Monstrous Realms - An Independent Park Design for Japan

[D Hulk]

Monstrous Realms is a theme park I originally created last June as a part of the Theme Park Apprentice Tournament of Champions competition over on Theme Park Insider.The challenge was to design an original park on the footprint of an abandoned park. My concept, replacing Nara Dreamland in Japan, takes a lot of inspiration from DAK's Beastly Kingdom. Though made in a rush - and in some regards an unfinished project I'd like to eventually revisit - Monstrous Realms is perhaps my favorite of my personal Imagineering projects. It's one I'm eager to share on these forums! So come with me now to a realm of legendary creatures from throughout world history...

MONSTROUS REALMS
Nara, Japan

There are those who will say that old amusement parks are abandoned for reasons as prosaic as flagging attendance. But sometimes the truth is far, far more exciting...

MONSTERS!

This was the fate for Japan’s Nara Dreamland. One day in 2006, a mighty Gryphon descended from the mountains, attracted by the park’s central fairy tale castle. The site was shuttered. Monsters took over. From our human perspective, this vacant Disneyland knockoff grew to seed and became a popular destination for urban adventurers. Ah, but this was all an illusion of the Gryphon’s magic.

In truth, the Gryphon was secretly transforming Nara Dreamland into Monstrous Realms, a nature preserve for legendary creatures! From all corners of the globe came beasts such as Minotaurs, Mermaids, Mummies and more. Monstrous Realms enticed them with its monster-friendly habitats, faithful recreations of the enchanted worlds these creatures once knew...

Ottoman Realm represents a medieval bestiary in old Istanbul. Grecian Realm houses Centaurs, Cyclopses and Gorgons. Gothic Realm is an accursed Carpathian forest of Vampires and Werewolves. Celtic Realmgathers together Dragons, Fairies and Unicorns. Atlantean Realm gives refuge to Sea Monsters. Shogun Realm amasses Japan’s many motley “yokai.” Persian Realm contains the beasts of ancient Mesopotamia. All these kingdoms surround the Legendary Lagoon, where the Gryphon reigns from the iconic Beastly Basilica atop an islet peak.

His land now complete, the wise Gryphon has removed his enchantments and opened Monstrous Realms as a park for humans to visit. This shall be a huge boon to mankind, naturally, but theme park investors need more concrete justification. Well, Nara Dreamland was actually phenomenally popular when it opened in 1961, with millions visiting annually. This lasted until the opening of Tokyo Disneyland in 1983. It was then just moderately popular until DisneySea and Universal Studios Japan opened in 2001. That was the final nail. Nara Dreamland ultimately failed due bankruptcy, both financial and creative. Its site still holds great promise!

The city of Nara is itself a destination for both tourists and locals, with a wealth of ancient Edo temples. Nara sits in the center of the Keihanshan metropolitan region, Japan’s second most densely populated area, with over 20 million people within an hour’s drive. Nara is mere miles from both Kyoto and Osaka, perfect for hotel shuttles or metro transport. With Disney and Universal, Japan hosts the world’s 3rd, 4th and 5th most popular theme parks. They are a big deal in Japanese culture – as are monsters, in fact – so Monstrous Realms done right needn’t be seen as competition, but a compliment. Small in scale (50 acres) but not in quality, our park will be a lovely regional alternative to the big dogs nearby. Thematically, Monstrous Realms is not too far removed from the old Nara Dreamland – fantasy worlds around a central palace – but with far greater specificity and uniqueness. And with fantastical creatures featured from numerous ancient mythologies, Monstrous Realms will engage every imagination!

HOURS & TICKETING

The gates to Monstrous Realms are open year-round, rain or shine, with hours generally ranging from 9:00 to 22:00. Tickets are priced economically, similarly to the regional Nagashima Spa Land and Fuji-Q Highland Park. Day passes, which grant total access to all attractions, are 5,000 yen for adults ($45), and 2,600 yen for children ($23). Compare this to Universal’s 7,000 yen ($63), or Disney’s 7,400 yen ($67). After 17:00, guests may purchase discounted Late Entry Passes for 3,000 yen ($27), a common practice in Japan.

Annual Passes are 17,500 yen for adults ($158) and 10,000 yen for children ($90). This is roughly 3.5 times a day pass. For comparison, Annual Passes at Tokyo Disneyland cost 7 times their day pass! We hope to draw locals with such monstrous discounts and superior deals, all the better to build a fan base.

THE MONSTROUS APP – LINE SKIPPING & RESERVATIONS

Waiting in line. Making dining reservations. All common theme park complaints. Recognizing these issues, and recognizing the near total market saturation of smartphones in Japan, Monstrous Realms responds with The Monstrous App (the “Yokai Keitai”). Not only is this app free, but so is the park’s wifi! And with convenient recharging stations in each Realm, guests need never worry about their battery dying.

While Monstrous Realms features standard standby queues throughout, select rides provide in addition app-based virtual queueing (noted below as “VQ”). From anyplace park-wide, select a ride from listed return times. When the app chimes, guests have a one-hour window to ride...which they may postpone in half hour increments should the need arise. New reservations are available once the old one is redeemed. (Guests without smartphones can rent similar devices for the day from our park services center.)

For dining, not only can guests make table reservations with the app, they can even “mobile order” their meals hours in advance. Order and pre-pay while waiting in line, then let the eatery know “I’m On My Way” when you’re nearly ready to eat, for a fresh meal available to collect instantly! In fact, all in-park payments may be synched to the app, from food to souvenirs.

Finally, The Monstrous App features a park-wide scavenger hunt game, The Great Snipe Hunt. This game uses augmented reality to depict monsters which are invisible to the naked eye – starting with Snipes, then harder critters like Gremlins or Imps. The game encourages guests to explore nooks and crannies and out-of-the-way shrines. Guests can capture, collect and trade these beasts, and even battle person-to-person. Basically, it’s all the additional features Pokémon Go should offer!

***

The Gryphon is very excited to show off his tremendous new creation! He wants to assure all guests that while Monstrous Realms swarms with beasties, it is not frightening. Certain critters like the Kraken or the Gargoyles, sure, they’re pretty ferocious, but most of our creatures are friendly, benign, even kawaii (Japanese for “ridiculously adorable”). It’s important to provide differing sensations which engage the imagination differently. The Gryphon promises a vibrant balance of thrill rides, dark rides, flat rides and shows. Combined together, these wonders will open guests’ eyes to a legendary world of beasts just beyond their own.

OTTOMAN REALM

After purchasing their tickets at Bedouin tent booths (or online), guests enter through imperial gates where stucco friezes depict all manner of creature. Through narrow halls inspired by Istanbul’s Dolmabahce Palace, they arrive in a bustling square. Views emerge of medieval Constantinople. Merchants from all corners of the globe exchange ideas and goods. A bestiary’s worth of fantastical creatures mingles alongside men, all realized through fanciful puppetry-based costuming (much like Broadway’s Lion King). Battlements surround the square. A Basilisk Obelisk dominates Turkish gardens. An old world Byzantine marketplace stretches forward.

The main boulevard meanders past structures spanning centuries. Rounding a subtle corner, guests finally glimpse Legendary Lagoon, and the whole of Monstrous Realms! Straight ahead...dominating an islet...in the park’s heart...surrounded by minarets...is Beastly Basilica, the park’s icon! This fourth-century Byzantine cathedral suggests Hagia Sophia in Mont Saint Michel’s setting; it is glorious. A wooden bridge leads to the mighty dome, past moored Ottoman sailboats. Reaching the palace, guests view priceless mosaics of legendary monsters, all in gold gilt like the pages of a bestiary manuscript.

