Determined to Find Critter Country

By this time in our day I appreciate the enthusiasm the people of Japan have as they frolic through the rain. I wouldn't say that anyone was literally splashing through puddles, but everyone was very determined to see as much as possible. I've been told that in Japan, dealing with the small, everyday negatives of life can be summed up in one small phrase, "sho ga nai" (show-gah-nigh). It literally can translate to "it can't be helped". In our part of the world we might say, "Don't sweat the small stuff". Whether it was in the city or here in the parks, people accepted busy stores, wet skies, long queues, or sold out fast passes. Disrupting the order can lead to a bad experience for all, and that's not their goal. Only being visitors and not native to the land, Eric and I were convinced this shone through in their excellent service. 

When Eric and I reached the parade route in the Hub area, we saw people waiting for the parade. This was not the normal massive sized crowd. There were less people on account of the weather. I asked Eric if he minded asking a Cast Member whether or not the parade would happen. It seemed to be drizzling a bit, so I was consulting the map to see what we'd do instead. But, Eric came back and he was told the parade was happening. Around that same time we could hear the parade music playing at the Westernland part of the route. I tried to play it cool and not show I was bursting with excitement! Finally, we would see the parade, "Happiness is Here"!

Just like we had noticed with the Halloween parade earlier, the dancers that accompany the floats had been cut for rain. Still, the characters on the colorful floats were enough for these two grateful Californians. I was geeking out as I took photos with both the iPhone and Nikon. 

All suited up in what appeared to be water resistant fabric and of course rain gear! 

The soundtrack for this parade has a very clever concept. Taking direction from the classic Main Street Electrical Parade, there is the main melody that acts as a background for each parade unit.  As the parade moves past a given point, the theme for that unit travels with that section. These musical sections are synced with the main melody that plays on a loop during the show. Although a rainy experience, it was a lot of fun.

By the time the parade ended it was "full on" raining and we didn't see a break in the clouds. From our parade viewing position, staring at us in the face was Cinderella Castle, our next stop. Recently the park opened a walk through where guests get to visit a few rooms of the palace. Although I had seen a few photos and a YouTube video, we weren't exactly sure what happens inside. 

The entrance for the tour is in the exact spot where in Walt Disney World one would enter for the Cinderella's Royal Table restaurant. Here in Tokyp, they used to have a type of mystery tour that would take you deep into the dungeons of the castle. I've seen a very dark video of that and I wish that tour was still there. But, it was gone and we were curious about this. One thing that seemed odd at the start is that we had to wait to ride an elevator to a higher level. I would've been fine taking stairs, which you do use in Florida's castle. 

Queen of Hearts Banquet Hall is seen in the center, even Mt. Prometheus from DisneySea. 

When we stepped off the elevator there is a nice view of Fantasyland. Too bad it was so gloomy this day. I bet the colors really would've "popped" in the sunlight. 

The interior was a mixture of wall murals and small dioramas that retold the story of Cinderella. And of course, the design highly reflected the Rococo era. The small vignettes depicted Cindy's struggle with her horrible family, and then her bravery as she attended the ball. They appeared to have been commissioned by the park, and each one was different. In my opinion it is always cool to see people put a spin on images that we are used to seeing. 

The whole experience was cute, but almost a little too cute for me. I was certain that there would be a meet n greet opportunity with Cinderella, but that moment never came. Besides the murals we had been seeing, there are some fun murals that when photographed reveal a hidden message. 

I had to get my chance at it too! They seemed to come out better with the iPhone's flash. 

We took one last look around and two friends appeared from their secret door. 

Something we did not get a photo of was the glass slipper in the center of the throne room. People were in a queue to snap a photo of them "trying it on". Well, I didn't want to look like some creeper trying to get take a photo of random children, and some mothers, so we opted out of that shot. But, here is the throne of the palace.

While doing research for for our trip, Eric found out that the Snow White Grotto has an odd location. It is near the castle and right across from the Golden Horseshoe. It was just another addition to the list that gave Tokyo Disneyland its internet nickname, "Bizarro Disneyland".

If we turn around.....

Frontierland!

