We love Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea. They’re our two favourite Disney theme parks on the earth, and we’ve been singing their praises for years. However, we additionally should admit that reopening has been excruciatingly sluggish in Japan, and that’s very obvious at TDR. As such, we’ll be protecting whether or not now is an effective time to go to, or when you ought to wait till Spring 2024 or past.
Let’s begin on a constructive word, which is that you would be able to now go to Tokyo Disney Resort when you so want. That wasn’t true at the moment final yr, or the yr earlier than, and was barely true the yr earlier than that. Although behind the remainder of the world, Japan has lastly reopened to particular person vacationers and it’s simple to enter the nation.
We’ve already executed precisely that, spending a few month in Japan together with a return to Tokyo Disney Resort. During that, we skilled every part that’s new and noticed firsthand how the parks have modified as in comparison with pre-closure. The dangerous information is that Tokyo Disney Resort remains to be fairly removed from firing on all cylinders…
If you’re conversant in Walt Disney World and Disneyland, the best means to consider present operations at Tokyo Disney Resort is that they’re about 18 months behind the U.S. parks in some regards. In common, it looks as if that is the dynamic throughout Japan, not simply at Tokyo Disney Resort.
Face masks are nonetheless ubiquitous, plexiglass partitions are frequent in eating places, and different well being security protocol stay commonplace lengthy after they’ve been deserted in the remainder of the world. If you’re an American, there’s a good probability you haven’t worn a face masks in no less than a yr.
You will be carrying a face masks when you go to Tokyo Disney Resort. For many vacationers, that alone is likely to be make-or-break. (I’ve zero curiosity in reviving that debate right here. If you’re excited by extra about our expertise and ideas on this, see Face Mask Rules v. Reality in Japan on TravelCaffeine, which covers our non-Disney travels in Japan.)
At Tokyo Disney Resort, there are nonetheless shuttered eating places and retail that haven’t reopened prior to now ~3 years following the closure of the parks. Snacking is an enormous a part of the expertise at TDR, and it’s positively hampered proper now. Between the plexiglass partitions at common eating places and the dearth of snack spots, consuming isn’t almost as enjoyable because it was pre-closure.
While individually minor, these closed places additionally considerably influence retail and restaurant capability in combination. The finish result’s crowded retailers and really lengthy traces for eating choices, particularly at peak occasions.
Because capability stays restrained, there are not any multi-day tickets or Annual Passes being offered at Tokyo Disney Resort. This is unquestionably a destructive for locals or those that are going to spend 3-4 days within the parks, they usually’ve (understandably) been complaining loudly. They positively have a good level–Universal Studios Japan is full stem forward, actively promoting the low value of upgrading to an AP.
With that stated, that is arguably a internet constructive for worldwide vacationers. The single and partial day park tickets are significantly cheaper than the US parks, and the dearth of APs and multi-day tickets positively places a dent in crowds–particularly on weekends, which have been beforehand bonkers. Tokyo Disney Resort can also be a distinction to USJ, which we discovered to be busier than ever.
Likewise, QuickPass has not returned…and might be gone for good, identical to on the US parks. In its place, Tokyo has rolled out the paid Premier Access line-skipping, which might be the everlasting substitute without spending a dime QuickPass. Standby Pass can also be out there for choose retailers and points of interest, albeit often solely on merchandise launch days or significantly busy dates.
The debut of paid QuickPass was essentially the most controversial transfer we’ve ever seen at Walt Disney World and Disneyland. Perhaps it’s my bias, however I’m extra blended on it at TDR. For now, it’s restricted to just a few points of interest and the brand new Tokyo DisneySea nighttime spectacular. We didn’t purchase it for any rides, however did so for “Believe! Sea of Dreams.” Not having to ‘compete’ with locals who’ve a surplus of time and camp out for hours made that greater than value it to us. Regardless, there’s a really totally different dynamic as in comparison with pre-closure because of no APs and no QuickPass.
