/ A whole new area (or port) opened at Tokyo DisneySea, a 2-billion-dollar project /

The news are fantastic at Tokyo Disney Resort: on June 6th, Tokyo DisneySea opened Fantasy Springs, its eighth themed area. Based on the idea of magical springs that lead to a world of Disney fantasy, the new area includes not one, but three different themes: Frozen Kingdom, Rapunzel’s Forest and Peter Pan’s Never Land, as well as the latest Disney-themed hotel, Tokyo DisneySea Fantasy Springs Hotel.

As the name implies, DisneySea is all built around the idea of “ports” (themed areas) that let visitors immerse themselves in real and fantasy destinations. There is a Mediterranean area with a model depiction of Venice and its canals; a Cape Cod area that harks back to the turn of the 20th century; and the undersea world of the Little Mermaid. And now, between the Lost River Delta and the Arabian Coast, this new area offers a cornucopia of attractions, food, and all-round entertainment.

In the Frozen Kingdom, visitors are invited to visit the kingdom of Arendelle, enveloped in a warm and celebratory atmosphere after what happened in the movie finale. The centerpiece attraction here is “Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Journey.” The 6.5 minute boat ride begins with the leader of the trolls retelling the tale of the original movie, and carries guests through the sisters’ memories of pivotal scenes, accompanied by well-known songs from the film including “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” and “Let it Go.”

Rapunzel’s Forest is themed to the movie Tangled. Here, guests can enjoy “Rapunzel’s Lantern Festival”, the first attraction in any Disney park to bring the story of Rapunzel to life. It’s again a boat ride, and along the way guests will encounter Rapunzel and the legendary thief Flynn Rider, and see their love blossom at the Lantern Festival. This area also includes The Snuggly Duckling tavern, right out of the movie.

Finally, Peter Pan’s Never Land harks back to the Peter Pan movie and all of Disney’s fairies, and it counts not one, but two attractions. “Peter Pan’s Never Land Adventure” is a 3D ride where guests join Peter Pan, Tinker Bell and the Lost Kids on an epic adventure through Never Land to rescue John from Captain Hook and his band of pirates. In the course of the 6-minute ride, Tinker Bell sprinkles fairy dust on the boat, allowing guests to soar into the sky. The second ride, which is shorter, is “Fairy Tinker Bell’s Busy Buggies,” and allows guests to explore the fairy valley and its changing seasons.

All together, the new Fantasy Springs area was a 2-billion-dollar investment, and it is a pillar project under Disney’s 10-year, 60-billion-dollar investment plan for its global theme parks. It’s also the largest addition in Japan since the Tokyo resort opened over 40 years ago. “I am so proud of the richly immersive experiences we’ve created together, and I look forward to the bright future ahead of us here at Tokyo Disney Resort,” said Disney CEO Bob Iger during the grand opening. 

Continue reading Games & Parks Industry July-August, page 34

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