The Gryphon himself, king of all creatures, is perched peacefully atop the Basilica dome surveying his kingdom. Subtle animatronic movements – a breathing chest, a twitching wing – give life to this regal half-eagle, half-lion.

With its lagoon and cathedral, Monstrous Realms is laid out in a fusion of “lagoon park” and “hub-and-spoke.” Bridges connect from Basilica Island to additional Realms, while pathways along the water’s edge circumnavigate the park. This is a simple, intuitive layout which still allows for a beautiful central lake and an amazing nighttime spectacular inspired by the Phoenix.

PARK SERVICES

Imperial Pavilion
Near the park entrance – where time moves closer to the modern day – is the neo-baroque Imperial Pavilion, modeled on Istanbul’s Malta Kiosk. This is our dedicated Guest Relations center. It hosts every conceivable guest need – banking, stroller or wheelchair rentals, first aid, a baby care & lost children center. Problems with the app? Want to upgrade your pass? Come here!

Pilgrimage Home Delivery
Beside Imperial Pavilion is a Bedouin-style tent guarded by a sleeping animatronic Manticore. The monster-wranglers within offer a crucial park service: Souvenir holding. This way, guests may shop and spend throughout their visit, then collect their goods at day’s end. True to our name, we ship souvenirs too.

A few other service niceties dot Ottoman Realm. Storage lockers are found within the sprawling Beastly Bazaar shopping district. Near the lagoon is a park info board housed in a Rosetta Stone monument.

ATTRACTION

Gryphon’s Carousel of Beasts
Beastly Basilica is the physical and symbolic heart of Monstrous Realms. Its richly-hewn parapets command views of every realm. From his seat of power, the Gryphon has opened his palace to all visitors. Inside under the central dome is a two-floor carousel; the wise Gryphon does not wish to overshadow his fellow beasts’ attractions elsewhere. Rather, his beautiful carousel acts as a summation of Monstrous Realms. Naturally, guests do not ride horses, but all manner of legendary creatures – Cockatrice, Basilisk, Unicorns, Hippogriffs, Manticores, et cetera – all intricately carved! Views look through archways and across the lagoon. The ribbed cupola overhead features a mural corresponding to all Realms. With such a striking setting, Gryphon’s Carousel of Beasts is more than a simple carnival ride!

DINING

Fortunio’s
Fortunio’s is Monstrous Realms’ flagship five-star table service restaurant set in an Ottoman lodge overlooking Legendary Lagoon. It is named for medieval illustrator Fortunio Liceti, whose natural illustrations (all of imagined creatures) decorate the interior. The menu features Mediterranean and Turkish cuisines, all carefully designed to delight the Japanese palate. Live entertainment comes in the form of whirling dervishes, here in monster-themed costumes.

Fortunio’s Lounge
Under a stately green dome beside rose gardens is Fortunio’s bar. Guests simply looking for a quick drink can retire here without needing reservations next door. Fortunio’s appetizer selections are available, as are a wide variety of fine beers and spirits. Tasteful décor includes intricate lattices and stucco wall calligraphy.

Café Basilisk
Café Basilisk is a counter service eatery connected to the larger Beastly Bazaar complex. Diners enjoy simple cold cuts and salads in a converted spice trader’s storehouse. Outdoor patio seating faces the Basilica, alongside a medieval stone tower. Atop it is a frightful Basilisk, king of serpents, balefully eyeing the distant Gryphon.

Yildiz Bakery
For coffee and pastries, freshly brewed and freshly baked, look no further than Yildiz Bakery, housed in a sultanate clock tower. Specialties include authentic Turkish coffee and a wide selection of succulent baklava, drizzling in pistachios and honey nectar.

Bosporus Brews
On a tiny islet at the base of Beastly Basilica sits a humble fort inspired by Maiden’s Tower. This small stand provides refreshing beers and soda pops, which guests may enjoy from shaded bayside seating, or as they explore.

Pliny’s
Near the Beastly Basilica Bridge is a food cart covered in curlicue artwork illustrating Pliny the Elder’s Natural History. This cart serves shish kabob skewers of meat and vegetables, all steeped in Middle Eastern spices.

Concept art for our nighttime spectacular, Phoenix Reborn.

RETAIL

Beastly Bazaar
The left half of Ottoman Realm is dominated by Beastly Bazaar, a sprawling complex of shops like Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar. This is the park’s flagship emporium store, which appears to be a covered market built and rebuilt over the centuries. Vendors from all regions compete, hawking textiles, jewelry and spices. Merchandise here and throughout Monstrous Realms heavily favors featured mythic beasts, on shirts and totes and plushes, many rendered in a kawaii style sure to appeal to Japanese visitors. A covered arcade walkway winds towards the lagoon, which helps guests stay out of the elements when visiting on rainy days.

The Confectionarium
One unique aspect of Japanese tourism is the souvenir snack tin, purchased in bulk for friends back home. No Japanese theme park should be without a centralized confection station! Behold the Confectionarium, housed in a converted seraglio residence inspired by Topkapi Palace. Housed amidst shimmering lapis chandeliers and illustrations from every Realm are delightful snacks to match.

Wyvern Wares
An open air fountain courtyard near the Beastly Bazaar arcade sells woven Wyvern wares. Décor – chiefly oriental rugs strung about – depict creatures from heraldry, particularly the dragon-like Wyvern. The courtyard itself is like an oasis in the park, a quiet out-of-the-way respite at day’s end.

Miscellanea
A merchant marine warehouse near the lagoon connects to the bazaar complex. Inside, traders store miscellaneous monstrous merchandise. This chamber doubles as a vet clinic for wounded beasts. Crates shake and shriek. A dangling birdcage holds an injured Firebird. Bizarre roars emanate from cisterns below.

The Wandering Hippogriff
The Wandering Hippogriff is a Spanish trading ship docked in the lagoon. Its bowsprit, naturally, depicts a Hippogriff. Around the vessel’s base, traders have unloaded souvenir goods under tents, an assortment of items from all Realms.

Manticore Market
A tiled Turkish bathhouse within the bazaar complex is now a converted shop space, selling touring essentials such as sun screen, hats, even camera supplies – outdated yes, but photography remains a common mania in Japan.

Cockatrice Cart
Opposite from Pliny’s is a simple merchandise cart pulled by an animatronic Cockatrice. Among various impulse items, guests can order illuminated medieval artworks created by live artists to guests’ requests.

***

Ottoman Realm clearly emphasizes dining and retail over attractions, like many an entry land. But these services are attractions unto themselves! A real historical setting is carefully reimagined for the world of monsters, putting guests in a mood for fantasy. With a rich Old World texture, an exotic Byzantine melding of East-meets-West, Ottoman Realm nicely sets the stage for all of Monstrous Realms!​

 

[D Hulk]

GRECIAN REALM

Exploring the realms counterclockwise, Anatolia transitions to Arcadia...Ancient Greece, a land of marble temples atop rugged peaks, home to a veritable pantheon of mythical monsters. Guests first wander underneath a Romanesque aqueduct pouring into the lagoon. They pass the ruined pedestals of the old Colossus of Rhodes, now collapsed – its enormous bronze head peeking out from weeds. An agora temple complex recall classical antiquity. High atop Meteora cliffs, the thuggish Cyclopses forge their weapons. Within an olive grove is an oasis for Fawns, Nymphs and Satyrs. Along the shimmering coast stands an island gazebo. And past crumbling, abandoned Doric columns, lifelike statuary suggests the Gorgon’s presence.

