The day we’ve been waiting for has finally arrived!
We finally get to see and experience Tokyo DisneySea’s HUGE expansion, Fantasy Springs! This expansion brings three new lands to Tokyo Disney Resort, along with a brand new Fantasy Springs Hotel. It will be opening on June 6th, but we’re taking you with us on a FIRST LOOK. So let’s go check it out.
We began our Fantasy Springs adventure at the Fantasy Springs Hotel!
Guys. Disney CRUSHED IT with the design of the Fantasy Springs Hotel! 🤩🤯 Can we please stay here FOREVER?? 😩😍#mediaevent#TokyoDisneyResort #TokyoDisneySea#FantasySprings pic.twitter.com/QSYw5QZYU4
— AllEars.Net (@AllEarsNet) May 8, 2024
This remarkable new hotel is located IN Tokyo DisneySea, and leads directly into Fantasy Springs. Furthermore, the hotel is actually an integral part of the land’s story.
According to Disney, the story of Fantasy Springs revolves around a duchess who discovered springs that lead to fantastical locations. She decided to build her chateau — the hotel — on land near them.
The interiors of the hotel are truly breathtaking,
The back of the hotel exits through security and directly into the park, where spectacular rock work featuring Disney characters really sets the fantastical scene. There’s Mickey, in full sorcerer-mode…
… complete with the brooms from Fantasia!
There are also numerous Disney Princesses hidden amongst the rock work as well.
We’re gonna need 3-5 business days to process this INSANELY detailed rockwork at Fantasy Springs!
Can you find the hidden Snow White?? 🍎 (hint: look DOWN)👇 pic.twitter.com/KtkRZEJFWK— AllEars.Net (@AllEarsNet) May 8, 2024
The ever-ominous Magic Mirror hovers over Snow White as well.
Cinderella makes her way down the stairs after the ball. Notice the faint blue color gradient to mimic her dress, and the glass slipper left behind just as as in the film?
Ariel, along with Flounder, lounge in the water, complete with their bright color schemes still vaguely shining through.
This massive Aurora and Prince Phillip carved into the rock work might be the most impressive of the princesses. Note the subtle pinks of Aurora’s dress.
Of course not every carving is princess-related. There’s also Alice, smack-dab in the middle of Wonderland..,
… and a massive Cheshire cat integration that make take a moment to become clear.
Just in case things seemed to bright and cheery, there’s a massive Maleficent in dragon-form carving to remind us that adventure… and danger lurks around every corner.
Once inside the park proper, the first land we entered Frozen Kingdom, a full reproduction of the Kingdom of Arendelle from Frozen.
From Fantasy Springs Hotel, we head to Frozen Kingdom! Arendelle has NEVER looked better! #mediaevent#TokyoDisneyResort #TokyoDisneySea#FantasySprings pic.twitter.com/i9QKslNq9o
— AllEars.Net (@AllEarsNet) May 8, 2024
The land is home to Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Journey as well as the Royal Banquet of Arendelle restaurant.
The scope and scale of this mini-land is truly something to behold, as it fully envelopes one in Queen Elsa’s realm.
From the water, to the buildings, to the massive snowy peak.
However, even with this massive scope, the land also captures the smallest details from the film’s. From Arendelle’s unique architecture…
… to small references…
… to the lived in quality of the theming.
After exiting Arendelle, we made our way to Rapunzel’s Forrest, themed to the titular heroine from the film Tangled.
The land features several locales from the film, including Rapunzel’s tower…
…complete with a remarkable Rapunzel animatronic.
We got our first glimpse at Rapunzel! 🥹#mediaevent#TokyoDisneyResort #TokyoDisneySea#FantasySprings pic.twitter.com/4iIODIXLEi
— AllEars.Net (@AllEarsNet) May 8, 2024
There’s also a full-scale reproduction of the Snuggly Duckling.
The land’s biggest draw is the Rapunzel’s Lantern Festival attraction.
This boat ride carries guests through the film’s iconic Lantern Festival scene, and was described to us by an Imgineer as the “most romantic attraction we’ve ever built. ”
A we were ,moving into the next land, we noticed another massive piece of carved rock work: This breathtaking Pocahontas, complete with canoe. The scale of these pieces is hard to fathom without seeing them up close.
As we continued just around the river bend (see what we did there?), we reached Peter Pan’s Never Land.
Remarkably, while Peter Pan’s Flight has been a staple of Disney Parks around the world since Disneyland first opened in 1955, this marks the first full land dedicated to the character in the company’s history. However, Imagineers definitely made it worth the wait. They’ve littered the land with evidence of the Lost Kids antics…
… as well as references to the film.
Of course, the main draw of the land is the massive new E-Ticket attraction Peter Pan’s Never Land Adventure.
This attraction begins with a massive themed queue that took us through the headquarters of Peter Pan and the Lost Kids.
The line featured numerous references to the film’s characters…
… as well as our first look at the 3D-rendered versions of the characters who we’d see on the attraction.
(Yup, you read that right, it’s a 3D attraction, complete with goggles)
While we weren’t allowed to take any pictures or film on the ride or loading and unloading areas, we can tell you what we thought. This new attraction is very similar to rides like The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man and Transformers at Universal, but with a modern twist. Seamless 3D screens blend with reactive physical sets – no animatronics unfortunately – to produce a complete immersive environment.
Y’all…can we PLEASE take a moment for this QUEUE for Peter Pan’s Neverland Adventure in Fantasy Springs? Waiting in line is never really *fun*, but when the ride queue looks like this, it makes things a LOT better!#mediaevent#TokyoDisneyResort #TokyoDisneySea#FantasySprings pic.twitter.com/hVxhAMLECH
— AllEars.Net (@AllEarsNet) May 8, 2024
The massive trackless ride vehicles move seamlessly, and capture both the feeling of being on a boat and then “flying” when Tinkerbell uses her pixie dust on us (in one of the most impressive 3D effects we’ve ever seen.
Following our rides, we got check out some of the merchandise that will be available in the land, including this shirt…
…and corresponding hat…
…(check out the back)…
… and yes, those ARE adorable plush Lost Kids!
We also got to explore Captain Hook’s ship, which is accessible to guests!
At Peter Pan’s Neverland in Fantasy Springs, you can actually EXPLORE the pirate ship! 🏴☠️ There are so many details and Easter eggs to uncover here! #mediaevent#TokyoDisneyResort #TokyoDisneySea#FantasySprings pic.twitter.com/ZwKAk2ugVs
— AllEars.Net (@AllEarsNet) May 8, 2024
The full scale vessel is full of prop replicas from the animated film made real.
These include personal items of Captain Hook’s…
…including a manifest of his “crew.”
There also several more decorative references to the film scattered throughout the vessel.
The ship provides some amazing spots for photos that capture the incredible scale and forced perspective used in Fantasy Springs…
… as well as some more… amusing photo-ops.
Following our sojourn on Captain Hook’s ship, we took a trip to Pixie Hollow to ride the mini-land’s second ride: Tinker Bell’s Busy Buggies.
The ride “shrinks” guests down to the size of a fairy. This begins in the queue, which is made of up of massive versions of typically “small” objects like a massive diamond…
… a giant map of Pixie Hollow…
… and an encounter with Tinker Bell herself.
The queue also contains a large number of references to the Tinker Bell film series on which it’s based, including a MASSIVE comb belonging to Captain Hook…
The designs of the ride vehicles themselves are adorable, and continue the fairy-sized theme.
The ride itself is an enjoyable family attraction, though relatively on the short side.
The ride climaxes with a massive animatronic of the mouse Cheese, a character familiar to the fans of the Pixie Hollow film series.
Next we grabbed some lunch at Peter Pan’s Neverland’s restaurant, Lookout Cookout.
The walls are covered with drawings “by the Lost Kids” as well as other props and references to the Peter Pan universe.
Here’s the FULL spread of our lunch from Lookout Cookout in Fantasy Springs! #mediaevent#TokyoDisneyResort #TokyoDisneySea#FantasySprings pic.twitter.com/BkL4SQoDeR
— AllEars.Net (@AllEarsNet) May 8, 2024
Lunch was quite yummy…
… and nice to look at!
The packaging is completely adorable…
…on the front AND the back.
Dessert anyone?
We wrapped the meal with a delicious brownie.
We also got to take a look at some more MERCH! This mug features Tangled…
Fantasy Springs mug – Tangled side
… Peter Pan…
…and Frozen.
And, OF COURSE, there’s a popcorn bucket!
Even Captain Hook and his pirates get some representation…
… and it comes with Tinker Bell figurine.
Next, we pulled double lunch duty and circled back to Rapunzel’s Forest for a quick bite at the Snuggly Duckling.
We couldn’t pass up a chance to eat at the Snuggly Duckling restaurant in Fantasy Springs! #mediaevent#TokyoDisneyResort #TokyoDisneySea#FantasySprings pic.twitter.com/J6Uro6jhKd
— AllEars.Net (@AllEarsNet) May 8, 2024
The restaurant definitely captured the vibe of the restaurant as seen in Tangled.
As with other areas of Fantasy Springs, elements from the film were recreated in full-scale detail at levels rarely seen, even in Disney parks…
… to the point where we REALLY felt like we were IN the film…
…and the burger was pretty good too.
We definitely wish we could have taken this tray home!
The Snuggly Duckling is chockfull of easter eggs and references to the film.
From murals and images plastered on the walls…
…to furniture…
…to props out in the open…
… that are easily spotted…
… to ones that can only be spotted by the trained eye.
Even some moments from the film…
… are represented as if they just happened.
We are having SO MUCH FUN exploring these new worlds! Keep following us here at AllEars as Quincy and Emma send more updates.
