Walking past the big CALIFORNIA letters and entering the park for the first time provided for a sense of excitement not seen in the City of Anaheim for a while. Since I have held an Annual Passport since 1993, getting that pre-Disney park anticipation was something I hadn't experienced in quite a while in Southern California.

The entrance and Gateway Plaza into Disney's California Adventure is designed much differently than Disneyland. Guests walk under the Golden Gate Bridge right down the center rather than splitting off onto either side like Disneyland. The combination of the large letters, tile mosaic and Golden Gate Bridge unify making a picturesque icon that helps recreate the character that is intrinsically unique to Disney's newest theme park.

Upon stepping through the gates, Guests used to the Main Street entrance will immediately notice the shortened path leading to the Sun Icon and the center of the Gateway Plaza. The tile mosaic slowly lends itself to the bridge, which seems to cover the hub of the park, as the Train Station in Disneyland was designed to do.

As Guests pass into the Gateway Plaza they face the large Sun Icon, which is illuminated during the daylight hours by mirrors located on the far side of the hub area. Below the Icon is an extremely well done wave-like fountain that creates the centerpiece to represent all that is California. It is interesting to note that the sunburst is incorporated into many corners of the park. This was seen as an essential element included by Imagineers, who even managed to work it into the logo for many park attractions and even the supports on California Screamin'.


In the Gateway Plaza Guests can find a replica of the Western Pacific California Zephyr that once brought travelers to the Golden State. This train now offers passage into the Bakers Field Bakery and Bur-r-r Bank Ice Cream shops. Guests can also make their first and last minute purchases in the Greeting's From California and Engine-Ears Toys shops.

The Gateway Plaza acts as the hub of Disney's California Adventure, leading to the Hollywood Pictures Backlot, Condor Flats, and the rest of the Golden State areas. It also features start of the parade route for Disney's Eureka! A California Parade.

Music in this area as well as throughout the rest of the park is extremely well done. Song choices and themeing fit perfectly for all areas throughout the park. A selection of California related songs from the Beach Boys to Natalie Cole help to get Guests into that California Spirit.

Elephant adorned, the Hollywood Pictures Backlot marquee marks the entrance to this themed land. Guests enter walking down the glittering Hollywood Blvd., which is marked with the word STOP painted at intersections down the street. A street peddler sits in a beach chair offering "maps to the stars" and provides for added entertainment for those walking by.


Already one of the most photographed portions of the new park is the forced perspective ending of Hollywood Blvd., painted on the side of the Hyperion Theater. As guests near the end, it becomes readily apparent that the sky and street in front of them is not exactly what it may have seemed when they first entered. The street angles upward and away, while the buildings get shorter. Famous land marks such as the Roosevelt Hotel and the El Capitan dot the seemingly distant landscape.

While the Hyperion Theater sits at the edge of the forced perspective street end, its entrance is somewhat real, and leads guests to a larger queue area for the Steps in Time show on the inside. The show that is currently in the theater is different than the one offered during the earlier preview days. The 3,000 plus seat theater is the largest and most beautiful of any Disney theme park. Its size and design lends nicely to larger scale productions from the theatrical world. Already the theater has been used for numerous presentations as well as press events, with Disney movie premieres and more on the horizon.

Pushing back up Hollywood Blvd. is the Disney Animation building. This interactive attraction has a lobby that is a must see. Giant screens and smaller videos play continuously with Disney music. This area goes through a continual morphing process, showing videos and stills from all of Disney's animated classics. Many pencil sketches and concepts are blended and shown to lend the Guest an experience in the creation of Disney Animation. When the entire scene is set with music, video and stills it is really an experience that is true Disney park quality.

Once inside the Animation attraction, Guests can choose from the entertaining Robin Williams film, Back to Neverland, taken from MGM Studios in Orlando. Drawn to Animation gives an "animator" and animated Mushu a chance to show off the process that goes into creating Disney Characters. The Art of Animation offers a display of pencil sketches, models and early concepts for many Disney films and characters.


