5/5 Jason Van C. 2 years ago on Google
Tokyo
DisneySea
is
a
bit
of
a
homunculus:
a
mish-mash
of
familiar
Disney-owned
intellectual
properties
and
rides
found
at
other
parks,
as
well
as
completely
unique,
one-of-a-kind
attractions
that
you
won't
find
anywhere
else
in
the
world.
Likely
a
by-product
of
the
fact
that
Tokyo
DisneySea
isn't
actually
owned
by
Disney,
but
rather
a
park
licensed
and
operated
by
a
subsidiary
of
a
Japanese
railway
company.
And
yet,
whoever
the
puppetmaster
propping
up
this
pleasurable
park
might
be,
they're
doing
the
Disney
reputation
for
excellence
proud!
For
those
who
have
never
been,
Tokyo
DisneySea
is
the
surrogate
"California
Adventure"
to
the
adjacent
Tokyo
Disneyland,
sharing
some
similarities,
while
wildly
diverging
in
other
ways.
Whereas
Disneyland
(both
Tokyo
and
Anaheim)
are
centered
around
Cinderella's
castle,
TDSea's
layout
is
oriented
around
the
volcanic
Mount
Prometheus:
a
towering
artificial
volcano
that
not
only
"erupts"
several
times
per
day,
it
is
also
the
centerpiece
of
several
of
the
aquatic
shows
that
take
place
at
night
in
the
Mediterranean
Harbor,
and
a
core
feature
of
the
park's
best
ride,
Journey
to
the
Center
of
the
Earth!
Another
ride
unique
to
this
park
is
the
Stormrider:
a
simulation
ride
similar
to
a
souped
up
"Star
Tours",
where
passengers
are
ferried
along
on
a
scientific
plunge
into
the
eye
of
a
hurricane,
complete
with
wind,
water
and
lightning
effects.
For
traditionalists,
the
Tower
of
Terror,
before
its
conversion
to
its
current
"Guardians
of
the
Galaxy"
flavor
at
other
parks,
still
exists
in
its
"original"
form,
although
the
Japanese
version
forsakes
the
Twilight
Zone
origin
story
for
something
more
localized,
that
wouldn't
be
out
of
place
in
a
movie
such
as
Ju-On
(The
Grudge)
or
Ringu
(The
Ring).
Other
than
this
storyline
change
(it
has
always
existed
in
this
form
here
at
TDS),
the
aesthetics
of
the
original
Hollywood
Tower
Hotel
are
unchanged.
Other
highlights
of
the
park
include
Ariel's
Grotto:
an
undersea
walkthrough
attraction;
the
Arabian
Coast:
a
region
dedicated
to
Aladdin
and
friends;
the
American
Harbor,
with
its
early
20th
century
atmosphere
and
décor,
including
a
life-size
recreation
of
the
S.S.
Columbia
(part
restaurant,
part
bar,
part
walkthrough
attraction);
and
the
Mediterranean
Harbor,
TDS'
version
of
the
French
Quarter
in
Anaheim,
encircling
a
massive
lagoon
where
nightly
aquatic
shows,
the
park's
version
of
the
Main
Street
Parade,
are
performed.
For
die-hard
Disney
nerds,
Tokyo
DisneySea
is
a
must-visit.
It
has
enough
familiarity
to
hit
all
the
nostalgia
notes,
while
being
unique
enough
to
inspire
a
completely
different
(and
welcome)
sense
of
wonder.
There
isn't
another
Disney
park
like
it.
That
said,
this
disassociation
from
the
core
of
the
Disney
oeuvre
means
that
the
park
itself
is
rather
static.
Unlike
it's
kissing
cousins,
the
massive
changes,
modifications
and
evolutions
constantly
underway
at
other
parks
directly
owned
by
the
House
of
Mouse
are
not
present
here,
and
likely
never
will
be.
In
a
way,
that
only
adds
to
DisneySea's
charm,
and
I'm
not
sure
I
would
have
it
any
other
way.
When
things
are
this
great,
why
change
them?