Thomas Land (Fuji-Q Highland)
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Thomas Land (トーマスランド) is the world's first theme park based on Thomas & Friends. The park opened in 1998 and is located at Fuji-Q Highland, an amusement park in Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi, Japan.
Attractions include Thomas' Treasure Hunt (a story-driven narrated indoor rail ride), Thomas & Percy's Fun Ride (an outdoor rail ride), Go! Go! Bulstrode! (a water raft rail ride), Mischievous Cranky (a rotating aerial ride), Nia and Animal Coaster (a roller coaster for small children), 3D Maze - Thomas Circus (a Thomas-themed hedge maze), and monuments to Thomas and Percy for photo opportunities.
Thomas Land is different from the smaller Thomas Town attractions in Japan, one in Shinmisato, and the other in Kurashiki.
Attractions
[edit]Current
[edit]| Name | Opened | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Thomas and the Dancing Party | 1998 | Teacups-style ride where guests can spin on different Thomas characters. |
| Nia and Animal Coaster | 1998 | A small junior coaster themed after Nia, as she takes riders around her hometown of Kenya. Originally named "Rock 'n' Roll Duncan" and themed to Duncan with narrow-gauge coaches. |
| Thomas and Percy's Fun Ride | 1998 | Narrow-gauge train ride with Thomas, Percy, and James-themed engines that traverse an outdoor panorama that imitates the scenery of Sodor Island. Lady was added to the ride in May 2001, but was removed in May 2010 to make way for James, who replaced her as the third operating engine in October 2010. The panorama has been refurbished twice, most recently in September 2015. |
| Thomas' Bubbly Splash | 1999 | Log flume ride based on the episode "Sir Topham Hatt's Holiday". Opened in July 1999. |
| Mischievous Cranky | 1999 | Cranky-themed Crazy Bus ride. Opened as part of the park's first major expansion in July 1999. |
| Thomas' Treasure Hunt | 2005 | Story-driven indoor rail ride where guests ride in cars styled like Troublesome Trucks and go through areas featuring recreations of moments from various episodes. The ride first opened as "The Great Gatagoto Adventure" in 2005, and was refurbished as "Thomas' Party Parade" in July 2011 with a new storyline. It was refurbished again and reopened under its current name in January 2019. |
| Go! Go! Bulstrode! | 2010 | Bulstrode-themed Rockin' Tug ride. It is a clone of the ride "Rockin' Bulstrode" at Thomas Land at Drayton Manor in the UK. |
| 3D Maze - Thomas Circus | 2015 | 3D maze attraction. Opened in July 2015 to coincide with the franchise's 70th anniversary, and replaced the original Thomas Maze. |
| Thomas' Dokidoki Playground | 2018 | Indoor play area that replaced the Thomas Land 3D Theater. |
| Hopping Winston | 2018 | Flying Elephants-style ride with Winston-themed cars. Replaced Self-Drive Vehicles. |
| Thomas' Happy Smile | 2018 | Ferris wheel styled ride that replaced Happy Harold. |
| Harold's Sky Patrol | 2020 | Harold-themed Samba Tower ride. It is a clone of the ride "Harold's Heli-Tours" from Thomas Land at Drayton Manor in the UK. |
Other additions to the park include:
- Thomas and Percy Monuments
- Gazebo
- Story Creation Station
- Wishing Falls - Based on the episode "Toby and the Flood"
Former
[edit]| Name | Opened | Closed | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Happy Harold | 1998 | 2018 | Harold-themed aerial ride. Replaced with Thomas' Happy Smile. |
| Self-Drive Vehicles | Kiddie ride-on cars themed to different Thomas characters. Replaced with Hopping Winston. | ||
| Play Area | 2010 | ||
| Thomas Maze | 1998 | 2015 | Hedge Maze with different recreations of episode scenes. Replaced with 3D Maze - Thomas Circus. |
| Thomas Land 3D Theater | 2010 | 2018 | 3D cinema attraction showcasing episodes from the TV series, including the only time that the twelfth season has been showcased in the country. Replaced with Thomas' Dokidoki Playground. |
See also
[edit]
- Thomas Land (Drayton Manor) - a Thomas & Friends theme park at the Drayton Manor amusement park in the United Kingdom.
External links
[edit]- Official website (English)
- Sodor-island.net English language guide and interactive map of both Thomas Land theme parks at Fuji-Q Highland and Drayton Manor
- Thomas Town