Today in Disney history, in 2001, Tokyo Disney Resort expanded as Tokyo DisneySea opened to the public as the second gate.

On this date in 2001, Tokyo Disney Resort made a major expansion. Eighteen years after the opening of Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo Disney Resort expanded with the addition of a second gate, Tokyo DisneySea. The park is themed after nautical adventures and exploration, as well as different ports of call from around the world. The park opened with attractions that have become iconic to many Disney fans, including Journey to the Center of the Earth and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

Original Plans for Tokyo DisneySea

Before there was Tokyo DisneySea, there was Tokyo Disneyland and early concepts for a second gate in Japan. Tokyo Disneyland was an immediate success following its 1983 opening, so executives from both the Walt Disney Company and the Oriental Land Company were in talks to expand the resort with a second theme park as early as the late 1980s. 

Photo Courtesy of Disney

Initial plans for a second gate (like many other theme parks of the time) focused on a movie studio concept. Early ideas for the park were similar to what would become Disney-MGM Studios (now Disney’s Hollywood Studios), with attractions and shows focused on iconic movies and how they are made. 

The park under this concept would have been named “Disney Hollywood Studio Theme Park at Tokyo Disneyland,” but the idea for a studio-centric park was eventually abandoned. (For Tokyo, that is. Of course, today we have Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World and the Walt Disney Studios Park at Disneyland Paris.)

Creating Tokyo DisneySea

Moving on from the studio concept, Disney executives and the OLC began to shift their thinking toward something that would interest a largely Japanese audience and offer lots of opportunities for repeat visits. As imaginations internally began to “set sail,” the thought came up to theme the new park to the sea. With more of the details slowly beginning to come together, Tokyo DisneySea was devised as an opportunity to create a totally unique Disney Park that would allow Guests to experience several different themed lands. 

Like every international Disney Park, Imagineers needed to work within the cultural expectations of a country that may differ from American mindsets. At Tokyo DisneySea, this point was most noticeable when it came to choosing the park’s icon. A lighthouse may seem like the obvious choice for a sea-themed park, but in Japanese culture, lighthouses actually represent sadness, so this certainly would not work for a Disney park. Instead, an image of the Earth used to represent the “water planet” was used and named the AquaSphere. 

Opening Tokyo DisneySea

Disney and the OLC hosted a Grand Opening Ceremony for Tokyo Disney Sea on September 4, 2001, at the park’s Mediterranean Harbor. In attendance from Disney were then CEO Michael Eisner, Roy E. Disney, and Toshio Kagami, President of the Oriental Land Company. In keeping with the “seven seas” theme, Tokyo DisneySea has seven themed lands: Mediterranean Harbor, Mysterious Island, Mermaid Lagoon, Arabian Coast, Lost River Delta, Port Discovery, and American Waterfront. 

Some of the park’s opening day attractions might be familiar to you as they are similar to other popular rides at Disney parks, like 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull, and Jasmine’s Flying Carpets, along with uniquely DisneySea rides that remain beloved to this day like Journey to the Center of the Earth, Aquatopia, and the Caravan Carousel. 

Journey to the Center of the Earth. Photo courtesy of Disney Parks Blog

Today, many Disney fans who have had the opportunity to travel to Japan believe Tokyo DisneySea to be the best and arguably the most immersive Disney theme park. And along with the opening day attractions that remain today, Tokyo DisneySea continues to draw crowds year after year with new rides and entertainment, multiple hotels, and some of the best dining experiences Disney has to offer.

The Future of Tokyo DisneySea

Like any Disney Park, Tokyo DisneySea is always evolving and changing, and a major expansion is currently underway. An eighth port of call (land) is set to open next year, showcasing some of the most beloved fictional locales in Disney animation. The new area will be known as Fantasy Springs and is set to feature new attractions, shops, and restaurants, along with an additional hotel, all themed to Frozen, Peter Pan, and Tangled.