Ten years ago this Tuesday, Disney California Adventure opened with a sunny ceremony with fireworks, Mickey Mouse, top company officials and glitzy performances.At that time my family had annual passes to Disneyland, and when we were offered the chance to upgrade to a 2-park pass that would include California Adventure, we jumped at it. We didn't try to go to opening day because we knew the park would be a mess. People had been waiting in line for a day or more to get in.
Then the rain started and lasted for weeks, dampening attendance at Disneyland’s sister theme park that received tepid reviews.
Seven months later, the Sept. 11 tragedy hurt tourism in general.
Even Disney’s current president has called California Adventure mediocre. [...]
Opening attendance
Disney had high expectations – 7 million visitors the first year. Instead, 5 million showed up, according to AECOM Economics, a research firm for an industry association. Immediately, visitors asked for more children’s rides – and a Disney feel.
“While they enjoyed the individual experiences, what was missing for them was the deep, emotional connection that they like to have with Disney parks,” said Mary Niven, vice president of Disney California Adventure.
Some changes came within the first year or two: Restaurant operators like Robert Mondavi and Wolfgang Puck pulled out. Attractions were altered or closed. In 2002, Disney erected A Bug’s Land with children’s rides.
The tweaks weren’t enough.
As of 2009, the last year that an attendance figure is available, the park had yet to reach its initial annual attendance goal of 7 million.
However, on the second day, which was a Friday, we couldn't wait any longer. I fully expected the place to be thronged with people, but all we wanted to do was get in the gate and walk around and check the whole place out.
It had been raining all day, but the rain finally stopped in the late afternoon and we arrived at the park about 5pm.
There was nobody there.
We walked into what was essentially a vacant California Adventure. Over the next seven hours until the midnight closing we went on every ride and attraction in the place (except the big roller coaster), had dinner, walked all over the place, and had a great, though somewhat lonely, time. We marveled at the technology that made "Soaring Over California" work. It's still the best thing in the park.
We went into the Golden Dreams theater and watched a politically correct agit-prop movie starring Whoopi Goldberg about the founding of California that we quickly dubbed the "We Hate White People Movie". Thankfully, that mess was closed after a few years.
It was fun walking through the various areas and recognizing famous scenes from different parts of the state, such as the wharfs of Monterey, the redwoods of Northern California, rides reminiscent of The Pike in Long Beach, or the Victorian homes of Sausalito.
But when it was over I couldn't help but think that Disney had a big problem on their hands. There wasn't enough to do and families with small children would have real trouble keeping the young'uns occupied. Disney realized that too and over the years has added more rides and attractions that appeal to younger audiences and got rid of some of the unpopular attractions.
The park has had its growing pains, and I'm not sure it will ever hit the attendance goals they had hoped for. It still doesn't make a lot of sense to me why someone would want to go to California and spend $75 to get into a park...about California. One of the things that made Disneyland work was once you walked through the tunnels at the entrance you were entering places that no longer existed...or didn't exist yet.
You had the Main Street of the 20's and 30's with horse-drawn carriages and old jitney buses. You had the jungles of Adventureland, the old west of Frontierland, a fantasy world on the other side of the castle, or you headed into the future in Tomorrowland. New Orleans Square was the only thing that looked at all like modern America. You didn't walk through the gate into Anaheimland or Huntington Beachland, which is somewhat the experience you have at California Adventure.
Here's a video about the first 10 years from the OC Register.
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