Tokyo Disney Resort Continues It's Standing as the Premier Disney Resort

Tokyo Disneysea is the undeniable champion of Disney fans theme park envy. In the exact same year that this magnificent park opened, the less than stellar (to be kind) Disney's California Adventure made its debut next to Walt's park in Anaheim. The two parks couldn't have been more different. One park was the epitome of Imagineering skill and creativity. The other, well, a stunning example of Disney "budgeteering", full of pride on behalf of the Company leaders who were convinced everyone would come just because it had the Disney name on it. (Sounds a bit like the marketing plan for Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, doesn't it?)

Imagineer Phillip Freer painted this beautiful piece of concept art depicting Tokyo's version of the Indiana Jones Adventure. With the lush tropical rain forest and the imposing temple, it's hard to believe the bustling city of Tokyo is right behind it all. With the upcoming Beauty and the Beast and Fantasy Springs additions, the Japanese parks continue to outshine those in the States if not the world. And for very good reason!

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

When Reality Is Better Than Imagineering Art: Tokyo Disney Sea's Lost River Delta

The Lost River Delta, home to the Indiana Jones Adventure at the incomparable Tokyo DisneySea. Very striking and worthy of a trip across the park to experience one of the greatest Disney attractions ever built... and unlike the original in California, it is one with all of its opening day effects still working.

Up until the newly iconic Pirates of the Caribbean at Shanghai Disneyland, I cannot imagine there being a prouder group of Imagineers in that decade than the ones that worked on the second Tokyo Disney park. The concept art for this land brings an atmosphere of mystery and suspense. But it pales in comparison to the reality.

 The Crystal Skull before the movie gave it a bad name.

As my good friend and fellow blog author Len Yokoyama will soon discover once again, The Tokyo Disneyland Resort is teeming with one of a kind experiences sets in an environment that plays second fiddle to none. The Insights blog will be the place to go for Len's great photos and a very detailed trip report upon his return. You won't want to miss it.

For Lost River Delta, that also means guests can take a ride on the transit steamers around the park or risk some angry responses from Raging Spirits on that roller coaster. It's admittedly an enhanced and better decorated coaster from Disneyland Paris, but it is still quite eye catching. Even when the Tokyo Parks clone, they create the best versions of the former attraction. As was once said about the Land of the Rising Sun: "Japan takes the best the world has to offer and makes it her own."

Let's hope the new Beauty and the Beast area and attractions are also better than the pretty sweet concept art! That should make me finally book my trip!

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Even More Peter Ellenshaw on Tokyo DisneySea

Imagineer Peter Ellenshaw has done some amazing concept pieces for Tokyo DisneySea! I've already shown a few on this blog, but I have some more to show. Here's Lost River Delta from the air. From the beautiful purple blue sky, the temple for Indiana Jones stands above the jungle tree line, drawing brave guests into an exploration never to be forgotten.  The Crystal Skull may have been a relative artistic flop of a movie due to George Lucas and his alien insistence, but the story the Imagineers created for the attraction - long before the movie was even considered - is first class from any angle. You could say that about the entire park, though, couldn't you?

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)