Does DCA still have a chance? I think so.

[Disney Wrassler]

I have noticed how much DCA has been improving over the years and came to realize that the same exact problem DCA is facing, is what Disneyland faced when it first opened. Disneyland was said to be horrible and had many problems that were not fixed at the time. But once Disneyland started to get new rides such as the Matterhorn, Subs, Mansion, and POTC, it improved drastically. I bet the same will happen for DCA. I mean look at it this way. People first made fun of the park, but now they are looking foward to the ne Monsters Inc. Ride. You also have the roller coaster and Tower of Terror that are pretty good rides. Of course there is also the Muppets and Soarin, and Soarin is a huge success from what i have heard among the public. Sure DCA struggled in the beginning just like disneyland. But I say Give-or-take a few more years and rides, it will gain more popularity.

That is my 2 cents.

[Escapé]

I have noticed how much DCA has been improving over the years and came to realize that the same exact problem DCA is facing, is what Disneyland faced when it first opened. Disneyland was said to be horrible and had many problems that were not fixed at the time. But once Disneyland started to get new rides such as the Matterhorn, Subs, Mansion, and POTC, it improved drastically. I bet the same will happen for DCA.

I don't think we can simplify DCA's problems in the same breath as the infant years of Disneyland for one primary reason.....

Walt poured his heart and soul into the creation of the world's first THEME park.

DCA was a "brain storm" (I call it a "brain fart") of When CORPORATE AMERICA OF TODAY goes into a project with the absolute first thought of: How cheap can we make it?

That was not Walt's premise going into creating Disneyland.

His trouble was money. Not a lack of creativity with all the ideas he had which took 10 to 15 years later to hash out.

There was (a now, infamous) spreadsheet which eventually leaked out:

"If it's good enough for Six Flags"

Plus other major people who worked for Disney who later spilled the beans of how they SPECIFICALLY went into creating the cheapest park they could make ... all later hashed on discussion boards.

Eisner, Pressler, and Braverman all took part of a scheme that all came down to the (IN)-famous line in Corporate America of today: Spend less to maximize profits.

Yeah .. well .. that idea sure bit them on the a** .... as DCA became the herion monkey on Disneyland's back ... as the mainstream public didn't buy into their park. The attendance records prove it.

So .. sure ... It's sounds like a simple concept ......... Disneyland started "smal" too ......... but as one peels away at the surface layers ....... you'll find out ..... the main problem to the succes to Anaheim's Second Gate was a lack of passion, heart, vision ..... as it all came down to ......... "Maximizing Profits/The Bottom Line".

Corporate America has caught up with Disney.

Unfortunately.

[Escapé]

And to finish my thought ........ In order for DCA to be a true success as DL, WDW, EPCOT, D/MGM, TDL, TDS, DLP, and even the new HKDL are ....... they MUST apply a whole new way of thinking .. if DCA is to be the success they want it to be.

Eisner is gone...
Pressler is gone ...
Braverman ... ( we don't seem to hear a peep out of him anymore)...

DCA has a chance now.

Heart
Vision
Passion

The basic ingredients to a successful Disney park.

All absent from DCA (2001-2005)!

[JoeCool]

Yes, DCA is a nice theme park now. But it needs more attractions. When Disney executives planned DCA, it did not think that the public would notice the lack of good attractions when compared to Disneyland. First off, Paradise Pier could be gutted..keep Screamin' and the boardwalk. Take out everything else. But the Aerosmith Rock n' Roll coaster in or a similar ride with a beach/freeway/coastline theme. Add a Narnia attraction to the Back Lot. Scrap Bug's Land and replace it with new attractions - maybe extend the Backlot. DCA is a good theme park but has the potential to be a great one.

[PumpkinKing!]

Oddly enough I think we can place just about ANYHTING in the backlot. Loved Narnia I however do not want to see an attraction based on it. After Monsters and its refurb to the Hollywood Studios (ala MGM) lets leave that section and go straight to where the major problem lies... PARADISE PEIR which is anything but!

[FrumiousBoojum]

I do still see a lot of hope for DCA.

Escapé's quite right... it can't be compared to the opening of DL. Just as the lastest animated film can't be compared to Snow White.

However, even though it's not the success it could've been, is it really that much of a failure? It's in the top 10 most visited parks in the country, which isn't that bad.... the only thing it needs is to grow enough to get closer to the attendance of the other parks.

[Disney Wrassler]

The only thing that DCA has in common with Disneylands opening though is that they were both deemed as failures when they opened.....But they were deemed failures for very different reasons. So other than being the neighbor theme park, DCA and Disneyland do have the comparison of being a failure when they both first opened, but slowly they gradually began to improve. As you can see, Matt O. and his partners have been doing a good job trying to improve the park. It is improving slowly but surely.

