Looking Back - 99 Days Until Disney's California Adventure Opens (DLR Line)

Wow! 99 days and counting until the anticipated new theme park Disney's California Adventure opens it's gates to Guests, turning Disneyland into the Disneyland Resort.

Sorry for my dinning room table being in the shots. I took these shots with my camera because I don't own a scanner. Ha Ha

This is a copy of the Disneyland Resort Line which is a (weekly?) news letter that Cast Members can read to get the latest information of what is happening at the Resort. 

From the outside, with most of Paradise Pier exposed (California Screamin', Maliboomer, Orange Stinger, Mulholland Madness) along with Grizzly Peak and the back sides of Holywood Pictures Backlot, I am sure there were Cast Members who couldn't wait to see what else Disney's California Adventure would hold.

Are you serious?  "after lunch there is nothing better than riding a bee inside the Orange Stinger" 

Soon the Postcard Letters will be gone for a more 1920's themed look

"It's going to be bigger than any opening we have experience". That is, until the preview days come along and word of mouth over the internet gave poor reviews for the park 

Oh my gosh! Just at first glance of the numbers, it makes the Park look as though there is a lot of stuff to do... until you start reading the list on the left and see that it is listing everything (attractions, shops, and restaurants)

 

Don't forget to advertise the Park!

Before the Park opened, there was an online site that had a computer generated video of California Screamin'. I didn't want to watch it because I wanted to be surprised. Even though temptation took over, I just let the video download and just sped through it. As I was just scrolling it at a rapid pace, I remember thinking that as massive as the track it and how much of Paradise Pier it takes, it looked kind of short and underwhelming. Driving by the backside of Paradise Pier, seeing Mulholland Madness, I would get excited because I love the Wild Mouse coasters, so I couldn't wait to ride that. But once getting to the Park and seeing the track, I was like "That's it?!"

I did go to one of the preview days. Got there early in the day and the first two rides I wanted to check out were California Screamin' and Mulholland Madness. First time riding California Screamin', I thought it was pretty good. I remember my legs shaking after getting off that ride.  After riding Mulholland Madness, I was a little upset that it wasn't longer, especially since I have seen long track at the local county fair.  After riding those two, getting some lunch and checking out the other rides on the map that sounded interesting, I was pretty much finished by mid afternoon. 

Even though Disney's California Adventure did not generate the crowds it was expecting, I did enjoy walking through the Park with very little crowd. It felt like I, as well as others, had the Park to ourselves.  And that's how I remember Disneyland in the early to mid 90's during the off season. Very little waits and very little crowds.

And less than 10 years later, there have been a number of changes to the Park and I am glad that Disney California Adventure is expanding.