Tokyo Disneyland to celebrate 40th anniversary amid business recovery - Tokyo, Japan - News Article Locations on Waymarking.com

News article text:
Tokyo Disneyland will celebrate its 40th anniversary on Saturday, with the popular amusement park in the city of Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, enjoying a sharp business recovery after the COVID-19 crisis, supported by repeat visitors spanning three generations.

The pandemic has prompted Oriental Land, the operator of Tokyo Disneyland, to shift its strategy from seeking more visitors to improving visitor satisfaction and increasing sales per visitor, in order to enhance its “land of dreams” appeal.

Since its opening in 1983, Tokyo Disneyland has attracted many visitors with its popular characters, including Mickey Mouse, its unique world-building and the hospitality of its staff, known as “cast” members.

Its sister park, Tokyo DisneySea, and hotels have been built nearby. To date, a total of more than 800 million people have visited the two Tokyo Disney Resort parks.

In fiscal 2018, when Tokyo Disneyland marked its 35th anniversary, the number of visitors to the two parks reached a record high of 32.55 million.

But the COVID-19 pandemic changed things dramatically in fiscal 2020, when Oriental Land was forced to close the parks and later drastically reduce admissions — resulting in its first net loss since going public. “We were unable to see (the way) ahead,” a company official said of the situation at the time.

However, the drop in the number of visitors provided Oriental Land with a clue to its long-standing challenge of dealing with overcrowding inside the parks.

The operator found that having fewer visitors reduced wait times for attractions and created more time for dining and shopping, leading to a dramatic increase in visitor spending and satisfaction.

Sales per visitor in fiscal 2022 are estimated to reach ¥15,759, about 2.2 times higher than when Tokyo Disneyland first opened.

Oriental Land plans to continue curbing the number of park visitors even after the pandemic subsides. In order to ease overcrowding, it has introduced different prices for admission for weekdays and for weekends and holidays.

The maximum ticket price for adults is now ¥9,400. But a company official expressed confidence, saying, “We can provide an experience that is worth the price.”

On Monday, Oriental Land unveiled to the press a new noon parade that will take place from Saturday, called “Disney Harmony in Color.”

“My daughter and I grew up with Disney,” said a woman in her 50s from the central prefecture of Aichi, who was visiting the park with her daughter and grandchild. “I’m happy to be able to bring my grandchild for the first time in this commemorative year.”

Type of publication: Internet Only When was the article reported?: 04/12/2023 Publication: The Japan Times Article Url: [Web Link] Is Registration Required?: no How widespread was the article reported?: regional News Category: Entertainment

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