What Happened to Disney California Adventure? Opening Day vs. Today

Disney California Adventure opened in 2001—but how did that original park become the one we know today? Join Adventure Pass for a Throwback Thursday look at California Adventure’s transformation, from Sunshine Plaza and the original California theme to Buena Vista Street, Cars Land, Pixar Pier, and Avengers Campus. We’re looking back at what disappeared, what replaced it, and how Disney reshaped the park’s identity. Whether you remember opening-day DCA or discovered it years later, this is a journey through a park that has changed dramatically.