Anaheim: Recreation

Sightseeing

Anaheim's crown jewel attraction is Disneyland, America's most popular theme park. Visitors can stroll through the park's eight "lands", which together offer more than 60 major rides, 50 shops, and 30 restaurants: futuristic Tomor-rowland provides an out-of-this-world atmosphere; Adventureland reproduces the exotic surroundings of Asia, the Middle East, and the South Seas; Frontierland is based on the Wild West; Fantasyland, with Sleeping Beauty's Castle and the It's a Small World ride, is the heart of Disneyland; Critter Country is home to cute woodland creatures; Main Street U.S.A. is based on small-town America of a century ago; New Orleans Square reproduces the atmosphere of turn-of-the-century New Orleans; and Mickey's Toontown is a cartoon playland. Special entertainment, shopping, and dining are featured at Disneyland year-round. Special attractions include Indiana Jones Adventure; Space Mountain and Star Tours, exciting flight-simulation journeys; Splash Mountain, an 87-foot-high log flume ride based on Disney's "Song of the South" characters; Big Thunder Mountain Railroad; and the Haunted Mansion. Disneyland's newest area is California Adventure. Requiring a separate admission ticket, it is based on the fun adventures offered by California, and is divided into four themed districts: Paradise Pier has classic "Golden Age" amusement park attractions along the beach; Hollywood Pictures Backlot celebrates the movie business; The Golden State is a tribute to California's natural beauty; and "a bug's land", inspired by the film A Bug's Life is designed from a bug's perspective. Disneyland opened in 1955, and in the summer of 2005 will be celebrating its golden anniversary with several new attractions: Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, in Tomorrowland, is an interactive game in which visitors join Buzz Lightyear to battle the evil Emperor Zurg; Space Mountain, also in Tomorrowland, is being re-launched with new special effects; at Disneyland's Parade of Dreams, a new Main Street U.S.A. parade, spectators can meet Disney characters and watch floats transform into shows; a new nighttime celebration will feature spectacular pyrotechnics; Disneyland: The First 50 Years will provide an exclusive look at the park's 50 years, through artwork, models and design, and film; Sleeping Beauty Castle has been renovated; larger-than-life images of Disney characters on display are massive photo collages comprised of photos taken at the park over the past 50 years.

Knott's Berry Farm in nearby Buena Park, once a small berry farm business, has grown into one of the most popular theme parks in the country. The park, now a 150-acre complex with more than 100 rides and dozens of shops and restaurants, is especially known for its thrill rides. Distinct theme areas are Ghost Town, an Old West mining town reproduction; Camp Snoopy, which features special rides and activities for small children; The Boardwalk, a colorful tribute to the Southern California beach culture that features ocean-related rides and attractions; Indian trails, which showcases the traditions and cultures of Native Americans; Fiesta Village, a celebration of Spanish California; and Wild Water Wilderness water park. Special attractions include Montezooma's Revenge, a roller coaster that goes from 0 to 60 miles per hour in just 3 seconds; Jaguar!, a roller coaster that twists, spirals, speeds up, and slows down, mimicking a jaguar stalking its prey; Supreme Scream ascends 214 feet and then plunges straight down at about 50 mph; and Bigfoot Rapids is a whitewater river raft ride.

Other nearby attractions include Buena Park's Movieland Wax Museum, where more than 300 lifelike figures of famous movie stars are on view in realistic costumes and posed in scenes from classic movies; and Medieval Times, an elaborate dinner tournament where eleventh-century knights in armor joust and a feast is presented. The Taco Bell Discovery Science Center, in Santa Ana, houses hands-on exhibits in themed areas: Discovery Stadium, Quake Zone, Dynamic Earth, Air and Space Exploration, and Kidstation. Hobby City is a 10-acre collection of miniature buildings; it includes a doll and toy museum inside a miniature replica of the White House. Nearby Adventure City is a two-acre theme park for children aged 2 to 12. The Mission San Juan Capistrano, 30 miles south of Anaheim, was founded in 1776 and is the birthplace of Orange County. Beautiful and romantic, it is considered the "jewel of the missions." Its Serra Chapel is believed to be California's oldest standing building.

