After visiting the Tokyo Disney Parks twice (in 2017, and 2022), right here’s the Tokyo Disney information we wished we had earlier than going to Japan.
First revealed: 27 Sep 2017
Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea is indisputably probably the greatest on the planet. The drawback is, it’s additionally an extremely crowded park all yr spherical. And should you’re an enormous theme park fan, you’d know if you wish to hit all the perfect rides in at some point, you’re gonna want a recreation plan.
*Pro-tip: 10% off Japan Travel Essentials (incl. Tokyo Disney Park Tickets with the promo code <KLKTTI10OFF> at checkout! Limited to the primary 100 test outs by 31 Dec 2022.
Planning a visit to Japan? Check out our Japan itineraries throughout varied elements of Japan from the acquainted favourites of Tokyo, Osaka, and Hokkaido, to the lesser-known Okinawa, Kyushu, and Matsumoto.
Tokyo Disneyland or DisneySea?
Obviously, each parks are extremely magical and lots of swear by them being the perfect on the planet. If you’ve gotten the posh of time, spending two days exploring each parks is a no brainer. But should you solely have a day to spare, right here’s a short crackdown on the 2.
Photo credit score: Tom Bricker
Tokyo Disneyland is the traditional of all classics. If you’re a fan of the immersive, magical expertise distinctive to Disney Parks, that is the one. If you’ve gotten younger youngsters or are younger at coronary heart (aren’t all of us? :P), Tokyo Disneyland is indisputably the one. The reveals and parades are additionally recognized to be extra extravagant and spectacular right here in comparison with DisneySea.
Photo credit score: Alpha Coders
Tokyo DisneySea is completely completely different from every other Disney Park on the planet. Many rides have a spooky theme and the depth of the rides is mostly designed for the older youngsters. We noticed an 8-year-old bawling his eyes out on the finish of a experience on Indiana Jones Adventure — he might need loved Disneyland much more.
With star rides like Toy Story Mania! and Journey to the Centre of the Earth, even essentially the most skeptical child can be blown away. If you prioritise thrilling rides to your Disney expertise, you’d most likely get pleasure from DisneySea extra.
Although we ended up choosing DisneySea, these are suggestions you’ll be able to apply to each parks and can set you up for a game-changing day on the Tokyo Disney Parks.
DisneySea additionally introduced in April 2021 that there can be a new land Fantasy Spring open by 2023! The new land will characteristic a few of our favorite Disney films like Frozen, Peter Pan & Tangled.
1) Buy your Tokyo Disneyland/Sea tickets on-line
The counters on the Tokyo Disney Park solely open half-hour earlier than the park opens.
When you arrive, there can be two separate queues: one for parkgoers who have already got their tickets and are ready to enter the park. The different, to get the tickets. You don’t need to be caught within the latter queue! Buy your tickets on-line — this provides you with a head begin for queueing for the perfect rides.
Our Tokyo Disney tickets by way of Klook didn’t even want printing. All we needed to do was have our QR code scanned from our telephones and we’re in!
Ticket costs fluctuate relying on day of go to and could be bought as much as two months forward.
*Pro-tip: Get 10% off your Japan Travel Essentials (incl. Tokyo Disney Tickets!) with the promo code <KLKTTI10OFF> at checkout! Limited to the primary 100 test outs by 31 Dec 2022. Just spend a min. of S$150 to unlock the code!
*Note: Certain bank cards issued exterior of Japan will not be accepted when buying by the official Disney Resort web site.
2) Ultra-crowded days to keep away from
Weekends
This is clear however aside from the weekends, Mondays and Fridays are generally equally as crowded. If you’ve gotten the posh to decide on, Tuesdays and Wednesdays are your finest wager. Check the Crowd Congestion Forecast Calendar and attempt to keep away from the dates highlighted in purple.
School Holidays
However, come faculty holidays, it most likely doesn’t matter which day of the week you’re going. We visited DisneySea within the final week of the Summer Holidays and regardless of being there on a Thursday, the favored rides had queue instances of as much as 180 minutes.
