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240. Fantasy Springs and Tokyo Disneyland Trip Report with Shane Bettenhausen

08.26.2024 by Dan Heaton // Leave a Comment

The sculptures of characters at Fantasy Springs in Tokyo are incredible at night.


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It’s been a quieter year for Disney’s U.S. parks beyond the arrival of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. We’ve seen a lot more action overseas with the opening of the massive Fantasy Springs addition at Tokyo DisneySea. The park’s largest expansion includes three new lands with four attractions themed to Peter Pan, Frozen, and Tangled. I haven’t visited the Tokyo parks in person, so I brought in a guest with a lot of experience at that resort. Shane Bettenhausen joins the Tomorrow Society Podcast to talk about his latest visit to Japan and a lot more.

Arendelle looks amazing at night in Fantasy Springs at Tokyo DisneySea.
Photo by Shane Bettenhausen

Shane was able to experience Fantasy Springs on his trip in July and tells me all about it. We discuss each of the new rides especially Anna & Elsa’s Frozen Journey and Peter Pan’s Never Land Adventure. Those attractions signal a promising future with new technologies and excellent storytelling from Walt Disney Imagineering. Shane also gives tips on how to tour Fantasy Springs, dining options, and personal highlights.

Shane Bettenhausen joins the Tomorrow Society Podcast to talk all about the Tokyo Disneyland Resort.
Photo by Shane Bettenhausen

Beyond Fantasy Springs, Shane and I discuss other aspects of both Tokyo DisneySea and the original Tokyo Disneyland park. He describes his favorite attractions there including the Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and a lot more. We also talk about what attractions and the types of rides that we’d like to see Disney adapt for the U.S. parks. I really enjoyed talking with Shane and learning more about Fantasy Springs and the Tokyo Disneyland resort.

The boat in the Peter Pan section of Fantasy Springs looks amazing.
Photo by Shane Bettenhausen

Show Notes: Shane Bettenhausen

Learn about Fantasy Springs at the official Tokyo DisneySea website.

Watch this excellent YouTube video from TDR Explorer that takes you to everything at Fantasy Springs, including all four attractions.

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Categories // Tomorrow Society Podcast Tags // Fantasy Springs, Interviews, Podcasts, Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo DisneySea, Trip Report

About Dan Heaton

Dan’s first theme-park memory was a vacation at the Polynesian Resort in 1980 as a four-year-old. He’s a lifelong fan who has written and podcasted regularly about the industry. Dan loves both massive Disney and Universal theme parks plus regional attractions near his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. His favorite all-time attraction is Horizons at EPCOT Center.

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