As compared to the many Disneylands all over the world, there is just one Disneysea and it is located right next to the famous Tokyo Disneyland. It is no less impressive than the Disneylands and is even said by some to be the best park of all the Disney themed ones. With a nautical theme inspired by myths and legends of the sea and more thrilling rides as compared to Disneyland, Tokyo Disneysea is the perfect theme park to be at for those who enjoy the theme and also exciting rides. This park gathers no less than 13 million visitors a year and is definitely a place to visit for a great day out. Read this article for the ultimate guide to Tokyo Disneysea.
About Tokyo Disneysea
Established in 2001, this huge theme park has seven “ports” with different themes - the Mysterious Island, Mediterranean Harbour, Lower River Delta, Mermaid Lagoon, Arabian Coast, Port Discovery and American Waterfront - for you to explore. With alcoholic beverages, more thrilling rides and detailed decor, this park caters to guests of all ages and may even be a more fun alternative for older guests (as compared to Disneyland). Disneysea was inspired by the “Port Disney Park” in California.
Disneysea
Address: １−１３ Maihama, Urayasu, Chiba 279-0031, Japan
Website: Tokyo Disneysea
Tokyo Disneysea hours: 8 am - 10 pm (daily)
Price: Day Pass: Adult - ¥7,400 (70 USD), Junior - ¥6,400 (60 USD), Child - ¥4,800 (45 USD)
Explore Tokyo Disneysea
Each of the seven areas in Disneysea have their own themes tat give the a unique feel.
The Mediterranean Harbour is the first area you will set foot in when entering the park.This area is made to look like an Italian port city and houses the pakr’s very own luxury hotel - Hotel MiraCosta. Tue to the Italian theme, this are even has its own canals and gondolas with gondoliers. Every night, the Mediterranean Harbour also puts up a fantastic show called Fantasmic!
Based on the island in 20,000 leagues under the sea, the Mysterious Island is located right in the middle of Disneysea with a huge volcano (that even “erupts” occasionally) as a landmark. This part of Disneysea contains two of Disneysea’s top attractions - 20,000 Leagues under the Sea and Journey to the Center of the Earth where they have a submarine and “terravator” ride respectively. Head on over to the refreshment station here for one of the most popular snacks of the park, the Nautilus Gyoza (AKA the Gyoza dog).
The Lower River Delta is located right at the back of Disneysea but it’s certainly not to be missed. It features an Aztec pyramid with expedition sites and lush greenery taken right out of the Indiana Jones movie. In this adventure-filled area, Raging Spirits and Indiana Jones Adventure are rides that are not to be missed.
In Mermaid Lagoon, guests can experience the world that Ariel lives in with the bright and colourful corals and marine life structures. The area is mostly indoors and is filled with the magical atmosphere of the Little Mermaid.
The Arabian CoastIs lined with beautiful architecture where you can clearly see the Middle Eastern and Indian influence, making it extremely visually appealing. The most popular ride here is Sindbad’s Storybook Voyage and Casbah Foodcourt sells curry that is quite popular with park visitors.
Port Discovery is the most futuristic port and features fun rides such as Aquatopia and Nemo & Friends Searider and at this area, be sure to try the Donald Duck Ukiwa Buns from Seaside Snacks. The adorable bun is shaped like a lifebuoy and will certainly make a great addition to your Instagram feed.
Last but not least, we have the American Waterfront that takes up the largest area of Disneysea. It contains two of the park’s most popular attractions - Toy Story Mania! and Tower of Terror. A variety of food options are also offered here, from the Green Alien Mochi to flavoured beer!
Tokyo DisneySea Shows
DisneySea is not only famous for its rides, but also its exciting shows especially in the nighttime. Most of these shows are held at the Mediterranean Harbour and the best spots to watch the shows from often have people waiting for the show even up to two hours before they start. But fret not, there are also many other good locations such as on the bridge between American Waterfront and Mysterious Island and the smaller stage area in front of Zambini Brothers to view the shows from where showing up 15 minutes prior could be enough to secure the spot.
