What Disney's California Adventure Was Originally Like (Before Marvel & Pixar)

Summary Disney's California Adventure Park has changed a lot since its opening, with Marvel- and Pixar-themed lands being built.

Avengers Campus and Pixar Pier replaced older lands like A Bug's Land and Paradise Pier.

Disney made a smart move by adding Marvel and Pixar areas to attract younger generations and keep its attractions relevant.

Disney California Adventure Park hasn't been around nearly as long as Disneyland Park, but the expansion has still changed quite a bit in the 23 years since it opened — and its Marvel and Pixar lands are among its most notable additions in that time. Pixar Pier opened at the Anaheim-based theme park in 2018, welcoming some of the best Pixar movies and their characters to Disneyland's expansion. Three years later, Avengers Campus joined the lineup of lands at Disney's California Adventure, bringing beloved Marvel heroes like Spider-Man and Ant-Man to the theme park.

Pixar Pier and Avengers Campus have become some of the most popular places to visit when going to Disneyland California, and they contain some of the best rides at Disney California Adventure Park. They also boast great stores and eateries, and Pixar has even made its way to Disneyland's hotels in recent years. Needless to say, Disney made a smart move adding these lands to its California parks. They've become so huge, it's hard to remember what Disney California Adventure Park was like before Marvel and Pixar took over.

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What Disney California Adventure Park Was Like Before Avengers Campus

The Marvel Area Replaced A Bug's Land At Disneyland

Image via Disney/Disney Parks

Up until Avengers Campus was built in 2021, the area that houses the park's Marvel-themed attractions was home to A Bug's Land and portions of Hollywood Land. A Bug's Land was inspired by Pixar's 1998 film A Bug's Life, and it had a number of attractions aimed at kids and families. One of the most notable was It's Tough to Be a Bug!, an immersive 3D ride that was replaced by WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure. There were also rides for younger kids, including Francis' Ladybug Boogie and Tuck and Roll's Drive 'Em Buggies. These have all been replaced by Avengers Campus.

While Avengers Campus totally took over A Bug's Land, it only partially encroached on Hollywood Land's territory. Most of Hollywood Land remains, but one of its classic attractions was altered for the sake of the Marvel section. What used to be The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is now Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission - BREAKOUT! The Marvel-themed ride isn't very different from its predecessor. However, it's hard to say if the Guardians of the Galaxy ride will ever be quite as iconic as the Tower of Terror at Disneyland.

What Disney California Adventure Park Was Like Before Pixar Pier

This Section Replaced Paradise Pier At Disneyland California

Pixar Pier is designed like a boardwalk, and it features movies like Toy Story, Inside Out, and The Incredibles. There are plenty of great attractions at Pixar Pier, including The Incredicoaster and Toy Story Midway Mania! These existed in some form before Pixar Pier came to Disney California Adventure Park. However, they were originally part of an area called Paradise Pier. Pixar Pier took over part of this land, transforming it into a hub highlighting the creations of the Disney-owned studio. Paradise Gardens Park still exists, but the rest of the area has been replaced.

When Paradise Pier became Pixar Pier, the Incredicoaster took over the roller coaster called California Screamin'. While the experience was similar, the ride now revolves around Jack Jack and The Incredibles. Toy Story Midway Mania! took over the spot where Who Wants to Be a Millionaire - Play It! used to be (via D23.com), and the Pixar Pal-A-Round Ferris wheel used to be called Mickey's Fun Wheel and Sun Wheel. Most of the rides and attractions at Pixar Pier didn't undergo massive changes, but Disney reimagined them to better fit the location's Pixar theme.

Why The Disneyland Theme Park Added Marvel & Pixar

Disney's California Adventure Park Is Keeping Attractions Relevant

Custom Image by Yeider Chacon

Theme parks tend to change over time, and that's especially true for Disney parks, most of which have been around for decades at this point. Amusement parks need to keep their rides and attractions relevant if they want to appeal to younger generations. And this is likely why Disney California Adventure Park replaced its older lands and attractions with Marvel- and Pixar-themed ones. A Bug's Life was incredibly popular after its late '90s release, but the movie doesn't get as much recognition nowadays. And Paradise Pier's attractions were all over the place, failing to adhere to a single motif.

By contrast, Pixar and Marvel are some of the biggest properties out there. Pixar Pier highlights movies that have remained culturally relevant for far longer than A Bug's Life; Toy Story is approaching its fifth movie in the franchise, and The Incredibles 2 had just hit theaters when Pixar Pier opened. Avengers Campus also arrived at a time when the MCU was immensely popular. On the heels of Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, Avengers Campus probably felt like a no-brainer for Disneyland California. And it does seem to have worked out for Disney's California Adventure Park.