Happy Birthday DCA!

[SacTown Chronic]

I have special memories of DCA. I was there when MickeyLumbo lost his GRR cherry.


(Not to be confused with losing his cherry on GRR. I'm pretty sure that notable event happened on the Matterhorn....rumor has it there was a third man on the mountain that day.)

[Alex]

I actually like DCA. Not as much as Disneyland but to not like something as much as Disneyland is not the same thing as hating something.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Originally Posted by Alex Stroup

I actually like DCA. Not as much as Disneyland but to not like something as much as Disneyland is not the same thing as hating something.

My view is in comparison to The Phantom Menace. There are some things in there that I love (podracing sequence, Darth Maul battles, Qui-Gon Jinn, Ewan as Obi-Wan) but on the whole it's crap and a damned shame that Lucas couldn't do better. Same with DCA.

[Alex]

That's fine. I'm not trying to convince anybody to like DCA, just stating my opinion. In my opinion, DCA is the third best park (behind DL and Sea World) in Southern California and that isn't bad.

But people who disagree can make a compelling case.

As for Phantom Menace (or any of the other prequels), I can't even think of a single thing I liked in them so I'll agree with you on those.

[DisneyDaniel]

Originally Posted by Alex Stroup

I actually like DCA. Not as much as Disneyland but to not like something as much as Disneyland is not the same thing as hating something.

Very well said. Even though I absolutely adore Disney's California Adventure in its current state, there is always room for growth and improvement. On Disney boards--and with Disney's biggest fans and critics, I sometimes feel like the black-sheep DCA fan, but that's OK. People can hate the place, love the place or fall somewhere in between--it doesn't really matter what most people think. As long as Disney's California Adventure continues to be open, it will add to the Disney magic of the Disneyland Resort.

During the last five years, I think Disney's California Adventure has improved with several additions, including the following highlights:
--Monsters Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Resuce!
--Turtle Talk with Crush
--Animation Academy
--The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
--Block Party Bash
--Disney's Aladdin - A Musical Spectacular
--Electrical Parade
--Flik's Fun Fair
--D.U.H. - Department of Untapped Hilarity (improv comedy show)

As a side note or question, would there have been the magnificent Disney's Grand Californian Hotel with its lobby, Heartstone Lounge, White Water Snacks, Storytellers Cafe, and Napa Rose without California Adventure being built?

[Not Afraid]

But I don't wanna go to DCA!

[scaeagles]

I've always liked DCA. But as I've thought about it, there's only one reason....it isn't ever crowded.

One very family trip we've taken over there, we play at DL until it is too crowded for us, then we go to DCA, where there are wide open walkways and limited lines for the things we want to do.

Ambience wise and over all attraction wise....eh, some things I like. Much of it I don't care for at all. The only part I really don't like at all is the Paradise Pier area around the circle over to Golden Dreams. Kind of ugly. But an uncrowded ugly.

[innerSpaceman]

Whether you like the place or not, I think the question pertinent to this occasion is whether you like it better than you did five years ago. In other words, has the place improved during it's important infancy? Has it improved to your satisfaction? Was it just fine "as is" with no improvement needed?



****

Imo, the place is actually WORSE than it was five years ago. Back then, I very much enjoyed a couple of the entertainment offerings - namely, Eureka and Blast! Nowadays, zilch. Back then, I couldn't get enough of Soarin' Over California. Nowadays, once a year is enough for that tired, old film. Tower of Terror provided a solid month of fun ... and now I can't be bothered to walk all the way back there for that 10 second thrill.

They have removed the comfy sofas from the park's most amazing environment - the lobby of the Animation Building. Bah. The food quality and availability at this park have gone steadily downhill from its original superiority to a level on lowly par with, well, Disneyland.

OMG, the place is suckier than the suckfest is was when it opened. My God! It's like a tumor on Disneyland's neck.

[DisneyDaniel]

Happy 5th Birthday, Disney's California Adventure!
Thanks for five years of great fun in the countless hours spent there, and special memories created there with friends and family. Best wishes for you to make it to your own 50 magical years celebration 45 years from now!

[Alex]

So it is a suckfest if you visit every week. Most people only visit every few years or even longer.

If I watched the same episodes of Firefly every weekend, it would start to suck as well.

This is why I don't really go on rides, for the most part, none of them have repeatability for me. Even my favorites (PotC) I'm fine with riding every couple years. Most visits to the park involve no rides unless I'm following other people.

Most of the people I know who visit a lot don't really care for DCA, most of the people I know who visit once a decade enjoy it quite a bit (they're the ones who come back and ask me if I knew Disney'd built a new park and that Country Bear Jamboree is gone). For the way I experience the parks, DCA is just fine.

And no, DCA isn't better than five years ago for one simple reason: It has the most annoying parade of all time (and I'm not talking about Block Party Bash).