Tokyo Disneyland Resort Extends "Study Period" of Major Expansions

The Tokyo Disneyland Resort has announced it is going to "extend the period to study the two large scale development plans" at both Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea.  Essentially, this means that the operators aren't quite sure that the plans released earlier to expand both parks over the next ten years are the best way to "create a long term and sustainable value of the theme parks."

© Tokyo DisneySea

Back in October of 2014 we first heard that the parks were going to embark on a ten year, $4.45 billion expansion in both Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea.  The plans, released in more detail this past May, called for an entire new port (themed area) at DisneySea, seen above, themed to Frozen.  Well technically the plans are for a Scandinavian themed area, however it doesn't take much to realize the intent here was to go full throttle Frozen.

© Tokyo Disneyland

Fantasyland in Tokyo Disneyland was labeled for an expansion that would dwarf the one done to the Magic Kingdom in Florida, doubling its size.  A totally new Small World building, a new Alice in Wonderland sub-area, a Beauty and the Beast section and plenty more were included in the plans that can be viewed in the above image.

Oriental Land Company, operators of the parks, are not cancelling these plans, however they seem to want to take more time to make sure they're making the right decision, at least that's what I gather from reading between the lines.  They say that the consideration period was to have ended in 2015, but now is extended for an undetermined amount of time.

It's possible that scaled back plans will be released in the future with more concrete opening dates; but we'll have to wait to see just what Oriental Land Co. has in store.