TSI: a day at DCA

[Nemo88]

as a followup to his Disneyland trip report,here is the DCA side of things.

Anaheim, California -- If you are under the impression that no one ever goes to Disney's California Adventure after reading reports on some other websites, allow me to relieve you of that notion right now. A visit to California Adventure requires as much planning as a visit to Disneyland, because the lines here are as long as at any theme park in Southern California. Discounts helped push California Adventure to one of the industry's highest percentage increases attendance last year, according to Amusement Business magazine, and the past two days saw hour-long standby lines at midday on all of California Adventure's top attractions.

entire article:

http://www.themeparkinsider.com/columns/robert/46.cfm

[WrongWay]

WOW.... This guy nails it....

Screamin'
"It's as if designers decided that a “Disney coaster” needed not just to be clean and pleasantly staffed, but dulled-down as well.
I left the ride feeling more indifferent than thrilled. And that was a reaction I'd feel throughout my day at California Adventure."

For "coaster people, he nails it.... Sure, people that have only been on DL coasters thing it is "thrilling". If you've spent a day at just about any Six Flafgs park.... Screamin' is dull. Seriously.... When I ride it I spend most of my time waiting for something interesting to happen. I love that it isn't a head banger..... But, if you're not going to give the steapest, highest hills or hardest launch or most inversions or most air time.... you HAVE to give me something to look at. Scremin' speands way too much time going straight and flat or through wide slow corners.

Maliboomer:
"Anyway, the blast up was okay, I guess"


Soarin':
"Soarin' reminds me of my wife's favorite attraction at Epcot, Impressions de France. [clip] California Adventure visitors watch Soarin' from handglider-style seats, suspended from the ceiling, watching an IMAX-style presentation. Much, much more impressive.
Well, it would be if the nearly 25-year-old France movie didn't eat its lunch."

Again, I'll agree. Cool ride system, movie kind of "uninspiring" to me. A nice, "unmagical", relaxing and fun ride.

ToT:
"Tower of Terror never lays out any consequences for the rider. We walk into a haunted hotel, board a service elevator, bounce up and down, then get out and leave.[clip] I do not consider it as impressive as Mummy, or the original Tower of Terror in Florida. Disney could have done better."

While I've not been on the Mummy so can't compare, I will say the original is WAY better because it transports us through the Twilight Zone, and end up in 1950s, in the lobby, in the guest elevator.... In DCA, we end up in the exact same run down service elevator shaft and exit into a cement hallway. They REALLY messed that one up. Should have loaded on the upper level and unloaded on the lower level, right into the service elevator. Maybe they got rid of the 5th dimension room for reliability, but no separate load and unload had to be pure budget cuts..... A real shame.


GRR:
"Grizzly soaks it riders better than any other tub ride in Southern California. Its flume design spins the tub throughout the ride more aggressively than any other such ride in the area. [clip] Yet, like Knott's Bigfoot Rapids, Grizzly soaks you in silence, without the music or characters that elevate Splash Mountain over the likes of Knott's Log Ride. "



"Again, on every attraction, California Adventure comes up a step short. Perhaps that's why so many visitors seem frustrated, or at least left cold, by this park. Some may complain about the theme. And I agree that I'd rather see attractions tied to the extensive history and mythology of California than to contemporary themes. But half-hearted executive provides the greater problem here. It's as if the park was designed by a committee, worried about keeping costs down and not offending anyone, rather than entertainers with a strong vision they wanted to share."

"Show me another aggressive discount -- like the ones Knott's offers -- and I'll bring the family back to this park. Without one, however, I'll save the full-price expeditions for Disneyland or Universal instead."

[WorldEpcot]

The article seemed a little biased, but what they hey, it's a good article. Although, in my eyes, Niles has no credit (he worked for the LA Times).

[Nemo88]

Originally Posted by WorldEpcot

The article seemed a little biased, but what they hey, it's a good article. Although, in my eyes, Niles has no credit (he worked for the LA Times).

its very biased,afterall he said Screamin' was a dull coaster,yet he hails the Mummy,go figure.The Mummy is tame as all heck.

he also mentions how there is no "irony" in the TOT,but WDWs TOT doesnt have "irony" in its story either yet he said the WDW TOT is great.

