TPR in Japan - 2018 - Theme parks and Japanese Fun!

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Day Eighteen - Parque Espana

This would not be our first experience with Parque Espana in the rain! In fact our first experience we visited the park during a typhoon, which you can see in THIS video (which BTW, you can right now download for FREE!), so of course we knew that Pyrenees would not operate in the rain. We did have a very good time at the park as it does have a lot to offer, but did we end up getting on Pyrenees? Read the report to find out...


Good morning from Parque Espana in Japan! At the moment, our visit is looking reminiscent of our typhoon visit in 2004 where everything was closed.


The park still looks as good as it always has! This is one of the nicer looking parks in Japan and they have really kept it in good condition!


Even though the “big” rides are closed due to rain, we will make the best of it and enjoy the park and the attractions that ARE open!


The name of the ride is “Ironbull” but once you see “TronButt” you can never unsee it!


#TronButt


#TronButt


Ironbull aka “TronButt” is the old “Bullfight Coaster” rethemed to a Steampunk Bull! (Yes!)


The newer theming was actually quite nice!


The ride is fun, a bit jerky, but most certainly unique! #TronButt


Pyrenees is currently closed due to weather. It’s raining pretty bad, the forecast calls for rain all day, and this coaster doesn’t operate in the rain.


That blue dot is where we currently are in Japan!



But there are characters out and regardless of weather, we will always have fun with them!


We especially like this character!



What can we say? She's cute! Maybe Dan & Chuck are part furry?




The new kiddie coaster was open and some of the people on our tour couldn’t possibly pass up the “credit!” (No, I did not ride...)



Since it’s raining we would check out some of the indoor attractions like the Alice in Wonderland interactive walk-through.



They have given us some sort of magical wand weapon or something...

Kristen from @OceanSprayInc shows Jack how to harvest cranberries! @WaltDisneyWorld #EpcotFoodFestival @WDWToday pic.twitter.com/UMnKfUdzS5

— Theme Park Review (@ThemeParkReview) September 26, 2015

The park is actually themed to a “Spanish Village” and it’s actually a really nice looking park! It’s huge, too!


Dan approves of the “Wine & Beer” section of the park!


Parque Espana has three dark rides, all of them pretty decent!



The shooting dark ride is themed to demons or zombies or something.




The “Peter Pan”-like suspended dark ride “Don Quixote’s Magical Flight” is really good! It tells the story of the park mascots and their adventures.



The “Nutcracker” dark ride is this bizarre light show that feels like something the park did for a Christmas event, but liked it so much they left it up all year round!

Kristen from @OceanSprayInc shows Jack how to harvest cranberries! @WaltDisneyWorld #EpcotFoodFestival @WDWToday pic.twitter.com/UMnKfUdzS5

— Theme Park Review (@ThemeParkReview) September 26, 2015

The current rain forecast is calling for weather to improve at 16:40. The park closes at 17:00. Will we make it on Pyrenees???


I have no words for this...


Love this coin press machine where you can personalize your own coin!


Awww, I remember visits when Kristen was small and she’d love playing in Parque Espana’s kids play area! Now she’s pretty much aged out of it.


The volume of merchandise the park has based on these characters is staggering!


I’ve only ever seen them at this park...


...and they’ve been their mascots as long as I can remember.


The amount of stuff they have with these guys is insane!


This store is filled with hundreds of items featuring these characters.


Are they based on anything more popular?


Like a movie or TV show?


There really is a LOT of character based merch here! I can only imagine the development cost of all this stuff!


So what about Pyrenees? Did we get on it or not?


Thankfully, luck was on our side and we had originally arranged to do some filming on Pyrenees after the park closed at 5pm, but it would be cancelled if it rained.


The rain ended up stopping about 10 minutes before park closing and the staff agreed to open the ride just for TPR as long as we didn't mind getting a bit wet (and maybe a little dirty!)


Yay! It runs!!! The ride was closed all day today due to weather, but they managed to get it open for TPR after the park closed! Thank you Parque Espana for arranging this for us!


Ponchos on since it’s still “wet” but dry enough to run the coaster!


Pyrenees at Parque Espana is one of the best B&M invert coasters ever built! It’s right up there with Nemesis, Montu, and Katun as my favorite of these style of rides. Super intense and a LOT of fun!

