Hello everyone,
In part 1 of our grand circle tour of the world's Magic Kingdoms, we toured Main Street USA and World Bazaar.
In this second part we are going to adventure into the depths of Adventureland. For reasons that will become clear later, I'll also be including New Orleans Square in this tour.
Before we begin, I just want to clarify the usage of certain names in this article. Some of you may dislike the fact I refer to each park by its location, but please bear in mind that when referring to “Disneyland”, there are actually four parks that carry that name in one way or another, and while I could type “Tokyo Disneyland”, for example, each time, it would be very time consuming. So, to avoid confusion, for the most part I will simply refer to each park by their physical location, to avoid any confusion (for example, Paris, for Disneyland Paris).
Throughout this tour you will also discover that not everywhere has a comparable experience in the other Magic Kingdom style parks, but in fact sometimes lie in other parks. Although we are comparing Adventureland overall, you will find that I throw in other parks too, where necessary, in order to show the comparable experiences.
There are many, many photos in this article, so be warned, it might take a few minutes to fully load!
As you head left off of Central Plaza at all the parks, you will be presented with the opportunity to venture deep into the realms of pirates, jungle dwellers, explorers and genies!
The entrance gateway into Adventureland varies by park. At the Magic Kingdom, Hong Kong Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland there is a wooden archway, which varies by design in each location, that welcomes you to Adventureland. At Disneyland Paris you'll find yourself entering an Arabian bazaar straight from 1001 nights.
California (below)
Florida
Tokyo
Hong Kong
Paris
The interesting thing about the five Adventurelands is that they are all very different from one another. With Main Street and World Bazaar it was quite easy to make like for like comparisons, even as different as they all are. However, with Adventureland it's a lot more difficult. With that in mind, we will tour the things that are similar first, and then we can take a look at all the unique offerings in each park.
At Disneyland in California, on the left as you enter Adventureland is Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room. This beloved attraction, for those who have never experienced it, is a tropical paradise filled with singing birds, plants and tiki gods! At the Magic Kingdom, for many years, they had a slightly different version, titled 'Under New Management'. This version added Iago from Disney's Aladdin into the show. It ran for a number of years, and became the least popular version because of it's loud, crude nature. In the end it wasn't its reputation with fans that saw its closure, but actually a fire that forced Iago to leave the nest. The original version was promptly reinstated, and now the Magic Kingdom once again has Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room. The Tokyo version is different again. Tokyo's has actually gone through several identity changes over the years, and since 2008 has become the home to Aloha E Komo Mai, featuring Stitch. Being the Stitch fan that I am, I actually really like this version. The animatronic Stitch is well engineered and it just makes a change from the two original versions at the US parks.
Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland do not feature an Enchanted Tiki Room.
Let’s take a look at each of the three versions below.
California (below)
Florida
Tokyo
Pirates of the Caribbean is a classic Disneyland attraction that is located in New Orleans Square at the Californian park, and in Adventureland in Tokyo, Florida and Paris. What is interesting about Tokyo is that the area looks very much like New Orleans Square (admittedly without the charm of Disneyland), but is still listed as Adventureland; because New Orleans Square at Disneyland has no other comparison, we’ll take this into account as being part of Adventureland. The outside of Tokyo’s is very similar to California’s but without the lower level and ramps, but instead an extensive indoor queue area. Florida has a Spanish fort (called Castillo Del Morro) for its housing, and in Disneyland Paris the attraction is located deep within the bows of a Caribbean fortress.