Its obvious this guy and that Kevin Baxter just hate DCA,which is fine,but it definatly shows in his writings and its pretty biased.

[Jspider]

Originally Posted by Nemo88

its very biased,afterall he said Screamin' was a dull coaster,yet he hails the Mummy,go figure.The Mummy is tame as all heck.

he also mentions how there is no "irony" in the TOT,but WDWs TOT doesnt have "irony" in its story either yet he said the WDW TOT is great.

Its obvious this guy and that Kevin Baxter just hate DCA,which is fine,but it definatly shows in his writings and its pretty biased.

he did seem a little biased but I can't say I blame him for it all

the article seemed to praise the Mummy more for it's storyline then anything else

and yeah I didn't get the irony complaint though I can understand if he missed the 5th demension scene or something but he never noted it

I was kinda hoping he'd notice something different with the new management and all but DCA is so new still that the only thing people will probably ever notice changing is if they open a new ride

I do kinda agree with him on the Grizzly thing and I think alot of people do in a way I mean were's the music? were's the animatronics? I mean even BTMRR has simple animatronic stuff

[Nemo88]

the article seemed to praise the Mummy more for it's storyline then anything else

but the Mummy rides story is a jumbled mess,you can at least make out what DCAs TOT sotry is,thats why this article made no sense to me.

I do kinda agree with him on the Grizzly thing and I think alot of people do in a way I mean were's the music? were's the animatronics? I mean even BTMRR has simple animatronic stuff

wheres the music on Matterhorn? Big Thunder? ....the Matterhorn didnt even get its 1 AA until way after it opened....Big Thunder has a quite a few AAs,ill give it that.

[WrongWay]

Originally Posted by Nemo88

its very biased,afterall he said Screamin' was a dull coaster,

It is dull for "coaster people". A half-dozen rides on X, Scream, Goliath, Batman, Riddler's, Xcelerator....etc., and Screamin' is VERY dull.

And, was he as biased yesterday when he gave Disneyland such a great review?

You don't like what he said, and you can't argue any of the content.... therefore, he MUST be biased, right? He can't just think the park isn't great honestly.

Give me a break. This guy is not biased. He is DEAD on.

[Nemo88]

Originally Posted by WrongWay

It is dull for "coaster people". A half-dozen rides on X, Scream, Goliath, Batman, Riddler's, Xcelerator....etc., and Screamin' is VERY dull.

And, was he as biased yesterday when he gave Disneyland such a great review?

You don't like what he said, and you can't argue any of the content.... therefore, he MUST be biased, right? He can't just think the park isn't great honestly.

Give me a break. This guy is not biased. He is DEAD on.

and the only reason you think he ISNT biased is because you AGREE with him. lol goes both ways.

no but seriously,hes biased because his opinions arent consistant,he said Screamin' was dull,but he praised the Mummy which is way tamer then Screamin' is (in terms of coaster elements),Mummy is basically Gadget Go Coaster in the dark.I dont care how fast Mummy actually is,it seems very slow,and im not the only one who has said this.Screamin feels faster.

hes biased because he faults DCAs TOT for not having "irony" but praises WDWs TOT which doesnt have "irony" either.

there are many reasons why I think the article is slanted,he doesnt like DCA so he went into the park with that mindset,you see what you think,in other words,if you go in thinkin the place is "meh",youll leave thinkin its "meh"...if you go in thinkin "I am here to have a good time" youll leave with that attitude...

[WorldEpcot]

the article seemed to praise the Mummy more for it's storyline then anything else

WHAT storyline?

Give me a break. This guy is not biased. He is DEAD on.

If he had written a positive review, you would have complained.

It is dull for "coaster people". A half-dozen rides on X, Scream, Goliath, Batman, Riddler's, Xcelerator....etc., and Screamin' is VERY dull.

Not really. Mad Mouse? Yes, very dull. But Screamin' is (I'm sure) the nations longest steel coaster, and I am a coaster person, and I love it, even if it was at Six Flags.

[WrongWay]

Originally Posted by Nemo88

and the only reason you think he ISNT biased is because you AGREE with him.

At least I'm consistent. He wasn't biased when he was talking about how great Disneyland is. He isn't biased when he talks about how plain DCA is.

You thought he was dead on about Disneyland, but biased against DCA? Come on. Either he's biased against Disney or not?