Our 2025 Tokyo Disneyland & DisneySea trip planning information affords information for the 2 Disney parks, resort inns, and ‘downtown’ district in Japan. We have now suggestions & tips, the place to remain, how lengthy to go to, must-eat meals & snacks, finest points of interest, touring plans, avoiding crowds, and different issues to do. (Up to date December 29, 2024.)
Whether or not you’re desirous to take your first go to to Japan or make a return go to for Fantasy Springs at Tokyo DisneySea, we’re right here that will help you begin planning! The model new $2 billion port-of-call that includes Frozen, Tangled and Peter Pan is now open and is, unsurprisingly, extremely popular.
Fantasy Springs additionally isn’t straightforward to entry. Whereas protocol and insurance policies are doubtless going to evolve within the coming months and years, the world at the moment is just not open-access and the rides don’t supply standby strains. See Tips on how to Enter Fantasy Springs & Get On Rides: Good, Dangerous & Ugly Entry Choices for a rundown of tips on how to achieve entry into the land. That’s most likely an important Tokyo DisneySea planning put up proper now.
The underside line is that in the event you merely present up at Tokyo DisneySea after park opening, there’s a great probability you will be unable to enter Fantasy Springs, not to mention journey any points of interest. We can not emphasize sufficient how necessary advance planning is for Fantasy Springs–and doubtless will into 2025 and past.
With that stated, there’s purpose to consider issues will change in 2025. Tokyo Disney Resort has introduced that the 1-Day Fantasy Springs Magic Passport, which is a particular ticket kind providing company limitless entry to Fantasy Springs and precedence entry to its points of interest, will not be offered after March 25, 2025.
The discontinuation of the Fantasy Springs Magic Passport could also be an indication that the controversial entry course of to Fantasy Springs will quickly finish. For the reason that new port-of-call opened, the one technique to enter and expertise its points of interest is thru a restricted variety of free Standby Passes and paid Premier Entry.
In truth, that is what we count on to occur. We lately had an terrible expertise making an attempt to enter Fantasy Springs, that just about soured the day in Tokyo DisneySea for us. You may prepared Why Disney’s #1 Park is Getting 1-Star Evaluations for a full recap, however suffice to say, we’re removed from alone in having these points.
Many company are arriving on the entrance over an hour upfront and nonetheless aren’t attending to expertise the headliner points of interest in Fantasy Springs. These evaluations and poor visitor satisfaction have doubtless precipitated Tokyo Disney Resort to rethink its method to Fantasy Springs entry. We’ll maintain you posted as soon as a change is formally introduced!
It’s now been two years since Japan reopened to particular person vacationers and we’ve been again to Tokyo Disney Resort on a number of events to expertise the whole lot that’s new and see how the parks have modified as in comparison with pre-closure, most lately this Christmas.
Whereas Japan continues to be not 100% again to pre-2020 regular, it’s ‘shut sufficient’ to the purpose that the well being security protocol is not even price mentioning. You don’t want to fret about masks or another guidelines.
Nevertheless, the phased reopening stays ongoing at Tokyo Disney Resort, and issues nonetheless aren’t completely again to regular. The best way to consider operations at Tokyo Disney Resort is that they’re about 18-24 months behind the U.S. parks of their ‘phased reopening’ progress.
That is really the dynamic all through Japan, not simply at Tokyo Disney Resort. Staffing shortages are an ongoing subject, eating places and retail stay closed, leisure is decreased or modified, hours are shorter, and extra. The underside line is that the Tokyo Disney Resort of as we speak continues to be very totally different from the Tokyo Disney Resort of 2019.
If it’s your first go to, you most likely received’t even discover this–Tokyo Disney Resort nonetheless has extra (and higher) leisure than the U.S. parks. Nevertheless, in the event you’re a repeat customer, there are methods that the parks at the moment really feel lacking or incomplete. The excellent news is that this has gotten higher already, and can doubtless proceed to enhance.
Extra optimistic progress can be made in 2025, albeit slowly. Tokyo Disney Resort has already introduced the return of a present to the Hangar Stage in Tokyo DisneySea with “Desires Take Flight” debuting on July 16, 2025. Moreover, the scaled-back Massive Band Beat: A Particular Deal with will finish on September 30, 2025…and hopefully one thing will change it earlier than the top of the 12 months.
