Built over the acreage that once was the original Disneyland parking lot, Disney California Adventure was opened in 2001 as an idealized and romanticized homage to the modern and historical culture of its home state of California. Its icon is the highly visible lit-up Mickey’s Fun Wheel.
Much like EPCOT at Disneyworld in Florida, California Adventure showcases seasonal expositions, fairs, music concerts, festivals and other promotions. Theme Park Concierges are kept up to date with these scheduled events so that Guests may attend these special attractions without missing them.
After a major re-design and expansion, California Adventure is now home to more child-centric attractions for families to enjoy, with a renewed focus on its Disney characters. Like its sister parks it is now divided into eight lands including Buena Vista Street, Cars Land, Paradise Pier, Condor Flats, "A Bug's Land", Pacific Wharf, Hollywood Land and Grizzly Peak.
Sunshine Plaza became Buena Vista Street, in a 1920’s rendition of the Los Angeles that Walt Disney would have known when he first began his career there. Paradise Pier evolved from a California boardwalk into an area that simulates a Victorian seaside.
Cars Land is featured as Radiator Springs, as seen in Pixar’s film franchise ‘Cars’, along with a night time water and light show ‘World of Color’ on Paradise Bay. ‘Toy Story Midway Mania!’ also opened nearby on Paradise Pier. The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Undersea Adventure opened in 2011 in the former Golden Dreams theater.
A Bug’s Land was the first new themed area to open since the park’s re-design. A second version of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror was also installed in 2004, along with Monsters. Inc., Goofy’s Sky School, and most recently in 2016, Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters opened.