Kristen from @OceanSprayInc shows Jack how to harvest cranberries! @WaltDisneyWorld #EpcotFoodFestival @WDWToday pic.twitter.com/UMnKfUdzS5

— Theme Park Review (@ThemeParkReview) September 26, 2015

It ended up being a GREAT day at Parque Espana! Huge thanks to the park staff who worked with us to get Pyrenees open for us in the 11th Hour! That really made our day!!!

Now, POST YOUR COMMENTS!!!! After all, we took the time to write this report, the least you can do is post something nice about it!

Click HERE for Part Nineteen of our 2018 TPR Japan Trip!

[coasterer“Fear can make a donkey attack a lion”]

Dear Lord I want to ride Pyrenees so bad. That backseat POV just sent it back up to the top of my list!! Thanks for sharing

[ytterbiumanalystWhy do I still have a donkey title???]

Both Nagashima Spaland and Parque España look a lot of fun. Espwcially cool that Parque España has so many indoor things for you to do so you could make the most of a rainy day.

And even before I read your captions I was thinking "Does that say Iron Butt?"

[NrthwndBAYSIDE STATION!!!]

Parque Espana was wonderful, because it was so un-Japanese, and worked hard to be as Spanish as it possibly could!
And as far as I'm concerned, they succeeded admirably. One of the best parts of the park (and what you've shown) is
that walk down the "left side" through that village, towards the Flying Dark Ride, the huge boat ride in the lagoon, then
up the other side of it all, via the Musical Escalator...

And up to a rather impressive Spanish Museum, I also remember, too.

Great visit there, Robb. And that's awesome that they were so nice,
to open Pyrenees for you and everybody, afterwards. It has such
a neat ending to it. Great coaster, in a great park.

<sighs> I miss Japan. (And Musical Circus, R.I.P.)

[blk_mambaI wrote the book about donkeys!]

I am planning a trip to Japan next year and this whole thread is so awesome and has been very helpful in learning some do's and dont's in Japan!

[ObeyTheShihTzu!What would donkeys be like on the moon?]

Since I've already shared just how much I've ENJOYED these Japan Trip Reports, I thought I should also add how much good stuff I've LEARNED:

* Capybaras are VERY TALL!  (Cute, but hope to never meet one on the NYC subway tracks.)
* Man-Dolphin love is encouraged in Japan.
* TPR trippers look very hot in GREEN (panchos)
* Universal Japan needs a 'good talking to!' It's on a slippery slope to losing its #1 status.
 * Parque Espana deserves a 'must-see' place in my heart for being so welcoming.
* Free Fall was one of my fave rides at Six Flags Gt. Adventure 'way back when.'  So happy to see it alive and well in Japan!  "Wheee!"
* I have "needs" I never knew I had. I NEED JAPANESE STUFF!  I need all the cool merchandise I'm seeing in your photos (the darlin' park mascots; outrageous Tees.  I need all the delectable foods you're dining on (even - gasp - McDonalds Shaka Shaka).  I need petting habitats (wildlife to commune with!).  And, I need AIR TIME on quirky Japanese coasters!  Also a spin on the cutest teacup ride I've seen (but a short cycle, please!).

There is SO much to love about your visit to Japan and all the fun you've shared with us. The American/Japanese Tourist Board could not have done a BETTER job than TPR!  (I think I'm a little "Pancho GREEN" with envy!) Thanks, again!

Alice
P.S.  I guess more men sign up for trips than women?  Thank goodness for the "Ladies of TPR," representing that we girls ALSO 'just wanna have fun!'

[ArgoZI'm a know-it-all about donkeys!]

“Tronbutt” LOL. You look like such fantastic tour guides. Ensuring everyone gets on closed rides, experiences unique foods and Japan’s culture. Fantastic trip so far. I hope to go someday.

[robbalveySite Admin]

There is SO much to love about your visit to Japan and all the fun you've shared with us. The American/Japanese Tourist Board could not have done a BETTER job than TPR! 

Thank you!

[Guy T. KoeppNow with Extra Retarded Flavor]

So much great underwear! I think next to rollercoasters I like underwear the most.

So far this looks like an awesome trip.

[MooseWhy do I still have a donkey title???]

It looks like a great day despite the rain. The fact that you got the park to open Pyrenees is why I love TPR trips, the work you go through to make the trips better for the participants is second to none. Getting dirty is a small price to pay for what looks like a great ride.