Tokyo Disney Resort TR - Ep2 of Disney Around the World

[Royal Consort]

Last month I embarked on a ‘Disney Around the World’ trip where I visited numerous Disney parks and resorts in succession. I have begun posting my trip report of each resort in the corresponding board. Opinions given within these reports are purely subjective.

Episode 1: Hong Kong Disneyland
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=52469028#post52469028
Episode 2: Tokyo Disney Resort
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=52469087#post52469087
Episode 3: Disneyland Resort Paris
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=52469155#post52469155
Episode 4: Disneyland Resort
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=52514347#post52514347

Tokyo. Disney. Resort. Those three words conjure images of inaccessible worlds, mythic attractions and legendary shopping. It is the holy grail of Disney tourism. You know what? It’s kinda okay. Tokyo Disney Resort had been on my ‘to do’ list for years. It kept being put off for one reason or another. It was even replaced entirely by a trip to Walt Disney World once. This year I was determined to do it. I was going and no one was going to stop me.

Hotel Miracosta

From the airport we caught the bus to the resort. Each Disney resort in the world is situated somewhere ‘separate’ from the outside world. Referred to colloquially as the ‘Disney Bubble’. I’m not convinced that can be said for Tokyo Disney Resort. The world does intrude. Not helped by a flight path over Cinderella Castle probably. My emotions were being heavily regulated on the bus journey should the excitement become uncontrollable. Breathe. First stop, Disneyland Park, next stop our hotel: the Miracosta. I had practiced for days leading up to the six month advance booking date. I had this online reservation system sorted. Never in my life have I seen a hotel book out within less than a minute and I don’t think I ever will again. The view that greeted me took my breath away. We had arrived.

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Check in was easy enough and we toddled off to buy park hoppers which you’re able to do as a hotel guest. Otherwise it’s one park per day for the first two days. As a relatively fit man it was exceptionally tempting to try and assist the petite cast member who was struggling with our luggage and showing us our room. As I was advised beforehand, etiquette doesn’t permit this. We had booked a room overlooking Porto Paradiso and each morning and evening I would open the window and just sit there as the music wafted in. The room was pleasant but not ornate. You’re really paying for the location and/or view. The lobby displays an impressive bronze ship sculpture adorned with the fab 5. The lobby is both intimate and intricate at the same time but does become crowded during check in and out times. Although the Bella Vista Lounge looked spectacular with a view of Mediterranean Harbour, we opted for buffet Oceano that evening. The food was delicious and, for a buffet, nicely (but not over) cooked. I’m getting ahead of myself.

The benefits of Miracosta are namely being within the DisneySea park and having a private entrance directly into Mediterranean Harbour. This makes taking time out during the day a breeze but we didn’t use this small entrance for early entry. For that we lined up at the normal turnstiles as this allows for much faster entry (similar to avoiding the Grand Californian entrance and using the normal turnstiles). The Miracosta’s exterior is impressive and I doubt I’ll ever stay in another hotel that looks even remotely as picturesque as this one.

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Tokyo DisneySea

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Since we arrived in the morning and had missed the first half an hour I had thrown my touring plan out for the day. That will be used tomorrow. As the running of the bulls was occurring towards Toy Story Mania (really? I mean it’s ok…but really? I thought racing to it was bad in Hollywood Studios!) we pulled Fastpasses for Journey to the Centre of the Earth. Because we had 40 mins to kill we went on a reconnoitre. Our first attraction in DisneySea? That legendary place in which no corporate soul spared any expense? ‘Whirlpool’ in Mermaid Lagoon. Yep… … epic. So after some spinning and my excitement exploring the playground area featuring Ariel’s grotto we spent some time soaking in all of DisneySea.

Mermaid Lagoon

People seem overly harsh on Mermaid Lagoon. ‘Full of kiddie rides’ they say. I see no problem with this. I have a giant grin when I’m on Dumbo and it’s a ‘kiddie ride’ but I don’t think that means it’s bad or unenjoyable. This aforementioned grin remained whilst riding the Blowfish Balloon Race (I also love The Little Mermaid so a themed area was right up my alley). Even if the rides aren't to your taste the underwater theming is still wonderful.

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Mermaid Lagoon is a nice place to take some time out especially when the weather is poor or overly hot. The Mermaid theatre was closed for refurbishment while we were there but I would have loved to have caught this show. You’re unlikely to spend a large amount of time in this land but with all of DisneySea its quality over quantity.

