Credit: DisneyIt’s happening: Disneyland Resort is finally getting the Tokyo Disney Resort treatment.
While Tokyo Disney Resort may operate under the Disney name and feature the typical hallmarks of a Disney park – such as the omnipotence of Mickey Mouse and the presence of classic attractions such as Pirates of the Caribbean, “it’s a small world,” and Splash Mountain – the most diehard theme park fans will tell you that it isn’t technically a Disney theme park.
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Instead, Tokyo Disney Resort is owned and operated by the Oriental Land Company, which holds the license to use Disney’s intellectual property in Japan (and recently announced its own branch of the Disney Cruise Line). Although Disney does not directly own or operate the resort, it oversees the creative and operational aspects of the parks through a licensing agreement.
The resort, which includes Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea, was the first Disney location to be built outside the United States and has long been a significant player in the global theme park industry.
For many, it’s the superior Disney resort, with Tokyo DisneySea often dubbed Disney’s best theme park thanks to its high-tech attractions (such as Journey to the Center of the Earth) and intricate, immersive theming (the park features an erupting volcano, need we say more?)
While the differences in quality between Disney’s American theme parks and Tokyo Disney Resort have long been a topic of discussion for Disney fans, the contrast was recently back thrust into the spotlight thanks to the opening of Fantasy Springs.
Tokyo DisneySea’s eighth themed port features three mini areas inspired by Peter Pan (1953), Tangled (2010), and Frozen (2013), containing four brand-new impressive attractions: Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Journey, Rapunzel’s Lantern Festival, Peter Pan’s Never Land Adventure, and Fairy Tinker Bell’s Busy Buggies.
However, Disney fans Stateside may soon be able to experience the same level of detail and immersion. This week, it was confirmed that Daniel Jue – who oversaw Walt Disney Imagineering at Tokyo Disney Resort for over 13 years – was made Portfolio Executive Creative Director of Disneyland Resort in June.
According to Jue’s LinkedIn, this role (similar to the position he held in Japan) involves him “overseeing Imagineering teams in Glendale and in Anaheim; responsible for developing strategic objectives, Master Planning, Visioning, and development of projects within the resort with our site partners.”
Disneyland Resort hasn’t exactly been quiet about expansion aspirations. Earlier this year, its DisneylandForward initiative was finally approved by both the Anaheim City Council and the Anaheim Planning Commission.
This allows Disneyland Resort to modify regulations and planning restrictions set by the City of Anaheim, giving it the option to add new projects and expansions to the iconic theme park destination (which has historically been restricted for space).
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While vying for the plan’s approval, Disneyland revealed that the expansion plans for its 490-acre property include adding a mixture of attractions, restaurants, shops, and even possibly a third theme park on what is currently the Toy Story Parking Area over the course of the next decade. It also hopes to privatize Magic Way, a street that currently borders Disneyland in Anaheim.
Although it didn’t disclose specific details about the new lands or attractions, Disneyland hinted that they could be comparable to recent or upcoming immersive additions such as World of Frozen, City of Zootopia, and – most relevantly here – Tokyo DisneySea’s Fantasy Springs.
“We know there are stories out there we haven’t told yet, like Wakanda, or Coco, or Frozen, or Zootopia,” Rachel Alde, Disney’s Senior Vice President of Global Development and Finance, said. “We know what kind of stories we would love to tell. We need to get the guidance on what we can build there so we can understand how.”
With Jue onboard, this does hint at a very exciting future for Disneyland Resort. As it goes, we may hear more details about its plans sooner rather than later; this evening (7 p.m. PT), Disney will host its “Horizons: D23 Disney Experiences Showcase” at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event.
Fingers crossed, there are some Tokyo Disney Resort-level announcements heading our way for Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park!
What would you like to see at Disneyland Resort in the coming years?