On the cool, crisp day of May 28, 2010, The Walt Disney Company officially opened the doors of Sydney Disneyland Resort!
Bob Iger, CEO, opened the resort with his official dedication speech.
"Welcome to the Sydney Disneyland Resort! The first Disney destination in Australia, a place where you can experience the magic of Disney in a resort that offers something for everyone. We are grateful to our partners, our cast members, and you, our guests, for making this dream come true. We hope that Sydney Disneyland Resort will be a source of happiness and inspiration for generations to come. Thank you for joining us today. And now, please enjoy the Sydney Disneyland Resort!"
Upon opening, the resort is host to its singular park, Sydney Disneyland Park, two hotels, and AvenueDisney, the resort's premiere shopping center!
- Sydney Disneyland Park -
Sydney Disneyland Park is the shining star of the Sydney Disneyland Resort. Boasting 17 rides spread across 5 themed lands, Sydney Disneyland Park has something for everyone in the family! Upon entering the park, guests will immediately be transferred to turn-of-the-century Marceline, Missouri in Main Street, U.S.A. At the end of this strip lies the Castle Courtyard and the heart of the park, Belle's Castle, from Beauty and the Beast. Standing at 53 meters (or 174 feet), the castle draws guests further into the park.
In Fantasyland, located behind the castle, guests are immersed in the quaint French town where Belle resided before her move to the castle. Before diving into this land, guests can eat inside the castle at the Be Our Guest! Restaurant or even meet Belle and the Beast right out front! This land's signature attraction is the unique dark ride The Enchanted Adventures of Beauty and the Beast, nestled in the back of the park. Other attractions include the standards Dumbo the Flying Elephant and it's a small world.
Sydney Disneyland Park's Adventureland is split into two, the mainland and its very own island, home to Koa Volcano, a thrilling roller coaster inside the 33 meter tall (108 feet) volcano. Surrounding the island is the Tahora River, where guests take a sailboat around the island, boarding on mainland Adventureland. The land is also home to Pirates of the Caribbean and Tarzan's Treehouse.
The fourth land is fan-favorite Tomorrowland, located on the right side of the park. Tomorrowland's buildings of sleek-white architecture are home to key attractions that make this Tomorrowland stick out to others, including Horizons - To the Future, Space Mountain, and a WALL·E shooter ride. Tomorrowland also sits next to Touch of Modern Lagoon, the stretch of water that welcomes guests to the land, featuring elaborate rock formations and waterfalls reflecting progress into the future.
The fifth and final land is unique to Sydney Disneyland Park, that being The Outback. The area takes the space of a traditional Disneyland's Frontierland and takes guests to the arid region of Australia's Outback. Here in The Outback lies the signature attraction The Outback Mining Co. Railroad and jumping ride Roo's Hop Hop Hop!. However, another addition to this land is the Outback Animal Encounter, where guests will be able to see and learn about animals that reside in this dry region of Australia.
- Sydney Disneyland Hotel -
The Sydney Disneyland Hotel is the resort's main hotel. With its elegant charm and boutique hotel feeling, the Sydney Disneyland Hotel offers 512 rooms ranging from standard rooms to suites. Within the hotel is the fine dining restaurant The Tea Room, a reservation-only eatery option at the resort. There is also a quick-service café for those late-night snacks or more relaxed meals. Right outside of the main lobby is the pool, featuring a stunning water fountain in the middle and a 48-meter-long (159 feet) water slide. At the top of the Sydney Disneyland Hotel is the spa, Disney's SYD Spa. Finally, at night guests can visit one of two fireworks viewing areas on the top floor of the resort, offering spectacular views of the park's nighttime firework show!
- Disney's RetroFuture Resort -
Located just seven minutes away from the Sydney Disneyland Park is Disney's RetroFuture Resort, Sydney Disneyland Resort's value hotel. The value resort is split into two sections, the Cyberpunk Future and Space Colony, each with two buildings and 576 rooms for a total of four buildings and 1,152 rooms at the hotel. Located centrally between the two sections is CentroFuture Hall, where guests can find the hotel's check-in, check-out, concierge, gift shop, and quick-service café. Right outside the hall is the CentroFuture Pool.
- AvenueDisney -
AvenueDisney is Sydney Disneyland Resort's very own shopping center. The shopping area is host to a number of shops and restaurants, albeit small at opening. Guests have the ability to find all of their Disney treasures at the mainstay shop of DisneyAvenue, World of Disney. They also have the option of getting a drink at Starbucks or a bite to eat at numerous eateries.
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Please join me as I give you, the guests, a grand tour of all this resort has to offer; and, after the tour, stay tuned for the progression and transformation of this resort as it grows and blossoms!
