TheThemeParkGuyTheThemeParkGuy


Back to Worldmap Next Theme Park

DisneySea

Theme Park Guy Rating: 55555
Date Visited:
February 18, 2008 / July 24, 2009

Aerial Photo Update July 24, 2009

Coming back to the world's best theme park always makes my hair stand up. I never get bored walking around the meticulously designed Mount Prometheus and riding its ingenious 'Journey to the Center of the Earth' thrill ride, accompanied by its thundering-poetic soundtrack.

And I certainly never get bored flying over it by helicopter, a pricey venture in Japan, but worth all the ten-thousands of happy yen. Congratulations to the whole team of Walt Disney Imagineering for truly delivering beyond any expectations!

[additional 2009 aerials added on April 02, 2013]


Tokyo DisneySea from above Tokyo DisneySea from above

A marvel on a parking lot A marvel on a parking lot

Tokyo DisneySea aerial Tokyo DisneySea aerial

The ingeniously designed centerpiece volcano Mount Prometheus The ingeniously designed centerpiece volcano Mount Prometheus

Fortress Explorations seen from above Fortress Explorations seen from above

The volcano houses the Journey to the Center of the Earth ride The volcano houses the Journey to the Center of the Earth ride

Closer look at the volcano structure Closer look at the volcano structure

Lost River Delta section in the foreground, Arabian Coast in the background Lost River Delta section in the foreground, Arabian Coast in the background

This structure houses the Indiana Jones dark ride This structure houses the Indiana Jones dark ride

Raging Spirits roller coaster, next to Indiana Jones Raging Spirits roller coaster, next to Indiana Jones

Indiana Jones front view Indiana Jones front view

Expansion area adjacent to the Indiana Jones section Expansion area adjacent to the Indiana Jones section

StormRider cinema aerial StormRider cinema aerial

10 years after opening, Disney Sea remains the best designed theme park in the world 10 years after opening, Disney Sea remains the best designed theme park in the world

Amazing rock work, impeccable attention to detail Amazing rock work, impeccable attention to detail

Walt Disney Imagineering's masterpiece Walt Disney Imagineering's masterpiece

Man-made magic in the fog Man-made magic in the fog

Tokyo DisneySea Tokyo DisneySea

Review February 18, 2008

DisneySea is the best theme park in the world. There might be people who would argue with me about that, but I will defend my position of 2008: this is it! It’s the peak of theme park history. The One. The Best.

The park was originally planned for California, but later scrapped and built right next to the incredibly busy Tokyo Disneyland Park. Let me tell you my reasons for calling it the best theme park in the world:

• Mount Prometheus: an awesomely natural-looking volcano mountain which easily beats Animal Kingdom’s Expedition Everest. You can walk around it and you will be stunned, you can walk inside it and find a bombastic, thundering, overwhelming Jules Verne dream island, the likes of which you have never seen before. Beautifully designed ultralarge volcano drilling machines, storybook submarines and boats that cruise right through the volcano's lake: everyone is stunned here! Walk inside. Watch the people. Close your eyes and listen to the sounds. Watch the giant water bubbles and soak up the atmosphere of the place. It's a real kick-ass experience in terms of both design and atmosphere. To date, nothing tops it. The center of the park is its highlight.

• 'Journey to the Center of the Earth': a unique ride exclusive to this Disney park and possibly the best ride ever created in theme park history. You descend by elevator to your futuristic, elaborately designed ride vehicle, in which you will travel towards the “center of the earth”, spiraling through atmospheric caves, surrounded by fantasy animals and backed by a soundtrack that you will be humming for days after. The sudden change of pace as you accelerate to the volcano's peak is the highlight of the ride. It uses the same technology as in Epcot’s 'Test Track', but with far more style. It's a sure bet that you will want to ride it again.

• 'Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull': it's interesting that the ride's name unveiled the idea for the fourth Indiana Jones movie six years before it was actually shot. You will travel in an 'Enhanced Motion Vehicle' through a bug and snake-infested temple, complete with a life-like tornado and the famous rolling boulder. It's quite similar to the Indiana Jones ride in California's Disneyland.

