$100 Tokyo Disney Food Challenge!! (Mermaid Sushi)

Tokyo Disneyland Food Challenge: $100 Budget

Key Concepts:

• Disney Parks (Tokyo, Florida, California, Paris, Hong Kong)
• Japanified food
• Food affordability at Disneyland
• Waiting times for food
• Yen strength
• Cajun fusion
• Onigiri sandwich
• Seafood pizza
• Smoked turkey leg (shrinkflation)

Park Overview and Initial Impressions

The video documents an attempt to spend over $100 on food at Tokyo Disneyland, comparing it to the other four Disneylands the creator has visited (Florida, California, Paris, and Hong Kong). The initial observations include:

• Layout: Unlike other Disneylands with a cul-de-sac entrance, Tokyo Disneyland features a long hallway upon entry.
• Rooftop Coverage: Extensive rooftop coverage is noted, possibly due to the park's colder and more inclement weather.
• Crowds and Lines: Extremely long lines are observed at various food locations, despite Japan's reputation for efficiency.

Food Reviews and Prices

The video details the experience of purchasing and reviewing various food items throughout the park.

1. Creme Brulee Churro:

• Price: $4.08
• Description: A churro with strawberry-flavored dough and a creme brulee component.
• Review: Described as tasting like the cherries from Captain Crunch.

2. Soy Sauce and Butter Popcorn:

• Price: $2.72
• Description: Popcorn flavored with soy sauce and butter.
• Review: Buttery and salty with a hint of soy sauce.

3. Inari Sushi Sausage Roll:

• Price: $4.08
• Description: A sushi roll featuring a cold hot dog inside a deep-fried tofu pocket (abuag) flavored with soy sauce, sugar, mirin, and dashi.
• Review: Described as a "weird monkey roll" with a sweet sauce and a snap from the tofu skin. The creator appreciates the creativity.

4. Cafe Orleans (Cajun Fusion):

• Total Price: $19.58 (includes adult beverage)
• Items:
  • Tiramisu: A chocolate, coffee, and cream dessert.
  • Gumbo with Rice: A smoky, beany gumbo with rice at the bottom. The creator notes the absence of visible seafood but detects seafood flavor.
  • Ficasha Sandwich: A sandwich with shrimp, lettuce, and a creamy, mayonnaisey mustardy chicken salad. The creator suggests it's a Japanese version of a poboy.
  • Alcoholic Beverage: An "adult beverage."
• Review: The creator finds the gumbo and tiramisu enjoyable, while the ficasha sandwich is considered an unusual take on Cajun cuisine.

5. Pork Rice Roll:

• Price: $4.08
• Description: A stick of rice wrapped in bacon with a sweet brown sauce.
• Review: Described as a Japaneseified idea of American amusement park food, bacony, and full of carbs.

6. Seafood Pizza and Cheesy Potatoes:

• Total Price: $6.80
• Items:
  • Seafood Pizza: Pizza with shrimp, squid, olives, bell peppers, tomato, and pesto sauce.
  • Cheesy Potatoes: Potatoes stuffed with a small amount of cheese.
• Review: The pizza is compared unfavorably to Casey's gas station pizza, with sparse cheese and a pre-made crust. The cheesy potatoes are described as tasting like potato olay with a hint of cheese.

7. Smoked Turkey Leg and Onigiri Sandwich (Woodchuck Kitchen):

• Turkey Leg Price: $6.12
• Onigiri Sandwich Price: $4.83
• Description:
  • Smoked Turkey Leg: A smaller-than-usual smoked turkey leg with a ham-like flavor.
  • Onigiri Sandwich: A triangle of rice with seaweed on the outside, stuffed with braised beef, vegetables, and a sweet brown sauce.
• Review: The turkey leg is considered affordable but small. The onigiri sandwich is praised as a top contender for the best food at Tokyo Disneyland, with soft, tender, and flavorful beef.

8. Special Set (Mining Cave Area):

• Price: $13.85
• Kirin Beer Price: $5.50
• Description: An omelette over rice with stuffed cabbage and sausage served with moure sauce and tomato sauce, plus strawberry Mont Blanc.
• Review: The creator finds the dish confusing but appreciates its unusual nature. The sausage contains a repurposed chicken bone.

9. Mickey Mouse Pizza and Chicken Thigh Bow Bun (Good Time Cafe):

• Pizza Price: $5.10
• Bow Bun Price: $4.08
• Description:
  • Mickey Mouse Pizza: A pizza shaped like Mickey Mouse's head with tomato sauce, a small amount of cheese, pepperoni cups, and corn.
  • Chicken Thigh Bow Bun: A bow bun filled with egg salad and a fried chicken thigh.
• Review: The pizza is described as daycare food with a sweet, sugary tomato sauce. The chicken thigh bow bun is considered good, with freshly fried chicken.

Spending and Overall Assessment

• Total Spending: Approximately $80
• Goal Achieved? No, the $100 goal was not met.
• Affordability: Tokyo Disneyland is considered the most affordable Disneyland the creator has visited.
• Food Quality: The food quality is described as mediocre, with many items falling short of expectations.
• Lines: The lines for food are noted as being exceptionally long.
• Crowds: The park is crowded, particularly with high school students.

Conclusion

Despite the affordable prices, the creator expresses disappointment with the overall food quality at Tokyo Disneyland. While some items, like the onigiri sandwich, are praised, many others are considered mediocre or unusual. The long lines and large crowds also detract from the experience. The creator plans to visit Shanghai Disneyland next.

Notable Quotes:

• "Japan is the most efficient country in the world and these lines are insanely long."
• "People here are thinking outside the sushi roll." (referring to the Inari Sushi Sausage Roll)
• "This is such a Japaneseified idea of what Americans would eat at an amusement park." (referring to the Pork Rice Roll)
• "Why do Disney turkey legs taste like ham no one can say for sure."
• "I have unlimited space for unusual insane menu items like this."
• "Pizza Redemption and instead I got Pizza Depression"
• "For as much as I love food in Japan the food here at this park was pretty mediocre"