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Mysterious Island

Journey to the Centre of the Earth is located in Mysterious Island and is featured within the volcano itself. The most impressive thing about the ride is the queue. Passing rockwork you approach a set of elevators that take you down towards the depths of the earth before you exit into a cavern filled with drilling equipment and load into your vehicle. The story is simple: it’s pretty beneath the earth in this alien ecosystem until you descend too far and are confronted by a lava creature. Subsequently you have to skelter out of there, think you’re going to hit your head on rockwork as you suddenly reach the light and drop, and then get off. It seems almost too short but is impressive all the same. The amount of rockwork here is beyond comprehension. Solidified lava forming around and throughout the volcano and burrowing drills penetrating inwards from the exterior. This land looks probably as expensive as it cost; a lot. I thought Carsland had a lot of rockwork! Mysterious Island also provides a bit of respite to sit down and have a beer or a gyoza. My other half enjoyed this famed snack food but I didn’t quite get what all the fuss was about. It was warm, I wanted a Dole whip.

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American Waterfront

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American Waterfront should also be known unofficially as ‘Duffyland’. Duffy and ShellieMay, along with new pal Gelatoni, are everywhere and the Japanese adore them. It’s just about a requirement that you must purchase a Duffy. I’ve never liked Duffy and even I bought a Duffy. That vacant looking bear doesn’t make an ounce of sense until you’ve been to DisneySea and experienced the mass affection the stuffed toy receives. He is primarily sold at McDuck’s department store. At least Disney has been open about corporate greed in covering the shop with dollar signs. Jokes aside, American Waterfront is probably the most detailed land within the park. It features an old fashioned Broadway theatre and its own ship that has two restaurants; SS Columbia and Roosevelt Lounge. We dined that afternoon at the Roosevelt Lounge, a wood panelled lounge that instantly transports you out of Tokyo and Disney and to another time entirely. Any other day I may have stayed for hours but in a place like DisneySea where everything is themed to the nines, you just want to get out and explore. It’s catnip to a Disney enthusiast.

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American Waterfront features Toy Story Mania of which we are all familiar. The exterior is the best of the lot and comes alive in the evening. The seaside carnival attraction themed area is perpetually busy and I would recommend that unless you’re going during a very quiet week, skipping Toy Story entirely is the best option.

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Tower of Terror resides here with a different story and even though it looks attractive, I don’t ride things that drop. That stomach churning, head spinning, vile physical sensation I experience following dropping is not something I care to repeat for enjoyment. You people are all mad.

Port Discovery

Port Discovery reminds me of Disneyland Paris’s Discoveryland. It’s filled with gold accents and steampunk in design. Within this retro-future land you will find Stormrider. Stormrider’s concept is thus; new technology has been developed to allow a mission into the eye of a storm. Unfortunately this vehicle isn’t as stable as intended and ultimately performs the aeronautical equivalent to the Titanic. I think the gist of it was that we all died in the end. The concept is good and the cabin breaking apart is well executed. It does need updated 3D technology to feel involved in the flight simulation. I don’t really have any photos of Port Discovery and I put the blame squarely on one ride: Aquatopia. It was a very hot day and the park was operating the ‘Wet Version’. Aquatopia is nothing really like Autopia. Vehicles automatically guide themselves around a pool structure and every so often you get squirted with lots and lots of water squarely. in. the. face. Soaked. Really, soaked. The Japanese guests thought it the most hilarious thing to see a couple of Caucasians becoming drenched and smooshed in the face by water jets. You know what? We thought it was hilarious too.

Lost River Delta

A sense of being completely cut off from civilisation and covered with vegetation, Lost River Delta is an impressive land. Here lies Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Crystal Skull (an adaptation of Anaheim’s ride with an even MORE impressive queue and special effects). Indiana lines can get long and this is one you’re going to want to pop a Fastpass for.

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The effect of a fireball being shot directly at your face is awesome. This land seems elongated as it’s located towards the back of the park but there’s very little within it. It is well worth exploration to discover the nooks and crannies. Raging Spirits is also here and a popular ride but it wasn’t something I felt the need to experience. Like Paris’s Temple of Peril, this was an ‘off the shelf’ coaster that was low on theme and in storytelling. Lost River Delta will be used a lot as a pathway traversing to Arabian Coast from American Waterfront or Port Discovery. Who would have thought that Anaheim’s Indiana could be topped?