Arts and Culture

The 3,000-seat Segerstrom Hall at the Orange County Performing Arts Center in nearby Costa Mesa hosts world-class performances of symphony, ballet, and opera, as well as Broadway shows; the 300-seat Founders Hall in the Center offers innovative jazz and cabaret programming as well as the best in chamber music. The Center is also home to the Philharmonic Society of Orange County, Pacific Symphony Orchestra, Opera Pacific, and Pacific Chorale. The Center is currently undergoing an expansion; a new 2,000-seat concert hall and 500-seat music theater are scheduled for completion by September 2006.

Numerous other theaters dot Orange County. Fullerton Civic Light Opera Company, based in nearby Fullerton, is one of the largest musical theater companies in Southern California; their productions are presented four times annually at Plummer Auditorium. The auditorium, built in 1930, seats more than 1,300 and hosts a variety of theatrical productions and community-oriented cultural programs. South Coast Repertory Theatre, in Costa Mesa, is a Tony award-winning theater that presents professional productions of contemporary and classical plays on its three stages. The Grove Theater Center, in Garden Grove, is home to the 178-seat Gem Theater and 550-seat Festival Amphitheater; the complex offers year-round plays as well as participatory events.

Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim is a 650,000 square foot arena hosting concerts and family shows; Pearson Park Amphitheater is an open-air facility that features family entertainment all summer long; and the Grove of Anaheim presents comedy and music artists in an intimate setting.

The Anaheim Museum highlights the history of the city's original German settlers, its establishment as a wine and citrus colony, and the early Disneyland days depicted in changing exhibits. Mother Colony House, one of the city's first buildings, showcases antiques and other historical items of Anaheim's earliest periods. Bowers Museum of Cultural Art, in nearby Santa Ana, occupies a landmark mission-style building; its exhibits reflect cultural arts from California and around the world.

Festivals and Holidays

The St. Patrick's Day Festival at the Anaheim Farmer's Market features Irish dancers, music, and food. St. Boniface Parish Fiesta in April features international foods, rides, and games. The first weekend in May brings the Cinco de Mayo Fiesta, featuring a soccer tournament, the crowning of a fiesta queen, and a Sunday bilingual Mass, as well as rides, food, and entertainment; the fiesta draws approximately 100,000 people throughout the weekend. The Greek Festival, also in May, features Greek foods, pastries, music, and folkdancers, and a marketplace with vendors selling a variety of items. The Anaheim Children's Art Festival in late May draws 7,000 visitors annually to its art-and-craft projects in staffed booths. June's Taste of Anaheim offers ethnic food, fun, and displays. Anaheim Hills 4th of July Festival & Parade includes a pancake breakfast, dog show, 5K and 10K run/walk, parade, food and game booths, and fireworks. At nearby Laguna Beach's Pageant of the Masters, famous paintings and statuary come to life through the use of live models and an orchestra each night during the months of July and August. Anaheim Fall Festival & Halloween Parade in late October features a parade, pancake breakfast, rides, games, and live entertainment. Knott's Berry Farm transforms into Knott's Scary Farm and then Knott's Merry Farm to celebrate Halloween and Christmas. The Christmas Parade at Disneyland features many popular Disney characters as well as Santa Claus. Nutcracker Holiday, held the first Saturday in December, features musicians, carolers, and a tree-lighting ceremony.

Sports for the Spectator

The Major League Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim baseball team, World Series Champion in 2002, plays its home games at Angel Stadium of Anaheim (formerly called Edison International Field), a baseball-only facility with seating for 45,050. The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, a National Hockey League team owned by the Walt Disney Company, won the 2003 Western Conference championship; they play at the four-level, 17,174-seat Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim. Arrowhead Pond is also home of National Lacrosse League's Anaheim Storm, and the J. R. Wooden Classic, which features some of the nation's top basketball teams. Los Alamitos Race Course, fifteen minutes west of Disneyland, features the world's fastest horses in quarter horse, Arabian, thoroughbred, paint, and Appaloosa racing. Costa Mesa Speedway at Orange County Fairgrounds holds speed-way races on Saturday nights, April through October.

