Retired Disney California Adventure Attractions We Miss

Believe it or not, Disney California Adventure Park is turning 21 years old this month on February 8th (bottoms up, DCA!). Initially a flop to the general public, the Disney Imagineering team realized their mistakes and revamped most of the park in response. Since then, there have been several attractions that have come and gone. While we understand that all good things must eventually end, there are some extinct attractions that we can’t help but have nostalgia for. How many of these served as some of your former Orange County events?

Muppet*Vision 3D!

Did you ever dream of watching The Muppet Show live in person when you were a kid? Muppet*Vision 3D allowed you to do just that. Guests had the chance to see the sometimes less-than-graceful-but-still-lovable Gonzo, Swedish Chef, and Miss Piggy up on stage. You could also laugh along with Statler and Waldorf’s heckling cynicism. Admittedly, a lot of the 3D technology used was outdated, so it is understandable why the show closed in 2014 to make room for the then-extraordinarily popular Frozen. The show also served as one of Jim Henson’s final performances as Kermit the Frog before his death in 1990. You can still experience Muppet*Vision 3D in its original incarnation at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World, Florida.

Twilight Zone: Tower of Terror

The Tower of Terror was one of the most popular attractions at California Adventure, so it took many fans by surprise when Disney announced that they would be re-theming the ride to make room for the Guardians of the Galaxy in 2016. On this ride, guests took a free-fall elevator ride inside a long-abandoned Hollywood Tower Hotel. On Halloween Night in 1939, 5 unsuspecting individuals, a celebrity couple, a little girl holding a Mickey Mouse plush doll and her nanny, and an employee of the hotel, took a lift inside the elevator only to be struck by lightning and fell straight into the Fifth Dimension. They were never seen by anybody they knew ever again. Were you brave enough to fall over 100 feet on this shocking elevator ride? You can still experience Twilight Zone: Tower of Terror in its original incarnation at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World, Florida.

California Screamin’

California Screamin’ was another ride at California Adventure that got the re-theming treatment, and as of 2018, it is now home to The Incredicoaster. The coaster also had a rad soundtrack. Guests accelerated at 55 miles an hour, zipping around Paradise Pier (re-themed to Pixar Pier) and a loop resembling Mickey Mouse’s head. While Disney’s roller coasters are nowhere near as extreme as the ones at Six Flags or even Knott’s Berry Farm’s, California Screamin’ was an excellent option for guests who prefer to live life in the fast lane.

Did you agree with our list? Let us know your thoughts and share your favorite Orange County events by reaching us on our social media pages!

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