5/30: How Sweet it is...

[tloolgb]

Ghiradelli = awesome replacement and sponsor for DCA. This is good news.

EDIT: Why did that come out green? lol

[DarthBrian]

I'm kind of bummed about the Tortilla Factory leaving. The tortillas were a good way to ease my hunger a bit while walking around the park yet didn't spoil my appetite for a regular meal later on.

I assume/hope that they'll still offer the free samples and maybe a free bag or something on your birthday.

The other thing I'm sad about is that my next trip is on the 31st and it will have been shut down so I can't have one last trip to the Tortilla Factory before it leaves.

[Athlonacon]

I remember people complaining about the tortilla factory when the park first opened. It's amazing what 10 years of nostalgia can do... but I like the new opening.

[DubiousEndeavors]

Much has been made of the additional 1.2 Billion dollars being poured into the park during an accelerated timeframe, and executives right up to CEO Bob Iger have had to publicly admit it’s all an attempt to fix a park that never met expectations.

Anyone have a link to this? either to a news article, interview, video clip?

[JiminyCricketFan]

For me, going on vacation to San Francisco would not be complete without a trip to Ghirardelli. That says vacation and fun much more that tortillas. It is a great move, especially if they make the building as attractive and inviting as the original. That is a great trade off over factory storage takes. I am already looking forward to a chocolate shake there.

[aashee]

Ghiradelli fits the CA theme much better. I like this change.

[SpectroMan]

The other thing I'm sad about is that my next trip is on the 31st and it will have been shut down so I can't have one last trip to the Tortilla Factory before it leaves.

It was already shut down yesterday, the 30th too A sign in the front said so. I wasn't even able to video the "attraction" before it was too late. There was already moving equipment inside. The exit door, however, was open so I snuck in for some last pictures.

[yoyoflamingo]

Anyone have a link to this? either to a news article, interview, video clip?

Disney's Iger Uses Downturn as Investment Springboard - WSJ.com

In this article, he claims:

Steve Jobs is fond of talking about brand deposits and brand withdrawals. Any time you do something mediocre with your brand, that's a withdrawal. California Adventure was a brand withdrawal...We all concluded that the only way we would improve returns on that park is if we made it better and we made it bigger. And we decided to put what is now [around] $1 billion into that.

[jpg391]

Great update. I hope that Ghirardlli Chocolate will be in DCA for a long, long time!

[DubiousEndeavors]

Thanks yoyo!

[faerla]

I have been to the soda shops in Monterey and SF, they are pretty awesome (although the chocolate isn't the best). I wonder how opening a soda fountain in DCA will work with the ice cream shop that's already there, however. Are there plans to get rid of Bur-r-Bank*?

*I freely admit I'm not sure if there are more R's.

[Timekeeper]

I don't know, the building itself will look great, but I don't think should be where the tortilla factory was formerly. In "theme", it should have gone to where the first location of Lucky Fortune Cookery instead, (closer to the water and a perfect transition from the Fishermen's Wharf to Paradise Pier & Park.) That way, you can still enter Cars Land, get your free tortillas and your free chocolate, (keep the new location of LFC.) Well, it's sadly too late to change their minds.


Timekeeper

[bellerose75]

I would rather have a warm, fresh tortilla than a square of chocolate any day.

I would rather give my kids a fresh, warm tortilla to snack on than a piece of chocolate.

One of those rare sad days in DCA history, just like getting rid of the popular swirled ice cream from Catch-A-Flave.

[Disneykin Kid]

Factory tours are ok if they're only a small part of the attraction list, DCA's list is growing, but I think needs many more quality attractions than Cars and Mermaid, but it's a good start.

[bellerose75]

Factory tours are ok if they're only a small part of the attraction list, DCA's list is growing, but I think needs many more quality attractions than Cars and Mermaid, but it's a good start.

Bring more water rides to DCA...DL has 5 of them and all of them are original and awesomely themed, DCA has 1.