With The Country Bears, singing in Japanese, and performing the Vacation Hoedown, we practically ran to the theater! The waiting area looked very similar to Florida's. One thing I couldn't wrap my head around was this: Why would this audience even care about a show like this? The lobby was full of guests, and so was the theater. I know that Western culture attracts interest from Japan, I'm told. But, this show about country living bears seems far away from the main stream culture. As Americans we understand this part of our culture, but what would Japanese citizens think of this show? I wish I could ask someone's opinion. If the show became unpopular in California, how was it still holding up in Tokyo? And, from what I understand they even change over for the Christmas show!

Throughout the show I could hear the giggles and laughter from the crowd. Because the only Japanese words I could understand were "there", "here", and "look over there", I couldn't tell what exactly everyone found funny. Don't get me wrong, the show is funny. I just wish I knew exactly what the crowd found hilarious. The whole experience of the show being in Japanese and the crowd reaction was cute. Everyone, including Eric and I, really had a laugh when "Achy Breaky Heart" was performed by Trixie. The way that wine sloshed around in her glass, it seemed she had a bad day. So my guess is that just looking at these bears, you can definitely see each one's personality. Maybe everyone here is saying to themselves, "Oh man, I know someone just like that!"

Right near the theater exit was the ice cream window where, for Halloween, they were offering Pumpkin Soft Serve. I had read about this on our friend Jeff's blog so I had to try it. Eric isn't a fan of anything with the word "pumpkin", so he ordered the vanilla. And, just like Jeff's husband Lance said, "Yup, that's pumpkin alright!" There wasn't even a slight hint of pumpkin spice. This tasted like what the canned pumpkin smells like before you add anything to it. I wouldn't say it was awful, but Eric did! He did try it and definitely wasn't a fan. 

And then, because we apparently were starving to death, we also tried the White Chocolate Popcorn. The both of us were fans of this flavor! We decided to try and find a quiet spot to sit and enjoy. In Japan one doesn't walk and eat simultaneously, it is not good manners. I should have also mentioned we stood in one place as we ate our ice cream cones. We hoped to find a place to eat our snack in Critter Country, maybe near a critter or a creek.

In this park, Critter Country is extremely close to Fantasyland. Haunted Mansion marks the end of Fantasyland. As one turns the corner, to the right, away from the mansion, you're in Critter Country. The narrow walkway, that appears to lead no where, will guide you to your laughin' place at Splash Mountain. What we found very different was that while facing the mountain, the trestle where the Steam Train passes is directly behind you. Something else that stood out is the attraction appeared to be flipped. As we watched, the logs left the station like normal, but float from left to right in front of the briar patch. And, the watermill is still on the mountain's left, but the watermill is the queue entrance into the building. We definitely had plans to ride this, but we would wait until our "Day 2" at this park to maybe utilize Fast Pass. (We actually don't end up using fast pass here, but in that post I'll tell you what we did).

Looking behind Eric, you can see the logs cross the opposite direction and enter a tunnel, not the watermill. While you're at it, checkout that cool pumpkin popcorn bucket hanging off that stroller!

Looking the opposite direction, we see the train passing over. 

It took us a bit to find the entire area of this land. We had seen online that there was a path in Critter Country that took guests through a tunnel to an open area. Here was our small dilemma. We saw the Splash entrance, seen here with a cute little door...

But, all the we saw to the right was the exit walkway from Splash Mountain. Being a little nervous on how we would explain this, I tried this door. Maybe it would lead us to that area? JK

After a little debate between Eric and myself, we decided to walk against traffic, toward the Splash exit. We wanted to see if maybe this path would split. It sure did! We found the tunnel that housed a small merchandise cart. As we continued through the tunnel, the area opened up again. Here we found the location where guests purchase their on board photos and a small food location. It was there that Eric bought his Mickey shaped churro. 

I'm glad that we were so determined to find this area because it turned out to be the prettiest area in the park. I can't stress enough that people need to get back into this corner and see it for themselves. The Splash Mountain area really appears to be a dead end, but push on through and you'll find it. 

In the next installment of Tokyo Disneyland Day 1, we will finish out the day with another hidden corner of the park and more entertainment! There are three more pieces of entertainment to be experienced on this day! Is all this too much? It's been great reliving this with everyone and I'll be back again with a lot of more! 