ATTRACTIONS

Cyclops Ironworks (height requirement: 38”) (VQ)
The sounds of anvils echo through the monolithic sandstone pillars of the Caucasus Mountains. Cyclopean architecture can only mean one thing: the Cyclopses! These gigantic, one-eyed blacksmiths fashion metalwork of iron and bronze inside their primitive factories. The friendly Cyclops Brontes invites guests to ride his latest fire-forged creation, a steel family “mine train” coaster by Vekoma. Chariot-themed trains race past red-hot furnaces and into Stygian caves.

Riders are suddenly attacked by the cruel Cyclopses Steropes and Arges. They upend Brontes’ tracks and stoke a furnace. Trains launch backwards, deep into Tartarus! Riders zoom in reverse, coming to rest in a dank pit containing the snarling Cerberus. Flames gather, and a surprise “vertical space shot” track element flings trains upwards and into a climactic forward launch back to safety! These unique track elements reimagine a traditional family mine train for a new generation.

Odysseus & the Monsters of the Mediterranean
Hidden on a rocky Corfu beach is a stately Greek amphitheater. This is the venue for “Odysseus & the Monsters of the Mediterranean,” a humorous stunt show which retells The Odyssey from the perspective of the monsters. The Sirens – who rise up from an enormous pool stage, like a mythological variation on a Sea World show – serve as a literal Greek chorus, narrating about how the oafish Odysseus and his dimwit crew sailed the Grecian seas pointlessly picking fights with Scylla, Charybdis, Circe, and others. The offended creatures at last band together against Odysseus in a final slapstick battle.

Centaur Chariot Race (height requirement: 32”)
Through an olive grove, and amidst the ruins of Delphi, Centaurs duel each other in breakneck races! Centaurs on an outdoor track – simple static ride figures – drag guests behind them in chariots. These chariots drift around corners, a classic whip spinner on a meandering circuit (somewhat like the Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree cars on Autopia). Centaurs and riders race head-to-head through a Grecian landscape. Beginning in an Olympic stadium, past Plitvice Lakes, guests are afforded views of so, so many monsters: Harpies, Hydras, Fawns, Satyrs, and the adorable Chimera.

Pegasus’s Flight
For a calmer tour of the same pastoral landscape, guests fly on the back of Pegasus. The white-winged stallion is realized with Intamin’s suspended dark ride cars, which load inside a wooden Trojan Pegasus Horse, then sail outdoors. Pegasus’s Flights frequently crosses the Centaur racetrack and glides over gurgling mountain springs past the many monsters. The ride concludes indoors in a majestic star-field depicting the creation of the Pegasus constellation.

Minotaur’s Labyrinth
Haunted Cretan ruins house the Labyrinth, a tangle of stucco walls which house the Minotaur. Adventurous guests are welcome to explore this puzzling maze walkthrough. Everywhere are bull motifs. Constant dead ends and spiraling pathways disorient guests. The Minotaur itself – a costumed cast member – prowls the corridors, ready to shock the unwary. From the towers of Knossos, guests may plot an escape route.

DINING

Villa Chimera
In the foothills of the Cyclopean mountains is a palatial Greek villa with an infinity pool overlooking Legendary Lagoon. The villa’s main mansion, home to a replica of the Etruscan Chimera statue, provides counter service Greek cuisine. From covered porticos lining the pool, guests enjoy olive medleys, feta salads, moussaka, kebabs, and other delights.

Pan’s Bacchanal
A Delphic gazebo stand within the Arcadian Centaur forests serves healthy snacks with a Greek twist, like flatbread pizzas and overstuffed cornucopias. Glasses of wines are also available. An enchanted statue of the satyr Pan magically plays its flute, serenading diners.

Siren Snacks
Beside Odysseus’s arena is a shipwrecked Phoenician ship, where the Sirens’ mesmerizing song constantly echoes. Within the ship is a snack stand selling gyros, stuffed grape leaves, fried calamari, and alcohol ranging from beer to ouzo.

RETAIL

Polyphemus’s Smithy
Following a ride on Cyclops Ironworks, guests enter the blacksmith shop of the Cyclops Polyphemus. Here the giants sell their metalworking creations, ranging from bracelets to costume armor. Purchase a lightning bolt made by Hephaestus. Learn what’s owed on a Grecian urn. Or witness live blacksmithing demonstrations, and have your name engraved on a Centaur’s horseshoe.

Typhon & Echidna’s
Typhon & Echidna’s – named for the snakelike parents of Arcadia’s countless beasts – is a department store within a Parthenon temple. Inside is an ivory statue of the monstrous pair, seemingly alive with rear-projected facial expressions. Souvenirs include plushes, toys and figurines of the assorted Greek critters.

Gorgon Quarry
In the darkest corner of Grecian Realm, Medusa and the Gorgons make their lair. Frozen statues of vanquished warriors dot dilapidated country homes. Artisans within fashion trinkets from quarry rocks, sold alongside themed clothing. Guests may safely glimpse Medusa’s form inside a central mirror – a simple yet effective hologram trick.

***

Grecian Realm covers the wide, expansive world of mythological Greek beasts with many delightful family-friendly attractions. Here guests start to grasp the thematic scope of Monstrous Realms. They learn of their relationship to monsters which are sometimes friendly, and sometimes fearsome. This is a good warmup, for the next Realm houses the most frightening monsters known to man!

GOTHIC REALM

Passing through twisted iron gates, guests reach a spooky, fog-shrouded Transylvanian countryside. Somewhere, a wolf howls. This is a superstitious realm, terrorized by supernatural fiends. Villagers huddle in a Bavarian hamlet, their windows lined with crosses and garlic braids. In the town’s center is a gallows, a noose swaying in the ghastly wind. Nearby is a stockade photo op. A crossroads shrine marks the final outpost of civilization, where the path vanishes into a dark wood. Safety lies elsewhere, across a covered bridge over running water – a path Vampires dare not follow. Toss a coin in an old Gothic well, and hear a creature’s mournful wails. Cross a misty cemetery and near a Carpathian fortress which is the source of this realm’s vile horror.

ATTRACTIONS

The Wolf (height requirement: 48”) (VQ)
Straight from a nightmare of European folklore, venture into a forbidden forest and suffer the Werewolf’s curse! Pass a gypsy encampment, where haggard fortunetellers plead with guests to turn back. Instead they press on, through crumbling Russian Orthodox ruins where shredded tapestries depict lycanthropy. Fresh claw marks scar a tree. At last guests board a Vekoma motorcoaster train resembling Werewolves.

Riding prone like motorcyclists, guests enter a catacomb. A window to the night’s sky reveals the full moon. Shadow projections show riders’ morph into wolves. Riders, overcome by rage, launch forward at 60 mph outside into the grotesque forest! Charging close to the ground, snarling loudly, riders prowl the wilderness. Through a cavern lair littered with bones. Salvation finally comes as the trains pass through a field of wolfsbane, and regain their humanity. With an astounding total of three hydraulic launches, The Wolf crosses itself dozens of times in a thrilling lupine coaster rampage!

Crypt of the Vampires (VQ)
Compelled by hypnotic suggestion, guests trespass on cemetery grounds and descend into a moldering mausoleum. Its ossuaries are unnaturally massive (a hidden show building), haunted by Vampires who linger just beyond sight. Guests board eerie self-propelled carriages, motion-based trackless vehicles by Oceaneering International, with a choice of “wild” or “mild.” The former carries a 42” height restriction, a ride style similar to Indiana Jones, and explores far more frightening tableaus. But in either case, carriages silently slide through a vampiric world. First through catacombs, past empty coffins opening from within, then into the Vampires’ private manse. A dinner table teems with living food. Spectral forms emerge from moving paintings. Dozens of Vampires dance with guests in a masquerade ball – until a giant mirror reveals guests dancing alone. Lastly into the raucous dungeon, full of fog, bats, possessed torture instruments, and countless references to Poe.

