Inside The World's First Pokémon Theme Park (Full Tour)

Quick recap

A first-day tour of the brand-new permanent Pokémon theme area, filmed by Chris (the vlogger). The video mixes nostalgia (13-year-old Chris would have lost it) with a practical guide. Below are the highlights, funny moments, and useful tips from his visit.

What happens / main plot

1. Chris arrives for the grand opening with an Ace Trainer Pass (premium paid ticket) and enters the Pokémon-only section of a larger park.
2. He walks the entire “Pokémon Forest” immersive walkthrough and explores themed areas.
3. Activities during his visit:
   • Encounters roaming characters and costumed meet-and-greets (Pikachu, Eevee, Snorlax).
   • Watches the family-friendly live stage show.
   • Queues for the merch store and does a big haul.
   • Eats themed food and drinks.
   • Joins a surprise parade and gets randomly selected to participate.
   • Attempts a Zapdos raid and uses Pokémon Go integration.
4. Emotional highlight: Chris meets the head of The Pokémon Company, who signs his copy of Pokémon Blue.

Standout attractions & moments

• Pokémon Forest
  • The emotional core of the area: immersive Route 1 scene, Pidgey, Bellsprout/Oddish patches, Pikachu & Eevee groves, Diglett patch, rock-type area, cave with Zubat/Onix/Steelix, and a Flower Garden.
  • Chris gets visibly emotional and delighted throughout.
• Pikachu & Eevee roaming and special-costume meet-and-greets
  • Ace Pass holders get priority slots for meet-and-greets.
• Live show
  • Cute, Pikachu-centric performance with a Team Rocket cameo.
  • Family-friendly and fun for kids; recording is not allowed during the show.
• Surprise parade
  • Chris is randomly picked to join Pikachu/Eevee — an unplanned, silly highlight.
• Snorlax photo opportunity and other roaming character meetups.
• Pokémon Go integration
  • Event spawns, an attempted Zapdos raid (complicated by crowd/remote-raid rules), and an exclusive in-game background plus gifts for being near the raid.
• Stamp rally across the park
  • Free for a limited time.

Food & drink highlights (with Chris’s ratings)

• Spinach fries with Caesar cream sauce — surprisingly good (4/5).
• Half sandwich + themed soups — unusual flavour combination (vanilla-roasted sweet potato soup noted); overall ~3/5.
• Squirtle lemon + milk foam drink with Squirtle cookie — cute, tart, liked.
• Barbecue-flavored Snorlax popcorn — unexpectedly delicious and salty (4/5).
• General notes:
  • Limited seating; tables often occupied.
  • Some stalls close before park close (many Pokémon-area stalls close around 5:30–6:00).

Merchandise

• Large, adorable selection: plush, hats, t-shirts (up to 4XL), clear files, pins, mugs, towels, themed bottles, pouches.
• Chris’s haul: clear files, shirts (for his brothers), pins, postcards, magnet, bag.
• Lines are very long — merch queue took about 1.5 hours.
• Example prices called out: plush ~2,300–4,000 yen, hoodies ~6,000 yen, shirts ~4,000 yen.

Practical notes, tips & small complaints

• Ace Trainer Pass perks
  • Priority lines for two rides (Pikachu/Eevee), special meet-and-greet, original pouch merch pick-up, flexible re-entry to the forest, and premium show seats.
  • Costs extra but reduces friction.
• Reservation and timing
  • Many attractions use timed-entry or a lottery via the park app — secure greeting/shop/rides early through the app.
  • Try to get the shop time slot early in the day; Ace Pass helps bypass long lines by looping through Forest → Siege Town.
• Accessibility
  • Strollers/prams not allowed in the forest.
  • Wheelchairs allowed but only in limited sections and require staff assistance.
• Expect crowds, long merch lines, and some food shortages/early closures near park close.
• Not a coaster-heavy park — focus is on immersion, character interactions, and photo ops rather than big thrill rides.

Memorable jokes & reactions

“13-year-old Chris would have freaked out”

• Chris jokes about being “a 40-year-old man crying on YouTube” in the forest.
• “Take my money” while standing in the long merch line.
• Amused callouts, e.g., themed trash cans (“Charizard Tubbish”) and sibling Pokémon-selection jokes (Chris picked Squirtle; brother Blair gets Charmander; Sean gets Bulbasaur).

Verdict

Charming, immersive, and a dream for Pokémon fans. It’s not an all-day, ride-heavy theme park — it’s best for fans who want to walk into Pokémon scenes, meet characters, buy exclusive merch, and play the integrated Pokémon Go events. Chris loved it and plans follow-up videos (full merch breakdown, food review, and a guide).

People mentioned / personalities

• Chris (vlogger / host)
• Head of The Pokémon Company (met & signed Chris’s Pokémon Blue)
• Amy (briefly greeted in line/meet)
• Kyle (editing help)
• Blair and Sean (Chris’s brothers)
• Various park staff and performers (Pikachu, Eevee, Snorlax, parade cast, show performers, Team Rocket actors)