Disney's California Adventure, California - Golden Zephyr HD (2015)

Disney California Adventure, commonly referred to as California Adventure, is a theme park located in Anaheim, California, owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company through its Parks and Resorts division. The 72-acre (29 ha) park is themed after the history and culture of the state of California. The park opened in 2001, and it is the second of two theme parks built at the Disneyland Resort complex, after Disneyland Park. The concept of a theme park dedicated to California arose from a meeting of Disney executives in 1995, following the cancellation of the WestCOT project. Construction of the park began in 1998, and was completed by early 2001. Disney initially projected high attendance rates at the new park, but a series of preview openings held in January 2001 led to negative reviews, and after the park officially opened to the public on February 8, 2001, the company's attendance projections were never met. Disney spent the next several years incrementally adding new rides, shows, and attractions, and implementing other promotions aimed at boosting attendance. In 2007, Disney announced a major expansion of the park as well as a major overhaul of a significant portion of the park. Construction lasted for five years and was completed in stages, culminating with the opening of Buena Vista Street and Cars Land in June 2012. According to the Themed Entertainment Association, the park hosted approximately 8.5 million guests in 2013, making it the 10th-most visited theme park in the world that year. Golden Zephyr is an attraction at Paradise Pier in Disney California Adventure Park. Themed to the Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon style rocket ships, it takes park guests on a relaxing trip. Unlike its cousins Dumbo and the Astro Orbitor next door in Disneyland Park, the Golden Zephyr rockets are controlled by centripetal motion over Paradise Bay and can not be automatically controlled to go up and down. The Golden Zephyr's design comes from the Harry Traver Circle Swing[1] rides of the early 20th century, specifically the Aerostat / Strat-O-Stat ride that operated at Riverview Park in Chicago. In designing the ride, Disney engineers visited Pleasure Beach in Blackpool, England to examine the Captive Flying Machines, a similar (but much larger) ride designed by Sir Hiram Maxim, and which has operated there since 1904. Unfortunately, the ride cannot operate at constant wind speeds over 10 miles per hour (16 km/h), or gusts over 15 miles per hour (24 km/h). Neither this attraction nor Jumpin' Jellyfish will be removed or changed as part of the ongoing billion-dollar expansion.