Visiting DisneySea

Tokyo DisneySea is often called one of the best Disney parks in the world, and honestly, I couldn’t agree more! It’s the only DisneySea park out there, and everything about it—from the gorgeous views to the one-of-a-kind rides and food—is truly special. But if you’re new to Japan or haven’t been to DisneySea before, there are a few things you’ll want to know before your visit, especially if you plan to visit DisneySea with kids. I cannot tell you how much I researched and prepped for our trip to DisneySea, it was like I was studying for a test!

Tokyo Disneyland vs. Tokyo DisneySea

First off, if you’re visiting Japan with kids and are torn between visiting Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea, here is a super quick breakdown to help you decide.

Tokyo Disneyland

•  Modeled after the original Disneyland in California

•  Has a traditional "Disney magic" atmosphere

•  Features classic Disney themes, characters, and rides like Cinderella’s Castle, Fantasyland, and Space Mountain.

•  More light-hearted, whimsical feel

•  Appeals more to younger children and families who want to experience the iconic Disney elements.

•  More parades & shows

 Designed like a classic theme park, with clear paths leading to different lands like Adventureland, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland.

Tokyo DisneySea

•  Inspired by nautical myths, legends, and exploration

•  DisneySea is unique to Japan

•  Has a more mature, adventurous theme

•  Divided into different “ports of call” like Mediterranean Harbor, Arabian Coast, and Mysterious Island.

•  Appeal more to older kids, teenagers, and adults, offering an atmosphere that feels slightly more sophisticated and immersive.

•  Some of the rides are more intense, but it still offers plenty of attractions for younger guests as well.

•  The layout is unique, and the park's architecture and design are breathtaking, with some areas resembling real-world locations (e.g., Venice or the Arabian Coast). There’s a stronger emphasis on storytelling through design.

Considering all of this, although we have younger children, we opted for DisneySea for a few key reasons: we visit Disneyland California regularly and had heard the two parks are quite similar, but Tokyo DisneySea is one-of-a-kind. When we heard it’s widely regarded as the best Disney park out there—so of course, we had to see it for ourselves!

For the remainder of this tip, I will only be talking about and referring to DisneySea!

Buying Tickets

Now that you have decided on your park, you’ll want to buy tickets! You cannot buy tickets at the park, so make sure you do so in advance - I would suggest getting them at least 1-2 weeks in advance! You can certainly purchase them from the Tokyo Disney Resort Website, but I honestly found it difficult to navigate. I have also heard stories of it not accepting some credit cards. 

The easiest way to purchase tickets is through Klook.com - You can buy your DisneySea tickets HERE!

Depending on the day and time of year, ticket prices start at around  ¥9,695 ($65 USD) for a day-pass. Children < 4 years are FREE!

Tokyo Disney Resort App

It’s a MUST! But actually… At Disneyland California you can get away without downloading the app to get around, enter the park, etc. but at DisneySea it was our lifeline. Lol 

Once you buy your tickets, you will want to connect them via the Tokyo Disney Resort App. You will scan into the park using the app and manage all of your reservations there. 

I would make sure you have cellular data and a phone charger on this day! *Phone chargers are available for rent throughout the park as well!

The app also has a map, ride wait times, and show schedules, making it easy to plan your day on the go.

You will definitely utilize the map feature, as well as the Standby & Premier Access Pass features. This will be important for getting access to the new Fantasy Springs land at DisneySea - more on this later in the blog!

Standby Pass vs. Disney Premier Access Pass

The more popular rides and attractions offer guests the ability to join a virtual queue. You will do this through the app where it will show the available rides. There are two options: Standby Pass and the Disney Premier Access Pass. Here are the differences:

•  Cost: The Standby Pass is free, while the Disney Premier Access Pass requires an additional fee.

•  Function: The Standby Pass helps manage when you join the line, but you still wait in a queue. The Premier Access Pass lets you skip the line entirely.

•  Target Experience: The Standby Pass is aimed at managing crowds during busy times, whereas the Premier Access Pass is for guests willing to pay for convenience and shorter wait times.