In different optimistic information/updates, Tokyo Disney Resort simply introduced again a model of free FastPass, albeit by a special title. Try our Information to Precedence Move & Premier Entry at Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea for the whole lot it’s worthwhile to know in regards to the new line-skipping companies.
Past that, lots of different little modifications have occurred since 2019. A number of that is coated not directly by way of our 101 Nice Ideas for Tokyo Disneyland & DisneySea, which affords a wealth of random recommendation that can familiarize you with a ton of suggestions & tips that it is best to know for navigating the quirks of Tokyo Disney Resort. Our aim with that put up is to assist first-timers and repeat guests really feel like they’re touring the parks like locals. That covers lots of issues which can be necessary however simply too granular for a information like this, corresponding to:
- Cellular Order
- Entry Request (Present Lotteries)
- IC Playing cards
- Trip Packages
- Fantasy Springs Ideas & Methods
Clearly, there’s much more floor coated than simply these 4 bullet factors. The salient level is that know-how (the Tokyo Disney Resort app specifically, however not simply that) has modified the sport since 2019, as has the opening of Fantasy Springs. In consequence, visiting TDR in 2025 is far totally different than it was 4 years in the past.
With the most recent updates out of the way in which, let’s dig into planning a visit to Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea…
We’ve spent a ton of time in Japan during the last decade-plus, and replace this virtually neurotically as we be taught from our travels and analysis. This Tokyo DisneySea and Tokyo Disneyland Information has been refreshed dozens of instances since we first wrote it, and extra can be added over time as sure components are clarified or expanded. We’re barely obsessed followers of Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea.
Previous to the closure, we visited Japan a number of instances per 12 months for 7 consecutive years, together with a number of multi-month stays. We had been Tokyo Disneyland & DisneySea Annual Passholders (till TDR cancelled these) who’ve dined in virtually each restaurant and stayed in most inns at Tokyo Disney Resort.
We lately spent over a month in Japan for our child’s first journey journey, which included the opening of Fantasy Springs. In fact, we didn’t spend all of that point at Tokyo Disney Resort. The journey began with every week in Tokyo, adopted by 3 weeks in Kyoto, earlier than returning to Tokyo for a bit over 2 extra weeks.
In case you’re simply beginning to plan a visit to Japan, there’s so much to contemplate. We advocate planning your time at Tokyo Disney Resort in tandem with the place else you wish to go to in Japan. Seek the advice of our Final Tokyo, Japan Metropolis Information for suggestions within the metropolis. Whereas we like Tokyo, we far desire Kyoto.
Kyoto is our favourite metropolis on the planet, and a spot that we view as important to a visit to Japan. In our Final Information to Kyoto, Japan, we provide our “gross sales pitch” as to why we like it a lot, and canopy the whole lot it’s worthwhile to know for planning a go to to that fantastic metropolis. Complete, we’d advocate Disney followers allocate round two-thirds of their journey to the cities of Kyoto and Tokyo–with extra time in Kyoto.
In fact, all of this assumes that it is best to go to Japan within the first place. Let’s backtrack and handle that threshold query…
Ought to You Go to Japan & Tokyo Disney Resort?
In case you have the means to go to Japan or can save for it as a once-in-a-lifetime journey, we predict you’ll be very glad with the choice to go. Whereas there’s no query that worldwide journey is expensive, touring to Japan won’t be fairly as costly as you may assume; you actually ought to crunch the numbers earlier than ruling out the potential of swinging a visit to Japan. With out query, it’s definitely worth the cash for Walt Disney World regulars to go to the Japan parks.
Since we go to Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea usually, we’ve been accused of being biased in direction of the Japanese parks. That isn’t true in any respect. We’re biased in direction of excellence. From upkeep to meals high quality to Solid Member friendliness, Tokyo Disney Resort is in a league of its personal. Furthermore, we’ve got but to come across anybody who has instructed us they regretted visiting Japan. (If you wish to be the primary, be at liberty to say so within the feedback.)
Definitely, touring to Japan is outdoors consolation zones and one of many largest issues holding folks again from visiting. From the lengthy worldwide flight to the prospect of navigating a overseas nation with out talking its native language, a visit to Japan will be overwhelming. That is regular, and there’s completely nothing mistaken with being anxious about touring someplace as a result of it’s outdoors of your consolation zone.
Tokyo is an extended flight to a spot the place English is a second language (at finest). Nevertheless, the Japanese are among the universally nicest and most useful folks on the planet. When you perceive the ‘system’ at one Disney theme park, you perceive it in any respect of them, no matter their dominant language.
