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Photo by Tony “WisebearAZ” Moore, 2001 |
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The Greek word Eureka means “I have found it.” Eureka has been on the state seal of California since 1849. And Eureka has been the official state motto of California since 1963. Eureka! - The California Adventure Parade brings the diverse ethnicity and cultures of California to you at Yester California Adventure. |
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Find a spot along the “performance corridor” (parade route). There’s no need to get there early. Even on summer days, there aren’t too many guests trying to see the parade. |
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5 photos by Allen Huffman, 2001 / 1 photo by Werner Weiss, 2002 Six faces of Eureka, presiding over the distinct units of the parade |
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Eureka is also the name of the deity who presides over the parade. Her appearance changes to match each unit of the parade:
Watch the huge cast of dancers, puppeteers, athletes, drummers, and eccentrics in their spectacular costumes. The performers work hard, and they do a terrific job. Okay, the drummers on the Watts Towers don’t have spectacular costumes, but they do a spectacular job swinging off the towers and drumming. There’s even a parade performer dressed as a fortune cookie and another dressed as a Chinese take-out container. Watch for them. |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2002 Title float of Eureka! |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2002 The sun—a recurring theme |
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Photo by Tony “WisebearAZ” Moore, 2001 Celebrating California’s Hispanic culture |
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Photo by Tony “WisebearAZ” Moore, 2002 When the swallows return to Capistrano |
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Photo by Tony “WisebearAZ” Moore, 2001 Mesoamerican heritage |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2002 Is it a bird? |
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Photo by Tony “WisebearAZ” Moore, 2002 No. It’s the bird-headdressed essence of Hispanic California. |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2002 Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2002 Yikes! |
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Photo by Tony “WisebearAZ” Moore, 2002 Los Angeles unit of Eureka! |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2002 A drummer hanging from the Watts Towers |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2002 Homage to the Hollywood Bowl |
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Photo by Tony “WisebearAZ” Moore, 2002 Start of the California beach unit |
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Photo by Tony “WisebearAZ” Moore, 2001 Put on your dancing flippers |
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Photo by Tony “WisebearAZ” Moore, 2001 Sunbathing Eureka |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2002 Stunts within a loop encrusted with surfboards and beachballs |
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Photo by Tony “WisebearAZ” Moore, 2002 Golden Gate Bridge taking a walk |
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Photo by Tony “WisebearAZ” Moore, 2001 Chinese opera goddess |
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Photo by Tony “WisebearAZ” Moore, 2001 Chinese percussion and fireworks |
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Photos by Tony “WisebearAZ” Moore, 2001 Chinese carryout on parade |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2002 The final Eureka, reaching out to you |
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Photo by Tony “WisebearAZ” Moore, 2002 Portraits of Californians |
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Where’s Mickey? Where’s Cinderella? Where’s Pooh? Where’s Buzz? It isn’t that kind of Disney parade. This parade is built on artistic and cultural traditions from all over California—but not on the traditions of a certain Burbank movie studio. Besides, you’ve probably seen Mickey, Cinderella, Pooh, and Buzz many times in other shows and parades. |
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Eureka! - The California Adventure Parade opened in February 2001, along with Disney’s California Adventure. After an off-season hiatus, the parade returned in summer 2002—but that was the end of Eureka! Why did Eureka! fail? Was it the lack of Disney characters? The Tapestry of Nations at Epcot’s Walt Disney World Millennium Celebration had been a huge hit a couple of years earlier, and it had no Disney characters either. The difference was that Tapestry of Nations came across as a unified work of art, while Eureka! came across as disjointed. Somehow, the whole was less than the sum of its parts. It wasn’t clear if the parade was trying to be artistic, authentic, satirical, majestic, or silly. At times, it was each of these. It’s a shame, because a lot of clever and original design work went into the Eureka! parade. For example, the walking Golden Gate Bridge was brilliant. Eureka! also suffered from the low overall guest attendance at Disney’s California Adventure. Park management knew that changes had to be made. It’s easier to replace a flawed parade that doesn’t draw big crowds than to redesign poorly conceived “lands” or to add several much-needed “E” Ticket attractions. In summer of 2003, California Adventure guests were treated to (or subjected to) the X Games Xperience, an extreme sports demonstration. That also only lasted one summer. In 2003 and 2004, there were no daytime parades at Disney’s California Adventure. At least there was a nighttime parade. In July 2001, the former Main Street Electrical Parade came to the park as Disney’s Electrical Parade. A daytime parade—Block Party Bash—finally returned to Disney’s California Adventure on May 5, 2005, as part of Disneyland’s 50th anniversary celebration, “The Happiest Homecoming on Earth.” Block Party Bash featured Pixar characters and performers who interacted with the audience. Another Pixar parade, Pixar Play Parade, opened March 14, 2008. These days, all Disney parades are processions of Disney and/or Pixar characters. That’s a shame. Many excellent Disney rides and attractions over the years were not based on existing Disney characters. Parades and shows don’t have to be either. Sure, Disney park guests expect to see characters, but not to the exclusion of everything else. Disney park guests expect excellent, creative family entertainment. Let’s hope that Eureka! didn’t cause Disney management to lose all faith in parades that aren’t based on familiar characters. |
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© 2023 Werner Weiss — Disclaimers, Copyright, and Trademarks Updated June 23, 2023 |
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