Mission Tortilla Factory - So Good You Can Taste It
Written: Jan 06 '05 (Updated Jul 15 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Free food, quick stop, appeals to all ages, educational
Cons: No ride, no thrills, basically an infomercial
The Bottom Line: A quick attraction with an educational bent and a free taste at the end.
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| modernmarvel's Full Review: Mission Tortilla Factory - California Adventure |
We had by-passed this attraction on our last couple of visits to Disney's California Adventure but, on our most recent visit, there we no lines on most rides, and we had time to check out attractions we hadn't seen before.
The Mission Tortilla Factory is essentially a giant infomercial. There is no ride and little in the way of entertainment. Still, it is an enjoyable quickie that the whole family enjoyed.
LOCATION
This attraction is located between a Bug's Land and Paradise Pier. It is tucked away behind a restaurant and can be a little hard to locate. It is on a pier with wharf-style buildings. This factory tour fits in well with the setting.
THE ATTRACTION
The outside of the attraction looks like a wharf-style building similar to others in the immediate setting. It is easy to walk by and not notice that this is, in fact, an attraction to tour. From the outside, you can see the factory equipment.
A cast member opened the double doors for us to enter the building. To our immediate right was a floor to ceiling mural representing mayan-style art. There was some saying about gods bringing forth maize to eat in the mural. The mural was nice, but it isn't headed for a museum anytime soon.
Straight ahead were four little shoebox-size vignettes of Mexican families making tortillas. There was a cool, 3-D effect that the kids liked. Some text at the vignettes explained that the process of making tortillas has changed little over hundreds of years.
After these brief, minor attractions, you can enter the factory room and see the equipment making tortillas. Small signs at waist level explain the process. I had to read the signs to the kids but they did enjoy seeing how the factory equipment worked. Keep in mind, this isn't really a tour - since the "factory" takes up only about twenty feet of the room. At the end of the room, a cast member hands out a warm tortilla to each guest fresh from the factory equipment. Everything was spotlessly clean. The tortilla was yummy and the plain flavor appealed even to our picky eaters.
Also at the end of the room, is a cooking demonstration. No one was cooking when we visited, but there were samples left out from previous efforts to show how to integrate tortillas into everyday cooking. There were also a couple of recipe cards to take.
On the far wall of the main factory room were some photos of hispanic life. The photos were high quality and made the setting nice but were nothing unique or overly special.
Mission foods sponsors this exhibit but the advertising for the company is pretty limited. There is a lot of information pushing tortillas however.
When we visited, it was a very slow day so this attraction had no line. There is also no waiting area, except out by the mural. However, there is not much to see in the "factory" so I would expect, even on a busy day, you could breeze through this attraction.
This attraction is all on ground level. It is easily stroller and wheelchair accessible. We did not have to leave the stroller outside.
RECOMMENDATION
We really liked this tour. It was easy to get in and out, especially because we didn't have to take the baby out of the stroller. We were through the exhibit quickly, we learned something and we even got to taste the end product. I don't suggest you go out of your way for the tortilla factory tour, but it was a nice quickie.
MY REVIEWS OF THE DISNEY THEME PARKS IN CALIFORNIA
Disneyland
Disney's California Adventure
MY REVIEW OF THEME PARK HOTELS IN CALIFORNIA
Disney’s Grand Californian
Marriott Suites Anaheim
Residence Inn Anaheim
MY REVIEW OF THEME PARK RESTAURANTS
Storyteller’s Cafe
Blue Bayou
Wine Country Trattoria
Goofy’s Kitchen
MY REVIEWS OF INDIVIDUAL RIDES AND ATTRACTIONS IN DISNEY’S CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE
Soarin’ Over California
Grizzly River Run
The Sun Wheel
Orange Stinger
Mulholland Madness
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Playhouse Disney Live on Stage
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Monster’s Inc. Mike & Sully to the Rescue
Jim Henson’s Muppet Vision 3D
It’s Tough to be a Bug 3D
Princess Dot Puddle Park
Heimlich’s Chew Chew Train
Tuck and Roll’s Drive ‘Em Buggies
Flik’s Flyers
Francis’ Ladybug Boogie
Misson Tortilla Factory Tour
Boudin Bakery Factory Tour
MY REVIEWS OF INDIVIDUAL RIDES AND ATTRACTIONS IN DISNEYLAND
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Snow White’s Scary Adventures
Pinocchio’s Daring Journey
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MY REVIEWS OF OTHER THINGS TO SEE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Legoland
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Birch Aquarium at Scripps
The San Diego Zoo
The San Diego Wild Animal Park
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San Diego’s Old Town
The Museum of Making Music
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Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Families
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
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modernmarvel
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