On the subject of planning for Walt Disney World or Disneyland, worth will increase on meals, resorts, park tickets and extra have change into a reality of life. Including insult to harm, free FastPass+ was changed by paid the Genie+ service and different perks beforehand included with packages have been minimize. (Up to date February 16, 2024.)
Accordingly, “decrease costs” and “Disney Parks” might not seem to be phrases that go collectively, but it surely’s true. This publish covers the costs we paid for quite a few issues–together with airfare, lodge, meals, merchandise, and extra–that had been decrease than what we paid again in 2019. After all, the catch is that this wasn’t a visit to Walt Disney World or Disneyland.
Many American followers don’t understand this, however their trip {dollars} go quite a bit additional on the worldwide parks. Not solely are they cheaper, however they’re house to unbelievable sights and lands like the brand new World of Frozen and Fantasy Springs. Simply check out our Rankings of the Finest Disney Theme Parks within the World!
Earlier than we delve into this, context is critical. We routinely see Walt Disney World or Disneyland followers examine the excessive value of tickets on the U.S. parks to the decrease costs of the Asian parks. Whereas that’s objectively true, it’s additionally not the total story. Unsurprisingly, the first demographic of Disney Parks in Japan isn’t People.
There are a pair issues People usually don’t take note of when evaluating the numbers. One is main variations in median wages/family earnings, with these numbers being far greater in the US. One other is the energy of the U.S. greenback. Relative to different currencies, the greenback is extremely sturdy–to an nearly unprecedented diploma.
Nowhere is that this extra obvious than when contrasting the U.S. greenback to the Japanese yen. Within the final couple of years, the yen has fallen to ranges final seen in 1990. Past that, the true efficient alternate price of the yen has hit its lowest stage in 50 years. That is largely because of the divergent approaches between central banks in the US and Japan.
As of February 2024, the yen is hovering across the 150 stage towards the U.S. greenback, a 3 decade low. To place this into perspective for these are are unfamiliar with touring to Japan or international foreign money, a great/regular rule of thumb was a 100:1 alternate price. Now, it’s 150:1. I’m no mathematician, however that’s an enormous enchancment. It’s additionally on prime of the decrease baseline costs in Japan.
That is nice information for People touring to Japan. However it’s not objectively nice information across-the-board for everybody. You most likely shouldn’t stroll right into a grocery store in Japan and shout about how “low cost” every little thing is in there. That received’t win you a lot pals, because the individuals who reside in Japan and are paid in yen have a very totally different perspective than yours.
That is particularly the case as actual wages have fallen in Japan for 21 consecutive months, whereas they’ve been rising within the U.S., regardless of inflation. Japan additionally enters 2024 in a technical recession, with fears that the financial system goes to worsen earlier than it will get higher.
There are numerous present and historic explanations as to why that is the case, that are fairly fascinating however past the scope of this publish. To that time, I’d suggest watching this video and googling Japan’s “Misplaced Many years” (plural).
All of this additionally makes evaluating costs on the home parks to the worldwide ones an apples to oranges kinda deal. To make certain, we love Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea and suppose they’re typically higher than the U.S. parks, however drawing that conclusion doesn’t require a disingenuous worth comparability.
We’re going to set all of that apart–however simply know that it’s not a simple comparability. The purpose of this publish isn’t to clarify the why of it, simply that your {dollars} as an American Disney fan can go quite a bit additional at Tokyo Disney Resort than at Walt Disney World or Disneyland.
One ultimate notice earlier than we start the worth rundown is that we aren’t suggesting {that a} journey to Japan is “low cost” and even one thing that anybody can do. A visit to any Disney park is financially out of attain for a lot of the world’s inhabitants (and at all times has been), so we’re all fairly lucky if we’re ever capable of go to any Disney park wherever.
Our solely level is that costs on the parks in Japan are cheaper relative to Walt Disney World and Disneyland for People with the means to trip at Disney Parks within the first place. It’s a slim comparability geared toward solely a sliver of the world’s inhabitants, however there’s an honest probability you’re amongst that demo when you’re studying an English-language Disney weblog primarily based in the US.
We have now identified up to now that these worldwide journeys don’t should be as costly as many individuals assume they’re (see our Ideas for Saving Cash at Tokyo Disneyland publish), and relying upon your social gathering dimension, a visit to Tokyo might value about the identical and even lower than a trip to Walt Disney World.
In equity, that is usually solely true for these with out a number of kids, those that can journey throughout non-peak occasions, and reside close to a significant worldwide airport or can save miles or bank card factors for the journey. As with something, your mileage might range.
Airfare – Flights are regularly considered because the insurmountable impediment for visiting Tokyo Disney Resort. When you search from a regional airport in West Virginia on Christmas Eve (returning on New Yr’s Eve), you may conclude that all dates from all airports value $2,471 roundtrip. After all, that’s not reflective of common flights prices, simply because it wouldn’t be for airfare to Walt Disney World.
For our final journey, flights from Los Angeles had been round $600 whole, flying into Tokyo and out of Osaka. For our upcoming 2024 journey, these prices have elevated to the $800 vary, flying into Osaka and out of Tokyo. Costs typically are up, however we’re additionally extra data-constrained because of the opening of Fantasy Springs.
In perusing the calendar for Fall 2024, spherical journey airfare is far and wide. There are $600 RT dates and in addition $1,000 RT dates. Use Google Flight Search’s versatile calendar function to find out real looking/cheap costs from your property airport. We’re additionally large followers of airfare alerts–I get emails about one per week for sub-$600 spherical journey flights between Los Angeles and Tokyo.
On the absolute most, the associated fee ought to be LAX-TYO + LAX-your house airport (and you are able to do a visit Disneyland!). Flights to Japan can be dearer than costs the overwhelming majority of vacationers would pay to get to Walt Disney World. Nonetheless, we’ll nearly totally shut that hole with our subsequent reserving…
Monorail Loop Lodge – For years, we’ve really helpful guests on a price range eschew the Disney-branded resorts in favor of the Tokyo Disney Resort Official Lodges which can be on-site and provide monorail entry to each parks. To attract a Walt Disney World comparability, these can be like placing the Swan & Dolphin within the Modern’s location.
We have now stayed at each single one among these, however favor the Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay or the Hilton Tokyo Bay. We often guide the latter since Sarah has Hilton Diamond Standing, which will get us free upgrades, breakfast buffet, and concierge lounge entry for meals.
Even with out that, we’d say each of those resorts are Deluxe Resorts by Walt Disney World requirements–as long as you get up to date rooms. (If the 2 had been priced precisely the identical, I’d choose Hilton Tokyo Bay over the Modern because the superior lodge.)
Rack charges range tremendously for these resorts, however you’ll be able to anticipate to pay 20,000 yen per weeknight at one of many monorail loop resorts. In doing a variety of pattern searches, I see the Grand Nikko Tokyo Bay Maihama, Lodge Okura, and different official on-site resorts costing $101-$128/night time for a lot of weeknights.
Final time, our after tax whole for a 5-night keep at Hilton Tokyo Bay was 97,774 yen. That ended up being slightly below $144.60 per night time on the time. For Summer season 2024, we’re paying a median of $180 per night time.
This really is not that nice of a price–we’ve paid as little as $99/night time within the final 5 years, and $150/night time was about common for weeknights. (And that was when the yen was a lot stronger.) Lodge costs all through Japan presently appear greater in yen than regular–particularly on weekends, which is probably going as a consequence of delayed pent-up demand.
Park Tickets – As mentioned in our Tokyo Disneyland Low cost Ticket Ideas for 2024, we had a tough time shopping for tickets by way of the official Tokyo Disney Resort web site as a consequence of 3-D Safe Authentication. Consequently, we extremely suggest anybody with U.S. bank cards purchase Tokyo Disneyland & DisneySea park tickets as far prematurely as doable from Klook.
Full single-day park tickets value 7,900 yen to 10,900 yen for adults. As of February 2024, that’s roughly $52 to $72. Throughout out 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.
1-Day Passport: Fantasy Springs Magic Ticket – That is the one exception to the cheaper park tickets at Tokyo Disney Resort, because the Fantasy Springs Magic Ticket prices 22,900 to 25,900 yen for adults, or $152 to $172. So principally, $100 extra per or practically triple the worth of a daily single day ticket. We purchased these for a day in June 2024.
The distinction, other than the considerably greater worth, is that that is principally a vast FastPass for the brand-new Tangled, Peter Pan, and Frozen sights (minus Fairy Tinker Bell’s Busy Buggies) in Fantasy Springs. There’ll in any other case be a free digital queue for the rides (additionally essential to enter the land), or paid FastPass for every particular person trip.
Our guess is that that the ticket, though costly, can be a lifesaver that saves us from having to camp out for hours earlier than park opening. Sadly, these are solely accessible to company staying at Tokyo DisneySea Fantasy Springs Lodge or by way of an eligible Tokyo Disney Resort Trip Bundle plan.
We did the latter, overpaying for a keep at Toy Story Lodge. Our whole value for that’s $1,187, which incorporates the aforementioned tickets plus regular tickets to Tokyo Disneyland, FastPasses every day, the breakfast buffet at Lotso Backyard Cafe, an evening at Toy Story Lodge, and a bunch of different extras we didn’t actually need. Suffice to say, these trip packages–and even this ticket–are not a great illustration of the way to do Tokyo Disney Resort on a price range.
Disney Premier Entry – Paid FastPass has (sadly) unfold to Japan, and is on the market at standard rides and leisure at Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea. Often known as Premier Entry, it’s their model of Particular person Lightning Lanes.
We didn’t purchase Premier Entry for any sights, as a substitute utilizing early mornings and late nights to knock every little thing out (together with a number of rides on Enchanted Story of Magnificence and the Beast) with out a lot challenge. Nonetheless, we did buy Premier Entry as soon as for “Consider! Sea of Desires” at the price of 2,500 yen for every of us.
I don’t suppose it was value it and wouldn’t do it once more, nor would I like to recommend anybody else purchase it. We did it as peace of thoughts for opening night time of a present we solely had one probability to see. Dwell and study.
Had we not purchased the Fantasy Springs Magic Tickets, we’d pay for Premier Entry in Fantasy Springs at Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Journey, Rapunzel’s Lantern Pageant, and Peter Pan’s By no means Land Journey at a price of two,000 yen or $13.32 per trip. There’s a great probability we’d’ve completed that a number of occasions over the course of a number of days…if doable.
Right here’s a rundown of different chosen bills on meals and souvenirs from our final journey to Tokyo Disney Resort…
Christmas Sweaters & Sweatshirts – As a local Michigander, I’ve an affinity for sweaters. That stopped making sense some time in the past, as they’re much less “applicable” for day-to-day life in Orange County (Florida and California). However, I nonetheless bought three Christmas sweaters at Tokyo Disney Resort.
The price of every sweater is ¥5,900. That’s presently $39.29 or roughly half the price of a Spirit Jersey.
Tokyo Disney Resort Hooded Sweatshirt – That is one among my favourite sweatshirts of all time–it’s comfy and shockingly high-quality for the worth, which has at all times been a discount. I’ve purchased two different variations of it up to now–there was a brand new colorway I needed to have.
This hoodie is 3,800 yen or ~$25.
Lil’ Rin Rin Christmas Shoulder Bag – Tokyo Disneyland has a line of vacation merchandise that includes Lil’ Rin Rin, who is known as that for the sound of the bell hooked up to the tip of his pointed hat and appears like a cross between Mickey Mouse and a gnome. Lil’ Rin Rin is the person.
Little else is thought about this mischievous character, however he’s believed to be a feared troll that roams the Nordic countryside between St. Lucia Day and Christmas. Feared for his (or her) ferocity, Lil’ Rin Rin emerges from his (or her) cave and solely spares the households that depart bowls of porridge outside to appease the urge for food of Lil’ Rin Rin.
The Lil’ Rin Rin shoulder bag value ¥2,900 or $19.31, however can be “value it” even at $1,931.
Baymax Curry – Served on the Middle Avenue Espresso Home, a desk service restaurant in World Bazaar, the Baymax Curry is good and mellow butter rooster curry and medium-spicy beef curry with chunks of beef.
The Baymax Curry prices ¥1,580. That’s presently $10.52.
Little Inexperienced Mochi and Private Pan Pizza – Pan Galactic Pizza Port is the primary pizza restaurant within the photo voltaic system, establishing store as a counter service spot in Tomorrowland at Tokyo Disneyland. Supervisor Tony Solaroni operates the PZ-5000 totally computerized pizza machine and takes orders.
The sausage private pan pizza is ¥740 and the little inexperienced mochi are ¥400. That’s presently a complete of $7.59.
Hungry Bear Curry – One other such curry meal was at Hungry Bear Restaurant in Westernland, which is my favourite counter service spot for curry in both park.
The pork cutlet curry prices ¥1,100 and the rooster curry is ¥900. The Pistachio Cream & Pudding with Memento Cup value ¥900. (We purchased each number of these–not for the dessert, however as a result of the little cup is perfectly-sized for espresso.) The whole present value of this all is $19.31.
Crystal Palace Buffet – The three-domed glass constructing is a direct clone of the sit-down Crystal Palace in Magic Kingdom. The important thing variations are that no Winnie the Pooh characters are current, and the delicacies is healthier (in our opinion) at Tokyo Disneyland. Along with meats, sushi and seafood, Crystal Palace additionally has a formidable dessert lineup. The little inexperienced mochi are, to borrow a phrase from Joey, the place we win our a refund.
The Crystal Palace buffet prices 4,500 yen per grownup, which is presently $30.
Gaston’s Feast – After all we needed to eat every little thing on the menu at La Taverne de Gaston within the new Magnificence and the Beast space. Pictured right here is the sausage ‘large chunk’ croissant, french toast/grilled cheese sandwich, candy mousse, hunter’s pie, and apple-caramel churro.
Whole value of every little thing above is 3,200 yen, or $21.31.
Espresso Mugs – On our flight again from Japan, every of our carry-ons had been about 50% mugs and cups. We purchased all kinds of choices at Nakano Broadway, Kyoto vintage outlets, and Starbucks all through Japan. We purchased the 4 mugs above at TDR; the 2 on the left have heat-activated results and all 4 have tactile, dimensional designs. All are microwave and dishwasher protected.
These 4 mugs had been a complete of two,800 yen–presently $18.64.
Finally, it’s a good time for People to go to Japan if you wish to make the most of our stronger foreign money and larger buying energy. As intimated above, the excellent news for People is that this has much less to do with Tokyo Disney Resort having cheap costs and extra concerning the worth of our foreign money and buying energy due to greater wages. Because of this you received’t simply encounter “low cost” costs on the parks–you’ll discover them just about in all places you go. That may stay true as long as the alternate price continues to be traditionally favorable and across the 140 to 150 yen to greenback stage.
This assumes you’re capable of rating cheap airfare, are comfy touring internationally, and have the need to go to Japan. It’s most likely apparent to common readers, however we’re enormous followers of Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea. For years, we’ve been imploring diehard Disney followers to go to these parks, that are our two favourite theme parks on the earth. They’re a breath of recent air for Walt Disney World followers who’ve change into disillusioned with worth will increase and all of the nickel & diming. (A couple of years in the past, we wrote “Wish to Recapture the Disney Magic? Go to Japan,” which underscores all of this.)
With that mentioned, Tokyo Disney Resort isn’t excellent–particularly not proper now. Leisure and seasonal choices are nonetheless scaled again, particularly at Tokyo DisneySea. A part of this was (sadly) inevitable because the parks shifted from leisure to capex and opened new sights–however one other aspect is because of the phased reopening being about 18 months behind.
Our hope is that numerous this can be rolled again or in any other case resolved by June 2024 when Fantasy Springs opens. Realistically, the after-effects will most likely linger for a number of years. The getting old inhabitants and immigration compounds issues, resulting in labor shortages. (To make certain, the US has an analogous dynamic, however we’re a decade or extra away from it being as pronounced right here as it’s in Japan.)
We’re very a lot wanting ahead to returning to Japan in Summer season 2024, and making the most of this dynamic once more. We likewise suggest Japan to first-timers and repeat guests alike at that time. Tokyo Disney Resort not firing on all cylinders continues to be one thing particular, particularly at an efficient low cost because of the weak yen and powerful greenback. The one draw back is that it’ll eternally change the best way you view each different theme park.
Planning a visit to Tokyo Disney Resort? For complete recommendation, the very best place to begin is our Tokyo Disneyland & DisneySea Journey Planning Information! For extra specifics, our TDR Lodge Rankings & Evaluations web page covers lodging. Our Restaurant Evaluations element the place to dine & snack. To save cash on tickets or decide which kind to purchase, learn our Ideas for Saving Cash publish. Our What to Pack for Disney publish takes a novel take 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 THOUGHTS
Have you ever visited Japan within the final couple of years? What was your expertise with the sturdy greenback and weak yen? Even when you visited pre-closure, what did you’re feeling concerning the worth proposition of Tokyo Disney Resort? Happy with the bang-for-buck you bought out of the journey? Excited to expertise Tokyo Disney Resort within the coming years? Are you delaying your first go to to maximise seeing ‘new stuff’ or shifting it ahead to keep away from the crowds? Any questions we may help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even if you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
