DISNEY WEEK: CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE

Despite a rough beginning and early-life as a low-budget sister park to Disney's flagship Disneyland, California Adventure moved into its own with a multi-billion dollar and multiyear refit, strengthening the park and establishing an identity completely separate from its more famous neighbor.

Since then, DCA has emerged as a fitting companion and destination park in and of itself.

Pic of the Day: A Good Facelift

Disney California Adventure, a second Southern California theme park meant to compliment Disneyland, opened in 2001 to universal yawns. 

Built with an eye more towards budget than awing the crowd, the park fell well short of expectations, both at the corporate finance level and at the customer enjoyment level.

To his credit, Disney Chairman Bob Iger accepted that the company had tried to do something on the cheap, admitting in 2007 that "Any time you do something mediocre with your brand, that's a withdrawal. California Adventure was a brand withdrawal."

In 2012 an expanded and improved California Adventure was rededicated and "reopened" to record crowds. The park, lacking any kind of wow factor in the beginning was on track with the addition of Carsland and Buena Vista Street (both of which I personally love). Other lands were added to and improved, a project which continues to evolve -- this year they park remade and reopened the area previously called Condor Flats as part of the larger and more thematically cohesive Grizzly Peak.

Originally an "also-ran" park, DCA (as it is called in the 21st Century acronymic society) is now my second favorite Disney park -- next to Disneyland itself, both literally and figuratively.

Mickey's Fun Wheel and the California Screamin' roller coaster

Pic of the Day: Would You Like Your Picture Taken?

We all know that feeling of dread as someone approaches us to ask if we would like to have our picture taken....

(And yes, you may appreciate the irony all you like.)

Carsland, Disney California Adventure

Pic of the Day: Mickey's Fun Wheel!

Mickey's Fun Wheel, Disney's California Adventure Park. The end of a long day, as the Onshore Flow begins to assert a chilly effect upon Southern California.

The park underwent a major -- and by all accounts hugely successful -- renovation a few years back.

And from his vantage point above the lake, Mickey seems pleased.

DISNEY MAGIC

Short blog post this time. I have a lot to say, but when you get right down to it,most of it is off topic. So...

The Walt Disney Company has always fascinated me, so it probably is no surprise that I really love Disney Parks. I have an annual pass to the parks in Southern California, granting me access to both the original Disneyland, as well as its recently-awakened neighbor California Adventure. 

So, with last week's announcement that Disney is going to acquire Lucasfilm -- no real surprise given that Lucas has long been a DIsney collaborator -- I wanted to take a moment and mention the company. Disney is a major leisure industry leader, and the theme parks are a major part of that. 

But a funny thing happened when I sat down to write. I found myself going into quite a few business details that really are irrelevant to a discussion of a travel destination. Yes, Disney is a massive conglomerate, and the story behind the scenes is a truly fascinating one, but it has little to do with the experience inherent in visiting the parks. Disney operates a completely enclosed world (no pun intended), and that is part of what Walt Disney himself first made an important requirement when Disneyland first opened. The phrase "beyond the berm" refers to the fact that the berm -- the outside perimeter of the parks -- cuts the Disney experience off from the rest of the world. That once you entered Disneyland, the experience ought to be immersive and complete.

 This applies to the many lands found in the various parks. And nowhere is this more evident than in the brand new Carsland. It is a wonderfully immersive and full experience, and is solid demonstration that the Disney Magic is still alive in the company. A walk through it is to be transported to the desert town of Radiator Springs. At night, my own favorite time for visiting any and all of the parks, the forced perspective can give you a real feeing of being in the middle of a desert town. And it truly feels like no expense has been spared.

And this is the part of the secret, in my mind. If you're shelling out top money -- Disneyland can set you back $80 for a single admission -- you need the experience itself to be top notch. To their credit, the Disney Company has shelled out what was required to make the Disney Resort a great destination once again.

So, while it's tempting to go into the business details behind the changes, I'd rather just share a few shots from the four parks I've visited (Disneyland, Disney's California Adventure, Epcot, and Animal Kingdom), and let you see for yourself.