Tokyo DisneySea Turns 13

Welcome one and all to a world where Imagination and Adventure set sail. Tokyo DisneySea is dedicated to the spirit of exploration that lives in each of us. Here we chart a course for Adventure, Romance, Discovery and Fun and journey to exotic and fanciful Ports of Call. May Tokyo DisneySea inspire the hearts and minds of all of us who share the water planet, Earth.

—Michael D. Eisner, September 4, 2001

On this day 13 years ago the 9th Disney theme park opened its gates. Tokyo DisneySea set the bar higher than it had ever been set before in terms of Disney magic. Within 307 days of opening, Tokyo DisneySea had reached the milestone of having 10 million guests enter its gates. This made it the faster theme park in the world to do this. While this theme park does hold the Disney name, it isn’t actually owned by the Walt Disney Company. Instead it is owned by The Oriental Land Company, the same company that owns Tokyo Disneyland.

The park is divided up into seven themed areas. With the nautical theming that accompanies a park named DisneySea, it comes as no surprise that each area is a port-of-call. These include:

Mediterranean Harbor – Italian in theme, this area is also the entrance to Tokyo DisneySea. It is shaped like a V and gives guests the options to walk towards Mysterious Island or the American Waterfront. The area features a hotel, attractions, and is the home of Fantasmic!.
Mysterious Island – The parks centerpiece, the Mysterious Island is based around the volcano Mount Prometheus. This area is Victorian in theme and relies heavily on the writings of Jules Verne, particularly as found in Vulcania. This port-of-call is the home to two of the more popular attractions at the park: Journey to the Center of the Earth & 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
Mermaid Lagoon – Bringing the world of Ariel and the characters of The Little Mermaid, King Triton’s palace can be found in Mermaid Lagoon. Most of this port-of-call is found indoors as guests go under the sea to visit and experience the world of the mer-people and their friends. This includes kiddie attractions, a show, and the opportunity to meet Ariel.
Arabian Coast – Find Aladdin and the Arabian nights at the Arabian Coast port-0f-call. This area recreates the feel of the Disney Animated Feature Aladdin as it offers attractions, shows, and food representing the region of the diamond in the rough.
Lost River Delta – With an Aztec Pyramid, this is the jungle themed area of Tokyo DisneySea. It is the home to the Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull, the Raging Spirits roller coaster, the Mystic Rhythms theatrical experience, and the DisneySea Steamer Line from which guests can transport across to the Mediterranean Harbor.
Port Discovery – The marina of the future, Port Discovery is a mix between the never built Discovery Bay concept for Disneyland and Disneyland Paris’ Discoveryland. It is basically the Tomorrowland of Tokyo DisneySea. It has three attractions: Stormrider, Aquatopia, and the DisneySea Electric Railway.
American Waterfront – A recreation of the original American waterfronts of the Northeastern seaboard, American Waterfront is divided into two sections: Old Cape Cod and New York Harbor. It is the home for another icon of the park, the S.S. Columbia. This is also the home of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Turtle Talk, the Big City Vehicles, restaurants, and plenty of entertainment.

Tokyo DisneySea is a magical mix of history, adventure, cultures, and of course Disney characters that should be experienced by every Disney fan. DAPs Magic’s Murray was able to visit the park and get some video to share. It seems only fitting that on the 13th birthday of Tokyo DisneySea we share these videos. As we look at these videos from the past, it is fun to imagine and speculate about the Disney magic that is yet to come to this magical place in the coming years.