Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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PARADISE PIER
Journey back to the glor y days of California 's beachfr ont
amusement piers—remember Santa Monica, Santa Cruz, and B elmont Park?—on this
fantasy boardwalk. Highlights include
California Screamin'
, a classic roller coaster
that replicates the whitewashed wooden white-knucklers of the past—but with state-of-
the-art steel construction and a smooth, computerized ride that catapults you from zero
to 55 mph in less than 5 seconds, then takes a loop-de-loop o ver the boardwalk. There's
also the
Maliboomer
, a trio of to wers (giant str ongman sledgehammer tests) that
catapult riders to the tiptop bell and then let them down bungee-style with dangling feet;
the
Orange Stinger,
a whooshing swing ride inside an enormous orange, complete with
orange scent piped in;
Mulholland Madness,
a wacky, wild trip along L.A. 's precarious
hilltop street that is way scarier than it looks; and the ne w
Mickey's Fun Wheel,
featur-
ing unique zigzagging cars that bring a ne w twist to the familiar ride. The newest addi-
tion to the area is
Toy Story Mania.
Guests donning 3-D glasses are “shrunk” to the size
of a toy and hop into fanciful vehicles that travel and twist along a midway-themed route.
Upon arriving at each game booth you aim for animated targets using your onboard “toy
cannon.”
Paradise Pier also has all the familiar boardwalk games (complete with stuffed prizes);
guilty-pleasure fast foods like pizza, corn dogs, and burritos; plus a full-ser
vice ocean-
themed restaurant called
Ariel's Grotto.
HOLLYWOOD PICTURES BACKLOT
If you've visited D isney in F lorida, you
might recognize many elements of this
trompe l'oeil
re-creation of a H ollywood movie
studio lot. Pass through a classic studio archway flanked by gigantic golden elephants and
you'll find yourself on a surprisingly r ealistic Hollywood Boulevard. The resort's hottest
attraction is the
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
. This truly scary ride has been a
huge hit since its debut at Walt Disney World. Legend has it that during a violent storm
on H alloween night 1939, lightning str uck the H ollywood Tower H otel, causing an
entire wing and an elev ator full of people to disappear , and you're about to retrace their
steps from that fateful night as y ou become the star in a special D isney episode of . . .
The Twilight Zone.
In this once glamor ous but no w eerily v acant hotel, y ou tour the
lobby, library, and boiler room, and ultimately board the elevator to plunge 13 stories to
the fifth dimension and beyond.
The Backlot's other main attraction is
Playhouse Disney—Live on Stage!,
starring the
characters from the popular
Playhouse Disney
kids' program on the Disney Channel. It's
a hugely popular high-energy show where Bear in the Big Blue House, Jo Jo, Stanley, and
other television characters enter tain kids with songs, music, and stories of friendship .
Other popular shows include
Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sully to the Rescue!,
where guests
ride taxis through Monstropolis on a mission to safely return “Boo” to her bedroom; and
Jim Henson's MuppetVision 3D
, an on-screen comedy romp featuring Kermit, Miss
Piggy, G onzo, Fozzie B ear—and ev en hecklers Waldorf and S tatler. Although it 's not
nearly as entertaining as
It's Tough to Be a Bug
(see below), it has its moments and won't
scare the bejesus out of little kids.
At the end of the str eet, the replica movie palace
Hyperion Theater
presents Broad-
way-caliber live-action shows of classic Disney films. In the
Disney Animation
building,
visitors can par ticipate in differ ent interactiv e galleries and learn ho w stories become
animated features as told by Disney artists in the Drawn to Animation studio.
A BUG'S LAND
This bug-themed land encompasses
It's Tough to Be a Bug
,
Flik's Fun Fair,
and
Bountiful Valley Farm.
Inspired by the movie
A Bug's Life,
It's Tough
to Be a B ug
uses 3-D technology to lead the audience on an undergr ound romp in the
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