When they built DisneySea, one of the smartest design decisions was making it a spiritual “sequel” to Disneyland. It starts when you enter through the first area of the park. In Disneyland, you pass through World Bazaar, which has a final archway that frames Cinderella Castle. In DisneySea, an archway frames Mount Prometheus.
If it weren’t for the railings, you might be fooled into thinking you’re actually in Venice. The water level on the masonry, the deterioration of poles in the water.
One really lovely part of most entry areas of Disney parks are façade windows which are delicately decorated. This one is a shop for a candlemaker. I love the way the light enters this room.
Another shop that only serves as a set is this little marionette window.
The gondolas in DisneySea had to be quite a bit bigger (with a significantly-higher capacity) than actual Venetian gondolas. I imagine it was a challenge to make them look as sleek as they do.
The dining room for the New York Deli is fairly intricate, with sausages dangling from above, and also tickets, advertisements, and newspaper clippings in another room. There are also several hatboxes and costume pieces strewn about.
This is my favorite entrance to a restroom in any Disney park, worldwide. A fountain for the New York City Waterworks. Restroom doors are just behind it.
It’s truly amazing just how many boats are docked in this park. Dozens. And then there are the gondolas and steamer line that float through. They all really help sell the theme of this park.
Disneyland and DisneySea have one Japanese restaurant each, both in the most American themed areas. In Disneyland, Restaurant Hokusai is in World Bazaar and owned by an American fascinated with Japanese food who wanted to share it with others. In DisneySea, Restaurant Sakura is in New York Waterfront and owned by Mr. Tanaka, a Japanese immigrant fisherman who moved from Osaka to New York. (He’s nicknamed “Charlie.”) I love this stuff.
The Transit Steamer Line is one of my most favorite attractions, because I swear its entire purpose is just waving to other guests. I love that this is something people do in a Disney park but stop doing when outside of one. It’s funny, isn’t it?
I felt so jealous of the guests who were riding Aquatopia when it was taken offline, here. The cast members came out with little step ladders and boots for every guest to leave the vehicle and walk across the emptied basin. I would’ve loved to do that.
Again, the boats docked in this park. Just magnificent. Beautiful. A+
How about this water fountain? I feel like it’s unmatched in any Disney park around the world. I’ve never seen one so charming.
The scale of this place sometimes confounds me. I look at it on a map, I try to understand it. How did they make this?
This maybe is my favorite sign in the entire park. This color combination. Those beveled letters. The texture, the ornamented green iron work.
One day, I swear I will properly experience this attraction. It’s the only one that’s Japanese-language only. It’s kinda been inaccessible to me forever. I need to go with someone who can translate for me, because I’m dying to go.
I swear, this is a pumped-up Tom Sawyer Island. The amount of space you get to walk around and through, the rooms these buildings house. There’s even a camera obscura up there you can move around to view the park.
The opportunities for framing devices in this park are abundant. Windows that look out, arched doorways— I always find a shot I like.
It’s totally amazing they built a full-scale steam ship here. It has a bar, a dining room, and you can walk around on the decks too. It’s great to come out here on the bow and just have a look out into the park or into Tokyo Bay.
I love this park. What a nice place.