Disneyland’s is of course the classic version, and more recently was updated to include Jack Sparrow as well as references to the sequel films. Tokyo models its version very much on California’s, although some scenes are flipped around, and the ending is slightly different. Florida, unfortunately, butchered their version of the attraction, and it is much abridged and doesn’t really have the cohesive feel to it that the other versions have. Florida does feature Jack Sparrow and other movie references. At Disneyland Paris they did something completely different. The attraction as a whole is loosely based on California’s, however they reversed the entire attraction! Instead of starting off in Davy Jones’ Locker, you start in the Caribbean, and proceed down into the underworld nearer the end. I have to say, and I know some are indifferent, and some don’t agree, but I prefer this way around. It makes more sense to me to start off “alive”, have the battle with the pirates, then the town sets alight, and then you “die” and go down to the underworld. Having said that, I like California and Tokyo’s versions a lot too, but I still dislike Florida’s. For me, Paris definitely has the setting and the ambiance more than any of the other three versions. Paris’ also features a unique scene - duelling pirates animatronics, which are very neat.
California (below)
Florida
Tokyo
Paris
And something unique to Paris’ version… On-ride photo!
At California, Paris and Tokyo’s Pirates of the Caribbeans you are able to dine on the water's edge, watching the boats go by. These table service restaurants which specialise in fish dishes (and other things too, of course), have a great atmosphere and really immerse you in the Caribbean setting.
California (below)
Tokyo
Paris
The Jungle Cruise is another classic Disneyland attraction that has versions in Florida, Tokyo and Hong Kong. Paris does not feature a Jungle Cruise.
I think with the Jungle Cruise, a lot of the experience that you have, and the enjoyment you get from it, can rely heavily upon your Jungle Skipper. If you get a really good one, then you’ll be subjected to some really good gags and a lot of fun, but sometimes, sadly, they don’t always have the enthusiasm, and the attraction can suffer for this. For anyone who doesn’t speak Japanese or Chinese (which I’m going to assume is nearly everyone reading this blog) the language barrier can also be an issue in the Asian versions. Tokyo doesn’t have an English line, Hong Kong does, however, even with this useful addition, sometimes it’s still hard to follow.
There are some differences between all of them, slightly different scenery and so forth, but overall you get a very similar experience. In Hong Kong they added some extra special effects into it to make it more “thrilling” as well as the fact it can be seen from the waters edge of the surrounding Adventureland (much like the riverboats in Frontierland). Recently Tokyo’s underwent a major refurbishment to include an altered storyline. We are yet to see exactly how this newer version is going to be different.
California (below)
Florida
Tokyo
Hong Kong
Finally we come to an attraction at all five parks which we can compare - the treehouse! Ok, so they aren’t all the same theme, but it’s one of the very few commonalities between the Adventurelands of the world.
At Disneyland their treehouse is currently Tarzan’s Treehouse, and was formerly the Swiss Family Treehouse (many years ago though). There is also a Tarzan’s Treehouse in Hong Kong, and a Swiss Family Treehouse in Florida, Paris and Tokyo. The treehouses often provide guests with something interactive to explore that offers very little waiting, even on busy days. There isn’t too much to say about them except that, if you haven’t done it before, they are walking attractions that take you high into the branches of a large treehouse featuring scenes from either Tarzan or the Swiss Family Robinson. Scenes include the kitchen, bedroom and other living areas and lookout points (which offer good views over the surrounding park land).
Hong Kong’s treehouse does have a slight difference however in that you have to use the rafts to get across to it, making the adventure a little more exciting than just simply climbing up into it.
At Disneyland Paris you can also explore under the treehouse as part of their vast Adventure Isle cavern system (which we’ll come to later), which adds a dimension to it that isn’t seen anywhere else.
California (below)
Florida
Tokyo
Paris
Hong Kong
At Disneyland in California there is the amazing Indiana Jones Adventure, which is a fast paced thrilling dark ride through an ancient archaeological site, overseen by Dr Jones himself. The incredible scenery, excellent effects and wild and bumpy journey make this a must see attraction. Interestingly there is only one other version of this attraction, and it resides not in an Adventureland, but in fact at Tokyo DisneySea’s Lost River Delta. At the Lost River Delta is is called Temple of the Crystal Skull. Personally I prefer California’s. I feel that Tokyo’s has an overall darker tone, which I don’t like as much. However, they are very similar, and though not identical, are no different than comparing the Pirates of the Caribbeans or treehouses.
