DCA Celebrates One Year With Attraction Announcements
Page 7 of 7
Senior Vice President and Executive Producer, Walt Disney
Imagineering Barry Braverman
Interview with Barry Braverman
After the ceremony we had the opportunity to conduct a brief interview with Barry
Braverman.
LaughingPlace.com: How do you feel about Disney's California Adventure's first year?
Barry Braverman: Well, you know, this was certainly a challenging year. We know that. A lot of events outside our control impacted us. I think all in all it was a good year. We're the 2nd most popular attraction in Southern California. We've had high appreciation ratings from our guests. And to me it's just about let's keep going, the future, and that's what we're talking about today.
Is there anything that really surprised you the first year? That really blew you away positively or negatively?
BB: No, I just think that the economy and some of the events of last year which were shocking to all of us, they had an impact on our business. And I feel like we're through that time and I'm just excited about what we're going to be doing next .I'm really excited about Flik's Fun Fair. I think it's going to add a great, fun, fantasy element to this park, great for little kids. And of course Tower of Terror, you know, I wish it could be here tomorrow.
LP: With all the great attractions at all the Disney parks, why was Tower of Terror the one you chose to bring here?
BB: First of all, it's a perfect fit with Hollywood. It works beautifully in our Hollywood Pictures Backlot. It has been probably in the last 8 or 10 years the single most successful attraction we've opened anywhere worldwide. It has great ability to be reprogrammed. For all those reasons it's a natural. We had already thought about it long before, we knew this was going to be the first big one we'd add to Hollywood.
LP: Did it come sooner than you expected?
BB: No, right on time. Couldn't be soon enough.
LP: Is it going to be identical to the Walt Disney World version?
BB: For all intents and purposes, it will be identical. There'll be a few changes with new technologies we have available now. Some styling issues on the tower itself to make it fit with our Hollywood. But the ride will be just as good if not better than Walt Disney World.
LP: Along with Tower of Terror, will there be stores or restaurants added?
BB: I don't believe we're going in on opening day with that. We might do something later.
LP: Will this completely build out the Timon lot or will there still be room to expand there?
BB: Not fully. I mean this will happen in Timon, but it doesn't fully build it out. We still have many acres to expand.
LP: What's the main objective behind Flik's Fun Fair?
BB: Well first of all we're listening to guests who are telling us more for little kids, more for young kids. The other part of it is just to continue our relationship with John Lasseter and Pixar. We started it with It's Tough To Be a Bug. John Lasseter just loves this park, he loves working with us, and the ability to expand into this whole new kids area and to basically turn the farm story over to the bugs characters is fabulous, it's great.
Discuss It
Related Links
- DCA Opening Day Coverage
- A Look Back at DCA's Construction One Year Later
- DCA Pictorials, Interviews, Grand Openings and Reviews
-- Posted February 8, 2002
-- Story, pictures and video by Rebekah and Doobie Moseley