Arabian Coast

If having a land themed to The Little Mermaid wasn’t enough, Aladdin gets his own realm with Arabian Coast. Land of mystery, of enchantment….. etc.

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…and again, simply beautiful. Here you encounter what is to my mind the best Disney attraction in the world: Sindbad’s Storybook Voyage. Others have compared it to Small World and I suppose that would be its closest counterpart. Every animatronic is animated with distinct personalities. A song by Alan Menken (Compass of Your Heart) accompanies the ride and remains in your head for weeks after. The ride tells the story of Sindbad who sets sail and encounters a number of mythical creatures. The ride is long, immersive, and mesmerising. There is nothing like it elsewhere. A visit to DisneySea to JUST experience this ride would be worth it.

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The land incorporates Jasmine’s Flying Carpets, a double decker carousel and a 3D Genie show in the Magic Lamp Theatre. I hadn’t a clue what they were talking about during the show but the interaction between the 3D Genie and actors was convincing. Not often you can say that about 3D! If you’re heading to DisneySea, make sure you check this show out.

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Entertainment

Would you queue at 8am for a 4:45pm parade? The Japanese do. Surely I was wrong but no, I heard a guest ask a cast member who politely told them that yes, the people were waiting for the Legend of Mythica at 4:45. We deliberately picked a quiet week on the Japanese crowd calendar and our entire trip was based solely on being at Tokyo Disney Resort on these specific days. With Fastpass and a solid touring plan you can do an awful lot during a quiet mid-week day in either park but you’re going to encounter queues for everything. From popcorn to parades, to attractions and shopping, the Japanese guests form long orderly queues and seem perfectly comfortable waiting many hours for a three minute ride. I, however, would not be. We found a place approximately half an hour before Mythica began. The primary problem is that Mediterranean Harbour is a peculiar shape that makes finding a ‘good spot’ challenging for parades and Fantasmic in the evening. There will always be something that is blocked.

Legend of Mythica is an extravagant on-water parade featuring the Fab Five, kites, and water-skis. The parade lasts for about 20 minutes or so. We were lucky to catch this several days before it was due to finish and from what I can tell, it has quite a fan base.

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Catchy music and theme tunes make up the soundtrack including Sea of Dreams (during which you can’t help realising you’re in frickn’ DISNEYSEA!!!)

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The on water version of Fantasmic is another challenge to find an appropriate viewing spot as it’s not able to be seen in the round. Every time I’ve visited Disneyland in Anaheim I’ve always missed Fantasmic as I go mid-week. The Walt Disney World version doesn’t really thrill me. In DisneySea floats and vehicles are used well to tell the same tale of Mickey vs the universe. Maleficent is inflatable (it sounds worse than it is) as are some of the characters that make their way around the harbour. It’s a great show and rates well above the WDW counterpart that’s severely in need of an update.

Prior to the parade we dined at flagship restaurant Magellan’s. A must on everyone’s list! This is located within the fortress. We were almost late as there are so many hidden rooms and towers to explore within the fortress, it’s easy to be lost! Portion sizes were small but that’s the case with any Japanese restaurant but it made up for it in flavour. The interior of Magellan’s is a sight to behold. We were shown to our table within the ‘secret’ room behind the bookcase. The secret wine cellar is lovely but doesn’t have the grand majesty of the main dining room. Get a reservation here come hell or high weather.

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Final Thoughts

DisneySea is the only theme park concept that can rival the magic kingdom design. There’s no other second gate that equals or even improves on the magic kingdom. DisneySea has laid down its well-maintained gauntlet. This is a place where the Disney characters and worlds come to life just as much as they do in Disneyland Anaheim, the Magic Kingdom or Disneyland Paris. The variety of unique merchandise from individual stores that sold home wares, porcelains, plush, etc. make this a destination to stock up on souvenirs. US parks, you could learn so much. I just didn’t have enough room to bring the Genie gravy boat back home!

An honourable mention to the Tokyo cast members who without a doubt made this trip such a special experience. Their courtesy, politeness and joy were not only infectious but an idea model of perfect customer service. If a cast member couldn’t speak English they made sure they got someone who could. There were even cast members who apologised for not speaking English! We were in THEIR country, we should be the ones to apologise! Each person we encountered as an asset to the resort and business.

