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We have visited every Disney Park in Asia – all 4 across 3 countries. Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo DisneySea, Shanghai Disneyland, and Hong Kong Disneyland. They are all incredible in their own way and worth visiting, so we’ve put together a Disney Asia itinerary to help you visit all four parks in a single trip!
Most itineraries you find online cram this into two weeks. We’re going to push back on that and tell you honestly: three weeks is the right amount of time. Not just for the parks, but for the destinations where they are.
Tokyo, Shanghai, and Hong Kong are three destinations in Asia that are worth exploring. Rushing through them as background noise to your Disney agenda is a wasted opportunity, so we’ve put together a 3-week Asia Disney itinerary that goes beyond the parks.
Before You Book: The Things You Need To Know
Three Destinations, Four Parks
The Disney Asia parks trip covers all 4 Disney Parks in Asia in 3 locations:
- Tokyo Disneyland – classic Disney with Japanese-exclusive attractions
- Tokyo DisneySea – widely considered the best Disney park in the world due to its uniqueness
- Shanghai Disneyland – the largest and most ambitious Disney park outside the US
- Hong Kong Disneyland – the smallest and most accessible Disneyland
Tokyo Disney Resort is the only destination with two parks, which is why it needs more time than the others. Budget at least one full day per park.
They don’t have a park hopper option to visit both in one day. You need separate tickets, plus they are too big that it wouldn’t be a good use of time either.
Check out our guides for the best Disney Park in Asia and for our comparison between Shanghai Disney and Hong Kong Disney as well as Tokyo DisneySea vs Tokyo Disneyland.
Visas & Entry Requirements
Different rules apply for each country within Asia so make sure you know before booking what the entry requirements are for you. These change often.
- Japan: Australians, New Zealanders, US, UK, Canadian and most European passport holders enter visa-free. No action required.
- Mainland China (Shanghai): Australians, UK and Canadians get 30 days visa-free at the time of writing. US passport holders still require either a visa or the 240-hour transit pass. Check the current rules for your own passport before booking as this changes regularly.
- Hong Kong: Most Western passport holders get 90 days visa-free. Check current entry rules for your specific passport.
Note that Hong Kong and mainland China (Shanghai) are separate entries. Visiting one doesn’t give you access to the other.
Read our individual travel tips before you go:
When To Visit
The best window across all three destinations is late October to early November:
- Japan has Halloween events at both Tokyo parks through late October, transitioning into Christmas decorations from early November
- Hong Kong Disneyland runs Halloween through early November
- Shanghai is cool enough to be comfortable at this time and avoids the brutal summer humidity
Avoid:
- Golden Week Japan (late April to early May), parks hit maximum capacity
- Chinese New Year (late January to February), Hong Kong and Shanghai are swamped
- Golden Week China (first week of October), Shanghai and Hong Kong peak crowds
- July and August, hot and humid across all three destinations as well as the highter risk of typhoons and heavy rainfall.
We visited Shanghai and Hong Kong in summer and the heat significantly impacted how much we could comfortably do each day. But also visiting Japan in September during a heat wave was much the same.
If you do need to go when the weather is hot, make sure you drink a lot of water and take care with sun protection. You will need it!
This is one thing we never travel without
Travel insurance is one of those things you hope you never need โ but itโs absolutely worth having, especially when travelling with kids. For flexible coverage, weโve used SafetyWing, and World2Cover through Klook is another solid and affordable option.
The Priority Pass Situation At Each Park
Each park handles priority passes differently:
- Tokyo Disney Resort: Paid Disney Premier Access only. Buy individually via the app or pre-purchase pre-set bundles you can’t customise.
- Hong Kong Disneyland: Paid Disney Premier Access only. Buy individually via the app or pre-purchase pre-set bundles you can’t customise.
- Shanghai Disneyland: Paid Disney Premier Access only. Buy individually via the app or pre-purchase pre-set bundles you can’t customise.
The Two-Week Version (Parks-Focused)
If two weeks is all you have, this is the compressed version. You’ll have less city time at each destination but you’ll hit all four parks.
| Days | Destination | What’s covered |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1-5 | Tokyo | Arrive, Tokyo Disneyland (1 day), Tokyo DisneySea (1 day), Tokyo city (1-2 days) |
| Days 6-9 | Shanghai | Arrive, Shanghai Disneyland (1-2 days), Shanghai city (1 day) |
| Days 10-14 | Hong Kong + Macau | Arrive, Macau day trip (1 day), Hong Kong Disneyland (1 day), HK city (1-2 days), fly home |
Fly into Tokyo, out of Hong Kong, unless it’s more convenient for you to change the order of where you go when.
