posted on January 10, 2001 11:46:06 AM new
I live about 30 minutes from Disneyland in Anaheim, Ca. Just recently they've been advertising that finally they are opening the new theme park that they have been building right next door to Disneyland for the past 5 years. I think it's called California Adventure park and it's got some kind of an outdoors theme, but I am not too clear on it. Last time I went to Disneyland (I go about once every 2 years when people come visit me and want to go) they had moved all the parking lots around from what they had been for my entire lifetime into another configuration, which threw me off but hey that's ok, change is good...and now apparently this park is ready to roll. Is anyone going to go there when they come out to go to Disneyland? Are they advertising outside of CA yet? (they are advertising lightly here). Did you know that this past year they have had to turn away customers on about 10 different days because Disneyland was too full? I think that maybe this new park is going to be for the overflow at first until it catches on, and then it will end up making Disneyland in Anaheim a multiple day destination like the one in Florida is. Anaheim has a few other theme parks like Knott's Berry Farm but their quality is pretty sucky.
posted on January 10, 2001 12:41:26 PM new
brighid...we were thinking of going there after it opens (I think 2/8/01 is the official date), but I imagine it will be really crowded for awhile. Maybe we'll take a day off in April and drive up.
We heard about the crowds during the holidays and them turning people away. I can't even imagine being there with that many people!
posted on January 10, 2001 02:41:00 PM new
I'm still trying to figure out from the ads what it's supposed to be. A sort of Virtual California where the Golden Gate Bridge is only a golf-cart ride from the LaBrea Tar Pits? Surreal - kind of like eating at a Taco Bell while you're in Mexico.
posted on January 10, 2001 06:38:18 PM new
HCQ I think you are close---they probably would have liked to do a kind of Old West themed park but Knott's Berry Farm a few miles away already has a Wild West theme (at least their theme used to be Old West before the park was "redesigned" to became 95% stomach churning roller coaster rides). I think they are going to try to compete with Knott's for the teenage crowd. Teenagers in southern cal like to hang out at theme parks in the evening, there are discounted rates at night for locals, and Disneyland doesn't really have a whole lot of teen-themed rides. Or if not teens then the young adults. I think they are also trying to make it a 3 day destination rather than a 1 day, like it is now.
posted on January 10, 2001 06:42:53 PM new
You're not far off with that food analogy, HCQ. If one can believe what they're publishing on their website, the new Theme Park appears to be nothing more than an upmarket food court:
posted on January 10, 2001 06:54:22 PM new
for some reason that reminds me of a funny story. The first time my boyfriend came down to LA to visit, we went to disneyland and he was really excited because he hadn't been there since he was 5 years old. Then the next day I took him to Hollywood (which is really a sacrifice on my part, because "Hollywood" is basically a run down slum without much to see from a local's point of view). I warned him not to make the mistake of thinking there were "movie stars" on every corner. I told him it's mostly a dump, yadda yadda yadda, people who live here see a VERY different side of LA than what gets shown on TV, etc. etc. etc, bursting all his bubbles about "glamourous Los Angeles".
I went to a gas station for some fuel before we set out for a day of sightseeing and we hadn't been there two minutes before that dark haired, good looking dude from "The Practice" (dylan mc something?) drove up and started filling up his car.
My boyfriend no longer believes anything I say about LA.
posted on January 10, 2001 09:43:09 PM new
The AAA magazine here(OR)had a cover story last issue on the new park. Their slant is that it is for adults, rather than children.
posted on January 10, 2001 10:23:23 PM new
When we go to FL we go to the Corkscrew swamp and watch the birds from the boardwalk. We pick up shells on Sanibel island. Reality is nicer than an expensive wait in the sun with strangers blowing smoke in your face. The last park I went to - the Universal Studios park the crowd was mostly foreigners and even ruder than usual. If someone cut the line the attendant would not do anything about it. They act as if you are actually depriving your child if you don't drop a few thousand to spend your week in a fantasy. What a racket.
posted on January 10, 2001 10:29:28 PM new
If someone were going to go to LA for a day what would you reccomend seeing? Is Magic Mountain any fun? Any good off the path or little heard of things to do? Any game shows you can go watch?
Oddish~ The Odd One
posted on January 10, 2001 10:58:44 PM newoddish4: Magic Mountain is not in L.A.--it's about an hour's drive away. The rides are great, but I am never thrilled with the cleanliness there--walls literally covered with gum in some places. Not to mention that they periodically have problems with gangs.
Plenty of game shows you can get into, especially over the hill in Burbank. Or, gettickets for the Tonight Show or things like that.
There are a lot of theatres, large & small, with great shows.
If you are a film fan, there are a lot of stores selling stills, books, scripts, etc. There's also a huge graveyard where you can see the graves of stars like Valentino, Marilyn Monroe, etc.
If you are into sewing, you might like a trip into the Garment District--there are a *lot* of stores there where you can get good deals on all kinds of fabric & accessories.
