Patty Winter's
Disney Benchmarks
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This area used to be the entrance to the Golden Dreams theater and had a benchmark that we called "DCA-1 Golden Dreams." In 2011, after major reconstruction, the attraction reopened as The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure. During the construction, the old benchmark (numbered "24") was destroyed and a new one was installed a few feet away from the original location, so we gave it a new name reflecting the new attraction near it. It's still waymark WM955, though.

Geocacher "Teacher Matt" found this one while doing the DCA Benchmarks virtual geocache. He reported it to Larry, who verified its existence. Lloyd then looked for it and got some photos for me. It's on the eastern footing of the Golden Gate Bridge, just inside the main entrance of DCA.

(I got to wondering whether there are benchmarks on the piers of the real Golden Gate Bridge. It turns out that the bridge's towers are themselves survey stations, and there are some disks in the vicinity. However, I think some are accessible only by water, and others may be in areas that would attract the attention of Homeland Security...However, there are some easy-to-get-to ones at the Presidio. Click here for a photo of one of them with the bridge in the background and here for another.)

Update June 2012: Larry reports that DCA-6 is now under new concrete--if it's even still there at all. So this one is gone--as, in fact, is the Golden Gate Bridge, which has been remodeled into the Glendale-Hyperion Bridge from Southern California. :-( However, I'm leaving the link to its archived page on Waymarking.com in case you'd like to view more photos and finders' logs. Link to waymark.

Meg found this marker in Sunshine Plaza. The first photo is looking toward the sun fountain, and the second toward Condor Flats.

Update June 2012: Larry confirms that DCA-7 is now gone. Here's the link to its archived Waymarking.com page should you want to view the information there. Link to waymark.

Another find by Lloyd, this one on the right side of the Playhouse Disney queue, toward the sun fountain.

Update June 2012: Larry and Lloyd have confirmed (with the help of an obliging cast member) that this one has been destroyed. You're welcome to view the archived information about it on Waymarking.com. Link to waymark.

I don't know how I missed this one during my January, 2004 visit, because it's nicely set off by the yellow line on the Condor Flats tarmac, but thanks to Lloyd for finding it. It's in front of the Condor Flats AirTours plane. Link to waymark.

Update June 2012: This mark is now part of Larry's "DCA Benchmarks #1" virtual geocache, so I have obscured the lower part of the disk so as not to give away the information you need from it for that cache.

Meg spotted this survey marker in front of Rushin' River Outfitters. Link to waymark.

I'm also including a photo taken in 2007 of Rhonda and Bill Rushing of Berntsen International, the company that makes Disney's survey marks. The Rushings at Rushin' River!

That's intrepid survey mark hunter Meg gazing out over Paradise Bay in the wide-angle photo that Lloyd took in 2004 of a mark at the Golden State Amphitheater. This mark was destroyed in 2010 during the reconstruction of the lagoon for "World of Color." You can still view the Waymarking.com page about it. Link to waymark.

Update July 2011: This mark is now part of Larry's "DCA Benchmarks #1" virtual geocache. Therefore the close-up photo below obscures the part of the disk that might give away the answer to that mystery geocache.

Another one from Laurence and Andrea, this one near the steps to the World of Color viewing area at the eastern end of Paradise Pier. Larry got another photo for me, and in 2013, Derek sent me an innovative photo of the mark and California Screamin'. Link to waymark.

Laurence and Andrea were on a roll and found this one at the other end of Paradise Pier, near the Golden Zephyr ride. Link to waymark .

The final one found by Laurence and Andrea in October 2010, this one is near Toy Story Midway Mania. Link to waymark.

One of the new benchmarks that Lloyd found in June, 2012 is along a walkway that parallels the route of the Radiator Springs Racers ride, near a sign that says "Mind Your Speed." Link to waymark.

By the way, the happy looking benchmark-hunting group in Larry's photo below consists of Larry's wife Julie; Meg and Lloyd; and three-year-old Benjamin, who's apparently taking a break from a hard day of benchmark hunting. :-)