Is This Adventureland?

Before us stood a whimsical dining location that not only had a cool theme, it was dry. The rain was steady during this time so it would be nice to sit and relax. And, because we would be eating slightly earlier than a typical lunch hour it wasn't very crowded. Sure there was a small queue, but nothing like I had seen in other blogs or YouTube videos. 

I really love the cast costumes here at the Queen of Hearts Banquet Hall. They are a little over the top, but this is Wonderland! They all fit very well in this nonsense filled world. 

The queue moved past the food like any other "buffeteria" styled place. They had some decent selections, but Eric and I had already planned out our meal here. We wanted, what we called, "the heart shaped meat thingy". Isn't it cute? All the food at Tokyo Disney is so cute!

It more or less tasted like meatloaf you'd get at any restaurant. I think some bloggers thought this was the weirdest thing in the world because of the shape. When you think about it, all patties are shaped after being processed. It's all technically bad for you, but it sure was tasty! Each of us were also offered a bowl of rice, an extra charge. I think we were one of the few to turn this down. The dessert didn't disappoint either. Eric and I grabbed two different plates to share. 

Just as I ordered drinks and got ready to pay, a Cast Member walked up. She asked how many we had, then she whisked away my tray and our drinks. I was so busy counting coins I wasn't 100% sure where she was headed. After paying, with the preferred exact change, I searched around for this lady. Eric pointed her out down the checkered walkway, holding up her free hand. She walked us over to a table in a well lit area, while also carrying our food.  I wasn't expecting this service at all. I assumed we would find our own table and carry our own food, which I would've been fine with doing. We bowed and thanked her for the help. 

 I'm not sure why he deviated from the usual "Two Finger" pose. 

Believe it or not, we were done with being able to obtain a Fast Pass. My friend Jonny, the Fast Pass King, would have absolutely hated this fact, but it's true. The fast passes were gone for the day and it wasn't even noon. 

Eric and I still hadn't explored the other end of the park. Feeling confident about our time management, we took a leisurely stroll toward Pirates of the Carribean. It's clearly obvious by looking at the next photo that even in the rain no one was leaving anytime soon. 

The queue for Pirates was stretched out into the walkway. I wish we grabbed a photo of it. Picture Disneyland's version without that bridge. The walkway out front is level to the rest of the area. The queue flowed out to the left of the entrance and toward the World Bazaar area (Main St). It didn't look too long at all. It appeared we would enter, walk up the slope that runs along the flume, then board. When we walked into the building, this is what we saw.....

In regards to the ride experience, I'd say its queue was the biggest change. We had no clue that these sets of switchbacks even existed within the building! As mentioned, we expected to walk right up the ramp to the station, but we instead made a hard left into this full queue. Apparently we didn't do the proper amount of research. The little I had read was : If a guest didn't feel like waiting in a long queue, go ride Pirates. Eric and I are here to tell you that yes, there was definitely a wait. Even though this was a surprise, he and I are fine waiting in queues. As usual, the queue appeared much longer than it actually is. 

 It was interesting to see the difference in the queue interior. The outside facade here and in Anaheim are replicas. They give the impression you're entering a New Orleans regal home or a gallery. This interior definitely felt like the front area of a house, lined with family portraits, culminating with a staircase that leads to what might be the private living quarters. The attraction itself felt very much the same as the original. Different or not, as it poured rain outside it was a nice get away. 

Back out in the rain we had an uneasy feeling. We stood in what appeared to be New Orleans Square at "California Disneyland", but it was really Adventureland in Tokyo Disneyland. If that last sentence didn't make sense, I apologize. That's really the only way to describe the feeling of dissonance. Maybe I'm blocking the scenery too much.  Here's another photo Eric took without me in it. (Even Blue Bayou is there) I do believe in California we even have those exact potted plants. Anyway, pressing on....