• 'The Tower of Terror': differently themed to its namesakes in other Disneyland parks, this one is based around the story of an expeditionist receiving a mysterious voodoo puppet as a present on a trip to Africa. While queuing in the enclosed room with the large window it's worth looking out for an awesome effect: face the wooden voodoo puppet at all times and you will wonder, wonder and wonder how it disappears. Great magic! Afterwards, the actual drop tower awaits you.

There are lots of other unique attractions including 'Sindbad’s Story Book Voyage', a very long indoor boat ride for the kids; '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea', a submarine ride amongst exotic sea creatures and 'Raging Spirits', a short roller coaster with a loop. The atmosphere everywhere, the eye for detail and the evidence of a real budget make me wish I could buy property inside the park and live there.

Above everything, the friendliness and care of the Japanese staff beats that of all other theme parks in the world. Nowhere else will you feel as welcome as here. Wherever you live, it’s worth buying a ticket to Japan, even if it’s a 15-hour flight for a mere 2-day visit to this park. You will return home and say: “Hey! I’ve seen something really unique in this world!” DisneySea is under-attended by foreigners. There are a lot of happy Japanese people around, but the global community hasn’t discovered it yet. Next time, skip Walt Disney World in Florida and visit DisneySea Japan instead!


Aerial view of DisneySea Aerial view of DisneySea

The mighty 'Mount Prometheus' volcano The mighty 'Mount Prometheus' volcano

DisneySea, seen from the helicopter DisneySea, seen from the helicopter

DisneySea fans queuing DisneySea fans queuing

Mediterranean Harbor past the entrance Mediterranean Harbor past the entrance

Front view of Mount Prometheus Front view of Mount Prometheus

Mount Prometheus volcano Mount Prometheus volcano

Entering volanco territory Entering volanco territory

Mysterious Island seen from inside Mysterious Island seen from inside

This volcano harbor constitutes the peak of theme park design to date This volcano harbor constitutes the peak of theme park design to date

Retro-futuristic drilling machine Retro-futuristic drilling machine

Incredible rock work! Incredible rock work!

This level of attention to detail is found nowhere else This level of attention to detail is found nowhere else

Boat passing through the volcano landscape Boat passing through the volcano landscape

Entering the grotto to access one of the world's very best rides Entering the grotto to access one of the world's very best rides

Journey to the Center of the Earth! Journey to the Center of the Earth!

Elevators bring queuers down to the loading station Elevators bring queuers down to the loading station

The impeccably designed loading station The impeccably designed loading station

The absolutely ingenious Journey to the Center of the Earth ride vehicle The absolutely ingenious Journey to the Center of the Earth ride vehicle

Monster surprise at the bottom of the Journey Monster surprise at the bottom of the Journey

Short fresh air encounter during the ride, one of its many highlights Short fresh air encounter during the ride, one of its many highlights

Ride cool-down Ride cool-down

Disney Sea Mediterranean Harbor Disney Sea Mediterranean Harbor

Tokyo DisneySea's uniquely designed Tower of Terror attraction Tokyo DisneySea's uniquely designed Tower of Terror attraction

Long queues Long queues

Disciplined queuers Disciplined queuers

Employee introducing the ride's story Employee introducing the ride's story

The voodoo puppet that magically disappears The voodoo puppet that magically disappears

The romantic Arabian-themed area of the park The romantic Arabian-themed area of the park

Stranded Indiana Jones plane Stranded Indiana Jones plane

Indiana Jones ride. The topic of the fourth movie has been disclosed here for years! Indiana Jones ride. The topic of the fourth movie has been disclosed here for years!

Indiana Jones temple Indiana Jones temple

The detail-obsessed, atmospheric queue inside the Indiana Jones temple The detail-obsessed, atmospheric queue inside the Indiana Jones temple

Attention to detail is the key to Disney's magic! Attention to detail is the key to Disney's magic!

Indiana Jones ride vehicle Indiana Jones ride vehicle

Indiana Jones ride building from above Indiana Jones ride building from above

Raging Spirits looping roller coaster Raging Spirits looping roller coaster

Mine coaster car close-up Mine coaster car close-up

Queuing for a drink Queuing for a drink

The StormRider simulator ride is one of the weaker attractions The StormRider simulator ride is one of the weaker attractions

This fake floodgate leak is just another wonderful detail This fake floodgate leak is just another wonderful detail

Real volcano Mount Fuji in the background Real volcano Mount Fuji in the background