Tokyo Disney Sea (Part 2)

If you read Part 1 of my Tokyo Disney Sea blog post, you were probably blown away by the sheer spectacularity of this one-of-a-kind theme park.

If you weren’t, you’ve got to be kidding me! Did you not see the photos of those amazing attractions?!

The truth is, those photos are nothing compared to seeing Tokyo Disney Sea with your own eyes. It’s one of those places where you feel like you’re going to cry just because you can’t believe that you’re actually there in the midst of all that magic. But since I can’t really take you there, I’ll just bring the place to you through my stories and photos.

So far, we’ve explored The Mediterranean Harbor, The American Waterfront (which has the attractions Toy Story-themed Toyville Trolley Park and The Tower of Terror), Port Discovery (where we got on the Aquatopia and The Storm Rider), The Lost River Delta (Home of Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull), and The Mermaid Lagoon, which was The Little Mermaid’s Lair. After visiting Ariel’s kingdom, we then headed to the enchanting city where Aladdin resides: Agrabah! Next stop: The Arabian Coast!

My jaw dropped to the ground when I caught sight of the glistening likeness of the Taj Mahal (a famous mausoleum in Agra and one of the world’s most acclaimed architectural structures). The real Taj Mahal is actually made of white marble but the Taj Mahal in Tokyo Disney Sea was golden in color and adorned with florid Girih patterns.

Before going inside the Taj Mahal, we first bought a bucket of curry-flavored popcorn. (We were really going for the full sensory experience here!) I’ve never had curry popcorn before. It was surprisingly lip-smacking!

We entered “The Aladdin Palace” and were dazzled by the brilliant interiors, most especially the beautiful fountain sitting atop a large octagonal star made of marble. I’ve never been to the Taj Mahal. All I know is that it was named as one of the eight wonders of the world. If the mere replica of the Taj Mahal in Tokyo Disney Sea was already arresting, I can imagine that the real Taj Mahal must be a thousand times more magnificent!

More splendor awaited us inside as we entered the Taj Mahal. I swooned at the sight of the beautiful Arabian plaza before me.

Inside Agrabah, the limelight shines on this sparkling fountain, located at the heart of the plaza. This chromatic and lustrous piece of art was given a child-like touch by incorporating little water-spouting Genie figures in it.

One of the attractions inside the Arabian Coast is the Caravan Carousel, a double-decker carousel ride.

I know what you’re thinking: “that’s a carousel?!” Yes, this elaborately designed two-storey tower with an elaborate blue domed roof is, in fact, a carousel. Fancy, huh?

Looking at the Taj Mahal in all its gilded glory, as well as the gorgeously recreated city of Agrabah, was really like being in “A Whole New World.” It was amazing how the beautiful Arabian Coast was recreated and brought to Japan. Everything was indeed “shining, shimmering, splendid!”

Sure, I didn’t have a genie or a magic lamp, but inside the Arabian Coast, I realized that one of my greatest wishes just came true: to go to Japan with my Mike! And at that moment, I certainly did not need a magic carpet to sweep me off my feet! (Insert lovestruck emoticons here)

After visiting the golden city of Agrabah, we then made our way to The Mysterious Island!

At the Mysterious Island is the attraction 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, which is a dark ride inspired by the Jules Verne novel of the same title and its 1954 sci-fi movie adaptation. The ride is set against Mount Prometheus, a huge volcano which is the highlight of the Mysterious Island.

This attraction, especially Mount Prometheus, makes for an incredible backdrop for photos. Mike said it looks just like a set of a movie, and I agree!

Guests fall in line and board the Nautilus, Captain Nemo’s submarine.

We then rode a vehicle within the Nautilus called “Neptune,” where we sat on small benches and looked through portholes to see the mysteries under the deep sea.

We didn’t really go down the bottom of the sea but the glass windows did give an illusion of traveling underwater. As we sank to the bottom of the ocean (or at least as we were made to believe that we sank to the bottom of the ocean), we listened to the narration of Captain Nemo and came face to face with various sea creatures. I tried taking photos of what we saw but most of them turned out blurry or warped. Though it wasn’t pitch black, we did go through darkness. In the darkness, the colors and lights under the sea were quite fascinating.

