Lending a Helping Hand

Posted on March 26, 2013 by Teevtee

In 2011 shortly after the tsunami struck Japan and created an unprecedented series of tragic events we posted a tribute of sorts to the Tokyo Disney resort, you can read it here: http://www.parkeology.com/2011/03/so-story-goes.html.

Though this Braille map is meant for those who cannot see it is really beautiful nonetheless.

About a year ago (one year after the tsunami) we were back in Tokyo and were thrilled to find it every bit as wonderful as it has always been. Moreover the parks were running as if nothing had happened. The facilities were of course flawless, the cast members out in force and as dedicated as ever and perhaps most importantly the guests seemed to be carefree and having great fun. I imagine that after dealing with such difficulties having some fun is quite important. As a side note the crowds were extremely light. This may simply be because we visited at a good time of year that is considered the low season but there may be some residual impact on attendance still going on.

The Tokyo Disney Sea brail map is nice and all, but not on par with the Tokyo Disneyland version.

The Tokyo Disney Sea Braille map is nice and all, but not on par with the Tokyo Disneyland version.

In that 2011 post we took a look at the “Story Cards” the parks have for hearing impaired gusts and occasionally confused foreigners (more here). We also briefly touched on another interesting and unique service the Japanese offer guests, one that is again indicative of the care and respect they have for all guests; the scale models used to aid visually impaired guests.

Those yellow paths are textured, you can feel them under your feet. Combined with audio cues they can guide sight impaired people throughout the entire city.

Today we are taking a closer look at these wonderful models available at guest services in both Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disney Sea. These are hand made wooden replicas of the various attraction ride vehicles as well as certain show buildings. Guests in need are allowed to touch and examine the models to gain an understanding of what they may not be able to see. I have never seen anything like this in another theme park or anywhere else I have ever visited.

This one is not so much to be touched but to let folks know that they are available… of course if you cannot see this one it does not do much good.

In fact Japan has many aids for people with different disabilities. One will find not only the standard Braille in elevators and so on but also audible beeps at cross sections altering people when the walk sign is on and tactile paving throughout most public streets and train stations that guide those without sight were to walk and warn them of intersections. The tactile paving was invented in Japan in the 1960’s and is now ubiquitous throughout the country, not just at cross walks but throughout huge swaths of cities and public spaces.

What the heck is that one on the bottom right?

Atttractions big and small are represented in these Tokyo Disney Sea models. Even entire buildings in some cases.

Despite this it is not as if Japan has a disproportionate population of those without sight. Throughout all my visits I have seen one visually impaired person, not actually at the parks but rather in down town Tokyo. The Japanese don’t do it because they have to, they do this because care is a part of the culture and that same idea extends to the Disney parks.

The tentacles are rubbery and soft

If they only sold them I woudl buy a complete set… they are amazing.

Sinbad boats on top and the Venetian Gondolas on bottom.

The Journey to the Center of the Earth vehicles are awesome even in plain wood.

Some really cool things done for a nice reason. We may be getting interactive rubber bracelets that allow us to be tracked and marketed to but the Japanese get these… as they say it’s better than a poke in the eye… or in this case maybe because of a poke to the eye.

Tokyo Disneyland has them as well.

At Tokyo Disney Sea they have a fully painted model (a sub from Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea) on display while the actual models meant for use are plain unpainted wood. There are shelves that house the entire range of attractions and buildings. I think the folks working guest relations found it quite funny that some American guy wanted to see them and photograph them. At first they had to ask permission to do so (something that always happens at all levels in Japan). After they were allowed to show us the girls working the counter could not stop giggling… I guess to them it is just very commonplace so taking photos of them might be like taking photos of a fire extinguisher or something… they just never thought about doing so.

Can you name them all?

Thoe lucky blind people… they get all the cool stuff!

In addition to the models they have brail maps (which I believe the U.S. parks have as well) but they have other really nice offerings to those who could use them.

Not a fancy vending machine (though they certainly have those) but rather video previews of all the rides… can I get a copy to take home please?

There is a video kiosk sitting unassumingly to the side of the guest relations area. It has a touch screen display and visitors can select any attraction the park offers. After picking it a video preview of the attraction is played. This helps people understand what the ride is about and gauge whether they would enjoy it or not. What a great idea! Sure, it does give away some surprises but if you are physically unsure if you can handle a ride this approach is so much more efficient than simply hearing a description… and frankly they are just fun to watch.

