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Disney to open new nautical theme park in Japan next month

DPA, TOKYO
Wednesday, Aug 22, 2001, Page 19

"We want people around the world to visit `DisneySea,' the world's first sea-theme park by Disney ... We expect many people from other Asian countries to visit the new park."

Sayaka Yamagami, Disney spokesperson

Tokyo Disneyland is scheduled to open a new theme park on Sept. 4 in hopes of attracting Disney-crazed Japanese as well as visitors from neighboring Asian countries, despite the regional economic recession.

The new theme park, DisneySea, is an ocean-themed 71-hectare park, about the same size as Tokyo Disneyland.

One-fifth of the total area is covered with water.

The attractions and shows in DisneySea are themed to the adventure and romance of the ocean, while Tokyo Disneyland focuses on fantasy, dreams and magic, according to Oriental Land Co, an operator for the theme park.

"We want people around the world to visitDisneySea, the world's first sea-theme park by Disney. Because of proximity, we expect many people from other Asian countries to visit the new park," Sayaka Yamagami, a spokeswoman at Oriental Land, said earlier this month when the park was unveiled to the press and industry officials.

There are 23 attractions, 65 restaurants and shops. The new theme park cost ?338 billion (US$2.8 billion). It is expected to attract 10 million visitors annually.

Within the new park, guests will find seven "ports of call," Mediterranean Harbor, Waterfront, Port of Discovery, Lost River Delta, Arabian Coast, Mermaid Lagoon and Mysterious Island. Most attractions are related to water.

One of the attractions expected to be popular is the Indiana Jones Adventure, which is inspired by the George Lucas-driven movie series.

This ride is located in Lost River Delta. Visitors will ride a vehicle with 11 other passengers, moving very quickly.

Another ride expected to be popular is Journey to the Center of the Earth, located on Mysterious Island. This three-minute-ride takes visitors on a scientific sightseeing excursion. This jet rollercoaster-like ride may surprise unsuspecting visitors at the end.

StormRider, a storm simulator and a volcano-themed ride, located in Port of Discovery, is a virtual reality ride, similar to Star Tours at Disneyland. Visitors will watch a big screen in a theatre-like room with 120 other people. This ride gives the feeling of riding a plane which has been out of control in a storm. Cold air and sprinkler douse the riders to give extra realism.

While most announcements in the park will be in Japanese, there will be guidebooks written in English, Chinese and Korean.

A one-day pass to DisneySea costs ?5,500 yen (US$45 dollars), the same as the ticket to get into the adjacent Disneyland. If you want to go to both parks, you have to pay for both.

Also opening on Sept. 4 will be Oriental Land's new in-park Hotel Miracosta, a 502-room hotel modelled after old-world Italy. The price of a room per night starts from ?28,000 (US$233).

Prices vary depend on types of room, dates, as well as the direction the room faces. Those facing the Mediterranean Harbor, where there will be fireworks and Mickey Mouse shows at night, prices are higher.

Tokyo Disneyland was opened in 1983. It became the most successful theme park in the world, drawing about 17 million visitors annually.

Among the total visitors, people from outside of Japan, mainly other Asians, comprise about two to three percent.

Disney Resort, which includes Disneyland, DisneySea and official hotels, among them the Disney Ambassador Hotel, which opened last summer, is located in Maihama, Chiba Prefecture, next to Tokyo. The Maihama train station is about 15 minutes by the JR Keiyo Line from Tokyo's central Tokyo station. The one-way train fare is ?210 (US$1.60).

The Disney Resort Line monorail system, which started operation in the late July, connects the various facilities, including Disneyland, DisneySea and official hotels, all located on 200 hectares of land.

With the opening of DisneySea, Japan has become the center for popular US theme parks in Asia. The Hollywood movie-based theme park Universal Studio Japan (USJ), was opened in Osaka, 400km west of Tokyo, in late March. It has drawn more than 2 million visitors.

The 54-hectare park houses 18 attractions and rides featuring popular Hollywood movies, including Jurassic Park, Jaws, ET and The Terminator.
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