California Adventure - Sunshine Plaza

Sunshine Plaza is currently undergoing some massive refurbishments and will have changed significantly since my visit. For all the updated information visit the official Disneyland webpage at http://disneyland.disney.go.com or the Disney Parks Blog at http:// disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/


Sunshine Plaza was the area you first walked into as you went through the turnstiles at California Adventure. Obviously, this has now changed, but I'll give you a little bit of background information anyway!

The "old" entrance to California Adventure

The postcard style design of Sunshine Plaza

The concept behind the architecture and decoration is that it is mean to evoke a sense of stepping into a California postcard. Guests walk under a miniature version of the Golden Gate Bridge which actually serves as part of the monorail line. Sunshine Plaza is also home to the replica of the California Zephyr - a train that houses this areas two counter service food outlets - Baker's Field Bakery and Burr-r-r Bank Ice Cream. The plaza is also home to the park's two largest souvenir outlets - Greetings from California and Engine Ears Toys.

Since my visit last year, this area has now begun its major transformation into Buena Vista Street. Disney Imagineers have replaced the front entrance turnstiles to evoke a 1920s feel. To my understanding, at the time of writing, the California Zephyr has been removed, as has the Golden Gate Bridge. These will be replaced by a recreation of the Carthay Circle Theatre (that housed the 1937 premiere of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves) an this will serve as the visual focal point for the park. The new Buena Vista Street is designed to represent the 1920s when Walt Disney first arrived in Los Angeles. Also to be included in the overhaul of the entrance to the park will be Red Trolley's that take guests from the entrance to outside of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror ride. The Red Trolley's (that you may remember seeing in Who Framed Roger Rabbit) are being based on the iconic Red Trolley's produced by Pacific Electric many years ago.

I am so looking forward to going back and seeing the overhaul! The next post will focus on Paradise Pier - I can't wait to share the rides, attractions and entertainment with you! (2 of my all time favourite Disney attractions are located in Paradise Pier - and one attraction that I have vowed to never ride again! Stay tuned!)

Until next time, Have a Magical Day,

Love,
Michelle
xxx

California Adventure - Part I

Disney's California Adventure opened in 2001 and since its opening has added new attractions and had several refurbishments - and at present is adding a new area with new attractions that I can't wait to share details of in a further post. The opening of California Adventure turned the Disneyland area and the hotels surrounding into the Disneyland Resort. The 22 hectare theme park is built upon the area that the old Disneyland car park occupied. There is now a multi-storey car park available for resort guests that doubled the parking capacity previously available. 

Originally, there were plans for a version of EPCOT to be developed to be built where California Adventure now stands. These were scrapped and this allowed the idea and development of California Adventure to grow. The idea of the park is to celebrate California through different areas of the park - Sunshine Plaza, Hollywood Pictures Backlot, The Golden State, A Bug's Land and Paradise Pier. Throughout the following entries in this blog, I look forward to sharing with you (as we did in previous entries about Disneyland), a brief run down of each of the lands and the attractions, food and entertainment that stand out. 

Michael Eisner stated in his dedication of California Adventure in February 2001:- 

To all who believe in the power of dreams, welcome. Disney's California Adventure opens its golden gates to you. Here we pay tribute to the dreamers of the past: the native people, explorers, immigrants, aviators, entrepreneurs and entertainers who built the Golden State. And we salute a new generation of dreamers who are creating the wonders of tomorrow, from the silver screen to the computer screen, from the fertile farmlands to the far reaches of space. Disney's California Adventure celebrates the richness and the diversity of California... its land, its people, its spirit and, above all, the dreams that it continues to inspire.

So, our next few blogs will focus on the different areas of California Adventure. We'll start with Sunshine Plaza.

Until Next Time, Have a Magical Day.

Michelle

xx