To keep away from crowds, there are good instances to go to Tokyo Disneyland & DisneySea, and dangerous instances to go to in 2023. Some days have low wait instances, whereas others have 45 minute waits for popcorn. Additionally, extremes in climate, plus seasonal leisure are vital components to think about when planning your Japan journey.
In our newest replace to this information to the most effective instances to go to Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea, we’re wanting ahead to 2023. This follows fairly a bit of stories and modifications. It additionally comes after our personal vacation season journey to Japan–the primary time we’ve been in a position to go to in 3 years because of the border closure. During that go to, we spent loads of time at Tokyo Disney Resort, and realized so much within the course of.
First, there’s a enormous quantity of pent-up demand amongst home guests in Japan. This really isn’t one thing we realized–we feared this and warned of sky-high crowds in 2023. Japanese individuals who have behaved cautiously plus vacationers who been shut out of Japan for the final two years making up for misplaced time may lead to enormous crowds. This was hardly a daring prediction, as Walt Disney World and Disneyland have seen this actual state of affairs play out within the U.S. parks. The solely distinction is the timeline being delayed because of Japan’s slower reopening.
Second, there’s the large panda within the room: China. Previously, we instructed that Tokyo Disney Resort gained’t see guests from China anytime this yr, and even the primary half of 2023 is unlikely because of Beijing’s strict zero-COVID coverage. We additionally mentioned that even when zero-COVID was deserted, it will be a gradual coverage change, and there could be lag between the reserving of journeys and touring.
Well, that was very, very flawed. I don’t suppose anybody noticed the unraveling of zero-COVID enjoying out prefer it has, and it’s actually tough to say what occurs subsequent. My guess is that there shall be a main quantity of pent-up demand amongst Chinese vacationers all through 2023, leading to larger-than-normal crowds throughout the board. Even with Japan creating some testing obstacles, journey brokers in China reporting sky-high bookings already replicate this.
Finally, there’s the open query of Japan’s home journey subsidies.
This is the most important wildcard of all, as Japanese guests make up the overwhelming majority of tourists in regular years. In 2019, worldwide guests solely accounted for 9.6% of all friends at Tokyo Disney Resort. While that was the fastest-growing demographic, it was nonetheless a small share of all park attendees.
We skilled this primary hand with our Christmas journey to Tokyo Disney Resort. The parks had been filled with a number of the worst ‘feels like’ crowds we’ve ever encountered. This was for a handful of causes. One was the aforementioned home journey stimulus, which sponsored the price of lodge stays and different bills for home guests. Along with that, there have been low cost tickets for vaccinated guests that spiked attendance.
Finally, there was the matter of closed eating places and retail that also haven’t reopened prior to now ~3 years following the closure of the parks. While individually minor, these considerably affect retail and restaurant capability in mixture. The finish result’s crowded outlets and really lengthy strains for eating choices, particularly at peak instances. There are additionally a variety of leisure choices which have but to reopen, which additionally decreased out there park capability. (Again, a really related dynamic to the U.S. parks in 2020 and 2021.)
Our honest hope is that this capability is restored in brief order, as it is going to be wanted if attendance continues to extend. Already, massive strides have been made this vacation season, as “Believe! Sea of Dreams” nighttime spectacular debuted at Tokyo DisneySea and different seasonal leisure returned. This is a step in the best course, but it surely’s only a begin.
Other important enhancements are anticipated within the lead-up to Tokyo Disneyland’s fortieth Anniversary (see What’s New & Next at Tokyo Disneyland & DisneySea in 2023-2024) and can completely be wanted by the kickoff of that milestone celebration. If you’re visiting after April 15, 2023, hopefully this gained’t be a problem in any respect. However, it’s potential staffing shortages and different woes will persist, and exacerbate how crowded the parks really feel.
With that slightly important preface out of the best way, we’ll do our greatest to foretell crowd tendencies right here based mostly on previous precedent in a traditional yr. All issues being equal, these normal patterns ought to repeat themselves once more in 2023 and past.
Narrowing issues all the way down to the season throughout which you wish to go to is an important first step from our perspective. This isn’t California and even Florida. The variations between January and April, for instance, are important. In January, you’ll definitely discover chilly climate and may even be greeted by snow in several components of Japan, together with Tokyo Disneyland. In April, climate is gentle, the cherry blossoms begin blooming, and the parks are celebrating spring.
To that finish, let’s begin by taking a month-by-month have a look at what you may encounter when it comes to seasonal choices, crowds, and climate. Note that it’s unclear what the occasions lineup will seem like in 2023–many of those seasonal occasions are more likely to change in title or substance.
January
- Seasonal Event: Minnie Bestie Bash at Tokyo Disneyland
- Seasonal Event: Duffy’s Heartwarming Days at Tokyo DisneySea
- Weather: 35-50° F with largely sunny days and little precipitation.
- Crowds: Low after New Year’s week.