Tower Prometheus (height requirement: 48”)
Across a drawbridge lies Tower Prometheus, an ancient watchtower where mad Dr. Predigious works with cadavers to create his unnatural Man-Machine. Little do interested guests realize that they are the final parts the good doctor needs to complete his task. But they soon learn this once strapped to medical gurneys within the fortress’s makeshift laboratory. A cast member performs as Dr. Predigious, as gurneys lift ever higher into rat-infested rafters. Here, the yet-dead Man-Machine resides. A storm brews outside. Lightning strikes, and gurneys freefall! They hurtle up and down recklessly amidst sparking electrical equipment, as lightning flashes reveal the Man-Machine coming to life. Tower Prometheus is a highly-themed drop tower into a heart of madness.

The Fish-Man of Crater Cove
Within swamps that have grown up around Crater Cove, past a shredded campsite and a fossilized fish claw, is the research ship Hayworth. Here, men of science search for the Cove’s fabled Fish-Man, a mysterious antediluvian humanoid. Guests board one of several hydraulic diving bells which hang from the ship, and plunge into the inky black waters. Diving bells slowly rotate, exploring the depths. Out from the darkness, the Fish-Man lunges – and diving bells shoot to the surface! This is a modern take on the old Diving Bells flat ride once featured at Pacific Ocean Park, a thrilling and unique experience in a small footprint.

Grand Guignol Puppet Theater
A small Beaux-Arts opera house in the village of Carpathia plays host to cheerily morbid puppet shows. These simple performances – modeled on Romania’s storied puppetry tradition – retell tales of folkloric horror, with just a dash of Grand Guignol humor. Here guests learn of Gothic Realm’s many fearful beasts, its Phantoms, Hunchbacks, Ape-Men and Succubi.

DINING

Lilith’s Guests
Lilith, mother of demons, lives in a gabled house on a hill. Though frightful, she is a gracious host, providing a buffeteria of assorted European comfort foods. Guests feast in a main dining room, where window screen effects depict an unholy tempest in the wilds outside. Note the oddly swaying chandelier overhead.

Windmill Creamery
Windmills, the last refuge of a fugitive monster. Their spinning wooden gears also allow the villagers to create a variety of sweet cold treats. Guests purchase ice cream, frozen custard, and other desserts. A far freezer doorway bulges from within, struggling to contain a gelatinous Blob Monster.

Caravan Harvest
Dotting the forest trails, a caravan of Romani wagons provides harvest snacks to weary travelers. For safety’s sake, foods like breadsticks and barbecue are loaded with garlic. While eating around the campfire, guests may also enjoy character interactions such as gypsy palm readings.

RETAIL

Slayer Supplies
A corner village shop provides monster protections and amulets. Garlic wreaths, foam “wooden” stakes, silver bullets, monkey’s paws, more. Here is everything needed to withstand an onslaught of the undead. Superstitious villager characters provide live, interactive theater, endlessly warning of the creatures lurking beyond the light.

The Alchemist’s Lab
A converted greenhouse, stuffed with Venus fly traps, now serves as an alchemical workshop. Shelves teem with bubbling beakers, mysterious potions, and brains in jars. An invisible scientist seemingly roams the aisles, drinking down glowing potions and carrying products overhead from shelf to shelf.

Outlet of the Occult
A university bookstore contains all manner of grimoires, Necronomicons and bestiaries. Accursed objects from ageless crypts lie bound behind safety glass, occasionally shivering where shoppers get too close. Guests are free to purchase lesser spell books, along with postcards and stationary.

***

Gothic Realm is the darkest corner of Monstrous Realms, with a spooky atmosphere and thrilling rides. It is not overwhelmingly terrifying, however, but a bracing exploration of the morbid and bizarre. Though our superstitious subject matter may remind you of the Universal Monsters, it all comes from a far more ancient and primal shared folklore. Only by facing our deepest fears can men rise above them.

CELTIC REALM

From oppressive forests to green moors, with rolling hills stretching past the horizon. Dotting the hills are Celtic crosses and Pictish stones. This is a world of pagan nature spirits in conflict with the encroaching church. This battle plays out with Dragons against Dwarves, Unicorns against Gargoyles. An abandoned Celtic shrine sits buried in a volcano’s hardened lava streams, soon to be replaced by a new Romanesque cathedral under construction. Between them is a secluded loch, where sometimes a Lake Monster surfaces. Crossing a bridge over the loch’s stream, guests hear Trolls speaking below. The coastline resembles Giant’s Causeway of Northern Island, full of basalt columns. Here is a flooded giant’s footprint. Atop the hills, a wicker man effigy dominates the realm, and lights ablaze at nighttime in sacrificial glory.

ATTRACTIONS

Dragon’s Keep (height requirement: 44”) (VQ)
Smoke eternally escapes from a volcanic peak (modeled on Portugal’s Mount Pico), evidence of the Dragon inside. Tales of infinite gold draw in guests. They reach the mountain’s lava tube interiors through the lava-covered ruins of an old Druid church. Deeper they descend, over magma flows, into an abandoned Dwarfen kingdom. Well, not entirely abandoned, for guests soon stumble upon the Dwarves’ last stronghold, where they plot to reclaim their land from the fire-breathing Dragon which now sits in power.

Guests aid the Dwarves aboard flying winged Goblins. Goblin ride vehicles individually seat guests in a horseback position, and fully capture the sensation of riding an untamed fiend. Riders together enjoy an IMAX motion flight simulator plunging them deep into the Dragon’s keep, then up through the volcano’s shaft for a hair-raising aerial duel against the reptilian monstrosity. The theater provides gusts of wind, the stench of sulfur, hot effects and even live flames. Altogether, guests will appreciate a Dragon’s fury like never before, and successfully bring victory to the besieged Dwarves!

Curse of the Gargoyles (height requirement: 54”) (VQ)
While the Romanesque cathedral now being built marks Celtic Realm’s transition to a less superstitious age, it too is victim to a deadly monster’s whims. The dreadful, bat-like Gargouille has halted construction, and brought the cathedral’s own Gargoyles to unnatural life. Guests looking to break this curse must board these flying stone horrors – this is a B&M inverted coaster - and sail to Gargouille’s inner sanctum. Wooden scaffolding (complete with medieval pulleys) and a massive cathedral show building all help to camouflage coaster supports.

For riders on this compact but insane course, the thrills never let up! Gargoyle trains navigate flying buttresses. They perform vertical loops alongside stained glass windows. A zero-g roll surrounds the spire. Carved Gargoyles lining the cathedral’s surfaces spout flames. Their glowing eyes eerily illuminate the unconsecrated interior. The climactic encounter against a huge animatronic Gargouille is accompanied by a super slow inline twist. A techno remix of Bach’s Toccata and Fugue – though heavily anachronistic – provides just the right accompaniment for this aggressive thrill ride!

