Cars Land is not a great land because of its attractions. They’re fun, sure. But that’s not what draws many of us back again and again. Cars Land is a great land because of its atmosphere. It feels like it’s supposed to feel, from the impressive range down to the lines, finishes and textures of every detail. It’s the same way Cars (the film) feels like Route 66. I should know, having grown up just off of Route 66, where glass bottle sculptures and abandoned motels abound.
An atmosphere capable of immersing you completely is what has made Disneyland what it is for the past six decades and what Disney California Adventure was sorely in need of. Cars Land delivered, along with many of the other components of DCA’s makeover, having transported us to a time when the Mother Road was vibrant and full of life. The sun may have set on Route 66, but in Cars Land it still rises.