The Oriental Land Company who own Tokyo Disney Resort have few objections to spending money and maintaining this gem of a park and it’s the Japanese audience who benefits from it. I would argue that the reason this park is so mind-boggling is because it’s not owned by the Walt Disney Company. The love the Japanese guests have for Disney transcends age and gender allowing this to be a special place for anyone willing to suspend their disbelief. Tokyo DisneySea is the best Disney park in the world. Enough said.
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[Royal Consort]

Tokyo Disneyland Park

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I’ve covered what many to believe to be the jewel in the Disney parks crown; DisneySea, so it’s now time to look at the original park. I’ve spoiled many a Disney park before I’ve visited by getting the lie of the land and watching youtube walkthroughs. Not this time. For Hong Kong and Toyko Disneyland I banned myself from any walkthrough videos. Goodness I wish I’d checked out Tokyo Disneyland online before I visited as I would have been more prepared. I’m going against conventional wisdom when I say I disliked this magic kingdom. Most blogs or reviews often rate Tokyo Disneyland as the best version of the magic kingdom worldwide. For many I’m sure that is the case but certainly not for me. I’m going to feature a report of each land but firstly I’m going to give my overall impression. Tokyo Disneyland felt corporate. When I think of a Disney park I think of the beauty, the whimsy, the ‘magic’, and the intricately themed lands. When I think of Tokyo Disneyland I think of green concrete, vast spaces, rides along the outlying edges, ...and even more vast amounts of space. It almost felt as if a corporation scooped all the attractions from Florida’s Magic Kingdom and placed them in an industrial sized plot of land with little concern about land separation and landscaping. There’s a perfectly good reason for this design; this park gets crowded. There needs to be such vast spaces to fit all the people! Unfortunately the subsequent result is a barren environment. That’s not to say the entire park is a write off. It’s not and it possess a number of important strengths so let’s get to it!

World Bazaar

Main Street is my favourite part of a magic kingdom park. In my previous review of Hong Kong Disneyland I discussed a sense of anticipation being built towards entering the magic kingdom as fundamentally important. Here Main Street has been replaced by the functionally covered (for inclement weather) World Bazaar. It remains Victorian in theme but doesn’t function in the same way as a Main Street will funnel you to the iconic castle. Sightlines approaching the castle are disrupted entirely by the nature of a) Cinderella Castle being so far away and b) the covered roofing.

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World bazaar as the central retail component works perfectly well as the store interiors are gorgeous and well appointment with a variety of unique merchandise. It doesn’t, however, feel part of the park. It feels separate as if it’s the place you must walk through before accessing the park. I did spend quite a bit of time here stocking up on Japanese Disney merch and enjoyed the Disney Gallery which sells art and sculpture (although I didn’t quite understand why you couldn’t take photos as the art is limited edition from either Acme archives or Disneyfineart). The other distinction between the US kingdoms and Tokyo is that each unique shop sold corresponding merchandise. Toy shops sold toys, clothiers sold clothes etc. The US parks have given up on this and the same items are found in each ‘shop’.

If you don’t like waiting or had no luck with the Once Upon a Time seating lottery (the new evening projection show onto Cinderella Castle), the end of World Bazaar is a good place to stand for the show. As we make our way down we finally reach the hub. It’s huge. Simply for illustrative purposes I took a photo from Cinderella Castle.

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That’s some large hub action going on. The one thing I thought was fantastic about Cinderella Castle were the four towers/battlements which are used well within the Once Upon a Time show to great effect. Cinderella Castle is the same as the Floridian counterpart with a different paint scheme (darker at the bottom and more gothic looking), and a turret less. Because the Magic Kingdom is a smaller park the castle there looks a great deal larger. Instead of a pre-paid princess restaurant within the structure, Tokyo Disneyland offers a retelling of the Cinderella tale through dioramas from different mediums such as metalwork, origami, and wood. You can also try on Cinderella’s slipper if your foot is inhumanly small.

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Adventureland

Adventureland features arguably the best version of the Jungle Cruise. It was not supposed to be open during our trip as it was listed as undergoing refurbishment but we were lucky that they had just soft opened the queue as we were walking past. TOKYO DISNEYLAND WALK-ON!!!!! Score. Jungle Cruise has reopened as Wildlife Expeditions and uses projection technology within the temple/shrine scene which begins to come alive, a soundtrack for the first time, and glowing evening version of the ride. It’s a toss up whether this version or Hong Kong’s is the best but I think I’m giving it to Tokyo simply for the awesome temple scene.

