Tokyo Disneyland Resort Expansion

[PerceptiveCoot]

I just thought that the show scenes are likely longer to avoid Runaway Railway's big issue, that some of the later cars lag into a scene and exit it as soon as the enter it. These show scenes feel like they're compensating for that issue.

 

[ThemeParkTraveller]

I will say the queue is pretty exceptional. Here are some other interior shots before the preshow, which weren't shown in the video.

This is probably my favorite.

 

[BayouShack]

In a way that it replaced the Speedway is knock against it for me. Not because the Speedway was lost but because part Tomorrowland was lost for more Fantasyland while even more Fantasyland is being glommed onto Tokyo DisneySEA.

I don’t hold it against them. Their Fantasyland had no room to grow. Now with this expansion complete, the only way not to expand the land is to add, say, a Wonderland area between the Forest Theater and Space Mountain. If they really debated moving Small World, they can easily “move” the Queen of Hearts banquet hall. In fact, that’s way more practical than moving Small Word to preserve the restaurant!

Anyways, Fantasyland is nearly out of room. Fantasy Springs won’t have room to grow. In the future they’ll have to start replacing rides in Fantasyland.

On the other hand, Tomorrowland has plenty of room to extend into the parking lot, using the space occupied by the Showbase theater for access.

Fantasyland growing into Tomorrowland makes sense, because Tomorrowland has room to grow into the parking lot.

 

[The Peanut Gallery]

Man, that was fantastic. I don't really know what else I can offer that hasn't been said already. Great animatronics, a unique twist on the story without it being a book report ride (in classic Fantasyland dark ride style), & immersive, highly detailed theming. One observation I did want to throw out there though... did anyone else get Haunted Mansion vibes from certain rooms in the attraction? It seemed most evident for me in the pre-show with the stained glass window. I think it had something to do with the chandeliers & candelabras with flickering lights.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

I will say the queue is pretty exceptional. Here are some other interior shots before the preshow, which weren't shown in the video.

This is probably my favorite.

This is what I was hoping the ride would be kind of like. A tour of the castle. At least there's more of it in the queue.

 

[MisterPenguin]

It's frustrating that non-Disney properties like Avatar, Marvel and Star Wars all get rides with original narratives in their worlds, but for in house content it's mostly book reports. As if an experiential ride through the Beast's castle would not be interesting enough (I disagree).

Contrast this with Magic Lamp Theater at DisneySea next door. That's a show that builds on the Aladdin movie instead of repeating it.

Technically, Beauty and the Beast is also a non-Disney property. They just didn't have to pay for it.

 

[BayouShack]

Yikes. You really do hear the entire first scene through the doors as you board your cups.

I think that’s called Bad Show.

I *do* really like what the ride is trying to do, the execution could just be a bit smoother. Having a boarding process like Rise would help with scale issues.

I also want to see, this feels like an old school Epcot ride. It’s ambitions and establishes its own set of rules. And the ride time clocks in longer than any ride built since Sinbad, at TDS, in 2001.

 

[ThemeParkTraveller]

Yikes. You really do hear the entire first scene through the doors as you board your cups.

I think that’s called Bad Show.

Not sure why they decided Be Our Guest should be the first scene. There should have been a transition to the first musical number, preferably with either the dungeon scene with Maurice or Beast asking Belle to dinner.

Another nitpick is that the ballroom scene is too sparsely populated. There should at least be an AA beside every column instead of having all that empty space.

 

[montydysquith-navarro]

Another nitpick is that the ballroom scene is too sparsely populated. There should at least be an AA beside every column instead of having all that empty space.

Same nitpick here. I mean, look at how many people are surrounding Belle and Adam waltzing on the dance floor in the film:

 

[BubbaisSleep]

Same nitpick here. I mean, look at how many people are surrounding Belle and Adam waltzing on the dance floor in the film:
View attachment 499441

we are the people

 

[montydysquith-navarro]

we are the people

You mean we're these people then?

Hey, an element of the 2017 live-action made it into the ride! IT LIVES!

 

[Jose]

I'm impressed at how people criticize the length of the Something there scene... maybe it's because you haven't riden a trackless ride before, but in Paris it happens almost every time I ride Ratatouille. The ride gets "stopped" but the music keeps going on while the cars keep on dancing. It's not intended, it's like a glitch (if you pay attention, the music goes on in an instrumental way).