By way of the language barrier, there may be not a lot of 1 in any respect. All indicators are in English, park maps can be found in English, and plenty of points of interest have dialogue in English. Even the points of interest which have dialogue solely in Japanese largely convey their message by visible means.
Extra importantly, most Solid Members both communicate sufficient English to successfully talk with English-speaking company or can discover somebody that will help you who does. Failing that, a little bit of pantomime will get the job executed. Verbal communication and pantomime with the primary Solid Member you encounter is all you’ll want.
My social expertise are poor and I can barely talk with folks in English, and I nonetheless do exactly high quality. Regardless of that, Solid Members in Tokyo are by far the nicest and most useful on the planet, and they’ll do the whole lot they will to make your expertise optimistic, as long as that doesn’t contain breaking guidelines.
The Japanese idea of guidelines is totally different than the US idea of guidelines. Calling them “guidelines” is likely to be a little bit of a misnomer, as a result of it some instances they’re rigid insurance policies. For instance, you is likely to be used to creating substitutions to your meals within the US parks due to a meals allergy or desire.
What’s on the menu is what’s on the menu in Japan, and makes an attempt at substitutions or modifications will usually be met with resistance or confusion. Individuals usually tend to query the “why?” of a rule or coverage right here within the US and take a look at whether or not it actually is smart given the circumstances. In Japan, adherence to each rule/coverage/process is universally anticipated, irrespective of how arbitrary it might sound.
More often than not, this leads to a extra orderly, pleasurable expertise. Solely in Japan is there no line leaping, and everybody sits down for the parades! Generally it does have unintended penalties. We all know some vegetarians who’ve gone to the parks and didn’t have the very best of instances as a result of there have been restricted vegetarian choices and so they had been unable to make substitutions as a result of a substitution goes in opposition to established coverage.
How Many Days?
A part of answering this query requires figuring out how a lot time you may spend in Japan. In case you’re touring midway all over the world, hopefully you’re planning on seeing extra than simply the 2 Disney theme parks in Japan. Along with these, we’d additionally strongly advocate spending a great period of time in Tokyo and Kyoto on the very least.
The opposite a part of answering this query is contingent upon whether or not you’re a Disney fan planning a pilgrimage to the 2 finest Disney parks on the planet, or an everyday particular person visiting Japan who stumbled upon this put up by way of Google. If the latter, two days is adequate. We have now itineraries beneath for seeing all the highlights in a single day, and this information might be greater than you need or have to find out about Tokyo Disney Resort.
These itineraries cowl the whole lot from the order it is best to do rides to expertise them effectively, to the place it is best to eat, and extra. Following these touring plans will aid you benefit from your time within the parks and see as a lot as attainable in solely 2 days.
In case you’re a diehard Disney fan questioning what number of days it is best to spend at Tokyo Disney Resort…that’s a trick query. No variety of days is sufficient…and that’s solely a half-joke. Tokyo DisneySea is the very best Disney park on the planet and Tokyo Disneyland can also be close to the highest (second finest, in the event you ask me). Consider these parks as “high quality moonshine.” It’s important to sip them slowly sufficient that you’ve a pleasant intoxication, as a result of in the event you drink them in too rapidly, you’re more likely to go blind.
Hardcore Disney followers nonetheless mustn’t overdo it, and may intention to spend not more than one-third of your journey to Japan at Tokyo Disney Resort–or a most of 4 days, whichever is much less. Two days in every theme park might sound extreme, however we don’t assume a visit to Tokyo is for the kind of fan who views the parks as a set of rides to “full” as rapidly as attainable.
In our view, a balanced journey to Japan for a Disney fan consists of 4 days at Tokyo Disney Resort, 3 days in Tokyo outdoors the parks, and 5 days in and round Kyoto. If something, we’d be inclined to drag a day or two from the TDR and Tokyo portion of the journey to reallocate to Kyoto and different areas of the Kansai area (Osaka, Kobe, Nara, and so on). Affordable minds might range on that, although.
These parks, DisneySea, particularly, are supposed to be slowed down and brought in. The perfect “attraction” at Tokyo DisneySea isn’t an precise attraction that you simply’ll discover on any park map. It’s the sense of place that it has, and that is one thing that you simply’ll wish to spend a while savoring.
In relation to precise points of interest, the strains will be lengthy at each parks. These strains really beginning earlier than the parks open, and company working for fashionable points of interest instantly. Tokyo Disney Resort’s essential demographic is locals, and so they don’t thoughts ready hours in line for a single attraction as a result of they will at all times come again later to see others.
