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January 16, 2021 5:11 AM Subscribe
Tokyo DisneySea is considered by enthusiasts as perhaps the best theme park in the world. Opened in 2001, it includes a “Mediterranean Harbor”, a “Mysterious Island” (complete with volcano), an “Arabian Coast”, an “American Waterfront” and a forthcoming "Fantasy Springs". With no expense spared by owner The Oriental Land Company which uniquely operates Tokyo Disney Resort under licence from Disney, fans have waxed rhapsodical over the sheer scale and quality and immersion of the park (eps 75-77 of The Golden Horseshoe Review podcast). Episode 4 of The Imagineering Story (Disney+) examines the creation of the park.
Many of the ideas in Tokyo DisneySea originated from plans to build Port Disney in Long Beach, California, including Disney's short-lived lease of the real RMS Queen Mary, which eventually became the S. S. Columbia in the Tokyo resort.
If you're thinking of visiting DisneySea, check out TDR Explorer, one of the best English-language guides! (h/t bowtiesarecool).
Many of the ideas in Tokyo DisneySea originated from plans to build Port Disney in Long Beach, California, including Disney's short-lived lease of the real RMS Queen Mary, which eventually became the S. S. Columbia in the Tokyo resort.
If you're thinking of visiting DisneySea, check out TDR Explorer, one of the best English-language guides! (h/t bowtiesarecool).
As for the other rides:
20,000 leagues is meh, Center of the Earth is decent, Indiana Jones was fine before they remade it to go with Crystal Skull, and the newish Toy Story thing is pretty swell.
The big selling point to Disney Sea over its next door neighbor Disneyland is that it’s a slightly more grownup thing. Few characters in the park, not so many attractions for toddlers, and it’s mostly seen as a date spot. It’s honestly fun, and Mrs. Ghidorah and I tend to go at least once a (non pandemic) year.
posted by Ghidorah at 7:06 AM on January 16, 2021 [2 favorites]
20,000 leagues is meh, Center of the Earth is decent, Indiana Jones was fine before they remade it to go with Crystal Skull, and the newish Toy Story thing is pretty swell.
The big selling point to Disney Sea over its next door neighbor Disneyland is that it’s a slightly more grownup thing. Few characters in the park, not so many attractions for toddlers, and it’s mostly seen as a date spot. It’s honestly fun, and Mrs. Ghidorah and I tend to go at least once a (non pandemic) year.
posted by Ghidorah at 7:06 AM on January 16, 2021 [2 favorites]
if you can go with your grandkids... we did over 25,000 steps that day. better than Disneyland.
posted by wmo at 7:47 AM on January 16, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by wmo at 7:47 AM on January 16, 2021 [1 favorite]
If you don’t mind some reading between the lines, the Imagineering Story is actually a great documentary series, made partially by the children of the original crew of imagineers. Hagiographic, yes, but less so than I expected and full of great details on creative challenges and process.
posted by q*ben at 8:00 AM on January 16, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by q*ben at 8:00 AM on January 16, 2021 [3 favorites]
We watch the Tokyo Disney Christmas parade on youtube pretty regularly, and if I ever get to Japan it’s definitely on the list. I love learning about all the detail behind Disney experience design
posted by brilliantine at 9:36 AM on January 16, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by brilliantine at 9:36 AM on January 16, 2021 [1 favorite]
Ghidorah: Thanks for the tip, we'll definitely hit up Roti's House next time we visit!
One thing I was amazed by is how quickly you can get to the resort. In London you can barely get anywhere in 30 minutes, let alone a major theme park, but it was a snap to get to Tokyo Disneyland on public transport.
posted by adrianhon at 10:00 AM on January 16, 2021 [1 favorite]
One thing I was amazed by is how quickly you can get to the resort. In London you can barely get anywhere in 30 minutes, let alone a major theme park, but it was a snap to get to Tokyo Disneyland on public transport.
posted by adrianhon at 10:00 AM on January 16, 2021 [1 favorite]
We went there for our honeymoon. It really is extraordinary.
posted by potrzebie at 10:08 AM on January 16, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by potrzebie at 10:08 AM on January 16, 2021 [2 favorites]
This actually made me want to go, despite not having any interest in Disney parks since I was about 13 and went to Disneyland Paris.
posted by knapah at 10:47 AM on January 16, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by knapah at 10:47 AM on January 16, 2021 [1 favorite]
Due to a flub of our understanding of international datelines, my partner and I ended up going to DisneySea 3 hours after our 15 hour flight to Tokyo landed.
Surprisingly: Strong Recommend! The park-going experience is so carefully crafted that is was a perfect recovery event for two exhausted Americans who speak little Japanese.
posted by spenser at 1:42 PM on January 16, 2021 [1 favorite]
Surprisingly: Strong Recommend! The park-going experience is so carefully crafted that is was a perfect recovery event for two exhausted Americans who speak little Japanese.
posted by spenser at 1:42 PM on January 16, 2021 [1 favorite]
I am so excited to dig into all these links! Especially the Imagineering Story, which I keep meaning to watch.