California (below)
Tokyo DisneySea
At Disneyland Paris they do have their own Indiana Jones attraction, but instead, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril is a high speed runaway mine-cart roller coaster with an inversion!
Interestingly, like the Disneyland dark ride Indiana Jones, this Indy attraction has also been copied at Tokyo DisneySea’s Lost River Delta! In Tokyo however it doesn’t have anything to do with Indiana Jones - it’s called Raging Spirits instead, and is slightly more elaborately designed (albeit the ride is exactly the same).
Paris’ Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril (below)
Tokyo DisneySea’s Raging Spirits
At the Magic Kingdom there are the Magic Carpets of Aladdin. This is another attraction that exists elsewhere but not in Adventureland! At Disneyland Paris, for whatever reason, it is in the Toon Studios section of their Walt Disney Studios Park, and at Tokyo Disney Resort, it is once again in Tokyo DisneySea, this time in Arabian Coast. Overall, I think the Tokyo version looks the nicest, however for some odd reason they chose to design it in such a way that it really doesn’t fit with the rest of Arabian Coast. The Studios just doesn’t work for me anyway, and so, despite its inferior design to Tokyo’s, the Magic Kingdom actually works the best.
Magic Kingdom (below)
Tokyo DisneySea
Walt Disney Studios
Tokyo Disneyland is somewhat an anomaly with this next one. As we discussed in part one of this tour, Tokyo Disneyland is devoid of a park-circling railroad. Instead, they have the Western River Railroad, which despite its name, is located in Adventureland. The attraction features no other stops besides the boarding point in Adventureland, and therefore is simply a ride over a mode of transportation. The trains are very similar in design to the other railroads of the world, and the announcements from the station are even like the US ones (“Your attention please…” albeit in Japanese!), but the attraction instead solely traverses a small portion of Adventureland and a large area of Westernland, cutting out the entire rest of the park. The scenery from the trains is nice, and gives you great views over the Rivers of America in Westernland. Just as a note, New Orleans Square at Disneyland is home to the equivalent Adventureland stop on the Disneyland Railroad.
The New Orleans Square station
Each of Tokyo, Florida and Hong Kong feature a small water play area called the Liki Tikis. Most people would not consider these water spurting statues an attraction, but for some reason on the Hong Kong guidemap they are, so I thought I’d mention them here.
Magic Kingdom (below)
Tokyo Disneyland
Hong Kong Disneyland
For this Grand Circle Tour series I am avoiding mentioning too many character experiences, as characters can change frequently. However in the first part I did mention Mickey Mouse at the Magic Kingdom because he does permanently reside there. The same should go for shows and entertainment. I am reluctant to mention many entertainment offerings because these can change almost monthly at times, however, there are a few shows at some of the parks which have run for several years now that currently show no sign of departing, so I thought worth mentioning.
At Hong Kong Disneyland they permanently feature their own version of the popular, long running Festival of the Lion King show at Animal Kingdom. Hong Kong’s Festival of the Lion King is a spectacular show, which, with no disrespect to Florida's amazing show, in my opinion is slightly better than the Florida version. The sets are more elaborate and colourful, and it just feels a little fresher.
Hong Kong’s show (below)
Animal Kingdom’s show (note that this is at the old theatre as we haven't seen it at the new location yet)
Tokyo Disneyland also has a long running show called “Minnie! Oh Minnie”, which is presented at a stage not found at the other parks. It’s a very flamboyant show with magnificent costumes and a high energy pace to it. Tokyo also has two spectacular dinner shows at their Polynesian Terrace venue. We have seen both of these shows, and they are absolutely terrific. However, they are at a considerable extra cost, and reservations can only be made in Japanese over the phone or online in advance. I will post some photos below of the dinner shows, but just be aware that despite the longevity of these shows, they cannot really be counted towards the typical “day-to-day” experience of Adventureland.
