As part of the Disney California Adventure $1.1 billion expansion project, Paradise Pier was re-themed to evoke the charm of Victorian era seaside amusement parks of the 1920s.

The boardwalk games were then re-themed to incorporate more familiar Disney characters (completed on April 7, 2009), and the Sun Wheel was transformed into Mickey's Fun Wheel with a new color scheme, new lighting effects, and a "pie-eyed" Mickey Mouse face replacing the original sun face (completed on May 4, 2009).

The Orange Stinger underwent extensive re-theming to become Silly Symphony Swings, based on Walt Disney's 1935 short film The Band Concert.

Cosmetic changes were also made to California Screamin': the Mickey Mouse silhouette was altered to represent a sunburst pattern, with a large Paradise Pier sign hanging above the loop, and the scream tubes were also repainted a darker shade of blue.

[citation needed] The Luxo Jr. animatronic was installed on the top of Pixar Pier's marquee, four months later, in October.