Sports for the Participant

Anaheim has 44 parks totaling approximately 650 acres. Among them, Oak Canyon Nature Center, a 58-acre natural park in the Anaheim Hills, provides excellent opportunities for short hikes. A year-round stream meanders through the park, which consists of three adjoining canyons with four miles of hiking trails. Tennis is available at several Anaheim hotels, and the city maintains more than 50 public courts. Anaheim Hills, a public country club, offers a challenging 18-hole golf course in the natural terrain of the Santa Ana Canyons. H. G. "Dad" Miller is a well kept course surrounded by lovely old trees and a natural lake; it was Tiger Woods' home course during high school. Disney ICE Glacial Gardens, official training facility of the Mighty Ducks, offers public skating and pick up hockey.

Orange County has a 42-mile coastline filled with public and state beaches. Sailing cruises, whale watching, surfing, and swimming are available at sites along the coastline. The county has a regional trail system consisting of 220 miles of built trails. The 30-mile Santa Ana River Trail is a running/bike path that follows the Santa Ana River in the San Bernardino Mountains. Snow skiing is available at nearby Bear Mountain ski resort. Orange County is home to 39 public golf courses.

Shopping and Dining

Downtown Disney, a 120-acre shopping, restaurant, and entertainment complex adjacent to Disneyland, features one-of-a-kind Disney-themed shops and trend-setting restaurants. It is open to the public, with no admission charge. Anaheim Indoor Marketplace is an outlet mall with more than 200 variety stores. Timeless Quilts offers fabrics and quilting supplies in a 1920s Craftsman house, while Hobby City offers a collection of antique dolls and toys from around the world. South Coast Plaza Village in Costa Mesa offers an immense collection of international stores clustered around a Village Green in an open-air environment. Fashion Island Newport Center, in Newport Beach, is an upscale shopping area with open-air courtyards and covered patios overlooking the ocean; it features more than 200 shops, 40 restaurants, and two movie theaters. Westfield Shop-pingtown MainPlace in Santa Ana is another large upscale center, with more than 200 specialty shops and restaurants.

Dining experiences in Anaheim run the gamut from ethnic specialties such as Armenian, Cajun, Chinese, Cuban, German, Indian, Italian, Japanese, Mexican, Middle Eastern, Peruvian, and Thai to places with unique ambiance such as canneries, gold mines, and Victorian houses. There are more than 60 restaurants and cocktail lounges in the immediate area of the Anaheim Convention Center. In nearby Orange, Watson Drugs and Soda Fountain, established in 1899, has been the set for several movies; it offers burgers and sweets.

Visitor Information: Anaheim/Orange County Visitor and Convention Bureau, 800 West Katella Avenue, Anaheim, CA 92802; telephone (714)999-8999; fax (714)991-8963

Anaheim: Economy

Major Industries and Commercial Activity

Tourism is the major industry in Anaheim. An ever-growing number of visitors has caused hotels, motels, restaurants, and retail centers to be built to meet their demands. At the time of Disneyland's opening in 1955, Anaheim had only 87 hotel/motel rooms; presently, those numbers have grown to nearly 20,000. The rise in tourism has encouraged the city to update and add to its facilities. Since being dedicated in 1967, the Anaheim Convention Center has undergone five major expansions, the most recent of which, completed in December 2000, enlarged the center by 40 percent to 1.6 million square feet. Tremendous infrastructure changes in the Anaheim Resort district (surrounding Disneyland and Anaheim Convention Center area) during the past few years have included 15,000 new trees, shrubs, and flowers, as well as improved signage. In 2004, visitors spent $7.3 billion in Orange County (a nearly 8 percent increase from the previous year), $3.6 billion of which was generated by Disneyland alone.