The Magic Kingdom has a much smaller show, Captain Jack Sparrow’s Pirate Tutorial, which teaches young children how to be - you guessed it - pirates!
California and Paris no longer have any permanent shows, though they have in the past, and certainly have the space for them. Paris does feature a very long running band though, called the Hakuna Matamtam, and although California’s Adventureland doesn’t have any entertainment, there are numerous bands that play in New Orleans Square.
I have deliberately avoided mentioning the fact that the Haunted Mansion is located in New Orleans Square in Disneyland. The reason for this is that it’s actually a hard one to place overall, and in the other parks, features in other lands, including Frontierland in Paris and Liberty Square on the Rivers of America in Florida, placing it more with the Frontierland theme than anywhere else. For that reason, I’ll put a photo below for reference, but I’ll talk more about the Haunted Mansion in the Frontierland Grand Circle Tour, when we come to that edition.
Disneyland Paris does feature two other attractions which have no comparable versions at the other parks.
The Enchanted Passages of Aladdin is a short walk-through experience that tells the story of Aladdin through a series of colourful dioramas. It’s not the thrill-a-minute like pirates or Indiana Jones, but it is well presented and “something to see”, especially when the park is busy.
The one other attraction in Adventureland at Disneyland Paris that really makes Adventureland there the best one for me, is Adventure Isle. Paris doesn't have a Tom Sawyer Island (which we’ll cover in a later edition), but instead has Adventure Isle, which is really what brings the spirit of adventure to life, and takes you on an exciting journey to being a child again. Adventure Isle comprises of a vast system of pathways, caverns, bridges and waterways that intertwine their way through the central part of the land, giving it its lush, tropical scenery. You can explore the depths of Davy Jones’ Locker, Keelhaul Caverns, under the Swiss Family Treehouse, Pirate’s Beach and even on board the Jolly Roger and inside - yes inside! - Skull Rock! Sadly, by comparison, the other Adventurelands of the world fail at really immersing me in the true spirit of adventure. It doesn’t always have to take an “e-ticket” attraction to whisk you away to a far off land, sometimes it can simply be real depth, dimension and attention to detail - which Paris’ Adventureland executes perfectly. To top it all, at the top end, Pirates of the Caribbean overlooks the Isle, Skull Rock and the Jolly Roger, and just a stone’s throw away under the breezeway to Fantasyland is Peter Pan’s Flight. The entire is area runs seamlessly from one movie to another, connected by the pirate theme.
At Disneyland, there are very few dining options in Adventureland, with the Bengal BBQ and the Tiki Juice Bar being the only dining places technically listed within the land (and both are nothing more than a window or counter, but actually do offer some good options - Dole Whip at the Tiki Juice Bar is a must!). However, because Tokyo’s Adventureland a combines New Orleans Square area, the inclusion of New Orleans Square at Disneyland opens up the dining options to include some of Disneyland’s best table service venues, including the Blue Bayou, as I mentioned when talking about Pirates of the Caribbean. Disneyland’s New Orleans Square certainly has the edge over Tokyo when it comes to setting, because the terraces in California overlook the Rivers of America, whereas in Tokyo it’s simply the main walkway through Adventureland. Tokyo’s Adventureland does have some nice places to eat though, including the very popular China Voyager which has one of the best settings in their Adventureland. Interestingly, Tokyo’s version of the Crystal Palace, which sits on Central Plaza (like at the Magic Kingdom) is listed as being part of Adventureland. It is a buffet restaurant, which for breakfast offers character dining with the Pooh friends.
California’s Adventureland dining options (below)
California’s New Orleans Square restaurants
Tokyo’s New Orleans Square area dining
Tokyo’s Adventureland area dining
And Tokyo’s Crystal Palace - part of Adventureland, but on Central Plaza!
The Magic Kingdom only features three small quick service/window dining locations; Sunshine Tree Terrace, Aloha Isle Refreshments and Tortuga Tavern. Aloha Isle Refreshments is the Magic Kingdom’s home of the Dole Whip.