Summer: Usually July twentieth to August thirty first
Winter: December twenty sixth to January sixth
Spring: Around twenty fifth March to fifth April
Japanese Public Holidays
There are 16 completely different Japanese Holidays however as a result of a few of them occur in the identical week, a whole lot of locals take all the week off for an prolonged week-long break. Three of the busiest intervals to keep away from are:
Golden Week: twenty ninth April to fifth May
Obon: Mid-July or Mid-August (relying on the photo voltaic calendar)
New Year: thirty first December to 1st January
3) Download the Tokyo Disney Resort App
In 2022, most issues can now be completed from the Tokyo Disney Resort app:
– Check queue instances
– Book Premier Access for rides
– Dining reservations
– Entry requests for reveals and character greetings
It has all of the important info you’ll want in regards to the parks, and the map along with your reside location is fairly helpful when navigating!
Just register your ticket within the app when you’re within the park and create a bunch to your occasion.
4) Updates to the FASTPASS System
Photo Credit: Tokyo Disney Resort
Tokyo Disney Resort veterans will most likely bear in mind the FASTPASS system the place each ticket holder had a good probability at one of many in style rides with out a lot ready time. Unfortunately, that service has been suspended. In its place now could be the brand new Disney Premier Access (from ¥2,000/entry) the place you should buy categorical tickets for particular rides.
Standby Pass at DisneySea can also be at present unavailable till additional discover.
Purchasing Disney Premier Access: Premier Access is situated underneath ‘My Plan’ within the Disney Resort app. From there you’ll be able to choose the expertise and timeslot you need. The QR ticket code will seem 5 minutes earlier than your designated time and also you’ll must scan it to enter on the Priority Access Entrance.
Tokyo DisneySea Disney Premier Access Rides
There’re at present two Disney Premier Access rides accessible, however since there are restricted time slots, you should buy the tickets on the app instantly after getting into the park.
*Pro-tip: Try securing Premier Access slots for the afternoon as you’ll have extra time to queue for different rides within the morning.
From expertise, Toy Story Mania! and the brand new Soaring: Fantastic Flight has the longest queues, and Premier Access timeslots additionally run out rapidly.
(1) Toy Story Mania! (American Waterfront)
Everyone raves about this unassuming carnival-themed experience and also you’ll most likely query your self too whereas queuing.
The queuing space replicates the expertise of being shrunken right down to one of many characters of Toy Story, and the experience brings you thru an interactive 3D course the place you get to shoot digital balls at aliens to rack up factors. Okay, maybe this description doesn’t do it justice however belief us on this one, getting Premier Access for this can be properly price it.
(2) NEW! Soaring: Fantastic Flight (Mediterranean Harbor)
Opened throughout the pandemic, Soaring: Fantastic Flight is the latest addition to DisneySea and is unique to Tokyo. The experience has a persistently lengthy wait time (~180 minutes) which made us skeptical on condition that it’s not a curler coaster however we rapidly understood why. The expertise was so real looking that we forgot for a second we have been on a experience. Also belief us on this one #price.
Tokyo Disneyland Disney Premier Access and Standby Pass Rides
A well-liked experience that diehard storybook followers will adore is the brand new Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast, which opened throughout the pandemic in 2020. Premier Access is obtainable for this experience.
Standby Pass is obtainable for the Haunted Mansion experience till 4 January 2023. Certain character greetings and outlets may require a Standby Pass to enter however the interval and availability for passes are continuously being up to date so we advise checking on-line prematurely.
5) Bring a bento field for lunch
Photo credit score: Tokyo Disney Resort
Food is allowed within the Disney Resort Parks and you may eat them on the designated picnic space — exterior the principle entrance on the left. To get monetary savings, buy a bento field or a few onigiris earlier than heading in. There’s a New Days comfort retailer simply exterior Maihama station.
Re-entry can also be allowed right here (simply bear in mind to get your hand stamped) so you’ll be able to head out to the comfort retailer at New Days for a fast chunk.
6) Arrive at the very least 1 hour earlier than the park opens
Park opening hours fluctuate by season, so test the Tokyo Disney Park Operations Calendar earlier than visiting.
Queues get fairly loopy 30mins earlier than opening, so it’s finest to reach an hour earlier than the park opens. Hopefully, you’d have already got your pre-booked Tokyo Disney Tickets so you’ll be able to skip the ticket queue and be part of the doorway queue as a substitute.
7) Start by queueing for in style rides
When the park first opens, head straight for one of many following rides as queues can go as much as so long as three hours by mid-afternoon.
