Information to visiting Tokyo Disney in 2024

When you just like the U.S. Disney parks, the percentages are excessive that you will love the 2 theme parks on the Tokyo Disney Resort.

Tokyo Disneyland opened in 1983 with a excessive commonplace, even by Disney’s notoriously excessive theme park requirements. That dedication did not break, whilst the development price range ballooned previous expectations. In 2001, Tokyo Disneyland was joined by the Tokyo DisneySea park, dwelling to many ports and adventures set across the 189-foot Mount Prometheus volcano.

Together with the 2 Tokyo Disney theme parks are six Tokyo Disney Resort motels and a monorail with entry to many different close by motels. From can’t-miss rides and snacks to the best way to get tickets, the place to remain and the best way to get round, here’s what you could know earlier than visiting Tokyo Disney.

Tokyo Disney fundamentals

Tokyo Disneyland is the unique park in Tokyo Disney. It’s a conventional Disney “citadel park” with themed lands that will strike you as fairly acquainted, together with Adventureland, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, Toontown and extra. The citadel itself will possible look acquainted as it’s modeled after Cinderella Fortress at Walt Disney World.

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Do not write it off as a reproduction of Disney World, although. It is impressed by, however definitely not a replica of, the Florida park.

Two monorail stops away is the newer park, Tokyo DisneySea. This park is probably the most unique of the 2, and it is in contrast to any Disney park you’ve got seen earlier than.

It is also dwelling to never-before-seen rides, akin to Journey to the Heart of the Earth and Sindbad’s Storybook Voyage, to not point out all the brand new rides within the new Fantasy Springs portion of the park.

There’s even a whole steam-powered ocean liner within the park. You possibly can truly go inside to discover, eat, take selfies and make TikToks (which appear to be a quite common pastime right here).

How one can get Tokyo Disney tickets

Probably the greatest issues about Tokyo Disney is that the tickets are less expensive than Disney tickets within the U.S. Based mostly on the present alternate charges, grownup Tokyo Disney tickets begin round $50 per day whereas teen and tween tickets are $42 and baby tickets are simply $30 per day.

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There are additionally night tickets that begin at $30 for adults. These tickets can be utilized from 5 p.m. onward in the course of the week and three p.m. onward in the course of the weekends and holidays.

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You should buy Tokyo Disney tickets on-line on the official Tokyo Disney Resort beginning at 2 p.m., two months earlier than your required go to.

Notice that tickets generally promote out. Nevertheless, when you keep at a Tokyo Disney resort, you’re assured entry to tickets, which eliminates some stress. Moreover, do not be stunned if the Tokyo Disney web site (and lots of web sites in Japan, frankly) is persnickety about accepting some U.S. bank cards.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® and The Platinum Card® from American Express had been fairly dependable in our expertise, however you will have to strive numerous playing cards to get the acquisition to work as there’s not a completely constant sample of what’s going to undergo. If all else fails, the Klook app or web site has Tokyo Disney tickets, amongst many different well-liked points of interest in Japan; it’s fairly dependable with U.S. bank cards. The downsides of reserving with a 3rd social gathering are costs generally is a bit greater, and dates cannot be modified as soon as bought.

No matter how you buy your Tokyo Disney tickets, know that every one tickets are single-day tickets; multi-day tickets aren’t at present accessible. Tickets are additionally restricted to only a single park per day as effectively, with no park hopping provided.

However now that Fantasy Springs has opened in Tokyo DisneySea, you could very effectively want at the very least a half-day greater than that to really feel such as you had sufficient time to do many of the distinctive rides and experiences there. So, we might suggest at the very least two full days for Tokyo Disney and, ideally, three days if you need the posh of time in your aspect.

That stated, when you simply wish to take the practice in and have one Tokyo Disney-themed day, you’ll nonetheless have enjoyable. As an alternative of cramming all the pieces in, simply attempt to take pleasure in what you’ve gotten time for in your journey. When you solely have someday, we extremely suggest arriving at the very least an hour earlier than opening time to get in line and be able to benefit from your time.

Simply know that if all you get is a style of Tokyo Disney, you could instantly begin planning your subsequent go to.

Attending to Tokyo Disney

In case you are arriving at Tokyo Disney from Tokyo correct, taking the practice is an affordable and environment friendly possibility. Two Japan Rail traces, JR Keiyo and JR Musashino, run from Tokyo Station on the metropolis heart to Maihama Station, proper by Tokyo Disney.