Hong Kong Disneyland has two restaurants. Tahitian Terrace, which is counter service, and River View Cafe which is table service. The setting for Tahitian Terrace is very tropical and lush, and one of the more immersive dining experiences in a park that lacks a lot of core dining options.
Disneyland Paris’ Adventureland has some diverse dining options. There is an Asian/Middle Eastern buffet at the Agrabah Cafe (which incidentally is simply incredible inside!), kebabs, rice and seasoned fries at Hakuna Matata, pasta and Pizza at Colonel Hathi’s and fish at the Blue Lagoon (which I mentioned earlier). I love sitting on the terrace of Colonel Hathi’s for the atmosphere - you really feel as though you are in the jungle.
Shopping in Adventureland can be interesting, with some more unusual and sometimes exotic items being offered.
Disneyland in California has a “bazaar” complex that incorporates the Adventureland Bazaar, Indiana Jones Adventure Outpost and South Seas Traders. These stores run from one to another and offer a good variety of adventure themed merchandise, Indiana Jones and tiki themed items, as well as some fun interactive moments such as the Genie’s lamp and Shrunken Ned.
California’s New Orleans Square is full of little boutiques that are crammed into the winding streets, filled with pirate “treasures”, crystal arts, Mardi Gras souvenirs and perfume.
Tokyo’s New Orleans Square area of Adventureland is very similar, and also offers pirate themed merchandise, crystal arts, a perfumery and a Mardi Gras store.
Venturing deeper into Tokyo’s Adventureland, and we find ourselves at the Adventureland Bazaar complex, which houses several stores offering tropical themed items, African artefacts and homewares.
Unfortunately Hong Kong Disneyland only has one - yes one - store in Adventureland, Professor Porter’s Trading Post. The store itself isn’t bad, but only offers generic Disney merchandise.
Disneyland Paris’ stores are spread out throughout the land, and include a homeware store, a store stocking princess merchandise and dresses, two store loosely covering adventure and Indiana Jones items, and a pirate store.
The Magic Kingdom, like California and Tokyo, has a good variety of stores that offer everything from Polynesian wear to African crafts, to pirate gear and general adventure related souvenirs.
Before I give my final thoughts, let’s take a look at some more photos from the Adventurelands of the world.
California (below)
Florida
Tokyo
Paris
Hong Kong
For me, Paris’ Adventureland is by far the most well thought-out, most immersive and actual adventure-filled Adventureland of all five. Florida’s Adventureland is definitely the most unexciting, with it’s very rigid one-pathway-through-the-whole-land design and lacklustre Pirates of the Caribbean. California’s is definitely interesting, but the problem here is space, and ultimately is just one long pathway with the attractions and stores attached to the sides. During the evening California really suffers with the crowds from Fantasmic on the Rivers of America, and it becomes a logistical nightmare. Tokyo’s Adventureland is different in that it encompasses a New Orleans Square style area, with little side streets filled with boutiques and restaurants, and some very unique elements in the core area where the attractions are. If we add into California’s mix their New Orleans Square, then things become more interesting. Again, with their mix of stores and restaurants, and the real charm it has, which Tokyo’s lacks, it could easily be one of the best Adventurelands. Hong Kong’s Adventureland is very lush, but sadly lacks the attractions, stores and restaurants to support it. There are some very nice areas, but nothing really to explore. With only one store and two restaurants, it’s definitely the one that lacks the most.
So, we have completed our tour of Adventureland! Where to next? The most logical step would be to now step out of the depths of the wilderness and into the Wild Frontier! These articles are, as you have seen, very long, and take a long time to prepare, so it’ll be a couple of weeks before we saddle up for a ride through the Wild West.
Remember, you can read part one of this tour, here. I’ll leave you with some more of my favourite photos from the Adventurelands of the world, including some nighttime shots, which I avoided posting above mostly.
Dan.
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