11 Failed Disney California Adventure Rides That Were Eventually Removed

Since its opening in 2001, Disney California Adventure has had its fair share of ride updates and replacements. Whether it was a shift in guest interests or Imagineers simply felt that a change was needed, this park has changed quite a bit. All Disney theme parks evolve over time, but Disney California Adventure has endured particularly dramatic changes.

The theme park opened with too few attractions to fill an entire park day and ever since then work has been ongoing to add more attractions to the park. In 2007, Disney kicked off a massive overhaul of the park that later introduced Cars Land and Buena Vista Street. This list comprises 11 rides or attractions that failed in the eyes of either guests or Cast Members for one reason or another. They were later removed or reimagined to make way for something considered more enticing or appropriate for that section of the park. We've recapped failed Disney rides before, but today we are going deeper into specifically Disney California Adventure.

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Superstar Limo

An opening day attraction at Disney’s California Adventure, Superstar Limo, unfortunately, seemed destined to fail, closing less than one year after its premiere. The ride, located in the Hollywood Land area of the park, was designed to make you feel like you were a hot new celebrity going to your first big movie premiere in Los Angeles.

As you rode, you encountered a variety of famous celebrities, ranging from Tim Allen and Drew Carey to Jackie Chan and Whoopi Goldberg.

The slow-moving dark ride didn’t entice guests the way the Imagineers hoped it would, and Superstar Limo received largely negative reviews from those who rode it. The decision was made to close the ride in early 2002, and the area remained empty until it was replaced by Monsters Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue! four years later.

Maliboomer

The Maliboomer, another opening day attraction at Disney California Adventure, lasted much longer than some of the other rides on this list, simply because it was one of the major thrill rides in the park. Located at Paradise Pier, Maliboomer shot guests up to the top of its towers and even included “scream shields” to block noise from reaching the surrounding residential areas.

When Disney California Adventure had its major expansion, Maliboomer was one of the attractions that ended up on the chopping block. It officially stopped operation in 2010, and the area where it stood remained empty for almost a decade, until Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind replaced it in 2019. The Emotional Whirlwind was previously another ride in Disney California Adventure that we'll discuss next.

A Bug's Land

A Bug's Land was added to Disney California Adventure in 2002 based on the Pixar movie “A Bug's Life”. The land consisted of multiple carnival-style rides dressed up with themes from the movie. There was a teacups-style attraction, bumper cars, spinner that became the Emotional Whirlwind, Heimlich's Chew Chew Train, and a splash pad. A Bug's Land was a quick addition to the park that debuted a year and a half after Disney California Adventure opened to the public. The land was meant to add more offerings for families.

The land was added next to the existing “it's tough to be a bug” 3D film that was also presented in Disney's Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World. The land closed in 2018 and was replaced with Avengers Campus. This land will soon welcome two new Marvel-themed rides. There are multiple tributes to A Bug's Land inside Avengers Campus including large lightbulbs near Pym's Test Kitchen, a crane that remains from Heimlich's Chew Chew Train backstage area, and a mini version of A Bug's Land that Ant Man sometimes carries around and shows guests.

Red Car Trolley

As part of Disney California Adventure’s re-dedication in 2012, the Red Car Trolleys were created as a mode of transport for guests traveling between the park’s main entrance on Buena Vista Street and Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood Land. The trolley cars themselves were reminiscent of the old Pacific Electric Railway cars that ran throughout Southern California years ago and added to the classic ambiance of the areas of the park that they traversed.

When the announcement came in 2024 that the Avengers Campus area would be expanding, it was also announced that the backstage barn where the trolleys were kept would need to be removed. Because of this change, the Red Car Trolleys officially stopped operation in early 2025. However, you can still grab a photo with one of the original trolleys, which remains parked on Buena Vista Street.

Luigi’s Flying Tires

When Cars Land opened in 2012, one of the main attractions you could experience was Luigi’s Flying Tires. The ride combined the concept of bumper cars with the feeling of floating on air, sort of like a hovercraft. When it opened, it also featured giant beach balls for guests to pass around to each other while riding.

The beach balls were removed after only two months due to several incidents that ended up causing upset guests and increased wait times. And Luigi’s Flying Tires was removed after three years in operation to make room for a reimagined attraction, Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters, which opened in 2016.

Orange Stinger

Another opening day ride that was affected by the multi-year expansion was Orange Stinger. The swing ride took you up inside a giant orange peel. When they transformed the Paradise Pier theming into a more classic seaside amusement park, Imagineers wanted a focus on classic Disney characters and films, so the ride closed in 2009 for renovation.

The giant orange peel was removed as one of the updates, and the ride was changed to an open-air swing attraction. In 2010, the Orange Stinger reopened as the Silly Symphony Swings, which was themed to the 1935 Mickey Mouse shortThe Band Concert.

Mulholland Madness

Mulholland Madness was also reimagined when the Disney California Adventure expansion took place between 2007 and 2012. The opening day ride was a classic Wild Mouse-style roller coaster that took you along Southern California roads. It was built to be a tribute to Mulholland Drive and the craziness of driving through California.

Unfortunately, like several of the other attractions that were changed, Mulholland Madness didn’t fit the new theming that Paradise Pier was going to have, so it closed in 2010. The coaster was updated to include Goofy as its main character, and reopened as Goofy’s Sky School in 2011.

Bountiful Valley Farm

One of the things Disney Parks are most known for is their ability to “edutain,” or educate while also entertaining. This was the primary purpose of Bountiful Valley Farm, which included exhibits about California’s agricultural system and a water play area for younger guests. It was originally housed in the Golden State area of the park, and was later integrated into A Bug’s Land when it opened in 2002.

Bountiful Valley Farm was a section that didn’t receive a lot of attention from guests, who were much more interested in the rides and shows the park had to offer. It ended up closing in 2010 when the Cars Land expansion was announced, and where it once stood is now the site of Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree.

Golden Dreams

Another smaller attraction that didn’t last long at Disney California Adventure was Golden Dreams, which opened in 2001 and was shuttered by 2008. The film, which was also part of the Golden State section, starred Whoopi Goldberg and shared information about the history of the state of California and its notable people.

Much like many of the other attractions on this list, the movie received lower and lower attendance from guests over the years, and the decision was eventually made to replace it with something more interesting and relevant. The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Undersea Adventure was the winning choice, and it opened to guests in 2011.

Animation Screening Room

The Animation Screening Room, located in Hollywood Land, was a classic attraction that featured various shows focused on Walt Disney, character creation, and more. When it initially opened, it showed the 1989 short Back to Neverland, which starred Walter Cronkite and Robin Williams. Then from 2002 to 2005, it featured One Man’s Dream, which documented Walt’s life.

Unfortunately, like many other attractions on this list, the Animation Screening Room was closed in 2005 due to low attendance. The layout of the screening room was updated, and the area reopened as Turtle Talk with Crush in 2005.

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire – Play It!

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire – Play It!, located in Hollywood Land, opened shortly after the rest of Disney California Adventure in April of 2001. It was added in the hopes of improving the low attendance the park faced after its opening that February. The attraction was based on the hit television show, allowing you to participate in the game for the chance to win specialty merchandise like collector’s pins.

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire – Play It! ended up closing in August 2004. While the attraction was a much-needed addition at the time of its opening, it eventually lost popularity with guests and the decision was made to shutter it. The show building it was housed in is now used for various special events.

The top of this article features a comparison of the old entrance to the theme park compared to the new entrance to the park. The old entrance photo is via Disney.

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