Ghibli’s Catbus is ready to roll off in the Aichi theme park!

Ghibli Park, the first theme park in the world devoted to Studio Ghibli's animated films, opened on November 1st. Even with Totoro and Ponyo in place of Mickey and Minnie, Ghibli Park isn't a substitute for Disneyland. Ghibli Park emphasizes the environment and ambiance, much like the Ghibli Museum in Tokyo. Thus you won't find any of the roller coasters or dark rides you may anticipate at a typical amusement park.

The legendary hybrid of a cat and a bus, the low-speed electric six-seater APM from Toyota Motor Corp., will be redesigned to look like it.

By the end of March 2024, five Catbuses will be deployed to transport guests across the park in accordance with the strategy unveiled on February 9.

The prefectural administration also made public a 6.5 billion yen ($50 million) budget for Ghibli Park for the fiscal year that begins in April 2023.

The fund covers the costs of launching new attractions during the fiscal year and is motivated by movies like "Princess Mononoke" and "Kiki's Delivery Service."

It will be the last expenditure on the theme park by the local government. Since fiscal 2018, the prefecture has set aside a total of 34 billion yen.