Unicorn Grove
Hidden behind a waterfall is a cavernous passageway to the Unicorn’s grove. A creature of the purest innocence, to quest for the Unicorn is to quest for one’s own enlightenment. This journey takes place in an interactive dark ride setting, aboard ETF Multi Movers. Riders upon enchanted palanquins glide through a sun-dappled forest which is realized (with a mix of screens and sets) in the visual style of a medieval tapestry. Guests directly “illustrate” these magical landscapes with controller-free hand gestures (over an air curtain), magically repainting their world. This is not a shooter competition, but pure creative interactivity. We conclude in the Unicorn’s glowworm cavern, where the creature speaks directly with guests.

Dance of the Fairies
Enter the domain of the Fairies, found in a basalt sea cave. Hexagonal stone acoustics compliment an otherworldly stage performance. Acrobatic performers dressed as magical sprites perform an interpretive show in the vein of Cirque du Soleil, infused with Gaelic influences. The Fairies retell the cycle of Celtic mythology, beginning with creation, and passing through the ages of monsters and heroes. A projection screen transforms and expands the stage, which constantly shifts with new magical colors and shapes.

DINING

Fingal’s Tavern
Civilization is only just starting to take shape around the cathedral. To better serve construction workers and visiting guests, Fingal’s old farmhouse has been converted into a cozy tavern inn. British pub grub features, from bangers & mash to neaps & tatties, plus haggis for more adventurous eaters. Rich with carved oak, this domestic space is also home to Brownies hiding in the cupboards and baking their namesake chocolate dessert.

Heorot Hall
Straight from the legend of Beowulf comes Heorot’s famed mead-hall, a counter service restaurant for warriors to feast on fine smoked meats and hearty drinks. Foods here are largely British in style, robust and delicious. Engraved pillars tell of Beowulf’s struggle against the ogre Grendel. Beowulf’s shield and armor are on display at the center.

The Knackered Kelpie
A fenced Celtic hut at the loch’s edge serves as the land’s snack stand. Carvings around the grounds depict the shapeshifting water-horse Kelpie. Foods include meat pies, baked potatoes, or bean-smothered fry chips (sometimes called “Irish nachos”). Seating faces the loch, under straw canopies beside Pictich stones.

RETAIL

Hunky Punk
Following Curse of the Gargoyles, guests pass through the cathedral nave’s Hunky Punk shop – named for the grotesques found on English churches. Puerile hunky punks are basically sillier gargoyles, perfect for toys and souvenirs. The shop also sells medieval clothing, and innumerable souvenirs themed to the realm’s creatures.

The Pot o’ Gold
A cauldron of coins sits atop a façade in cathedral square. Water misters and color projections create a rainbow. Inside is a store themed, naturally, around Leprechauns, complete with tapestries, shoes and good luck charms. A cobbler’s corner features a live artisan who speaks of the fey folk’s greed for footwear and their love of mischief.

Highland Troll Swap Meet
The highland Trolls have reclaimed an ancient Druidic circle and covered it in tapestries to create a swap meet. And while the rising sun turned these Trolls to stone before they could finish, the realm’s humans have completed the market nonetheless. They sell Troll-themed goods, beautiful Celtic jewelry, and artwork inspired by the Book of Kells.

***

Celtic Realm features many of the world’s most familiar monsters, pulled straight from European legend. With both scaly giants and peaceful spirits, Celtic Realm has something for every visitor. For Japanese locals, who hold a fascination for the exoticism of Western culture, this land of monolithic stones, green valleys and unusual beasts will be greatly intriguing.​

 

[D Hulk]

ATLANTEAN REALM

Wide corral tunnels lead to a coastal New World seaport in the Age of Exploration. Brave navigators travel from this hilly Caribbean town, dominated by Spanish architecture, across the Seven Seas. On the ocean they face all manner of sea monster – Leviathan, Kraken, Mermaids. Not all live to tell their tale. A morass of shipwrecks clutters the bay. A giant squid hangs captured from a fisherman’s line. Giant tentacles clutch bridge supports at water’s edge. A desert island in the distance is actually a massive sea turtle, its face alone the size of a building. And on a far untamed coast, strange plants are the Vegetable Lambs of Tartary, bizarre hybrids of cotton pods and sheep. At night, the realm’s oceanic waters glow with bioluminescence, creating a tranquil, unearthly glow.

ATTRACTIONS

Bermuda Triangle Leviathan (height requirement: 48”) (VQ)
Join a doomed voyage in search of the fabled sea serpent Leviathan! Near an enormous conical mountain – modeled on St. Lucia’s Gros Piton – would-be sailors enter the ship-house of Captain Proteus. Mad like Ahab, Proteus seeks to destroy the Leviathan at all costs, and charts a course for the beast’s Bermuda Triangle hideout. This Mack Rides water coaster starts as a flume dark ride, ferrying guests aboard rowboats on a haunted nighttime sea. Giant fins circle the boats. A distant projected typhoon depicts Leviathan’s shadowy form – a whale crossed with a crocodile. Boats try to evade past whirlpools, until a coaster dip sends them inside the Leviathan’s huge open mouth! In the belly, they ascend a lift surrounded by a watery vortex.

Leviathan spits out his prey. The coaster dives down the St. Lucian mountain and wends through the shipwreck graveyard. Coaster tracks blend in with shattered schooners. Over airtime hills, then plunging into the cove. Splash is minimal; Japanese tourists like to dress nicely, and hate getting soaked. Boats drift under the Carta Marina dining ship, and into a toothy cave to unload.

Enchanted Mermaid Grotto (VQ)
This paradisiac land’s interior is littered with overgrown Mayan ruins, with carved friezes depicting an underwater kingdom. Indeed, descent into the pyramids’ recesses reveals a far larger civilization, the tip of what is truly ancient Atlantis! A gentle boat dark ride proceeds further into the depths, magically passing underwater (dry-for-wet effect) to the bustling heart of Atlantis. A society of Mermaids and water-horse Hippocampi welcome guests with their lovely siren song – original music to be created by Studio Ghibli’s Joe Hisaishi. Altogether, Enchanted Mermaid Grotto is a peaceful, exhilarating musical dark ride with memorable tunes and characters.

Turtle Island Adventures
Nautical myth tells of the Aspidochelone, a sea turtle so vast, its shell is mistaken for an island. Guests to Atlantean Realm may explore such a creature, accessible from the mainland via the turtle’s titanic fins. The shell teems with jungle vegetation and freshwater streams. Guests climb car-sized barnacles, or walk directly through the sun-dried skeletal remains of an ancient whale. A Haitian witchdoctor’s hut is open so that guests may explore, examine the dried pufferfish, play with the gris-gris, and even remotely control a chained animatronic voodoo Zombie. Numerous winding pathways let guests get lost in their own imagination.

Kraken Shakin’ (height requirement: 40”)
On the back side of Turtle Island is a towering British man-o’-war ship, ready to make sail. Guests proceed inside to a galley where Lord Tennyson’s poem “The Kraken” displays. Headed topside, guests board a traditional swinging ship ride contained inside a show building, mimicking the open ocean at night. The ship swings and salty waves splash in a pool below. Huge animatronic Kraken tentacles attack! Riders endure the onslaught, only to be saved by the dawn’s morning light.

The Beast of Blackwood Bay
A secluded coastline is home to a unique animatronic meet ‘n’ greet. Here, a cast member claiming herself to be “The Beast Whisperer” summons the Beast of Blackwood Bay. This friendly animatronic Sea Serpent emerges from the waves – controlled live by an unseen cast member – and poses alongside guests for playful photos. The Beast will sing, spit water, and dance to the Whisperer’s fife.

DINING

Carta Marina
A Spanish Armada ship docked in the bay acts as the realm’s primary counter service eatery. Guests may order a wide assortment of a-la-carte Spanish tapas, including olives and manchego and sautéed scallops, which they then enjoy either below decks or topside. Cast members portraying salty old seamen roam the craft, always ready to regale diners with a tall tale of ocean madness.