When to Go to
Selecting the very best time to go to is an important side of planning a go to to Tokyo Disney Resort. We extremely advocate studying our When to Go to Tokyo Disneyland put up, as that covers this important subject in a lot higher element. All the pieces from climate (Tokyo has extremes in each instructions–it might even snow there!) to seasonal occasions to crowds is mentioned in that put up.
When choosing our days to go to Tokyo Disney Resort, the very first thing we think about is what season we wish to go to. For subsequent journeys, we needed to see Christmas, Halloween, Easter, and Pirates Summer time. We’ve now visited throughout each season, and so they’re all very properly executed.
Halloween and Christmas are the 2 hottest seasonal occasions at Tokyo Disney Resort, and the parks look superior for each, with lots of particular seasonal leisure. You may “double dip” by planning a HalloXmas Journey to Tokyo Disney Resort that coincides with each Halloween and Christmas. That’s our absolute favourite time to go to!
With it narrowed all the way down to which season we needed to see, take into consideration crowds…
As with climate, Tokyo Disney Resort is a spot of extremes on the subject of crowds. This makes it actually necessary to decide on the least-crowded dates. As soon as we select the time of 12 months we wish to go to (see our ‘When to Go to’ put up above for suggestions), we typically seek the advice of Crowd Calendars for Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea to choose particular date ranges throughout the season which can be predicted to be calmly crowded.
Extra necessary than the time of 12 months is the times of the week you go to. Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea are least busy Monday by Thursday. Friday is the busiest weekday, and weekends are extremely busy. Keep away from weekends it doesn’t matter what time of 12 months you go to.
In case you’re researching a visit, you might need encountered photographs of insane crowds that make you apprehensive about visiting. Crowds in Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea have taken on “city legend” standing as these photographs unfold. The truth is that weekends and holidays will be very busy.
Then again, low-season days in the course of the week can really feel extra nice than mid-January at Disneyland. The crowds at these parks fluctuate greater than any different Disney parks on the planet, which actually underscores the significance of rigorously selecting days to go to.
What to Pack
For any Disney journey, the issues on our Distinctive Disney Packing Listing can be useful. There’s probably not something particular to Tokyo that you will want. No voltage converter is critical. Nevertheless, there are some things you may wish to pack for the lengthy worldwide flight.
Sarah had bother sleeping on our first couple of flights to Japan, so she bought these reusable earplugs, this sleep masks, and this inflatable airplane pillow. Now she swears by all 3. I might sleep on a pile of hay throughout a demise metallic live performance, so I don’t use earplugs or a particular pillow–simply noise cancelling AirPods Professional.
In case you’re visiting in the course of the summer season, issues like Frogg Togg Chilly Pads will even come in useful, as will moisture wicking clothes as a result of Japan will get actually humid in June, July and August. Seek the advice of our Beating the Summer time Warmth at Disney put up for more information. Within the winter, it’s chilly and may even snow in Japan, so learn our Packing for Disney in Winter put up for recommendations on visiting then.
Exterior of the summer season, company in Tokyo Disney Resort usually costume very properly, which is one thing to bear in mind when packing your individual garments. Novelty Disney hats are additionally frequent with these good garments (fairly the distinction), however you’ll wish to purchase your novelty hat within the parks.
We’d warning in opposition to overpacking. That is very true in the event you’re doing extra in Japan than simply Tokyo Disney Resort. The rail system in Tokyo is extremely complicated, with lots of transfers. You’ll do lots of strolling, using the rail, and so on., and you actually don’t wish to be encumbered by extra baggage, particularly throughout rush hour on the trains.
Maybe the very best recommendation we may give you is to pack mild. Lay out the whole lot you’re planning on taking earlier than you pack it, and decide in the event you really want it. Not if it “may come in useful, possibly,” however in the event you really will use it. Don’t pack belongings you received’t use. If you’ll be staying in a number of inns throughout your journey to Japan, we advocate packing cubes or compression baggage for group. You may learn extra of our “carry-on philosophy” and which forms of baggage we use right here.
Shopping for Park Tickets
There are a number of ticket choices at Tokyo Disney Resort, we focus on them in additional depth in our Cash-Saving Ideas for Tokyo Disneyland Park Tickets put up. In case you are happening weekdays throughout non-holiday season, the simplest possibility is buying your park tickets on the day-of on the entrance of Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea. Nevertheless, this isn’t with out threat, as tickets can and do promote out for fashionable dates.
