Tokyo WARNING for Disneyland USA fans!

[TP2000]

I posted the content below on another message board in a topic discussing Tokyo's Halloween decorations. But I think it deserves it's own topic as it contains a warning for any American Disney fan considering a visit to Tokyo Disney Resort. Read on if you dare...


For the first time in my life I went to Tokyo Disney Resort for three days earlier this month. Fantasyland, Toontown, and Westernland are all decorated for Halloween. Pumpkins and Halloween banners on the Mark Twain, Westernland dressed to the nines in scarecrows and pumpkins and ghosts, decorations all over Toontown, Park trash cans painted in Halloween colors with ghosts on the sides, random horses on the Fantasyland Carousel replaced with wacky ghosts, etc., etc.

Tokyo Disneyland puts as much energy and money into Halloween as Disneyland USA puts into Christmas. And it's simply wonderful.

But I have to warn anyone who is thinking of visiting Tokyo Disney Resort to realize what they are getting themselves into. The Japanese have perfected and elevated the Disneyland experience into something that is dramtically superior to the Disney theme park experience here in America. Their level of customer service from every single Cast Member you encounter is so thorougly better than anything any American Cast Member has ever provided me, in any North American Disney park at any time in the last 15 years, that I am now not as enamored of Disneyland USA as I was before my trip to Japan.

Every single Tokyo Disney Cast Member I encountered was flawless in their execution, and their inate sense of hospitality and pride in their work showed with every interaction. You can not pass a Cast Member without receiving a big smile and a spoken greeting of some sort. ("Konichiwa!" or "Yokoso!" or the greeting appropriate for the time of day).

I will forever remember the impressive level of poise and grace the four hostesses working at the Enchanted Tiki Room displayed as they went about their business of welcoming us and introducing the show for likely their 25th time that day. And yes, they had FOUR hostesses working the Tiki Room on a rainy weekday night in October! One at the entrance, one in the pre-show lanai, and then two more who opened the doors and personally guided us into our seats before starting the show. And while the show performed, these immaculately dressed girls (in expensive uniforms that looked hand-tailored) gracefully wandered through the theater clapping and swaying to the music, winking and flirting with the tiki totem pole figures, and waving at the singing birds. That type of experience plays itself out at ride after ride, show after show, restaurant after restaurant, shop after shop, popcorn vendor after popcorn vendor.

And don't even get me started on the level of upkeep and maintenance. Did you know that the ghosts in the graveyard portion of the Haunted Mansion ride are actually supposed to move and do things, rather than just wiggle a bit?! It's true! Every animatronic looked like it had just had it's yearly tune-up, every handrail was newly painted, every facade freshly scrubbed, every little special effect working and performing in a continuous parade of magical little details.

DisneySea was an amazing Park, with a half dozen fantastic E Ticket rides uniquely built for the Park. A dozen or so other D and C Tickets, plus some amazing shows, water carnivals, and fabulous restaurants had us spending exactly half of our three full days at DisneySea. You don't just hop over to DisneySea to ride two E Tickets before returning to Disneyland like you do with DCA. You are enveloped in lush themes and thoroughly entertained for a full day at DisneySea, and it was just as crowded and busy as Disneyland. We eagerly went back to DisneySea for a second half-day before moving over to Disneyland for the last half of the day, and I look forward to seeing DisneySea again, especially after their MASSIVE new Tower of Terror opens.

Tokyo Disney Resort is FLAWLESS!

A visit to Tokyo Disney Resort can honestly change your perspective in such a dramatic way, that it is difficult to gain as much enjoyment out of our Disneyland and DCA once you have seen how much better the Japanese are at it.

Seriously, it's a very dangerous thing for a die-hard Disneyland fan to do. A trip to Tokyo Disneyland will forever change your perspective, and make you realize how much our standards have slipped here in this country in the past 15 years, and how inferior our Disneyland now is. And for a patriotic American like myself, that's not easy to admit. Visit Tokyo Disney Resort at your own risk, and realize you will never again look at Disneyland USA the same way.

[RLmagic]

Thanks, TP!

I cannot wait to visit TDR on Wednesday. Any tips?

Thanks!

[ZeekSlider]

Nice observation, but I'm sure the TDL regulars on this side of the MI Boards will tell you that's standard practice over there.

One thing that struck me as interesting is that the people playing characters (face or costumed) really get into their roles and are proud of it. Most of the time whenever you se a costume character in the states, they are rather conservative in their behaver, almost as if the CM inside is embarassed for being put into the suit.

[Michael]

Did you know that the ghosts in the graveyard portion of the Haunted Mansion ride are actually supposed to move and do things, rather than just wiggle a bit?! It's true! Every animatronic looked like it had just had it's yearly tune-up, every handrail was newly painted, every facade freshly scrubbed, every little special effect working and performing in a continuous parade of magical little details.

That is because Disneyland's original Haunted Mansion was developed in the last 60's. The Resort has opted not to update the AA's in the attraction with the new technology.

[ZeekSlider]

That is because Disneyland's original Haunted Mansion was developed in the last 60's. The Resort has opted not to update the AA's in the attraction with the new technology.

Let me guess why. Because it's cheaper than installing the better models??

[Michael]

Let me guess why. Because it's cheaper than installing the better models??

Well do you think Disney could market people to come back to the Haunted Mansion for all new AA's? Maybe to the die hard Disney Fans but not the rest of the Disney audience.

[Scott in LA]

Tokyo Disney Resort is FLAWLESS!

Puh-leez. TDR is *far* from flawless. For example, the Welcome Center closed before I got there, and I had to take my luggage *by myself* to my hotel.

Oh, and they used cheddar cheese on my reuben at New York Deli in TDS. Everyone knows it should be swiss.

So there.

[jonvn]

Nothing is flawless.

When someone says something is flawless, I question their standards.

Banzai!

[Disneytom]

Well, I think Disneyland is so much better than Tokyo Disneyland! The park in Tokyo is the ugliest of the 4 I visited and sure, guest services are better in Japan, Cast Members were also very good in Anaheim, AND I go for the park, not for the personell and the park (I'm talking about the Magic Kingdom type park) in Anaheim is far and far superior above the one in Tokyo in my opinion

[Wing Fat]

When someone says something is flawless, I question their standards.

In this case the "standards" are Disneyland and DCA. Compare those with TDL and TDS and you'll understand why someone would call TDR "flawless."

TP2000: Excellent post.