It’s cool how even utilitarian devices are themed… this one is for the Magic Lamp Theater.

If you don’t speak Japanese or are deaf certain attactions have hand held devices that sync with the show. You are issued one of these and can follow along with the performance, even certain live action shows.

OK, service dogs for those with hearing and sight issues… and um, those who require canine valentines?

Whether you need them or simply appreciate them the fact that Disney has these measures available is really great. I’d love to see this type of thing in the U.S. just because it is that extra layer that makes things special… plus I want to buy them!

Here There Be Princesses – Tokyo Disneyland

Posted on February 15, 2013 by Teevtee

A while back Shane gave himself a little challenge. He wanted to find the small hidden areas in the parks that he had never been to before. Not unlike the monsters lurking in the uncharted areas of old pirate maps who knew what these seldom trafficked areas held? Sadly other than getting arrested for inadvertently sneaking into the women’s cast member locker room Shane’s adventures were pretty docile. Perhaps the parks are so well covered that there are no surprises left?

Fortunately the same cannot be said for the overseas parks. Those parks are filled to the brim with strange swarthy beasts,they are literally bursting at the seams with exotic characters that know no bounds and are always willing to push you to your limits, but enough about the typical Disneyland Paris visitor (oh those crazy Europeans!). Today we are going back to Japan to check out a newish but surprisingly not very well chronicled attraction of Tokyo Disneyland; batten down the hatches you scallywag for here there be princesses.

Prior to the gutting of the old Castle Mystery Tour I wrote a post about it (click here). Later, as has become the recent Disney tradition, management decided to remove a cool and unique attraction and replace it with something much more common and expected; the castle meet and greet was born. It’s not that the new castle attraction (Cinderella’s Fairy Tale Hall) is bad; it’s just that it is a downgrade from what used to be there. We are not talking Alien Encounter to Stitch’s chilidog eating contest downgrade but a lesser experience for sure. Perhaps what is even more odd is that there really aren’t princesses there after all. There are props suggesting that a princess is near by, that a princess was there but what you mostly see are a lot of semi confused Japanese tourists with cameras wondering why they are not seeing something cooler and questioning where the dragon has gone (something I’d really like to know myself!).

Basically most of the exploration of the castle has been removed. There is no more tour guide, no more narrow passageways or narrative or really even a basic framework of a story. You walk in to a lobby, hop aboard an elevator (you know the famous story of Cinderella and the golden Otis Elevator don’t you?) go up a floor and then walk through a couple nicely decorated rooms before exiting down some stairs and back out into the cold.

In those rooms are some interesting dioramas and art work telling some of the story of Cinderella but nothing as clear or comprehensive as the similar dioramas in Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland and they lack the special effects of the Disneyland counterparts as well. They are unique in that each display features a distinct artistic style. They are little works of art each using it’s own medium and approach (paper, metal, mixed media etc.) seemingly less interested in a traditional story telling and more focused on visual distinction. That element is nice, and the displays are all of high quality, as is the entire attraction… but it lacks the sense of adventure and thrill that the old Mystery Castle Tour had. It really lacks any distinct sense of purpose. This all looks and feels like a lovely lobby at a Disney themed hotel rather than a true theme park attraction.

It’s a bit disappointing really to see that this approach has now crossed the Pacific to the Tokyo Disney Resort as well. For most of its existence Tokyo Disney has lived in it’s own protective bubble seemingly immune to the Disney corporate cost cutting and homogenization of the parks. Now, slowly, we are seeing more attractions shared with the U.S. parks (Turtle Talk, Toy Story Midway Mania) and we are seeing general attitudes that are shifting to be less unique. Still, the execution in the Japanese parks is generally head and shoulders above the U.S. counterparts and the same goes here. Though at the end of the day it is nothing special it is of extremely high quality and obvious care was put into it.

Chalk this one up as another replacement that I wish never happened… I mentioned Alien Encounter previously and there is perhaps the ultimate example of the Imagination Pavilion at Epcot…what other attractions have been replaced that you wish were still the originals?

Look but don’t touch

Posted on May 4, 2012 by Teevtee

(As always click on the photos to enlarge and see the details… it’s worth it!)

