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Cars Land is a themed area of Disney California Adventure, inspired by the 2006 Disney/Pixar film, Cars. The 12-acre (4.9 ha) area, built as part of Disney California Adventure Park's $1.1 billion expansion project, opened on June 15, 2012. It contains three rides as well as shops and restaurants, all situated in a replica of Radiator Springs, the fictional town in which most of the film's events take place.[1] The area's main attraction is Radiator Springs Racers, a racing ride that uses the technology of Epcot's Test Track.

History[]

Most of the present-day site of Cars Land had been used as the "Timon" parking lot since 2001; the lot had been designated as future growth space for Disney California Adventure when it was originally designed in the 1990s, and was partially built over with The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and the Flik's Fun Fair section of A Bug's Land. A small portion of Cars Land was built over the site of the Bountiful Valley Farm, one of the park's original attractions.

Cars Land was originally conceived by Imagineer Kevin Rafferty as a general celebration of California car culture and Route 66 roadtrip adventures under the name of Carland. Carland would have been set in a small town in the mid-1950s through early 60s, with Cruise Street serving as the main drag through town. Cruise Street was home to Marty's Malt Shop, the Ride n' Shine Car Wash water play area, the Carland Dine-In Theater adapted from the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant, the California Classics Showroom giftshop, and the Be-Bop Garage stage show where car parts were used as musical instruments. The two main attractions were a racing coaster and Road Trip USA, a family ride through roadside attractions and whimsical natural landscapes that included an homage to the Rainbow Caverns,[2] and some concepts included Goofy. When later versions of this concept decided to incorporate the Cars franchise and elements of the Ornament Valley into the racing attraction, it was decided to shift the entire concept around to bringing Radiator Springs to life, as despite being set in Arizona, the film still meshed well with the car culture/Route 66 themes.

Concept art for "Carland" appeared in the "Dreaming" section of the Walt Disney Company's 2006 Annual Report, released on December 12, 2006, 6 months after Cars was released in theaters. The concept art depicted a racing simulator ride but provided no specifics; Disney CEO Bob Iger stated at the time that the concept art depicted projects at various stages of development, and that some of the projects depicted "may never be built".[3]

On October 17, 2007, Disney announced a 5-year, $1.1 billion renovation and expansion plan for Disney California Adventure.[4] The plan included a major overhaul of several existing areas of the park and the addition of Cars Land, an area themed to the 2006 film; Cars Land would be anchored by Radiator Springs Racers, a Cars version of Test Track, a ride at Epcot at the Walt Disney World. Cars Land along with the re-designed entrance plaza, Buena Vista Street, were the last features of the 5-year project to be completed, and opened on June 15, 2012

Layout[]

The layout of Cars Land from the guest's perspective is one of looking down the main street of Radiator Springs, U.S.A., as seen in the original Cars film. There are references to the events of Cars 2 throughout the land, such as a billboard (seen when entering from A Bug's Land) that gives Mater the title of "Sir", and a signed photo of Finn McMissile with Luigi and Guido in Luigi's Casa Della Tires, in addition to souvenirs from their World Grand Prix trip in a display case. References to later projects were incorporated as they were released, with designers considering the land as taking place in an ongoing present, with the exception of the Radiator Springs Racers attraction, which remains in a "Cars 1 1/2" time period to allow for Doc Hudson to play a role in its story.

The main street is Route 66 coming in from the Golden State area, across from the Golden Vine Winery and Walt Disney Imagineering Blue Sky Cellar. The other two entrances into the land are through a path in A Bug's Land between the entrance of Heimlich's Chew Chew Train and Tuck & Roll's Drive 'Em Buggies, and through an archway as a part of the rockwork making up Ornament Valley from Pacific Wharf. The two other entrances are the same path crossing through the middle of Cars Land. The path's name is Cross Street. At the end of Route 66 is the courthouse/firehouse where the street splits. To the left of the split is a backstage access gate. To the right of the split is the entrance to Radiator Springs Racers. In the distance, the Radiator Cap and Ornament Valley Range can be seen. The eastern edge of the Ornament Valley Range includes the Cadillac Mountain Range that consists of Cadillac tail fins that are 125 feet (38 m) high and covers 300,000 square feet (28,000 m2).