The experience from Tokyo Station to Maihama Station takes 15 to twenty minutes. Visitors touring from different central areas of Tokyo will possible have a 10- to 30-minute practice experience on different JR or subway traces to succeed in Tokyo Station first. Transiting the big Tokyo Station will be intimidating at first, as there are lengthy walks, numerous escalators and transferring sidewalks between connecting trains.

Trains additionally join Tokyo Disney to Tokyo’s two main airports, Narita Worldwide Airport (NRT) and Haneda Airport (HND), however different transportation strategies could also be preferable with baggage and drained kiddos. The connections to Tokyo Disney from NRT, significantly, are removed from ideally suited; it will be a protracted journey that requires backtracking.

Each of our households booked a personal 45-60 minute van experience with Tokyo Airporter between our resort resort and NRT — an expensive however handy possibility with jet-lagged youngsters.

A extra budget-friendly possibility at 1,300 Japanese yen (about $8) per particular person is the Airport Limousine bus. Service is extra frequent from HND than NRT, however it drops off at many motels close to Tokyo Disney. Verify schedules online (looking out “Disney” within the vacation spot filter will show most motels close to Tokyo Disney) to see if this feature would possibly be just right for you. Wait till you land in Tokyo to purchase tickets for a particular departure.

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Additionally within the deluxe resort tier, Tokyo DisneySea Hotel MiraCosta has its personal entrance into the linked DisneySea park. Plus, its rooms supply a view of the park — you may sleep with one eye on the magic all evening if you need. It is a Roman-style resort that carries legendary tales of the ocean into the foyer and rooms.

Rooms with a view into the park are price it when you can guide one, however these promote out in a short time; do not miss the reserving window when it opens. Notice: Apart from a really small collection of packaged objects available in the market, there aren’t any actual grab-and-go meals choices within the resort.

Tokyo Disney Fantasy Springs Lodge

Tokyo Disney Fantasy Springs Hotel is Tokyo Disney’s latest resort and the one one with a few of its choices within the highest luxurious tier.

This resort affords deluxe and luxurious rooms, and the posh rooms supply balconies with views over the brand new Fantasy Springs port. Lodge company will benefit from the feeling of checking into Fantasy Springs upon arrival on the resort; it affords lovely theming and a few rockwork views which are solely accessible to resort company. As soon as the solar units and the company depart DisneySea, look over Fantasy Springs out of your balcony or one of many resort’s many public areas to benefit from the sparkle of the now-empty Fantasy Springs.

The dangerous information about Tokyo Disney Fantasy Springs Lodge is that, at the very least for now, that is the most well liked ticket on the town. Snagging a reservation right here is tougher than getting a face-value Taylor Swift ticket within the U.S.

Different Official Tokyo Disney motels

Along with these three official motels, there may be additionally the Disney Ambassador Lodge (deluxe tier), Tokyo Disney Resort Toy Story Lodge (reasonable tier) and Tokyo Disney Celebration Lodge (worth tier). These are usually cheaper than the three above, particularly the Toy Story- and Celebration-themed properties. Nevertheless, none are tremendous near the parks, so issue that into your decision-making.

You will possible take the Disney monorail to go to the parks for the primary two motels, and you may possible take a shuttle bus to the Tokyo Disney Celebration Lodge.

Different close by motels

If not one of the official Disney motels is the best selection to your journey, 19 different Good Neighbor and Accomplice motels supply facilities akin to shuttle buses to the parks or resort monorail. Such choices embrace Hilton Tokyo Bay Hotel (which is true subsequent to Tokyo Disney’s Toy Story-themed resort) and the Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay.

How one can get round Tokyo Disney

When you arrive on the Tokyo Disney property, it is fairly simple and environment friendly to get round.

Tokyo Disney has its personal monorail, which makes a loop and has 4 stations, bringing you to the 2 theme parks and the resort motels. This loop is roughly the identical measurement and scale because the Magic Kingdom monorail loop at Disney World in Florida, however it has an extra theme park and extra motels on the identical loop.

Not like Disneyland and Disney World within the U.S., the monorail will not be free. It’s extremely inexpensive at 300 yen (lower than $2) per experience, however you will must buy tickets or daypasses at one of many stations to experience. You possibly can’t use a bank card to buy your tickets, so you will want an alternate method to pay, akin to yen or a Suica card.