In a really perfect state of affairs, you can purchase tickets on-line about 30-60 days upfront of your journey (tickets will not be at the moment offered past 60 days out) to keep away from any points upon arrival. To save cash and purchase tickets earlier than leaving dwelling, we advocate Klook (if they’ve stock–which isn’t at all times the case). Not solely are their tickets discounted, however it’s simpler to navigate than the official (and dearer) Tokyo Disney Resort web site.
If Klook is offered out, we advocate utilizing the official Tokyo Disney Resort On-line Reservation & Tickets web site or the TDR app. Honest warning: these will be tough to make use of, and infrequently have points with bank cards issued by U.S. banks.
Failing all of that, you may wait till you arrive to buy your park tickets. Simply be warned that Tokyo Disney Resort does promote out of park tickets upfront. Nevertheless, company of monorail loop inns (just like the Sheraton and Hilton Tokyo Bay) might often buy tickets from their lodge’s concierge even when the parks are offered out to most people.
(This was assured pre-2020, however has turn out to be way more hit and miss. Regardless that the Hilton not advertises it on-line, they usually do have tickets out there. We simply confirmed this once more at Christmas. It’s nonetheless true.)
The place to Keep
We have now stayed at 10 totally different inns in and round Tokyo Disney Resort, plus Airbnb residences. Suffice to say, we’ve got lots of expertise at inns in Japan, and virtually all of it’s optimistic. For our ideas on lodge choices, learn our Lodge Evaluations & Rankings at Tokyo Disneyland put up, as that covers the subject in higher depth, and offers hyperlinks to particular lodge evaluations.
As for an summary, you mainly have three choices: off-site, on-site “official,” and on-site Disney. We’ll begin by protecting the Disney inns. These are Disney’s Ambassador Lodge, Tokyo Disney Celebration Lodge, Tokyo Disneyland Lodge, Lodge MiraCosta, Toy Story Lodge, and Fantasy Springs Lodge.
They’re all very dear. In case you have the cash, think about an evening or two at Lodge MiraCosta or Tokyo Disneyland Lodge. We’ve stayed at each, and they’re two of probably the most unforgettable lodge experiences we’ve ever had. (We have now not but stayed at Fantasy Springs Lodge, however we’ve got toured it. We had been unimpressed.)
In case you’re approaching them solely from a cost-benefit or worth perspective, it’s tough to justify any of the Disney inns. Their massive benefit is location, and that’s largest when it comes to the view out of your room (which will be into the park at each Tokyo Disneyland Lodge and Lodge MiraCosta) and never from entry, for the reason that on-site official inns are additionally positioned on the monorail loop and now have theme park views in some instances.
Is it price doubtlessly $200-300/night time extra than the official inns for that view into the park? Most likely not, until cash is not any subject otherwise you’re viewing this as a as soon as in a lifetime journey.
As for the on-site official inns, these are inns which can be on the monorail loop, and usually supply massive, Western lodging, and are reasonably priced given the circumstances. Many evaluate very favorably to a Walt Disney World Deluxe lodge. Massive, good rooms. Cinderella Citadel or ocean views. Location on the monorail loop. All for $130-180/night time, more often than not. (Costs do spike for these inns sure instances of 12 months and on the final minute, so ebook early.)
Lastly, there are the off-site inns, which we don’t advocate. There’s nothing mistaken with lots of the off-site inns, however they’re a extra unknown amount with rooms that can usually skew in direction of small, Japanese lodging. Plus, lots of the ones closest to Tokyo Disney Resort are overpriced contemplating what they provide.
There’s additionally the ingredient of attending to and from the parks on public transportation, which generally is a actual trouble. Public transportation can also be utilized by enterprise folks and college students across the identical time you’ll be heading to the parks, making it chaotic.
In case you should keep off-site as a result of the on-site inns or full, or since you’re on a good funds, we extremely advocate doing an Airbnb rental as a substitute…
We have now a put up that discusses our Ideas for Utilizing Airbnb in case you’re unfamiliar with the service. We’ve used it quite a few instances in Japan, close to Tokyo Disney Resort in addition to in Kyoto and Osaka. We usually apply it to Friday and Saturday nights close to Tokyo Disney Resorts, as lodge charges usually skyrocket for these nights.
