Disneyland's Newest Theme Park

When you’re looking for a little California dreamin’, the Disneyland Resort offers the perfect new getaway. An all-new theme park celebrating the fun and adventures of California is the centerpiece of a $1.4 billion expansion of the Disneyland Resort. The expansion also includes Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel, a 750-room deluxe property designed in the Arts and Crafts style of early 20th-century California, and Downtown Disney, an exciting shopping, dining, and entertainment district.

Located next to Disneyland Park in Southern California, Disney’s California Adventure theme park celebrates the California dream — giving guests a taste of the adventures, ideas, and breathtaking settings that have attracted millions of people to California. As guests enter the park, they are greeted with the view of the Golden Gate Bridge. From this focal point, the three themed lands of Disney’s California Adventure park may be seen: Golden State, Hollywood Pictures Backlot, and Paradise Pier.

Golden State pays tribute to the spectacular natural beauty of California and the inventive spirit of its people. The five unique areas of the land: Condor Flats, the Bountiful Valley Farm, Pacific Wharf, San Francisco, and Grizzly Peak Recreational areas serve as a backdrop for a look at the unique blend of commerce, industry, and agriculture that have shaped and defined today’s California. This distinctive Grizzly Peak, carved to look like a growling bear’s head, is the centerpiece of this exciting land and features a thrilling rapids ride called Grizzly River Run.

Guests will "take flight" in hang gliders in Soarin’ Over California, lifted 40 feet aloft and surrounded by a giant projection dome that features a wondrous journey over California’s most famous landmarks. Other not-to-miss attractions include the stunning and comical 3-D presentation It’s Tough to Be a Bug and areas that showcase the unique products, dreams and vineyards that have created today’s California.

Hollywood Pictures Backlot celebrates the magic of the movie business and the culture, fame, and celebrity atmosphere that surrounds it. Among the attractions featured is the Hyperion Theater, a 2,000-seat venue for a variety of live stage productions, and Superstar Limo, a breezy tongue-in-cheek look at the world of Hollywood’s "15 minutes of fame." Soap opera fans will enjoy the ABC Soap Opera Bistro, a fascinating eatery that lets guests dine on the set of their favorite ABC soaps.

Paradise Pier is the ultimate beachfront amusement zone decked out in spectacular lighting and elegant graphics associated with the heyday of the great amusement park piers. One of the main attractions in Paradise Pier is California Screamin’, a 6,000-foot-long roller coaster that features a 360-degree loop around a shimmering silhouette of Mickey Mouse; Golden Zephyr, a spinning space ship attraction, and the Sun Wheel, with carriages on tracks that slide to the center of the wheel, adding an exciting gravity element to an already spectacular visual experience.

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Published in the February 2001 issue of the AAA Traveler.