Photo Essay: Tokyo DisneySea!

 

It feel like just yesterday and 3 years ago at the same time.  In reality, it’s only been about 6 months since we were at the Tokyo Disney Resort and I conclude my photo essay with the creme-de-la-creme of Disney parks: Tokyo DisneySea!  You may be interested in checking out our Tokyo DisneySea episode of the Remain Seated, Please Podcast while you read along!  You can also check out this video compilation I made of the footage from the park!

We took the subway to the resort that morning and figured we could walk to DisneySea in the same way we walked over to Disneyland — not the case!  I guess we are so used to walking to Disneyland here in Anaheim that we take it for granted.  For this park, we got to board the monorail! (for a small fee.)

These were fun!
These were fun!
Riding past Tokyo Disneyland on the Monorail!
Riding past Tokyo Disneyland on the Monorail!

Once at the park entrance, we noticed how much shorter the line to get in was.  Thank goodness!  We weren’t sure we could handle another day like the previous in terms of crowds.  We did catch a glimpse of some more amazing kids in costumes, though!

It's Donald!
It’s Donald!

We got in and walked quickly to the American Waterfront section of the park to get our Tower of Terror fastpasses and our dinner reservations on the SS Columbia.

It's hard not to be in awe of this park's "weenie" Mount Prometheus
It’s hard not to be in awe of this park’s “weenie” Mount Prometheus
The Columbia in the early morning hours!
The Columbia in the early morning hours!
Their Tower is HUGE!
Their Tower is HUGE!
It's ALL in the details!
It’s ALL in the details!

We then headed to the next E-ticket attraction to stand in what we thought would be a huge line — “Journey to the Center of the Earth,” which is over at Mysterious Island — an INCREDIBLY detailed area of the park that is unlike anything else you have ever seen, I assure you!

A panorama shot of Mysterious Island!
A panorama shot of Mysterious Island!
Walking INTO Mount Prometheus!
Walking INTO Mount Prometheus!
The start of the queue for "Journey to the Center of the Earth!"
The start of the queue for “Journey to the Center of the Earth!”

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Queue details!
Queue details!

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I love these lifts!
I love these lifts!

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The ride vehicles!
The ride vehicles!

After THAT whirlwind experience, we grabbed a bite to eat.  I had heard about the Gyoza Dog, but I HAD to have one!  So I did and I REALLY liked it.  More of a Bao-like texture on the outside dumpling but inside was more of the Gyoza dumpling kind of texture.

Gyoza Dog and Oolong Tea
Gyoza Dog and Oolong Tea

Then, we headed over to the Lost River Delta to check out the Indiana Jones attraction.  It was still VERY early in the day and the park was still pretty slow which was GREAT for us.  I LOVED the queue for Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull.  The ride is very similar to the Indiana Jones attraction at Disneyland, but this queue was incredible.

Indy!
Indy!

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Just to give you some perspective. This room is HUGE!
Just to give you some perspective. This room is HUGE!

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Loved these skeletons!
Loved these skeletons!

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Details...
Details…

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THIS looks familiar!
THIS looks familiar!  Just above the load-in area.

Next up was Port Discovery.  The aesthetic and design of this area reminded me of Discovery Land at Disneyland Resort Paris.  Lots of blues and golds and a steam punk vibe.  I was very interested in the Aquatopia attraction which is a trackless ride system on water.  It sounds cooler than it was, but it was fun nonetheless.

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We were now ready.  It was time.  TOWER OF TERROR!  This would be the first time we had been on a Tower attraction that was not themed after The Twilight Zone and this would also mark the final Tower we needed to ride to be able to say we had ridden them all!  Here’s what we saw:

Looks a little like Liberty Square to me!
Heading back to the American Waterfront, I snapped this. Looks a little like Liberty Square to me!
It looms!
It looms!
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The “CLOSED” side-entrance. Just a part of the details
The Japanese version of the famous elevator scene in the lobby!
The Japanese version of the famous elevator scene in the lobby!

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The tiki idol!
The tiki idol!
The idol vanishes right before your eyes!
The idol vanishes right before your eyes!
The warehouse queue after the idol scene.
The warehouse queue after the idol scene.

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Time to go!

It’s VERY similar to the DCA and Paris version in terms of ride experience, but the story and visuals are much different and in some ways better.

Just before lunch, we walked thru the Mediterranean Harbor area of the park and snapped some shots.

Toy Story area adjacent to the American Waterfront
Toy Story area adjacent to the American Waterfront
SO beautiful!
SO beautiful!
AWESOME characters out in the parks!
AWESOME characters out in the parks!

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Lunch at Café Portofino!
Lunch at Café Portofino!
Lunch at Café Portofino!
Lunch at Café Portofino!

From here, we first heard Mount Prometheus erupt!  We had no idea it would, but it only makes sense!  Took some great video of it, too!  Now, it was back to Mysterious Island to ride “Journey…” again and see what else there was to offer.  Glad we went back, and it wouldn’t be our last time!

Corn Popcorn!  I loved it -- maybe my favorite flavor.
Corn Potage Popcorn! I loved it — maybe my favorite flavor.
20k Leagues Under the Sea!  What a treat!
20k Leagues Under the Sea! What a treat!
"20k..." queue details
“20k…” queue details

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Then, it was back to Port Discovery to check out the other attraction there, StormRider!  This is a mix between Honey I Shrunk the Audience and Star Tours and the queue is much better than the attraction.  Still, unlike any other Disney attraction I’ve been on.

Cool funnel inside StormRider
Cool funnel inside StormRider
Safety spiel/ pre-show
Safety spiel/ pre-show

Mermaid Lagoon and Triton’s Kingdom.  This is the children’s area of the park but the concept is genius — at least for Triton’s Kingdom.  Think of the interactive queue for Dumbo at Magic Kingdom park at WDW on a much larger scale.  It’s completely indoors and looks JUST like the Under the Sea scene in Ariel’s Undersea Adventure at Disney California Adventure Park and Magic Kingdom but you can walk around it.  Many of the kiddy rides from DCA show up here but walking thru it is WELL worth it.  Plus, there’s a Cirque Du Soleil-level Little Mermaid show!

Mermaid Lagoon
Mermaid Lagoon
Triton's Kingdom signage
Triton’s Kingdom signage
MAGNIFICENT!
MAGNIFICENT!
Little Mermaid show queue
Little Mermaid show queue
I got yelled at for taking pictures here.
I got yelled at for taking pictures here.
It's performed in the round with the show happening above you.
It’s performed in the round with the show happening above you.
The gift shop looks like the inside of a whale's mouth!
The gift shop looks like the inside of a whale’s mouth!

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The Arabian Coast was next.  Had no idea what to expect here.  I saw there was a magic show which we ultimately skipped due to less than stellar (literally, not facetiously), and some boat ride that sounded cool.  This, however, was cool on the level of New Orleans Square at Disneyland in the sense that there were quiet areas with great detail and you could just stroll the streets of a middle-eastern street market.  Very cool!  And that boat ride?  One of the greatest surprises of the entire two-day stay at the parks: Sinbad’s Voyage!

Arabian fountain.
Arabian fountain.

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So quiet here!
So quiet here!
Jafar!
Jafar!
Sinbad's Storybook Voyage!
Sinbad’s Storybook Voyage!

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This animatronic is HUGE.  Too bad I didn't get anything to compare it to in this shot.
This animatronic is HUGE. Too bad I didn’t get anything to compare it to in this shot.

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With a song from Alan Menken, this is the “…Small World” for today’s kids in the sense that it’s a repetitive song that’s super catchy and small animatronics telling the story.  These are mostly the size and feel of the Mary Blair models in “…Small World” but with an updated look and feel.  REALLY well done!

The rest of the day was re-riding things, snapping shots, and waiting for Fantasmic! You can see those photos in the gallery below.  Outside of that, we did two more cool things: The Fortress Explorations section of the park at the base of Mount Prometheus and dinner and drinks aboard the Columbia!

Fortress Explorations details!
Fortress Explorations details!
We had so much fun here, we forgot to take a lot of pics!
We had so much fun here, we forgot to take a lot of pics!
Mount Prometheus at twilight
Mount Prometheus at twilight
Dinner Menu!
Dinner Menu!

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Appetizer
Appetizer
Salmon Appetizer
Salmon Appetizer
Soup
Soup
Sirloin Steak
Sirloin Steak
Surf and Turf
Surf and Turf
Dessert!
Dessert!

You’ll have to forgive me for not writing down what we got.  Drinks were at my favorite publicly accessible Disney lounge, The Teddy Roosevelt Lounge, aboard the SS Columbia!

So beautiful and just great!
So beautiful and just great!

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Teddy!
Teddy!

And lastly, Fantasmic!  This show is different from the other two versions of the show at Disneyland and Hollywood Studios at WDW.  Thin Illuminations at Epcot meets the WDW version of Fantasmic!  The mirror effect and dragon were the best parts of this show, for sure!

Waiting for the show to start
Waiting for the show to start
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The dragon is finished!

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The huge hat which is the centerpiece of the show
The huge hat which is the centerpiece of the show

This was a huge day for us. A new Disney Park at another country.  We ate a ton of popcorn and we had much fewer guests to contend with.  It was a super awesome day and an incredibly beautiful park!

Night Time Details at Mysterious Island
Night Time Details at Mysterious Island
Night Time Details at Mysterious Island
Night Time Details at Mysterious Island
Night Time Details at Mysterious Island
Night Time Details at Mysterious Island
The globe at the front entrance
The globe at the front entrance
"Journey..." attraction poster at the park entrance
“Journey…” attraction poster at the park entrance
"20k..." attraction poster at the park entrance
“20k…” attraction poster at the park entrance

And now for the entire gallery!  Enjoy!