Pirates, as expected, is also in Adventureland in a rather disappointing version of Anaheim’s New Orleans square. Again, I think part of this comes down to theming and that awful green concrete everywhere. Pirates is essentially the same as Anaheim’s version with English being the predominant language of the land lubbers.

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The Tiki room features a twist as Stitch has crashed out the front and has converted the Tiki room into his own little performance space. The Stitch animatronic from the Magic Kingdom’s Stitch’s Great Escape is used in all his glory and he definitely is impressive. I hear dissatisfaction about Stitch being featured but I liked experiencing something new. I thought it worked ok. To do something like this in Anaheim would be considered sacrilege to traditionalists but in Tokyo I see no issue.

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Adventureland is fine and is probably the best ‘themed’ land within Tokyo Disneyland park. Although it doesn’t create a ‘jungle’ feel, it tries to. Some of the unique shops here are also worth a gander. From Adventureland we make our way to Front..Westernland.

Westernland

Frontierland has become Westernland. An attempt at a western town has be implemented but once again the wide open spaces offset any immersion of suspension of disbelief. Big Thunder Mountain was great fun though and I enjoyed the queue as you weave your way through rockwork ascending to the loading point. This version rates highly and I would rate it only below Disneyland Paris’s. It feels similar to the Magic Kingdom version with improvements here and there including more props and by journeying through caverns at the beginning before the lift. I’m a Big Thunder fan anyway, it’s my happy place.

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Country Bears are here too. The Country Bears are the Magic Kingdom’s most under-rated attraction/show. How can you not sit through the show without a good old belly laugh? In Tokyo the bears are on vacation….. in California. Wow, it was confusing. I felt like I had walked into a twilight alternative universe. What happened to the bears?! The whole show didn’t fit and the original should have just been left. I understand they have three versions of the show and I think the sooner the original returns the better.

I was finally able to buy a turkey leg in Westernland! Thank goodness the Japanese have smaller portion sizes as I’ve never been able to face one of the US legs. Here, it was just the right size. We grabbed a leg before a queue started to form and sat underneath the Western River Railroad bridge as the rain started to pour. The heavens opened and it felt like an entire month’s rain descended from early morning until late in the evening. On the negative side I gave up on taking half decent photos and just started snapping images of lands for memory preservation. I wasn’t going to get any good shots that day. On the positive side, the crowds are significantly smaller during inclement weather and we made use of this day by riding almost every attraction. Not a mean feat in Tokyo Disneyland I understand.

Fantasyland

You know exactly when you’ve crossed into Fantasyland because the concrete transitions from red to green. The classic attractions are all here: Peter Pan (I really liked Tinker Bell hovering over each pirate ship simulating the sprinkling of pixie dust), Pinocchio, Dumbo (circa 1983), Snow White (it ends with the Hag leveraging a boulder to fall on top of the rider so I assume that means we all died), Haunted Mansion (Ghosts are considered fantastical in theme by the Japanese so I think it works here), Small World etc… and Winnie the Pooh. Of course this is the legendary version with a trackless ride system and animatronics covered in fabrics to immerse the guest in 100 Acre Wood. We just rode and re-rode this attraction. A pure joy. Bouncing Tigger and a bouncing trackless vehicle, just try not smiling! Why oh why didn’t Hong Kong Disneyland import this version?!

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Fantasyland has the best counter service of any Disney park in the world. The Queen of Hearts Banqueting Hall is incredibly well themed. First, pass card guards before ordering you food by navigating around tilted plates and tables filled with various heart shaped tasty option. I went for the rotisserie chicken and it was delicious! Serving sizes were above average for Tokyo so this kept me going until dinner.

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Queen of Hearts is a must for any visitor to this park. The theme of Tokyo Disneyland appears to be that interiors are more heavily themed than exteriors causing some disconnect.

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Toontown

I’m not going to cover Toontown in great detail. It’s a replica of the US versions with Roger Rabbit (a slightly improved version) but once again, it was very vast to accommodate crowds and loses its frivolous nature in translation.

