First off, welcome! Pull up to the swank bar, grab yourself a
and get comfy.
As to your question...how much time ya' got?
The short answer - when California Adventure (aka DCA, aka the parking lot) was built, the man in charge (Paul Pressler) was known more for his ability to run shopping malls than amusement parks. In many ways, look no further than how much more well themed the shop interiors are than the rest of the park to understand where DCA went wrong.
Combine consumerism-centered thinking with radical cost-cutting, and a theme that doesn't inspire much in the way of Disney-esque fantasy and creativity and voila, you've got a recipe for bland.
That said, there is some evidence that the company has recognized those shortcomings and is working to rectify. IF (and I stress the IF) the plans they've presented in the "blue sky" display are executed with the level of imagination and commitment that Disneyland once stood for, they stand a good chance of setting the park on a much better path. But only time will tell.