We must not have been too impressed with Adventureland because we didn't take many photos of it. If we thought Fantasyland was just tossed together, to cram in as much as possible, Adventureland stole that title for sure! I recall food stands, an occasional restroom, trees, a few attractions all lumped into a confusing area. They even had a small portion themed to what maybe was the Carribean Islands hit by a typhoon. (It actually looked a lot like WDW's Typhoon Lagoon water park

Even after that description I gave, I wouldn't say I hated Adventuereland. This land or the odd layout of Fantasyland doesn't at all cause me to say that I dislike this park. All I'm doing is describing what we saw. Now we didn't visit this park with "rose colored lenses". There was something here we didn't care for very much, Enchanted Tiki Room: Stitch Presents Aloha e Komo Mai!

If you don't speak Japanese well, I'd say to skip this attraction. I'm sure it is very entertaining to those that know what is going on, but it really was more than a mystery to Eric and myself. We thought, "Well, we have been to a few versions of this attraction, I'm sure we can follow along." We could not. I can still picture Eric and I looking over to each other and shrugging. It was really THE ONLY time in Japan where we felt completely lost. This was our epic "Lost in Translation" moment, not a bad place for ot to occur.

One of the snacks we had heard about during our research was this mochi dessert below. Each one has its own flavor and could be found in Tomorrowland. 

They are sold at Pan Galactic Pizza Port, right across from the Star Tours exit. Order on the first floor and grab a seat above. There's a small animatronic show to watch. It's a basic show where an alien appears to be making pizza dough. As we waited to order, I wondered if  there is  a Tomorrowland that doesn't sell pizza? I know even Paris' version has Pizza Planet. 

Anyway this snack we wanted comes as in threes. It has a strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate "dumpling" or mochi. They're very good and if you're ever there you have to seek this out. The Vanilla one tasted a little more like custard, so we loved that! It's a rite of passage for those visiting. I say this because every blog I've seen for this park seems to share their experience with this snack! Most people don't like the sticky feeling it has, but Eric and I enjoyed it.

The big moment for a decision had arrived. Should we continue on with visiting attractions.? Or, should se check if the "Happiness is Here Parade" would even happen. There was a break in the rain, but what a gloomy day for parade photos. Still, I had been anxious to see this parade ever since it premiered in 2013. We also had to keep in mind that we might get stuck with a plain "rainy day cavalcade". 

We all can find out the outcome next time!! But first, let's see one last shot as Eric poses the question, "Why is the Star Tours exit, this bridge, more elaborate than the entrance to it?"

Surviving Tokyo Disneyland in the Rain

Upon exiting the Winnie the Pooh attraction ones nose is bombarded with the sweet smell of honey! I can't say that either myself nor Eric are fans of honey, but after that ride it smells so nice. The parks have various popcorn flavors and it is fitting that the "Honey" cart is near Pooh's Hunny Hunt.

Something else we quickly notice about this Fantasyland is that it resembles the Disney Wold version (prior to the remodel). The Hunny Hunt theme ends as quickly as it begins. As we head to Space Mountain, we notice a few things we didn't see as we ran here. Without any sort of transition Mickey's Toontown exists in an open area, free of borders. Unlike Disneyland, there isn't anything that separates Fantasyland, or its other neighbor Tomorrowland, from its little corner. And, the parade route passes right through it!

As we continue to Space Mountain, I almost feel like I'm back in Florida. I had mentioned that Fantasyland felt VERY Florida-esque, so did this walkway through Tomorrowland. Even the planters are laid out the same. I regret it now, but I should have taken a photo of this to illustrate my point. The Autopia is right across from their version of Tomorrowland Terrace. I was expecting these types of moments, but when they happen, your mind starts to think you're somewhere else. This will sound like an odd thing to notice, but even the restrooms are in the same spot as Florida's version.

When we reached the Space queue, it was posted at 30 minutes. Who doesn't have 30 minutes to wait for Space Mountain? I couldn't tell if the area walkways were busy or if it was calming down from the "morning race". We still had hope that the rain would keep people away. When we saw only one group awaiting the show "One Man's Dream", it appeared that we might get our wish. 

They're the first in line. Good on them!

These folks here are dashing to and fro!

I was more than excited to take the speed ramp up to the Space Mountain concourse. As a kid we had this ramp over at Disneyland in California, but I never rode it at that time. I was too young/scared. 

