Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea have just announced all development and expansion plans through fiscal year 2020; including shows, rides and meet & greets. With park attendance exponentially increasing each year, Oriental Land Co., Ltd has made investments to upgrade the park before the originally scheduled date of 2023. These upgrades include a "New Fantasyland" expansion (which will include a new show), a Beauty and the Beast ride, a "Soarin'" development, Toontown Meet & Greets as well a Big Hero 6 attraction. More than just announcing new offerings, shareholders will also be pouring 75 million yen to develop new versions of current attractions and entertainment offerings. In Tokyo Disneyland, developers will be clearing out Grand Circuit Raceway, StarJets, food stands and shops in Tomorrowland to make way for New Fantasyland. As stated above, this NEW area will include a theater for live performances (not specified) and a major attraction inspired by the 1991 animated feature Beauty and the Beast. With much of Toontown and nearby Tomorrowland still mostly in-tact, new character meet and greets will be provide in those respective lands.
New Fantasyland's expansion will have an area devoted to Beauty and the Beast. With no official name for Belle's village, there are details regarding what it will entail. Much like Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, there will be a Gaston fountain and Beast's castle. Except, this time, Beast's castle will lead to the ride rather than Be Our Guest restaurant (like in Florida). Oriental Land Co. describes the ride: "Guests board enchanted serving dishes that dance in rhythm to the film’s well-known music and follow Belle on a romantic musical adventure inside the enchanted Castle where she dances her way into the heart of the Beast, just in time to break the fateful spell. Guests will feel like they have entered right into the film." They say the full attraction is expected to last roughly 8 minutes. According to concept art, it almost looks as if the ride will not have any tracks underneath the vehicles. This new area will also have a gift shop as well as a restaurant.
As for the live-entertainment theater... a name has not been determined, but it will be the first "full-scale" indoor theater on property. "Signature Disney entertainment unique to Tokyo Disneyland and featuring the Disney Friends will be presented in this storybook theater environment." The indoor arena is projected to hold about 1,500 guests per showing.
As for the Baymax-sized Big Hero 6 announcement: The ride influenced by the nerdy, superhero group will be constructed in Tomorrowland. Now the ride is only expected to last about 1.5 minutes, but the description is certainly intriguing: "invites Guests to join their own personal healthcare companion for an exciting musical “whip ride” that swings them unpredictably round and round." Next to this Tokyo-exclusive attraction will be an out-space themed shop selling different flavored popcorn.
Toontown will be receiving Tokyo Disneyland's final upgrade in this announcement: A new meet greet. The always elegant fashionista, Minnie Mouse, will be meeting guests in her studio dressed in a decked-out wardrobe. The location will have "interactive elements" and guests will be able to meet the adorable mouse, making lifelong memories.
Moving onto Tokyo DisneySea now.. they will be getting their own version of "Soarin'." This ride will not be an exact replica of any of the current simulator attractions anywhere in the world. Developed in DisneySea's Mediterranean Harbor, the ride will feature landscapes and scents from around within a 5-minute timeframe. Note: Oriental Land Co. released all of this information as current plans to bring new and exciting things to Tokyo Disney venues. While all of these pictures shown are from the official company, they only consist of concept art, which is always subject to change. This announcement is stemming from attendance success and future investments; more attractions could be added by 2023.