Disney's California Adventure Project Tracker

[Quacky4Donald]

Originally Posted by BigThunder

Yeah! Its a sticky! Well done.

I agree. I'm glad the admins. decided it was a good idea to make this topic a sticky thread.

...Joe...

[pianoman13]

Yay! It's sticky! thanks to whoever who did this.

[MasterGracey]

I'm honored! Thanks mods.

Now we wait until the walls start popping up and the bulldozers start rollin' in!

[CaliforniaAdventurer]

Remember to check back to POST #1 which will be edited when MasterGracey gets PMed updated information, including the source of that information.

[disneyland255]

Thanks for the reminder California Adventure

[CaliforniaAdventurer]

You know what else will help? Lots and lots and lots of shade trees.

That's what makes Disneyland so 'park-like'. That's why I always start off my day around the Rivers of America or Adventureland.

The lack of trees is what makes DCA feel like the old parking lot. It's too bad I always see dead Redwood or Pine trees around Grizzly Peak. I understand that used to be the RV/Bus/Truck parking area, where extra nasty fluids probably leeched into the soil.

[angeladlr]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaAdventurer

You know what else will help? Lots and lots and lots of shade trees.

That's what makes Disneyland so 'park-like'. That's why I always start off my day around the Rivers of America or Adventureland.

I agree. Such a simple thing, yet it makes such a difference. In DL you can rarely see outside the park partially due to the trees and (although I know there are the petty people out there who will point out all the little things you can see ) you usually cannot see much of another land which is really special to me.

[2DieFR]

Originally Posted by angeladlr

I agree. Such a simple thing, yet it makes such a difference. In DL you can rarely see outside the park partially due to the trees and you usually cannot see much of another land which is really special to me.

Not every "district" (if indeed we're still using that terminology for DCA's themed areas, which I doubt) would benefit from more trees. I'm thinking of Paradise Pier especially. Not much in terms of tall vegetation grows on or near a pier except palm trees. Perhaps some new opportunities for trees will arise with the proposed beer garden, but we'll see.

Also, for Hollywood Pictures, it will depend on what sort of identity it takes on - i.e. is it the real thing or a backlot - but even then it consists of mostly buildings.

Walt Disney Plaza, of course, will feature many more trees than currently exist in Sunshine Plaza. Carsland, however, will be mostly (non-location-specific but plausibly Californian) desert, so perhaps some cacti and brush will do, but trees will certainly have their place somewhere in that twelve acres.

For Disneyland, it helps to have a berm around the perimeter to plant trees on. DCA was never designed with that luxury.

[The Disneylander]

A berm would really help DCA.

[Bruce Bergman]

Originally Posted by The Disneylander

A berm would really help DCA.

Well, they aren't going to be able to do a berm, it wastes too much valuable real estate to build a berm just as a visual screen. The main reason Disneyland got their berm is it made a convenient level(ish) place to put the railroad tracks - the screening is a nice side-effect.

But if they are wise and have learned their lessons (and the first years have been a very harsh teacher) the Imagineers will design high rooflines and backdrop walls on any new or remodeled buildings in DCA, and strategically place trees and walls to screen out the outside world sightlines as much as they can.

As an example, the "hills" overlooking DL ToonTown - the backdrop walls on the roofs of the ToonTown buildings that are visually screening out the executive offices parking structure and the various Backstage parade barns and warehouses.

With a little forethought and planning you can do great things and still stick to a budget.

--<< Bruce >>--

[CaliforniaAdventurer]

Originally Posted by 2DieFR

Not every "district" (if indeed we're still using that terminology for DCA's themed areas, which I doubt) would benefit from more trees. I'm thinking of Paradise Pier especially.

Except for right on the Pier next to any part of Screamin, that is correct. But it could just as easily become Beach Boardwalk since it does not really jut into a body of water on three sides. It's technically called a pier but if it was a realistic one it would be supported by telephone poles driven into the ground with waves crashing under your feet that you could hear and see through cracks in the wooden flooring. So yes, if you want to try to make it a realistic pier, you should consider even taking out the palm trees - I've never seen palm trees growing on a pier.