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Tomorrowland

In looking through my photos, I’ve realised I’ve taken close to no pictures of Tomorrowland. The land is stark white and feels very very retro. Similar in style to Magic Kingdom’s ye olde Tomorrowland we have Star Jets instead of an Orbitron and Grand Circuit Raceway filling the same role as Autopia or Tomorrowland Speedway. Not entirely sure the Japanese would get ‘Aquatopia’ in DisneySea if the attraction isn’t called ‘Autopia’ here. Once more, vast amounts of space are the name of the game, oh and speaking of space……. Space Mountain! This ride is very popular as you can imagine and the line curls around the exterior of the structure before taking you up a travelator and within the mountain. The ride uses the same loading area and vehicles as Anaheim while the building is the same size as the Magic Kingdom. The track is smooth, dark, silent and very enjoyable. It’s even quieter because the Japanese guests don’t tend to scream all that much on coasters. Sometimes that can be wonderful! The only thing missing here is the onboard audio that is sorely missed both here and in Florida. Unlike Florida, this doesn’t hurt or attempt to hurl you out at every turn. Get here early.

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The most popular ride of all exists within Tomorrowland and that is Monsters Inc Hide and Go Seek. It’s somewhat like Anaheim’s ride but with more detailed animatronics and scenes. Oh, and you get a torch that you shine onto M helmets revealing corresponding monsters. This is the only ride open during your early 15 minute entry if you’re staying on site so ride this and if you want to re-ride, grab yourself a Fastpass. It’s very cute but I think Pooh wins my heart. If you ARE getting here for early 15, take the first right in World Bazaar and make your way directly to the attraction.

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Entertainment

Before I cover the evening entertainment, I’m going to briefly mention the Happiness is Here parade which was used to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Tokyo Disneyland in 2013. It was pouring rain but the parade still ran, albeit with face characters in ponchos. Hey, we got a good spot at least! Apart from the song being super catchy (why don’t the US parks have themes like Paris and Toyko?!), the parade was enjoyable but didn’t push technology. That has to wait for the evening parade Dream Lights.

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Happiness certainly was there but my concern being soaked was that the flu was too.

I have waited years to see the Main Street Electrical Parade: Dream Lights (Tokyo Disneyland doesn’t have a Main Street so this may be a similar problem to Aquatopia?) Hands down it WAS the best night time parade until Hong Kong Disneyland so rudely debuted Paint the Night right after we left! It is named Main St Electrical Parade Dream Lights as it is an adaptation of the original Disneyland parade in Anaheim with newer technology and an endless procession of detailed floats. Tokyo Disneyland actually has two evening parades. During rainy weather they run Nightfall Glow. It’s short but sweet and still allows guests to experience some illuminated entertainment. Because we were there in both awful and clear weather we were fortunate to see both. My favourite float within Dream Lights is Cinderella’s whereby her dress is transformed by white lights as the Fairy Godmother casts her spell. Simply stunning.

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We were fortunate to win the lottery (you enter in Tomorrowland by scanning your ticket for a front seat) for Once Upon a Time, the new night time projection show. That evening we endured a drenching whilst watching this show. The show features Mrs. Potts telling various stories to Chip but doesn't quite reach the emotional heights or spectacular nature the Paris's Dreams. Of course there are no water fountains to make use of but Belle and the Beast dancing around the battlements is beautiful.

Final Thoughts

All in all I had very conflicting and mixed feelings about Tokyo Disneyland park. Having ventured from sensory overload and ecstasy at neighbour DisneySea, this place left me feeling empty. Never did I truly feel I had entered a magic kingdom where Disney characters and worlds came to life. In my Hong Kong Disneyland report I described theming and aesthetic being important to me when I visit a Disney park and although DisneySea had more theming and beauty than I dared imagine, it was lacking here. The Magic Kingdom in Florida and Disneyland in Anaheim are in a constant state of flux. Using the cliché that Disneyland will never be finished, Tokyo Disneyland’s environs seem to have been untouched since the 80’s. It still lives within that decade even though the technology in some rides and parades have moved forward. Once again much of this is due to necessity in order to cater for the crowds and I think whenever I return, I’ll know what to expect and probably feel differently towards the park. It is with mixed emotions and confusion that I now leave Tokyo Disneyland and check in to the newest hotel on property, the Disneyland Hotel.

