This will not try and document every detail that is different, although I'll try to cover as many as possible, because some differences will be too minor to worry about. However, the idea is to create an always changing list of differences between the various parks around the world, so people can - at a glance - see what is unique about each Disney park.
As I have no first hand knowledge of the Parks outside of the US - and my post is made up of information researched on the 'net - anybody who has been to any of these park please post your personal experiences!
I have only compared these parks to the original Disneyland in California, as that is the basis for all of the global parks and any differences will be seen there. It is also too difficult to compare each of the parks with each other, so for the purposes of this thread we will consider the Disneyland Park in California to be the basis for all comparisons. I will therefore cover Tokyo, Paris and Hong Kong.
Also, I haven't covered the Floridian Park (WDW) yet, because there is also an excellent thread here on that topic here.
Tokyo Disney Resort
Given that this was the first non-US Park to open, it is only fair that it gets covered first.
Tokyo Disneyland opened on April 15, 1983. Since then, the Tokyo Disney Resort has expanded to include three main entertainment sections: the original Tokyo Disneyland; Tokyo DisneySea; and Ikspiari, which is a variation of the Downtown Disney.
Tokyo Disneyland
The most obvious difference with Tokyo Disneyland is the "huge open spaces to accommodate the massive crowds the park receives on even moderate attendance days - Tokyo Disneyland is the single most visited theme park in the world, and its sister Tokyo DisneySea is the second" (Wikipedia). There also seem to be a lot more stage shows in Tokyo.
The following is a brief description, to my knowledge, of those things that differ in the Tokyo Park as compared with the Disneyland Park in California.
World Bazaar: Exists where Main Street does in most other parks. Many elements are similar as it recalls the same small town America that the other parks do. However, it seems to have a giant is under a steel and glass covering above the guests.
Disney Gallery: Located in the Bazaar, it also offers drawing classes for 500 yen per person.
Lilo’s Luau & Fun: Found in Adventureland. Dressed in Hawaiian shirts and muumuus, Mickey, Minnie and the other characters go from table to table to greet all the guests, and Lilo teaches all the kids a cute Hula dance.
Mickey & Minnie's Polynesian Paradise: Also found in Adventureland, this dinner show, real Polynesian singers and dancers, together with Mickey, Minnie, and Chip 'n Dale, bring you the spirit of the tropics with live music and dances of the South Pacific islands.
Minnie Oh Minnie!: Another dance thing found in the Theatre Orleans in Adventureland features Minnie Mouse and the other Disney characters dancing to the beat of spicy Latin rhythms.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Barely worth mentioning, but this is located in Adventureland, rather than New Orleans Square - which doesn't seem to exist in the same way.
MicroAdenture!: is found in Tomorrowland, but appears to be indentical to Honey, I Shrunk the Audience!
StarJets: A variation on the Tomorrowland Astro Orbiter from the California Park. Instead of starting from the ground, the ride appears to be elevated. The design is less Jules Verne inspired "retro future" and more like the white ships from Star Tours.
Grand Circuit Raceway: Appears to be the same as the Autopia ride, with some design and theme differences.
One Man's Dream II - The Magic Lives On: Another stage show, this sequel is found in Tomorrowland and is a celebratory show feature all the big name Disney characters.
Westernland: The name given to Frontierland in Tokyo.
The Country Bear Theater remains in Tokyo's Westernland, despite being edged out of Disneyland's Critter County.
Diamond Horseshow: Just to go one or two better than the Golden Horseshoe! Contains shows such as Horseshoe Roundup; Pecos Goofy's Frontier Revue and Super-Duper Jumpin'Time.
Beaver Brothers Explorer Canoes: Found in Critter County, this seems quite similar - if not identical - to Davy Crocket's Explorer Canoes.
Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour: in Fantasyland, the slightly different castle also featues a guided tour. What starts out as a guided tour of the Castle turns into an adventure when the Magic Mirror challenges the guide and Guests to face the Disney Villains and find out once and for all whether good can triumph over evil! This attraction was created specifically for Tokyo Disneyland. (The tour is in Japanese only.)
Mickey Mouse Revue: Also in in Fantasyland. The Disney characters perform "live" through the magic of Audio-Animatronics®. This attraction is found only at Tokyo Disneyland.
Haunted Mansion: Apart from being located in Fantasyland, the exterior of the castle also has a different design which can be seen here.
Pooh's Hunny Hunt: Apparently this Pooh ride, exclusive to Tokyo Disneyland, is one of the best in the business. From what I understand, it is nothing like the other Pooh rides in the other Disney parks, or other "dark rides". Each carriage is meant to take you to various areas individual, and the movement is erratic and bounces with Tigger, for example. Sounds amazing!
ToonTown: Looks pretty much the same, with a few minor differences.
Tokyo DisneySea:
The second theme park in Tokyo. The park consists of seven themed areas: Mediterranean Harbor; American Waterfront; Lost River Delta; Port Discovery; Mermaid Lagoon; Arabian Coast and Mysterious Island. Popular attractions include "Journey to the Center of the Earth," "Indiana Jones: Temple of the Crystal Skull," "Storm Rider," "Mermaid Lagoon Theatre," and "The Magic Lamp Theatre."
Given that this is a unique park unto itself, if might be better to just go and check out the Official Site, rather than me try and list all the differences.
Disneyland Paris
As I said above, I'm pretty much cutting and pasting from this thread, especially Wonderlicious' comments.