Originally Posted by 2DieFR

Not much in terms of tall vegetation grows on or near a pier except palm trees. Perhaps some new opportunities for trees will arise with the proposed beer garden, but we'll see.

Also, for Hollywood Pictures, it will depend on what sort of identity it takes on - i.e. is it the real thing or a backlot - but even then it consists of mostly buildings.

Take a look at the concept art again. And trees were a big component of the facelift the backlot received when Monsters Inc took over Superstar Limo.

Originally Posted by 2DieFR

Walt Disney Plaza, of course, will feature many more trees than currently exist in Sunshine Plaza. Carsland, however, will be mostly (non-location-specific but plausibly Californian) desert, so perhaps some cacti and brush will do, but trees will certainly have their place somewhere in that twelve acres.

OK so have some of those pepper trees along the walkways where people are and an extensive cacti/succulent garden that has hidden mickeys and carsland shapes in the beds. But landscape it to the T. A beautiful desert garden can be quite exquisite, and they will rarely have to water it, so it's green design.

Originally Posted by 2DieFR

For Disneyland, it helps to have a berm around the perimeter to plant trees on. DCA was never designed with that luxury.

Blue Sky with me here...

If the lanes that automobile traffic use to get into the timon lot and to go around DCA to cut over to the lot behind Paradise Pier Hotel went away, as well as the Tram lanes for the Timon tram, you'd have an area for a berm and railroad all the way around the back of DCA. Then if you take over the right of way of the DL Monorail through the top half of the park, you only have the area in Grizzly Peak to add wooden tressles and voila. Check the Grand Circle Idea for DCA thread http://www.micechat.com/forums/showt...html?p=2281389 for more on that.

D.C.A. does need a berm and a railroad, because this park is supposed to be a tribute to the man who made Disneyland... And he'd most certainly have included a railroad in any park that paid tribute to him.

P.S. Al says the route of the DL Monorail through the north part of DCA may change. To go to Garden Walk and Gate 3? To circle through DCA above visitors heads like it does in Disneyland? We'll have to wait for Al to update us on what he meant by that.

[CaliforniaAdventurer]

Good points all...

Originally Posted by Bruce Bergman

Well, they aren't going to be able to do a berm, it wastes too much valuable real estate to build a berm just as a visual screen. The main reason Disneyland got their berm is it made a convenient level(ish) place to put the railroad tracks - the screening is a nice side-effect.

But if they are wise and have learned their lessons (and the first years have been a very harsh teacher) the Imagineers will design high rooflines and backdrop walls on any new or remodeled buildings in DCA, and strategically place trees and walls to screen out the outside world sightlines as much as they can.

As an example, the "hills" overlooking DL ToonTown - the backdrop walls on the roofs of the ToonTown buildings that are visually screening out the executive offices parking structure and the various Backstage parade barns and warehouses.

With a little forethought and planning you can do great things and still stick to a budget.

--<< Bruce >>--

...but DCA needs a railroad. Not a steam train, either a collection of trains from over the years, or just California Zephyrs. What did Walt travel on to come to California?

[symbolic]

Some great comments, a berm, many trees, also I think a difference in elevation throughout the park, turns and twists, make the streets more narrow and have them swoop around bends to add to the excitment of whats around the corner. And edited to say that Walt Disney would absolutly have a berm and a railroad! Without a doubt!
Imaginears...Make it happen!

[CaliforniaAdventurer]

Originally Posted by symbolic

Some great comments, a berm, many trees, also I think a difference in elevation throughout the park, turns and twists, make the streets more narrow and have them swoop around bends to add to the excitment of whats around the corner. And edited to say that Walt Disney would absolutly have a berm and a railroad! Without a doubt!
Imaginears...Make it happen!

Hey, you and I share the same vision!
Can we add an area that looks like Lake Tahoe with Sports Mountain, with perpetual snow, and a seashore area that looks more like the new Finding Nemo lagoon than Paradise Pier?

That's the DCA I would love.

[Quacky4Donald]

I noticed the pictures on the first page are no longer showing due to bandwidth issues. If MG would be so kind as to e-mail them to me I can host them on my site. PM me MG and I'll send you my e-mail address.

...Joe...