February
- Seasonal Event: Minnie Bestie Bash at Tokyo Disneyland
- Seasonal Event: Duffy’s Heartwarming Days at Tokyo DisneySea
- Weather: 35-50° F with largely sunny days and little precipitation.
- Crowds: Low to reasonable, growing in direction of the top of the month.
March
- Special Event: Minnie Bestie Bash at Tokyo Disneyland
- Seasonal Event: Duffy’s Heartwarming Days at Tokyo DisneySea
- Seasonal Event: Disney’s Easter at solely Tokyo DisneySea
- Weather: 40-55° F with largely sunny days and lightweight precipitation.
- Crowds: Moderate crowds the whole month getting worse in direction of the top of the month, each in Tokyo Disneyland and Japan basically (blossom season).
April
- Seasonal Event: Disney’s Easter at solely Tokyo DisneySea
- Weather: 50-65° F with reasonable sunny days and lightweight precipitation
- Crowds: Low exterior of potential holidays on the finish of the month (keep away from days round Golden Week).
May
- Seasonal Event: Disney’s Easter at solely Tokyo DisneySea
- Weather: 60-75° F with reasonable sunny days and lightweight precipitation.
- Crowds: Low after Golden Week journey concludes.
June
- Special Event: Duffy Sunny Fun & Disney’s Easter at solely Tokyo DisneySea
- Weather: 65-75° F with some sunny days and reasonable precipitation.
- Crowds: Low.
July
- Seasonal Event: Duffy Sunny Fun & Pirates Summer in Tokyo DisneySea
- Weather: 75-85° F with some sunny days, some precipitation, and excessive humidity.
- Crowds: Moderate till the final week, which is heavy.
August
- Seasonal Event: Duffy Sunny Fun & Pirates Summer in Tokyo DisneySea
- Weather: 75-90° F with reasonable sunny days, gentle precipitation, and excessive humidity.
- Crowds: Heavy.
September
- Special Event: Halloween in each parks
- Weather: 70-80° F with reasonable sunny days and a few precipitation.
- Crowds: Low originally of the month, growing to heavy on the finish.
October
- Special Event: Halloween in each parks
- Weather: 60-70° F with reasonable sunny days and lightweight precipitation.
- Crowds: Heavy.
November
- Special Event: Christmas in each parks
- Weather: 50-65° F with largely sunny days and lightweight precipitation.
- Crowds: Moderate.
December
- Special Event: Christmas in each parks
- Weather: 40-55° F with largely sunny days and lightweight precipitation.
- Crowds: Low till Christmas week; heavy thereafter.
Note that this month by month look is a excessive degree overview, and makes generalizations about crowds and climate. For actual dates of Tokyo Disney Resort seasonal occasions, seek the advice of their official month-to-month calendar.
In addition to the occasions on this calendar and that official one, Tokyo Disneyland has opened its huge enlargement that features the brand new Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast attraction and the indoor Fantasyland Forest Theatre. In Toontown, the brand new Disney Character greeting facility Minnie’s Style Studio can be open, and the Happy Ride with Baymax has debuted in Tomorrowland.
In phrases of climate, it will get chilly within the winter after which more and more hotter till peaking through the spring months. Late-June via early-August are the worst instances to go to from a climate perspective phrases of each precipitation and debilitating humidity.
Pre-closure, we visited throughout a number of instances of yr. Most noteworthy for the needs of this submit was our summer season go to. While we loved the summer season festivities, the climate bordered on depressing. Japan’s sweltering temperatures made world information because of temperatures over 100F and a record-breaking warmth wave that has killed dozens. Obviously, temperatures this intense should not regular for the summer season in Japan, however the sort of climate is feasible, and that’s one thing to think about when planning.
Around September, the climate begins to chill once more within the fall resulting in colder climate once more within the winter. From September via November, issues are typically nice. December via February are as soon as once more “weather wild cards” with freezing temperatures and even snow potential. If you’re averse to chilly climate, you need to keep away from these months.
Weather as soon as once more turns into extra temperate within the spring, with April and May being fairly good. Our calendar above covers in-park crowds, and signifies that April is mostly off-season for Tokyo Disney Resort. Note that April is cherry blossom season in Japan, so you’re more likely to encounter heavier crowds exterior the parks throughout peak sakura instances. (Ditto that with mid to late November and fall colours season.)
As for crowds, you positively wish to seek the advice of one thing extra exact than our overview. Japanese nationwide holidays and to a lesser extent nationwide holidays in China and South Korea (the biggest demographics of abroad guests to Japan) can have affect crowds on sure dates, and crowds can activate a dime from being gentle to heavy when college is out of session.
For a bit extra precision, we advocate consulting Crowd Calendars for Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea. These are extremely nice assets for selecting which days to go to the parks when you’ve narrowed down your tough journey dates based mostly upon the season or particular occasions you wish to expertise. There’s loads of data within the crowd calendars, they usually have by no means steered us flawed.