Later, we walked around and went back to the Mediterranean harbor. We went there during the day, and it was beautiful, but at night, it was spellbinding! With the sparkling lights, entrancing sights, and the Southern European touch of this attraction, how can you not fall in love?

We visited an attraction within the Mediterranean Harbor called Fortress Explorations, where we became a member of the S.E.A. (Society of Explorers and Adventurers) and walked around a huge fortress and a dock where a Spanish galleon was parked. It was a vast area with a towering citadel and maze-like corridors, that I’m pretty sure that there was still so much in this attraction that we were not able to discover.

The Fortress Explorations is both riveting and educational. Some of the zones within the attraction are inspired by the world’s greatest and most controversial thinkers such as Leonardo Da Vinci and Galileo Galilei. Visitors can view some of the most ground-breaking scientific breakthroughs and be a part of history’s most remarkable adventures in the Golden Age of Discovery as they walk past cannons, control miniature galleons, study the planets, and more.

Inside the fortress, we stopped by the Navigation Center where Mike and Eric had fun steering miniature ships. Here’s a video of the two of them “sailing” away!

Staying true to its nautical explorations theme, this attraction lets guests command ships and go on a journey around the world’s greatest seas for a minimal fee.

 

 

I love all things colorful, and the next room we entered was definitely rich in color! The Explorer’s Hall is a hallway adorned with colorful murals dedicated to the fantastic founders of the S.E.A. As you enter, you are greeted by the society’s oath: “Exploratio Continua: We, the society of explorers and adventurers, shall acquire knowledge through exploration.”

Another fun area inside the Fortress Explorations was the Illusion Room, which was a corner composed of very detailed Renaissance-themed paintings which are actually optical illusions.

When you look at each painting separately, they look somewhat skewed. To make sense of the whole picture, you need to look through this convex mirror.

Through the glass, the picture looks more coherent as you discover that it tells a story through images. What do you see? Do you see the pandemonium caused by the eruption of the mountain?

The grand finale of our unforgettable Tokyo Disney Sea trip was the Christmas Wishes show at the Mediterranean Harbor. Unwinding at the harbor and feasting our eyes on this theatrical spectacle after an active and fun-filled day at the park was really the best way to end our Tokyo Disney Sea adventure. We were very lucky to have witnessed it because this is a special show, which only happens during the Christmas season.

In the middle of the harbor stood a giant Christmas tree ornamented with thousands of multicolored led lights. I found it a little strange that the tree was slightly aslope, but it still got me feeling the Christmas spirit! Water jets shoot out from beneath it, and they make the tree look more majestic.

The highlight of this show is this dazzling iceberg float which carries some of Disney’s most beloved characters such as Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Pluto, Goofy, Donald and Daisy Duck, and Chip and Dale. They were so cute as they waved to an excited crowd! These Disney characters never fail to make me smile and feel like a child all over again!

Aside from the float, a lovely ferry carrying adorable singing girls was another main feature of the show. These girls are like little dolls! They’re so cute!

Here’s a preview of the Tokyo Disney Sea Christmas Wishes show. Unfortunately, we did not have the best view, but I still enjoyed it anyway. The pretty float glistens in the water as its bright lights twinkle like stars.

 Here are the last few photos that I took before exiting Tokyo Disney Sea.

 

 

Everywhere we went and everything we saw in this magical theme park left us in awe, and I can’t count how many times we said “wow!” or “cool!” during our visit. It was like stepping into a dream and I didn’t want to leave that dream! With all the countless fascinating sights and amazing architecture at Tokyo Disney Sea, one day is really not enough. To this day, I think about all the other beautiful attractions that I missed and will come back for someday. We all really had a blast learning more about the interesting legends of the sea and exploring the park’s nautical attractions. Tokyo Disney Sea is truly a wonderland of exciting adventures and amazing discoveries!

Tokyo Disney Sea
Address: 1-13 Maihama, Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture 279-0031, Japan
Phone: +81 570-008-632
Website: http://www.tokyodisneyresort.jp/en/tds/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tokyo-Disney-Sea/24121763784
Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday, 8:30 AM – 10:00 PM
How To Get There: http://www.tokyodisneyresort.jp/en/access/