This version of Space Mountain seemed to lean toward an electronic theme. The colors were various greens and a few deep blues. We didn't have onboard audio as we road, but as we went up the two lifts, sound effects played. And, as we moved through the lifts we saw a type of circuit board grid on the walls (possibly a blacklight effect). It was a fun change from what we are used to seeing. The track is the exact same one we have in Anaheim. That didn't matter to us because we never tire of riding it. It's nice to have these subtle changes. My observation of the main "domed" area was that it was much darker and had no planet projections. Only the small pinhole type lights were shinning through giving the starfield effect. This would be the only time we rode this and it's too bad we didn't ride again. 

We now were getting closer to our Monsters Inc fast pass return time, but not close enough. Eric suggested we take a quick lap to see more of Fantasyland and grab a Haunted Mansion fast pass. When our return window for Monsters arrived, we'd be allowed to get our second fast pass. I was very curious to see Haunted Mansion in its odd location, across from Dumbo. 

You can see the top of Haunted Mansion in the background. 

As mentioned a little bit ago, we saw more evidence that Tokyo's Fantasyland was crammed together. It wasn't ugly, but the attraction placement seems odd. Eric didn't feel this area was very pretty, but we were happy to see the difference. The Oriental Land Company, the business that runs these parks, announced huge changes to this area, so we were lucky to see some would consider "the before". The favorite nook of ours is right behind the castle. They have these cute trees lining the walkway that leads one from the drawbridge toward the carousel. An added touch at this Disneyland we find a Halloween decorated Fantasyland. Eric and I have never seen that area decorated for a holiday. 

The clock was approaching 10 AM. We had so far only seen Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, and the entrance area of the World Bazaar. We still hadn't had that usual "castle moment" everyone sees when they walk into the p[ark from the Main Entrance. Remember, we made that hard right turn for our fast pass pick up. 

We were always told that obtaining the Monsters fast pass was a must do for Tokyo Disneyland. I have to admit that although I enjoy the attraction of the same name here in California, I at first didn't understand the big deal for Tokyo. After seeing the show building in person I was already getting a little excited. The folks that run this place already set the bar high with the exterior design. The impressive interior is no stranger to the internet. The height of this lobby's ceiling was phenomenal. At the reception desk they even had a waste basket with paperwork crumbled. On that paper we could see text pertaining to the business, Monsters Inc. 

The loading area was very bright and the Cast Member's outfits are so cute! It's a basic two toned jumpsuit with a blue beret. Eric and I love the use of the costume accessories because they really add the special touch. We don't have a photo of it, but they are seen on the youtube videos I have posted. I don't  know why I was so embarrassed to ask if Eric or I could take a photo with them. However; we do have a Toontown photo with a Cast Member to share on a later post. 

For this attraction they were very serious about cameras needing to be put away. Once we saw how quickly the vehicles spun us around, the reason is quite clear as to why that rule is enforced. As Eric and I walked over to our assigned row I was finishing up a tweet or text. A Cast Member bounced over and told me right away to put my iPhone away. "No photos!" He was nice about it, but i was surprised that it was almost as though he waited for me to do it. 

The ride itself followed the movie's storyline, as the one in California does, but it really bumped up the standard. We see the one eyed Mike Wazowski just as frantic about having a human child in Monstroplolis and James P. Sullivan trying to stay level headed. Boo has gotten away from her pals, but only because she wants to play "Hide n Seek". When Boo giggles or cries out in excitement all the electrical posts around he practically sizzle with overloaded circuits. I absolutely loved that addition to this attraction! 

Our ride vehicles were equipped with flashlights that would activate different sensors. Those sensors appeared as hardhats, with the Monsters Inc logo. I believe we were to use them to find Boo and other hidden Monsters. We shine the light onto the hardhat, set off flashing sensors and hear bells ring! If we find Boo in a hiding place, the bell rings, she pops out, and lets out a huge laugh which overloads the surrounding circuits. As all this is going on the soundtrack is playing, other various noises from the city are heard, the vehicles whip you to and fro, character dialogue is heard, and guests laughter fills the room...let's say there was a lot going on. This attraction is total sensory overload. 