*You cannot obtain a Standby or Premier Access Pass until you have scanned into the park entrance!

Some rides do not offer these passes all day, so you may have to refresh the app several times until the ride you are looking for appears. You will often see people throughout the park constantly refreshing the pages until a desired ride appears available. This was me until I realized I was wasting so much time staring at my phone and gave up. Lol

When to Get to the Park

This part is entirely up to you and how your family operates, BUT, here is my opinion and experience:

Arrive early if you want a chance to enter the new Fantasy Springs land. This land opened in June 2024 and features attractions from Frozen, Tangled, and Peter Pan. It has gained great popularity and is certainly beautiful, but it does require you to obtain either a Standby or Premier Access Pass to enter (more about this later in the blog). Annnnd, you have a much better chance of doing that if you arrive first thing in the morning. And I am talking before the park opens. We arrived at 7:30am (the park opened at 9am) and there was already a huge line.

Arriving early also gives you a better chance of getting on the rides you want before long lines.

However… Arrive later if you do not care about entering Fantasy Springs and the long lines do not bother you.

On the flipside, I will say, we noticed the lines for rides getting shorter the closer to closing we stayed. Around 6/7pm lines were very manageable and even short in some cases. Something that is definitely different from Disneyland in California. 

Stroller, Wheelchair, and Phone Charger Rentals

Strollers

You can bring your own stroller into the park or rent them inside. We brought our own stroller, and rented a second for our 3 year old (best decision we made)! The park is HUGE and requires a lot of walking, plus our 3 year old still enjoys a nap, so having a second stroller was needed.

A link to our favorite travel stroller, great for Disney! - $15 off using this link!

You can rent a stroller inside the gate for only ¥1,000 for the entire day (~$6.50 USD). Umm, yes. Only $6.50! 

I will say, they weren’t the easiest strollers to push, and not the most comfortable, but it served its purpose, and our 3 year old didn’t care in the slightest.

Stroller Parking: Many attractions have designated stroller parking areas where you can leave your stroller while you enjoy the rides or shows. Be sure to label your stroller, as there can be many in one area.

Wheelchairs

You can also rent wheelchairs inside the park, near the entrance.

Wheelchairs -  ¥500

Motorized Wheelchairs -  ¥1,000

Battery-Assisted Push Wheelchairs -  ¥2,000

Phone Chargers

There are also multiple locations throughout the park where you can rent mobile phone batteries. You will be required to download a separate app which can be downloaded by scanning a code at the rental service location.

Rental fees range from  ¥180 -  ¥900

Rides and Attractions

Although DisneySea is referenced as a more “mature” park, there are still plenty of rides for little ones! We spent the entire day there with our 3.5 year old and 5 month old, and still did not get to everything. Here is a list of rides & attractions suitable for younger guests:

Okay for babies (no height requirement):

•  Venetian Gondolas(Mediterranean Harbor)

•  Aquatopia (Port Discovery)

•  Turtle Talk (American Waterfront)

•  Electric Railway (American Waterfront)

•  The Whirlpool (Mermaid Lagoon)

•  Ariel’s Playground (Mermaid Lagoon)

•  Blowfish Balloon Race (Mermaid Lagoon)

•  Jasmine’s Flying Carpets (Arabian Coast)

•  Caravan Carousel (Arabian Coast)

•  Sidbad’s Storybook Voyage (Arabian Coast)

•  DisneySea Transit Steamer Line(Various Locations)

•  20,000 Leagues Under the Sea(Mysterious Island)

To find more rides (and their height requirements), shows, and attractions, use the app!

*There were a couple rides (ex. Toy Story Mania & Aquatopia) that asked to make sure our 5 month old could hold her head up and sit upright on a lap before allowing us on. I am not sure what the official rule is about this, but be aware if you are traveling with a baby!

Baby Care Centers & Nursing Facilities

At Tokyo DisneySea, there are two Baby Care Centers where you can attend to your baby’s needs, such as changing diapers, feeding, or just taking a break. Here's where they are located:

1. Near the Mediterranean Harbor:

   •  The main Baby Care Center is located near the entrance of the park, close to the Mediterranean Harbor area. It’s very convenient for families who need to take care of their little ones early in the day or after arriving at the park.