The Full Three-Week Disney Asia Itinerary (Our Recommendation)
When you’re visiting of the most unique and beautiful contries in the world, it’s a total waste to barely have a chance to see a thing, so a 3 week Disney Asia itinerary will allow you to mix culture, city highlights and Disney all into a single trip.
- Total days: 21
- Parks covered: Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo DisneySea, Shanghai Disneyland, Hong Kong Disneyland
- Cities covered: Tokyo, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Macau
Week One: Japan (Days 1-9)
Japan gets the most time on this itinerary because it has two parks and more to explore beyond the resort.
We’ve added a night in Hakone and two nights in Kyoto or Osaka to make this leg feel like a proper Japan trip rather than a Tokyo-only stopover. Tokyo is great but it’s not the best of Japan in our opinion.
Fly into Tokyo (Narita or Haneda), fly out of Osaka (Kansai International Airport, KIX). This routing lets you do the parks first, then travel southwest through Hakone to Kyoto/Osaka without backtracking.
Day 1 – Arrive Tokyo
Fly in, get settled and recover from the flight. If you arrive early enough, take the time to explore near where you are staying. We stayed on site and arrived late so we stuck with exploring the hotel.
There are 3 different hotels on site as well as many others located nearby. It’s also quite easy to get into the parks from the city too, via public transport.
We used the Tokyo Disney Vacation Package, which came with hotel accommodation at the Toy Story Hotel, a drink package within the park, breakfast at the hotel, and priority passes included, along with a few other special perks. Read our Tokyo Disney Vacation Package review to decide if it’s worth it for your family.
Day 2 – Tokyo Disneyland
If you are staying at a Disney Resort Hotel, you may have early entry access. Either way, the queues at these parks are enormous and they often open before the advertised time so it’s worth arriving 30-60 minutes before opening.
Head straight to the biggest queue rides when gates open and book your first priority pass immediately in the Tokyo Disney Resort app if you don’t already have any booked (we booked on Klook).
We recommend starting with Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast because the queues get long fast and stay that way.
Must-dos: Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast, Big Thunder Mountain, Pooh’s Hunny Hunt.
Read our full Tokyo Disney guide for the complete breakdown.
Day 3 – Tokyo DisneySea
DisneySea is the park most Disney fans say is the best in the world. Head to Fantasy Springs first.
The Frozen Journey and Peter Pan ride are in extremely high demand. The Rapunzel ride is slow but the theming is beautiful so you might as well do all 3 if you can.
Must-dos: Frozen Journey, Peter Pan, Rapunzel, Tower of Terror, Journey to the Centre of the Earth, Indiana Jones.
Read our Tokyo Disneyland vs DisneySea guide to understand how the two parks compare and how to plan your time.
Day 4 – Tokyo
Use this as a full day to explore Tokyo itself. Here are some of our suggestions:
- Asakusa and Senso-ji Temple – beautiful area
- Shibuya Scramble Crossing – busiest crossing in the world
- Harajuku – for food and street culture
- Harry Potter Studios Tokyo – if the kids are fans, it is well worth every minute. You will need around 3 hours here as it is huge.
Day 5 – Tokyo to Hakone (1 night)
Travel from Tokyo to Hakone, a mountain resort area about 90 minutes southwest by train.
This is one of the classic Japan experiences and a complete contrast to the parks: volcanic valleys, ryokan stays, open-air hot spring baths and views toward Mount Fuji on clear days.
We loved Hakone. It was one of our favourite stops during the trip and we stayed in a traditional ryokan, which the kids loved! You can see our full 2-day Hakone itinerary here.
Make sure you leave early for Hakone so you can make the most of your time without rushing. The journey there is part of the fun
Visit ลwakudani (the volcanic valley where you can buy the famous black eggs), take the ropeway and relax at a traditional onsen inn. The Hakone Free Pass covers most transport on the Hakone Loop and is excellent value.
It’s a perfect reset after the chaos of the Disney Parks and Tokyo.
Day 6 – Hakone to Kyoto or Osaka
From Hakone (Odawara Station), take the Shinkansen bullet train southwest to Kyoto or Osaka. The journey is around 2-2.5 hours.
Kyoto is the better choice for temples, traditional Japan and a slower pace.
Osaka is the better choice for food, night markets and a more vibrant city atmosphere.
Both are worth visiting, but when you only have a short trip, it might be better to focus your time on staying in just one. However, you can also stay in one and visit the other as a day trip since they’re only 15 minutes apart by Shinkansen.
Two nights here gives you a full day of exploration the following day before flying out.