I've been twice and had a third visit cancelled by COVID, but I definitely plan to go back the next time we make it to Japan. I always tell people who are visiting Tokyo that if they aren't Disney people, DisneySea specifically is worth the day visit (Disneyland is fine and I still love it but it's not nearly as unique). It's definitely the easiest to get to from its nearest major city. I think OLC even partners with some central Tokyo hotels that run coaches directly there for day trips, if for some reason you don't prefer the train.
The volcano is just staggering. It uses some forced perspective, sure but it's also HUGE, erupts regularly, and has a whole Jules Verne themed land with rides and restaurants inside of it. There are charred remnants of trees sculpted on it. My husband's favorite parts were the New York and Cape Cod sections - something about seeing basically "America land" through the lens of another culture really tickled him. I preferred the Aladdin section and the Little Mermaid lagoon, which was way better than the kiddie section of a theme park has any right being.
The level of detail on everything is extraordinary and while I have been there on a non-school day before and will never do that again, I still had a good time walking around looking at stuff even with the wild crowd levels and 30-minute lines just for popcorn and to get into some gift shops (but you want the popcorn, lots of it, in all the flavors, especially curry). I've managed to luck into winning seats in the Big Band Beat lottery both times I've been. And for some reason the food is way cuter despite the American parks actively trying for Instagram-worthiness over taste. My husband had a bad run-in with a stew that had surprise shellfish on our first day in the park, and after that subsisted on Mickey-shaped burgers from the Duffy dinner show restaurant. Don't do that, unless you really like Duffy or have a very small child. Fortunately, I think Duffy and the surrounding fandom are super cute.
There's also a hotel INSIDE the park - Hotel Mira Costa. When I went the first time, we splurged on one night in that hotel, and our room overlooked the entry plaza with the giant globe fountain. That year, the park was celebrating some anniversary, and had a huge lit up airship on the plaza, and we stayed up late watching it cycle through fountain and animatronic motions until the night maintenance crew came out, and then just after dawn I watched a couple take their wedding photos in the park. It was awesome.
Strangely, the resort has terrible fireworks that seem to get canceled more often than not, but if you do make it over to the Disneyland park, it's worth staying for the night parade. Plus, they have a restaurant that just serves waffles, all day long.
Basically, the parks are impeccable, the service is fantastic, and while the guest crowds are intimidating, it's hard to have a bad time at Tokyo Disney.
And now I'll have to check out the brewery in Ikspiari when I go back! I stayed in the Disney Ambassador Hotel last time and loved it so much I want to stay there again, and it's attached to Ikspiari so that's perfect.
posted by bowtiesarecool at 2:49 PM on January 16, 2021 [3 favorites]
I've been twice and had a third visit cancelled by COVID, but I definitely plan to go back the next time we make it to Japan. I always tell people who are visiting Tokyo that if they aren't Disney people, DisneySea specifically is worth the day visit (Disneyland is fine and I still love it but it's not nearly as unique). It's definitely the easiest to get to from its nearest major city. I think OLC even partners with some central Tokyo hotels that run coaches directly there for day trips, if for some reason you don't prefer the train.
The volcano is just staggering. It uses some forced perspective, sure but it's also HUGE, erupts regularly, and has a whole Jules Verne themed land with rides and restaurants inside of it. There are charred remnants of trees sculpted on it. My husband's favorite parts were the New York and Cape Cod sections - something about seeing basically "America land" through the lens of another culture really tickled him. I preferred the Aladdin section and the Little Mermaid lagoon, which was way better than the kiddie section of a theme park has any right being.
The level of detail on everything is extraordinary and while I have been there on a non-school day before and will never do that again, I still had a good time walking around looking at stuff even with the wild crowd levels and 30-minute lines just for popcorn and to get into some gift shops (but you want the popcorn, lots of it, in all the flavors, especially curry). I've managed to luck into winning seats in the Big Band Beat lottery both times I've been. And for some reason the food is way cuter despite the American parks actively trying for Instagram-worthiness over taste. My husband had a bad run-in with a stew that had surprise shellfish on our first day in the park, and after that subsisted on Mickey-shaped burgers from the Duffy dinner show restaurant. Don't do that, unless you really like Duffy or have a very small child. Fortunately, I think Duffy and the surrounding fandom are super cute.
There's also a hotel INSIDE the park - Hotel Mira Costa. When I went the first time, we splurged on one night in that hotel, and our room overlooked the entry plaza with the giant globe fountain. That year, the park was celebrating some anniversary, and had a huge lit up airship on the plaza, and we stayed up late watching it cycle through fountain and animatronic motions until the night maintenance crew came out, and then just after dawn I watched a couple take their wedding photos in the park. It was awesome.
Strangely, the resort has terrible fireworks that seem to get canceled more often than not, but if you do make it over to the Disneyland park, it's worth staying for the night parade. Plus, they have a restaurant that just serves waffles, all day long.
