DISNEY THEME PARKS CLUB #7: Tokyo Disneyland: Disney goes International for the First Time
Wednesday May 31st, 2023
Class Rules and Expectations
What is the Disney Theme Parks Club?
April 19 to June 21
Wednesdays (10 classes)
4:15-5:15 PM EST
Hey, Disney Park Buffs!! I'm pretty sure many of you have experienced a Disney Park at least once in our lives, but did you ever know of the history of how each and every one of these parks came to be? The Disney Theme Parks Club will be about not only uncovering the story behind the parks, but also allowing each of us to live out the stories through the people who brought them to life!! So, grab your mouse ears once again and get ready for a theme park experience like no other.
Class Schedule
What We Learned in Our Last Class?
A Spark of Oriental Inspiration
In the 1950s, following the opening of Disneyland, Japanese businessman Kunizo Matsuo approached Walt Disney about possibly building a Disney esque park in Japan. Although Walt was enthusiastic about the idea, he later deemed the idea to be unproducible, much to the dismay of Matsuo.
Matsuo goes at it alone
Undeterred by Walt’s refusal, Matsuo eventually took inspiration from Disneyland and created his own Disneyland called Nara Dreamland in 1961. The park was a replica of Disneyland complete with a castle, a Main Street USA and rides based on the Matterhorn, Autopia and a monorail. The park was considered popular amongst the Japanese and other countries since it was the closet they would get to Disneyland in California.
At its peak, the park had 1.7 million visitors per year and with the opening of Tokyo Disneyland, attendance would decline and the park closed for good in 2006 and demolished in 2016.
The Oriental Land Company Approaches Disney
In 1978, a Japanese development company called the Oriental Land Company had approached Walt Disney Productions about possibly revisiting the idea of building a Tokyo version of Disneyland. Headed by Masatomo Takahashi, the two companies began to negotiate and ultimately, an agreement was made in 1979 to begin building in the Chiba Prefecture near Tokyo.
Learning from the Best
In an effort to begin getting inspiration, representatives from the Oriental Land Company travelled to Disneyland and took notes on what was to be included in the proposed park such as attractions and design.
The construction of the park began a year later and was covered by hundreds of reporters as an indication of the high expectations for the park in the future. The final cost of Tokyo Disneyland was 180 billion yen rather than the projected 100 billion yen. Just remember, Yen means American Dollars in Japan.
Going Global
On April 15th, 1983, Tokyo Disneyland opened to the public by Disney President E. Carroll Walker with important Japanese dignitaries in attendance. In his dedication, Walker declared that Tokyo Disneyland would serve as an enduring symbol between the United States and Japan.
Tokyo Disneyland’s Layout
Unlike the two parks in the United States, Tokyo Disneyland would be divided into seven different areas. While the four traditional lands would be Westernland (Frontierland), Tomorrowland, Adventureland and Fantasyland, the new lands later featured in Tokyo Disneyland were Critter Country in 1992 and later Toontown in 1996.
World Bazaar
Now, it’s important to remember that Tokyo Disneyland was not to be a carbon copy of Disneyland in California. The first example came in the park’s entrance, World Bazaar. Although mostly similar to Main Street, the park features a permanent canopy similar to Walt’s original vision of EPCOT in Florida protecting guests from the weather.
The Bazaar is comprised of two different streets:
Main Street (the primary corridor running from the main entrance toward Cinderella Castle)
Center Street, which forms a perpendicular line with Main Street and leads to Adventureland in one direction and Tomorrowland in the other.
Tokyo’s Adventureland
Adventureland consists of two distinct yet complementary areas: A New Orleans-themed area and a "jungle"-themed area. It borrows stylistic and architectural features from the New Orleans Square and Adventureland areas found in Disneyland Park in the United States.
Among the attractions featured include a Lilo and Stitch version of “The Enchanted Tiki Room” since 2008, as well as park versions of “Jungle Cruise” and “Pirates of the Caribbean.”