(1) Journey to the Center of the Earth (Mysterious Island)
The Mysterious Island is one other very well-themed space. One of my favorite areas of the park actually! Since the tracks for this experience are hidden contained in the mountain, there was no means we may put together ourselves for what to anticipate however it turned out to be an in depth second favorite experience for all of us.
We loved the entire expertise even ranging from the queuing space, to the numerous shock components paced cleverly all through the experience.
(2) Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull (Lost River Delta)
Another curler coaster at the hours of darkness, this experience was laced with many surprising surprises. The narration for this experience (as with all of the rides in Tokyo) was in Japanese however regardless of this, we may comply with the story due to the well-designed observe. The element within the design right here is actually unbelievable!
(3) Tower of Terror (American Waterfront)
Twilight Zone fan (or not), you’ll love the Tower of Terror. The exterior is likely one of the most iconic sights in Tokyo DisneySea, however the inside is simply as lovely, with a touch of creepiness. It’s presumably additionally one of the adrenaline-inducing and hair-raising rides — each actually and metaphorically.
8) Entry Requests for reveals
Previously, you’d must catch the primary present or win lottery tickets in particular person on the Biglietteria to get a seat. Now, Disney Resort has shifted the whole lot on-line to their app so that you’ll must submit an Entry Request to safe a reservation. You solely get to attempt as soon as for every present, so all of it comes right down to luck!
Popular reveals at DisneySea:
Get your tickets from the Disney Resort app
Jamboree Mickey! Let’s Dance! — A dance-along program for teenagers with Mickey Mouse and mates.
Big Band Beat: A Special Treat — Broadway efficiency with a reside jazz band and Mickey on the drums.
Seasonal Shows — DisneySea hosts holiday-themed reveals akin to Halloweentime with You and Christmastime with You all year long.
Unfortunately, the legendary parades have been suspended at DisneySea however you’ll be able to nonetheless catch them over at Disneyland. Fortunately, seasonal greetings and night time reveals are nonetheless taking place on the Mediterranean Harbor and don’t require any Entry Requests.
Check the official Tokyo Disney Website for the most recent parades and reveals.
Photo credit score: Duy Phan
Popular reveals at Disneyland:
Get Entry Requests for reveals on the Tokyo Disney Resort app.
Mickey’s Magical Music World — Catch Mickey Mouse and your favorite characters in a reside stage efficiency within the majestic Fantasyland Forest Theatre.
Club Mouse Beat — A dynamic reside music and dance present by Mickey Mouse and his Friends.
9) Catch the mid-day greeting should you don’t win lottery tickets
Entry Request tickets for reveals don’t come straightforward and should you miss the chance for reveals, save a seat on the Mediterranean Harbor close to the railings at the very least half an hour earlier than the present to safe a great spot for the seasonal greeting.
We caught the Halloween Greeting the place Mickey Mouse and Friends sailed round and waved from an enormous ship.
10) Escape the afternoon warmth and head to Triton’s Kingdom on the Mermaid Lagoon (DisneySea)
Photo credit score: Wing1990hk
In the summer season, afternoons can get just a little overwhelming. Being caught in out of doors queues surrounded by numerous folks may hinder your expertise. The best-kept secret actually is on the underground space of Mermaid Lagoon — Triton’s Kingdom.
This space is specifically catered for little youngsters so it’s often not too crowded. Enjoy the aircon in addition to a stroll by this spectacular underwater-themed space. It’s the right refuge from the prickly afternoon solar.
11) Visit Magellan’s for a noon drink (DisneySea)
If eating in a themed restaurant is feels like your cup of tea, we’d extremely advocate Disneysea’s Magellan’s — particularly should you’re craving a noon alcoholic beverage (Disneyland doesn’t serve alcohol in any respect).
Photo credit score: Tom Bricker
The decor is an attraction itself with its large globe on the entrance and hidden eating rooms behind doorways disguised as bookshelves. This place will get stuffed up throughout the day so undoubtedly get Priority Seating for this restaurant.
*Pro-tip: From 9AM onwards, you’ll be able to ebook Priority Seating along with your most popular time later within the day on the app — the opposite means is to ebook on-line the day earlier than however the website is simply in Japanese.
