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ANAHEIM, Calif. — At ages 7 and 9, my nephews had a lot of questions in the days leading up to a trip to the Disneyland Resort earlier this month. But the questions were about one thing: Would we be going to Disney California Adventure Park, and if so, could they ride “the big roller coaster?”
Their enthusiasm for Disney California Adventure is exactly the kind of energy the park needs. Traditionally less popular than the adjacent Disneyland, California Adventure inspired healthy interest earlier this summer with its new Pixar Pier, a reimagining of the former Paradise Pier now based on characters and themes from Pixar movies.
The roller coaster my nephews were asking about is the Incredicoaster, a transformation of the California Screamin’ ride into the first Disney attraction to feature characters from “The Incredibles” franchise.
It was a highlight of the visit for my nephews and my brother, the only three in our group of seven brave enough to take on the resort’s fastest ride. Later, upon recounting the ride’s story of chasing baby Jack-Jack and describing all the flips and turns, they could hardly catch their breath. Clearly, the coaster is a must for thrill-seekers.
Beyond the Incredicoaster, Pixar Pier was buzzing on a recent summer day, despite temperatures hovering around 100. The heat couldn’t keep the crowds away from the newest addition to the park, which has completely rebooted the boardwalk-themed area of California Adventure.
The lines at all the fun, new Pixar-themed food stalls were packed. Even so, I couldn’t resist queuing up for a hot dog from Angry Dogs, inspired by the “Inside Out” character Anger, and for the crowd favorite: a parfait with lemon soft serve ice cream and blue slushie from Adorable Snowman Frosted Treats. That delight, inspired by the lovable “Monsters, Inc.” character, was probably the most Instagrammed treat on the promenade.
My family had some fun trying the carnival games along the Toy Story Boardwalk and Pixar Promenade. The iconic Ferris wheel, formerly Mickey’s Fun Wheel, still serves as a great backdrop for family selfies. It kept its Mickey facade but is now known as the Pixar Pal-A-Round, with newly decorated gondolas that each feature a Pixar character.
We were tempted to try the California casual fare at the new Lamplight Lounge, a slightly more elegant dining venue at the entrance to Pixar Pier. The menu includes items such as deviled eggs with toast, crispy piggy wings, lobster nachos and donuts with dipping sauce plus a pretty extensive cocktail menu. But alas, with three young boys in our group, we kept our food choices quick and casual.
As hopping as Pixar Pier already is, there is more to come. Just beyond the Pixar Promenade, the Inside Out neighborhood opening in 2019 will feature a family-friendly ride, Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind and the Toy Story-themed Jessie’s Critter Carousel.
The June 23 opening of Pixar Pier was preceded by the April launch of Disneyland Resort’s Pixar Fest, a celebration of all things Pixar at both parks that runs through Sept. 3.
Source: travelweekly.com