Hong Kong Disneyland ResortWonderlicious wrote:Well, I think that a comparison may be easy to do. Essentially, Disneyland Paris is more European orientated. The lands are often more suited to European ideas. Frontierland has more to do with the Wild West than the American counterparts (no Country Bears or Tom sawyer Island here) and Fantasyland tries and relates to the origins of its sources by placing characters in situations that you'd associate with the country they originate from (example, the Snow White ride looks like a German house from the exterior, Mr Toad has an English restaurant). With Adventureland, instead of being themed to an adventure in a jungle, the land seems based upon the European idea of being in an adventure land; you're in stories and films such as Aladdin, Peter Pan, Treasure Island and Indiana Jones. A more extreme example is with Tomorrowland; it's less based on retro sci-fi and more based on Jules Verne's visions of the future, so much so that it's renamed Discoveryland (to fit in with the idea of his Discovery Bay).
I'll give you descriptions of some of the ride differences (as far as I'm aware), as well as some descriptions of DLP exclusive attractions.
Liberty Aracde
This is an indoor walkway (in case it rains) on Main Street themed to the presentation of the Statue of Liberty to New York (it was a present from the French). Includes a little diorama of the event.
Discovery Arcade
Similar to Liberty Aracde, only walled sketches of Jules Verne style visions of the future.
Various little rides along Main St.
I'm not sure if other Disneylands have these, but these are horse and cart/Paddy wagon escorts along Main Street. Cute!
Legends of the Wild West
Presentation at the gates of Frontierland commenting on Western life.
Pocahontas Indian Village
A little play area for little kids themed to everyone's favourite Native American.
Phantom Manor
I believe that this version of the Haunted Mansion has more a plot than its USA counterparts, which is related to Frontierland having a back story.
Adventure Isle
This is a Tom Sawyer's Island like thing, only themed to stuff such as Treasure Island. The Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse lies here, and in Summer, there is a Peter Pan show on the ship.
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril: Backwards
Rollercoaster that goes backwards and is set within an Indiana Jones looking temple.
La Passage Enchanté d'Aladdin
The entrance to Adventureland isn't a rope bridge but a Morrocan market place. In one of the buildings, you'll find a walk through attraction themed to Aladdin, which is essentially model sets set to music.
Le Chateau de la Belle au Bois Dormant
This is DLP's version of Sleeping Beauty Castle, which seems to pay more of an homage to the animated film, with a surprise related to the film underneath the castle...
Alice's Curious Labyrinth
This is a hedge maze based upon Alice in Wonderland, which features lifesize models of characters and settings from the film interwoven into a hedgemaze. It obviously relates to Fantasyland's aim of placing characters back in the countries they came from; Alice's country England is the birth place of hedge mazes.
Les Pirouettes du Vieux Moulin
This is a Fantasyland ferris wheel based on the Silly Symphony The Old Mill, yet it only operates seasonly.
Le Pays de Contes de Fées
This is Storybook Land Canal Boats. I believe that the California version has a narrator, but this doesn't (due to language, I suppose), although little signs telling one what the story is appears. I also believe that this version of the attraction ranges far out of normal Disney films; as well as parts based on Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and Fantasia, there's also bits themed to things like The Wizard of Oz and other not conquered by Disney tales.
The Nautilis
Part of Discoveryland's Jules Verne theme, you'll find a little walk through attraction based on 1954's Disney adaptation of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, touring Captain Nemo's infamous submarine.
Space Mountain
This is themed to From the Earth to the Moon by Mr Verne, and is more thrilling than the ones in other Disney parks (it goes upside down).
Videopolis
This is a theatre cum dining area in Discoveryland, where shows take place, such as ones themed to The Lion King and Mulan.
Hope that helps! Also...check out this site.
Built by The Walt Disney Company and the Government of Hong Kong and officially opened on September 12, 2005. The difference to the park were obvious on opening. Disney have tried to adhere to local customs and traditions, avoiding things like the number 4 in building (which is considered bad luck because of its similarity to the word for "death"), and you won't find Haunted Mansion due to the respect for the dead. You might also find a few local delicacies on the menu, which led to the Shark Fin Soup controversy.
Actually, you won't find Pirates of the Carribean, Big Thunder Mountain, Indiana Jones Adventure, Splash Mountain, Peter Pan's Flight, It's A Small World, Star Tours, or Autopia either. Indeed, there are only four lands in Hong Kong Disney: Main Street USA, Adventureland, Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. Frontierland and Toon Town are missing.
So what will you find that is different to the original?
Festival of the Lion King: A live action performance spectacle based on The Lion King. Found in Adventureland.
Tarzan Island: Found in the middle of the Rivers of America, it contains Tarzan's Treehouse, but appears to replace Tom Sawyer's Island. Likewise, the rafts have been renamed Rafts to Tarzan Island.
Liki Tikis: There is something similar to this in most parks - suprise fountains shoot up out of the ground. Aimed at kids, with a jungle theme.
The Golden Mickeys at Disney's Storybook Theater: Found in
Fantasyland, this is a gold coloured musical spectacular!
Mickey's PhilharMagic: Also in Fantasyland. I believe this is the only one outside of WDW, Florida?
Tomorrowland: Only seems to have 3 attractions! Buzz Lightyear; Orbitron and Space Mountain.
Autopia is planned for Summer 2006 (it's already on the maps), and some of the more popular rides are planned for an extension sometime in the future. One of these is said to be Raging Spirits, which is a jungle temple themed rollercoaster that recently debuted at Tokyo DisneySea.
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Well, that was an epic. I hope it will be of some use to people, although I'm sure some of it is wrong. I also hope this is something we can all add to over the coming months and years.