Attractions and Entertainment[]

Former Attractions and Entertainment[]

Restaurants[]

  • Cozy Cone Motel
  • Flo's V8 Cafe
  • Fillmore's Taste-In

Shopping[]

  • Ramone's House of Body Art
  • Sarge's Surplus Hut
  • Radiator Springs Curios (renamed Radiator Winter Curios during Christmas)

Gallery[]

External links[]

References[]

  1. Staggs, Tom (2012-03-07). "Taking a Tour of Cars Land, Buena Vista Street and Carthay Circle Theatre – Opening June 15 at Disney California Adventure Park". Disney Parks Blog. Retrieved on 2012-03-08.
  2. Magic Journey: My Fantastical Walt Disney Imagineering Career, by Kevin P. Rafferty, Disney Editions, 2019
  3. "2006 Annual Report". The Walt Disney Company (2006). Retrieved on June 28, 2011.
  4. Los Angeles Business (17 October 2007). "Disney engages in mass renovation of California Adventure". Retrieved on June 28, 2011. 
v - e - d
Disney California Adventure logo
Buena Vista Street
Red Car Trolley
Hollywood Land
Disney Animation Building (Turtle Talk with CrushAnimation AcademySorcerer's Workshop) • Disney Junior Dance Party!Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!Mickey's PhilharMagicHyperion TheaterRed Car Trolley
Grizzly Peak
Grizzly River RunSoarin' Around the WorldRedwood Creek Challenge Trail

Seasonal: Villains Grove

San Fransokyo Square
The Bakery Tour
Performance Corridor
Walt Disney Imagineering Blue Sky Cellar
Cars Land
Radiator Springs RacersMater's Junkyard JamboreeLuigi's Rollickin' Roadsters

Seasonal: Haul-O-Ween • Mater's Graveyard JamBOOree • Luigi's Honkin' Haul-O-Ween • Mater's Jingle Jamboree

Paradise Gardens Park
Goofy's Sky SchoolSilly Symphony SwingsJumpin' JellyfishThe Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea AdventureGolden Zephyr
Pixar Pier
IncredicoasterInside Out Emotional WhirlwindJessie's Critter CarouselPixar Pal-A-RoundToy Story Midway Mania!Games of Pixar Pier
Avengers Campus
Avengers Quinjet (Opening in ???) • Doctor Strange: Mysteries of the Mystic ArtsGuardians of the Galaxy - Mission: BREAKOUT!Web Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure

Seasonal: Guardians of the Galaxy - Monsters After Dark

Current Entertainment
Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration! (Opening in April 26, 2024) • World of Color

Seasonal: Disney's Celebrate America • World of Color: Seasons of Light • World of Color: Villainous • Frightfully Fun Parade

Former Attractions and Entertainment
A Bug's Land (Flik's FlyersFrancis' Ladybug BoogieHeimlich's Chew Chew TrainIt's Tough to Be a Bug!Princess Dot Puddle ParkTuck & Roll's Drive 'Em BuggiesThe Ugly Bug Ball) • Bountiful Valley FarmHyperion Theater (Steps in TimeThe Power of Blast!Aladdin: A Musical SpectacularFrozen: Live at the Hyperion) • California Screamin'Disney Junior - Live on Stage!Golden DreamsKing Triton's Carousel of the SeaLilo & Stitch's Ohana LuauLuigi's Flying TiresMaliboomerMission Tortilla FactoryMuppet*Vision 3DSeasons of the VinePaint the NightSuperstar LimoThe Twilight Zone Tower of TerrorWho Wants to Be a Millionaire – Play It!S.S. RustworthyDisney's LuminAriaDisney's Electrical ParadeDisney's Eureka! A California ParadeBlock Party BashPixar Play ParadeCondor Flats (Paradise PierGolden State)

Seasonal: World of Color: Winter Dreams • World of Color: Celebrate! - The Wonderful World of Walt Disney

Resorts
Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & SpaDisney's Paradise Pier Hotel


v - e - d
Cars-Logo
Media
Films: Cars (video/soundtrack) • Cars 2 (video/soundtrack) • Cars 3 (video/soundtrack)

Shorts: Mater and the GhostlightMiss Fritter's Racing Skoool
Shows: Cars ToonsCars: Racing Sports NetworkPixar Popcorn (Unparalleled Parking/Dancing with the Cars) • Cars On The Road (soundtrack)
Video Games: Cars: The Video GameCars 2: The Video GameCars: Mater-National ChampionshipCars: Race-O-RamaThe World of Cars OnlineCars: Radiator Springs AdventuresKinect Rush: A Disney/Pixar AdventureDisney InfinityCars: Fast as LightningCars: Lightning LeagueCars 3: Driven to WinDisney Emoji BlitzLEGO The IncrediblesDisney Wonderful Worlds
Books: The Art of Cars/2/3