Once we are touring all through Japan however aren’t at Tokyo Disney Resort, we desire Airbnb to reserving inns as a result of it offers us the choice for a a lot bigger room, often a whole condominium. Japanese lodge rooms (that aren’t Western chains) are typically very small, and utilizing Airbnb is one of the best ways to keep away from this subject.
Plus, the value is often cheaper than a lodge room, and Airbnb hosts usually embody free MiFi so you should use the web on the go. We’ve had some enjoyable experiences staying at distinctive Airbnb areas all through Japan, too. (The picture above is from an Airbnb we rented in Japan that was transformed from a bar downstairs.)
Attraction Technique
Even in the event you go at a less-busy time of 12 months, we advocate arriving at both park half-hour earlier than it opens in your first couple of days. There’ll already be an extended line (or strains) to get inside while you get there, so don’t be alarmed. When you get inside, stroll briskly (or run calmly) in your first journey of the day.
That is coated within the technique guides above, however it’s good to reiterate. When you knock out the principle headliners, you may take the ‘sleep in and go late’ method, on subsequent days in the event you so want–however your first day in every park it is best to arrive previous to opening.
We’ve already written intensive attraction guides for each parks, so there’s no level in rehashing these right here. These guides comprise technique in addition to evaluations of the points of interest. There can be only a few points of interest you’ll wish to skip in Tokyo DisneySea, maybe extra in Tokyo Disneyland (the place there are extra clones). Listed here are these guides:
Refurbishments are frequent at Tokyo Disney Resort, so be sure you seek the advice of the Tokyo Disney Resort Refurbishment Calendar earlier than reserving. It’s good for about 6 months out, so it is probably not of a lot assist.
The place to Eat
Eating at Tokyo Disney Resort is a large subject unto itself, and this information is already getting actually lengthy, so this may simply cowl the fundamentals. First, for particular eating places, be certain to take a look at our Tokyo Disney Resort Restaurant Evaluations.
We have now particular person evaluations from each Tokyo Disney Resort restaurant, plus restaurant rankings for each parks. We’ve eaten at each single restaurant within the parks, plus many within the inns and Ikspiari, so that ought to assist.
Snacking must be an enormous a part of your journey. The price of this could rapidly add up, however it’s an integral a part of the Tokyo expertise. Tokyo Disney Resort has some loopy popcorn flavors, and so they’re positively price making an attempt so you may type your individual opinion.
We additionally like stopping for full meals. In our expertise, Tokyo Disneyland is the place to do counter service and Tokyo DisneySea is the place to do desk service (its counter service choices are additionally good, although). Each parks have some actually wonderful eating places which can be experiences in themselves.
The Tokyo parks have a fame for small portion sizes and excessive costs, however that’s hit and miss. Parts will be small, however they aren’t at all times. We predict costs are corresponding to the US parks for counter service meals (for comparable portion sizes and high quality), and desk service is cheaper at Tokyo Disney Resort. There’s no tipping (and it’s a strict rule–they received’t allow you to tip) in Japan, which performs an element within the value variations.
In case you do plan on doing desk service, know that eating places usually are totally booked upfront. Sadly, the one technique to make eating reservations is by the Tokyo Disney Resort web site (in Japanese) or by emailing the lodge in case you are staying at a Disney-owned lodge.
As talked about above, substitutions will not be a ‘factor’ in Tokyo, neither is accommodating these with particular dietary wants or preferences. In case you are a vegetarian, eating within the Tokyo parks can be a problem, as there are restricted vegetarian menus. In case you have different restrictions or preferences, you’ll have an much more tough time.
Neither of us are vegetarians so we’ve got no first hand expertise on this regard, however we’ve heard tales from others. In case you are a vegetarian, the buffets are your only option, however vegetarian choices at counter service eating places are beginning to turn out to be extra frequent.
Procuring
Merchandise at Tokyo Disney Resort could be very totally different from what you’ll discover at Walt Disney World or Disneyland. As an alternative of things with the park logos or attraction names, most objects at Tokyo Disney Resort are character-themed or kawaii. Relying upon who you ask, Tokyo both has the very best or worst merchandise of any Disney vacation spot on the planet.
It’s price noting that in the previous few years, Tokyo has elevated the quantity of emblem merchandise and both issues interesting to broader tastes. We’ve discovered ourselves “embracing the kawaii” of Tokyo Disney Resort’s merchandise increasingly more, however it’s positively an acquired style that isn’t for everybody.
