All aboard the 2020 Hype Train for Tokyo's Beauty and the Beast

December 24, 2019, 1:39 PM · Ultimately, a great theme park attraction delivers at least one "wow" moment. So one way to look at this list we've been presenting of our most anticipated new attractions in 2020 is this: These are the attractions we think are most likely to deliver a fresh "wow" moment. As we move up that list to our top three new attractions, these are the ones that already have delivered that "wow," in one way or another.

Today's entry on our list is Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast, the flagship attraction for this spring's major expansion at Tokyo Disneyland. This will be a trackless dark ride through the Beast's Castle, with guests riding in 10-passenger tea cups through several iconic scenes from the 1991 animated classic.

The "wow" moment comes from the new animatronics visitors will see on the ride, of which we got our first glimpse in this promo video from Tokyo Disney and Walt Disney Imagineering.

Disney has created amazing trackless dark rides before, starting with Tokyo Disneyland's own Pooh's Hunny Hunt and continuing with Hong Kong Disneyland's Mystic Manor. Walt Disney World is getting a new trackless dark ride this summer, with the installation of Walt Disney Studios Paris' Ratatouille ride. But it is Beauty and the Beast that we are looking toward for advances in storytelling and immersion, as Disney looks to build upon its past successes in this particular ride format.

And Beauty and the Beast is just one part of what promises to be an impressive expansion of the world's third-most visited theme park (behind Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom and the original Disneyland). Next door to Beauty and the Beast in Fantasyland, Tokyo Disneyland will open Mickey's Magical Music World in the new Broadway-style Fantasyland Forest Theatre. Toontown is getting a new meet and greet with Minnie's Style Studio. And Tomorrowland is getting Disney's first Big Hero 6-themed ride with the Happy Ride with Baymax spinner.

It all opens on April 15, 2020. And, needless to say at this point, we can't wait.

Previously on "All aboard the 2020 Hype Train":

Replies (1)

December 25, 2019 at 8:28 AM

This one looks amazing! I hope they bring it to the parks in the US someday.

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