Tokyo Disneyland has broken ground on the new Space Mountain attraction and its surrounding area in Tomorrowland, which are due open in 2027.
The groundbreaking ceremony was held at Tokyo Disneyland, part of Tokyo Disney Resort, on 16 May. The ¥56 billion ($408 million) project will transform Space Mountain, which closes in 2024.
The indoor roller coaster, which has been a popular attraction at Tokyo Disneyland since the park opened in 1983, will offer “enhanced performance” as well as “immersive special effects”, according to Oriental Land Company (OLC).
The renovated Tomorrowland plaza will represent a future “where humans are in harmony with nature”, said OLC. After dark, the Space Mountain area will be a “spectacular world of light and soundscapes”.
“Guests will be able to enjoy moments of rest and relaxation in this plaza where various icons and other design elements create a sense of hope for the future,” OLC said in 2022.
Meanwhile at Tokyo Disney Resort, the new $2.2 billion port at Tokyo DisneySea is due to open in 2023. Fantasy Springs will feature three lands inspired by Frozen, Peter Pan and Tangled.
Fantasy Springs at Tokyo DisneySea
Each themed land will have attractions, restaurants and immersive spaces. These include Rapunzel’s Tower (Tangled), Neverland (Peter Pan) and Arendelle Castle (Frozen).
In a post-earnings conference call earlier this month, Disney CEO Bob Iger said the company sees its theme parks business “as a key growth driver for the company”.
“We have several international expansions underway that will allow our parks to continue to build capacity and drive longer-term growth,” he added.
Images: Oriental Land Company
