Hello everyone!!! Well as you know im not the biggest fan of DCA (the new Disney Theme Park being built in the old parking lot). But one of my Friends and OPD readers (Mark) has a wonderful web site all about DCA and it has changed my mind about some of the things in DCA. So I asked him if he would wright a letter to all of the OPD readers trying to tell them why they should have a open mind about DCA. Now Please note I don't love DCA but I will give it a chance.....
OPD Webmaster

And Now I invite you to read.....



To all DCA Boo Hoos:
 You may know me from my DCA: Virtual Tour site. My name is Mark and I am one of those people who are thrilled to see DCA being built and I am also in the band of people who like DCA.

I've been asked to write a letter by the OPD Webmaster to try and help people who are really down on DCA to understand where I am coming from and why I love the new park. At times I may sound angry and upset but that is because I get very upset when people have horrible arguments about why DCA is "awful." Just to warn you, the following is VERY opinionated.

Paradise Pier
 You know, it really bugs me to hear people sit around all day and bash Paradise Pier for one reason or another. Well, I like Paradise Pier. In my opinion it is one of the best areas of DCA. Why? Because it does what DCA was meant to do, show you all aspects of California. Those seaside amusement parks are part of California, hence why one ended up here (ironic, no?). People say that Paradise Pier has no theme and that it is just a bunch of off the shelf attractions that Disney bought because they are too cheap to create real attractions. My response to the statement is this: The theme of Paradise Pier IS a seaside amusement park. If anyone can show me pictures of a seaside park that looks like a theme park, I'll gladly delete this part of my rant.....I don't have to worry about that because you can't show me. And these attractions ARE NOT OFF THE SHELF. *GASP* What a revelation. The Imagineers are doing their best to make a good park (and personally I think they succeded). I've never seen a swing ride that is themed as bees and inside a giant orange peel. Never have I seen I parachute ride that was themed so well (BTW, Jumpin' Jellyfish was originally planned for Tokyo Disney Seas. Yes, your beloved park was going to get a "off the shelf ride") and yet people are complaining that it looks too much like Knotts. HELLO! If they wanted to do that, why don't they just buy the same rides Knotts has? Oh wait, that's because it isn't like Knotts! And I hear over and over how people think it should be like Disneyland. Why on earth would they want to build a second Disneyland right next to the original?? And its called being competetive. Southern California has a lot of other theme parks. By building DCA Disney is offering a wider variety of options at the resort but still keeping it a fun, safe, FAMILY park. And people often forget that Paradise Pier isn't the only district of DCA. There is still Hollywood, Bountiful Valley Farm, Grizzly Peak, Condor Flat, etc. Give it a chance people...and lay off until you see the finished product. Finally, people are always using the story how Walt Disney took his daughters to an amusement park and realized how dirty it was, how unfriendly the workers were, and how the parents weren't having fun; so he decided to build his own park. Well listen folks, no where did good ol' Walt say that he didn't like Ferris Wheels, Swing Rides, etc. He said that he didn't like the unfriendly atmosphere. DCA is a Disney park people...it will still be clean, have friendly Cast Members, etc. It really annoys me when people twist Walt's words to work in their quest against DCA.

Midway Games
Sure, this could have been included in the Paradise Pier rant, but this brings out a whole new concept that I decided it owuld do better seperate. People are ALWAYS saying how awful the "carny" games are and that "Disney has gone too far" etc. Let me explain to you what I think about the Midway Games. DCA has no other arcade but the Midway Games, Disneyland has quite a few arcades. The Midway Games are THEMED! They don't stick out like a sore thumb at all. I draw your attention to Disneyland but particuarly the arcade in Tomorrowland named STARCADE. We never complain about that now do we? Well if anything sticks out at Disneyland it is the Starcade. The games are just regular video games you find anywhere else and that beautiful orange tile fits in so well with the New Tomorrowland. How innoventive is a bunch of arcade games stuck into a building? I'd have to say 0 thought went into the Starcade. So I think we should all look at the Midway Games as a blessing instead of a curse. Of course the could move that beautiful Starcade into Paradise Pier and that would make you all happy, huh.

Other Problems People Have With DCA Discussed
On a certain newsgroup I often hear people complain about DCA because it is just a copy of all WDW attractions. My feeling..........then wouldn't that make WDW a copy of Disneyland? Hmmmm....... And also, it isn't just WDW attractions, in DCA we have original attractions too. Soarin Over California, Superstar Limo, Grizzly Peak, Mulholland Madness are just a few. The list goes on and on.

In closing, I am going to address a couple of complaints given to me directly from the OPD Webmaster. I quote "The Rollor coaster makes me think of the cheap parks by my house." Really? Wow! I have never seen a coaster like that before. Steel themed as wooden? A loop inside Mickey ears? An onboard soundtrack? LSM launch from underneath the pier? A LSM launch and a standard lifthill? Are these really common things in a coaster today? Geez, all the coasters around Southern California look nothing like that. Heck, no where in the world have I seen another coaster with those features. Where do you live again?

I quote again from OPD, "When am at Disneyland I don't know any where in the world except there that I can feel like Im at a magic castle. Or in the land of TOMORROW. But at DCA drive 10 mins from Disneyland your at a cheap park like Paridise Peir 15mins and Im to Hollywood and so on" Well, that would be a valid point except for this fact. One, there are only 3 parks like Paradise Pier left in California. Two (and my personal favortie), the idea behind DCA is not to keep people from visiting the real Hollywood. Do you really think people are going to go to DCA to try and pack a tour of the state in one or two days? Heck No! People are coming to be entertained and ride amazing original attractions and such. Disney is not trying to put this park in as an alternative to touring California. They aren't promoting this as the park where you can visit all of California in one visit. The idea is to let people have fun and sample all the great state of California has to offer.

There are still some things I would love to comment on, such as alcohol in the park and such, but I'll save those for my website :0)

So, you've read this and still have arguments as to why DCA is so horrible? Well I want to hear them and would be glad to send you a response (hopfully not as lengthy as this letter) as to what I feel on the topic. Send me your email Here or if you have AOL Instant Messenger, IM me at: DCAGuy2

This is Mark signing off............

Thanks for taking all that Time to wright us Mark!!! and now I want you all to go and vist his GREAT SITE.....


DCA: Virtual Tour

DCA Virtual Tour


Please take some time to vist this great site. Thanks again
OPD Webmaster
October 16, 1999







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