How much Disney is too much Disney? Because in Tokyo at least, it seems we can never get enough. While our city has not one but two separate Disney parks for fans of every generation, Tokyo DisneySea is getting a massive new expansion this summer, which will open up a whole new world (okay, three worlds rolled into one exciting new area, to be precise).
Opening on June 6 2024, Fantasy Springs will comprise the three sections of Frozen Kingdom, Peter Pan's Never Land and Rapunzel's Forest, plus a hotel within the park grounds. We’re still a few weeks away from the big reveal, but Disney has released a sneak peek of the new attractions, which we’ll cover here.
Peter Pan’s Neverland
Tokyo Disneyland may have its own Peter Pan ride, but here, the boy who never grew up and his companions get their own dedicated section with two rides, a restaurant and a popcorn wagon.
The first of the two attractions is called Peter Pan's Neverland Adventure.
Centred on the story from Disney's classic 1953 'Peter Pan' animation, the six-minute ride has a 3D element that brings you closer to Peter, Wendy, Michael and John and their adventures as they fight pirates, fly with fairies and muck around with the Lost Kids.
The second ride is a tot-friendly, two-minute buggy ride based on the Disney Fairies franchise, where you can join Tinker Bell in a buggy and help her deliver parcels at Pixie Hollow through different seasons.
After a quick spin through the Fairy Valleys, you can head over to the nearby Lookout Cookout restaurant, where you can dine as one of the Lost Kids and snack on chicken tenders, seaweed fritters and shrimp chips in a treehouse setting.
Frozen Kingdom
Soon, Cinderella Castle won’t be the only trademark fortress at Tokyo Disney Resort. With the new Frozen Kingdom section comes a recreation of Arandelle Castle, where royal sisters Elsa and Anna reside.
The new structure will feature a boat-type ride known as Anna and Elsa's Frozen Journey. Boasting an astonishing set of animatronics, this 6.5-minute ride incorporates projection mapping technology for visual effects that will have you believe there was magic involved.
A stone’s throw from the castle you'll find Oaken's OK Foods – a quick service counter modelled on Wandering Oaken's Trading Post.
We haven't tried it yet, but cardamom-infused Yoo-Hoo Bread with spiced meat and lingonberry jam sounds more than okay to us.
Rapunzel’s Forest
Let’s be honest, this is the bit we’re most excited about. While other Disney parks across the world already feature their own Peter Pan- and Frozen-inspired rides, Tokyo DisneySea is the first Disney park to get a ride dedicated to the beloved 'Tangled' (2010).
The area’s star attraction is a boat-type ride called Rapunzel's Lantern Festival. This five-minute journey revisits Rapunzel's first encounter with Flynn Rider, who later takes her (and you) to the kingdom's enchanting annual lantern festival.
Want to spend more time walking in Rapunzel's footsteps? Go get a bite at The Snuggly Duckling, the tavern where Rapunzel charmed and softened the hearts of a crowd of thieves and roughnecks.
There’s sure to be space at this massive eatery, which can fit up to 620 people at a time. It serves snacks like burgers in duckling-yellow coloured puns and strawberry lemon Dutch baby pancakes.
Disney Fantasy Springs Hotel
If you’re the kind of person who could spend all day and night at a Disney park, we’ve got great news for you. The launch of Fantasy Springs will also come with a new park-integrated hotel. There are two experiences on offer here: a deluxe stay at the Fantasy Chateau featuring 419 rooms, and a luxury stay at the Grand Chateau of 56 rooms.
The luxury-type rooms come with a price tag that matches its description, with a starting rate of ¥300,000 per night. The deluxe Fantasy Chateau rooms are more affordable, with rates starting at ¥63,500 per night. The prices are astronomical compared to some of Tokyo's mid-range hotels, but the accommodation packages may be worth the splurge if you want easy access to the Fantasy Springs area and special passes for the new attractions.
Park admission
Fantasy Springs is set to open on Thursday June 6 2024. Tokyo DisneySea park tickets for visits from June through mid-July are available for booking online now, with prices ranging from ¥8,900 to ¥10,900 depending on the day of admission.
For more information, see the website.
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