Comparison to other Japanese parks

[CrystalJ.Squirrel]

I am by no means an expert on Japanese entertainment, but I do know there are tons of theme parks there. I know they are experts at target marketting too. I would like to go to Japan someday and take in the culture in Osaka.

What makes Disney stand out from all those places; like for example Harmonyland? What does it have that reminds you that you are in Japan?

This is all hypothetical of course, because I will have to wait until I am an adult to go to a Disney resort.

[CaliforniaAdventurer]

Aren't most Japanese theme parks "super coaster extreme" parks with little actual theme?

Tokyo Disney Resort is a slice of Americana in Tokyo.

[ChrisFL]

A good place to ask this question would be at themeparkreview.com as they do annual trips to a LOT of japanese parks. Robb and Elissa, the owners of the site could tell you a lot...there's also some good DVD's of their trips.

[Malin]

Disney and Universal are Japan's most popular theme parks. I think all other parks probarely resemble that of your local Six Flags park. TDL has been going 25 years and is now a part of Japanese culture almost. I imagine the Japanese view theme parks the same way us westerners do, you have your local maybe once a year parks like Six Flags and than you have Disney which offers a quality experience, a bit of Americana and like we do hold something special for the parks.

[TDR_Fan]

Disney and Universal are definitely at the top when it comes to theme parks. The rest are what I call coaster parks.

[DreamSweetsLove]

The quality is really different in terms of theme, detail, technology, guest service, etc. You can't really compare it to let's say Edo Mura in Nikko which is themed to old Tokyo (no coasters btw) because they are on completely different levels.

[CrystalJ.Squirrel]

Thank you for the information. I, like alot of teens am interested in Japanese culture. I have an interest in CLAMP manga. Websites make it sound like tons of anime has theme parks devoted to them in Japan. That Disney has serious competition because parks are so common.

Have I been misled?

[TDR_Fan]

Thank you for the information. I, like alot of teens am interested in Japanese culture. I have an interest in CLAMP manga. Websites make it sound like tons of anime has theme parks devoted to them in Japan. That Disney has serious competition because parks are so common.

Have I been misled?

Disney does not have competition in Japan other than from Universal. The Tokyo Disney Resort is by far the most popular theme park destination in Japan, with over 25 million guests a year. Universal sees about 8 million a year, and I would guess that all other theme parks see only a few million guests annually. Certainly not on the same scale of attendance as Disney.

[MickeyMoose]

The other parks in Japan make Six Flags look better than Disney. I have seen the TPR pictures from their trips and the odd or lack of themes is very sad.

But they do look like a fun place to go.

[robbalvey]

I can't even begin to go into all the parks in Japan because there are so many we have been to, and some of them really are amazing places with totally unique and bizarre rides.

None of them match the level of theming or quality of Disney or Universal, but the same can be said for parks in the USA as well.

Most of the parks in Japan only have 1 or 2 "major" attractions - either a roller coaster, dark ride, water ride, etc.

There are a few parks with a large amount of coasters (Fuji-Q, Nagashima Spaland, Expoland, Space World, etc) but for the most park, the really "interesting" parks are the ones off the beaten path.

Some of them VERY good, like Parque Espana, some of them just flat our bizarre like Uminonakamichi Seaside Park, and some of them a mix of great rides, great setting, and amazing atmosphere like Sea Paradise and Cosmoworld.

It's too bad Nara Dreamland closed, because that had to be one of the most BIZARRE parks in the world!

Anyway, there is a lot more to say, but if you want a glimpse into the parks of Japan outside of Disney, download these videos, watch them all, and I think you'll get a REALLY good idea!

Parque Espana: (One of the nicer non-Disney parks)
http://www.sharktums.com/parqueespana.zip

Nara Dreamland (The closed Disney knock-off park)
http://www.themeparkreview.net/naradreamland.zip

Uminonakamichi Seaside Park: (Very bizarre, but FUN place)
http://www.themeparkreview.net/video...onakamichi.zip

Sea Paradise/Cosmoworld (Good parks with a GREAT setting)
http://www.themeparkreview.com/videos/seaparadise.zip

Nasu Highland: (Where we rode the rides in the SNOW!)
http://www.themeparkreview.net/videos/nasuhighland.zip

And of course...Toyko Disneyland:
http://www.sharktums.com/tokyodisneyresort.zip