Daypasses are usually extra economical when you plan to take the monorail greater than twice in a single day. Transit playing cards like Suica and PASMO (legitimate on Japan’s different public transit companies like trains and subways) additionally work to pay monorail fares.

Whereas most company will possible must take the monorail a number of the time, some resort locations are inside strolling distance of one another. For instance, it is a comparatively simple 10-minute stroll between Maihama Station and each Tokyo Disneyland Park and the Tokyo Disneyland Lodge. Reaching DisneySea or many different motels from any of those areas, nevertheless, requires a monorail experience.

Tokyo Disney crowds — and the best way to reduce your time in line

Tokyo Disney has developed a little bit of a repute for crushing crowds and terribly lengthy traces. Situated on this planet’s largest metropolitan space, the resort undoubtedly attracts a jaw-dropping variety of folks on any given day.

Regardless of what some posted wait instances would possibly counsel, you needn’t resign your self to standing in two-hour queues. With some analysis and technique preparation, our households by no means waited greater than half-hour in like for any single attraction.

The important thing to avoiding lengthy attraction queues is maximizing Tokyo Disney’s two cut-the-line choices: Premier Entry (accessible for a per-ride payment) and Fortieth Anniversary Precedence Cross (free). Premier Entry capabilities equally to paid Lightning Lanes within the U.S. parks, and the Fortieth Anniversary Precedence Cross works like a free model of Disney Genie+.

Free Fortieth Anniversary Precedence Cross

The Fortieth Anniversary Precedence Cross works very similar to Genie+, however this model is free. You will get one experience go upon getting into the park within the morning. Then, you will get subsequent ones 120 minutes after the final one or when the return time opens for the final one you’ve got obtained. With these, you can not select the return time and easily get the following accessible slot to your chosen attraction.

It is cheap to imagine that when you begin proper on the park opening, you can in all probability get two of those in a day — three in case you are fortunate. Make sure you prioritize the one you need probably the most as they do “promote out.”

Eligible Fortieth Anniversary Precedence Cross points of interest embrace:

• Tokyo Disneyland: Area Mountain
• Tokyo Disneyland: Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters
• Tokyo Disneyland: Star Excursions: The Journey Continues
• Tokyo Disneyland: Haunted Mansion
• Tokyo Disneyland: Pooh’s Honey Hunt
• Tokyo Disneyland: Massive Thunder Mountain
• Tokyo Disneyland: Monsters, Inc. Experience Go & Search
• Tokyo DisneySea: Nemo & Pals SeaRider
• Tokyo DisneySea: Aquatopia (from July 2 by Sept. 18, 2024, solely)
• Tokyo DisneySea: Raging Spirits
• Tokyo DisneySea: 20,000 Leagues Underneath the Sea
• Tokyo DisneySea: The Magic Lamp Theater
• Tokyo DisneySea: Indiana Jones Journey: Temple of the Crystal Cranium
• Tokyo DisneySea: Turtle Speak

There are additionally character meet and greets accessible with the Precedence Cross, so do not forget to get a kind of when you’re dreaming of that photograph with Mickey, Minnie or buddies.

Premier Entry (paid)

Then there’s the paid Premier Entry system, which works lots like particular person Lightning Lanes for the preferred rides within the U.S. In case you are coming all the best way to Japan and wish to experience some prime rides, you wish to purchase Premier Entry.

You should buy your first one as quickly as you enter the park after which can proceed shopping for extra (to the identical or completely different rides) both 60 minutes after your final buy or after the beginning time of your final bought Premier Entry Cross, whichever is earlier. You can even have a Premier Entry Cross concurrently an attraction for a parade or present. You possibly can have them concurrently the free Fortieth-Anniversary Precedence Passes.

Listed below are the eligible rides and reveals for Premier Entry:

• Tokyo Disneyland: Enchanted Story of Magnificence and the Beast (2,000 yen, which is about $13)
• Tokyo Disneyland: The Completely happy Experience with Baymax (1,500 yen, which is about $10)
• Tokyo Disneyland: Splash Mountain (1,500 yen, which is about $10)
• Tokyo DisneySea: Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Journey (2,000 yen, which is about $13)
• Tokyo DisneySea: Rapunzel’s Lantern Competition (2,000 yen, which is about $13)
• Tokyo DisneySea: Peter Pan’s By no means Land Journey (2,000 yen, which is about $13)
• Tokyo DisneySea: Hovering: Unbelievable Flight (2,000 yen, which is about $13)
• Tokyo DisneySea: Toy Story Mania! (2,000 yen, which is about $13)
• Tokyo DisneySea: Tower of Terror(1,500 yen, which is about $10)
• Tokyo DisneySea: Journey to the Heart of the Earth (1,500 yen, which is about $10)

