they realize the Disneyland Resort customer base is 70% local, they STILL can't get rid of the California theme that everyone local just laughs at - because it doesn't do anything but look so pale and crappy compared to the California we are all intimately familiar with.

Yes, it was a craven attempt to prevent tourists from "escaping" the rest of what this beautiful state has to offer them. But now that the resort is crammed with 70% non-tourists and couldn't take on any more business if it tried, they are stuck with a dog that they are spending Disneyland's billions on to dress up like a dog with wings.

Whoopie!

DCA is getting better over time, but when I first visited the park the two main thoughts running through my head were "Wow there's a lot of cement here" and "I don't get it... This isn't really fun." While some of the attractions are really cool and a ton of fun, most of the park is missing any semblance of charm, something which Disneyland itself is full of. While I agree that some of the plussing of the scenery will only marginally improve the experience, I believe the new entrance and some of the other improvements will really change the way many feel about the park. Contrary to popular belief, as much of the new improvements are marketed as improvements to the California theme, I really believe the park is moving away from that. Sure they have been able to loosely tie most of the new improvements back to California, but only in a Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon kind of way. The new rides and lands are much more transport-you-to-a-new-Disneyified-utopian-world than transport-you-to-reality-of-the-past.

Unfortunately, you'll likely never get to Catch-a-Flave which used to be one of my favorite things to do while in DCA... *moment of silence for Catch-a-Flave's flave-filled menu*

Cynthia, I don't know if Disney Daniel will chime in here, but he is famous in these parts as the guy who names DCA as his favorite park. De gustibus non disputandem est, to be sure.

Well now I don't feel like quite such a slappy squirrel for thinking CA-Adv is corporate idiocy - I was sad the other day to not be able to take my husband in the sky buckets, Monsanto and caravel of progress :p

Flippyshark, I have moments of acceptable new Mexican cooking, it is not like we can't get green chili here (yeah!) perhaps a housewarming with green chili is in order

Not Afraid - yes I am stalking you, it was all B & I could do not to show up at Edison last night :evil:

He's in Florida, little hope of him finding decent southwest cooking any time soon. Though methinks he has us beat on the Cuban food front.

I have to agree about many of the new attractions getting far away from the California theme, but the park itself is not. Disneyland is not charming primarily because of its rides, but because of its exterior design and the mood you get from just being there.


And now, a moment of silence for Catch-a-Flave ...





















sigh. Back to the Cone Shop, I guess.

My biggest beef with DCA has been the lack of greenery/shade. It's gets frelling hot over there.

I miss Golden Dreams...

I miss the Eyore section of the parking lot! ;)