Disney opens NapaLand

Over 50,000 excited amusement park guests were treated to the opening of Disneyland’s newest themed land, the much anticipated NapaLand. This new addition to the highly trafficked Disneyland theme park in Anaheim, California showcases wine-themed rides, new lovable characters like “Cabby Cluster,” and wine coolers for children.

Napa has long been called the “Disneyland” of California wine regions and Disney's themed entertainment division was keen to turn the tables and call Disneyland the Napa of wine experiences.

Speaking at the ribbon-cutting event while she held up a chalice of Disney-branded Napa Red Blend, Leslie Wilheim, Chief Fun Advisor and MW for Disney spoke exuberantly. “This new addition to Disneyland will give parents a new option for taking a break, relaxing from the struggles of Frontierland and the long lines at Star Wars attractions and will provide fantastic wines, wine education, wine reflection and wine excitement with the new wine flume ride.

“Napa wines and the beautiful Napa Valley have had a substantial impact on the cultural Zeitgeist of our modern society. Disneyland and the Napa Valley have been the number one and number two tourist attractions in California. Now that we have merged the two we are offering our visitors a ‘toofer,’ if you will.

“Our goal with this exciting new section of Disneyland is to offer all of the experiences that wine brings to people: the back-to-nature agricultural experience, the sensorial-savoring experience, the around-the-table community experience and the wallet-emptying experience.”

Joel Suskind and his family were some of the first visitors to experience the grape-stomping hall. “The kids love jumping up and down on the grapes, my wife loves the Cinderella White Zin and I’m just happy we don’t have to spend $900 a night for a hotel!”

Not everyone was as jubilant, thought. Abigail Ethridge from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, who comes to Disneyland with her family every year, voiced some concern, ”If Napa is Disneyland for wine and Disney has NapaLand for Napa, I can’t tell if this is a Disneyfacation of Napa or a Napafacation of Disney. It’s all very confusing.”

Staff members were happy to point out that there was a six mile line of patrons waiting for a 3 ounce pour of Uncle Walt’s Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, $500 each.