Tokyo Disney Resort today announced a US$4.5 billion expansion program for the resort, which will see the construction of a new "port" in Tokyo DisneySea and a doubling of the size of Tokyo Disneyland's Fantasyland.
Nikkei Asian Review is reporting that Oriental Land Co., the company that owns and operates the Tokyo Disney Resort, will include a major Frozen-themed attraction for 2017 as the centerpiece of the project.
Where will the new Frozen attraction be? According to Nikkei, that's undecided, and Oriental Land's press release is not saying, either. The Frozen attraction could take the place of the It's a Small World ride in Tokyo Disneyland, which the Nikkei report says is slated to be moved as part of the New Fantasyland plan. Or, Oriental Land could choose to build Frozen as the new port in Tokyo DisneySea.
We suggested DisneySea as an ideal location for a Frozen-themed attraction last February. The port of Arendelle fits perfectly within the harbor theme of DisneySea, and we noted that underutilized Cape Cod area of the American Waterfront land offers some sight lines that could lend themselves to an Arendelle setting. However, the expansion plan calls for a new port on the empty site to the left of Lost River Delta. (You can get an overview of the park from our Tokyo DisneySea trip report.) Presumably, that could become Arendelle, should Oriental Land decide on devoting an entire land to Frozen.
Which would make sense, as the animated hit already has become one of the top-grossing films in Japanese history. Regardless of where Anna and Elsa end up, this expansion plan, which averages US$500 million in capital investment a year over the next nine years, should promise to further improve a resort that is already home to the world's best theme park, according to Theme Park Insider readers.
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J. Jeff Kober
DisneyatWork.com
If it goes into TDS, it's going back by Indy at the expansion pad there. I think best case scenario is for something design-wise like Mermaid Lagoon, except with a mega E-ticket inside the ice castle.
The embarrassment of riches at the Tokyo Disney Resort makes the Disney Corporation look cheap. If somebody else is paying for the improvements, Disney can work wonders. If Disney is paying for the improvements, then "just enough and no more" seems to be the approach. Another chapter in a miserly saga.
I'm wondering if I should schedule a trip now to Tokyo before all the construction starts or wait until 2017. According to the article, it is concept only at this point. Anyone know if construction will be started before April 2015?
in envisioning a new fantasyland at TDL, let's also not forget that TDL's Haunted Mansion is in its Fantasyland, too. And that TDL's Mansion is the Orlando version, but with the Disneyland Holiday overlay from Oct-Dec. There's Pooh's Hunny Hunt there, too. Just an embarrassment of riches for Disney theme park fans.
Oh and it sounds like they aren't replacing Toontown in Tokyo. I understand the wanting to match the theme of Alice in Wonderland, but to me, it seems silly to move It's a Small World. Instead, it sounds like the Star Jets and Grand Prix Raceway in Tomorrowland will be razed for more of Fantasyland, and I suppose it's a small world and Be Our Guest will be replacing that. So I guess that means a new Alice in Wonderland dark ride will be on the site where Small World currently is. And for Frozen, that could easily be the new "8th Port" in Tokyo DisneySea, but I certainly think it would fit pretty well in Fantasyland too. Could AVATAR also be a possibility for the 8th Port in Tokyo Disney, as it will be next to both Port Discovery and Lost River Delta, making it the perfect transition between the two?
Robert Niles, if not Frozen, what do you think Disneyland will do in the near future? Are they shifting more towards Star Wars and Marvel, as opposed to Frozen?
Frozen broke box office records in Japan, staying at #1 for 16 weeks and becoming the third highest grossing movie of all time.
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