Tourism and business have built a healthy interdependence over the years. The city has become more economically diverse with the development of business and manufacturing firms; Anaheim is currently home to more than 15,000 businesses. It is a center of enterprise for multinational firms, as well as regional and local companies. Located within Anaheim are more than 100 manufacturing plants. The city of Anaheim has been successful in retaining some businesses that had considered leaving by offering loans, tax and utility rebates, subsidies, and job-training incentives.

Items and goods produced: electronic components, electrical machinery, chemicals, guidance and navigation systems, locks, plastics, processed food, aircraft parts, fabricated metal products, communications equipment

Incentive Programs—New and Existing Companies

State programs

California's Commerce & Economic Development Program offers financial solutions by helping businesses secure capital to invest in major public, private, and nonprofit ventures; providing export assistance and financing; and supporting small businesses by offering financial assistance, training, and technical assistance.

Local programs

Anaheim offers qualifying firms economic development rates, new construction incentives, and energy efficiency incentives. Anaheim's "Powerful Partnership for Business," comprised of the city's Community Development and Public Utilities departments, creates customized business programs for economic development support. These include Redevelopment Agency loans and assistance, utility loans and assistance, job training, energy efficiency strategies, environmental assistance, fast-track permitting, and financial assistance and subsidies.

Job training programs

Anaheim's Job Training Program (JTP) offers subsidies of up to 50 percent of an employee's wages for up to six months in order to assist with customized on-the-job training programs that can help new and expanding businesses. California's Employment Training Panel (ETP) contracts with employers to provide training for new workers as well as workers likely to be displaced without retraining. The highly successful program has been responsible for a return on investment of more than $5 for every $1 in ETP funds spent on training, as measured in benefits to businesses, workers, and the state's economy.

Development Projects

In 2001 a massive $5 billion renovation of the Anaheim Resort District (the greater Anaheim Convention Center/Disneyland area, comprised of 1,100 acres) was completed. The project began in 1994 when the city of Anaheim approved a $174 million Anaheim Resort Capital Improvement Program designed to transform the district into a more attractive, pedestrian-friendly destination. Among the results are a 55-acre themed park called Disney's California Adventure, brought about by a $1.4 billion investment in all Disney properties. California Adventure, which opened in February 2001 and is adjacent to Disneyland, pays tribute to the Golden State. The Anaheim Convention Center underwent a $177 million expansion, completed in December 2000. The expansion increased the size of the center by 40 percent; it now houses 815,000 square feet of exhibit space, making it the largest exhibit facility on the West Coast. Also completed is a $396 million "freshening" of the entire Resort District with landscaping and infrastructure improvements, including the addition of 15,000 new trees, shrubs, and flowers, and improved signage. The Anaheim Resort Transit (ART), which began operating in 2001, features 10 buses, two trams, and 25 trolleys providing access to all area resorts, attractions, hotels, restaurants, and shops. In the summer of 2005, Disneyland will begin an 18-month celebration of its 50th anniversary with several new attractions expected to draw more visitors to the park than ever before.

Economic Development Information: City of Anaheim Economic Development, City Hall East, 200 South Anaheim Boulevard, First Floor, Anaheim, CA 92805; telephone (714)765-4323

Commercial Shipping

The city's transportation access is excellent, and is in proximity to several airports, two major ports of call, interstate access, and an extensive public transit system. Freight service is provided by Southern Pacific, Santa Fe, and Union Pacific railroads, which maintain about 30 miles of railroad track in the city.

Labor Force and Employment Outlook

Economic development in Anaheim has created thousands of new jobs. As of early 2005, Orange County has the lowest unemployment rate—around 4.1 percent—among California's 52 counties.

The following is a summary of data regarding the Santa Ana/Anaheim/Irvine area labor force, 2004 annual averages.