Creature Comforts
Deep in a water-hewn cave is a comfort food restaurant fashioned from the discarded pieces of ruined ships. Here, light seafood specialties are served counter service style. Double-paned glass walls containing water overlook portions of Enchanted Mermaid Grotto, creating a nice dry-for-wet effect.

Legendary Bites
A majestic lighthouse stands guard over the bay, three massive fang marks in its body suggesting past encounters with unspeakable monsters. At the structure’s base is a snack stand which serves Caribbean street food like fried plantains and jerk chicken. For drinks, we specialize in coconuts with straws.

RETAIL

Here Be Monsters
Captain Proteus lives in an ivy-covered estate inspired by Italy’s Villa del Balbianello. Here he amasses and sells the strange and exotic goods he finds upon the ocean. Cabinets overflow with oddities like the Fiji Mermaid (a hoax) or a mislabeled narwhal skull. Ships-in-bottles, many depicting merchant marines battling aquatic beasts, are a popular souvenir.

Parts Unknown
This Spanish fort overlooking the shipwreck bay serves as an additional outlet for plundered goods. Deep in the stronghold’s munitions storehouse are conquistador helmets, toy cutlasses, spyglasses, and other nautical bric-a-brac.

Tienda Tortuga
A castaway’s shack on the back of Turtle Island Adventures holds all manner of washed-up detritus, from bottled messages to treasure chests. Salvaged merchandise from the East India Trading Co. populates bamboo shelves. “Terra incognita” cartography maps decorate the walls, and are available for purchase.

***

Atlantean Realm imagines guests on a high seas adventure without equal. Lengthy water rides send them to Poseidon’s depths and face-to-face with the park’s largest, wildest creatures. Large exploratory pathways allow guests to make their own adventure. The oceans remain a mysterious world which we still barely know, and a common source of Japanese myth. Many of the mythical monsters depicted here have proved to be real. Explore the depths of imagination!

SHOGUN REALM

Crossing the oceans, we reach Asia, and a realm sure to resonate with locals – Shogun Realm, a feudal Japanese kingdom of yokai creatures which seem bizarre in the West, but commonplace in their home country. Entry is under a shattered samurai gate, reminiscent of the Rashomon doors. On the frame is a carved Oni face. Within is a small Edo town around a Shinto temple, all protected by a moat of sharpened poles. On the waters is a red Itsukushima Shrine gate. Occasionally, massive animatronic koi fish surface. A bath house restroom is home to Akaname, a filth-licking green demon. Pathways lead deeper into an enchanted bamboo forest. The creatures of Shogun Realm are among Monstrous Realms’ cutest, largely realized in a kawaii style. Attractions are similarly benign, making this an ideal realm for our youngest guests.

ATTRACTIONS

Mystic Kirin Mountain (height requirement: 36”) (VQ)
The Kirin is a lion-dragon, an omen of good luck which dwells high in snowy Mount Hotaka. Whosoever rides this whimsical beast competes for its blessing. Mystic Kirin Mountain is a Vekoma junior coaster, its train resembling a stylized Kirin similar to a Chinese New Year dragon. This ride is double the length most junior coasters, combining Vekoma’s two standard models. The Kirin gallops through a mountainous torii path, like Kyoto’s Fushimi-ku. Like a roller coaster meets “slideboarding,” torii gates feature unique colors; riders must press corresponding buttons in their coaster car. The car with the highest total score is bathed in heavenly light at ride’s end.

Kitsune’s Critter Theitter
The fox-spirit Kitsune hosts a charming, comical children’s theater show on a Noh stage. Kitsune’s show utilizes call-and-response, allowing for goofy improvisational fun from its cast of critters, the Adorable Horribles. Children take to the stage and play along. Elements of a Hyakki Yagyo – a traditional Japanese monster parade – are incorporated. After performances, children meet our monstrous cast in a one-on-one “meet ‘n’ shriek.”

Sailing Lanterns (height requirement: 40”)
According to folklore, extremely old inanimate objects can come to life. These are known as “Tsukumogami.” One famous example is the Chochni-Obake, a one-eyed lantern ghost. These goofy spirits love to carry people playfully. Guests enjoy this sensation on a mild Intamin parachute ride centered around two 50-foot pagodas. Enjoy panoramic views in a silly, non-threatening setting.

Leaping Yokai
Another fun-loving possessed object is the Kasa-Obake, a one-eyed umbrella which hops on a single leg. Here the Kasa-Obake manifests as a Zamperla Jump Around flat spinner in the town square. Jumping umbrella carts circle a central “King Umbrella.” Riders may open their carts’ smaller parasols, which causes carts to rotate crazily.

Tengu Kites
The Tengu is a man-bird which rules the skies. Guests may fly like him on the Tengu Kites aerial carousel. Held in kite-shaped cars, they sail over a spraying water fountain and underneath a Shinto dome. The dome’s interior displays planetarium star projections which rotate with the ride, for a wild cosmic experience.

Twirling Tanukis
Join the mischievous Tanuki raccoon dogs in a wild dance circle! Board one of many fuzzy “balls” alongside a goofy Tanuki statue. Ceremonial chants start, accompanying a classic teacups ride. Instead of turning a wheel to spin, guests must pound faster and faster on a central drum, in beat with the rhythm like Guitar Hero. At night, blue Hitodama fire spirits illuminate the circle.

Kappa Creek
Kappa the demon frog lives in a river playground. Here children play in a grid of squirting fountains alongside a costumed Kappa cast member. They splash through a zero depth pond. Play music on flute-like water spouts. Admire Kappa’s bonsai collection. Or simply rub river-formed meditation stones.

The Bone House
Alongside a Zen rock garden is the private house of the Gashadokuro, a skeleton spirit 15 times the size of a normal human. Now immobilized by a Shinto spell, the Gashadokuro’s ribs and bones are refashioned into a children’s playground. Here are numerous net ladders, rope bridges, slides, and even a “Zen garden” ball pit, all in all a fun way for children to play, and for adults to rest their weary bones.

DINING

Namazu Sushi
A gigantic beached Namazu catfish, a yokai the size of a house, forms the structural basis for a counter service sushi restaurant under fishing huts. All the sushi dishes are playfully named after famous Japanese fish monsters. Namazu itself is famed as a causer of earthquakes, which can sometimes be heard rumbling under the ground whenever the massive fish twitches its fin.

Futakuchi Noodle Shack
Inside of a water mill on the edge of a flooded rice field, the two-mouthed Futakuchi makes her lair. Futakuchi is a very hungry beast, obsessed with noodles, which she shares with guests beside a spinning water wheel. Chefs behind a window make all manner of fresh delicious noodles – ramen, udon, soba – in full view of passersby.

Hitotsume Treats
The forest’s Shinto shrines are overrun with Hitotsumes, shapeshifters which appear as one-eyed bald child monks. These are trickster spirits, fond of desserts. Amongst this Shinto shack’s signature snacks are the “Hitotsume Mochi,” sticky rice balls which resemble their playful namesake.

RETAIL

Tsukumogami Market
The village’s general store has a problem with its merchandise. It is all possessed, like the living lanterns and umbrellas. So while this might seem a traditional feudal marketplace full of banal tools, all of these items laugh, sing and move – in actuality, battery-driven toys and plushes. There are dozens and dozens of these adorable objects, driving Japan’s love of collectibles.