Crowd ranges are additionally troublesome to evaluate because of all this. As with Walt Disney World and Disneyland, the Tokyo parks really feel extra crowded even with decrease uncooked attendance ranges. Tokyo Disney Resort felt busier throughout our current visits than throughout comparable dates in 2019 and earlier. (We visited over roughly the identical time frames in 2013-2018, too.)
It’s our understanding that this has not been the case on a constant foundation. Attendance numbers had and have been decrease at different occasions, however with journey subsidies and a surge of pent-up demand, these durations of decrease crowds are seemingly rarer–if not a factor of the previous, completely. This is very true with Tokyo Disneyland’s fortieth Anniversary about to kick off in April 2023.
In brief, there’s a provide and demand imbalance at Tokyo Disneyland–and that’ll turn into much more obvious as worldwide journey comes roaring again and home subsidies proceed to gasoline pent-up demand among the many Japanese. (Sound acquainted? Welcome to 2021 on the US parks.)
Unless most of that is rapidly restored or mounted for Tokyo Disneyland’s fortieth Anniversary, it’s seemingly going to worsen as soon as that celebration begins. Many Japanese guests and native followers are undoubtedly holding off visiting till that occasion begins.
Speaking of which, the long-awaited Tokyo Disneyland fortieth Anniversary celebration kicks off on April 15, 2023 and runs by March 31, 2024. This “Dream-Go-Round” occasion will characteristic an all-new daytime parade and…that’s truthfully about it. Although much more is being marketed, just about every part else is scaled again as in comparison with prior milestone anniversaries.
This is a pointy distinction to Tokyo Disneyland’s thirty fifth Anniversary, when there was a parade plus a number of new stage reveals and a projection present on Cinderella Castle that was a gorgeous love letter to the park. On prime of that, the decorations in World Bazaar and all through the parks have been glorious. Just distinction the above decor (which I’ve enhanced) for the fortieth with the beneath decor for the thirty fifth.
It’s not simply this occasion that’s scaled again. Seasonal leisure has been lowered throughout the board. There is not any Easter occasion this yr, and the Halloween and Christmas celebrations final yr have been nonetheless dramatically scaled again as in comparison with 2019. These are simply the flagship particular occasions–the smaller scale ones haven’t been occurring in any respect.
There are additionally quite a lot of leisure choices which have but to reopen, which is very noteworthy as a result of a lot of the expertise at Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea relies upon leisure. There are nonetheless daytime and nighttime parades, however they’re missing performers or have in any other case been truncated.
Many stage reveals are equally scaled again, or not being offered in any respect. The daytime harbor reveals in Tokyo DisneySea have been lowered to transient smile & wave greetings which can be harking back to the character flotillas at Animal Kingdom. Certainly nothing you’d make some extent of seeing, as was the case with the harbor reveals at Tokyo DisneySea prior to now.
If it’s your first go to, you may not even discover this. Even with the restricted lineup, Tokyo Disney Resort nonetheless has extra leisure included with common admission than the U.S. parks. However, when you’re a repeat customer, there are methods that the parks presently really feel like shadows of their former selves.
More to the purpose, there’s not as a lot that will help you fall in love with Tokyo Disney Resort. When we first visited for Tokyo Disneyland’s thirtieth Anniversary, the Japan parks blew us away and exceeded our wildest expectations. We grew to become immediate superfans and TDR evangelists, dedicating a disproportionate quantity of protection right here to Tokyo Disney Resort.
Longtime readers would possibly do not forget that…and likewise would possibly’ve even been irritated by how a lot consideration we dedicated to parks that have been “unrealistic for the average American to visit.” (A typical line from the various complaints we obtained. Eventually, we heard you, scaled again protection of the worldwide parks, and dialed down our effusive reward.)
That was solely a decade in the past, nevertheless it was a special world then. Social media wasn’t what it’s now, and there was subsequent to no English protection of Tokyo Disney Resort. There was (actually) one website–it exists right now nearly precisely because it was then. In the years since, phrase has gotten out–influencers, vloggers, and different bloggers have additionally began spreading the gospel of Tokyo Disney Resort. And with that, expectations have grown sky-high.
