San Fransokyo Square will bring the world of Baymax and Hiro to life at Disney California Adventure beginning August 31st. In atypical fashion, the Pacific Wharf area has remained mostly open while Imagineering transforms the opening day district. In recent months, we’ve bid farewell to the Karl Strauss Beer Truck, watched the new area’s gateway (San Fransokyo Bridge, pulled directly from the Big Hero 6 feature) take shape, and most recently seen the murals inside Ghirardelli transform from reflecting daily life in San Francisco to now showcasing San Fransokyo.
Having attended the opening day festivities of the Pacific Wharf way back in 2001, I appreciated the opportunity to participate in the July 13th media preview into the sights, flavors, and sounds of the re-imagined land.
Michael Dobrzycki, Art Director, Walt Disney Imagineering Anaheim
Throughout the morning, we sampled a variety of dishes from the coming menus and were treated to informative presentations from members of Disney’s creative team
- Michael Dobrzycki – Art Director, Walt Disney Imagineering Anaheim
- Chef Jeremiah Balogh – Culinary Director DCA, Candy Production, Park Banquets, and Festivals. Business Employee Research Groups
- Kimberly Wilson – Integration Manager, Retail Product Optimization.
One of the biggest changes coming to the area where the Beer Truck once stood is the addition of the Hamada Bot Shop – the location of a Baymax Meet n Greet and adjacent San Fransokyo Makers Market. At the event, attendees were treated to a first look at Hiro and Baymax. Only photos were permitted (no video), so I’ll add that in addition to be incredibly adorable to see in real life, Baymax says a variety of phrases and he even blinks.
Throughout the Makers area, you’ll find nods to Hiro and friends' robotics development. According to Dobrzycki, whether you are a fan of the feature Big Hero 6 or other Baymax-related Disney Channel or Disney+ series, you’ll discover Easter Eggs from them in San Fransokyo Square. So, perhaps you’ll spot salvaged robot bits & pieces from their battle bot activities but he kept them a secret for now.
It was hard for me to believe but the addition of the Makers Market will be the first time this area of Disney California Adventure has offered a specific merchandise location. Ballcaps for teams like the Nirasaki Emperors, San Fransokyo Ninjas, Golden State Samurai as well as cap for the San Fransokyo Institute of Technology will be part of the cast costuming in this area to support the story that San Fransokyo Square is a community of real living San Fransokyians. Their hope is these designs will prompt interactions with guests from within the Baymax story world. The merchandise will reflect this as well, offering tees, magnets and other items celebrating San Fransokyo. More details on the merchandise came later in the presentation.
Keeping in mind the stunning Radiator Springs evening transformation on one side of the San Fransokyo Square and knowing Pixar Pier’s World of Color is on the other I was happy to hear Dobrzycki specifically call out the area as a place that will come to life at night. I’m excited to see how they bring some of the neon-filled visuals we’ve seen in the film and TV series to reality here. We’ve already seen a hint of it in the large neon lettering featured in concept art. Coupled with its JPop score, San Fransokyo Square sounds like a high-energy spot. According to Imagineer Dobrzycki, if you’ve got a keen ear you might recognize audio previously used at EPCOT’s Japan Pavilion and they’ve also sprinkled Tokyo Disneyland’s Happy Ride with Baymax audio throughout the 90-minute loop.
Display of Aunt Cass Cafe menu
By this point I’m sure you’re saying “But what about Boudin bread bowls?” Well, Chef Balogh has built the new menus to embrace many of the previous dining experiences or favorite flavors but with a San Fransokyo twist. With the support of their Business Employee Research Groups, they sought to bring authentic flavors together for the area’s cuisine. For example, at Aunt Cass Cafe, which will sit in the former Pacific Wharf Cafe footprint, you will still find the Boudin Sourdough Bread Bowls, the soups and stews they hold will bring forward spices and elements found in Japanese cuisine.
At the event we sampled the beef curry with carrots, peas, potatoes and just a bit of heat topped with bits of rice & some pickled ginger. I’d forgotten how much I love Japanese curry which relies more heavily on the curry itself, unlike other regional curry dishes, which tend to have many more featured spices. The chef also said we should expect a twist on the previous clam chowder as they add a hint of white miso for its umami flavor. Also coming to Aunt Cass Cafe and easily my favorite item sampled was a chilled soba noodle salad with bright pops of color and texture from the edamame, roasted corn, red onions and carrots tossed in a sesame-ginger dressing. Incredibly refreshing and surprisingly filling. And the Tokyo inspired Fluffy Cheesecake was quite unexpected. It is so incredibly light and airy, I was reminded of an Angel Food cake.
Chef Jeremiah Balogh Culinary Director DCA, Candy Production, Park Banquets, and Festivals. Business Employee Research Groups
Over at Lucky Fortune Cookery, the team builds on the flavors found in Vietnamese, Korean, and Chinese for a variety of dishes. Among them is a unique ramen dish. They will take the beloved Beef Birria from Cocina Cucamonga with its tasty consomme and pair that with ramen noodles adding a soft-boiled egg, Monterey Jack, cilantro, roasted corn, onions, and radish. The Cookery will also be home to the Baymax Macaron – an oversized delicately crisp treat filled with hazelnut cream and buttercream. Its arrival marks the first time DCA will be regularly offering macaron outside of Festival periods.
While Cocina Cucamonga’s menu will remain largely unchanged, with Mexican cuisine like carne asada and quesabirria tacos, the culinary team adds a San Fransokyo Square twist to Street Corn topping it Togarashi (a traditional Japanese spice blend) mayonnaise, queso fresco, then sprinkling with furikake (an umami seasoning) and bonito flakes (dried fish) accompanied by crispy wheat chicharrones.
San Fransokyo Square will continue to offer chilled blended beverages with Rita’s Margaritas becoming Rita’s Turbine Blenders featuring alcoholic & non-alcoholic margaritas and drinks. The name change highlights the in-story power source, koi fish shaped wind turbines that you’ll find high above the structures. At the new Port of San Fransokyo Cervecería, you’ll be able to wash down any of these tasty items with a wide array of draft beers and even hard seltzer or purchase a bag of light & crispy Garlic Pinwheel Chips Mix.
Kimberly Wilson Integration Manager, Retail Product Optimization
Finally, Kimberly Wilson Integration Manager, Retail Product Optimization highlighted the items coming to San Fransokyo Makers Market. For details you can check our previous article but among the unique offerings coming to San Fransokyo Square is a medallion machine with artwork representing select landmarks found within the new land. The medallions were created in partnership with Imagineering. Attendees' SWAG bag featured the set along with the previously announced Baymax sipper.
San Fransokyo Square will continue as a location densely populated with a variety of dining options. Its transition reflects the current Disney Parks design focus of letting guests live for a time in the worlds we have previously seen in movies or television. And continues the shift away from California-centric placemaking for a fictional setting at Disney California Adventure.