Disney's California Adventure Project Tracker VIII

[MasterGracey]

CHECK BACK OFTEN! This thread is updated whenever new information is available!

Track the progress from the beginning! Browse the first seven DCA Project Trackers here:

• Disney's California Adventure Project Tracker
• Disney's California Adventure Project Tracker II
• Disney's California Adventure Project Tracker III
• Disney's California Adventure Project Tracker IV
• Disney's California Adventure Project Tracker V
• Disney's California Adventure Project Tracker VI
• Disney's California Adventure Project Tracker VII

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Stay in the loop! Get Disneyland Project Tracker, DCA Project Tracker, and Dateline Disneyland updates instantly! Twitter.com/DatelineDisney

Information sources:

Disneyland Resort Press Releases, MiceAge.com, Blue Sky Disney, LA Times Funland Blog, OC Register Around Disney Blog, and special contributors.
If you have any new information, please reply and provide your source or send me a private message. Thanks.

Looking for Concept Art?

Galleries:
These handy galleries contain much of the various concept art that has been released and leaked.

• Buena Vista Street
• Paradise Pier
• Carsland
• Micellaneous

BUENA VISTA STREET

Overall Project: Retheming of Sunshine Plaza into Buena Vista Street (originally planned to be called Walt Disney Plaza). New park icon, the Carthay Circle Theatre, Red Car Trolley transportation system, and various shops and restaurants.
Project Status: Originally planned to begin Early 2009, the project was said to be scheduled to begin September 2011, but is now looking at a January 2010 start date.
Open Date: December 2011

New main entry turnstiles

Details: The current main entry turnstiles to Disney's California Adventure and the CALIFORNIA letters will be removed and new turnstiles/gate styled after Los Angeles' Pan Pacific Auditorium will be constructed in the current location of the CALIFORNIA letters.
Project Status: To begin January 2010
Open Date: By December 2011

Carthay Theatre / Walt Disney Story

Details: The Walt Disney Story attraction is reportedly cancelled. Carthay Theatre building will be built, however, and is scheduled to house a relocated Resort Preview Center.
Project Status: To begin January 2010
Open Date: By December 2011

Red Car Trolley transportation system

Project Status: To begin January 2010
Open Date: By December 2011

New facades, shops and dining

Details: A new Main Street-esque street will house new shops and dining, replacing the tile murals, restrooms, lockers, and Guest Services/AP Processing buildings. The new shop facades will feature nods to Walt Disney's rich life history on shop windows, including "Elias & Co. Dept. Store" and "Oswald’s Gas & Oil." For more information, see this post.
Project Status: To begin January 2010
Open Date: By December 2011

Disney's Electrical Parade enhancements

Details: A new Tinkerbell lead float will replace the Blue Fairy and Snow White and Pinocchio units will return to the parade along with an updated soundtrack and a new "pixie dust" lighting effects on all floats.
Project Status: Completed.
Open Date: June 12, 2009

High School Musical 3: Right Here! Right Now! show

Details: High School Musical 2 moving stage show cancelled. A new moving stage show based on High School Musical 3 will replace the old show.
Project Status: Now open.
Open Date: Debuted October 24

HOLLYWOODLAND

Overall Project: Utilizing Stage 17 as temporary entrance into theme park. Retheming of Hollywood Blvd, including facade enhancements and addition of Red Car Trolley route. Various expansion and re-theming projects. Land planned to be renamed as "Hollywoodland"
Project Status: Hollywood Land remodeling and enhancing will begin in Phase 2.
Open Date: Unknown

Hollywood Blvd placemaking and Red Car Trolley

Project Status: January 2010
Open Date: Spring 2010

Gone Hollywood store expansion and re-theme

Project Status: Unknown.
Open Date: 2009/2010

New show for Hyperion Theatre - Toy Story Musical

Project Status: Unknown
Open Date: Rumored for 2009, but likely delayed.

Teen Live Club - Outdoor Disney Channel venue

Project Status: Unknown
Open Date: Unknown

Muppet*Vision 3D replacement

Details: Various ideas have been considered for this venue ranging from Mickey's PhilharMagic from WDW, a "flex-theatre," etc. The current plan favors a Chronicles of Narnia special effects attraction.
Project Status: Unknown. Reports say Muppets will remain until 2010, at least.
Open Date: Unknown.

Award Wieners dining area expansion

Project Status: Completed
Open Date: Opened June 2008.

Stage 17 temporary entrance

Project Status: Cancelled
Open Date: Cancelled. Originally planned to open by fall 2009.

