It's summer! And the pirates have taken over Tokyo DisneySea. I have no idea why, but I've been super hyped about the summer event for a while now.
The event doesn't start until tomorrow, but they were running sneak preview versions of all the pirates themed entertainment today. It'll be interesting to see what sort of adjustments (if any) they make to the entertainment options over the course of the summer!
I'm nervous about how it's going to work out with the main harbor show. They've decided to give out viewing spots for it with a lottery system. You get to enter the lottery once per day, if you lose, you won't get a good viewing spot for the show that entire day (you might not even get wet!).... which really sucks if you're visiting with a one day passport!
However....
I can't believe my luck. It's the first time I've won any of the park lotteries with my annual pass this year. I'm extremely worried it'll be my last win....... let's hope not.
There are no designated seats. Instead, you get designated a viewing area, either Mickey Piazza, Lido Isle or in front of Zambini Brothers' restaurant. I won the opportunity to watch the show from in front of Zambini Brothers. We showed up about 20-30 minutes before show start. Front row seats were taken, but the space didn't fill up more than 3 rows deep. They're all standing spaces, we had a really good view, and I felt we got really close to the pirate dancers. We also got to see both Jack Sparrow and Captain Barbossa, it seems both characters visit all three viewing areas during the course of the show.
You get wet.
The show is called Pirates Summer Battle "GET WET!" so.... you.... get wet. Rumour has it that this show uses twice as much water as last year's, and... I believe it!
Hilarious aftermath is hilarious. Be sure to wrap belongings in shopping bags, rain ponchos, or other water proof materials. Wear a rain poncho to avoid the scene pictured above.
The show itself is really engaging. It's hectic, the constant water can make it difficult to follow what's actually happening, but I spent most of the show time laughing until I couldn't breathe, so it didn't really matter? The pirate dancers look amazing, they use buckets and oversized beer steins to throw water around. The pirate ships shoot water instead of cannon balls. Some jerky pirates run around with giant water hoses blasting absolutely everything in their path.
The music is a mix of themes from the films and the attraction. It might not be as catchy as regular DisneySea show music, but it's perfect for this show. It would have been very out of place with a catchy pop tune for these pirates.
I want to brave a picture or two next time. I guess if I end up going through a losing streak with the lottery, I can hang back and focus on photographing the action. The show uses the harbor area very well, there's tons going on and plenty of details I've only seen other people mention online.
I can't wait to see it again. Summer has officially begun!
Drink up me hearties, yoho!
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The Teddy Roosevelt Lounge is hands down my favourite place to chill at Tokyo DisneySea. It's a first class lounge (piano bar style, well stocked bar too, I might add), located on board the S.S. Columbia.
In addition to your wines and your highballs and your standard long drinks, The Teddy Roosevelt Lounge also offers exclusive seasonal drinks that usually match up with the events going on elsewhere in the park (though I wouldn't blame you if you forget all about the rest of the park once you step foot inside the lounge, this place is like a world of its own).
It's the world according to Theodore Roosevelt....
Whether by the bar chatting away with classy bartenders or in front of the fireplace nursing your drink, the piano music will keep you company and help you forget your worries.
For Tanabata Days, the bartenders are serving up a fun drink in the image of the Milky Way. It contains banana liqueur, some other things, popping mango bobas, and some sort of fruit cut up into star shapes. I’d give you the exact details, but as the seasonal cocktail isn’t featured in the paper menus, and the official website only lists it as “special cocktail!”, you’ll have to make do with this. I’ll try to pay closer attention to my waitress the next time. Guess I was too excited about my drink. Because who cares what’s in it, look at it!
You're instructed to stir it to create the illusion of floating through space.
There's something wonderfully childish about having alcohol-soaked pieces of fruit and popping bobas in your drink. Also being told to stir it up with a ridiculously large spoon (which is also how I ended up eating the bobas). It felt wrong, but also very right. Who knew adult bubble tea could be a thing? Is it a thing elsewhere? It should be.
The fruit and bobas added a nice layer of texture, playfulness and flavour to the banana-flavoured drink.
There were gold stars floating on top. Because why wouldn't there be.
I swear I tried stirring it up for the pictures, but my bobas refused to cooperate and remained glued to the bottom of the glass. No matter, it’s still a visually striking drink.
The Tanabata drink (just ask for the special cocktail) is only available until July 7th. I wonder what the next seasonal drink will be like!
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So apparently DisneySea offers background story tours of the epic Journey to the Center of the Earth attraction whenever the ride is down for refurbishment. Did you know this? I certainly didn't. But my little jungle cruise telegraph alerted me, and we snatched up some spots on the tour.
This tour isn't announced anywhere, but it has a name (WHO DID THIS). It's called the Magma Sanctum Tour, Magma Sanctum being a reference to the ground level area of the attraction. To get on the tour, all you have to do is show up. You'll know something is up by the fact that there's a 1 hour line despite the ride not actually running. The tour goes on until around 5PM, it lasts about 20-30 minutes.
I should make it clear that this is not a backstage area tour of the attraction. Sadly. Oh how we'd all love a backstage tour of this ride, right? No, this is more of a background story tour. The tour is only available in Japanese (though who knows, the cast member delivering the tour might answer questions in English if they're proficient in English - I didn't think to ask).
If you've ever been on this attraction, you know it has a very detailed queue area. This is the above ground level you're on before you get into the Terravator that takes you down to the base station. Have you ever peered into the prop cages and wanted to know more about what you see? This is the tour for you.
We were greeted by a cast member who introduced herself and taught us a secret greeting shared by all cast members on the Mysterious Island. I'm definitely going to try it out the next time I go, supposedly if I do it right, they'll greet me back in the same way!
After the introduction, we were taken in to the magma sanctum where the atmosphere music was playing softly in the background, setting the tone and keeping up the mystery. We stopped at each prop cage and piece of artwork along the way. The cast member explained the background story, and pointed out little details that you may have missed previously.
I have a confession to make, despite the description on the attraction's presentation page, I had completely forgotten that Center of the Earth is also one of Captain Nemo's projects at DisneySea. It's his research and workspaces you see presented all throughout the magma sanctum. I always figured it was professor Otto Lidenbrock's projects, but I guess I did question the random Nemo references here and there. Glad I got that cleared up. I love how ambitious DisneySea's version of Captain Nemo is.
We were taken to the Terravators, but instead of going down to the base station, we were told that we were free to take pictures. Thinking back, I wish I'd pushed the elevator button (... Terravator button?) to try and call it up! Missed opportunity for sure. You're normally not allowed to take pictures of the Terravators, this tour is the only opportunity to get pictures of them. And since each tour group only consisted of 8 people, you get amazing deserted pictures that really show off the atmosphere and details of the space. It's a low light area, which can be very tricky for photography, but also a fun challenge.
We were taken out through a secret cavern off to the side of the Terravators. The last prop cage had been unlocked, and we were free to enter it to take a closer look at Nemo's research. We were also free to pose for pictures. I bumped into every. single. thing. in. the prop cage. Oops.
There were a pair of boots left outside... I regret not asking whose they were. Something to remember for the next time they offer this tour! I definitely want to go on it again to find new details to photograph.
Overall I was pretty pleased with this tour. I find it strange that they only do it for Journey, I'd love to have a similar style tour for 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, or Tower of Terror! Oh, I'd kill for good pictures of details in that hotel lobby... who knows, maybe some day!
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👻 2017/06
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2017/08 ✈