A new world of 'Cars,' imagineered by the Disney people. Everything you've seen in the animated blockbuster becomes real. You're right in the middle of Radiator Springs along Route 66. The experience is simply breathtaking. This is really an authentic reproduction of the Southwest Desert as interpreted by Pixar. One of the rides you get to ride like a Radiator Springs racer on a track. You race another car and head to the finish line with some twists, turns and surprises along the way.
"It starts with our imagineers, being inspired by the movie 'Cars,' and thinking about how they can bring that to life in a theme park," said Park Operations GM Jason Kirk.
The ride was jammed at a media preview day; imagine what it will be like when it opens to the public. Cars Land is the 12 acre centerpiece of the $1.1 billion expansion of California Adventure.
"This is I think a great example of how Pixar and Disney come together to create such magic. To have great animators working next to great imagineers -- you get Cars Land," said Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger.
"It's the first time we've created one land entirely around one specific story. It's allowed us to really create this immersive, very rich, detailed storytelling," said Disney California Adventure VP Mary Niven.
But Cars Land isn't the only thing that is new; Buena Vista Street is the new entryway and it harkens back to a Los Angeles in another era -- 1923 when Walt Disney first arrived with no money, but dreams and ideas. And there is a replica of the Carthay Circle Theatre where Snow White premiered in 1937 and those dreams became reality. Celebrities have already been getting previews of the place. Today it opens to everyone.