Recommended DisneySea Restaurants with Priority seating: Magellan’s, Horizon Bay Restaurant, Restaurant Sakura, S.S Columbia Dining Room.
12) Catch the night-time leisure earlier than the park closes
Photo credit score: Tokyo Disney Resort
If you’re nonetheless within the park after sundown, catch the gorgeous firework show at DisneySea which occurs every day at 8:30PM. We counsel saving a spot on the Mediterranean Waterfront prematurely so that you get an unobstructed view of the sunshine present.
At Tokyo Disneyland, the Electrical Parade Dreamlights is an evening parade you wouldn’t need to miss. With lit-up floats and traditional Disney music, the environment is fairly magical.
*Pro-tip: Save a spot for the night time parade 45 minutes earlier than it begins!
This is finest for fellow kiasu individuals who need to prioritise the three most enjoyable rides and the 2 hottest reveals! *assuming the park opens at 9AM
0800: Arrive at Maihama Station
Stock up on lunch at New Days (comfort retailer) earlier than taking the Tokyo Disney Line to DisneySea. The queue to enter begins piling up by 7:30 AM so it actually doesn’t harm to reach as much as an hour early.
#1: 0900 — Gates open
0905: Book Disney Premier Access Rides for Toy Story Mania! and Soaring Fantastic Flight
Right after importing your ticket within the app, choose your required time slots for Premier Access so you’ll be able to plan the remainder of the rides round it.
#2: Run to Journey to the Center of the Earth
Queues can get just a little lengthy within the afternoon as this is likely one of the few curler coasters within the park and is situated inside the enduring volcano.
#3: 1055* — Catch Big Band Beat at Broadway Music Theatre
Use the Tokyo Disney Resort app and submit an Entry Request for Big Band Beat.
#4: Queue for Tower of Terror
#5: 1300* — Catch one of many Seasonal Shows
If you don’t handle to safe an Entry Request for this, we advocate exploring the Arabian part of the park and performing some memento purchasing.
#6: 1400 — Take a breather and revel in a picnic lunch
Explore the completely different sections of DisneySea, have your packed lunch on the designated picnic space and ebook Entry Requests for the Meet & Greet Disney Character classes.
#7: Make means for Indiana Jones Adventure
#8: Cool off at Magellan’s
If it’s too crowded that day, ask the Disney employees for a Priority seat and you’re going to get a timed ticket to return again later
#9: If you don’t get a seat at Magellan’s, head to Mermaid Lagoon
Character Greetings that don’t require an Entry Request are continuously taking place inside the theatre so see should you can snap a fast photograph with one of many Disney Characters.
1630 – 1915: Enjoy skipping the queues along with your Premier Access
Once you’ve caught the primary two reveals, be aware of the timing in your Premier Access tickets and make your technique to the rides inside the time interval. Fill up the time in between by on the lookout for rides with the shortest wait instances on the app.
#10: 2000 — Get prepared for the Fireworks present by the Mediterranean Harbor at 8:30PM
Double-check the leisure schedule however it’s good to get seated half-hour earlier than the present begins.
*Showtimes could fluctuate throughout months
Getting to Tokyo Disney Resort Parks
By Train
If you’re holding on to a JR Pass, one of the best ways to get to Tokyo Disney Resort is by way of the JR Keiyo Line to Maihama Station — quarter-hour from Tokyo Station. From there you’ll be able to board the Disney Resort Line to get to the park (¥260/one-way).
By Bus from Shinjuku Station
If you’re staying within the Shinjuku space, essentially the most direct means is to take the bus from Shinjuku Express Bus Terminal which arrives immediately at each Disneyland and DisneySea in 40-50 minutes.
Exclusive promo for TTI Readers: Get 10% off your Japan Travel Essentials with the promo code <KLKTTI10OFF> at checkout! Applies to all Klook actions incl. Tokyo Disney Tickets! Limited to the primary 100 test outs by 31 Dec 2022 so quickest fingers first! Just spend a min. of S$150 to unlock the code! Discount capped at S$30
Hope you discovered the guidelines and tips on this Tokyo Disney Guide useful! Don’t neglect to order your Tokyo Disneyland/Sea Pass earlier than getting there!
Been to Tokyo Disneyland or DisneySea and found new suggestions? Share with us within the feedback!
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