Disneyland Hotel

I have made it my goal to visit every single property that goes by the name ‘Disneyland Hotel’ in the world. There’s a background to this. As a child my parents took me to Disneyland Paris and I fell in love. Even before entering the park I began a passionate affair with the Disneyland Hotel that acts as a gateway. I dreamed of staying there one day and vowed I would. Last year I did in fact and knew I was going to conquer each of them. This was the last on the list. As a bit of an ‘achievement’ for working all year and conquering a new Disneyland Hotel, I buy myself a pin as a souvenir. I had one more pin to collect! Tokyo Disney Resort doesn’t really do pins………… there was no Disneyland Hotel pin!!! ARGH THE ANGUISH. I bought a commemorative plate.

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Tokyo Disneyland Hotel is huge. It fuses Indian, Japanese, English, and Middle Eastern architecture and styles into a hotel that works in spite of the contradictory themes. Whereas the Miracosta’s lobby is intimate and detailed, the lobby here is cavernous and expansive. Marble covers the floor and a fountain sits within the middle of the foyer. Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan are the two ambassadors of this accommodation and references to each are placed throughout the hotel. Rooms are much more spacious and opulent than at the Miracosta. We opted for an Alice room decorated with subtle character wallpaper and amenities that unfortunately overlooked a highway. Remember when I previously referred to ‘real world’ intrusion? Can’t be helped in a city such as Tokyo. If you wanted the most for your money then you’re better off booking the Disneyland Hotel. Being on site allows you free access to the monorail that circles both parks and although this is relatively easy I think choosing which park you’ll spend most of your time in is important in determining whether the Disneyland Hotel or Miracosta is best for you. If DisneySea is going to occupy you most, then give up the nicer room and stay at the Miracosta using the guest only entrance into the park. If Disneyland is your destination of choice then this would be the place for you.

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It’s now time for us to leave the Tokyo Disney Resort and fly to London for several days’ recuperation before taking the Eurostar to Disneyland Paris for more Disney happiness. I will return again to Tokyo Disney Resort and was contemplating the possibility of doing so next year as we have an Asian stopover on the way home from our European Disney cruise. The choice was between Tokyo Disney Resort and Hong Kong Disneyland. We finally made the choice and it was to return to Hong Kong (since we became annual passholders there anyway because it’s cheaper than multi-days). That is not to say Tokyo is a one and done. Far from it. As Arnold succinctly put it “Irll be barck”.

 

[Aussie Wendy]

I so agree with many of your comments on Tokyo DisneySea..we also loved Sinbad, Under the Sea (the show was interesting with excellent puppetry but we also loved exploring the theming), Aquatopia (as it was early spring we didn't get wet-they obviously adjust those for the time of year), the whole Mysterious Island area with its rides, actually you know, we loved every bit of it. I would love to stay at Miracosta one day.

I think you are a bit harsh on Disneyland but it was quite crowded when we were there so being able to dodge around groups because of the space was good. I wasn't a fan of the undercover Main St though understand why. We watched the Easter Parade which was hilarious-and yes amazed at people sitting in a spot to watch it, hours earlier just after the parks opened while we walked up 30 mins prior and got a reasonable spot! We didn't have a full day in DL as we flew out that evening so I don't feel like I fully appreciated it (and I started feeling "off" with a bit of a tummy upset after lunch at Queen of Hearts but that was probably a coincidence of timing as the others were fine). Next visit I plan to do a full day in DL first before being wowed again by TDS.

 

[ChrisFL]

I was a bit worried at first when I read this at the beginning of your report

It is the holy grail of Disney tourism. You know what? It’s kinda okay.

...but after reading that, I'm pretty much in 100% agreement with you!

Everything you've said is basically what I could have written on my visits to the TDR parks.

I will say, in TDR's slight defense, the hopelessly outdated Tomorrowland was planned to get a great, futuristic upgrade, but the budget was instead used for DisneySea....I think that was a good choice.

A few other things to note. While Legend of Mythica was an amazing show, it has since been discontinued They are supposed to be replacing it, but I don't think its been announced yet.

The Jungle Cruise also just re-opened (after a refurb and some new things added) and had a 2 hour wait all day when I visited about a month ago....just a warning.

 

[Royal Consort]

I was a bit worried at first when I read this at the beginning of your report

Ha ha. Bit of tongue in cheek on my part I think.


Episode 4 - Disneyland Resort now up: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=52514347#post52514347