Basically, the parks are impeccable, the service is fantastic, and while the guest crowds are intimidating, it's hard to have a bad time at Tokyo Disney.
And now I'll have to check out the brewery in Ikspiari when I go back! I stayed in the Disney Ambassador Hotel last time and loved it so much I want to stay there again, and it's attached to Ikspiari so that's perfect.
posted by bowtiesarecool at 2:49 PM on January 16, 2021 [3 favorites]
As a covid-safe thing to do if you've never done it before, check out the major theme parks on Google Earth (download the free Pro version), where there are (along with the thousands of cities, towns, parks etc) high quality 3D versions made from LIDAR and aerial imaging. You can see how all the bits and pieces are combined, what areas are hidden from guest view, all of the subtle tricks; on the south end of DisneySea there's a retaining wall that has various treatments to look like a jetty, like distant rocks and vegetation, even like a fort - while hiding six lanes of road and a monorail track on the other side. Or the forced-perspective Eiffel Tower in Epcot that's basically an antenna on the back end of a building. The Star Wars areas are under construction in the current imagery, which is equally fascinating.
posted by Superilla at 3:08 PM on January 16, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by Superilla at 3:08 PM on January 16, 2021 [3 favorites]
That's really interesting to hear how highly it's rated. I went to it in March 2002, and oh, boy... there were hour-plus lines for fastpasses. I still describe the experience as primarily a line waiting simulation. I wonder if I'd like it better now that the crowds have gone down.
posted by past unusual at 3:28 PM on January 16, 2021
posted by past unusual at 3:28 PM on January 16, 2021
My husband's favorite parts were the New York and Cape Cod sections - something about seeing basically "America land" through the lens of another culture really tickled him.
Do they have imported Americans like Epcot brings in Europeans to staff it?
Because that would be awesome.
posted by leotrotsky at 7:45 PM on January 16, 2021
Do they have imported Americans like Epcot brings in Europeans to staff it?
Because that would be awesome.
posted by leotrotsky at 7:45 PM on January 16, 2021
I went in 2002 and remember Indiana Jones, Aladdin, and 20,000 Leagues rides, and a Little Mermaid show. It was fun. Was not aware of its reputation!
posted by kdilla at 1:26 AM on January 17, 2021
posted by kdilla at 1:26 AM on January 17, 2021
i went to tokyo disney in march of '03. disneyland was 10 years old at that point and disneysea had only been around for 2 years.
i showed up at disneyland about 15 minutes after it opened. walking around the park, there was nothing, not even a soda stand, that did not have 20 people waiting in line. it was scarily amazing... huge lines at absolutely everything, and all the fast passes were taken.
having some sort of all-access pass, i decided to head over to disneysea. it was empty. open-access to everything. i think i did the tower of terror three times in a row. the park is beautiful and has an interesting layout. but locals told me that the disneyland name had so much pull that hardly anyone booked disneysea. i wonder if that's changed now.
posted by bruceo at 3:52 PM on January 17, 2021 [1 favorite]
i showed up at disneyland about 15 minutes after it opened. walking around the park, there was nothing, not even a soda stand, that did not have 20 people waiting in line. it was scarily amazing... huge lines at absolutely everything, and all the fast passes were taken.
having some sort of all-access pass, i decided to head over to disneysea. it was empty. open-access to everything. i think i did the tower of terror three times in a row. the park is beautiful and has an interesting layout. but locals told me that the disneyland name had so much pull that hardly anyone booked disneysea. i wonder if that's changed now.
posted by bruceo at 3:52 PM on January 17, 2021 [1 favorite]
I'm really enjoying your Disney posts, even as someone who has basically no knowledge of the parks!
posted by carbide at 12:09 AM on January 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by carbide at 12:09 AM on January 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
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As far as any advice of mine holds water: go early on a day when most kids would be in school. Enjoy the tower of terror and raging spirits, sure, but make sure you save time for the awesome carousel, and the jumping jellyfish (they go up... then they go down... then they go up...), but the real star of the show is Flounder’s Flying Jet Coaster, a really fun roller coaster for, uh, kids.
Leave before the fireworks and head to the fourth floor of the Ikspiari mall (site of more than one Metafilter Meetup) in front of the resort area. Head to Roti’s House where they serve Harvestmoon beers on tap. The brewery (yes, a brewery owned and operated by Oriental Land Company, who hold the license for Disney Resorts in Japan) is literally on the other side of the wall from the restaurant. The brewer, Sonoda san, is a wonderful person, with a fantastic story behind her: when OLC decided to have a brewery for their mall, they put up an internal job notice. Sonoda san, at the time working as a parking attendant, applied, and beat out all the other applicants, then spent several years learning about brewing, both in Germany and Japan, and she makes some solid, tasty beers.
I mean, yeah, sure, Disney Sea is great. Have a blast! But when your day is done, doncha want a beer?
posted by Ghidorah at 7:02 AM on January 16, 2021 [36 favorites]