Oni Gate
A guardhouse at the shattered entry gate was first built to ward off the red demon Oni. With time, the Oni mended its cruel ways, and now it stands guard, protecting the prefecture from greater threats. Within the Oni’s office are many colorful ceremonial masks, robes and incense sticks, all festival items available for purchase.

The Kawaii Yokai
AKA “The Super Cute Monster!” This is a simple rickshaw cart which specializes in caricature. Every guest identifies most with a specific monster. Our artists will now draw you as that monster in an anime style – a hilarious keepsake!

***

Shogun Realm caters to very young visitors with a collection of non-threatening flat rides and character encounters. In its native Japan this is the most familiar realm, even while its depiction of a fantastical Japanese Neverland makes it just as magical as anyplace else. Japan’s panoply of legendary critters is massive, possibly the widest of any culture! Monsters continue to dominate Japanese popular culture to this day, from kaiju to Pokémon, and Shogun Realm will be a welcome addition to this storied tradition.

PERSIAN REALM

Stone gateways lead to the final realm, set in the hot Arabian Desert. Here is the cradle of civilization, ancient Mesopotamia, home to the world’s oldest monsters. A mighty ziggurat dominates an Assyrian city, with verdant gardens and a serene central fountain. Assorted statuary depicts the mythical Lamasu, the great bird Simurgh, or the demon Pazuzu. A blue Gate of Ishtar leads out over the Tigris River. Past Hammurabi’s Code, past half-hidden Egyptian temples, is a windswept desert canyon similar to the Wadi Rum. Man has yet to settle these wild wastelands. An animatronic Karkadann – a monstrous rhino – wanders freely, accompanied by its human handler. As the walkways transition back to the Ottoman Realm, guests pass through a fantastical version of Turkey’s Mt. Nemrut, where megalithic heads depict Gryphons, Dragons and other beasts.

ATTRACTIONS

Roc! (height requirement: 52”) (VQ)
The largest monster to ever fly was the enormous eagle Roc, whose talons could crush an elephant. This titanic bird of prey terrorizes the entire realm as an exciting B&M wing coaster. Its sand-toned coaster tracks are impossible to hide entirely, though this double out-and-back course (in the realm’s outer edge) is carefully incorporated into mountain ranges, towers and pillars.

Guests queue in a Catal Huyuk mud settlement at the foot of Mount Qaf, the legendary nesting ground of the Roc. Seated in midair on either wing of a Roc train, guests proceed up the slopes of Mount Qaf, past enormous hatching Roc eggs inside a nest made of tree trunks. Diving down the snowy peaks, the Roc corkscrews around the Tower of Babel, then does an airtime camelback over the ziggurat. Nearing a sheer cliff wall (an eye opens in the wall – this is the sleeping Behemoth!), riders turn back via Immelmann loop. An inline twist through ziggurat keyholes, then a giant flat spin around the Tower, to a brake run inside Mount Qaf. Ahead, a full-scale Roc animatronic screeches! Riders do a diving loop in the darkness. Outside amidst a tangle of Akkadian pillars, they do a super slow Zero G Roll. A final helix spins riders around a whale-sized Antlion in quicksand, and to a final brake run in Mount Qaf’s caves, bursting with treasures.

The Kingdom of the Djinn (VQ)
Inside the great Ziggurat of Qaf is a portal to the imaginal dimension, a kingdom populated by the Djinn, corporeal spirits made of smokeless fire. In the West we know them as Genies, who do far more than grant wishes. Upon slow omnimover golden lamps, guests discover this for themselves. With astounding sets, screen effects and cloud tanks, they enter the phantasmagorical world of the Djinn, formed by the emotions of humanity. Here the Djinn boast a society much like ours, with weddings and dances and trials. Details are taken from the tale of Aladdin, yes, but also from other Arabian sources, for a unique psychedelic dark ride journey.

The Mummy’s Tomb (due to frightening content, not recommended for guests under 12)
A Karnak temple complex houses this frightening haunted maze deep within. Guests pulse through a desert tomb. Scarab beetle projections infest hieroglyphic walls. Chanting flows from an unseen source in an unknown language. Sarcophaguses shake, and rotted arms emerge. Live “scare actors” torment guests – leaping from blind corners, foggy pits, ceiling holes. They appear as bandaged Mummies, or as creepy Egyptian deities with heads of jackals or falcons. Animatronic effects (crocodile pits, crawling Mummy torsos) compliment this permanent haunt which is sure to thrill.

Using the Monstrous App’s virtual queue, guests even sign up for a low-capacity “escape room” experience within the pharaoh’s burial chamber. Deduce Coptic riddles in a race against time and a descending ceiling!

Riddle of the Sphinx
Half hidden in the sand is a limestone Great Sphinx monument. Inside it is the great hall of the mythic Sphinx, a winged lion-lady who delights in tormenting travelers with riddles. Guests may test their wits against this animatronic Sphinx, which is voiced and animated live by an unseen cast member. Far from a simple meet ‘n’ greet, this is a mind-bending upgrade to the Turtle Talk model. In Japanese only, except by request.

DINING

The Hanging Gardens
The visual crown jewel of Persian Realm is The Hanging Gardens, a tiered structure displaying hundreds of exotic plant species, a masterpiece of irrigation and landscaping. Should they ride a raising chamber (elevator) to the upper level, guests will discover a table dining restaurant atop an artful green roof under tent shading. Bas reliefs depict an assortment of Persian myths. Every diner enjoys views out to the whole of Monstrous Realms. High-end Middle Eastern cuisine features on the menu, as does Continental food, ensuring nearly every taste is satisfied.

Buraq Lounge
This is the Hanging Gardens’ sister bar on the ground floor, where flowing aqueducts power the beer taps. Fine silk curtains drape about, giving this space a soft, feminine glow. Elaborate wall mosaics depict the winged Buraq, a Persian steed which ferries the righteous to heaven. Among a variety of hors d’oeuvres, the lounge specializes is hummus with pita bread, served with different seasonal flavors.

Humbaba’s Cedar Grill
The Epic of Gilgamesh – possibly the world’s oldest story – tells of the giant Humbaba who lived in a cedar forest. Within his primitive stone hut, perched on the edge of Legendary Lagoon’s cedar point, Humbaba grills Lebanese food, dominated by figs, hummus, baba ghanoush, cinnamon, and eggplant.

Scorpion Man Skewers
In a Bedouin tent erected around the base of an old socotranum tree, the mythic race of Scorpion Men cooks up a tempting array of kababs and skewers. Desert cliff bas-reliefs depict Tiamat and her scorpion offspring. This snack stand also serves frosty date shakes, a surprisingly delicious desert dessert!

RETAIL

Three Wishes
This flagship shop sits opposite The Hanging Gardens in a Babylonian palace. The interior glows with ornate hieroglyphic walls. An antechamber is designed to suggest the interior of a Djinn’s lamp, complete with furnaces and tulle drapes. Along with Persian souvenirs and fancy textiles are interactive decorative elements such as a floating magic carpet (which hovers atop a magnetic plate), animatronic snake charming baskets, and cast members performing as ascetic fakirs.

Death-Worm Fine Silks
Natural caves in the desert wastelands hide treasure caches straight out of Arabian Nights. Peddlers in an “Ali Baba” chamber offer only the finest silk from the gigantic Mongolian Death-Worm. Interactive treasure chests open when guests utter the magic words, to be found by studying the realm’s carved details, and the words are not “Open sesame.”

Behemoth Boutique
The base of the Tower of Babel holds Behemoth Boutique, accessed from the canyon via a massive graven Mouth of Moloch. Inside under a towering light shaft is a trove of fine baskets, lamps, and other bazaar souvenirs.