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

My complaint about Something There actually arose even before the ride stop . . . there's a whole lot of nothing happening in that scene. That they gave both Belle and Beast a full verse while nothing meaningful occurs in the scene is awkward enough, but the song extends even past that. I'm sure it's to account for timing other scenes need before the vehicles can move into them, but with so little business going on it seems endless.

Maybe the lighting changes and snow projections feel more impactful in person, but there doesn't seem to be enough activity in the scene to justify the amount of time guests are meant to spend there.

 

[Piebald]

Ah Tokyo Disney...you never seem to disappoint. To think the choice for Epcot was this or Ratatouille.

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

Ah Tokyo Disney...you never seem to disappoint. To think the choice for Epcot was this or Ratatouille.

I mentioned this on the Ratatoille thread - while I think it's clear this ride is far, far better objectively than Ratatouille, given the choice I still would have put Ratatouille in EPCOT. This is quintessental Fantasyland fare, and it should be put there. Though I doubt we'll be seeing any new construction starting in Florida for a real minute.

 

[Disneylover152]

My complaint about Something There actually arose even before the ride stop . . . there's a whole lot of nothing happening in that scene. That they gave both Belle and Beast a full verse while nothing meaningful occurs in the scene is awkward enough, but the song extends even past that. I'm sure it's to account for timing other scenes need before the vehicles can move into them, but with so little business going on it seems endless.

Maybe the lighting changes and snow projections feel more impactful in person, but there doesn't seem to be enough activity in the scene to justify the amount of time guests are meant to spend there.

Yeah I agree, granted I'm not riding the ride but I began to lose interest in the scene around 10:15, which is a full minute before the scene was meant to be over.

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

Yeah I agree, granted I'm not riding the ride but I began to lose interest in the scene around 10:15, which is a full minute before the scene was meant to be over.

Right? The only things that change over the course of the scene are the lighting, the snow starting, and the Beast revealing more birds in his other hand. It's completely devoid of action, excitement, tension, drama . . . not every scene needs to be Be Our Guest or The Transformation (WOW that Transformation!), but the scene feels awkward because it is.

This is part of the corner Book Report rides get backed into - it's a beautiful song, and a pivotal moment in the development of Belle and Beast's relationship, but it just does not translate to an aspirational event for the guest. There's no value to being there in that moment because everything that happens is internal. If the AA's were giving staggering, nuanced performances that invite you in to the characters' emotional states we'd never know, because the vehicles don't stop swirling to give you a moment to really connect with them. Not that I really assume that's what's happening.

In an ideal world, the attraction would not have been so beholden to replaying the beats of the movie and could have skipped this song in favor of a greater dramatic setpiece. That The Mob Song is so barely given room to breathe is really unfortunate - from what they did realize it's clear the potential is there for a clever, active, and memorable show scene.

 

[EricsBiscuit]

Good ride but doesn’t live up to the hype IMO.

 

[ThemeParkTraveller]

In an ideal world, the attraction would not have been so beholden to replaying the beats of the movie and could have skipped this song in favor of a greater dramatic setpiece. That The Mob Song is so barely given room to breathe is really unfortunate - from what they did realize it's clear the potential is there for a clever, active, and memorable show scene.

That's another one of my complaints. Similar to Mermaid, the conflict and feeling of danger is over too quickly in the attraction. Not having even a Gaston AA in there was a wasted opportunity.

 

[BubbaisSleep]

I mentioned this on the Ratatoille thread - while I think it's clear this ride is far, far better objectively than Ratatouille, given the choice I still would have put Ratatouille in EPCOT. This is quintessental Fantasyland fare, and it should be put there. Though I doubt we'll be seeing any new construction starting in Florida for a real minute.

Exactly! As much as one can like this new BATB ride, can anyone imagine this big fantasy castle sitting behind the Eiffel Tower? I sure cant! It’s clearly a Magic Kingdom ride. RAT was a perfect choice for Epcot. Plus the repetitiveness of there already being a very small iteration of the castle in the MK makes even less sense. It would make more sense to expand upon the castle in the MK.