Disney's California Adventure Park of Old

     Disney’s California Adventure Park is an amazing park at Disney Resort in Anaheim, California. It opened in Feb 2001. I first visited the park with my family in July 2003. It is a different type of Disney experience that is as magical as a Disneyland experience in a different way. It has also undergone many changes which made us sad but it still remains magical. When we first went there in 2003 and until the changes, the lands in Disney’s California Adventure park consisted of five different lands, Sunshine Plaza, Hollywood Pictures Backlot, Paradise Pier, Golden State and Bugs Land.

     When you went under the Golden Gate Bridge after entering the park you were in Sunshine Plaza.  It was such a spectacular place. The Beach Boys, Peter Paul and Mary and many other California “surfing” songs play overhead giving the area a magical California feel.  It was also a lot of fun to eat an ice cream cone at Brr Bank Ice Cream Parlor, an ice cream parlor that was inside a replica of a Zephyr train. The entire area has changed and the music is not the same but it still is magical.

     To the right of Sunshine Plaza was the Golden State where many excellent rides and attractions  are located. Soaring over California (now just called Soarin) is an amazing adventure in flight that takes the flyer on a trip over California. Grizzly River Run takes guests on a rafting trip on the rapids. It is a fun adventure where riders will most likely not just get wet, they will get soaked. Red Creek Challenge is a fun place in the Golden State for kids. It’s a trail where kids can hike and play. My kids loved it when they were younger.

     Golden State has some wonderful restaurants to eat at. Tate Pilot Grill (now Smokejumpers) is a part of what was called  Condor Flats and a delicious counter service restaurant where burgers, fries, ribs and many other foods are served. The service is excellent and the atmosphere was that of an old rocket test laboratory. It is still a great place to eat, the food and atmosphere are the same. The music is not as good as before.

     From Golden State guests entered Paradise Pier, a part of the park that has a seaside amusement park theme feel. Guests can travel fast on California Screamin, based on the old wooden roller coasters, with a special twist. Toy Story Mania is another one of Paradise Pier’s fun adventures. Travelers enter the world of toys where they get to be a part of arcade games with some fun special effects.

     While visiting Paradise Pier guest have many different counter service restaurants to choose from. The Pacific Warf Café has delicious bread that is freshly baked at the Boudin Bakery. They serve clam chowder, broccoli soup or chili all in sour dough bread bowl.  They also have sandwiches on their delicious bread. Other restaurants in Warf district are Mexican style restaurants and the new Asian counter service restaurant The Lucky Fortune Cookery.

     A Bug’s Land is next to Paradise Pier’s Pacific Warf District. A Bugs Land is a great place for little kids. It is also a lot of fun for big kids. Visitors get to learn what it’s like to be a bug in “It’s Tough to Be a Bug.” Guests can also take a trip on Heimlich's Chew Chew to see what a caterpillar eats. There are many other rides in A Bug’s Land for everyone to enjoy.

  Hollywood Pictures Back Lot now just called Backlot, is a trip to Hollywood’s past. The stores and shops scream out Hollywood. Guests could watch the Muppets in the 3D laboratory in Muppet Vision 3D  which sadly is now gone, visit Monstropolis with Mike and Sully on Mike and Sully to the Rescue. Crush is there to give visitors a look into the world of a humorous turtle and everyone can be terrorized as they ride the elevator on Tower of Terror. The whole backlot is a fantastic experience. They have a great hot dog place, Award Wieners where guests can get a hot dog and chips. Hollywood Backlot also has an excellent live play Aladdin where guests can experience a professional play. Aladdin is also leaving the theater.

     At night time the park comes to life with the new water show, World of Color. It is an amazing show that uses lights, water and song to enhance and tell a story using many different Disney movies.

     The entire park is an amazing Disney experience. Coming soon they have a trolley and Cars Land.  Guests need to plan several days at Disney’s California Adventure Park to experience it all especially now with the addition of Cars Land. I will write about the park as it is now soon.