To be clear, we’re not pointing any fingers for that. If there’s anybody guilty, we’re definitely amongst those that are “guilty.” The very first sentence of this publish proclaimed Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea our favourite theme parks on the earth. We have been vocal cheerleaders for these parks through the years, and stand by that–even right now.
However, with that comes holding Tokyo Disney Resort to a better customary than some other theme parks. OLC has demonstrated that going above and past, consideration to element, and the visitor expertise all are immensely necessary. We’ve usually in contrast OLC to the early Eisner period at Walt Disney World, which means that the “Disney Difference” remains to be paramount to administration. Unfortunately, proper now OLC is failing to stay as much as their very own excessive requirements.
More than the rest, my greatest fear is that Tokyo Disney Resort first-timers in 2023 gained’t have that very same lightning in a bottle expertise that made us fall in love with the parks, and with the nation as an entire. Since we returned from Japan, I’ve felt very conflicted and haven’t actually written about it in consequence. That’s an enormous change as in comparison with 2013-2019 when every prolonged keep spawned dozens of posts. It’s additionally not what I anticipated; we did a ton of new-to-us issues!
My inside battle has basically been questioning what a first-timer’s response could be to right now’s Tokyo Disney Resort. It’s not the identical as our first go to, however even again in 2013, locals instructed us that “it’s not as good as a decade ago.” Even assuming that was true, Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea have been leagues higher than what we had at house. We didn’t know what we have been lacking (effectively, till I purchased a bunch of outdated DVDs), and to us, it was unbelievable.
This is actually the current standing of my dilemma. Tokyo Disney Resort isn’t what it was in 2019 and earlier, which is pretty plain. However, for visitors coming from Disneyland or Walt Disney World, it’s nonetheless a lot better. The core themed design of Tokyo DisneySea is unbroken and Tokyo Disneyland nonetheless exudes happiness in a palpable and contagious (poor phrase selection after the previous couple of years) means. You can’t assist however smile in these parks…even when that smile is roofed by a face masks.
Whether you must go to Tokyo Disney Resort in 2023 or wait till issues are again to regular is unimaginable for me to reply. It’s additionally completely potential that lowered leisure is the brand new regular. Even again in 2019, our ‘Growing Pains at Tokyo Disney Resort‘ article posited that the parks could possibly be pivoting from lavish and frequently-changing leisure to new points of interest as a driver of attendance. So these ready for a model of regular that features fully-restored harbor and stage reveals and massive seasonal celebrations is likely to be ready some time.
The extra compelling purpose to attend is for Fantasy Springs at Tokyo DisneySea, the $2.3 billion enlargement that includes Frozen, Tangled, and Peter Pan. Fantasy Springs will add a number of blockbuster boat-based rides, eating places, retail, and a second in-park resort to Tokyo DisneySea.
Fantasy Springs would be the most costly enlargement to any present theme park wherever, ever. It’ll value triple the quantity of the current Tokyo Disneyland ‘large scale’ addition that included a Beauty and the Beast mini-land and extra, and over double the price of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
Although delayed from its authentic opening timeframe, building has been full steam forward on Fantasy Springs. The new land will open someday in Spring 2024 in OLC’s first quarter of the following fiscal yr. That means someday between April 1, 2024 and June 30, 2024. We cowl every part you have to find out about this new land, together with a predicted opening date and smooth opening timeframe in this publish.
As a common matter, we oppose suspending journey and different experiences for one thing theoretically higher down the street. In life and with Disney theme parks, there’s this fantasy of an ideal tomorrow and imperfect right now. Something higher, newer, or greater on the horizon that you must wait to see. That overlooks the prices of ready, and likewise the downsides. This philosophy might be higher suited to home journey–the kind of journeys that happen yearly.
With Japan specifically, my go-to line was to not postpone visiting, as your ‘once in a lifetime’ journey is extra seemingly your first of many. The Tokyo parks and Japan as an entire had an addictive high quality that turned many, if not most, guests into lifelong followers. I nonetheless assume that would be the case for many individuals, however positively far fewer than earlier than.