2. Inside Mermaid Lagoon:

   •  Another Baby Care Center is located within Mermaid Lagoon, which is one of the most baby- and toddler-friendly areas in the park. This center is handy if you’re spending time in this part of the park or enjoying the gentle rides there.

There is also a Nursing Mother’s Lounge in the American Waterfront, near Toy Story Mania. This facility does not offer everything the Babce Care Centers does.

Both Baby Care Centers offer the following:

•  Diaper changing tables

•  Private nursing rooms

•  High chairs for feeding

•  Microwaves for heating baby food or bottles

•  Supplies like diapers, wipes, and baby food available for purchase

These locations make it easy to access baby care facilities while exploring DisneySea.

Tips for Visiting with Babies

Rider Switch: If you're visiting with other adults, you can take advantage of the Rider Switch system, which allows one parent to ride while the other stays with the baby, then switch without having to wait in line again.

Babywearing: Many of the gentler rides allow babywearing, so you can hold your baby close while enjoying the attractions.

Food

THE FOOD!!! DisneySea is a culinary experience, let me tell you. I have never eaten so many (delicious) snacks. Try it all, because it is relatively cheap for amusement park food – ex. 400 yen ($2.60) for a box of popcorn!

There are unique popcorn flavors in each land (soy sauce, roast beef, white chocolate, etc), and other unique treats throughout the park. Here is a list of some of the favorite snacks we tried:

•  Roast Beef Popcorn

•  Creme Brulee Churro

•  Little Green Dumplings (Alien Mochi)

•  Mike’s Melon Bread

•  Sea Salt Monaka Ice Cream

•  Bacon Wrapped Rice

•  Soy Sauce Popcorn

•  Coffee Tapioca Latte

* You cannot bring your own meals into the park. There are picnic areas outside of the park. 

Souvenirs 

This is the place to buy all your Disney memorabilia and souvenirs as it is so much cheaper than in the States!

For example, a staple purchase is a pair of Mickey ears. At DisneySea they are about 1,600 Yen (~ $12 USD)! In the States, you’ll probably be paying $35-$40 for a pair of ears. Other fun souvenirs include the unique popcorn buckets from the different lands, unique hats, toys, etc. 

Fantasy Springs

Listen up, because this land in and of itself makes DisneySea complicated! Fantasy Springs is an exciting new expansion to Tokyo DisneySea that opened in the Spring of 2024. The area is inspired by Disney’s most beloved fantasy films, including Frozen, Tangled, and Peter Pan. Here’s what you need to know about getting into Fantasy Springs (because a park ticket is only half of it):

How to Enter Fantasy Springs

1. Tokyo Disney Resort Tickets: To access Fantasy Springs, you’ll need a regular Tokyo DisneySea park ticket. That's the easy part.

2. Disney Premier Access or Standby Pass: To enter the land you will need to obtain either a Premier Access Pass or Standby Pass for one of the attractions in Fantasy Springs. These passes are limited, and it is first-come-first serve (hence why people get there so early). And remember, you can only get one of these passes once you scan into the park. 

Once you get either an Premier Access Pass or Standby Pass, you will be given a window to enter Fantasy Springs. You may enter the land during that window to ride the ride you got the pass for.

Now, you would think that once you get into Fantasy Springs you have access to the rest of the land and rides… NOPE. As of current (Oct. 2024), you must obtain either a Premier Access Pass or Standby Pass for every ride in Fantasy Springs in order to ride them. This is why you will see people sitting on their phones constantly refreshing. We were only able to get a Standby Pass for the Tangledride. Now, once you are in Fantasy Springs you can walk around the land freely, but you do need a pass to ride the rides. 

Early Park Entry: If staying at a Tokyo Disney Resort hotel, you may be eligible for Happy Entry, which allows guests early access to the park before it officially opens to the public. This could give you a head start on exploring Fantasy Springs.

We had the best day, and stayed almost 12 hours and still did not feel like we saw/did everything! You could definitely spend 2-3 days between the two Disney parks!