The Pixar Pier at night at Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, June 21, 2018. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Pixar Pier officially opens to the public on Saturday, June 23, at Disney California Adventure, and one of the rethemed attractions is the Pixar Pal-A-Round. You probably know it as the giant Ferris wheel that originally opened as the Sun Wheel, then got a makeover and became known as Mickey’s Fun Wheel, complete with Mickey Mouse and his friends on the gondolas.
The cars on the Pixar Pal-A-Round Ferris wheel feature Pixar characters at Pixar Pier at night at Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, June 21, 2018. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Cars hang from the Pixar Pal-A-Round Ferris wheel at Pixar Pier at Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, June 21, 2018. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The entrance to the Pixar Pal-A-Round Ferris wheel at Pixar Pier at Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, June 21, 2018. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The new Pixar Pier at Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, June 21, 2018. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Pixar Pier at night at Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, June 21, 2018. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The new Pixar Pier seen from the Pixar Pal-a-round Ferris wheel at Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, June 21, 2018. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Pixar Pal-A-Round includes the iconic face of Mickey Mouse on the Paradise Bay side of the wheel and a Pixar pal on each of the 24 gondolas. This reimagining of a guest favorite now includes, including Joy and Sadness from Inside Out, Lightning McQueen and Mater from Cars, and Miguel and Hector from Coco., and many other beloved Pixar characters. (Joshua Sudock/Disneyland Resort)
The Incredicoaster seen from the Pixar Pal-a-round Ferris wheel at Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, June 21, 2018. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
1 of 8
The cars on the Pixar Pal-A-Round Ferris wheel feature Pixar characters at Pixar Pier at night at Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, June 21, 2018. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
For the new land, Mickey and Donald and Goofy and the rest of the Disney characters have been given the boot in favor of Pixar characters. We’re checking out the new ride today at the media preview. Here’s what we’re seeing:
The Pixar Pal-A-Round is the new name for the wheel, but there aren’t many differences.
The swinging gondolas are still the most terrifying thing at the Disneyland Resort.
The 24 gondolas each have pictures of Pixar characters. Some look either new or just covered with a fresh coat of paint.
The characters include Nemo from “Finding Nemo,” Mater from “Cars,” Mr. Incredible from “The Incredibles,” Joy from “Inside Out,” BuzzLightyear from “Toy Story” and Miguel and Hector from “Coco.”
Elliott Rosenbaum, assistant producer of Walt Disney Imagineering who worked on Pixar Pier, said the idea was to explore the friendshipsfeatured in so many Pixar films, with “all of the characters just palling around.”
