jdhilger
The Trains of Westernland
Westernland
Tokyo Disneyland
Westernland is the Tokyo incarnation of Frontierland, the Japanese having no real conception of a "frontier" the way Americans do. It's a large land, similar in scope and style to the Magic Kingdom's Frontierland. Aside from the Tokyo-unique heavy hitters Pooh's Hunny Hunt and Monster's Inc Ride-Go-Seek, Tokyo's two most popular attractions (judged by wait time) are Big Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain, both of which reside in Westernland.
Featured here is the Western River Railroad. In Tokyo Disneyland the railroad does not circle the park but instead treats the railroad as an attraction that starts and ends in the same place, touring Adventureland and Westernland along the way. This is due to strict Japanese laws regarding rail transportation which mandate any trip between two points of sufficient distance charge per trip (this, incidentally, is why the monorail costs money to use in Tokyo). In essence they turned the railroad into a large-scale, western-style Peoplemover.
Designed solely as an attraction and not transportion, the railroad offers much to see on your journey around the river, with many animatronic animals, burning houses, and such along the way. Most of this is similar to what you will see along the Rivers or America in California or Florida, but there are unique elements in Tokyo's version, and Tokyo's animatronics seem to be more animated and lifelike. The journey also features the dinosaur diorama from Disneyland in California along the way. The railroad loses some of its leisurely charm and utility in it's attraction form, but it still provides a peaceful and atmospheric tour of the largest portion of the Tokyo park.
Twitter: photojames
Instagram: jdhilger
The Trains of Westernland
Westernland
Tokyo Disneyland
Westernland is the Tokyo incarnation of Frontierland, the Japanese having no real conception of a "frontier" the way Americans do. It's a large land, similar in scope and style to the Magic Kingdom's Frontierland. Aside from the Tokyo-unique heavy hitters Pooh's Hunny Hunt and Monster's Inc Ride-Go-Seek, Tokyo's two most popular attractions (judged by wait time) are Big Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain, both of which reside in Westernland.
Featured here is the Western River Railroad. In Tokyo Disneyland the railroad does not circle the park but instead treats the railroad as an attraction that starts and ends in the same place, touring Adventureland and Westernland along the way. This is due to strict Japanese laws regarding rail transportation which mandate any trip between two points of sufficient distance charge per trip (this, incidentally, is why the monorail costs money to use in Tokyo). In essence they turned the railroad into a large-scale, western-style Peoplemover.
Designed solely as an attraction and not transportion, the railroad offers much to see on your journey around the river, with many animatronic animals, burning houses, and such along the way. Most of this is similar to what you will see along the Rivers or America in California or Florida, but there are unique elements in Tokyo's version, and Tokyo's animatronics seem to be more animated and lifelike. The journey also features the dinosaur diorama from Disneyland in California along the way. The railroad loses some of its leisurely charm and utility in it's attraction form, but it still provides a peaceful and atmospheric tour of the largest portion of the Tokyo park.
Twitter: photojames
Instagram: jdhilger