DisneySea has a few evening shows - Fantasmic!, Big Band Beat and A Table is Waiting. Fantasmic! is a nighttime spectacular that takes place completely over the water and wows the audience with its amazing effects. A Table is Waiting is catchy and upbeat outdoor show featuring different cuisines from all over the world and that also has a special version for Christmas. There are also many other shows that happen in the day. King Triton’s Concert is a continuous stage show in the Mermaid Lagoon that you can catch if you are in the area (note that the dialogue is only in Japanese).
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Tokyo DisneySea tickets (from USD 249.0)
There are a few types of DisneySea tickets ranging for use from one to four consecutive days which can be extremely worth it. There are also different Tokyo Disneysea prices on tickets for adults, senior citizens (aged 65 and above), juniors and children and a special starlight passport that is significantly cheaper but can only be used for admissions after 3 pm on weekends and holidays.
The tickets can be bought from several places. The most obvious option would be to buy them online from the official Tokyo Disney Resort website which saves you the waiting time required if you were to queue for it before going into the park (it is important to print the tickets out beforehand as well). For those that did not have the time to buy the tickets online before that, buying the tickets at the entrance counter is also an option. Otherwise, many convenience stores like Lawson have kiosks that sell tickets to DisneySea. Since they are everywhere in Japan, this is extremely convenient though the kiosks are in Japanese and may be slightly difficult to operate for non-Japanese speakers.Perhaps the best choice would be to buy the tickets from sites like Viator or GetYourGuids where they often offer deal that make Tokyo Disneysea ticket price cheaper as compared to buying them directly from Disney. In addition, cancellation is free for some of the deals (some even from as little as 24 hours before the date of admission).
Disneyland or Disneysea 1-Day Admission Ticket from Tokyo
Duration: 8 hours
Tokyo DisneySea fastpass system
The fastpass system (if used wisely) is one that is able to save you a lot of waiting time by giving the guests a certain time slot that they are able to get priority on the attractions. The fast passes at the park come in physical paper slips and have to be collected from the kiosks within the park itself. To obtain a fastpass for a specific attraction like a ride, you will have to go to the kiosk in front of the ride and insert your ticket. The machine then prints out a fastpass that has a one hour duration written on it where you would be able to use the pass to zoom through the lines. Although the fastpass system seems ingenuous, it is important to also strategize what to use the pass on in order to go for as many rides you want since only one fastpass can be obtained at a time. The pass can be gotten for popular Tokyo Disneysea rides such as Pooh’s Hunny Hunt, Splash Mountain, Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters and Space Mountain.
How to get around Tokyo DisneySea
To save your legs from a day full of walking, there are various modes of transportation available even within the park.They are a possible way of saving time, but they are also a lot of fun to try.
The DisneySea Electric Railway is a mode of transportation between American Waterfront and Port Discovery that takes 2 to 5 minutes. With this ride, you are able to avoid the walking crowd below and enjoy the park from a different angle.
At the Mediterranean Harbour, you would also be able to catch a ride on a Venetian gondola and experience Disneysea in a relaxing manner as the cheerful gondoliers serenade you in their lovely voices.
The DisneySea Transit Steamer Line travels around the waters surrounding the park in three different courses between Mediterranean Harbour, Lost River Delta and the American Waterfront. These steamers are modelled after those found in the United States in the late 19th Century and make for an interesting experience.
Just in the American Waterfront area, guests can also try going on the big city vehicles, which are rides in the shape of early 20th century cars. Lasting about 10 minutes, the ride can give you a leisurely tour to view the area.
Dining in Tokyo DisneySea
There are a variety of different options to choose from when eating at DisneySea. Although the DisneySea snacks like the Green Alien Mochi and the Pork Rice Rolls from the food carts may be perfect for walking around and munching on the way, dining in is a good option as well for those who want to relax and sit down for food,
Despite being a theme park, DisneySea also has fine-dining restaurants like Magellan’s. The most popular restaurant the park often packs a waiting list (but that’s how you know it’s good!). The Teddy Roosevelt Lounge is another great place for fine-dining. With its splendid decor, you are sure to feel fancy and pampered having a delicious meal there.
The park also has other more casual over-the-counter eating places such as Vulcania (for more Asian food) and New York Deli. Such places allow you to please your palates without breaking your wallet.
Shopping in DisneySea
While enjoying your time at this magical amusement park, many people would like to have something to remember the trip by. DisneySea sells many different things from souvenirs for your friends and family back home, to lots of different Disney merchandise (ranging from stuffed toys to rice scoops) that will excite your inner Disney fan.
The main place to get your hands on these product would be at the Emporio. But many other shops in DisneySea such as Galleria Disney also offer some of these goods.
Accommodation in and around Tokyo DisneySea
Around DisneySea, there are a plethora of accommodations and kid-friendly resorts conveniently located in the vicinity that you can choose from to suit your budget and taste.
There are thee Disney hotels and six official hotels that are located closest to the park. The Tokyo DisneySea Hotel MiraCosta is located within DisneySea and has many guests rooms to accommodate the high demand. The hotel has three distinct sides where you can enjoy different views. With over 1000 rooms, the Sheraton Grande Bay Hotel is certainly one of the grandest. The hotel offers transport to and from the park and guaranteed entry to give hotel guests a peace of mind.
The Tokyo Disney Celebration Hotel is located in the Shin-Urayasu area and is less luxurious compared to the other Disney hotels. However, the Disney theme is still very much alive here with the decor and rooms filled with Disney magic. Other mid-range hotels include Hotel Emion Tokyo Bay which has large rooms and even a 7 eleven within the hotel.
For the most budget-conscious travelers, read our article on the best Airbnb vacation rentals near Tokyo Disneyland.
The Tokyo DisneySea Hotel MiraCosta
Sheraton Grande Bay Hotel
Tokyo Disney Celebration Hotel
Hotel Emion Tokyo Bay
Getting to Tokyo DisneySea
Although not right at the city centre, the theme park is located right at Maihama Station which can be reached via the JR line from Tokyo station in just 15 minutes. After that, transfer to the Disney Resort line for 260 yen to get to DisneySea.
Tokyo DisneySea tips & tricks
Now that you know more about DisneySea, here are some tips and tricks further smoothen your experience at DisneySea.
1. Purchase tickets in advance. In order to save time so that you don’t have to queue at the ticket counter, it is good to buy those tickets beforehand from convenience stores or online.
2. Make full use of the fastpass system. There is a limited amount of time that you can spend at the park and needless to say, saving time on queueing would allow you to have more time to enjoy the actual attractions in the park.
3. Stay near the park. To allow yourself more time to rest and less time travelling (especially if you plan to visit DisneySea over a few days), selecting an accommodation that is in the vicinity could make things a lot more convenient.
4. Pack light. Packing just enough things will allow you to travel more lightly and probably enjoy the park more with the lighter load.
5. Check the weather forecast. Although the general weather can more or less be determined by the season, changes may occur suddenly and it is always good to be prepared for them and to wear the appropriate clothes for the weather.
Best time to visit Tokyo DisneySea
Being one of the best theme parks in the world, it is certainly always quite crowded. However, there are definitely some periods when it is better for visiting DisneySea.
In terms of the seasons, Spring or Autumn may be the best times to visit the park as the weather would be fins - not too cold to freeze your socks off and not too hot as to have you sweating buckets.Mid to late May is probably the best time to make your visit as the weather would be great and the crowd, at least from the Japanese, would not be too overwhelming. It is also wise to avoid any public holidays like Golden Week or if possible any weekends, as visitors tend to swarm to the park during these times. The crowd is also especially intense during the Summer months as the Japanese students also have their holidays then.
In addition, the day’s weather also plays an important part in the number of visitors at the park. Some visitors may be put off be the rain as most of the rides are outdoors and some may even leave early should the weather not seem too favourable. It may be a great chance for you to enjoy the shorter waiting times if that happens.
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