By far the most entertaining experience in Animation is that of the Sorcerers Workshop. This interactive experience is entertaining for young and old alike. The first room features kineograph's and thaumatrope's through which Guests can watch animation come alive right in front of them. Stencils are also available, where all can create their own animations. Beyond the Mirror on the Wall beckons Guests to enter the Beasts Library to find out which Disney character they are most like. The library itself slowly makes the transformation from the forbidden West Wing of the Beasts Castle to that of the Princes as the last rose petal above the fireplace drops.

Finally Guests travel into Ursula's Grotto where they can place their voices into Disney movies, either by singing or acting out small scenes from the movies.

While it may be difficult to spend hours in the Workshop area, the experiences offered are entertaining for all. There may be some interesting surprises that wait while guests find out what character they are like. Ursula's Grotto often elicits applause as some guests reproduce scenes from a movie to the T, and laughter, as others just can't overcome the embarrassment of hearing their own voices in a Disney movie. Overall the entire Disney Animation attraction provides for some very entertaining experiences.

Not being a huge fan of the Muppets myself, Muppet Vision 3D was an interesting experience. This show first found its debut in MGM Studios in Walt Disney World. It was copied here to California Adventure, so Guests regular to the Orlando area can pass on the show if they are looking to see new things in California.

The basic premise of the show is that the Muppets have created "Muppet Vision 3D" a new 3D film technique. Guests are then taken on a twenty-minute show experiencing this new technology. The actual technology in the show is the precursor to that in Honey, I Shrunk the Audience and It's Tough to Be a Bug, as some interactive elements appear but not to the extent of either of the other two shows.

One thing that was unique to this show is the events happening all around you. While It's Tough to Be a Bug does feature the black widows, Muppet Vision 3D has activity all around. In the upper corners of the theater are the box seats where Statler and Waldorf sit, and behind is the Swedish Chef, who isn't very happy when his projector gets destroyed. It was also exciting for a Disneyland nut to see the technique used in the Haunted Mansion elevator ceilings recreated to blow up the theater after the Chef enacts his revenge.

It is probably everywhere by now just how interesting Superstar Limo has turned out to be. You as the newest Hollywood superstar are taken by limo from LAX to your movie premiere at the Mann's Chinese Theater, or so goes the story. En route the tour goes through a very tongue and cheek recreation of Los Angeles, from Bel Air to Malibu. The celebrities seem to take center stage in the attraction, with most passing so quickly that image passing by does not quite fit with the name being announced by the narrator.


Black lights and bright colors adorn the streets. Once in a while the fleeting scream of producers or scriptwriters call out asking you to endorse products or star in the latest movie. In the dark and strangely lit segway scenes your agent, Swifty, attempts to con you into the latest business deal, or tell you to hurry to your movie premiere.

The most entertaining portion of this very strange attraction is where guests have their pictures taken unexpectedly and displayed back just before the movie premiere scene. Almost everyone in the picture has a look of "what is this?" on their faces. It provides for the biggest laughs of the ride.

One of a few fast food locations in the Hollywood Pictures Backlot, Hollywood & Dine provides for a very wide selection of foods in one location. Guests used to the one-theme Disneyland restaurants will notice the new larger food court style restaurants in California Adventure, and this is definitely one of them. There is a choice of Chinese food, pizza, hamburgers and a sandwich deli. After selecting from one of the locations there is a common check out area for all, so it is very easy to pick up food from the different stops.

This style restaurant is perfect for families with extremely eclectic tastes. It will probably be difficult not to find something for everyone. From experience this location also offers fairly large portions, as has been much more common recently at both Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure. The Chinese location offers an extremely large meal for the money. While it may not be as cheap as the local fast food place, it is great deal for theme park food. Quality is also very good for a fast food style location.

The Gateway Plaza helps to give Disney's California Adventure its unique flair and welcome guests to the brand new experience. From the Sun Icon to the beautiful wave fountain underneath, the Plaza beckons Guests to the adventures that wait.

Walking into the Hollywood Pictures Backlot is much like entering MGM Studios in Walt Disney World. While this area may have its hits, Disney Animation, and its misses, Superstar Limo, the future looks very bright for this area and it won't just be the reflection from the Sun Icon in the Gateway Plaza or the sparkling streets.


Part III: The Golden State