Sneak peek of Tokyo DisneySea’s new Fantasy Springs rides and hotel

What is Fantasy Springs at Tokyo DisneySea?

Fantasy Springs is a new port within Japan’s Tokyo DisneySea.

This port is near the back of DisneySea and offers its own hotel, aptly called Fantasy Springs Hotel. Guests staying in that hotel can access DisneySea through an exclusive Fantasy Springs entrance. However, most other guests will enter Fantasy Springs via a pathway between DisneySea’s Lost River Delta and Arabian Coast ports.

Fantasy Springs gets its name from the “magical waters” surrounding the land. Whether you enter Fantasy Springs from its hotel or the pathway from the rest of Tokyo DisneySea, you’ll immediately be drawn to the port’s rockwork and water features, which tie the land in with the rest of the park.

I love how colors, steam and golden accents make the rockwork appear realistic yet weathered.

Tokyo Disney’s senior creative executive Daniel Jue said there are more than 50 characters represented in the port’s rockwork. This isn’t surprising, considering I noticed a new character depiction nearly every time I walked through the port.

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Getting into Fantasy Springs

Disney often limits access to new lands and attractions, and Fantasy Springs is no different. When Fantasy Springs opens, there are a few ways you will be able to access the land (in addition to having your regular park ticket for Tokyo DisneySea):

Peter Pan’s Never Land Adventure

Peter Pan’s Never Land Adventure is a 3D simulator-style ride in Peter Pan’s Never Land that lasts about six minutes. On this ride, you’ll join Peter Pan, Tinker Bell and the Lost Kids on an adventure through Never Land.

Most of the queue area for this ride is surprisingly dark. There’s a short preshow — all in Japanese, but you’ll get the gist even if you don’t understand Japanese — in a three-tier room; then, you’ll pick up 3D glasses and join another short queue to board the three-tier 12-person ride vehicles.

The ride is spectacular because it offers an immersive experience via its ride vehicle, wind effects, surround-sound music and 3D media projections. Plus, the characters pull you in and help you feel like you are part of the story — even if you don’t understand the Japanese they’re speaking.

The ride combines 3D projections and physical elements in a compelling yet beautiful manner.

You’ll feel like you are flying during parts of this ride — a concept I loved. However, some people in my group did mention feeling a bit motion-sick after the ride.

If you don’t want to wait in a long line for this sure-to-be-popular ride, you can purchase a skip-the-line Disney Premier Access pass for Peter Pan’s Never Land Adventure once you’ve entered Tokyo DisneySea. Disney Premier Access passes are limited based on availability, and you can purchase them using the Tokyo Disney Resort app.

Rapunzel’s Lantern Festival

Rapunzel’s Lantern Festival is a water ride through Rapunzel’s Forest that lasts about five minutes. On this ride — the first “Tangled” attraction in a Disney park — you’ll watch Rapunzel’s journey as you travel in a gondola to the annual Lantern Festival.

During the preview event, Jue noted in an interview that Rapunzel’s Lantern Festival is “the most romantic attraction we’ve ever built.”

Indeed, this ride has a romantic, feel-good vibe to it. The queue for this ride starts outdoors — where you’ll see a few colorful lanterns — and then it snakes through covered open-air spaces.

Once in your 16-person gondola, you’ll leave the loading area and venture outdoors to see Rapunzel in her tower.

The rest of the ride occurs indoors, where you’ll watch Rapunzel and Flynn Rider’s romance unfold.

You’ll find perhaps the most spectacular area in the entire Fantasy Springs port when you travel through the Lantern Festival part of this ride.

This ride goes by quickly, likely due to how captivating and visually appealing it is. So, you might find yourself at the end of the ride much quicker than expected.

If you don’t want to wait in a long standby line, you can purchase a Disney Premier Access pass for Rapunzel’s Lantern Festival, based on availability.

Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Journey

Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Journey is a water ride in Frozen Kingdom that lasts about 6 1/2 minutes.

The queue is mostly indoors, with the line passing through Anna and Elsa’s library, playroom, family room and greenhouse.

Once you board your 16-person boat, you’ll revisit the “Frozen” story through its music and events. However, English speakers should be prepared to hear their favorite “Frozen” songs in Japanese. You’ll still recognize the obvious melodies, so it shouldn’t be an issue even if you don’t understand Japanese.

Disney intentionally designed the ride vehicles’ motion to match each scene’s emotion. So, for example, you’ll find your boat climbing a ramp, going down a drop or backing up in situations where that motion fits the scene’s emotion.

This ride is likely to be just as popular as you might expect a “Frozen”-themed ride would be. Luckily, you may be able to purchase a Disney Premier Access pass to skip most of the line for Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Journey based on that day’s availability.

Fairy Tinker Bell’s Busy Buggies

Fairy Tinker Bell’s Busy Buggies is a quick, family-friendly ride in Peter Pan’s Never Land that lasts about two minutes.

The queue line takes you through an outdoor garden before you enter a covered queue area. Take notice of the fun theming and cute story while you wait to board this ride.

This short ride is good for young children, although I still found the shifting and spinning of the four-person ride vehicle entertaining. Pay attention to your senses on this ride, as you may smell honey.

New Fantasy Springs hotel

Fantasy Springs dining

Within the new Fantasy Springs port, you’ll find various dining locations. Here’s a quick look at your options.

Royal Banquet of Arendelle restaurant

The Royal Banquet of Arendelle is a counter-service restaurant in the Frozen Kingdom that can seat about 570 guests.

You can order Arendelle’s Royal Set at this restaurant, including beef or seafood pot pie, a salad with smoked salmon and orange, potato gratin, bread, chocolate mousse, and a drink for 3,500 yen (about $22). You can also purchase a children’s version of the Royal Set for 2,000 yen (about $13).

I tried the beef set, which featured tender beef, cauliflower and spiral pasta in its fluffy-topped pot pie. The potato gratin was creamy with mini potatoes, and the chocolate mousse was topped with a lemon-filled mochi.

Bottom line

Tokyo DisneySea is already a very popular and highly regarded theme park for Disney fans worldwide. That will likely only intensify with the all-new land and hotel.

Based on our preview, I’d say that all four of the new Fantasy Springs rides bring something to the table. My favorites are the jaw-dropping finale of Rapunzel’s Lantern Festival and Peter Pan’s Never Land Adventure, which offers an immersive experience and makes you feel like you’re flying.

As for dining options, the Lost Kids’ Snack Boxes at the fun-themed Lookout Cookout were my favorite. The chicken is delicious regardless of which version you choose, and this box is surprisingly filling with seaweed fritters, banana chips, bread and a shrimp chip.

Don’t worry if you don’t speak Japanese — you’ll still be able to understand and enjoy all of the new Fantasy Springs rides. Many cast members at Tokyo Disney speak some English; you’ll have no issues navigating the park and its foods if you only speak English with the occasional Google Translate assist.

The opening of Fantasy Springs this summer is just one more reason to include a stop at Tokyo DisneySea in your itinerary when you visit Japan.

Admission rates at both Tokyo Disney parks are usually much lower than what you’d pay to visit a Disney park in the U.S. Plus, a visit to these parks offers a fun and interesting look into Japanese culture through the lens of something familiar yet also unique and different.