Whether it’s Disney World or a Disneyland, you’ll find several Disney movie-themed rides of all kinds. Dark scary ones, high-speed roller coasters, spinning rides, 4D shootin’ games, simulators – the list isn’t exhaustive. Many great examples come to mind, but one of the best movie-themed rides is Tokyo Disneyland’s incredibly charming Monsters, Inc Ride & Go Seek. Let’s look at why it does the original 2001 movie justice, and how it compares against Disneyland California’s Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue.
1. Animatronics
Located at Tokyo Disneyland’s Tomorrowland, Monsters, Inc. Ride & Go Seek is a dark ride suitable for all ages. You enter the Monsters, Inc. Factory where a blue security tram awaits, and once seated you’re whizzed around the factory and into the heart of Monstropolis, where monsters appear in all shapes and sizes. These animatronic creations are hugely impressive and capture the look and spirit of the characters we’ve come to love for the past 20 years, and you even get to see Sulley, Mike and Boo many times throughout. The attraction at Disneyland California houses great animatronics too, however, Ride & Go Seek’s inhabitants are far more animated – particularly with their notable facial articulations – and not quite as ‘stiff’ as those in Mike & Sulley to the Rescue.
2. Monstropolis
If there’s one thing that helps bring the movie to life besides its beautifully animated characters and rich storytelling, it’s the world of Monstropolis. With your vehicle’s built-in flashlight, you’ll trace every corner of this vibrant setting for ride-and-go-seekers, as monsters playfully emerge from apartment windows and manholes. The ride first showcases the Monsters, Inc. Factory’s Main Power Room, Locker Room and Laugh Floor, before moving onto the urban settings of Monstropolis East and West, all of which are bustling with colorful monsters, each performing their own unique action. And it’s the lively nature of the setting and its inhabitants combined that truly sets it apart from its California cousin, which, though a great Monsters, Inc. experience, doesn’t quite feel as alive or action-packed.
3. Boo
Yes, we’ve already talked about the ride’s animatronics, but Boo deserves her own mention. After all, she’s the life and soul of the first movie, so much so that her absence is painfully noticeable in Monsters University. Fortunately, you’ll get to relive the troublesome toddler’s quirky and adorable nature on this ride, heart-melting giggles and all. She’s also let loose on the Disneyland California ride, but she does get more screen time here and her animatronic feels far more believable – she’s practically a mirror image of her onscreen counterpart. Just as the name of this attraction promises, Boo is playing ‘ride and go seek’, so you’ll see her climbing into trash cans and poking her head out of piles of laundry and sushi boxes. You could say that she gives new meaning to the phrase ‘peek-a-boo’.
4. Atmosphere
Once you’re inside the Monsters, Inc. Factory, you’re greeted with a dome-shaped ceiling adorned with unique artwork, and posters of your favorite monsters along the walls. Before boarding your vehicle, a video that’s reminiscent of a safety demonstration tutorial (it’s even narrated by Mike Wazowski – yes, he’s on TV!) explains the in-game ride ‘flashlight tag’. And the ride is as atmospheric as they come too, capturing that zany and whimsical feel of the movie, while the music is just as jazzy and upbeat as it is on screen. But before the credits roll on your Monsters, Inc. adventure, the ride drops you off at the Monsters, Inc. Company Store where you can purchase Ride & Go Seek-themed souvenirs exclusive to Tokyo Disneyland.
5. Storytelling
Unlike Disneyland California’s Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue, Ride & Go Seek doesn’t follow the story of the original movie. The clue’s above the doors into the factory – “It’s Laughter We’re After”, which places this attraction’s narrative after the movie. Instead, during the ride, Boo and the monsters – and you, of course – play ride and go seek, though the scenarios do parallel some of the movie’s main beats (Randall returns to hunt down Boo and there’s also a tender moment that echoes the film’s ending), giving you an adventure that’s traditional and unique at the same time.
Monsters, Inc. Ride & Go Seek is easily among the best Disney movie-themed rides, and isn’t too dissimilar to its Disneyland California counterpart in its set up. But while the latter does lack the energy, bustle and overall creativity of the Tokyo attraction, it does succinctly capture the classic Monsters, Inc. story. There’s something to be loved on each attraction, but what Ride & Go Seek does best is transporting guests into an authentic bitesize version of the universe created on screen. In the meantime, if you need your Monsters, Inc. fix like the inhabitants of Monstropolis need laughter, CG-animated TV series Monsters At Work is set to launch on Disney+ in July.