We recently got back from a trip to Tokyo and the Tokyo Disney Resort. Of course by “We” I mean the royal “we” because Shane is afraid to leave his bedroom. I often have to coax his out with toaster pastries, Mountain Dew and the promise of a new Vinylmation figure he has never seen.

Come on Shane, what do I need to do to get you to go?

Speaking of Shane, his last post was a hard hitting exposé of the Time Rovers in Dinosaur. In that same vein visiting Disney in Tokyo is similar to time traveling. I’ve discussed this before but the way the parks are run there (remember, Disney does not own or operate the parks in Japan) reminds me a great deal of how the parks used to be run in the states, say maybe 25 or 30 years ago. Things are clean, I mean REALLY clean. I mean shockingly, you can’t believe the place is almost 30 years old clean. Everything is just flat new looking. Even the old stuff looks new.

Yea, no reason to come here.

For all the talk about how great the Tokyo Disney Resort is (and it truly is) and how they get better versions of all our attractions (they do) and attractions we can only dream of (yup, we just don’t have stuff that can compare) they also rarely upgrade or change existing attractions or areas. So Tomorrowland for example is the 1971 version of Tomorrowland. I mean it must of looked old in 1983 when it opened and yet it is so well kept, no sparkling new in its appearance that again it feels as though we traveled back in time to opening day.

Go on grab it kid, it’s a rifle a freaking RIFLE my man!
Wouldn’t one of those plaques look cool in your room… COME ON!

But why is this? Do they spend more money on upkeep than the U.S. parks (or Disneyland Paris for that matter, but Disneyland Paris spends about $80 a year on upkeep so it doesn’t really count)? I’m sure they do. Is it because the Japanese somehow have a stronger work ethic and just plain out work us in terms of how they do their jobs? Again… probably… these are some virtually psychotically dedicated cast members. But I think it is something else.

Yea, it really is just sitting out in the open like this, part of the Pooh’s Hunny Hunt line.
a box full of sharp, rusty (faux) tools yet no law suits, none stolen and not even
a crumpled Coke cup jammed in there.

I think that the very core of Japanese culture is very different than our own. Japan is steeped in ritual and customs. There is a proper and correct way to do things and an improper and unacceptable way to do things. I mean EVERYTHING. There is a “correct” way to handle money and pay for something. I mean physically a proper way to hold the money and hand it to a cashier (or in this case NOT hand it to them, money is placed in a tray on the counter and when change it handed back it is always with two hands as that shows respect). There is a proper way to blow your nose in public (you don’t, period). There is a proper way to hand someone a business card or accept one. There is a proper way to use an escalator (You ALWAYS stand to the left leaving the right half open for people to walk up). There is a proper way to eat various foods (for example you generally do not walk around and eat things like ice cream, you sit down and eat them where you bought them) or pour drinks (your dining partner pours yours and you pour theirs, don’t be an idiot and pour your own you rude slob!) Don’t even attempt to understand the dense myriad of rules about bowing, how deep to bow, to whom to bow, when to bow. Just accept that you are a foreign idiot incapable of understanding and move on.

Yea, it’s not a joke and yes it seems insane. But guess what?
The bathrooms, even in public, are spotless and isn’t that
maybe worth a few silly signs?

Through all of this one thing that is VERY proper to do is FOLLOW THE RULES.

A rule is in place for a reason, do not question it, do not break it; observe it and you will be fine. The Japanese tend to not question rules too much and they certainly do dot scheme ways of circumnavigating them. This makes street crime virtually unheard of even in the densest parts of Tokyo… there is for all intent and purpose (or intensive purposes if you really are an idiot) no shoplifting or pick pocketing or mugging or petty theft or any of the stuff that makes living in our society a pain sometimes, because there is a rule against that.

All this stuff is just sitting out in the open in a fast service dining location at
Tokyo Disney Sea (NY Deli). I almost grabed the top hat but thought
better of it.

One of the rules of society is that you simply do not touch stuff. I’m not sure why this came about but us Touchy McGrabersons over here must just freak them out. I guess it is our rough and tumble cowboy, pioneer spirit or something but while we feel the need to touch, grab, manhandle and mangle everything we see (just ask your Native American friends) the Japanese are more than happy to quietly observe the situation before moving on, no touching and no taking of photos either if the rules ask that you not (taking photos inside of the Tokyo Disney attractions is similar to a mission 007 would be called upon to complete).