Tokyo’s Westernland
Tokyo Disneyland's instance is known as Westernland, as "frontier" does not adequately translate into the Japanese language. The Mark Twain sails this park's Rivers of America. Other than differences in placement, and minor variations in color, theming and name, the land is very similar to the Frontierland and Liberty Square areas of the Magic Kingdom.
Attractions featured are the Mark Twain Riverboat, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and the Country Bear Jamboree.
Tokyo’s Critter Country
When Splash Mountain opened at Tokyo Disneyland in 1992, Critter Country was specifically created for it. The only other attraction in this area is Beaver Brothers Explorer Canoes (formerly Davy Crockett's Explorer Canoes in Westernland).
Because of the land's small size and the popularity of Splash Mountain, Critter Country is extremely crowded throughout the day with the Country Bear Jamboree (appropriate for Critter Country) located in Westernland. Characters from backstory material written for the American versions of Splash Mountain to explain how Chickapin Hill came to be flooded are visualized within Tokyo's Critter Country, with the Beaver Brothers having built a dam that was destroyed by an exploding moonshine still owned by saloon owner Rackety Raccoon.
Tokyo’s Fantasyland
Like other Magic Kingdom theme parks, Fantasyland's central entryway is a castle, in this case Cinderella Castle, a near exact copy of the one in Florida's Magic Kingdom. Lacking any "thrill rides," Fantasyland's attractions are generally dark rides that take visitors through scenes from Disney films such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Peter Pan, and Pinocchio.
Furthermore, two original attractions were created at Tokyo’s Disneyland’s version of Fantasyland: Cinderella's Fairy Tale Hall, which features the story of Cinderella in a walk-through style attraction, and Pooh's Hunny Hunt, which uses a trackless ride system.
Tokyo’s Toontown
Like its counterparts in other Disney theme parks, Toontown (called "Mickey's Toontown" at other Disney parks) is heavily inspired by the movie Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Appropriately, the major attraction here is Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin. Later, a new attraction named Minnie's Style Studio opened in September 2020 as part of the theme park's largest expansion. As a character greeting area, it allows guests to take photos with Minnie who will be wearing a rotating selection of seasonal outfits.
Tokyo’s Tomorrowland
As is the case with other modern-day Disney theme parks, Tokyo Disneyland's Tomorrowland forgoes a realism-based vision of the future and instead features science-fiction fantasy themes. Architecturally it borrows much from the 1971–1993 version of Florida's Tomorrowland. Rides include Space Mountain, Star Tours – The Adventures Continue, and Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters.
A rotating car ride named The Happy Ride With Baymax opened in September 2020 as part of the theme park's largest expansion. The ride is the first Disney attraction to be themed based on the movie Big Hero 6.
A Note about Tokyo’s Tomorrowland
Tokyo Disneyland's Tomorrowland was designed as a loose copy of Disney World's original Tomorrowland, particularly the main entryway which features nearly identical waterfalls and blue spires flanking the walkway. As is the case with other areas of Tokyo Disneyland, Tomorrowland has fewer attractions and more open spaces than its American counterparts, a move designed to facilitate a larger number of park guests. Notably missing is a PeopleMover-type attraction, whose tracks and ride vehicles have been conspicuous features of other Tomorrowland landscapes.
Although Walt Disney originally intended Tomorrowland to be a "living blueprint" of the future, Tokyo Disneyland's Tomorrowland never directly showcased future technology, instead opting for a science fiction fantasy theme.
Tokyo Disneyland is a Great Place to Work
Since the park opened in 1983, Tokyo Disney Resort has regularly been one of the most profitable Disney Resorts. By 1994, over 149 million people had entered through the gates of Tokyo Disneyland, more than Japan's entire population of 127.6 million at the time. In 1996, it employed 12,390 people, making Tokyo Disneyland the biggest workplace in Japan's diversionary outings at that time.
Many speculate that Tokyo Disneyland is such an economic success due to timing and location; the theme park lies in a metropolitan area with a population of 30 million and opened at the height of a booming economy where hard-working citizens desired an escape from reality.