Following our second lunch, we got to the MAIN EVENT of day one: Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Journey!
Here’s a look at Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Adventure in Fantasy Springs! #mediaevent#TokyoDisneyResort #TokyoDisneySea#FantasySprings pic.twitter.com/ukJCxKZuAL
— AllEars.Net (@AllEarsNet) May 8, 2024
To put it bluntly, this isn’t only the best Frozen ride in the world, it may be one of the best rides in the world period. Disney’s Imagineers and the Oriental Land Company – the owners and financiers of the Tokyo Disney Resort – have crafted a revolutionary attraction here.
The attraction beings with an incredibly immersive queue. The whole experience, which is themed to Arendelle’s Castle. It’s chock-full of references to the film.
Note the depth of prop and references here. The queue has a real “lived in” quality that makes it feel like a real environment as opposed to just typical queue line.
Amongst the Frozen references, there’s also a Hidden Mickey in the queue? Can you spot it?
The queue winds through several rooms in the castle, each with changing environments outside. (And seriously, how adorable is this Olaf topiary?)
The queue really stands as walkthrough attraction on its own. However, it’s simply a lead-up to the attraction. The ride system is a boat ride, with the same capacity and vehicles of Hong Kong’s Frozen attraction.
The attraction is a fully integrated combination of projections, practical sets, and a veritable army of animatronics.
As one would expect, the ride captures some of the film’s most iconic scenes, and does so at a breathtaking scale that’s far and away above previous iterations. For example, the “Do You Wanna Build a Snowman” sequence features Anna…
… and Elsa going through their full dual-sides-of-the door duet.
The numerous animatronics of Elsa and Anna that populate the attraction are remarkable, and some of the most realistic we’ve ever seen.
Their fluid movements and facials capture the characters in a way that makes them feel real and emotionally resonant.
As the ride moves on, the animatronics react seamlessly to projected effects and physical effects, giving sequences like Elsa brining up gigantic spheres of ice an over-the-top bombastic quality.
As one would expect, the “Let it Go” sequence is show-stopping, and it’s combination of several Elsa animatronics, projections, and massive physical sets gives the whole sequence a grandeur that blows away the versions at EPCOT and Hong Kong Disneyland.
Arguably the most impressive sequence on the attraction occurs when Anna recovers from having her heart frozen. The combination of robust movement on the animatronic combined with incredible project effects has to be seen to be believed.
Here’s a look at Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Adventure in Fantasy Springs! #mediaevent#TokyoDisneyResort #TokyoDisneySea#FantasySprings pic.twitter.com/BiNRNOQzwj
— AllEars.Net (@AllEarsNet) May 8, 2024
The ride ends with a an ice-skating sequence that’s on par with the dancing Belle and the Beast animatronics over at Tokyo Disneyland as far as “wow-factor.”
Of note, Anna and Elsa aren’t the only characters to be featured as animatronics on the ride. Several secondary and tertiary Frozen characters are represented as well. In fact, there are even several generic “citizens of Arendelle who get the full animatronic treatment.
One of the first major highlights of our second day at Fantasy Springs was the chance to eat at the Royal Banquet of Arendelle AKA the Frozen-themed restaurant.
The restaurant provides food…
…ambiance…
…easter eggs…
… and even merchandise that immediately immerse diners with the feeling of being inside the world of Frozen.
Next up we were able to ride Rapunzel’s Lantern Festival, the headlining attraction of the Rapunzel’s Forest section of Fantasy Springs.
the attraction follows the love story of Flynn and Rapunzel through a “greatest hits” compilation of their iconic moments together. The ride kicks off with an outdoor portion featuring Rapunzel in her tower…
…Flynn watching her…
… along with Maximus.
Next up there are scenes with Rapunzel swinging by her hair…
… and healing Flynn with it’s magical powers.
The climax of the attraction is the lantern festival, which gives the boat ride its name, and may be the most romantic scene in any Disney ride we’ve ever seen.
Next we got to check out some of the merchandise at the Fantasy Springs Hotel shop.
Now, there’s a ton of available merchandise and we couldn’t possibly show everything, but these were some of our favorite pieces, starting with Rapunzel ears.
There’s a miniature Cheese plush!
Some neat keychains.
These adorable Tinker Bell ears.
We loved seeing Nana on this shirt.
Being able to take a Tangled lantern home is fantastic.
The shop also features ride vehicle toys for each attraction, including Peter Pan’s Never Land Adventure.
Finally, some more views of rock work. This fantastic Rapunzel – look at her hair! – …
… and Anna, Elsa, and Olaf!
Everything You Need To Know About Accessing Disney’s New Theme Park Expansion –Fantasy Springs
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What do you think of Fantasy Springs so far? Let us know in the comments!
Disclosure: We were invited by Tokyo Disney to attend the Fantasy Springs media preview. This did not affect our reporting of the event — our opinions are our own.
We need Rupunzel at WDW (and not just in the bathrooms)!