Tokyo Disneyland opened on Monday a new area based on the 1991 animated musical "Beauty and the Beast" film, following a roughly five-month delay due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The new area, which has taken nearly three years to construct, also includes a ride based on the superhero movie "Big Hero 6," making Tokyo Disneyland the first Disney theme park in the world to feature an attraction from the 2014 blockbuster.
One of the new area's main attractions is a 30-meter castle that houses an approximately eight-minute ride in which users can travel a "magic teacup" and experience scenes from the Beauty and the Beast movie.
Guests are also greeted by a recreation of the village bookstore and fountain that the heroine Belle visits in the film.
On Monday morning, visitors rushed to the new area and formed lines to take photographs.
"I came (to the park) for the Beauty and the Beast area. The characters' expressions look real and it feels like I am in the world of the film," said Takashi Matsumoto, 31.
To prevent the risk of coronavirus infection, people who wish to ride the new attractions are required to apply for a time slot on an official app, while visits to shops and restaurants can be reserved on the park's website.
Visitors must also undergo body temperature checks and follow social distancing rules underlined by the facility.
Tokyo Disneyland and neighboring Tokyo DisneySea, both operated by Oriental Land Co., temporarily closed in late February to prevent the spread of the virus and reopened in July.
Since then, the number of people allowed to visit the park has been limited, with several shows and parades suspended to prevent overcrowding.
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