January 22, 1998: Construction crews break ground on the long-awaited second theme park at the Disneyland Resort.


January 12, 2001: The Downtown Disney District opens in anticipation of the following month’s theme park addition. The area provides various shopping and dining options for guests, while logistically serving as a go-between Disneyland and California Adventure.


February 8, 2001: Disney’s California Adventure officially opens. The new park features four themed lands: Entry Plaza, Hollywood Pictures Backlot, Golden State, and Paradise Pier.

DCA Opening Front

DCA Opening Interior

DCA Opening Panel

Opening-day guide map 


October 7, 2002: A Bug’s Land opens as the park’s fifth land. It will close to make way for a new Marvel-themed land on September 5, 2018.

October 17, 2007: The Walt Disney Company announces a billion-dollar-plus refurbishment to the heavily-criticized and conceptually ineffective park.


May 28, 2010: Disney’s California Adventure is renamed Disney California Adventure.


June 11, 2010: The park adopts a new logo as part of its massive overhaul and re-branding.

DCA Namechange

The park celebrates Disneyland Resort’s fifty-fifth anniversary with a name-change and updated logo


June 14, 2012: The park closes for a press event previewing the revitalized park.

DCA Press Cover

DCA Press Interior

DCA Press Panel

Press preview guide map


June 15, 2012: Disney California Adventure is re-dedicated and re-opened to the public. Its revised concept includes eight themed lands: Buena Vista Street, Hollywood Land, A Bug’s Land, Cars Land, Pacific Wharf, Paradise Pier, Grizzly Peak, and Condor Flats.

Re-opening Day guide map and times guide


Buena Vista Bugle

Premiere edition of The Buena Vista Bugle, news source for all the latest happenings in the new and improved Disney California Adventure


May 15, 2015: Condor Flats is re-branded as Grizzly Peak Airfield, a subsection of the larger Grizzly Peak themed area.


June 23, 2018: The majority of Paradise Pier is refurbished and re-branded to Pixar Pier, with the remaining section being dubbed Paradise Gardens Park.

Opening-day guide map


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