Disney Parks
Cars Land (soundtrack) • Disney's Art of Animation ResortCars: Road TripCars Quatre Roues RallyeDisney Animation BuildingLuigi's Flying TiresLuigi's Rollickin' RoadstersMater's Junkyard JamboreePLAY!Pixar Pal-A-RoundRadiator Springs Racers

Entertainment: Lightning McQueen's Racing AcademyMoteurs... Action! Stunt Show SpectacularPixar Playtime Pals
Restaurants: Cozy Cone MotelFillmore's Taste-InFlo's V8 Cafe
Shops: Radiator Springs CuriosRamone's House of Body ArtSarge's Surplus Hut
Parades: Mickey's New Year's Eve ParadePaint The Night ParadePixar Play Parade
Fireworks: Disney EnchantmentHappily Ever AfterIlluminate! A Nighttime CelebrationTogether Forever: A Pixar Nighttime SpectacularWonderful World of AnimationWorld of Color: Celebrate!
Summer: Club Mouse BeatLightning McQueen Live!

Characters
Cars: Lightning McQueenMaterSally CarreraMackStrip WeathersChick HicksMia and TiaHarvDoc HudsonFloRamoneSheriffLuigiGuidoSargeFillmoreRedLizzieStanleyTex DinocoLynda WeathersJay LimoTuner CarsBessieFrankTractorsJerry Recycled Batteries

Cars 2: Finn McMissileHolley ShiftwellTony TrihullRod "Torque" RedlineTomberMiles AxlerodProfessor ZündappGremAcerFrancesco BernoulliUncle TopolinoMama TopolinoJeff GorvetteLewis HamilitonRaoul ÇaRouleMiguel CaminoNigel GearsleyShu Todoroki
Cars 3: Cruz RamírezJackson StormSterlingMiss FritterChase RacelottDanny SwervezBubba WheelhouseBobby SwiftSmokeyJunior, River, and LouiseHarvey RodcapTim Treadless
Mater and the Ghostlight: Screamin' Banshee
Cars Toons: KabutoBig DSkipper RileySparkySandy DunesBlue GritIdle ThreatShifty Sidewinder
Cars on the Road: IvyMatoRoad Rumblers
Video Games: CandiceStinger

Episodes
Cars Toons

Mater's Tall Tales: Rescue Squad MaterMater the GreaterEl MaterdorTokyo MaterUnidentified Flying MaterMonster Truck MaterHeavy Metal MaterMoon MaterMater Private EyeAir MaterTime Travel Mater
Tales From Radiator Springs: HiccupsBuggedSpinningThe Radiator Springs 500½
Cars on the Road: Dino ParkLights OutSalt FeverThe LegendShow TimeTrucksB-MovieRoad RumblersGettin' Hitched
Canceled Episodes: To Protect and Serve

Songs
Cars: Real GoneLife is a HighwayOur TownMcQueen and SallySh-BoomRoute 66Find YourselfBehind the CloudsMy Heart Would Know

Cars 2: You Might ThinkPolyrhythmMon Cœur Fait Vroum (My Heart Goes Vroom)Collision of WorldsNobody's Fool
Cars 3: Run That RaceKing's HighwayGlory DaysRide
Cars on the Road: Cars on the RoadTRUCKS
Others: Free RideWelcome to Radiator SpringsRadiator RockMambo ItalianoStop in the Name of LoveRiding in My Car (Car Car Song)Low Rider (Espanol Fantasma Mix)Junkyard JamboreeBig BulldozerTow Mater (The One You Want to Call)Mater's Square DanceLet's Go Driving

Organizations/Groups
DinocoTuner CarsWorld Grand PrixLemons · Next-Gen Racers
Locations
Radiator SpringsLuigi's Casa Della TiresRamone's House of Body ArtCozy Cone MotelFillmore's Taste-InFlo's V8 CaféRadiator Springs CuriosRadiator Springs Drive-In TheatreWheel Well MotelLondon, EnglandParis, FrancePorto CorsaTokyoCaliforniaLos Angeles International SpeedwayMotor Speedway of the SouthOrnament ValleyBig BenTop Down TruckstopBig BentleyHollywoodU.S. Route 66
Objects
Piston CupAllinolElectromagnetic Pulse EmitterPixar BallA113Pizza Planet Truck
See Also
The Science Behind PixarPixar in a Box
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