Tag Archives: theme park

Unique Rides at Tokyo Disney

As I’ve touched upon in my diary posts, Tokyo Disneyland Resort is packed with totally unique experiences, and probably the biggest aspect of any Disney park is the rides! And while maintaining some true Disney classics, Tokyo manages to throw guests into the unknown with some wacky twists to the traditional line up..

Tokyo Disneyland

The Enchanted Tiki Room: Stitch Presents ‘Aloha E Komo Mai!’

SONY DSC

Yes, you can go to The Enchanted Tiki Room in other Disney parks, but those shows don’t get hijacked by a ukelele playing Stitch, do they? (PS. you can check out short clip of the show on my Instagram!)

Beaver Brothers Explorer Canoes

SONY DSC

Quite possibly more of a workout than a ride, you and your group can paddle around Tom Sawyer Island, working as a team and taking in the sights, but watch out for the Riverboat!

Monsters Inc. Ride & Go Seek!

SONY DSC

I LOVED this ride! Set inside Monsters Inc itself, the queue runs through the lobby of headquarters before you board your cart and your mission begins! Similar to Buzz Astro Blasters, you’re equipped with a torch to find the hidden monsters as you zoom through Monstropolis.

Tokyo DisneySea

Tower of Terror

SONY DSC

I can hear you, I know there’s a Tower of Terror in every Disney park.. But this one is unique, promise!

Unlike the others, Tokyo’s ToT isn’t sponsored by The Twilight Zone, and therefore has a totally different design (as you can see!) and a different storyline; a historian, a cursed statue, we all know where it goes from there!

Aquatopia

SONY DSC

Fun and totally bizarre at the same time, hop aboard a buggy that follows a totally random path through the water, spinning and swirling, with the occasional splash or spray!

StormRider

We didn’t actually get to ride this on our trip; the queue was huge and Mum doesn’t do well on these sorts of rides so we decided to pass. It’s a simulator, where guests board a mission to defeat a powerful storm, but not everything goes smoothly!

Raging Spirits

Another ride we didn’t try! Raging Spirits is a more hardcore rollercoaster, with a 360° loop as you travel through an excavation site of an ancient temple.

Sindbad’s Storybook Voyage

SONY DSC

A ‘Small World’ style boat ride through the stories of Sindbad’s adventures. Great for little ones, or just a bit of air con on a warm day, and it normally boasts a super low wait time.

Caravan Carousel

SONY DSC

Yes, a double decker carousel! Choose to ride upstairs or downstairs, and then take your pick of noble steeds, from horses to camels, elephants, and you can even ride Genie!

Mermaid Lagoon

SONY DSC

An underwater wonderland full of unique rides, from Blowfish Balloon Race to Jumping Jellyfish and more! My favourite ride here was Flounder’s Flying Fish Coaster, which is just outside the main underwater area; it was just a mini coaster, but super fun to ride when its dark out!

Journey to the Center of the Earth

SONY DSC

That glorious volcano in the centre of the park? Yep, this is the ride inside it, and its awesome!

Travel down through the earth to discover new lifeforms and ecosystems, but not all the inhabitants are friendly, so be prepared for a quick getaway!

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

SONY DSC

Another journey of discovery, head underwater to discover what’s lurking in the depths of the ocean underneath the volcano.

Fortress Explorations

SONY DSC

Explore the Mediterranean fortress, and search for clues as part of The Leonardo Challenge (in Japanese though, just to warn you!)

These rides truly add to Tokyo Disney’s unique quality, and I haven’t gone into too much detail so as not to spoil too much, so now you just need to go and try them yourself!

°o°

1 Comment

Queuing in Disney World

Right from the offset, queuing is an integral part of any Disney trip. You queue to get into the park, you queue for rides, you queue for food; its inevitable, but it definitely doesn’t have to be a chore!

So cut down and brighten up your queue times with these top tips:

1. Get a queue time app!

The My Disney Experience app, as well as a few other queue time apps, can save so much unnecessary queue time; say goodbye to trekking from one side of the park to the other only to find the ride you want to go on has a 90 minute wait.

2. Prepare yourself, and, more importantly, the kids!

If your kids aren’t used to long waits, throwing them in the deep end will only end in tears. Speak to your little ones and explain to them that there are lots of other people at the parks, and its something everyone has to do.

3. Make queuing fun!

Prepare some activities to make queue times fly by, whether its something as simple as Eye Spy or bringing along entertainment. Although normally I can’t stand families sticking a phone or tablet in front of a child, in this case it can be for the best. There are loads of great Disney game apps, from my favourite Tsum Tsums to Disney Trivia quizzes.

4. Set your queue limit.

As a group, decide the maximum time you’d ideally want to wait for a ride. That way you can make quick decisions when you get to each attractions as to whether you join the queue, or try again later.

5. Fuel yourself.

At all times, make sure you’ve got a full bottle of water and something to snack on. If travelling with little ones, this is no doubt something you’ll do anyway, but you’d be amazed how peckish a long wait can make you. Similarly, in Florida heat, you’ll need to stay well hydrated.

6. Some rides have good queues!

There are some rides that have interactive queues, so even if there’s a long queue time it might be worth joining. The Seven Dwarf’s Mine Train has a great queue, as does The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, and Dumbo the Flying Elephant has a unique system where you’re given a pager, and you can go into a large indoor play area until you are buzzed for your turn!

7. Make the most of Extra Magic

If you’re staying on site, be sure to check which parks have Extra Magic hours (either an hour early, or up to 3 hours late), and use this time wisely; it gives you a great chance to ride when the park is quieter. That being said, however, you’ll normally find that parks that had extra magic the night before will be quieter the following day, as most people were there yesterday!

8. Queue right up until park closing

Provided you entered the queue before the park closing time, you will still be allowed to ride!

Leave a comment