Tokyo Disneyland 2-15 Trip Report

[ChrisFL]

Ok, finally I'm going to post my trip report of Tokyo Disneyland. It's odd for me since this park has many very similar attractions to the other parks, so I will focus on what I saw as really different.

Disclaimer: I somehow left my memory card at the hotel and only was able to take a few pictures. I know I could have bought one but was very short on cash.

I also want to make brief mention of the new Disneyland Hotel and the recent criticism of it. I did walk through it a bit upon leaving the park and I think it is a really nice hotel inside and out, with some great classic Disney artwork. My main criticism is that it's way too tall. When you're driving by it in Tokyo, it looks massive, especially in comparison to the castle, it's taken a lot of that sense of awe away from looking at the castle from that vantage point.

But it's done now, not much we can do to change it.

Luckily, going into the park, I did have a good FP strategy and saw nearly everything I wanted to. I started early in the morning, it was a bit cooler than the day before but not too bad. I sped off to the Winnie the Pooh area, got a Fastpass for 9:45-10:45 then went straight into the line which was only up to 20 mins at that time.

So what can I say, it's just an incredible mix of lots of technology but it doesn't lose how it's telling the story. I love the fact that it is truly like the classic Disney attractions where the story is the key and the technology used is just to help to tell the most immersive story possible.

They've really succeeded with this attraction. I don't want to spoil too much as there's many other places to get all of the details, but I'll explain it that the whole ride feels a bit chaotic and wild, even though in reality it's all a very well carefully designed attraction. I definitely understand how this worked well in the story of Winnie the Pooh.

I also rode one of my favorite attractions from my once and only visit to Anaheim, Roger Rabbit's Cartoon Spin. I really wish WDW had this ride.

Tomorrowland was interesting, I liked how if you enter in the "Classic" side, not near Star Tours, how Space Mountain is perfectly placed at the end of it. I do like the exterior of Star Tours though, it is very cool. The one part that seemed a bit out of place was the astro orbiter. I also think it feels weird to see a tomorrowland in that style and see no peoplemover or tracks. Then I realized that the idea of that type of ride would not really be that unique to Tokyo residents.

I went on Space Mountain, updated queue is really nice, the new spaceship is extremely cool looking, and the ride is good, but having just been on the HKDL only a few weeks prior, I missed the music.

I also rode Buzz...still thinking to myself that they really need to upgrade WDW's since the rest of them are so much better. I'm not an expert on the good targets, so my score reflected that.

I tried to get to POTC since I had never gotten to see the full size version before. When I was in DL, they closed it to add Jack Sparrow, so I was very upset that I missed it.

So I went to the entrance and they said it was closed for technical difficulties. Luckily I walked around and looked in the merchandise shop......OMG! Their pirates merchandise is awesome!! So much better than the stuff they sell at WDW. I could have happily bought half of the merchandise in that store! Sadly I was on a very tight budget the whole weekend so limited my purchases.

Back to POTC...Anyway, I went back to check out the queue a few times and finally it was opened. I thought the first scenes, next to the blue bayou were very nice, the lightning bugs definitely looked real, flying around, and the buildup to the story was much better, although most of the other scenes seemed pretty similar. I thought it was funny how some of it was in Japanese and some of it was in English. How do they decide what should be what?

I saw the Tiki Room with Stitch, and a confession..........I'm not proud to say this but.........this was the first time I had ever experienced the Tiki Room Show in any of the parks. I've avoided the "Under new Management" one even though I should go see it, to say I've done it. Seeing as I have no other frame of reference, and even though Stitch is in it, it was a fun show and I really enjoyed it, even the Stitch parts. For those who are familiar with Stitch's Great Escape, imagine the same Stitch animatronic but playing a ukelele and dancing around instead of destroying stuff....much more enjoyable.