If the parks had a “95% approval/recommend rate” earlier than, that’s most likely right down to 80% or so now. That’s nonetheless sufficient for a “Certified Fresh” distinction, nevertheless it’s positively not as spectacular as cracking the 90% threshold. Don’t get us unsuitable–there’s nonetheless rather a lot to like. Dreamlights stays mind-blowing. All of the lovely meals is heart-melting. Seeing Mount Prometheus erupt for the primary time will nonetheless provide you with chills. Tony Solaroni is the intergalactic ambassador we deserve. The listing goes on and on and on and…
However, that is one scenario the place ready one other yr would possibly make sense. Tokyo Disneyland’s fortieth Anniversary appears prefer it’s going to be a dud (other than the parade), Fantasy Springs is true across the nook, and hopefully there’s a better sense of normalcy and development within the phased reopening by early 2024. Even in case your first journey to Japan doesn’t find yourself being a as soon as in a lifetime journey, there’s nonetheless a great probability you gained’t go to this yr after which flip round and return in 6-8 months.
So, if the query is whether or not to go to in Spring 2023 or Spring 2024–with no choice to do each–I’d most likely wait. If a global journey is a “must” this yr, contemplate going for the Grand Finale of the Disneyland Paris thirtieth Anniversary Celebration. Or, merely go to Disneyland or Walt Disney World. With the Disney100 festivities in California and quite a lot of adjustments in Florida, it’s arguably a great time to do the home parks.
Ultimately, this can be a long-winded means of claiming that we can’t supply our regular enthusiastic endorsement of visiting Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea ASAP. However, we additionally can’t suggest in opposition to visiting Japan in 2023. It’s really a tricky resolution, and hopefully the professionals and cons mentioned right here allow you to make the choice for your self.
What we will do is converse for ourselves. After an almost 3-year absence, we have been so joyful to be again in Japan and at Tokyo Disney Resort. I’ve talked about earlier than that Kyoto is our favourite metropolis on the earth; it’s a kind of locations that simply “clicks” for us and the place we really feel most at house. While totally different in methods massive and small, that was nonetheless true.
We additionally had a blast at Tokyo Disney Resort, and didn’t need to depart on the finish of our go to…identical to regular. There have been loads of little annoyances and disappointments alongside the best way, and unsightly reminders of how issues felt in late 2020 and early 2021. However, that was far outweighed by the enjoyment and enjoyable we had.
Perhaps essentially the most illuminating a part of all: we’re already anxiously awaiting our subsequent journey to Japan, and stay up for experiencing the Harmony in Color Parade together with different elements of Tokyo Disneyland’s fortieth Anniversary. However, we can even be again for the opening of Fantasy Springs, so we’re not selecting one or the opposite. Voting together with your pockets is essentially the most compelling endorsement, or lack thereof, and in spite of everything this grousing about what’s “wrong” with Tokyo Disney Resort proper now, we’re nonetheless giving the parks in Japan our vote. Maybe that claims every part that must be stated.
Planning a visit to Tokyo Disney Resort? For complete recommendation, the most effective place to begin is our Tokyo Disneyland & DisneySea Trip Planning Guide! For extra specifics, our TDR Hotel Rankings & Reviews web page covers lodging. Our Restaurant Reviews element the place to dine & snack. To lower your expenses on tickets or decide which sort to purchase, learn our Tips for Saving Money publish. Our What to Pack for Disney publish takes a novel take a look at intelligent gadgets to take. Venturing elsewhere in Japan? Consult our Ultimate Guide to Kyoto, Japan and City Guide to Tokyo, Japan.
Your Thoughts
Have you visited Tokyo Disney Resort since reopening? Was it your first journey to Japan, or are you a repeat customer? How do you’re feeling concerning the state of the parks in Japan? Think it’s value ready till Spring 2024, or do you suggest going now? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions? Hearing your suggestions—even once you disagree with us—is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!