I think it is time for another update. Things are still on a slow burner and will stay that way until I get back to
Disneyland Paris, but things are happening slowly almost on their own accord.
I have now received the new jacket with the Mickey head and this is just perfect. It will be nice and warm, but it is still not too bulky and the Mickey head is bigger and bolder than on the original jacket. I am very pleased with how this has worked out.
I still have not heard anything regarding the custom ears so I chased this up. I should have some options for those within the next couple of weeks. I can't wait to see what she is coming up with. The ears she makes are precious. I bought a Disneyland Paris 25th Anniversary pair earlier in the summer and I cannot wait to wear them next month.
My ears:
Official ears:
Speaking of Disneyland Paris, more information is now coming out. It looks like that Main Street is not decorated for Halloween this year, but they seem to have gone all out in Frontierland. There are a bunch of decorations that I have never seen before. The villains will be out in force again, but there won't be a villains show this year as the castle stage is used for one of the 25th anniversary shows. There will be a Halloween street party in Frontierland and I have also read about a mini parade with characters on tricycles, but I am not sure if this will go down Main Street or will also happen in Frontierland. The first schedule for the Halloween season should be published on Saturday and I will know more than. What I am the most excited to find out is what they have in terms of special characters this year.
Back to the big trip. Since I have started to go to Disneyland Paris quite frequently, it has served me well to aim to do 4 rides a day. This gives me plenty of time to enjoy character interactions and generally absorb the atmosphere. So I have decided to accept the same approach for the Asian parks. The theming will be very different from anything I have seen before and I am hoping to catch some unusual characters or characters in unusual costumes.
Tokyo Disneyland
I should get a nice long day there. I was kind of surprised that Tokyo Disney Resort goes all out for the Christmas season. So that is going to be a nice treat. The opening hours are much longer than I had anticipated as well. Disneyland will be open from 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM on both days that I will be there. So I should have plenty of time to fit everything in.
@Flossbolna kindly sent me some park maps from Tokyo Disney Resort and Shanghai Disneyland and this helped a lot with the planning.
I found out from the park map that It's A Small World will be closed while I am there so this is one ride I don't need to consider. At the moment the list of rides that I am intending to do is as follows:
Big Thunder Mountain:
I have always had a soft spot for this ride and all three versions that I have done are quite different from each other so I cannot go to Tokyo and not try this.
Haunted Mansion:
This is another old favourite of mine and again, it is different enough at each park that this is a must do for me. This became even more of a must do for me when I realised that Tokyo has Haunted Mansion Holiday between September and January. I am so excited.
Pooh's Hunny Hunt:
This is the first ride that is unique to Tokyo Disneyland and everybody who has done this seems to adore it. So this is firmly on the must do list. This is a trackless ride and I kind of imagine it to be a similar ride experience to the Ratatouille ride at Walt Disney Studios in Paris. If it is, it will definitely be a hit with me.
Monsters, Inc. Ride & Go Seek!
This is another unique ride to Tokyo Disneyland. The descriptions states:
The human child, Boo, and lots of monsters, including Sulley and Mike, are playing a special game of hide-and-go-seek and you're invited to join them. As you travel through the Monsters, Inc. offices and the streets of Monstropolis, use your flashlight to "find" the funny, hidden monsters.
This sounds like a lot of fun and something that I would enjoy very much.
There were two other attractions I was seriously tempted by and if I have time left over after I have done everything else I want to do, I may do one or both. As most of you know, I am love Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters. I think this is pretty much identical to the rides at Disneyland Paris and Disneyland. So this is far from a must do, but if the wait time is short and I am in the area, I may well have a sneaky ride.
The other attraction is a bit more unusual for me. I have done the Enchanted Tiki Room twice at Disneyland and the best I can say about this is that it is a part of Disney history and that it is air-conditioned. I do not really enjoy this attraction. However, the version at Tokyo Disneyland is hosted by Stitch and this makes this quite tempting to me.
Parades and Shows
It looks like I will be absolutely spoiled in that respect. They have a day time Christmas parade called Disney Christmas Stories and an evening parade called Tokyo Disneyland Electrical Parade Dreamlights. They will also have a new projection show this year called Disney Gifts of Christmas, which is based around Disney characters giving Christmas gifts.
Tokyo Disney Sea
Tokyo Disney Sea will be open from 08:30 AM to 10:00 PM on both days that I will be there. This has been on my bucket list forever and it is not actually the rides and attractions that are drawing me there, but the theming which is meant to be the most stunning of all Disney parks. In terms of rides, it seems to be a mix of thrill rides and very tame rides. There seems to be very little in the middle. At the moment the list of rides that I am intending to do is as follows:
Toy Story Mania:
I do like this ride and as I only have three out and out must do rides at this park, this made the cut.
Nemo & Friends SeaRider:
The description of this are really vague and this ride only opened in May. Curiousity got the better of me there. It kind of sounds like a cross between The Seas with Nemo and Friends and Ellen's Energy Adventure.
Sindbad's Storybook Voyage:
This is the only one of my chosen rides that is not a Fastpass attraction. This is a scenic boat ride and should hopefully not attract long lines.
Journey to the Center of the Earth
I am saving the best to last in that park. This is the one ride that has captured my imagination ever since I first read about it. I have seen this described as a Jules Verne version of Test Track. It is a combination of dark ride with a high speed finish. This looks absolutely amazing.
If I do end up at a loose end, I may try the various different vehicles like the steamers, gondolas and electric railway.
Parades and Shows
Tokyo Disney Seas has a day time Christmas show, but I may give this a miss. What I have to see is Colours of Christmas. I initially thought that this may be a version of the World of Color Christmas show, but this seems to be very unique with characters on boats and various light effects.
There is a fireworks show that can be seen from both parks, but apparently this gets cancelled more often than it takes place. If it is shown on either of the days I am there, I will definitely watch it, but I don't hold my breath.
Shanghai Disneyland
This is definitely the park I am most excited about. I can't wait to finally get to see this. I was surprised that Tokyo Disney Resort celebrates Christmas, but I was even more surprised that this is celebrated in Shanghai. Somehow China and Christmas do not seem to go together. Shanghai Disneyland is not quite so generous with the opening times. Chances are that the park will be open from 9:00 to 8:30 so this still gives me a nice long day.
I have to admit, at this park I have miserably failed to narrow things down to 4 rides. So I have gone with 5 rides, which is close enough.
Soaring Over the Horizon
This is my absolute must do ride. Soarin was always my favourite ride and I always said that I want to experience the new version for the first time at Shanghai. Hopefully that dream will come true.
Voyage to the Crystal Grotto
When I first read about a boat ride that goes underneath the castle, I was sold. I think I will love this.
Buzz Lightyear Planet Rescue
This looks quite a quite novel take on this kind of ride and I definitely want to experience this for myself.
TRON Lightcycle Power Run
I have to say I am both terrified and excited about this ride. I know I would regret it if I did not try it.
Pirates of the Caribbean Battle for the Sunken Treasure
I keep reading that this is absolutely amazing and a must do so I am definitely not going to pass this up.
Parades and Shows
This is the big unknown. Shanghai Disneyland seems to subscribe to the Disneyland Paris model that releasing details for any special entertainment for any given season on the first day of the same is plenty early enough. So time will tell if there will be any different shows and parades. At the moment they have a Villains Calvacade on top of the normal afternoon parade and the standard shows. So I am hoping that they will have something similar for Christmas. I know last year they did a tree lighting ceremony. The afternoon parade and Ignite the Dream are definitely on my to do list.