[Anders]

I say we look at the attractions of Epcot when it opened. Spaceship Earth, World of Motion, Horizons, Universe of Energy, the original Journey to Imagination, the boat ride in the Land, Kitchen Caberet, and the boat ride in the Mexico pavilion, American Adventure, the omni-mover thing at the living seas and the various movies in the countries.

of those original attractions, a revised Spaceship Earth, revised boat ride in the Land, revised journey into imagination, revised universe of energy, the mexican boat ride and American Adventure are the only ones still existing that I can think of. MGM had similar issues, the parks are forever evolving, Disney looks to see what works and what doesn't and then removes or revises what doesn't work. Disney could have waited another 10 years to build DCA, but then we would likely still get the bad attractions with anything new they came up with in that time. I personally enjoy the fact that we get to be guinea pigs with attractions and themeing, they aren't all going to be winners, but you know what, I'm ok with that. Disney isn't perfect, even Walt himself was not perfect :ducks:, we happen to be lucky enough to have a park that is not a finished product, yes there are issues with creativity, but that's ok with me. I don't expect it to be another Disneyland, and I hope no one else did either. It's a young park, you have to let it mature and grow a little bit, do we get rid of it, because it isn't what we wanted? no, we accept it for what it is and enjoy it on it's own merits.

[PumpkinKing!]

It also helps that its across from Disneyland! LOL
Seriously though would it still be in the top 10 if it were spread out further like the theme parks at WDW? Or even if it hadnt been branded Disney and was in another city?

I do have alot of hope for DCA, I love it. Loved it before Tower of Terror too! My love keeps growing for it. True sadly this one didnt start with one mans dream.

[PragmaticIdealist]

The only thing that DCA has in common with Disneylands opening though is that they were both deemed as failures when they opened.....But they were deemed failures for very different reasons. So other than being the neighbor theme park, DCA and Disneyland do have the comparison of being a failure when they both first opened, but slowly they gradually began to improve.

Disneyland was never considered a failure. The opening day had problems, but Disneyland has been popular from day one.

[Disney Wrassler]

Disneyland was never considered a failure. The opening day had problems, but Disneyland has been popular from day one.

But just like DCA, Disneyland got more negative remarks than positive ones. Heck it barely even got any positive reviews because of all the problems it had. Critics did not have many nice things to say about Disneyland.

[pancakesaregood]

There is just too many outside elements in a park dedicated to California. They need to rethink how they are placing these new rides. Tower of Terror was easily placed within HPB, but Monsters, Inc. doesn't particulary go with Hollywood. But it is improving. But they need a new land or two, with the area where the remaining old parking lot is, I would like to be turned into areas with a Spanish Village theme or a big city Metropolis of the 50s and 60s, which host new rides and shows. The Golden State - Bay Area would look more interesting with an attraction featuring the 1906 earthquake and technology of Indiana Jones.

I remember going the year it opened, and I was disappointed in some aspects. I was expecting more rides and little theming in some areas, however there was its good points too, such as Soarin' and the theming in other areas was good, and they improved the next year. They continue to grow and adapt into a better park than it was when it opened almost five years ago.

[WatchYourHeadNStep]

I do think a name change would be good for DCA...perhaps.......oh........I dunno............Pixar's California Adventure? Or better yet.....Disney Presents A Pixar Park, California Adventure!

[MickeyMaxx]

DCA is no Disneyland, but I gotta admit I like being there. It needs so much that has been discussed to death, but I feel like, for the most part, it's themed well enough that I'm taken away from the day to day. Again, no Disneyland, but I'm transported to my happy place and forget about the workaday headaches. I guess I like and buy into the California Vibe, even though I agree that there is so much more that can be done there.

The exciting thing is to be in on the ground floor of a Disney park. While I'm old enough, I wasn't able to visit Disneyland in the beginning years. We all have such an opportunity to watch what the creative geniuses at Disney do to refine this park over the years. I recall THE major criticism at the very first was that there was nothing for young children to do. Remember the booths with colored paper and scissors and string that popped up right away. Fastest thing they could do was slap up a few craft stations to entertain the little ones. I think the second fastest thing they could do was to Pixarfy the joint. I really think it is just a stopgap measure to provide a nod to the little ones and having nephews and nieces (from 2 to 7 years old) we regularly take to Disneyland and DCA, I must tell you, they love it. If we round a corner and run into Woody, I have 4 kids jumping 5 feet high and talking a mile a minute. I also have to tell you that when we are not there with 4 little ones in tow, the beer, wine and/or margaritas ain't half bad.

What happens will be a real test of the current state of creativity vs. beancounters, and the results might be less than satisfactory. On the other hand, 20 years from now, we may all be celebrating the amazing memories DCA has served up to us and wonder how we could have doubted the Mouse would come through for us in the end.

[tahoebob54]

I have noticed how much DCA has been improving over the years and came to realize that the same exact problem DCA is facing, is what Disneyland faced when it first opened. Disneyland was said to be horrible and had many problems that were not fixed at the time. But once Disneyland started to get new rides such as the Matterhorn, Subs, Mansion, and POTC, it improved drastically. I bet the same will happen for DCA. I mean look at it this way. People first made fun of the park, but now they are looking foward to the ne Monsters Inc. Ride. You also have the roller coaster and Tower of Terror that are pretty good rides. Of course there is also the Muppets and Soarin, and Soarin is a huge success from what i have heard among the public. Sure DCA struggled in the beginning just like disneyland. But I say Give-or-take a few more years and rides, it will gain more popularity.

That is my 2 cents.

IMHO the biggest problem with DCA is that many people judge it for what it is not, rather than for what it is. It is not DL never was never will be. it is much nicer than other parks in California. A few years ago I made my first trip to MMountain. lots of costers but whata dump. Marine world in Nothern California more stuff than DCA but still not as nice and clean as DCA. Knotts with the execption of there wooden coster really a very bland park. So When I stack DCA up against the other parks I talked about it ranks very good. When I stack it against DL well thats another story.