***

Persian Realm rounds out our park with an array of intriguing Arabian-themed adventures. This realm’s elements all come from greatest antiquity, the very foundation of Man’s myths and legends. These stories inspire a robust wing coaster and a mesmerizing dark ride, along with exceptional dining and retail. Persian Realm is a joy simply to explore. Its every nook contains references to ancient Mesopotamia or ancient Egypt, lands with a surprisingly wide variety of legendary creatures!

NIGHTTIME SPECTACULAR – PHOENIX REBORN

The cycle of night and day is a cycle of death and rebirth. This is the story of Monstrous Realms itself. It is the story of the Phoenix, perhaps the most beautiful of all legendary animals. After nightfall, all of Legendary Lagoon and the Beastly Basilica in its center light up for Phoenix Reborn, a spectacular which dramatizes the Phoenix’s life, death and resurrection. With our park’s careful circular layout, this show is visible from the shores of every realm, and from the bridges which divide the lagoon.

Set amidst all these bridges are water fountains, able to dance with music and create mist screen projections. Scored to Igor Stravinsky’s ethereal “Firebird Suite” (abridged), the brilliantly multicolored Phoenix appears in these fountains, and projection mapped on the surface of Beastly Basilica. The music turns deadly, and flames shoot up! The Phoenix burns into nothingness...only for the music to swell once again, accompanied by an array of colorful lasers. Every realm joins in. Sparks belch from the Grecian factory. Gothic lightning covers Tower Prometheus. The Celtic wicker man bursts into flames. The Atlantean lighthouse reflects beams. Shogun Hitodama spirits glow. Smokeless Persian fire bathes the Tower of Babel. The Phoenix emerges fully formed, with a carefully choreographed crescendo of fountains, lights and music!

***

Like the Phoenix, Monstrous Realms rises from the ashes of Nara Dreamland. What was once a fantasy kingdom becomes one once again. Forged by trials and abandonment, what now arises is far more original, and far more evocative. Guests to Monstrous Realms discover the worlds of legendary creatures and mythic monsters. Countless cultures from throughout the globe congregate to create our rich, textured realms. From cute yokai to fearsome dragons, mighty serpents and wise birds, Monstrous Realms boasts a truly eclectic bestiary.

It is entirely possible to gain a foothold in a competitive market. Universal proved this in Orlando. Monstrous Realms looks to prove it again in Japan, trusting that imagination and excellence will guide our park to success!

”Nature is ugly, and I prefer the monsters of my fancy to what is positively trivial.”​

-- Baudelaire

​

 

[kmbmw777]

I've only read the introduction, the Ottoman Realm, and the Greek Realm as of this moment but I just have to say holy god. Your creativity, attention to detail, etc. never fails to astonish me.

I love how you connected this with real Japansese theme park history and The whole urban exploration of the park being a guise. (I've actually seen some of the videos and it's a pretty interesting environment).

 

[Suchomimus]

I love your theme parks; in fact I wish they were real. I really love the way you incorporate various myths from around the world into the park (apart from the kappa; kappas actually resemble turtles with human hair and frog like legs). I would have liked to see a North American land with fearsome critters and Native American myths, but that's just me.

 

[D Hulk]

I love your theme parks; in fact I wish they were real. I really love the way you incorporate various myths from around the world into the park (apart from the kappa; kappas actually resemble turtles with human hair and frog like legs). I would have liked to see a North American land with fearsome critters and Native American myths, but that's just me.

It's funny, the original version of this park (meant for U.S. audiences) did have a land for Fearsome Critters, Bigfoot, Jersey Devil, Thunderbird, and such. That became the Japanese land when the park moved over to Japan. That's the monster topic I had to research the most, though apparently I didn't get the kappa quite right.

I've only read the introduction, the Ottoman Realm, and the Greek Realm as of this moment but I just have to say holy god. Your creativity, attention to detail, etc. never fails to astonish me.

I love how you connected this with real Japansese theme park history and The whole urban exploration of the park being a guise. (I've actually seen some of the videos and it's a pretty interesting environment).

I've seen some of those exploration videos too. Super creepy, especially when they're sneaking around the abandoned spook house. And thanks for the compliments!

 

[BigThunder26]

I'm impressed. You've put a lot of work into this, and it shows. Great work.

Also, regarding Crypt of the Vampires: is that Petyr right there?

 

[D Hulk]

Also, regarding Crypt of the Vampires: is that Petyr right there?

And we're still friends today!

 

[Suchomimus]

One more question Hindley. On that second to last photo on Persian Realm, there's a golden creature that looks like a rhinoceros, what is that creature and where did you find it?

 

[D Hulk]

One more question Hindley. On that second to last photo on Persian Realm, there's a golden creature that looks like a rhinoceros, what is that creature and where did you find it?

That guy is a Karkadann, which is a sort of Persian unicorn. Early historians and naturists probably encountered actual rhinoceroses, and their confused descriptions evolved into a mythical creature. Actually, the word "karkadann" in modern Arabic means "rhinoceros." I learned of him doing some deep dives into Persian folklore. I think the park idea was to have a full scale Karkadann "living character initiative" wandering the land with its handler.

 

[Suchomimus]

That guy is a Karkadann, which is a sort of Persian unicorn. Early historians and naturists probably encountered actual rhinoceroses, and their confused descriptions evolved into a mythical creature. Actually, the word "karkadann" in modern Arabic means "rhinoceros." I learned of him doing some deep dives into Persian folklore. I think the park idea was to have a full scale Karkadann "living character initiative" wandering the land with its handler.

I was beginning to think that it was, though I never knew karkadanns to be depicted as golden.

 

[Suchomimus]

That guy is a Karkadann, which is a sort of Persian unicorn. Early historians and naturists probably encountered actual rhinoceroses, and their confused descriptions evolved into a mythical creature. Actually, the word "karkadann" in modern Arabic means "rhinoceros." I learned of him doing some deep dives into Persian folklore. I think the park idea was to have a full scale Karkadann "living character initiative" wandering the land with its handler.

You should have the handler a female since, in the myth, the karkadann can be seduced by female (virgins).

 

[Miru]

I really like this concept; the world needs more parks like this and Eifteling. I like the variety of shops, rides, and lands set up, leaving plenty of room for future expansion (Cryptids, Native American, African, etc) as the years go on, despite already having a bevy of content. I really want to go on the Kirin ride, in particular. I feel like perhaps Pliny’s would have a Blemmyes as an animatronic to entertain guests.

 

[Suchomimus]

I really like this concept; the world needs more parks like this and Eifteling. I like the variety of shops, rides, and lands set up, leaving plenty of room for future expansion (Cryptids, Native American, African, etc) as the years go on, despite already having a bevy of content. I really want to go on the Kirin ride, in particular. I feel like perhaps Pliny’s would have a Blemmyes as an animatronic to entertain guests.

Given what he did for DisneySky, I'd love to see a sort of revival done sometime in the future.

 

[D Hulk]

Given what he did for DisneySky, I'd love to see a sort of revival done sometime in the future.

Love the appreciation! Maybe someday I’ll revisit this, when the passion strikes. I’m not planning on it anytime soon though I’m afraid.

 

[Suchomimus]

Love the appreciation! Maybe someday I’ll revisit this, when the passion strikes. I’m not planning on it anytime soon though I’m afraid.

As expected but on a side note, I never realized until now that you incorrectly described the Kirin as a lion dragon when it was a dragon unicorn. Though there is actually is a yokai that does match the lion-dragon description.