Size of non-agricultural labor force: 1,460,000

Number of workers employed in . . .

natural resources and mining: 600

construction: 91,800

manufacturing: 183,200

trade, transportation, and utilities: 264,300

information: 33,500

financial activities: 131,200

professional and business services: 259,600

educational and health services: 130,400

leisure and hospitality: 164,500

other services: 47,300

government: 153,200

Average hourly earnings of production workers employed in manufacturing: $13.38

Unemployment rate: 4.1% (January 2005)

Cost of Living

The following is a summary of data regarding key cost of living factors for the Anaheim area.

2004 (3rd Quarter) ACCRA Average House Price: $674,000

2004 (3rd Quarter) ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 151.5 (U.S. average = 100.0)

State income tax rate: Ranges from 1.0% to 9.3%

State sales tax rate: 6.0% (food and prescription drugs are exempt)

Local income tax rate: None

Local sales tax rate: 1.75%

Property tax rate: 1.0% of assessed valuation

Economic Information: Anaheim Chamber of Commerce, 201 East Center Street, Anaheim CA, 92805; telephone (714) 758-0222

Anaheim: History

City Settled By German Winemakers

Anaheim was founded in 1857 by a group of German settlers who gave it the German name meaning "home by the river." The settlers were part of a group who first came to the United States during the German Revolution of 1848 and settled in San Francisco. Fifty members of that German community decided to move south when they learned about an abundance of cheap land that was once part of a Spanish land grant. The German colonists purchased the 1,165 acres of coastal plains for $2 an acre. Two of the Germans had a wine-making business. Attracted by the area's moderate climate, the settlers decided to make wine production the region's economic foundation. A civil engineer named George Hansen was hired to plan a carefully thought-out community with fences to protect the planned vineyards from roaming cattle. To allow future growth, specific parcels were set aside for construction of a school and other public buildings.

With the introduction of irrigation, Anaheim remained a prosperous wine producing region until the 1880s. During the period of 1860 to 1885, Anaheim wineries produced more than 1.25 million gallons of wine annually. In the 1880s, a blight completely wiped out the vineyards, destroying a thriving business. The orange and citrus industry was then developed and prospered, as did the city of Anaheim. The Southern California Fruit Growers Exchange, which was later renamed Sunkist, was organized in 1893.

Disneyland Displaces Agriculture as Major Industry

The railroad had a positive effect on the city's development. Railroad service was provided by the Southern Pacific Railway, which established itself in the city in 1875. The Santa Fe Railroad followed soon after. The coming of the railroads permitted the city to expand to include other markets. Businesses prospered and the population grew.

Despite earlier failed attempts to become independent of the city of Los Angeles, Orange County was formed in 1889. Beginning in the late 1920s the city underwent rapid industrial development. A huge flood in 1938 caused the creation of a program to control the Santa Ana River, and the Prado Dam was built upstream to regulate the flow of the sometimes violent waterway.

Agriculture remained the principal industry of the city until the mid 1950s, when the legendary Walt Disney chose Anaheim as the site for construction of his world-famous Disneyland amusement park. Millions of people each year are drawn to the area to enjoy this wonderful fantasy world.

The growth of Anaheim as a recreational attraction increased in the 1960s with the opening of Anaheim Stadium—current home of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim baseball team and now called Angel Stadium of Anaheim. In 1967 the Anaheim Convention Center was opened. In December 2000, the center was expanded by 40 percent; its 815,000 square feet of exhibit space makes it the largest exhibit facility on the West Coast.

Today Anaheim/Orange County is one of the fastest growing areas in California. The city is a mix of business, residential, and resort interests.

Anaheim: Education and Research

Elementary and Secondary Schools

Anaheim is served by the Anaheim City School District, which operates the elementary schools, and the Anaheim Union High School District, which oversees the junior high and high schools. The city is noted for excellent schools offering a full array of learning programs from basic curriculum instruction to college preparation, athletics, and special education.

The following is a summary of data regarding Anaheim City and Anaheim Union High school districts, as of the 2002-2003 school year.