Bringing a second Disney park to Japan
With the success of Tokyo Disneyland in 1983, talks were being held in 1987 about possibly adding a second Disney park to the Chiba Prefecture. Originally, the idea was to create a park themed around motion pictures like Disney MGM studios in Florida. The project would be called Disney Hollywood Studio Theme Park at Tokyo Disneyland, but it was ultimately scrapped in 1992.
Themes of the Sea
Ultimately, the decision was reached between Disney and the Oriental Land Company to create a park themed after the sea. The idea for the park can be traced to a proposal to build a second theme park in Southern California called "Port Disney" in Long Beach, California, with the RMS Queen Mary as the main attraction.
The idea was scrapped after Disney endured financial trouble with the Euro Disney project. Later the idea was passed on to the Oriental Land Company to expand their resort.
Setting Sail
Tokyo Disneysea opened on September 4th, 2001 (one week before the 9/11 attacks) and upon opening, Tokyo Disneysea became the ninth park of the twelve parks already under operation by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. In 2002 Tokyo DisneySea won a Thea Award from the Themed Entertainment Association for the concept, design, and construction of the theme park. The award was presented at El Capitan Theater in Hollywood, California.
Eventually, Tokyo DisneySea reached the milestone of 10 million guests in 307 days since its grand opening, which is a record among theme parks worldwide, beating out Universal Studios Japan by 338 days.
Ports of Call
In keeping with the nautical theme, Tokyo DisneySea is divided by “Ports of Call.” Beginning with the entrance, Mediterranean Harbor, the other ports of call are Mysterious Island (which features Tokyo DisneySea’s icon, Mount Prometheus), American Waterfront, Lost River Delta, Port Discovery, Mermaid Lagoon and Arabian Coast.
Mediterranean Harbor
Mediterranean Harbor is the entrance "port-of-call" and themed as an Italian port city, with Venetian Gondolas that guests can board and ride.Littered throughout the port are various shops and restaurants.Mediterranean Harbor's layout differs from the entry "lands" of other Disney parks as it is a large "V" shape rather than a main street that leads to a hub (as found in Disneyland's Main Street, U.S.A. or Disney's Hollywood Studios' Hollywood Boulevard). To the right, the path leads to Mysterious Island, and to the left, the path leads to the American Waterfront.
Built into the architecture of the port is Tokyo DisneySea Hotel MiraCosta; the hotel serves as a full-scale reproduction of the various buildings of Portofino and Venice's ports and serves as the southern berm (or border) of the park. The design choice of combining a real hotel within the themed park areas helps to further the illusion that (as either a park or hotel guest) you are in an actual city.
Attractions featured in the Mediterranean Harbor are Soaring: Fantastic Flight, a flying simulator, and Fortress Explorations, a large-scale interactive play area for guests that features exploration-themed activities and attractions.
Mysterious Island
Mysterious Island is a "port-of-call" within Mount Prometheus, the giant volcano known as park's centerpiece and most prominent feature. It relies heavily on the storytelling of Jules Verne and, specifically, the mythology of the volcano fortress mentioned several times in the books called "Vulcania". The Mount Prometheus ride employs technology similar to Epcot's Test Track.
The smallest "port of call", it nevertheless holds two of the more popular attractions: Journey to the Center of the Earth, a thrill ride, and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, a dark ride. Despite its name, Mysterious Island is not an island; it is built into the side of Mount Prometheus, which is part of the show building for the two attractions. The architecture in this port is of Victorian style.
Mermaid Lagoon
Mermaid Lagoon is home to the characters of The Little Mermaid. The facade is made to resemble King Triton's palace and features seashell-inspired architecture. This "port of call" is mostly indoors and illuminated with cool, dim lighting to recreate the feeling of being underwater. Attractions include Flounder's Flying Fish Coaster; Scuttle's Scooters; Jumpin' Jellyfish; Blowfish Balloon Race; The Whirlpool; all of which are children's rides.
