Blue Sky Cellar Unveils Exciting New Magic Coming To Disney's California Adventure

[Dustysage]

Blue Sky Cellar Unveils Exciting New Magic Coming to Disney’s California Adventure Park

ANAHEIM, Calif., October 15, 2008 – Nestled in the Golden Vine Winery at the base of Grizzly Peak in Disney’s California Adventure Park, the Walt Disney Imagineering Blue Sky Cellar is a place where Guests will get an exclusive sneak preview of what is new and what is in store for the expansion of the Disneyland Resort. Beginning October 20, Guests will view working models as well as dozens of concepts and sketches from Disney Imagineers, the creative minds behind the design and construction of Disney theme parks and attractions.

With Blue Sky Cellar, Guests will be invited for the first time to preview works in progress at Disneyland Resort by immersing themselves in a facsimile of an Imagineering workspace. Based on the belief that idea gathering is best when “the sky’s the limit,” the Blue Sky Cellar is designed to resemble an Imagineering “charette,” an extended creative idea development meeting. Guests receive an inside-look at how Imagineers take “blue sky” ideas and refine them into the classic storytelling that characterizes Disney Theme Park attractions and adventures.

In this whimsical immersive setting, Imagineers have taken over a former wine cellar and set up shop. Wine barrels have turned into work stations and the former wine tasting room has become a screening room where videos showcase the behind-the-scenes magic that goes into the creation of new and upcoming attractions for Disney’s California Adventure.

Guests will view several new attraction models, including the newly envisioned Paradise Pier area with its turn-of-the-20th-Century look, ride vehicle maquettes from Toy Story Mania!; and the new character overlays to the Games of the Boardwalk. Special features include updates and character additions to attractions such as Mickey’s Fun Wheel (an enhancement of the current Sun Wheel) and Silly Symphony Swings (a refreshed and rethemed Orange Stinger).

Brand new sketches and artwork line the walls including images of the new entrance area, soon to be known as Buena Vista Street, which will bring to life a nostalgic look at Los Angeles from the 1920s and 30s when Walt Disney first arrived in California; a Red Car trolley, reminiscent of the Pacific Electric Railway; and a new central plaza area including a replica of the Carthay Circle Theatre, where Walt premiered Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

The “coming soon” area features images of Disney’s World of Color and The Little Mermaid attraction, and looks even further ahead to Cars Land, a 12-acre expansion of the Park which will bring to life the town of Radiator Springs from the Disney?Pixar animated film Cars, complete with three new attractions for the whole family. Additionally, Guests in Blue Sky Cellar will have fun testing their knowledge of Disney trivia at one of the interactive workstations.

The screening room features Imagineers describing the approach and vision of the Disney California Adventure expansion. Guests will see footage of model-making, sculpting, blue sky meetings and all the aspects of bringing a Disney concept to life.

Included in the original announcement of the multi-year expansion of the Disneyland Resort in Fall 2007, the Blue Sky Cellar is part of the overall commitment to keep the community and Disneyland Resort Guests informed of the exciting new and upcoming plans for the Resort. Future updates will focus on other new areas and attractions, and Guests are invited to return periodically for additional exciting information.

About Walt Disney Imagineering
Walt Disney Imagineering is the unique innovative organization that creates ¬– from concept through construction – all Disney theme parks, resorts, attractions, cruise ships, real estate developments, and regional entertainment venues worldwide. Imagineering’s unique strength comes from the teamwork and syntheses of creative and technical professionals representing more than 140 diverse disciplines.

About the Disneyland Resort
Disneyland Resort features two spectacular theme parks – Disneyland (the original Disney theme park) and Disney’s California Adventure park – plus the Downtown Disney District comprised of unique dining, entertainment and shopping experiences. The Resort’s three guest-welcoming hotels are the luxurious 745-room Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, the magical 988-room Disneyland Hotel and the “day-at-the-beach” fun of the 489-room Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel. For further information on attractions, events and vacations at Disneyland Resort, visit www.disneyland.com, call (866) 60-DISNEY or contact local travel agents.

[Disney1978]

That place looks amazing!

I am so happy that they decided to go ahead with the preview center. It should create some great buzz about DCA.

[Coast21]

Looks Great! Can't wait to check it out for myself this sunday.

[Aladdin]

It's nice to have some conceptual drawings for the numerous projects that DCA is in need of, and it is good that they will be rotating different items every 8 months, or so, especially since they are limited to the space they have.

But I'm a little perplexed WHY would they place a maquette of the Toy Story Midway Mania ride vehicle, in such limited space, when that portion of the the project has been open and running for 4 month - lets see the future stuff. Don't show us the new stuff - we can see that in person for real, just a few steps away. Hope they stay ahead of the game . . . .

[Uncle Bob]

The TSMM stuff helps them promote it as the beginning of the transformation of PP and the park as a whole. It's a chance for them to say to us fans, hey we're serious about this park and there's already tangible proof to show we're committed. They know people like the ride and the building a lot, so they are just trying to get people excited by the prospect of bringing that level of quality to the entire park. I agree though, it's more exciting to see coming attractions. I really can't wait to see some of the things that we've yet to see at all.

[Aladdin]

you don't need the TSMM stuff in Blue Sky, to promote the transformation. It's already there, for real!

[Dustysage]

Below, please find a link to our review of the new Walt Disney Imagineering Blue Sky Cellar.
The report includes dozens of pictures and lots of information:

A Fix For California Adventure - A Different Look At Disney

[techskip]

Well; glad it's there... not a big fan of some of the concepts but at least they are doing something. Thank you Dusty for the report/photos.

[FutureImagineer]

wow, i can't wait till i see this stuff in person! i am really fascinated by scale models especially of the parks and the PP one looks great! I like how there are more defined entrance/exits to the Sunwheel/Mickey's Fun Wheel and how you can walk out and around it. I also like the rock work that screamin' trains come out of and think that a cavern area under the boardwalk bridge would be cool if they do it. I'm not a big fan of how the parachute drop looks but we'll see what happens. And lastly did anyone else notice the new carousel structure! it looks so much better and themed better to the new pier!

[Radiobarry]

Originally Posted by techskip

Well; glad it's there... not a big fan of some of the concepts but at least they are doing something. Thank you Dusty for the report/photos.

Great job as usual, Dusty! I'm also anxious to see some of these DCA improvements in person. Looks very promising!

-- Barry

[DippyDawg'32]

While I am excited to see improvements to DCA, I have yet to see anything close to a Billion dollars in concept; however I expect most will be spent on labor and finishing the projects on time or within the projected timetable.
While I am a fan of older Disney concepts; I also appreciate Pixar contributions, but fail to see the big draw for CARS or for giving a majority of the expansion space to a CARS area. The DCA concept still seems very jumbled with a 1920's era at the entrance to sort of what ever is left over elsewhere. It seems less of an Adventure and more of Wonderment.

[Ghostbuster626]

yea Cars isn't exactly a beloved classic. I can see one ride for it because it sorta kinda ties into the whole Route 66 mythos thats apart of California culture. But creating a whole land for it that takes up like a third of the park?? If they wanted to do something like that tthey were better off getting the rights to Lord of the Rings and create a Middle-Earth land which would be a much bigger draw to guests of all ages. You could even tie-it to the theme by having it be an expansion of Hollywood Pictures Backlot and your entering the set of a hot new movie. It makes about as much of sense as Carsland and would be more popular.

[kelkan]

Hope not all of the cars' rides (3) will be a kiddie rides..... Maybe one can have speed to it like the Test track???