Disney Overlay Receives Backlash Online for “Cheap Repaint”

Disney California Adventure is bringing the world of Big Hero 6 (2014) to the Park with the addition of the San Fransokyo Gate in the Pacific Wharf area. At last year’s D23 Expo, it was announced that the Park was getting a retheme of the area to be based on Big Hero 6.

The latest update of the area shows that the bridge has been repainted to the bright red-orange of the San Fransokyo Gate, with the structure as of yet unchanged. While a simple update for now, it’s still drawn some criticsm of Twitter. User @TangaroaJoel responded to the update saying, “Just so we are all clear, they painted it. That’s it. And then are putting up 4 posts on new footers.” He continues on to say he’s been ridiculed for critiquing the area’s overlay in previous posts.

Just so we are all clear, they painted it, that’s it. And then are putting up 4 posts on new footers.

And yet I’ve been ridiculed for providing my critique of them doing this overlay. How dare I. https://t.co/AWQgeGjpSq

— Tangaroa Joel (@TangaroaJoel) March 30, 2023

When asked to clarify why he was upset, he says that Big Hero 6 does deserve recognition, but that he doesn’t see the “Disney difference” with the proposed overlay of the area and that it seems more like a ploy for influencers to take photos for social media. One of the comments agreed, stating that the area just seems like a “cheap repaint” and that a fully fleshed out area themed to San Fransokyo would’ve be cooler. The Pacific Wharf area was already a well-done, completed area, and @TangaroaJoel says he wishes San Fransokyo would’ve gotten its own area rather than replacing an already finished area.

While a good effort in utlizing the space they already have, especially in Disneyland which has a smaller area to build, it’s just another redesign of an already existing space being rethemed to a Disney IP. Disney is slowly becoming more immersive, but centered around their well-known franchises and characters. As they redesign areas of their Parks, they seem to be slowly losing that “Disney difference,” as @TangaroaJoel points out.

While the bridge still has more to go with its update and is just the start of the area’s retheme, it continues to draw attention to the “substandard” level of recent Disney theming.

Are you excited for the San Fransokyo upgrade? Or do you think it deserved its own new area? Let us know in the comments below!

Please note that the opinions expressed in this article do not represent the opinions of Inside the Magic.