As Disney's California Adventure begins an ambitious yet overdue $1.1-billion makeover, the first signs of progress will appear in the Anaheim theme park's Paradise Pier area.
Opening in summer 2008 and currently under construction, Toy Story Mania will take riders through a carnival midway hosted by the movie's animated characters — Buzz, Woody, Jessie, Rex and Hamm.
Wearing 3-D glasses, riders on the 5-minute-long interactive, dark ride will compete against one another by firing virtual darts, pies and eggs during virtual games of chance. Similar to Disneyland's Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, the D-ticket Toy Story ride will employ 18-foot-long, custom-made vehicles with riders facing in two directions.
Outside, the Toy Story Mania queue will wind through a gingerbread-trimmed, Victorian-themed ride building, a design aesthetic that will be carried throughout the currently generic-looking Paradise Pier area that has drawn scorn from Disney fans who dub the much-maligned park Mickey's Magic Mountain and Disney's Berry Farm.
The current real-world midway games throughout Paradise Pier with gimmicky California place names like Cowhuenga Pass and New Haul Fishery will be re-themed to represent Disney or Pixar characters. They include:
- Dumbo's Bucket Brigade
- Bullseye's Stallion Stampede
- Goofy About Fishin'
Other changes coming to Paradise Pier over the five-year renovation:
- Re-theming of the Mulholland Madness coaster to Goofy's Sky School coaster by late 2010 or early 2011, according to Blue Sky Disney
- Removal of the Maliboomer thrill ride by late 2010 or early 2011
As Disney's California Adventure begins an ambitious yet overdue $1.1-billion makeover, the first signs of progress will appear in the Anaheim theme park's Paradise Pier area.