A closer look at The Happy Ride with Baymax at Tokyo Disneyland
The Happy Ride with Baymax attraction officially opened on Sept. 28, 2020 in Tomorrowland at Tokyo Disneyland Park, and it’s guaranteed to make “Big Hero 6” fans very happy.
The world’s first rotating attraction themed to Disney’s “Big Hero 6” (released in Japan as “Baymax”) is a “whip ride” that uses the same type of ride system as Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree in Cars Land at Disney California Adventure in Anaheim and Alien Swirling Saucers in Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando.
The backstory Imagineers created for the ride is that it was developed by Hiro Hamada, the fourteen-year-old robotics prodigy from the 2014 animated feature film. The young inventor has learned from Baymax—his robotic personal healthcare companion (or nursebot)—that the best way to make people healthy is to make them happy, so they developed the wild, musical ride to make everyone happy.
As guests make their way through the attraction’s queue, they will be “coached” through a mini-workout by Baymax, Hiro, and their feline pal Mochi. The Healthy Activity Guide includes the Toe Toucher (bend down and touch your toes), The Sky Tickler (reach your arms above your head), and The Karate Body Twister (twist your torso from side to side).
Also “on-hand” during the queue experience is a plaque with Baymax’s and Hiro’s handprints – and Mochi’s pawprints, of course – and a display containing Baymax’s Healthcare Chip, the heart of personal healthcare companions.
The 22 ride vehicles pulled by Baymax’s nursebot friends travel around circular turntables that whip riders through a series of circles and figure eights. To add to the fun as riders spin around the floor are six original up-tempo songs composed especially for the attraction, each accompanied by its own unique synchronized flashing light display. Even guests who aren’t riding will be happy watching the colorful light show.
“[Disney Imagineering] has a rich history of creating original music that becomes associated with the Disney park experience – like ‘Yo Ho (A Pirate’s Life for Me),’ ‘Grim Grinning Ghosts’ and ‘It’s a Small World (After All),'” says Jim Clark, Walt Disney Imagineering senior producer. “So, we’re really excited that our guests will get to experience these new songs that were created just for this attraction.”
You can watch our happy video of The Happy Ride with Baymax here:
