In search of money-saving ideas for visiting Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea? Touring to Japan is overwhelming for a lot of causes, with an enormous one being the perceived value. This covers visiting TDR on a tighter finances, whereas saving cash on resort, meals, airfare, and different prices. (Up to date September 30, 2024.)
We wish to observe from the outset that tighter finances above is relative. Touring internationally is not low-cost, neither is it potential for everybody. Journey, in any kind, prices some huge cash. I’ve wished to write down a publish about how a visit to Tokyo Disney Resort might be low-coster (relative time period) than individuals may assume for some time, however have hesitated as a result of unfavorable response to previous remarks I’ve made indicating that it’s nearer inside attain than many individuals assume.
Nonetheless, a number of issues have precipitated us to revisit the subject. The primary is the debut of Fantasy Springs, which is the blockbuster port-of-call that includes Peter Pan, Frozen and Tangled at Tokyo DisneySea. That is one of the best factor Disney has opened wherever in ages, and is likewise the one main new enlargement at any Disney theme park on this planet this 12 months. And guess what? No new main additions are coming to Walt Disney World till 2027, so you have got a number of years to see Fantasy Springs with out actually lacking out on something at WDW (or Disneyland) for that matter.
The opposite is the power of the greenback and weak point of the Japanese yen. In the previous few years, the yen has fallen to ranges final seen in 1990. Past that, the actual efficient trade fee of the yen has hit its lowest degree in 50 years. That is largely as a result of divergent approaches between central banks in the US and Japan.
As of late 2024, the yen is hovering across the 140 degree in opposition to the U.S. greenback. To place this into perspective for these are are unfamiliar with touring to Japan or international forex, /regular rule of thumb was once a 100:1 trade fee. Now, it’s 140:1. I’m no mathematician, however that’s a large enchancment. It’s additionally on prime of the decrease baseline costs in Japan. That is nice information for People touring to Japan.
Now for the unhealthy information: the window on this most likely will shut lengthy earlier than 2027. Throughout each of our most up-to-date visits, the yen was above the 150 degree in opposition to the greenback (it even hit 160!) The pattern has reversed, and can possible proceed to take action, as a result of the U.S. Federal Reserve has signaled it’s going to start out reducing rates of interest, whereas the Financial institution of Japan is lastly elevating them.
Regardless, the subsequent couple of years ought to nonetheless be a good time to go to Tokyo Disney Resort with the trade fee good-to-great by historic requirements. Simply not fairly as incredible because it was earlier this 12 months, when flirting with the 160 mark.
Lastly, there are the skyrocketing prices on the U.S. Parks coupled with nickel and diming. Whereas a few of this has made its approach to TDR, it’s not almost as excessive as a result of the Japanese shopper is usually extra cost-conscious and frugal. (There’s additionally the sensible actuality: common wages and disposable earnings are considerably decrease than in the US.)
It’s gotten to the purpose that, for our household of three, it’s actually costlier for us to take a comparable journey from California to Walt Disney World than it’s for us to journey to Japan and Tokyo Disney Resort. The flights are costlier (see under), however that’s actually the one factor. And the hole is greater than bridged by the whole lot else.
And truthfully, a comparable journey isn’t even potential as a result of (in our opinion) Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea are to date superior to the 4 parks at Walt Disney World. So we’ll fortunately spend much less to go to Japan whereas additionally having (once more, in our opinion) a greater trip. Your mileage could range on that half, although!
Anyway, I’ve been preaching about Tokyo Disney Resort to anybody who will pay attention and inspiring readers to go to Tokyo DisneySea and Tokyo Disneyland in a number of posts, and now it’s time to offer a plan for making the journey extra financially viable.
Once more, this doesn’t imply everybody studying this publish will be capable of afford to go to Japan, nor will it make sense for everybody. I perceive that. I additionally perceive that I’m extremely lucky to have the ability to journey. For these with giant households (that means extra airfare), locals to a theme park (that means resort and airfare prices they in any other case wouldn’t pay), and/or strict trip schedules (that means a scarcity of flexibility in reserving throughout cheaper instances), this publish could not assist. The journey to Tokyo Disney Resort very effectively may nonetheless be out of the query.
With all of that stated, earlier than you shut this browser window, contemplate this: if you happen to can afford to take a yearly on-property trip to Walt Disney World, it’s potential which you could afford a visit to Tokyo Disney Resort. It’ll simply may require persistence, sacrifice, and savvy planning, amongst (presumably) different issues.
It’s value it. I’ve written that Tokyo DisneySea is one of the best Disney theme park on this planet, and I imply it. I additionally assume Tokyo Disneyland is one of the best Disney fort park on this planet. Sure, the 2 greatest Disney theme parks on this planet. Even when making this journey means skipping an annual journey to Walt Disney World (or two) or saving for a number of years, I like to recommend a minimum of crunching the numbers and seeing if you may make it work. Hopefully, this text could make these numbers a bit simpler to crunch.
So, if you wish to go to the Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea and are questioning if and the way it may be inside attain for you financially, proceed on…
Airfare
I’m beginning right here as a result of I think that is the place I would lose a few of you. By way of value differential, airfare is undoubtedly the most important distinction between a Walt Disney World trip and a Tokyo Disney Resort trip. Bank card churning, hacks, or miles redemptions are completely one of the best methods to save lots of on airfare, however they’re past the scope of this publish and muddy the mathematics an excessive amount of (see the ‘airfare’ part of this publish as an alternative).
For those who’re paying for airfare, it may cost a little you over $1,000 per individual (possible much less if you happen to reside close to Los Angeles, Seattle, or San Francisco). Even getting airfare to ~$1,250 per individual may require shut airfare monitoring, relying upon your origin metropolis. Begin now by setting fare alerts on Airfarewatchdog.com on your metropolis of origin to Tokyo (NRT and HND).
Prior to now, after I’ve conversed with individuals a couple of journey to Tokyo being nearer inside attain than they could assume, the response virtually all the time is that airfare is just too costly, typically with arbitrary dates chosen as an instance their level. Airfare to Tokyo from the US is dear, there’s no query about that.
It’s additionally extremely disingenuous to cost flights out of Bozeman, Montana for subsequent week. Certain, if you wish to show the purpose that Japan is just too costly, I assume that works. However if you happen to’re earnestly attempting to go to Japan, that’s clearly idiotic. You aren’t going to e book last-minute flights to Walt Disney World or throw darts at a board to decide on dates. You’re going to attempt to discover methods to reduce prices relatively than maximizing them.
With that stated, when you have a big celebration and/or are coming from someplace within the Midwest or South that provides low-cost flights to Florida, the price of airfare most likely makes the journey prohibitively costly. Likewise, in case your journey dates are in no way versatile, the airfare value can rapidly skyrocket, making the journey not viable even for smaller events. If the concept of spending $1,000 (or extra) on airfare per individual makes you nauseous, Tokyo may be out of the query. (Though simply as I used to be updating this, I bought an airfare alert for $760 RTs from Pittsburgh on Air Canada for the remainder of 2024, so there’s that!)
In case your dates are considerably versatile, you shouldn’t simply arbitrarily choose dates, have a look at excessive costs, and rule this journey out of the query. Presumably, you’re going to be planning a visit to Tokyo Disney Resort effectively upfront. Be affected person, watch airfare, and watch for worth alerts. Begin on the lookout for airfare by going to ITA Software program or Google Flight Search and utilizing the “see calendar of lowest fares” search function. Do a number of searches in month increments, and make your journey size variable (e.g., 9-10). Airfare costs fluctuate considerably, so the extra flexibility you have got, the higher.
I might additionally advocate contemplating flying out of airports you don’t usually use. Again after we lived within the Midwest, my alerts for Tokyo on Airfarewatchdog had been out of Indianapolis, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle. Clearly, we didn’t reside close to all of those cities. Extra just lately, we’ve discovered flights out of LAX for beneath $600 spherical journey. (For no matter it’s value, when flights are over $1,000 RT, we use miles–lower than that, we pay money. We’ve discovered that’s the great rule of thumb that works for us.)
Nonetheless, I’ve discovered that generally the airfare offers out of the west coast are so good that even after individually buying airfare to get to these airports, it’s nonetheless a greater deal. That is what we did for our first journey to Japan: buying tickets out of LAX, then flying there by way of Southwest with our Companion Passes. (We additionally made it a one-day stopover to drop in on Disneyland.)
With all of this stated, the purpose stands that airfare goes to value much more. In need of utilizing miles, there is no such thing as a means round this. Costs might not be as unhealthy as you thought (or they may be), however there is no such thing as a arguing that they’re costly. (One approach to get extra “mileage” out of this journey is to mix it with a visit to Hong Kong Disneyland and/or Aulani with minimal added airfare value.)
The excellent news is that almost the whole lot else will value much less.
Lodges
If you wish to keep on-site at a Tokyo Disney Resort resort, be ready to spend $500+ per evening in your room. You thought I stated this was going to get cheaper, proper?! Properly, it’s, and never since you’re going to execute a clandestine plan to sleep within the foyer of Resort MiraCosta and never pay for a room…
It will get cheaper as a result of Tokyo Disney Resort has a number of on-site resorts on the monorail loop that aren’t Disney-branded. The Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay and the Hilton Tokyo Bay are the 2 that greatest cater to Westerners (I believe the Hilton really caters to Westerners higher than the Disney resorts; you possibly can learn our full Hilton Tokyo Bay Overview to learn/see extra about it), and those at which I might counsel staying.
We’ve stayed on the Hilton Tokyo Bay greater than any resort on this planet (even than the Walt Disney World ones–we combine it up much more typically there). By the tip of 2024, we’ll have logged virtually a full month on the Hilton Tokyo Bay in only one 12 months. With that stated, see our Resort Critiques & Rankings at Tokyo Disney Resort for a rundown of the opposite choices and the way it all stacks up.
There are additionally quite a few off-site resorts alongside the JR line or accessible by way of different technique of public transportation, a lot of which might be booked for <$100/evening. After a nasty expertise staying off-site, I might by no means do it once more. They could not value as a lot in {dollars}, however the off-site resorts have a larger value: time. Even if you happen to’re not a morning individual, you hopefully will get to those parks at or earlier than park opening (if you happen to don’t…good luck).
For even the closest off-site resort, add in a minimum of half-hour of extra commuting. On prime of that, you may be utilizing public transportation in the course of the morning rush hour commute. If saving as a lot cash as potential is your biggest concern, try the off-site resorts, however I don’t advocate it. Your mileage could range on this.
Not like official Disney resorts which have a printed fee chart and persist with these charges, the non-Disney, on-site resorts use dynamic pricing. Which means that charges at these resorts fluctuate broadly primarily based on stock, projected (and precise) demand, and provide. I as soon as noticed $300+ per evening commonplace rooms for the Hilton, however rooms for ~$150 per evening are in no way unusual. Due to this, it’s crucial that you simply worth out the resort after you discover a deal on a flight, however earlier than you e book the flight. We’ve made this error earlier than, and it may be a expensive one.
As for the rooms, the Celebrio rooms within the Hilton remind me of what the “modern” theme at Disney’s Up to date Resort needs to be, and its location on the monorail loop, room high quality, views (virtually each room both views the ocean (see under) or Cinderella Citadel), and facilities make it on par with a Walt Disney World Deluxe resort. In truth, I believe you’ll be hard-pressed to discover a Deluxe Walt Disney World resort that’s as good because the Hilton.
Once more, it’s good to be versatile with dates right here. January 11-16 is presently $234 per evening, however February 15-20 is presently solely $135 per evening. That worth distinction proper there ought to illustrate why flexibility and advance reserving are crucial. As a consequence of these large worth swings, it’s crucial that you simply worth out the Sheraton and Hilton (if you happen to plan on staying at one in all them) earlier than you e book your airfare. Saving $50 on flights isn’t value it if it means paying considerably extra for the resort!
Along with watching charges, I extremely advocate becoming a member of HHonors and signing up for Hilton’s deal emails (ensure you verify that you simply wish to obtain “Center East & Asia Pacific Information and Presents”). In my expertise, Hilton does a 72-hour, 50% off flash sale about 4 instances per 12 months for choose dates all through Japan. Due to this deal, we had been capable of rating a <$125/evening room there for sure nights of our final journey. Due to this potential deal, you shouldn’t e book a ‘no cancellation’ room at any of those resorts, except you’re reserving on the final minute. Chances are high, you’ll cancel and rebook your room if you happen to e book far sufficient upfront, and you’ll’t do that for one of many “higher” no cancellation charges. For those who don’t need to join the e-mail, monitor this website for the flash offers.
You gained’t discover a Deluxe-caliber resort at Walt Disney World on the monorail loop for ~$150 per evening, so this needs to be a financial savings (if you happen to usually keep at Average or above Walt Disney World resort).
Tickets
Tickets to Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea are significantly cheaper than Walt Disney World or Disneyland tickets. Full single-day park tickets value roughly $60 to $75. Throughout our final journey, we additionally purchased a Weeknight Passport on the entrance gate for ~$30. Tokyo Disney Resort has not but resumed gross sales of multi-day tickets or Annual Passes.
Fairly reduce and dry, so there’s no level in fixating on this. The one large plus aspect I’ll point out right here is that the entire wonderful seasonal leisure in Tokyo is included within the common value of admission, so if you happen to’re usually go to arduous ticket occasions in Walt Disney World, you gained’t be paying these additional prices at Tokyo Disneyland or DisneySea.
Until you have already got an Annual Cross to one of many US parks, this value will likely be significantly decrease. As mentioned in our Tokyo Disneyland Low cost Ticket Suggestions for 2024, we extremely advocate anybody with U.S. bank cards purchase Tokyo Disneyland & DisneySea park tickets as far upfront as potential from Klook.
Line-Skipping
Paid FastPass has (sadly) unfold to Japan, and is out there at widespread rides and leisure at Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea. Often called Premier Entry, it’s their model of Lightning Lane Single Cross.
We don’t purchase Premier Entry for any sights, as an alternative utilizing early mornings and late nights to knock the whole lot out (together with a number of rides on Enchanted Story of Magnificence and the Beast) with out a lot situation. The one time we’ve ever bought Premier Entry was for “Imagine! Sea of Desires” on its opening evening. We regretted doing that and wouldn’t do it once more.
The one sights for which we’d contemplate buying Premier Entry are those in Fantasy Springs. Particularly, Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Journey and Peter Pan’s By no means Land Journey. Even then, these sights supply the free Standby Cross and that’s normally simpler to acquire than the paid Premier Entry.
Oh, and on prime of that, Tokyo Disney Resort has no paid counterpart to Lightning Lane Multi-Cross. As a substitute, TDR makes use of free Precedence Cross, which is principally simply FastPass however with a distinct identify. It’s not out there at the most well-liked rides (the place Premier Entry is offered), however it’s nice for skipping the strains at Indiana Jones Journey, Pooh’s Hunny Hunt, Monsters, Inc. Experience & Go Search, Massive Thunder Mountain Railroad, and extra!
Trip Packages
It is a publish about saving cash, and Tokyo Disney Resort Trip Packages will value you extra. You’re paying premium pricing for the comfort of getting an itinerary forward of time and the peace of thoughts of realizing you’ll get sure attraction choices. That is very true now that Fantasy Springs is open.
Previous to Fantasy Springs, we by no means beneficial TDR Trip Packages. Now, we do for friends who are usually not on tight budgets due to the benefit of entry (and limitless nature) afforded by the particular Fantasy Springs (and different) tickets. Nonetheless, you need to nonetheless skip the Trip Packages if you happen to’re attempting to do TDR on a dime. Don’t be intimidated about shopping for the person elements a la carte–this isn’t that tough.
Souvenirs
Merchandise is usually cheaper at Tokyo Disney Resort, however it will possibly range. The largest exception is all issues Duffy. We’ve “joked” up to now that the Duffy merchandising machine subsidizes the remainder of Tokyo DisneySea and is why the park is finished at such a excessive degree. That’s solely a half-joke.
Duffy stuff is actually costly. For those who’re doing TDR on a finances, simply avoid the Duffy outlets in Tokyo DisneySea. Critically, you don’t wish to fall down that rabbit gap (or bear den?). For those who simply persist with t-shirts, sweatshirts, and different easy stuff, merchandise at TDR might be extremely reasonably priced.
One other advice right here is to go to the secondhand shops in Nakano Broadway, which is on the outskirts of Tokyo. See our Purchasing Information to Nakano Broadway. It’s a extremely enjoyable place–don’t miss the large ice cream within the basement!
Meals
Whether or not you get monetary savings on meals at Tokyo Disney Resort relies upon rather a lot in your eating patterns and your urge for food. Japanese portion sizes are unquestionably smaller than US portion sizes. Counter service eating places are priced about the identical at Tokyo Disney Resort as they’re within the US parks, with desk service eating places being cheaper than their US counterparts (and there’s no tipping in Japan). Total, I imagine meals high quality is increased within the Tokyo parks.
For those who wish to snack or you have got a big urge for food, it’s potential that you possibly can spend extra on meals at Tokyo Disney Resort than you’ll within the US parks. That’s, except you eat on the buffets at Tokyo Disney Resort, that are extremely top quality and are all you possibly can eat. Every resort has one buffet, as does Tokyo Disneyland.
