You’d think that we fans would’ve scraped the backstage portions of Disney+’s acclaimed documentary series clean for any possible hints, but it seems one slipped past most of us! A model of the upcoming Fantasy Springs expansion at Tokyo DisneySea, scheduled to open in 2023!
In a slow panning shot of a generic model towards the end of episode 4 “Hit or Miss”, Imagineer Ian Price is discussing the idea of how Imagineering aims to create “immersive experiences”. It’s almost a blink-and-you-miss-it situation, but if you know your upcoming DIsney projects, you can almost immediately identify it as Fantasy Springs! This shot shows off most of the model, comprising all three areas. We can see the tower for Rapunzel’s area including the Snuggly Duckling, Skull Rock, Arendelle’s castle, and most of the unnamed hotel.
This concept art shows the expansion from a reverse perspective. It seems to largely line up with the model above.
This segment shows the underpass to Fantasy Springs, next to Raging Spirits and the vast show building for Indiana Jones: Temple of the Crystal Skull. It looks like a lot of rockwork will mask the Tangled and Pixie Hollow show buildings, as well as the road overpass. This is probably where that waterfall we saw in previous concept art will be located, to mask the road noise.
These waterfalls and tunnels are what will likely cover the overpass.
We can get a better view of Arendelle, the Peter Pan expansion, and the Fantasy Springs Hotel from this angle. It’ll be fascinating to watch this all come to life in the next three years!
Home to two attractions and a restaurant, the Neverland area will feature memorable landmarks including verdant mountains, Captain Hook’s pirate ship, and Skull Rock. One attraction will fly Guests over the jungles of Never Land into a battle with Captain Hook and his crew of pirates. Guests will join Peter Pan in an adventure to rescue Wendy’s younger brother, John, who has been kidnapped by Captain Hook and his pirates. Guests board boats and follow the Lost Boys down a river. When Tinker Bell sprinkles the boats with pixie dust, Guests find themselves flying through Never Land on an unprecedented adventure that features iconic music and dynamic 3D imagery of the characters from the film.
A second attraction immerses Guests in the oversized world of Pixie Hollow where Tinker Bell and her fairy friends live and work. Meanwhile, the area’s restaurant is inspired by the Lost Boys and their hideout, affording lovely views of Neverland for Guests to enjoy while they dine.
Guests visiting this area will discover Rapunzel’s tower rising above in a charming forest. The area will include another boat attraction, which follows Rapunzel on her journey to the lantern festival and a restaurant inspired by The Snuggly Duckling, home to the hilarious thugs from the film. Countless flickering lanterns illuminate the attraction’s climactic scene while Rapunzel and Flynn sing “I See the Light”, building to an unforgettable finale.
The Arendelle area after the first film’s events, once Queen Elsa has embraced her powers. The castle gates are now open and Guests can visit! Located here will be a heartwarming boat attraction that tells the story of Elsa and her beloved sister, Anna. Guests will board boats and experience the sisters’ heartfelt journey while enjoying iconic songs from the film and encountering surprising thrills. No word yet on if this is a clone of the Frozen Ever After attraction from EPCOT, Hong Kong Disneyland, and Walt Disney Studios Paris, or if it’s a distinct attraction. Also located in this area will be a restaurant set inside Arendelle Castle at the foot of beautiful, snow-capped mountains.
The as-of-yet unnamed hotel, themed to Disney fantasy, will be located inside the park. The hotel will rise above and around the magical springs that serve as the core of the new themed port’s story. Park-facing rooms will provide beautiful views of the port’s majestic landscape, affording Guests a magical experience that can only be had at this hotel. The Disney hotel will offer 475 deluxe-type and luxury-type guest rooms, with the latter providing the finest accommodations in Tokyo Disney Resort, surpassing even that of Tokyo DisneySea Hotel MiraCosta, its sister which looks in on Mediterranean Harbor. A merchandise shop that helps share the story of the magical springs will be found on the hotel’s first floor, facing Fantasy Springs.
We’re so excited to have spotted this. Unbelievable that we missed it the first watch around, right? What are your thoughts on Fantasy Springs? Will you come to Tokyo Disney Resort in 2023? Let us know below or on social media!