Aquatopia
Encyclopedia
Aquatopia is an attraction at Tokyo DisneySea
theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort
in Chiba, Japan
. Located in the Port Discovery area of the park, it is notable as being the second of only two attractions in the world (the other being Pooh's Hunny Hunt
at neighboring park Tokyo Disneyland
) to use a new trackless ride system designed by Walt Disney Imagineering
.
It is considered to be the successor attraction to both Disneyland's Motor Boat Cruise
and the Autopia
, which in turn Aquatopia received its name as homage. The ride consists of around three dozen vehicles (designed to look like personal hovercrafts) which move independently from each other at quick speeds through a large water lagoon. The water in the lagoon is only around 5 cm (2 inches) deep, as the vehicles actually roll along the shallow floor on wheels. The water is kept moving to create the illusion of depth, and occasional funnel drains give the appearance of foreboding whirlpools. Like the older attractions it's inspired by, Aquatopia is self-guided. Due to the ride technology, there are no visible tracks, so the sensation of spontaneous and surprise in your path is unique with every ride, giving a repeatability (and dramatic visual kinetics) to the new attraction.{With this attraction and Pooh's Honey Hunt, one could follow some of the tracks if you made an effort to do so. More obvious on Aquatopia, you could get an idea of where you are heading, but then this ruins some of the illusion of the attraction.} There are two sides to the lagoon, which you board from a central boarding platform. In Summer, one side becomes a 'wet course' while the other is the 'dry course'. The 'wet course' adds the possibility of getting soaked by hidden water jets along the ride while the 'dry course' is jet free.
Tokyo DisneySea
is a 176-acre theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan, just outside Tokyo. It opened on September 4, 2001. It is owned by The Oriental Land Company, which licenses the theme from The Walt Disney Company. Tokyo DisneySea attracted an estimated 12 million visitors in...
theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort
Tokyo Disney Resort
is a theme park and vacation resort located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan, just east of Tokyo. It is owned and operated by the Oriental Land Company with a license from The Walt Disney Company. The resort opened on April 15, 1983, as a single theme park , but developed into a resort with two theme...
in Chiba, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Located in the Port Discovery area of the park, it is notable as being the second of only two attractions in the world (the other being Pooh's Hunny Hunt
Pooh's Hunny Hunt
Pooh's Hunny Hunt is a unique 'trackless' dark ride located at Tokyo Disneyland. It is based on the adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh, and is Fantasyland's most popular attraction.-History:...
at neighboring park Tokyo Disneyland
Tokyo Disneyland
is a 115 acre theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan, near Tokyo. Its main gate is directly adjacent to both Maihama Station and Tokyo Disneyland Station. It was the first Disney park to be built outside of the United States and opened on April 15, 1983...
) to use a new trackless ride system designed by Walt Disney Imagineering
Walt Disney Imagineering
Walt Disney Imagineering is the design and development arm of the Walt Disney Company, responsible for the creation and construction of Disney theme parks worldwide...
.
It is considered to be the successor attraction to both Disneyland's Motor Boat Cruise
Motor Boat Cruise
Motor Boat Cruise was an attraction at Disneyland in Anaheim, California.- History :Motor Boat Cruise opened in 1957 on the border between Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. The waterways of the Motor Boat Cruise shared space with other attractions such the Viewliner train and bridges for Junior...
and the Autopia
Autopia
Autopia is a Disneyland attraction, in which patrons steer specially designed cars through an enclosed track. Versions of Autopia exist at Anaheim, California, Disneyland Paris in Marne-la-Vallée, France, and at Hong Kong Disneyland on Lantau Island, Hong Kong...
, which in turn Aquatopia received its name as homage. The ride consists of around three dozen vehicles (designed to look like personal hovercrafts) which move independently from each other at quick speeds through a large water lagoon. The water in the lagoon is only around 5 cm (2 inches) deep, as the vehicles actually roll along the shallow floor on wheels. The water is kept moving to create the illusion of depth, and occasional funnel drains give the appearance of foreboding whirlpools. Like the older attractions it's inspired by, Aquatopia is self-guided. Due to the ride technology, there are no visible tracks, so the sensation of spontaneous and surprise in your path is unique with every ride, giving a repeatability (and dramatic visual kinetics) to the new attraction.{With this attraction and Pooh's Honey Hunt, one could follow some of the tracks if you made an effort to do so. More obvious on Aquatopia, you could get an idea of where you are heading, but then this ruins some of the illusion of the attraction.} There are two sides to the lagoon, which you board from a central boarding platform. In Summer, one side becomes a 'wet course' while the other is the 'dry course'. The 'wet course' adds the possibility of getting soaked by hidden water jets along the ride while the 'dry course' is jet free.