LISA BARRON, CNN ANCHOR: The Walt Disney Company's Disney Sea theme park made a big splash in Tokyo. As CNN's Denise Dillon reports, despite the sluggish economy, thousands of fans flocked through its gates on opening day.</s>DENISE DILLON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): An explosion of fireworks lit up a cloudy sky to officially open Disney's newest theme park, on the outskirts of Tokyo. It's a 176-acre playground for children and adults, and it's based on the myths and legends of the sea. It's called Disney Sea, a place where adventure and imagination set sail.</s>MICHAEL EISNER, CEO, WALT DISNEY CO.: Tokyo Disney Sea is dedicated to the spirit of exploration that lives in each of us. Here you chart a course for adventure, romance, discovery, and fun, and journey to exotic and fanciful ports of call.</s>DILLON: One-fifth of the theme park is covered with water. There are 23 attractions here, many of them with a water theme, like the flying fish coaster, and the aquatopia.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): The Disney Sea looks very different from the Disneyland. I'm looking forward to playing around here.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): This is like a story book world. It's just great.</s>DILLON: The park cost $2.8 billion, but Disney has high hopes for it -- that's despite a sluggish economy and competition from a nearby theme park opened by Universal Studios last year. Disney predicts Disney Sea and Tokyo Disneyland, which is right next door, will attract 25 million visitors a year, and if opening day is any sign of the magic of Disney, advance tickets were sold out. Denise Dillon, CNN.
New Disney Park Makes Splash in Tokyo