PARADISE PIER

Overall Project: Retheming of Pier to Victorian-era seaside amusement zone. Addition of Toy Story Midway Mania attraction. Retheming of Games of the Boardwalk, Mullholland Madness, Sun Wheel. Removal of Maliboomer, Pizza Oom Mow Mow, Burger Invasion, Golden Dreams. Addition of Beer Garden, themed shops, and Voyage of the Little Mermaid & Mermaid Grotto.
Project Status: In Progress
Project Completion/Soft Open: First phase concluded with the opening of Toy Story Midway Mania! and the surrounding area's re-theming with soft-openings in April 2008 and a official opening in July 2008. Additional phases of this project are on-going.

Disney's World of Color Nighttime Spectacular

Details: A 25-minute nighttime show, World of Color will transform Paradise Bay into water spectacular, utilizing 1,200 individual fountains, showcasing the magic of Disney animation, from classic to contemporary. More details.
Project Status: In progress. Began November 3, 2008 with the draining of Paradise Bay. Construction began in Paradise Bay Monday, January 5, 2009.
Paradise Bay refilling: Paradise Bay was scheduled to being refilling September 9, 2009 to begin show programming and testing, but refilling has been delayed until October 2009. On October 15, the DisneyParks Blog said refilling would begin "soon" and that once refilling begain, Paradise Bay would be more than half-way full in three days.
Open Date: Show debuts March 2010

Paradise Park (Disney's World of Color Viewing Area)

Details: A new viewing area for the upcoming World of Color show is being constructed where the former Golden State Amphitheater was located, along the northern shore of Paradise Bay. The new viewing area will be multi-leveled, similar to Disneyland's Fantasmic! viewing area, and large enough to accommodate 9,000 guests per show.
Project Status: In progress. Began Monday, January 5, 2009.
Open Date: Delayed from its original December 18, 2009 open date. Now scheduled to open February 20, 2010.

Orange Stinger retheme to Silly Symphony Swings

Project Status: In progress. Attraction began 'dismantling' July 14, 2009 with the decorative orange peel removal beginning the week of July 20, according to Around Disney. Scaffolding went up for new queue construction the third week of October.
Open Date: April 29, 2010

The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Adventure and Mermaid Grotto (Includes Removal of Golden Dreams)

Project Status: In progress. Golden Dreams closed to the public September 7, 2008 with the attraction open to school groups only through Spring 2009. Construction walls went up around Golden Dreams May 27, 2009. Originally expected to be demolished July 6, the Golden Dreams Theater demolition was delayed to July 15. The theater has since been completely removed and construction on the new attraction is in progress.
Open Date: May 2011

Corn Dog Castle retheming

Details: The quick service dining location was originally said to be undergoing a Victorian-style re-theming in order to match the surrounding area's new theme. A June 30 report from MousePlanet's David Koenig says otherwise, however, indicating the dining location will be moved from its current location and reopen at a new location in Cars Land in 2012.
Project Status: In progress. Construction walls went up June 1, 2009
Open Date: Cast Member publications currently list it as returning May 26, 2011, but that date may be in flux and can change, especially if rumors of a Cars Land relocation are true. In his 7/7 column, MiceAge's Al Lutz noted the Route 66 makeover being completed Summer 2010.

Souvenir 66 retheming

Details: Project includes retheming and renaming retail location as Seaside Souvenirs
Project Status: In progress. Construction walls went up June 1, 2009
Open Date: Cast Member publications currently list it as returning May 26, 2011, but that date may be in flux and can change. In his 7/7 column, MiceAge's Al Lutz noted the Route 66 makeover being completed Summer 2010.

Paradise Pier shops re-theme.

Details: Point Mugu Tattoo, Man Hat N Beach, and Sideshow Shirts will close and be re-themed inside and out, including new facades.
Project Status: To begin Fall 2009.
Open Date: 2010

Mullholland Madness re-theme to Goofy's Sky Skool

Project Status: Starts early January 2010
Open Date: 2010

California Screamin' queue / Eastern Paradise Pier re-theming

Project Status: Delayed indefinitely.
Open Date: Unknown

Maliboomer removal

Project Status: To begin 2011, but may be delayed indefinitely.
Project Completion: Late 2011

Paradise Garden - Expanded dining courtyard

Details: Covering the area encompassing Pizza Oom Mow Mow, Burger Invasion, and the S. S. rustworthy, the new Paradise Garden dining area will re-purpose the existing dining facilities and reuse the current S.S. rustworthy water play area for an expanded dining courtyard with Victorian-style theming in a lush garden setting.
Open Date: May 2010

S.S. rustworthy removal

Project Status: In progress. The east portion of the S.S. rustworthy was removed in October 2009 during Silly Symphony Swings construction. The west portion of the water play area is currently still open.
Open Date: Area to re-open as part of Paradise Garden complex May 2010

Paradise Garden Grill (Burger Invasion re-theming)

Project Status: The former McDonald's dining location closed September 2, 2008, but retheming construction has yet to begin. Construction is likely to begin Fall 2009 with Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta construction.
Open Date: May 12, 2010.

Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta (Pizza Oom Mow Mow re-theme)

Details: The existing Pizza Oom Mow Mow dining facility will retain its pizza-and-pasta menu, but will be re-dressed with a new Victorian-style theme.
Project Status: To begin Fall 2009
Open Date: May 2010

Jumpin' Jellyfish removal

Project Status: Jumpin' Jellyfish was originally slated to be removed before Spring 2010 premiere of World of Color, but it may remain in place for the indefinite future.
Completion Date: Unknown.

Ariel's Grotto Restaurant - Retheming and conversion to "Princess Palace" dining location

Project Status: Unknown
Open Date: June 2011.

Dinosaur Jack's Sunglass Shack removal

Details: Sunglass store scheduled to close permanently May 26, 2009. The retail location will be removed completely.
Project Status: Completed. Store closed May 26, 2009, construction walls went up May 27. Demolition originally scheduled to begin June 29, but began after park closing June 24, with visible progress to park guests on June 25.. The retail location was completely removed by Saturday, June 28.

King Triton's Carousel plussing

Details: Previous plans to build new Victorian-styled roof structure over carousel have been delayed due to cost. Rumors suggested that the carousel would get a minor re-theming and "plussing" including new paint job and new canopy cover while attraction undergoes refurbishment and technical upgrades, but current photos of the attraction say otherwise.
Project Status: Completed May 22, 2009. Began March 9, 2009.
Open Date: May 22, 2009

San Francisco Street restroom construction.

Details: New restrooms will be built in the East San Francisco Street facades so that the current restrooms in the West San Francisco Street facades can be removed to make space for The Little Mermaid attraction.
Project Status: Now open. Opened May 15, 2009. Began January 26, 2009.
Open Date: May 15, 2009.

Sun Wheel/Mickey's Fun Wheel re-theme

Project Status: Completed. Now open.
Open Date: Originally scheduled to open April 24, opened May 4, 2009.

California Screamin' loop re-dressing

Details: The Mickey Mouse icon will be removed and replaced with a new sunburst icon and Paradise Pier logo.
Project Status: Completed. Now open. Began January 2009.
Completion Date: April 15, 2009.

Games of the Boardwalk re-theme.

Project Status: Now open. Began Monday, October 27, 2008, opened April 7, 2009.
Open Date: Originally scheduled to open April 24, 2009, then rumored to be delayed to May. New information says the Games of the Boardwalk are ahead schedule and will open April 7, 2009.

Toy Story Midway Mania!

Project Status: Completed. Attraction now open.
Open Date: June 17, 2008

GOLDEN STATE

Performance Corridor Repaving

Details: The section of the park's Performance Corridor in front of The Golden Vine Winery will be repaved, resulting in the closure of the pathway at this time. Guests traveling to/from Paradise Peir will be rerouted through the Pacific Wharf
Project Status: Begins November 19
Open Date: December 17

Condor Flats retheme

Project Status: Unknown
Open Date: Unknown

Soarin' Over California - New film - "Soarin' Over the World"

Project Status: Unknown
Open Date: 2013

Walt Disney Imagineering Blue Sky Cellar: Imagineering the Future - New Exhibit

Details: Blue Sky Cellar preview center will close to remove Midway Mania, Games of the Boardwalk, etc., exhibits and replace them with new exhibits focusing on upcoming projects.
Project Status: Closes July 10, 2009 to update exhibits.
Open Date: Reopens July 16.

Lucky Fortune Cookery - Asian-style restaurnt replacing former Cocina Cucamonga facility

Details: The old Cocina Cucamonga dining facility will close and be rethemed and receive a new Asian-style menu.
Project Status: Now open. Cocina Cucamonga closed June 18, 2009 when new, larger Cocina Cucamonga opened and then began conversion into new Lucky Fortune Cookery.
Open Date: September 4, 2009.

Cocina Cucamonga moves into old Lucky Fortune Cookery location.

Details: The long-closed Lucky Fortune Cookery will be converted into an expanded Cocina Cucamonga. Cocina Cucamonga will be converted into a new, smaller Asian dining location.
Project Status: In progress. Construction walls went up week of January 12.
Open Date: June 18, 2009

Temporary Park Entrance

Details: The temporary park entrance location was changed after the Stage 17 Entrance was cancelled. Temporary entrance expected to be at the Golden State utility gate between Soarin' Over California and the Grand Californian Hotel. Guest access to this temporary park entrance will be via Downtown Disney. Temporary entrance only expected to be used for 6-8 months during entry plaza construction.
Project Status: Cancelled. The temporary entrance idea has reportedly been scrapped. Guests will enter through the park's main entrance as it is remodeled one side at a time.
Open Date: Cancelled

Walt Disney Imagineering Blue Sky Cellar: Imagineering the Future (Resort Preview Center)

Details: Originally planned for the San Francisco Street buildings, the Blue Sky Cellar replaced the Seasons of the Vine Theater. Exhibits planned to rotate every 6-8 months.
Project Status: Now open.
Open Date: Annual Passholder Previews October 16-19. Open to public October 20, 2008.

CARS LAND

Overall Project: Utilizing 12 acres of the former Timon Parking Lot, this is new land will feature three new attractions including a major new "E"-Ticket attraction, Radiator Springs Racers, as well as new shopping and dining experiences themed to Disney-Pixar's Cars
Project Status: In progress. Walt Disney Imagineering officially broke ground on the Cars Land project July 8, 2009, according to the July 9 MiceAge.com Editor's Note by Al Lutz.
Open Date: June 2012

Radiator Springs Racers

Project Status: Unknown
Open Date: By 2012

Tow Mater's Junkyard Jamboree

Project Status: Unknown
Open Date: By 2012

Luigi's Roamin' Tires

Project Status: Unknown
Open Date: By 2012

Flo's Restaurant

Project Status: Unknown
Open Date: By 2012

Fillmore's Organic Foods

Project Status: Unknown
Open Date: By 2012

Radiator Springs Curios

Project Status: Unknown
Open Date: By 2012

Cars Land Drive-In Restaurant

Project Status: On indefinite hold. Possibly to be built in Phase 2 expansion.
Open Date: Unknown

Timon Parking Lot - Closure

Details: The Timon Parking Lot will close permanently to make room for the upcoming Cars Land expansion as well as additional backstage construction.
Project Status: Closed July 6, 2009. Cars Land officially broke ground July 8.

[MrToadOfToadHall]

Yay a new tracker!!!

[FutureImagineer183]

YES finnally! If we had it earlier we'd be half way through this one. But now the life span of a tracker is gonna be much longer

[DisneyPro]

Wahoo for P.T. VIII!

[WDITrent]

I'm predicting.... page 138 we will have a furious debate over something. Oh boy!

[kibia16]

We will be at number 9 by January

[DLFreak71]

always dislike to see the words "canceled" or "indefinite"

nice up dates though
thanks!

[MrToadOfToadHall]

It appears the info on GD to TLM could use a little update.

[MasterGracey]

Originally Posted by MrToadOfToadHall

It appears the info on GD to TLM could use a little update.

Good eye. Fixed.

[Micoofy Duck]

Ohhh brand spankin new! There will be a day when everything on these lists are done and finished and we've all done and riden them over and over again. One day soon.

[Mojave]

Originally Posted by MasterGracey

Good eye. Fixed.

I hope you don't find this overly detailed, but...

You should add 2008 to the September 7 date of GD's closure - everything else has a year.

The SS Rustworthy is confusing. There aren't north/south parts, they are west/east. If you want to use north/south, the north part is still in operation, the south has been demolished.

I warned ya - minor technicalities!

Thanks for a great Project Tracker!

[MasterGracey]

Originally Posted by Mojave

I hope you don't find this overly detailed, but...

You should add 2008 to the September 7 date of GD's closure - everything else has a year.

The SS Rustworthy is confusing. There aren't north/south parts, they are west/east. If you want to use north/south, the north part is still in operation, the south has been demolished.

I warned ya - minor technicalities!

Thanks for a great Project Tracker!

Minor technicalities are good. The OP has been fixed. Thanks for the help

[lighttragic]

I will be at the resort tommorow so I will check in and see if the water is flowing at DCA.

[rollrcostrfrk807]

YAY!! new tracker. Just in time for when stuff started to happen again.

[nonob88]

A new Tracker! So many awesome things to look forward to..

I love the Paradise theme that will eventually include the Park, Garden, and Pier sections of the park. Can't wait to see the the Victorian theming extend out to the restaurants and shops! And I really like the transition between Grizzly Trail to San Francisco street, and into the Park area next to the bay.

any updates on the Pillar Of Mystery..? the wait is killing me... I need to know what that is!