Also in this area are Ariel's Playground, which is a children's playground and extensive walk-through attraction that recreates the various settings in the movie; and the Mermaid Lagoon Theater, which formerly houses King Triton's Concert, a musical show featuring live actors, large-scale puppetry and Audio-Animatronics that recreate the story of The Little Mermaid.
Arabian Coast
The themed area recreates an Arabian harbor, combining the universe of the Disney movie Aladdin with the world from the 1001 Arabian Nights. As such, the architecture and atmosphere are inspired by many Middle-Eastern and Indian influences. Arabian Coast is the third Agrabah-themed land in a Disney park, the first being Adventureland Bazar in Disneyland Paris, and the second a recreation of this city in the Magic Kingdom.
There are five attractions in the land: Sindbad's Storybook Voyage, an indoor dark ride boat ride whose art direction seems to be (at first glance) a variation on "It's a Small World" (with its own theme song, "Compass of your Heart", composed by Alan Menken); Caravan Carousel, a double-decker carousel that holds over 190 passengers; Jasmine's Flying Carpets; and the Magic Lamp Theater, which houses a combined live-action/animatronic based magic show with a 3D movie featuring the Genie.
Lost River Delta
Located at the rear of the park, the dominant structure in this "port of call" is the ruins of an ancient Aztec pyramid which houses the dark thrill ride, Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull. Also in the Lost River Delta is the DisneySea Steamer Line which transports guests back to Mediterranean Harbor, Out of Shadowland, a live theatrical show that follows Mei, a young girl lost in a world of shadows who finds confidence and strength through her sojourn there.
Furthermore, the Lost River Delta contains an Intamin roller coaster named Raging Spirits, which opened in 2005 and is similar to Indiana Jones et le Temple du Péril at Disneyland Park in Paris.
American Waterfront
The American Waterfront is themed to resemble a New York City enlivened by new immigrants, and the New England fishing community of Cape Cod.
New York is depicted as a bustling city during the 1910s, complete with an elevated railway, a classic American Theater and a harbor displaying a large range of boats, including the massive S.S. Columbia.
Attractions featured in the American Waterfront include Toy Story Midway Mania and Tower of Terror which featured a new storyline where inside the Hightower Hotel, guests unravel the story and fright behind the disappearance of Harrison Hightower III after bringing in a cursed African idol named "Shiriki Utundu."
Port Discovery
Port Discovery is themed after a fictional 1940s scientific research centre. The area is home to two fictional societies, 'Center for Weather Control,' and later the 'Marine Life Institute' from Pixar's Finding Dory. Attractions include Aquatopia, the DisneySea Electric Railway and Nemo and Friends SeaRider.
Coming Soon: Fantasy Springs
Announced in June 2018, an eighth "port of call" named Fantasy Springs will be added to the park as part of its largest expansion so far. It will comprise three areas themed to the films of Frozen, Tangled, and Peter Pan. There will be a total of four new attractions, three restaurants, and a new luxury hotel situated in the park itself.
Tokyo Disney’s Main Enemy: Earthquakes
Now, it’s important to remember that Tokyo Disneyland is situated in a part of the world where the “ring of fire” is located. Within this ring are areas that are prone to frequent earthquakes, including Japan. To this end, cast members are trained to help and prepare guests for the event of an earthquake to occur.
In 2011, the Tohoku earthquake became the most destructive Earthquake in Japan and its aftershocks were felt in both Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea.
Submitting to COVID-19:
In addition to the occasional earthquake, Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea closed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
What Does the Future Hold for Tokyo Disney Resort?
Tokyo Disneyland states that one of its main aims is to improve the park and diversify from the limits of the domestic Disney parks. Tokyo Disneyland has recently been adding a national identity within the parks by adding attractions with distinctly Japanese qualities. Cinderella Castle displays the Disney character and story plot yet presents the story through the eyes of the Japanese.
Once dominated by Disney Legends, Masatomo Takahashi, the former president of The Oriental Land Company, states this growth and development as one of its primary goals: "We must not just repeat what we receive from Disney. I am convinced that we must contribute to the cultural exchange between Japan and U.S.A."
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