Is the backside of Cars Land a snub to Anaheim?

I felt the same as yourself (I too am a WDW vet and just visited DLR for the first time). Well, frankly, DCA was built on the cheap. It's getting better though, but the latest revamp is a land overlay. I don't think the executives care. The big efforts are for Star Wars and Marvel land.
 
Disney's relationship with the city of Anaheim has it's ups and downs. currently it is down. I think when Carsland was built it was still ok. it wasn't until a recent election that there was a noticeable downturn in the relationship.

I don't think that the backside of Carsland is a snub to the city. it actually could have been worse. during construction it was all open steel framing before they put the covering up.

WDW and Anaheim are just two different locations. there just isn't the space available to make every angle look good. but they do tend to try and save money where they can. if your out on the street behind the Guardians of the Galaxy Tower you can see that the big duct work that they added to the front just stops when the lower show building blocks the view from inside of the park.
 
I came to Anaheim this week for VidCon. I had been to Disneyland a few years prior, and this time I was determined to see Disney California Adventure for the first time. For perspective, I'm a Florida resident, a multi-year pass holder to the Orlando parks and a massive Disney fan. One could say I'm a Disney veteran.

Let me start by saying that I completely and totally fell head-over-heels in love with DCA! I have never been in a more thoughtful, immersive, well-themed park. Obviously, Pixar Pier was not open yet, but regardless, this was definitely one of my favorite Disney magic moments in my life. I remembered Michael Boling once saying that if you'd never seen Cars Land, to enter it from the Pacific Warf entrance for the first time. Holy Mary and Joesph, it's like walking into the most amazingly immersive simulation I've ever experienced. Completely stunning! Every single part of that park spoke to me. From the vineyards, to the desert, to the wharf, to the geysers, to the river, to Hollywood. It is SO well themed, I can honestly say it's one of my favorite theme parks of all time. TOTALLY, COMPLETELY IN LOVE. (I paid extra and went back three times while I was here this week. Carthay Circle Lounge is my new jam, and Paint The Night is hands down the best Disney parade I have ever seen.)

So, then comes VidCon at the Anaheim Convention Center. I'm walking down Katella (?) avenue to register and I see this huge wall that looks like cardboard and 2x4's. Didn't register. I'm terrible at directions, so it never occurred to me what it was. Then I make it into the GORGEOUS new Anaheim Convention Center and I go to the second floor and there it is in all it's glory: The new Incredi-coaster! I was so shocked that it is all so close together! And then my vision pans right and I see the weird wall of cardboard and 2x4's again. And it hits me that THAT, that HORRIBLE wall of JUNK is the backdrop of Cars Land!

My heart sank. WHY???? WHY would Disney let THAT be what the entirety of Anaheim sees? There were LITERALLY 30,000 people at VidCon and THAT'S what you show them? In every Disney park I've ever been to, if they so much as change a lightbulb, they print a huge fabric screen that covers the work and allows the magic to continue. I am honestly embarrassed and dumbfounded that Disney would leave THAT for the entire city of Anaheim to suffer with. For less than $10k, Disney could have painted the back with a vintage postcard-style ad about Cars Land. Or heck, just paint it their standard Go-Away-Green! Something! ANYTHING! But instead, they left the most un-magical, disrespectful, hideous, cardboard-meets-2x4 contraption that effectively eliminated ANY magic I had when I first saw the park.

Is there something I don't know or that I'm missing? Was there an argument with the city? Is someone mad? This reeks of just downright spite to leave something so egregiously hideous for the rest of the city to deal with 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A couple thousand dollars in paint could turn this into a magnificent retro ad for DCA or some other purpose. Hell, just paint it BLACK! But to just leave that monstrosity for the entire town to just deal with is, well... crappy. Disney made BILLIONS in profit last year. Not revenue. PROFIT. To not be willing to at least spend a couple thousand dollars to put an attractive coat of paint on the one thing 50,000 people can see from the convention center as well as the entire rest of the town is baffling.

Sorry for the rant. It makes me angry. Am I missing something? Is Disney THAT tone deaf???
Why would they waste money to make something pretty that their GUESTS are not seeing, but somebody at a random convention. Their goal is about making their guests happy, so instead of wasting money on pointless decorating none of their guests are going to see, they put that money towards stuff that will be seen while inside the park.
Some people have way too much time on their hands to over analyze everything.
 


Yes, the city of Anaheim and DL have always had a ..... strenuous relationship!!! ;) I am not surprised at all that they applied absolutely ZERO EFFORT to making the exterior walls aesthetically pleasing to anyone from the city side. :D

You want that view, you pay the admission fee ;)

I find it fascinating how the interplay of themed immersion works for DL when it is INSIDE a smallish city!
 
When you are outside the parks at Disney World, you're still inside Disney World. Views from Disney resorts must still be themed.
Disneyland is built in the middle of a city. Efforts were centered on views from inside the park. I believe the attention to detail inside DLR is superior to inside the parks at WDW.
 
I have to admit, this is a thought that has never crossed my mind and I always stay and walk past the backside of Carsland every time we go.
 


I noticed it and frankly, I was a little surprised at the look considering how nice they maintain all the streets and area's elsewhere around the resort area.
 

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