That’s a LOT of stuff right there!

Of course if you happen to be a guy designing a super detailed theme park in Japan your life just got a whole lot easier and the park just got a whole lot better. It is amazing how much stuff the Japanese parks have pretty much laying around. I mean small thematic details in queues, restaurants or sprinkled throughout the parks. Things that simply would be broken off, stolen and sold on eBay within moments of being put out should they dare do so in the U.S. parks.

Tower of Terror also has stuff, it used to have more but some non Japanese visit the park
so well, you know.

Aside from the idea of these props not lasting long on U.S. soil is another issue: liability. Litigation is another U.S.-centric idea. The idea of suing the pants off of a company to get rich is not something that is ubiquitous in Japan… and so you will see things throughout Japan and in the parks that would not be possible in the U.S. of A. Look at the queue for the Pooh attraction, parts are like a garden shed full off tools and equipment. Take for example the sharp spiked rake hanging pretty much at eye level in the post show. No one steals it but likewise no one impales himself on it. They observe it, appreciate it, and then move on (unless they lose face to the rake, then they perform ritual Seppuku, those crazy Japanese).

How nice, they provide a becnh to stand on in case the youngsters can’t reach the sharper
more deadly items.

Now don’t get me wrong. Not all Japanese are without a rebellious streak and so sometimes these items are glued or nailed down, but not always. And even if they are they are still within easy reach or simply wide open to be molested, and yet for the most part they are left alone. The net result is that things stay looking newer and fresher far longer then in the other Disney parks. Even attractions with no specific props set out still benefit. Buzz Lightyear for example. That queue is notorious for being a filthy mess in the stateside parks. Years of dirty hands rubbing and touching all the brightly colored flat walls leave them in a grubby, grungy state. In Tokyo you again feel the time travel effect as the walls shine brightly as if painted yesterday. Of course they do have increased maintenance budgets so maybe they WERE painted yesterday… but regardless they feel new.

The Indy ride has lots of stuff to touch and grab and pry off as well, but you won’t
because you are civilized, follow rules and respect things (if you are Japanese at least).

No line cutting (rules, remember), no broken props or dirty walls, loads more detail and fun items layered into pretty much everything, spectacularly clean and a ridiculous number of well trained and dedicated employees; it really does remind me of the Disney parks from decades ago and it is a perfect storm to create the perfect park.

Want soem nice fake fish? They are hanging there for the taking
at the Country Bear Jamboree.

So lets recap:

• We are slobs
• Japanese follow rules
• If you want really nice free authentic park souvenirs head over to Tokyo Disney with a big backpack and maybe a screwdriver

Yup, more stuff to ~~steal~~, I mean observe.

Feel free to take these down, try them on, bring them home… or NOT you foreign slob!

OK, most of this Tower of Terror stuff is behind a low rope but all of it is within easy
arms reach and there is much, much more that I was not stealthy enough
to get shots of before I was scolded for not following the no photo rule… how dare I?

Yea, Pooh seems to be the king of the stuff in line. This is all just sitting there
out in the open, no fence, no ropes, no barriers… only manners keeping them
in tact.

Tokyo Disneyland Owns Halloween

Posted on July 22, 2011 by shane

This is just a short post to highlight something truly awesome from a Tokyo Disneyland fansite. Apparently Halloween is such a big deal at Tokyo, Disney has to issue rules about what costumes people can wear. They are usually limited to Disney animated characters, or characters from the parks.

This site has several pictures of costumes from last year, I believe:

http://uranezu.com/amazing.html

I love two things about them:

How creative they are at expressing the essence of a character without being a full-on character costume. This is especially noteworthy in costumes for Lady and the Tramp, various Country Bears, Robin Hood characters, and Brer Fox and Brer Rabbit.
How truly obscure many of the characters are. You have a trio dressed as the Babettes from Beauty and the Beast. You have another trio dressed as Bunny, Bubbles, and Beaulah. The Walrus and the Carpenter from Alice in Wonderland. Somebody even dressed as Tokyo DisneySea’s lighthouse.

I have to say, the bar has been raised for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. I don’t want to see any more Snow Whites or Jack Sparrows this year, got it? I myself will be going as Marahute the Golden Eagle.

Oh, my favorites from the Tokyo pictures? I really like the Horned King, the vampires from Nightmare Before Christmas, and the Walrus and the Carpenter. But that kid as Judge Frollo is super cute.

