The massive development in Tokyo Disneyland history finally had its grand opening on 28 September 2020. Many Disney fans longed for this opening, which Tokyo Disney Resort postponed from April due to the coronavirus pandemic. Two new attractions and one greeting facility were added in this extension, but only guests who won a reservation can enter the new experiences. Luckily I got a chance to experience “The Happy Ride with Baymax,” one of the three major updates, so I would like to review it in this post.
The Happy Ride with Baymax
As part of Tokyo Disneyland’s large-scale development, “The Happy Ride with Baymax” was added in Tomorrowland. This attraction is the world’s first attraction featuring the Disney movie “Big Hero 6”.
The New Entry Request System
A few rules were implemented at Tokyo Disney Resort due to the impact of COVID-19 coronavirus. While the parks continue to apply these measures, a new rule has been introduced for some facilities. We have to make timely reservations for the new rides and character greetings using the Tokyo Disney Resort App’s entry request system. This entry request system is a lottery, and you need to win your request to enter the new experiences. There was a lottery seating system for shows in Tokyo Disney Resort before. The new entry request system is quite similar to this system, but we can only draw on the Tokyo Disney Resort official App. Here are the attractions and character greetings that need reservations by the new entry request system.
- Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast
- The Happy Ride with Baymax
- Minnie’s Style Studio
- Woodchuck Greeting Trail
- Mickey’s House and Meet Mickey
- Theatre Orleans(Disney Character Greeting)
- In front of Plaza Pavillion Bandstand(Disney Character Greeting)
Review of the New Attraction
I tried the entry request system, and luckily I won a reservation for The Happy Ride with Baymax. I went to the entrance of the attraction at the designated time and showed the cast member my smartphone screen. Only those who have a reservation can ride, so the waiting time was short. See the video below for a guide to the new entry system, and a clip I took while experiencing the new ride.
“The Happy Ride with Baymax” is a spinning attraction. I thought it was an attraction similar to “Alice’s Tea Party,” but it was something different. You get shaken unexpectedly, left and right. My husband rode on his own, and because the inertial force was stronger than he expected, he said he was almost shaken off the vehicle (he seemed to have enjoyed the ride though). I loved the up-tempo music and enjoyed the ride more than I had imagined.
Surrounded by Baymax Exteriors
Many “Big Hero 6” related artifacts have been placed near the new attraction, including Baymax’s healthcare chip, battery charger, and handprints. “Mochi,” the adorable cat who appears in the movie, is my favorite. He’s sleeping on the newly introduced Baymax drink dispenser. If you haven’t seen “Big Hero 6” before, I advise you to watch the movie before coming to this area. The movie has an essence of science fiction, mystery, and hero action, and both adults and kids will love the film. However, you should be prepared for tears because the climax is very moving.
Goods of Baymax
Many goods related to the new expansion were released together with the grand opening. A few stores in Tokyo Disneyland sells these merchandises, but Planet M in Tomorrowland is a specialty shop for Baymax’s goods.
Reservation Needed to Enter the Shop
Several shops carry merchandise associated with the expansion area, but only pre-booked guests can enter the store to avoid crowds. You can make a reservation through the in-store pre-booking service on the official website. However, currently, there are no English translations for this page.
So Cute Balloons of Baymax
There were no decorations of expansion areas in the entrance, but I found Baymax’s balloons in World Bazar.
There were also regular balloons, but Baymax’s were more popular. The front side is Baymax, and the backside is the armored version (Baymax 2.0!). The price is $14.00. I bought one for my daughter, and she was happy as if she made a new friend.
Something we didn’t expect was that the balloon deflated as the temperature dropped in the evening. However, we were deeply impressed when a cast member came to us and said we could exchange our balloon for a new one. They didn’t even check the receipt! The cast member told us that it does depend on the temperature, but the balloons usually keep for about a month.
If you are flying, you can easily use a straw to vent the helium gas. Since you bought these balloons, you should be able to decorate them at home and enjoy them.
Summary
I was thrilled to experience the expansion areas of Tokyo Disneyland. However, the new entry request system and the in-store pre-booking service were a little complicating. The entry request system is a lottery, and there are no guarantees that you can experience the new attractions. The in-store pre-booking service is only in Japanese, and the vacancy runs out quite soon. I plan to go to parks in a few days, and I want to share more information about the other facilities.
We appreciate your Comments!