Tokyo Disneyland

The site for Tokyo Disneyland was part of a 600-acre landfill designated in the 1960s as a recreational area to address the growing demand for entertainment in the Tokyo metropolitan area. This decision set the stage for the eventual establishment of the Tokyo Disney Resort. The idea of a Japanese Disneyland dates back to the late 1950s when Japanese businessman Kunizo Matsuo approached Walt Disney with the idea of a Disney park in Nara. While it is rumored Walt initially agreed to the idea, he later dropped out of it. Matsuo, still determined to open his Disney-themed park, opened Nara Dreamland in 1961, a near replica of Disneyland except without Disney's characters or intellectual property. This park would continue to operate until 2006, and was eventually demolished in 2017. In February 1974, the Oriental Land Company (OLC) formally invited Disney executives to Japan for a fact-finding tour. In June of the same year, the company's president, Chiharu Kawasaki, visited Disney's headquarters to reinforce the OLC's desire to bring Disneyland to Japan. Kawasaki once again extended an invitation to the top Disney executives to visit Japan; the offer was taken up in December. After many years of negotiations Masatomo Takahashi, president of the OLC, signed the initial contract for the construction of Tokyo Disneyland in Chiba Prefecture in April 1979. Japanese engineers and architects visited California to tour Disneyland and prepare to construct the new park. The closure, originally slated to expire in mid-March, was later extended twice, with the latest extension being until July 1, 2020. == Park layout and attractions ==

With a few exceptions, Tokyo Disneyland features the same attractions found in Disneyland and Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom. Adventureland Adventureland consists of two distinct yet complementary areas: A New Orleans-themed area and a "jungle"-themed area. It borrows stylistic and architectural features from the New Orleans Square and Adventureland areas found in Disneyland Park in the United States.'' Fantasyland is located in Fantasyland. Like other Magic Kingdom theme parks, Fantasyland's central entryway is a castle, in this case Cinderella Castle, a near exact copy of the one in Florida's Magic Kingdom. Lacking any "thrill rides", Fantasyland's attractions are generally dark rides that take visitors through scenes from Disney Animation's films such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Peter Pan, and Pinocchio. The new section also houses Belle's Village which includes the La Taverne de Gaston eatery, and Village Shoppes selling souvenirs and gifts. Tomorrowland As is the case with other modern-day Disney theme parks, Tokyo Disneyland's Tomorrowland forgoes a realism-based vision of the future and instead features science-fiction fantasy themes. Architecturally it borrows much from the 1971–1993 version of Florida's Tomorrowland. Rides include Space Mountain, and Star Tours – The Adventures Continue. A rotating car ride named The Happy Ride with Baymax opened in September 2020 as part of the theme park's largest expansion. The ride is the first Disney attraction to be themed based on Disney Animation's 2014 film Big Hero 6. A new specialty space-themed popcorn shop named The Big Pop also opened on the same day. ==Upcoming attractions ==

The park is expected to receive an attraction themed around Disney Animation's 2012 film Wreck-It Ralph, which is originally set to open in 2026 and it was delayed to Spring 2027 as well as the third renovation of Space Mountain in Tomorrowland, which will be reopen in 2027. ==Attendance ==

Since the park opened in 1983, Tokyo Disney Resort has regularly been one of the most profitable Disney resorts. By 1994, over 149 million people had entered through the gates of Tokyo Disneyland, more than Japan's entire population of 127.6 million at the time. In 1996, it employed 12,390 people, making Tokyo Disneyland the biggest workplace in Japan's diversionary outings at that time. Tokyo Disneyland states that one of its main aims is to improve the park and diversify from the limits of the domestic Disney parks. Tokyo Disneyland has recently been adding a national identity within the parks by adding attractions with distinctly Japanese qualities. Cinderella Castle displays the Disney character and story plot yet presents the story through the eyes of the Japanese. Once dominated by Disney Legends, Masatomo Takahashi, the former president of The Oriental Land Company, states this growth and development as one of its primary goals: "We must not just repeat what we receive from Disney. I am convinced that we must contribute to the cultural exchange between Japan and U.S.A." ==Incidents==