Disney's California Adventure Park opened February 8, 2001 as part of the Disneyland Resort. The park is a family themed amusement park adjacent to Disneyland in Anaheim, California. It is owned and operated by the Walt Disney Company.
Disney's California Adventures consists of five different areas, each of them with its own theme and atmosphere. Each theme is part of an overall concept - the land and culture of California. The five areas are Sunshine Plaza, Hollywood Pictures Backlot, A Bug's Land, the Golden State and Paradise Pier. The land on which the park stands was originally meant to be a West Coast version of Epcot Center in Florida, but the project was canceled in 1995. Instead, Disney went ahead with plans to turn Disneyland into a full resort center, adding the new theme park, and several new hotel areas. Disney's California Adventure park was begun in 1998 and completed in 2001.
Sunshine Park is located just inside the entrance of California Adventures. Also called Buena Vista Street, the Sunshine Park area is similar in appearance and theme to Main St. USA at Disneyland. It is home to a model of the California Zephyr, and of two of the park's biggest souvenir shops, as well as a number of other shops and places to eat.
Nearby, Paradise Pier is designed to resemble a Victorian era turn-of-the-century boardwalk complete with amusement park rides and a games midway. The major attractions at Paradise Pier include Mickey's Fun Wheel, modeled after a Coney Island Ferris wheel, as well as the Toy Story Midway Mania, an interactive mini-game adventure that is hailed as one of the most technologically advanced attractions in the Disney theme park world.
The third area, the Golden State, is made up of five smaller areas, each of them paying homage to an aspect of California's history or natural settings. They include Grizzly Peak, themed after California's wilderness area; Condor Flats, paying homage to California's aviation industry; Bay Area, which is scheduled to become Ariel's Adventure; the Golden Vine Winery, which features rotating exhibits and wine tasting; and Pacific Wharf, based on California's Cannery Row and San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf.
Hollywood Pictures Backlot features attractions from the movie industry. The rides housed in this area include The Tower of Terror attraction, and a 2,000 seat Hyperion Theater. The newest attractions at the Backlot include an attraction based on the Disney movie Monsters, Inc.
The final area of California Adventures theme park is A Bug's Land, featuring attractions seen from the point of view of a bug, Flik from the movie A Bug's Life. The oversize everyday objects provide a backdrop for many kid-friendly rides and attractions, including kiddie rides like the Ladybug Boogie and Flik's Flyers.
Admission to Disney's California Adventures is available as part of a number of Disney multi-day resort passes. Schedules are flexible and vary according to the season. For more information about ticket prices and calendars, visit the Disney California Adventures web site or call the park.
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