We of course find Boo and then she has to head back home. Just like in California's version, we are then debriefed by everyone's favorite cranky lady, Roz. She sounds just as annoyed with us in Japanese! So the morning dash to grab this fast pass was definitely worth the effort, especially since the queue was at now nearing 2.5 hours. 

Looking away from the castle toward the main entrance.

It was now around 10:15 AM and our Haunted Mansion Holiday Nightmare fast pass window was rolling around. We really felt like it was later because so much had gone on since we woke up at 5:30 AM. The rain was back again, but what are we gonna do? I would say what made it disappointing was that we weren't able to take as many photos with our new camera. We bought it specifically for this trip, but we didn't want it to get wet. Most of the photos of our morning are from the iPhone 6. 

When it comes to Haunted Mansion exterior, we have a few decent photos on the new camera from our Day 2 at Disneyland. Since we used fast pass the both times we rode, we didn't get any queue photos. From what I could see, because you really do bypass it to the point that you don't see it, the queue appeared interesting. A fun change is that although the structure is the same as Florida's, the building is not left in pristine condition. The windows are broken and shutters are near the point where they would detach completely.

The "maids" that work the attraction really have a persona that can be summed up with the phrase: "Dude, I've seen shit...and I don't wanna see it again." It's almost as if all of them don't want to look up in fear of seeing another ghost, a ghost that scared them a little too much. Their long black hair drapes down and frames their faces and they move about cautiously and quietly. We were all waved toward the circular gallery, but that Cast Member didn't join us. She stood motionless, while keeping her gaze down, and the double doors slid shut. Ok! That was already creepy! I think our advice to other Mansion Cast Members around the world would definitely be "Less IS More"! Rather than trying to BE the show, just be apart of the well thought out show already in place.

The vehicle ride path was laid out just like the one in Florida's Magic Kingdom. It was nice to see that right at the start we were greeted by both Jack Skellington and Sally. Eric and I were huge fans of the stronger presence of these characters. Back home we see Sally once, at the very end. In Tokyo we see her in about three different scenes. That might not sound like a huge difference, but it really adds to the experience. A favorite room of mine is the library where the ghost dog Zero is decorating a Christmas tree. The tree spins and he's applying some shiny garland to it.

Eric was quick to point out that in the graveyard scene, the ghosts are a lot brighter. The ghosts in Japan must have a stronger connection from the supernatural world? I think when it came to that detail, I prefer the ghosts back home. In the American parks, the ghosts in the graveyard appear to be a little more "see through" than those found in Japan.

Again, at the unload area the Cast Members are addressing the guests as minimally as possible. A subtle gesture saying "Please get out" is our cue to hop out and be on our way.

We were very much surprised as Eric and I stepped out of the building the parade was passing right in front of us. The parade step off is adjacent to the attraction's exit. I had heard that a "rainy day" cavalcade would replace the usual parade that takes place. Apparently in Tokyo it meant the parade would go on, but everyone would wear rain gear ponchos. However; the dancers that travel with the floats were cut.

It was our intention to try watching The Happy Harvest parade in two days time, when there would be a sunny day. But, Eric and I couldn't step away from this. The music was catchy and the costumes were all so cute! Winnie the Pooh as a bumble bee was oh so adorable! I think someone as huge as Mickey Mouse was up a little too high. He's the main man and they have him perched up on top of a huge pumpkin. I would prefer him a little lower. But, as I keep saying, the designers of this parade really know how to get everyone's favorite word "Kawaii" (cute) to be said over and over again. 

The cuteness will continue to grow as we progress further into our day. It was now a little after 11 AM and hunger was beckoning us to eat. Right across from where we watched the parade is the Queen of Heart's Banquet Hall. Ever since I was a kid I have been a huge fan of Alice in Wonderland, the film. So, eating at this restaurant was a must do on our list. I know Eric was also wanting to eat there and he was just as hungry as I was. When we continue next time, unless you cheat by googling photos on your own, you'll get to see how fun it was inside!

Our Tokyo Disneyland Video

Here we enter Disneyland for the first time, in Tokyo. Eric and I do what we can to get our first fast pass!! Watch :-)

http://youtu.be/MR8tzqmPLB4