Credit: Tokyo Disney ResortWhether it’s Walt Disney World or Disneyland Paris, Disney Parks are constantly changing – and this one just transformed the way Guests watch the Park’s parades.
In the past few years, Disney has introduced several new paid elements to its Parks. That includes things that used to be free, such as FastPass.
Genie+ and Lightning Lanes replaced the system back in 2021. Now, Guests at Walt Disney World and the Disneyland Resort can purchase quicker access to popular rides such as Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, Avatar Flight of Passage, and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
In 2022, Disneyland Paris also introduced a similar system with Premier Access, offering Guests the chance to skip the queue for a price.
Disney introduced these systems to help Guests make the most of their Disney Parks experience. However, Genie+, Lightning Lanes, and Premier Access have all faced harsh criticisms from the Disney community. Guests have reported longer standby wait times and accused the paid additions of “ruining the fun.”
While the response has been strongly negative, Disney has forged on with new paid experiences in the Parks – with the latest hitting the Tokyo Disneyland Resort.
The Resort will premiere several new experiences for Tokyo Disneyland’s 40th Anniversary in April. Disney Harmony in Color is a daytime parade themed around the “harmonious world of colors,” set to feature the debut of several new characters.
Meanwhile, Tokyo Disneyland Electrical Parade Dreamlights will entertain the Park once night falls with dazzling lights and appearances from movies including Aladdin and Toy Story (plus, of course, the main mouse himself).
Both experiences are free for all Guests to enjoy. However, Tokyo Disneyland has revealed on its website that they’ll offer guests a chance to pay ¥2500 ($18.88) per show for preferred seating during both the daytime and nighttime parades.
It’s not the first time the Park has offered an upcharge for better seats during a show. In 2022, a section of Mediterranean Harbor was reserved for those with Premier Access for Tokyo DisneySea’s Believe! Sea of Dreams nighttime spectacular.
Now that the practice has gone Resort-wide, it seems inevitable that this will become standard for not just Tokyo Disneyland Resort but other Disney Parks worldwide. Considering the response to the likes of Genie+, it’s questionable how positively Guests will respond to this change – but regardless, it seems like Disney Park upcharges are here to stay.