I rode Big Thunder Mountain, it was good, Splash was closed for refurb

Walking through Fantasyland I was a bit startled when I saw Dumbo and the Haunted Mansion directly behind it! Of the weird placement of things I've seen before, this seemed to be one of the strangest. The wait wasn't very long for HM so I wanted to see what was different about it. Overall it's very similar to the older WDW version, but with several subtle differences that either I picked up here, or just never noticed in the WDW one?

The library scene near the beginning had a more UV look to it, and I saw one of the rocking chairs...well, rocking and pages turning in a book next to the library case, that was cool. Going through the room with the people and ghosts trying to get through the doors, I saw a picture on a wall and the face actually came through and pushed out several inches, very cool effect! Also, there was a few added ghosts in the graveyard scene, some ghosts taking bicycles and flying around near the back and other random things I can't quite remember.

I was pleasantly surprised by the extra things and also walking up to the Doom Buggies somehow I just then realized that they all looked completely brand new, along with the moving walkway and everything there looked incredibly clean. It felt very odd to me that this is the one place I'd notice this, or maybe it was because I was so used to the WDW version not looking very good.

Yes, I DID see the Mickey Mouse Review! It was interesting how the preshow was one where you sit on the floor and it did look like a mid 1970's film that hadn't changed at all. The show itself was very good and I will be sad that it's leaving so soon after my first time experiencing it. It is definitely a classic attraction. Maybe it should get moved to Anaheim, but somehow I doubt that will happen.

I did walk through most of the "World Bazaar" or TDL's Main Street. I believe AV told me to look around at this place to see how not everything works as well as planned. I actually didn't mind it, it definitely helped to keep out the cold wind and luckily it wasn't raining.

Seeing it now, it does remind me more of a shopping mall atmosphere, but that's more of a sign about what modern shopping malls are designed like these days, rather than a lack of judgement on Disney's part. I was very happy though as they still have a real magic shop with a good magician showing tricks and plenty of things to buy (not too expensive either), and also a real Penny (or Yen) Arcade, with some very good classic games and were practically a penny or a dime, relatively in cost. I spent a bit too much time in here, but stuff that I miss that used to be great in WDW.

I also saw the afternoon parade which was at about 1:00PM and also the 25th anniversary show in front of the Castle which had a LOT of characters!

Here are some pictures of the park:

[TDLFAN]

Very cool!! Thanks for sharing the photos and you opinions on TDL.

[SuperDry]

Great trip report!

I also want to make brief mention of the new Disneyland Hotel and the recent criticism of it. I did walk through it a bit upon leaving the park and I think it is a really nice hotel inside and out, with some great classic Disney artwork. My main criticism is that it's way too tall. When you're driving by it in Tokyo, it looks massive, especially in comparison to the castle, it's taken a lot of that sense of awe away from looking at the castle from that vantage point.

That's an interesting point and one that I had never really thought of before: how specifically engineered should park elements be that are visible from outside the parks? I think that the initial backside of Expedition Everest shows that such things are important to a degree, but in that case, it was just that you got to "see behind the facade" to something that looked cheap and unfinished.

But in most cases, it's not that something looks cheap or unfinished, but rather just that it's so large that it can't be hidden from view outside the park. I can assure you that the TDL castle has always looked puny when viewed from outside the park, such as from the Keiyo Line as the train approaches Maihama Station. Perhaps the effect is more so these days, but the castle has always looked small from the outside. Without the forced perspective from seeing it from ground level, it's just not going to look the same.

I remember the same effect from when I was a kid and we were driving down I-5 (er, "the five") toward DL. It was always fun to spot the Matterhorn, but from the freeway, it just didn't look right. It looked like a paper mache prop just kind of sticking up out of the park, even though from within the park the effect works.

[DuffyDad]

Originally Posted by ChrisFL

I also want to make brief mention of the new Disneyland Hotel and the recent criticism of it. I did walk through it a bit upon leaving the park and I think it is a really nice hotel inside and out, with some great classic Disney artwork. My main criticism is that it's way too tall. When you're driving by it in Tokyo, it looks massive, especially in comparison to the castle, it's taken a lot of that sense of awe away from looking at the castle from that vantage point.

