 A
castle is literally the centerpiece of every Disneyland theme park (or
Magic Kingdom, as it's called in Florida). At Disneyland in California,
the original Disney castle is called Sleeping Beauty Castle. In Tokyo
Disneyland, it's Cinderella Castle (not Cinderella's Castle as it is
sometimes incorrectly referred to). In addition to the difference in name, Tokyo
Disneyland's castle—which is a close copy of the castle at Disney World in
Florida—is much larger than the castle at Disneyland in California.
In the front of Cinderella Castle is a large stage where some of Tokyo
Disneyland's biggest live shows take place. From year to year shows
generally coincide with the Park's current promotion; in 1994 there was a
wonderful production based on the movie, "Aladdin", and in 1998 the show
was a celebration of Tokyo Disneyland's 15th anniversary. For many years
there was was no seating (you sat on the ground!), but thankfully they
have installed benches now.
In addition to live shows during the day, the castle is occasionally the
star of a spectacular show at night. In past years, the castle has been
part of the evening fireworks show, with displays shooting up from the
castle itself. The fireworks shows change from year to year, so you may
want to check at an information booth to find out if the castle is part of
the show. If so, make sure you're in a place you can get a good view of
the castle; fireworks shooting up from the castle is an awesome sight, and
something not to be missed. |