One factor to notice is that crowds fluctuate extra at Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea greater than another parks on the earth. We’ve been on “low” days in the midst of the weeks which can be lighter than mid-January at Disneyland, and we’ve been on weekends that really feel like New Year’s Eve in Magic Kingdom.
Lots of people of apprehensive about visiting Tokyo Disneyland because of photographs that flow into of humongous strains to get into the park and loopy congestion, and whereas the previous is true on daily basis (the Japanese like to indicate up early!) the latter is just true on the busiest days of the yr. I wish to underscore this as a result of the notion of crowds in these parks has taken on a lifetime of its personal and is, frankly, overblown.
With that mentioned, it is vitally vital to decide on your journey dates correctly to keep away from weekends and holidays, in any other case you threat being caught in certainly one of these ‘crazy congestion’ instances. Our 3 favourite instances to go to the parks are mid-May, early to mid-September, and early-November.
If you go in mid-May, you keep away from the the Golden Week crowds, get higher climate than earlier within the yr, and can be capable of see Disney’s Easter, which is superior. In our expertise, that is the candy spot when it comes to climate, crowds, and seasonal occasions.
If you go to in early to mid-September, you’ll give you the option once more have milder climate and you’ll beat the Halloween crowds (which get dangerous!) whereas nonetheless having the ability to benefit from the Halloween festivities.
We’ve dubbed going for the final two days of Halloween and the primary week of Christmas as “HalloXmas at Tokyo Disney Resort.” This is our absolute favourite time of the yr to go due to seasonal choices. Note that Halloween itself is dangerous crowd-wise, however the next days are gentle. Weather must be temperate all through the journey, however you may want a lightweight jacket.
We love Tokyo Disney Resort, however we expect it will be type of excessive (and never EXTREME! in a great way, like chugging a bunch of Mountain Dew and hanging out with Chuck Norris) to go to Japan with out seeing different components of Japan, so you need to positively seek the advice of a calendar of happenings across the nation earlier than finalizing your dates.
As famous above, cherry blossom and fall colours seasons are going to be busy all through the nation. This is especially true in Kyoto, Mt. Fuji, and different areas recognized for seasonal magnificence. If you’re simply visiting solely Tokyo in your first journey to Japan, this shouldn’t be as a lot of a priority.
Once you’ve decided what time of yr you wish to go to, it’s vital to plan the actual days you may be visiting. The most vital takeaway you may glean from this text is don’t go to Tokyo Disneyland or DisneySea on weekends. That’s actually vital, so let me reiterate with some dramatic emphasis: DO NOT VISIT TOKYO DISNEY RESORT ON WEEKENDS!!!
This is true it doesn’t matter what time of yr you go to, even through the lowest seasons, weekend crowds are dangerous. Like Times Square on New Year’s Eve (minus the B.O. and vomit) dangerous. This is as a result of Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea are locals parks greater than even Disneyland in California, which means they get crowded with Annual Passholders on the weekends when they’re off college and work.
Saturday is absolutely the worst day of the week, with Sunday an in depth second (till round 5 p.m. when locals begin heading dwelling). Friday is the third worst day, particularly within the afternoon and night, as folks head to the parks to kick off their weekends.
In phrases of the remainder of the week, we will’t actually say we’ve seen a big distinction amongst Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, save for Monday arguably being barely busier with just a few locals doing lengthy weekends and vacationers kicking off the beginning of their trip head to the parks. This distinction is negligible at greatest, and we might not advocate avoiding Monday consequently.
One closing factor to think about is the energy of the yen as in comparison with the greenback. The yen is hovering round its weakest ranges since 1998, with the Japanese forex falling about 25% year-to-date. The energy of the greenback means better buying energy when touring overseas, and to Japan specifically.
The Bank of Japan has intervened by promoting dollar-denominated property to purchase the yen in an effort to prop-up the Japanese forex’s free-fall, however that hasn’t completed a lot. The Bank of Japan has reaffirmed a dedication to ultralow financial coverage, whereas the U.S. Federal Reserve and different central banks within the West have hiked rates of interest repeatedly–and have signaled intent to proceed doing so via 2023. These divergent approaches will imply the consequences of the yen intervention is likely to be restricted, except the BOJ modifications its dovish stance. Consult conversion charts whereas planning your journey to Tokyo Disney Resort to see the place issues stand previous to your go to, however you ought to have extra buying energy relating to airfare, motels, park tickets, and outfits to your Duffy plush–you understand, the entire necessities.
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 kind to purchase, learn our Tips for Saving Money submit. Our What to Pack for Disney submit takes a singular have 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
If you’ve been to Tokyo Disneyland or Tokyo DisneySea, what did you suppose had been the most effective or worst instances to go to? Thinking about visiting at any explicit instances of yr? Other ideas on avoiding crowds at Tokyo Disneyland? Share your ideas or questions within the feedback under!