The first time I went to Disneyland (the one in Anaheim, California), I was overwhelmed. I was already an adult then but I was carried away by the Disney magic.
For one day, I forgot everything else - no single thought about anything - not even work or nagging concerns. We were busy trying out the rides, exploring, getting autographs of Disney characters (Shhh....) and just taking the Disney experience all in.
Becoming a mascot even crossed my mind. I saw how the faces of kids lit up when they saw their favorite characters and I thought it's one of the most fulfilling jobs you can do. Too bad though, I can never qualify as a Disney mascot. My talents are so hidden. I haven't uncovered any until now. Haha...
Anyway, I was so excited to visit Tokyo Disney Sea because I read that it's the only one in the world and it had unique attractions.
We were there on a Friday, about an hour before it was to open. And guess what? The queue was already long. Here's after we got past the entrance.
Check out how thick the crowds passing through the door leading to the Mediterranean harbor, the nearest attraction from the entrance. This was just in the first 30 minutes when the park opened.
There are so many things to see and do at Tokyo Disney Sea and here are some of them:
1. Rides. Since we had only 1 day to go around, we had to be strategic in our selections. There are 8 popular attractions and we pre-selected which ones we really wanted to go to. We also made sure to use FastPass so we don't waste too much time waiting in line.
The first one we tried was the Journey to the Center of the Earth. It's a ride but there are no loops, just a couple of drops. Nothing really scary. And usually the drops are in the dark areas so you don't really know when they are about to happen. Haha...
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| Journey to the Center of the Earth |
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| 20,000 Leagues under the Sea |
Raging Spirits is a roller coaster ride. It has a 360 degree loop so I skipped this ride. Haha...
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| Raging Spirits |
Indiana Jones Adventure, Temple of the Crystal Skull is also an adventure ride. Again this one doesn't have any loops but it has a few drops. There's one major drop where they take your photo (haha...) but it's tolerable.
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| Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull |
Stormrider is a 4D ride. You'll ride a flying contraption in the midst of a storm, aiming for the eye of the storm. Just imagine the powerful and turbulent winds. And yes, you'll get a bit wet. Just a bit (not to the extent that you need a change of clothes).
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| Stormrider |
The Tower of Terror I think is the most daring ride but no one in our group was able to try it. From what I read, you'll go up an elevator and there's a free fall experience. Based on the description, it's something I don't want to try anyway. Haha...
For kids, there are a lot of attractions too. Here's the Mermaid Lagoon and the only reason why we dropped by there is because our tour guide said if the weather becomes too cold for us, this is the warmest place in the park. Haha...
2. Shows. Throughout the day, there are shows all over the park. So check out the schedules when you begin exploring so you can plan well when to stop for a show and when to ride to maximize your time.
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| Performers at the Arabian Coast |
The other show which we watched and which I really enjoyed was the Legend of Mythica. It's a water show held at the Mediterranean Harbor. Check out the photos below.
3. Food. I wasn't able to take photos of food but it's mostly Continental. The meals are not as fancy as the meals at Sanrio Puroland though.
There was a food item which we wanted to try at Tokyo Disney Sea but we couldn't find where to buy it. A cousin of one of my tour mates said that there's a Gyoza-dog snack there. It's a gyoza the size of a hotdog! Opportunity loss. Haha...
BTW, signature popcorn is very popular in Japan. There are long lines in flavored popcorn stalls. This one is selling Milk Tea flavor. Even during our visit to the city, we saw long lines in a newly-opened popcorn place.
4. Flowers. It's spring and what better time to see colorful flowers. The Cape Cod section has the most variety of flowers. Check these out.
5. Characters. I'm always happy to see Disney characters loitering around the park. Although I no longer ask for autographs nor take selfies with every character I see (haha...), I still enjoy watching kids starstruck and in awe when they see their favorite characters.
There's one Disney character I saw which intrigued me. At Cape Cod, I noticed a lot of kids, teens and even adults carrying a bear stuff toy like this with them.
And then they put their bear stuff toy in doorsteps, on the railing by the harbor, in flower pots or set ups like the one below and take photos of the bear. Instead of taking selfies, it's the bear that they take photos of.
Anyway, this popular bear is called Duffy the bear. The story behind is that Minnie Mouse created Duffy the bear when Mickey was about to go on a voyage to the sea. So it's officially Mickey Mouse's toy bear. There's a female bear too called Shellie May. According to our tour guide, these bears are very popular among Japanese. A lot of them buy the big Duffy toy which costs 10,000 yen and buy clothes for the stuff toy!
Anyway, while at Disney, you are entitled to have fun and be a kid all over again. Anything goes. You can get cute Disney caps like these and wear them while you go around the park.
Check out this couple taking a selfie with their kawaii (cute) caps and cardigans.
Or you can also wear your favorite Disney costume.
Disney is consistently a magical and happy place for me. :)