Total enrollment: 53,713

Number of facilities

elementary schools: 23

junior high/middle schools: 8

senior high schools: 13

Student/teacher ratio: 21.5:1 (elementary school); 24.5:1 (junior high and high school)

Teacher salaries (Union High School District, 2004)

minimum: $40,986

maximum: $77,057

Funding per pupil, 2000-2001: $5,975 (Anaheim City); $6,681 (Anaheim Union)

Public Schools Information: Anaheim City School District, 1001 South East Street, Anaheim, CA 92805-5749; telephone (714)517-7500; Anaheim Union High School District, 501 Crescent Way, Anaheim, CA, 92803-3520; telephone (714)999-3511

Colleges and Universities

Although there are no colleges in the city of Anaheim proper, Orange County is the home of the following four-year institutions located with 30 minutes of Anaheim: California State University at Fullerton, Chapman University, and University of California at Irvine.

Libraries and Research Centers

The Anaheim Public Library holds about 460,530 volumes, and nearly 11,000 audio and video materials. The library's special collections include the Anaheim History Collection. The library is comprised of a central library, four branches—Haskett (closed for reconstruction and scheduled to reopen in 2006), Euclid, Sunkist, and Canyon Hills—and one bookmobile. Other Anaheim libraries consist of those of local hospitals and companies, including Anaheim Memorial Medical Center, Western Medical Center Hospital, and Boeing Co. The Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace is in Yorba Linda, a 15-minute drive from Anaheim.

The Anaheim Research Center, founded in 2002, conducts psychiatric and medical research.

Public Library Information: Anaheim Public Library, 500 West Broadway, Anaheim CA 92805; telephone (714)765-1880

Anaheim: Population Profile

Metropolitan Area Residents (Orange County PMSA)

1980: 1,933,000

1990: 2,410,668

2000: 2,846,289

Percent change, 1990–2000: 18.1%

U.S. rank in 1980: 2nd (CMSA)

U.S. rank in 1990: 2nd (CMSA)

U.S. rank in 2000: 2nd (CMSA)

City Residents

1980: 219,494

1990: 266,406

2000: 328,014

2003 estimate: 332,361

Percent change, 1990–2000: 23.1%

U.S. rank in 1980: 62nd

U.S. rank in 1990: 59th (State rank: 10th)

U.S. rank in 2000: 64th (State rank: 10th)

Density: 6,702.0 people per square mile (2000)

Racial and ethnic characteristics (2000)

White: 179,627

Black or African American: 8,735

American Indian and Alaska Native: 3,041

Asian: 39,311

Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 1,393

Hispanic or Latino (may be of any race): 153,374

Other: 95,907

Percent of residents born in state: 44.4% (2000)

Age characteristics (2000)

Population under 5 years old: 30,206

Population 5 to 9 years old: 30,282

Population 10 to 14 years old: 24,837

Population 15 to 19 years old: 22,959

Population 20 to 24 years old: 25,020

Population 25 to 34 years old: 58,417

Population 35 to 44 years old: 51,578

Population 45 to 54 years old: 36,063

Population 55 to 59 years old: 12,436

Population 60 to 64 years old: 9,443

Population 65 to 74 years old: 14,383

Population 75 to 84 years old: 9,177

Population 85 years and older: 3,213

Median age: 30.3 years

Births (Orange County; 2002)

Total number: 44,796

Deaths (Orange County; 2002)

Total number: 16,789 (of which, 216 were infants under the age of 1 year)

Money income (1999)

Per capita income: $18,266

Median household income: $47,122

Total households: 96,902

Number of households with income of . . .

less than $10,000: 5,769

$10,000 to $14,999: 4,777

$15,000 to $24,999: 10,812

$25,000 to $34,999: 12,769

$35,000 to $49,999: 16,954

$50,000 to $74,999: 20,236

$75,000 to $99,999: 11,532

$100,000 to $149,999: 9,461

$150,000 to $199,999: 2,486

$200,000 or more: 2,106

Percent of families below poverty level: 10.4% (37.7 % of which were female householder families with related children under 5 years)

2002 FBI Crime Index Total: 12,198