You know, I noticed this too... But I had a totally different take. I felt that the way they changed the color of the Castle and the way the Disneyland Hotel is designed, they kind of seem like part of the same "estate." I have the impression that Cinderella's Castle is the "castle," while TDLH is the "palace." I actually think that the hotel accentuates the Castle, rather than dwarfing it. The other perspective never even occurred to me, but I can totally see where you're coming from. If it bothered you, though, maybe next time you'll be able to see it this way and enjoy it more.

[Aunt Bee]

Thank you for more of your trip report and pictures. I'm counting until the day we leave for Tokyo!
82 days!!

[Another Voice]

I believe AV told me to look around at this place to see how not everything works as well as planned.

I’ve always found the acoustics of the place painful on the ears. While it is a great shelter from the rain and cold (which I grew to love last January), I just think it lacks a sense of place – a Victorian street under glass feels too artificial, too Vegas, too intentionally “decorated”. The roof area doesn’t flow naturally from the surroundings.

I think it would have worked better had Disney gone to either extreme – make it the “international shopping mall” as original envisioned and accept the artifice, or make it feel the Crystal Place or a true enclosed Victorian market (with stalls and stands under the roof instead of fake buildings). A personal opinion, of course. But to me the feeling you get in World Bazzar doesn’t quit fit in with the “movie reality” feeling of all the other lands.

I'm not proud to say this but.........this was the first time I had ever experienced the Tiki Room Show in any of the parks.

First, that’s just plain wrong. But you make up for a bit by boycotting the insulting WDW show. What’s great about the Disneyland show is that it’s a gentle entertainment that’s simply happy to amuse and surprise. It’s a nice subtle show from a more civilized age.

I sped off to the Winnie the Pooh area…

Even the queue is brilliant. It’s designed as a complete story all in itself. You start out in a very real world, a real Victorian garden. You enter a garden shed filled with tools and implements. Off to the side, you see children’s toys – the garden is also part of a child’s world. Tacked to the wall is a map in crayon showing the world from the child’s perspective – and that leads us into a giant story book that expands the child’s imaginary map into a full world of tangible places populated with great characters. Then from the storybook you board the ride vehicle and actually enter that world yourself. The entire attraction, from queue through to Christopher Robin’s bedroom at the end becomes a trip from the mundane adult world back into the world as children see it.

how specifically engineered should park elements be that are visible from outside the parks?

The only two park structures that I can think of that have been specially designed to be seen from the outside are WDW Magic Kingdom’s Castle and EPCOT Center’s Spaceship Earth. Both are designed destination icon – the castle draws you across the lake and creates a sense of a journey to reach it.

I last saw Tokyo Disneyland’s Hotel just before opening, but I only saw it from different areas of the resort. I like the “entrance corridor” from the hotel through the Main Gate to World Bazaar – I hope they expand upon that and build a full street.

The other comment I’ll make is that to my eyes the castle is beautiful and delicate and whimsical – something that has no “real world” comparison. No matter what you could do to it, it will always be a fantasy castle. But the Tokyo Disneyland Hotel is a block, monolithic building – a giant wedge that stripped of its gingerbread could be an office tower, a warehouse or noodle factory. It’s Vegas in the sense that a utilitarian building has been covered decorations to disguise the fact that it’s an utilitarian building.

But everyone else likes it so I’ll shut-up.

and we were driving down I-5 (er, "the five") toward DL…

That is a part of childhood for those of us who grew up in Southern California.

[mark]

It'll always be "the five" to me as well.
In Denver, everyone says "I" before 25 or 225. I still cant get used to it.

[Kritter]

Great photo's and wonderful report!

[denice25]

thanks for sharing your photos.. great great trip report!!

[TDLFAN]

Originally Posted by mark

It'll always be "the five" to me as well.
In Denver, everyone says "I" before 25 or 225. I still cant get used to it.

As long as you guys do not call WDW "The World", I am ok with that.