The idea of a Japanese Disneyland dates back to the late 1950s when Japanese businessman Kunizo Matsuo approached Walt Disney with the idea of a Disney park in Nara. While it is rumored Walt initially agreed to the idea, he later dropped out of it. Matsuo, still determined to open his Disney-themed park, opened Nara Dreamland in 1961, a near replica of Disneyland except without Disney's characters or intellectual property. This park would continue to operate until 2006, and was eventually demolished in 2017.[5]
In February 1974, the Oriental Land Company (OLC) formally invited Disney executives to Japan for a fact-finding tour. In June of the same year, the company's president, Chiharu Kawasaki, visited Disney's headquarters to reinforce the OLC's desire to bring Disneyland to Japan. Kawasaki once again extended an invitation to the top Disney executives to visit Japan; the offer was taken up in December.[6]
After many years of negotiations Masatomo Takahashi, president of the OLC, signed the initial contract for the construction of Tokyo Disneyland in Chiba Prefecture in April 1979.[7] Japanese engineers and architects visited California to tour Disneyland and prepare to construct the new park.[8] 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.[8]
On February 28, 2020, the OLC announced a temporary closure of Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea from February 29 to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.[9] The closure, originally slated to expire in mid-March, was later extended twice, with the latest extension being until July 1, 2020.[10]
World Bazaar is the main entry corridor and primary shopping area of Tokyo Disneyland. Despite the use of the word "World" in its name, the general look and theme of World Bazaar is that of early 20th-century America, matching the "Main Street, U.S.A." areas of other Magic Kingdom-style parks. World Bazaar consists of two intersecting "streets": Main Street (the primary corridor running from the main entrance toward Cinderella Castle), and Center Street, which forms a perpendicular line with Main Street and leads to Adventureland in one direction and Tomorrowland in the other. World Bazaar has a permanent canopy covering the Main Street and Center Street areas, designed to protect guests from the elements.[11][12]
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.[11][12]
Critter Country is a small area of the park with the key attraction being Splash Mountain, a log-flume ride which opened in 1992 and is based on the animated sequences of Disney's 1946 film Song of the South.[13][14]
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.[11][12]
A new Beauty and the Beast sub-section opened in September 2020 as part of the theme park's largest expansion. A dark ride named Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast is housed in the new Beauty and the Beast Castle with Maurice's Cottage and Gaston's Fountain at its entrance.[15] The new section also houses Belle's Village which includes the La Taverne de Gaston eatery, and Village Shoppes selling souvenirs and gifts.[16]
A new stage show venue named Fantasyland Forest Theatre is also part of the expansion. With a capacity of 1,500 people, the venue will introduce a 25-minute Mickey's Magical Music World show.[17]
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.[16]
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, and Star Tours – The Adventures Continue.
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 Disney's 2014 film Big Hero 6.[18] A new specialty space-themed popcorn shop named The Big Pop also opened on the same day.[17]
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.[37] In 1996, it employed 12,390 people, making Tokyo Disneyland the biggest workplace in Japan's diversionary outings at that time.[37] 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.[38]
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."[8]
^ abRaz, Aviad E (2000). "Domesticating Disney: Adaption in Tokyo Disneyland". Journal of Popular Culture. 33 (4): 77. doi:10.1111/j.0022-3840.2000.3304_77.x.
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