In your arrival or departure day, think about visiting Ikspiari, which is a eating, procuring, and leisure complicated positioned inside strolling distance of Tokyo Disneyland, the JR Maihama railway station, and with its personal monorail station. It’s Japan’s tackle the Downtown Disney idea.
Ikspiari has over 150 eating places and retail retailers, the highlights of which we cowl in our Procuring Information to Ikspiari at Tokyo Disney Resort. Notice that whereas we referred to Ikspiari as Tokyo Disney Resort’s twist on Downtown Disney, it’s decidedly not Disney. Oriental Land Firm purposefully developed Ikspiari with out Disney branding to keep away from paying licensing charges.
For many who are massive into procuring and wish to do a few of that in Japan, we’d encourage you to take action in Tokyo correct. Actually each main practice or subway station in Tokyo has an above or underground labyrinth of retail and eating. Highlights will be discovered within the stylish storefronts of Ginza and Roppongi Hills, and the otaku objects of Asakusa and Harajuku.
Nevertheless, none of those locations can be as compelling for Disney followers as Nakano Broadway, which is filled with second-hand shops that cater to collectors and geeks, together with Disney followers! We go to Nakano Broadway regularly to purchase nice Tokyo Disney Resort collectibles. For more information & suggestions, see our Procuring Information to Nakano Broadway on our non-Disney weblog, TravelCaffeine.com.
Flights & Transportation
Flights to Tokyo from america are 10+ hours, which is lots of time within the air. Fortuitously, the bigger planes used for these flights are way more snug than your regular planes used for home flights. Complimentary in-flight leisure (together with the most recent films and tv exhibits) additionally makes issues simpler.
If you realize your journey dates and haven’t any flexibility as to while you journey, we advocate ITA Software program to seek for flights. ITA is one of the best ways to search out the bottom costs on airfare for set dates of journey. Both HND or NRT will work as arrival airports. HND is positioned nearer to the town middle, whereas NRT is (barely) nearer to Tokyo Disney Resort, however farther from downtown.
In case you’re within the preliminary levels of researching your flight, use fare alerts on Airfarewatchdog.com. You may set some parameters for the alerts right here (though not as many as I’d like) and obtain e mail updates after they deem costs to be low.
Airfare costs are at all times altering and are extremely dependent upon metropolis of origin, time of 12 months, and so on., however with round-trip airfare out of Los Angeles to Tokyo usually within the <$600 vary, your full airfare bundle ought to value below $1,000/particular person in the event you put effort into choosing the proper instances to journey. In case you’re reserving on the final minute or don’t do any work to search out offers, the sky is the restrict on the higher finish of airfare pricing.
In case you are in search of a technique to get extra bang in your buck, you should use it so as to add stopovers to go to a number of areas. We cowl this in our “Tips on how to Go to 3 Disney Locations on 1 Airfare” put up. It might sound difficult at first, however it’s properly price studying that put up and figuring it out. That put up covers tips on how to incorporate Shanghai Disneyland, Hong Kong Disneyland, and Tokyo Disney Resort right into a single journey.
That covers airfare. Now for utilizing floor transportation in Japan…
Out of all the cities on the planet we’ve visited, Tokyo has by far probably the most difficult transportation community. This could come as no shock, because it’s the world’s largest metropolis. Nevertheless, enhancements to Google Maps since we’ve began visiting have made this a breeze. (Google now has crowd predictions for trains at totally different instances of day, and recommends sure ones to take!)
To get from both Tokyo airport to Tokyo Disney Resort, it’s comparatively straightforward. You simply take the Airport Limousine Bus, which you catch outdoors the airport after buying your ticket close to the exit at a desk or the ticketing machine. It’s dearer than public transit, however simpler and direct. Notice that whereas this bus runs usually, its schedule typically stops round 5 p.m. Right here’s the full schedule to TDR from Narita. In case your flight arrives into Tokyo after 4 p.m., it is best to most likely take a look at different choices.
In case you’re getting in actually late, the simplest different is a taxi. These are ready outdoors the airport and straightforward to search out. The draw back is value. Our understanding is that the price of a taxi to a Tokyo Disney Resort space lodge from Narita is $200.
The most cost effective different is to make use of public transportation. It’s intimidating at first, as Japan’s public transportation system could be very complicated, however we finally have had no points and it’s a comparatively simple route from the airports to Tokyo Disney Resort. Simply use Google Maps.
