Trip Report: Is Disneyland BBQ a good deal?

This trip report takes a look at Disney menu price changes, construction updates, and more. Click on the photos for larger images.

California Adventure continues to change as it undergoes its $1 billion expansion.

The Blue Sky Cellar, a lounge located near Paradise Pier designed to give park guests a feel for what is to come in the expansion, was recently updated with new concept art, models and video.

Though the additions to the cellar are predominately focused on the World of Color show, the cellar also reveals information about other aspects of the expansion. To read Adam Townsend’s post with extensive information about the World of Color show, click here.

The pictures below show a side by side comparison of Disney Imagineering’s concept art and photos of the park in its current form.

Concept art shows plans for the exterior of the upcoming Little Mermaid dark ride attraction. Currently, the Golden Dreams building and adjacent restrooms have been torn down, though the mural is still standing. Also, the concept art shows that the giant dome, which is modeled after San Francisco’s Exploratorium museum, will still be used in the upcoming Little Mermaid attraction.

A model (right) in the Blue Sky Cellar shows that the demolished area (left) will be a park during the day, and will be the main viewing area for the upcoming World of Color show in the evening.

The Cocina Cucamonga and the Lucky Fortune Cookery restaurants have switched buildings. Cocina Cucamonga opened earlier this summer to a larger location, while Lucky Fortune Cookery is set to re-open soon with a new, Asian-inspired menu.

A new model (right) shows how the utility boxes for the World of Color will look when completed.

Concept art (right) provides a glimpse of the new water play area overlooking Paradise Bay. During the day, the fountains will be turned on to cool guests, while a hidden stage provides flexibility for future events in the area.

This area will be rethemed in a Victorian garden style. The concept art shows renderings of two new restaurants: Paradise Garden Grill and Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta, which will presumably replace Pizza Oom Mow Mow and the now defunct Burger Invasion. The two new restaurants will open with an expanded dining courtyard in spring 2010. The concept art also shows no sign of the S.S. Rustworthy water play area.

A model shows what the World of Color viewing area will look like when it is completed by 2010. Currently, the area is demolished and the lake is drained to allow construction and development to take places for the upcoming water show.

Frontierland’s Big Thunder Ranch Barbecue underwent some price changes. The family style, all-you-can-eat restaurant serves BBQ chicken and ribs, cole slaw, corn on the cob, beans and corn bread.

Although it’s a cheaper base price than when it opened last spring, whether or not it can be called a price decrease is debatable. When the barbecue originally opened, the cost was $28.99 for adults and $12.99 for kids. Here’s the rundown of the new prices:

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When Big Thunder Roundup opened, guests were served "Miss Chris' Celebration Sensation Cupcakes" with their meal.

Adults (Lunch): $19.99

Adults (Dinner): $24.99

Kids: $9.99

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Guests can still whet their palettes with these cupcakes – for an additional cost of $5.99.

Originally the menu also included the “cupcake sensation” dessert – a colorful centerpiece brimming with cupcakes baked into a filled cone. Now, diners must purchase dessert separately at a cost of $5.99 per cupcake, costing an adult ordering dinner and dessert $30.98 – more than the original cost. Diners ordering drinks will now also incur an additional cost.

The restaurant, which originally advertised itself as being the destination for non-stop, Western style entertainment, is also cutting costs by eliminating constant live entertainers and characters. However, Woody and Jessie can now be seen roaming the roads of Frontierland.

In Disneyland, the Bank of Main Street is now closed and under construction as it undergoes its transformation to becoming the new location for the Disney Gallery. The Disney Gallery was formerly located above Pirates of the Caribbean, but was booted to make way for the Disney Dream Suite. The Disney Visa Rewards kiosk remains open during construction.

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Stuffed Mickey Mouse and Goofy plushes are among the prizes awarded to winners at the Games of the Boardwalk.

Paradise Pier’s Games of the Boardwalk is now stocked with new prizes. Winners can now receive plush toys that are themed with their correlating game booths. New prizes include plush toys featuring the sheriff badge of Jessie or Woody at the “Toy Story”-themed Bullesye Stallion Stampede game, or stuffed versions of Mickey and Goofy clad in fishing garb at the Goofy About Fishin’ Game.