If you are a Western fan, there is the Gene Autry Museum right in L.A., also if you drive about 90 minutes you can get to the Roy Rogers Museum.
If you like natural history, you might visit the Museum of Natural History or the La Brea Tar Pits.
Buena Park has a huge wax museum and Cars of the Stars is nearby that.
A 45 minute drive to Long Beach, and you can see the Queen Mary and the new Long Beach Aquarium. Long Beach is also home to one of the largest & best used book stores around, Acres of Books--it lieterally *is* acres of books (wear grungies & take a flashlight).
If you like botany, visit the Huntington Library & Gardens in San Marino.
Visit Santa Anita racetrack.
If you like astronomy, visit the observatory in Griffith Park. (while you're there, go to the Zoo ).
You can go to the beach. Or the desert. Or the mountains. A drive in any direction will take you to just about any kind of scenery you want to see. Two hours will get you to Death Valley, if you really like a lot of heat
There is plenty to see & do here in Southern California!
posted on January 11, 2001 08:51:48 AM new
Oddish...my favorite LA area attraction is Universal Studios. It's a gorgeous park with both rides and entertainment. It's now split up into two levels with an enormous escalator that takes you up and down the side of a hill with beautiful views (when the smog isn't too bad!) And they still have their famous tram ride that takes you behind the scenes and shows you how they do some of the special effects. There's also a chance you will see some celebrities on the lot.
It is expensive, though, but all the parks are now. It's a full day for everyone.
Oh, and if you go on the Jurassic Park ride, you WILL get wet!
posted on January 11, 2001 09:10:50 AM new
Bunnicula, you forgot the fabulous FABULOUS Getty Museum. An absolute don't miss for anyone visiting L.A. And yes, Magic Mountain (in Santa Clarita) is "Gangland"...not a great place for small kids.
posted on January 11, 2001 11:13:49 AM new
OMG, posmith, I was JOKING...and it seems it is indeed a virtual California, complete with miniature citrus groves and vineyards, artificial San Francisco and wilderness, and santitzed Hollywood.
Am I the only one who finds this bizarre?.... but then my idea of "vacation" is a second-class bus ticket through the Yucatan
posted on January 11, 2001 12:05:06 PM new
I've seen the commercial for the new park. I giggle everytime I see it....a bunch of the characters lined up along the hedge and Buzz saying, "No one likes nosey neighbors".
posted on January 11, 2001 12:07:55 PM new
Magic Mountain is mostly fast, roller coaster type rides, as opposed to Disneyland which is more of a family/little kid enviroment with a few fast rides.
Magic MOuntain is a long drive from LA (an hour north of the city) in Valencia. Regarding the gangs, they may have some actual "gang members" who come there but over all the "gangs" are more like large bands of minority teenagers which suburban visitors feel threatened by. In my experience, the teens at MM are irritating but not dangerous. If you like fast rides and loud obnoxious teenagers, MM is cool. If not---forget it.
My favorite FREE things to do in LA are:
--Stroll downt he Venice Boardwalk and gawk at all the "wildlife" on Venice Beach (i used to have a jewelry and face-painting booth down there---lots of wild looking people, hard bodies, sunshine, and roller skates. Great for people watching).
--Drive from LA to Santa Barbara along the coast----Now that's beauty. Nothin' like it.
--Take a trip to Griffith Park Observatory---a beautifully preserved 1930's observatory in a remote part of the Hollywood Hills, where portions of "Rebel Without A Cause" were filmed. Lots of exhibits to look at and things to do. they have a great Planetarium show at night under the dome. Kids and adults I've taken there love it.
---Walk around the beautiful campus of my alma mater UCLA in Westwood. The prettiest college in Los Angeles (hear that, Trojans down in the ghetto??)
--Go to the Hollywood Memorial Park Cemetery. This is the old cemetery off of Vine which was the leading cemetery during Hollywood's golden years. It houses all kinds of interesting people and the monuments are really fascinating---back in the days before those flat slabs took over cemeteries. The grounds are serene and green and beautiful. I have taken people there for picnics (but then I'm a cemetery buff, I've visited over 50 of them in American and Europe. LOVE funerary tradition research.) It has a separate "Jewish section" (!). It has headstones shaped like rocket ships and fountains and angels and such. It's really neat.
--Drive up to Lake Arrowhead in the San Bernardino mountains and play in the snow in January. Then come back to LA on the same day and go swimming without a wetsuit in the ocean in January
---Go to Watts Towers in Watts (urban los angeles) and see beauty created out of throwaways
--Go to the Getty and see culture imported from all over the world. Later go down and tour the downtown LA loft district and see local artists in their own enviroment.
Stay away from artificially constructed Los Angeles (Universal Studios, City Walk, malls, etc.) where you will only see other tourists, and see how we really are.
Yes you can get tickets for tapings of all kinds of shows, just write to the studios or call and inquire. Start early---the folks fill up those seats quick.
Hope your brother has a good time. Los Angeles is a much maligned city, and a flawed beauty. I love it as well as I can.