Getting round Tokyo Disney Resort, you’ll wish to take the monorail. It prices cash, however it’s environment friendly, dependable, and clear. (That every one may sound weird to Walt Disney World followers…particularly the “dependable” half!) There are additionally Resort Cruisers, that are buses, which can be freed from cost. Simply pay the minor price for the monorail until you’ve a big social gathering. It’s enjoyable and completely price it. Strolling can also be an possibility, though it may be convoluted to get to Tokyo DisneySea.
Telephone/Web
There are three good choices for this: renting a SIM card, renting a pocket WiFi/MiFi, or utilizing your service as regular. We now use T-Cellular and easily use that as there’s no further cost to make use of our information in Japan. It runs a bit slower, however we’ve discovered it completely usable for normal web searching. It’s changing into extra frequent for mobile suppliers to supply worldwide day passes which can be comparably priced to MiFi, so try that.
Renting a SIM card is a superb possibility for some folks, however we actually appreciated the MiFi rental for our journeys previous to switching to T-Cellular. For these unfamiliar with the gadget, it’s mainly a pocket WiFi hotspot, offering you with limitless LTE web. MiFi/Pocket WiFi rental is fairly straightforward. You merely select what number of days you wish to hire, what number of units, and specify at which airport you’ll wish to decide it up.
We advocate renting one MiFi per particular person in your group, so you may talk in the event you separate. If you’ll not–below any circumstances–separate, simply get one MiFi. A single MiFi can deal with a couple of telephones on it concurrently. We extremely advocate renting upfront of your journey. In case you wait till you arrive and easily decide one up from the retailers on the airport or at a comfort retailer, costs are increased and information is often restricted.
Whereas the web can typically be spotty in Tokyo DisneySea, the MiFi general is absolutely dependable. We’ve used it usually for iMessage for speaking with each other, e mail, Dropbox, and even importing to YouTube. Most significantly, having the MiFi gave us the flexibility to make use of Google Maps on our telephones for public transportation, and this was an enormous lifesaver.
There isn’t any publicly-available WiFi web at Tokyo Disney Resort, besides on the entrance to every park. Free public WiFi is unusual in Japan. (Against this, it’s quite common in Hong Kong, in the event you’re going to each.)
Cash/Credit score Playing cards
Tokyo Disney Resort (and most Japanese retailers) accepts customary US magnetic strip bank cards, or chipped bank cards. Chipped playing cards aren’t required. With the parks, Tokyo Disney Resort accepts Visa, Mastercard, and American Categorical. (In case you’re making an attempt to pre-book one thing on-line, you’ll want a bank card issued in Japan or a Mastercard. Even then, it may be a painful course of.)
In case you want an ATM, there are two at Tokyo Disney Resort that settle for American Visa debit playing cards. One is within the basement of Ikspiari close to the meals court docket, and the opposite is within the foyer of the Tokyo Bay Maihama Lodge Membership Resort (pictured above). In case you’re staying at one of many official inns on the monorail loop, the second location goes to be way more handy to you. Usually, you do not want to hold money at Tokyo Disney Resort, however you may want it within the metropolis of Tokyo.
Different Assets
For normal journey recommendation to Japan, we’ve got one other weblog: TravelCaffeine.com, the place we share our non-Disney experiences. We have now written extensively about our favourite metropolis on the planet: Kyoto, Japan on TravelCaffeine. Kyoto has one thing for everybody, and affords so much when it comes to Japanese tradition and historical past. As talked about above, our Final Information to Kyoto, Japan additionally offers a wealth of planning data.
In case you’re additionally visiting the Hong Kong or Shanghai parks, be certain to seek the advice of our Hong Kong Disneyland Journey Planning Information and our Shanghai Disneyland Journey Planning Information. There’s much more you’ll have to know for these visits!
There’s much more we might embody on this information, however that is already the longest put up on the weblog to this point, so let’s reduce it off there. We will certainly add to this primarily based on frequent questions, and I’m very happy to supply help and recommendation within the feedback when you have questions. Wish to see extra photographs or examine Tokyo Disney Resort in agonizing element? Try our Tokyo Disney Resort Journey Report from our very first go to to Japan over a decade in the past, after we too had been newbies!
Your Ideas
Planning a visit to Japan is lots of work, however it’s finally properly definitely worth the effort! Hopefully this information offers a great leaping off level. In case you’ve visited Tokyo Disney Resort, do you agree or disagree with our recommendation? Any questions? Listening to your suggestions–even while you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