I extremely advocate each Crystal Palace in Tokyo Disneyland. Not solely does it have nice meals, however there are sometimes among the snacks that value ~$4-5 every within the park. As for one of the best counter service values, eating places that serve private pizzas (not pizza by the slice) are your greatest choices. This implies Pan Galactic Pizza Port in Tokyo Disneyland and Zambini Brothers’ Ristorante in Tokyo DisneySea, with these pizzas operating about $7-8.
For those who’re actually trying to save cash on meals, try the Ikspiari buying district. Within the basement, you’ll discover a grocery store that has all kinds of groceries. We go right here ceaselessly to seize rice balls, desserts, and all kinds of different issues (similar to diapers!). Equally, a lot of the resorts–each Disney-branded and third events–have comfort shops of their lobbies. This could be a enjoyable and cost-effective approach to do breakfast or late-night meals.
These are the 4 fundamentals, and I believe if you do the mathematics after being affected person and on the lookout for offers, you may discover {that a} journey to Tokyo Disney Resort is inside attain. It could require quantity of analysis and pre-planning to seek out that candy spot of resort and airfare costs, in addition to saving a bit longer or forgoing a visit to Walt Disney World (I might completely forgo a 12 months or two of journeys to Walt Disney World if that’s what it took to get to Tokyo), however it’s probably do-able.
Decreasing the bills of a visit to Japan to 4 elements of a theme park go to isn’t going to cowl the whole lot. Presumably, you aren’t simply going to go to Japan for Tokyo Disney Resort. From the town of Tokyo to the shrines of Kyoto, Japan is an extremely lovely nation with many issues to see, do, eat, and expertise.
It could be a disgrace to go and solely go to two theme parks, even in case you are an enormous Disney fan and they’re the 2 greatest Disney parks. So, naturally, you will have extra bills than what I’m itemizing right here, however it’s inconceivable for me to know what else you’re going to do since there are such a lot of different issues to do (and since this can be a Disney weblog, overlaying the Disney element of the journey plus airfare is what makes probably the most sense).
There are two different issues I’ll point out. One is a vital one, and (in step with the final tone of this weblog that has in any other case been absent from this “critical” publish) one is a ridiculous one. The necessary one is the Japan Rail Cross, which permits limitless journey on the varied JR strains for 7, 14, or 21 days. This implies limitless Shinkansen (bullet practice) transportation. For those who’re solely visiting Tokyo, it’s not value shopping for this cross. However if you happen to’re heading to Kyoto and past and can take the Shinkansen 3 or extra instances, the JR Cross might be value it.
The opposite tip is to search for the “100 Yen Particular” merchandising machines. It’s all the time an enormous ethical victory for me after I discover one in all these little beauties, which most likely appears foolish as a result of saving 20 cents on a beverage within the grand scheme of an Asian trip isn’t a lot…however it’s a victory nonetheless. Plus, I believe these have higher and extra fascinating drinks than the “fancy” merchandising machines.
Once more, I perceive that the ideas on this publish are nonetheless just isn’t reasonable for everybody. I additionally perceive that I’m very lucky to have the advance-planning flexibility, celebration measurement, and many others., to make visiting Japan inside attain. I simply hope this text comes throughout as a honest try to assist others crunch the numbers and probably get monetary savings within the reserving course of, relatively than coming throughout as a chilly and unrealistic assertion that “Tokyo Disney Resort is affordable!” (It’s not.)
Planning a visit to Tokyo Disney Resort? For complete recommendation, one of the best place to start out is our Tokyo Disneyland & DisneySea Journey Planning Information! For extra specifics, our TDR Resort Rankings & Critiques web page covers lodging. Our Restaurant Critiques element the place to dine & snack. To save cash on tickets or decide which kind to purchase, learn our Suggestions for Saving Cash publish. Our What to Pack for Disney publish takes a singular have a look at intelligent objects to take. Venturing elsewhere in Japan? Seek the advice of our Final Information to Kyoto, Japan and Metropolis Information to Tokyo, Japan.
Your Ideas
Does this assist make a visit to Tokyo Disney Resort extra reasonable for you in the long run? Does visiting Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea curiosity you? When you have every other feedback or questions in regards to the expense of visiting Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea, publish them under and I’ll attempt to reply!