The Story of Exploration:

Posted on March 25, 2011 by Teevtee

Today we are going to look at the last of the Tokyo Disney Sea Story Cards.

Actually I am not sure that these would even technically be considered Story cards. Unlike the previous pieces we looked at all five of these cards are available right out in the open, no need to either ask for them or simply look like a confused and lost foreigner. No, these are displayed right at the entrance to the Fortress Explorations.

Photos have a hard time giving this thing justice.

The fortress is really an amazing accomplishment for a theme park, and something I honestly think could only exist in Japan. As we have discussed other times we have looked at the Tokyo parks the Japanese as a culture are very respectful. They respect each other and they respect property, therefore they tend not to scratch things, try to break things off, steal things, write on things, put gum on things, spit on things, urinate on things, climb over things to get to other things and then spit, urinate or worse on said things. No, the Japanese are more than happy to file past exhibits and displays and leave them as intact as they found them.

So sweet.

Because of the nature of the people the designers in Tokyo are free to create very intricate and elaborate attractions with little fear of them being destroyed by guests, it is a win-win situation for all involved. So when creating the Fortress Imagineers not only designed a very cool centerpiece for the park visually, but unlike the Castle in the Magic Kingdom they fully fleshed out the interior as well. The fortress is full of chambers and hands on exhibits that range from the artistic to the physical. It appeals to pretty much any age group, but it is also complex.

Enter the story cards. (yes, you can click on them to make them large)

In this case there is a sort of master card, a small pamphlet that is printed on parchment like paper and unfolds to reveal a really cool map of the complex. This gives you a basic overview of the place, fills you in on some history and helps you get your bearings. It also introduces the concept of the S.E.A. No, not the sea as in the ocean but rather the Society of Explorers and Adventures… oh those witty writers. The S.E.A. is a group of world hopping explorers, adventurers, scientists and artists but S.E.A.S.A. was not as catchy. Imagine the Adventurers Club from Pleasure Island times a thousand and you get the basic idea. They have a cool crest and that crest is made up of four distinct symbols. Each of those symbols in turn has it’s own story card and little task to complete.

You have to click me baby… do it!

These cards are more like those we have looked at previously they are dual sided, single page cards. Each one details a different aspect of the experience.

The first is Adventure as represented by the galleon docked out front. The card has a map of the ship which is it’s own mini attraction and has a scavenger hunt of sorts for guests to partake in.

Next comes Romance, here is where a sort of generic “good looking” guy in a soap opera sort of way presents desperate woman with roses while pretending that he is not a scum bag… wait, that’s the Bachelor. In this case Romance means the Chamber of Planets and a full on massive orrery (a mechanical model of the solar system) in a beautiful planetarium.

We move on to Discovery as the compass symbolizes. This card leads guests through parts of the fortress in search of a sundial and then teaches them how to use it.

Finally we come to Innovation, NOT Innoventions thank goodness as we will find no out-dated computer exhibits, poorly realized trade show booths or 8 bit video games on display. Rather we are led through labs and eventually to a large-scale camera obscura, which in essence puts you in the inside a camera.

Everything about both the attraction and the cards are impeccably well done. The craftsmanship is out of the world; the cards are wonderfully illustrated and printed. It does not end there. Japanese speakers can participate in Leonardo’s Challenge that is an interactive adventure along the lines of Kim Possible in Epcot. Here you will also find the high end restaurant Magellan’s that serves classic European fare in a magnificent setting under a massive 2 story illuminated globe.

There is nothing like the Fortress Explorations in any other park. One could possibly relate it to Tom Sawyer Island but that is a little like comparing a Bentley to a Yugo… same basic concept but executed on a massively different level.

So you have seen the cards and a few photos… but lets take a better look at the Fortress Explorations. Here is an exclusive Parkeology video tour of the Fortress.

Lets not forget why we started these posts to begin with… as a way to say thank you to the Japanese and to let everyone know that we are thinking of them. The earthquake and related events are unimaginably difficult and we all hope and know that they will get through it.

Parkeology

A warped look at Disney theme parks

Category Archives: Tokyo Disneyland Resort

Lending a Helping Hand

Here There Be Princesses – Tokyo Disneyland

Look but don’t touch

Tokyo Disneyland Owns Halloween

The Story of Exploration: