Grizzly River Run -- Empty and Full

Our most recent trip to Disneyland Resort caught Grizzly River Run right at the tail end of its refurbishment, with the mountain's river flume empty one day and filled with thundering rapids the next.

I enjoyed getting a glimpse of the trackwork along the big drop, which keeps the speeding rafts on a straight, smooth course before releasing them back into the river to bob and bounce freely once more.

We didn't get a chance to brave the rapids on this trip, but it was great to see the river going full blast again. It certainly ties the Grizzly Peak area together and brings the whole environment to life.

Grizzly River's Bear With No Name

This gigantic bear, all geared up for white water escapades, silently guards the entry to Grizzly River Run at Disney California Adventure.

It's an impressive sculpture, and a puzzling one; considering all the time, effort and talent that went into its creation, it's odd that the bear has no name, no backstory (beyond his gear), no merchandising presence, and -- as a result -- little impact on guests' memories of DCA.

Then again, when DCA first opened, the 2001 powers-that-be aimed for the park to be as unlike Disneyland as possible, and that extended to a lack of Disney characters or traditional storytelling. Our grizzly friend here might have fallen victim to that somewhat pixie-dust-free approach to park design.

Today's DCA bursts with charm, personality and Disney/Pixar characters. I say it's time to give this wonderful statue a name, a backstory, and some more visibility as a character on the ride itself and on the park merchandise. He's a white-water-rafting grizzly bear in a Disney park! Someone in charge needs to let the Imagineers and product designers go wild with the concept.

Heading Up Grizzly Peak

A raft heads for the upper reaches of Grizzly Peak, on course for a date with waterfalls, mine shafts, and the wildest rapids in Anaheim.

Disney California Adventure received a lot of well-deserved criticism when it first opened in 2001, but nearly everyone agreed that Grizzly River Run was a first-rate attraction. For years, it stood as an oasis of great theming and landscaping, showing just how beautiful the rest of DCA could be with a proper budget.

It took eleven years, but the rest of the park has finally caught up.