In our expertise, when you begin buying Premier Entry passes proper at park opening and proceed to take action as soon as per hour (or sooner, in case your begin time is sooner), you will possible be capable of buy about three in someday earlier than they promote out. This was true earlier than the opening of Fantasy Springs, so it may change now that the quantity accessible at DisneySea has nearly doubled. Nevertheless, begin for positive with the one or two rides you wish to prioritize for that day.

Early Completely happy Entry

One other method to keep away from a number of the most infamous crowds is to remain at one of many deluxe Disney-branded motels and use the Completely happy Entry perk.

Relying on the resort you keep in and the date of your go to, you will get early entry to at least one or each parks through “Completely happy Entry.” Verify the effective print rigorously because the opening of Fantasy Springs is altering what motels supply this profit for every park on completely different days.

The top begin is barely 15 additional minutes, however it may make a world of distinction. Completely happy Entry company enter by separate checkpoints and may sprint to at least one well-liked attraction to begin the morning with a brief standby wait. Moreover, Completely happy Entry company can start making experience reservations with Premier Entry and Fortieth Anniversary Precedence Cross upon entry, getting an necessary bounce on different company.

Meaning you will get a brief look ahead to one experience when you get the primary decide on two different rides with the paid and free passes — all within the first jiffy earlier than the official opening time.

When you’re not eligible for the Completely happy Entry profit, you need to anticipate a large crowd exterior the parks earlier than the gates open every day. If you wish to be on the entrance of these crowds, it’s a necessity to reach as much as a number of hours earlier than park opening. Fortunately, Tokyo Disney Resort is very environment friendly at processing what could seem like an intimidating variety of company, even when you arrive nearer to opening time.

After all, there are occasions when the crowds will be insufferable. The Golden Week holidays in late April and early Could have traditionally been probably the most crowded. The opening of Fantasy Springs in early June 2024 may even possible result in an unprecedented surge in demand at Tokyo DisneySea by the summer time and past. No matter which season you go to, we extremely suggest avoiding weekend days.

Nevertheless, most company go to to expertise Tokyo Disney’s more interesting attractions, and the 2 parks boast a formidable record of rides and experiences accessible nowhere else. Not surprisingly, these points of interest are likely to have the longest traces. A sensible technique to get aboard most of them with out lengthy waits is crucial.

One in every of Tokyo Disneyland’s latest and hottest points of interest is Enchanted Story of Magnificence and the Beast. It is inside Beast’s Fortress (a 2020 enlargement to Fantasyland), and company glide alongside in a trackless teacup experience car by scenes from the film populated with real looking Audio-Animatronic characters.

Additionally well-liked is Pooh’s Hunny Hunt, which was the primary Disney attraction ever to make use of trackless expertise. Visitors may even wish to find time for the Completely happy Experience with Baymax (much like Alien Swirling Saucers or Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree) and Monsters, Inc. Cover and Go Search (a considerable enchancment on Disneyland’s Monster’s, Inc. darkish experience). It is not a very superb experience, however it’s an incredible ambiance, so go watch others experience if you do not have time to take action your self.

In Tokyo DisneySea, the highest thrill experience is Journey to the Heart of the Earth, a darkish experience and coaster that winds by Mount Prometheus earlier than its thrilling drop ends.

Milder however nonetheless cool DisneySea rides embrace 20,000 Leagues Underneath the Sea, Sindbad’s Storybook Voyage, Nemo & Pals: SeaRider and Aquatopia. Tokyo DisneySea additionally has its personal Tower of Terror full with a completely completely different theme and storyline that should not be missed.

Inside Fantasy Springs, there are 4 new points of interest — Peter Pan’s By no means Land Journey, Rapunzel’s Lantern Competition, Fairy Tinker Bell’s Busy Buggies, and Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Journey — that you will wish to embrace in your itinerary.

Whereas many company to Disney parks prioritize rides, they should not overlook Tokyo Disney’s reveals and leisure. These choices are way more substantial than these within the U.S. parks.

