 | |
 Interactive map of Buena Vista Street | |
| Theme | 20th CenturyArt Deco/Mission street |
|---|---|
| Disney California Adventure | |
| Coordinates | 33°48′30.34″N117°55′8.33″W / 33.8084278°N 117.9189806°W /33.8084278; -117.9189806 |
| Status | Operating |
| Opened | February 8, 2001; 25 years ago (2001-02-08) (as Sunshine Plaza) June 15, 2012; 13 years ago (2012-06-15) (as Buena Vista Street)[1] |
| Replaced | Sunshine Plaza |
Buena Vista Street (formerly known asSunshine Plaza) is a themed land atDisney California Adventure amusement park at theDisneyland Resort inAnaheim, California, United States.[2] Though named forBuena Vista Street, the real-lifeBurbank thoroughfare that theWalt Disney Studios sits on, the central plaza representsLos Angeles, and specifically theLos Feliz area around Hyperion Avenue, in the 1920s whenWalt Disney first arrived there. One of the main features is a small-scale replica of theHyperion Bridge, which was being constructed when Disney stayed inAtwater Village. The replica functions as a working bridge for the resort'smonorail system.
This land is similar to the layout and style ofMain Street, USA atDisneyland, Disney California Adventure's sister park. It includes dining, shopping, parades, and entertainment.
Disney California Adventure's original main gate entrance,Sunshine Plaza,[3] was designed to evoke a sensation as if one were stepping into a California postcard. After guests pass the giant letters spelling out California, they would pass beneath a mock-up of theGolden Gate Bridge,[4] which served to disguise a portion of theresort's monorail track. Flanking both ends of the faux Golden Gate Bridge were two massive murals[5] depicting the vast mountain ranges in California. A few meters into the park from the main gate was Sunshine Plaza that served as an access hub to all of the park's other themed lands. At the end of the path, there was a fountain featuring a large metalsunburst designed to reflect solar rays into the surrounding area. Sunshine Plaza was also home to a replica of theCalifornia Zephyr,[6] which housed the plaza's two counter service restaurants: Baker's Field Bakery and Bur-r-r Bank Ice Cream. The plaza was also home to two of the park's biggest souvenir shops, Greetings from California and Engine Ears Toys.
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On October 17, 2007,The Walt Disney Company announced a multi-year, $1.1 billion expansion plan forDisney California Adventure. Included in this expansion plan was the re-theming and complete overhaul of Sunshine Plaza into Buena Vista Street.
TheGolden Gate Bridge replica was removed and the sunburst structure replaced with a recreation of theCarthay Circle Theater, which showcased the world premiere ofDisney Animation's first feature filmSnow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937. The building serves as the new visual centerpiece of Disney California Adventure's reincarnation. In early August 2011, theCalifornia Zephyr display was removed, with major portions being donated to theWestern Pacific Railroad Museum.
The park's main gate was extended outward to where the postcard letters formerly stood, and resembles thePan-Pacific Auditorium, similar to the entrance ofDisney's Hollywood Studios in Florida. TheRed Car Trolley traveled through the plaza.[7] The main gate was opened on July 15, 2011. The construction of the Red Car trolleys began on January 10, 2010. Construction of Buena Vista Street itself began in October 2010 and opened on June 15, 2012.[1] Throughout construction, the main entrance remained open with areas blocked off from time to time to aid in construction. In December 2024, it was announced that the final day of operation for the Red Car Trolley would be February 8, 2025, as the backstage trolley barn was removed to make way for the expansion ofAvengers Campus. A trolley remains parked on Buena Vista Street for photo opportunities.[8]
On November 19, 2020, Buena Vista Street was made accessible as a temporary extension of the nearby, unticketedDowntown Disney District for shopping and dining while the remainder of Disney California Adventure remained closed due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[9] The land returned to its normal, ticketed operation when Disney California Adventure re-opened on April 30, 2021.[10]