Probably the most talked-about present is Massive Band Beat in Tokyo DisneySea, which makes use of a lottery-style “Entry Request” system to distribute seats. Sure, that is separate from the Premier Entry and Fortieth Anniversary Precedence Cross we have been speaking about.

Some reveals, akin to the favored Duffy and Pals’ Great Friendship, are solely accessible to company who guide a eating reservation on the related restaurant (extra on eating under).

Tokyo Disneyland Park historically has a daytime and night parade in addition to night fireworks. Tokyo DisneySea additionally incorporates a nighttime spectacular on the water. You should buy Premier Entry reserved “seating” for both of these.

Fortunately, attending parades is a really organized course of in Tokyo Disney. Within the hour or two earlier than the present, it’s fairly frequent to see households sitting alongside the parade route.

Finest meals and snacks in Tokyo Disney

Tokyo Disney Resort affords a considerably overwhelming array of eating choices, and most non-local company will not have time to pattern greater than a few the numerous dozens of eating places.

Just like the U.S. parks, Tokyo Disney has quick- and table-service eating places. The resort additionally affords a number of leisure eating eating places that mix a meal with a stage present that includes character performers.

Getting eating reservations for the preferred table-service and show-dining eating places is at the very least as aggressive as for Disney World or Disneyland.

Present eating reservations open at 9 a.m. native time precisely one month prematurely. All different desk service restaurant reservations open one hour later at 10 a.m. The demand usually crashes the Tokyo Disney web site and app. Be ready to not get your first (or possibly even your second or third) selection.

If this course of would not sound like your concept of enjoyable trip planning, know that it is not essential to make eating reservations in any respect. There are many tasty, quick-service meals and snacks to take pleasure in. One in every of us battled the web site and snagged some (however not all) of the extra aggressive desk service eating places like Magellan’s, Teddy Roosevelt Lounge, Blue Bayou and Mickey’s Rainbow Luau.

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Mickey’s Rainbow Luau. LESLIE HARVEY/THE POINTS GUY

However one among us opted out of this rat race and ate solely fast service and snacks within the park as an alternative; this led to extra flexibility, decrease costs and nonetheless some fairly stable meals.

For a number of the quick-service choices, you need to use the cell ordering possibility within the app, which works considerably equally to the U.S. Disney parks. This is not accessible at each quick-service restaurant; nonetheless, it is accessible at sufficient of them to maintain you cheerful and keep away from wasting your time in line. We used it to obtain this fast order from Plasma Ray’s Diner in Tokyo Disneyland.

Relating to snacks, Tokyo Disney has a good variety of moderately priced and lovable snacks for eating on the go. Probably the most seen and beloved snack is undoubtedly popcorn. Popcorn carts are in practically each land in each parks, and queues usually rival the traces for well-liked points of interest.

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SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY

Every cart affords a distinct taste, from the candy to the savory. Among the flavors accessible in 2024 embrace curry, caramel, chocolate, black pepper, garlic shrimp and matcha white chocolate. You possibly can afford to pattern a number of at 400 yen (about $3) per field.

Tokyo Disney additionally affords a number of different snacks that shall be acquainted to company who’ve visited the U.S. Disney parks. These choices embrace churros and turkey legs. (Insider tip we discovered the laborious manner: Skip the potato churro and go for the normal cinnamon-sugar one as an alternative. Together with many different snacks right here, it is available in a Mickey form.)

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SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY

Distinctive to Tokyo Disney are the often-Instagrammed Toy Story Inexperienced Alien Mochi dumplings.

Is it price it to go to Tokyo Disney?

Japan has extra to supply than you possibly can ever take pleasure in multi function go to, so it may be robust to resolve whether or not it is price devoting a few of your treasured time there to a theme park go to. Nothing is true for everybody, however when you even remotely just like the U.S. Disney parks, then Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea are definitely worth the time.

Some issues will really feel very acquainted in case you are used to the U.S. Disney parks (which generally is a good break whereas in part of the world that’s so distinct from dwelling). Nevertheless, many different issues are distinctive to Tokyo Disney, and each of our Disney-loving households discovered the go to very a lot definitely worth the money and time.

Guests can sit on the bottom to observe the reveals and parades, capitalize on the inexpensive costs, pattern attention-grabbing snacks, take pleasure in high-quality and unique rides, meet the lovable Duffy and buddies characters, and keep in attention-grabbing motels. So, even after devoting a number of days to Tokyo Disney, all of us left wishing we may keep for extra.

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