Check out our other Japan city guides to build your own flexible itinerary:
Days 7-9 – Kyoto or Osaka
Two days is enough for the highlights of whichever base you’ve chosen:
Kyoto highlights: Fushimi Inari (the thousand torii gates, go early), Arashiyama bamboo grove, Gion district for evening street wandering, Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion).
Osaka highlights: Dotonbori street food area, Osaka Castle, Namba night markets, Kuromon Ichiba market, Universal Studios Japan.
If you have the energy for another theme park, you could visit Universal Studios and that would be a full day (express passes recommended).
Or for a quieter day trip, Nara is a short bullet train trip from either Osaka or Kyoto.
The city is famous for the deer that roam and you can buy crackers to feed them. They will bow before they eat. Just keep your crackers hidden until you’re ready to feed them because they can get a little intense.
There are also some beautiful temples and historic sites here.
Week Two: Shanghai (Days 10-14)
Shanghai is the most logistically demanding destination on the trip. Do the park early while energy is high and save the city exploration for later in the week.
Day 10 – Shanghai
Fly from Kansai International Airport in Osaka to Shanghai Pudong International Airport. Around 3 hours.
Check in and settle. Use the evening to get oriented. The Bund is a short Didi from most inner city hotels, and the illuminated Lujiazui skyline across the river is worth seeing even briefly on the first night if you have the energy for it.
Before you land: make sure your eSIM with a built-in VPN is active and tested, and your Alipay, WeChat and Didi are fully verified. Read our China travel tips before this flight.
Day 11 – Shanghai City
Shanghai rewards a couple of days of proper exploration. Today is a great day to get into the city and explore the highlights:
- The Bund at night for the illuminated Lujiazui skyline
- Shanghai Natural History Museum for a great family morning
- Nanjing Road pedestrian street
- Shanghai Tower observation deck for vertiginous views from the world’s second tallest building
- Yu Garden – Ancient gardens in the city
Read our 3-day Shanghai itinerary for the full breakdown.
Day 12 – Shanghai Disneyland
Arrive at opening and go directly to Zootopia Land. Queues for Zootopia: Hot Pursuit hit 90-120+ minutes by mid-morning. This is non-negotiable without a Disney Premier Access pass.
Then TRON Lightcycle Power Run, then Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure.
Stay for ILLUMINATE! in the evening. And make sure you visit Zootopia after dark because it is so cool all lit up.
Read our full Shanghai Disneyland guide before you visit.
Day 13 – Shanghai Disneyland (Day 2) or Shanghai City
If you purchase Disney Premier Access passes, you probably don’t need a second day in the park, but it will let you cover everything at a relaxed pace and revisit favourites.
Alternatively, use Day 10 as a Shanghai city day and save yourself for Hong Kong Disneyland later in the trip.
We only did one day at Shanghai Disneyland, with express passes to ensure we got to ride everything we wanted.
Day 14 – Zhujiajiao
This is the history and culture day. The easiest option is to book the guided tour that combines the main stops, so you don’t have to worry about public transport across the city. It may even work out cheaper too.
Zhujiajiao Water Town is a well-preserved ancient canal town around 40 minutes from the city.
This feels like a completely different place than Shanghai and this is more like the traditional China you might be imagining. It’s a little like China’s version of Venice.
We did this day tour. The tour covers Yu Garden, Old Street and the Chenghuang Miao quarter in the morning, then an afternoon at Zhujiajiao Water Town (an ancient canal town about 40 minutes outside the city), returning to The Bund in the early evening.
You arrive with enough time to grab yourself something to eat or do a spot of shopping on Nanjing Road before the city lights come on.
The DIY version is equally doable if you don’t mind paying more for transfers. You could do the Yu Gardens and the Bund on another day and just visit Zhujiajiao today, otherwise.
Read our 3-day Shanghai itinerary for the full breakdown.
Book the Yu Garden, Bund and Zhujiajiao Water Town tour here
Week Three: Hong Kong, Macau (Optional) and Lantau (Days 15-21)
Hong Kong has more to offer than most Disney itineraries give it credit for. Beyond the park, there’s a full day of the city itself, an extraordinary Lantau Island day and the optional addition of Macau, one of the most underrated overnight stops in the region.
Day 15 – Optional: One Night in Macau
Macau is close enough to Hong Kong that skipping it entirely feels like a missed opportunity.
It’s small, it’s quick to get to, and the Cotai Strip at night is one of the most visually spectacular cities by night.
You have two options for getting there from Shanghai:
Option A (recommended if Macau is your first stop): Fly Shanghai directly to Macau International Airport. Around 2.5 hours, with direct flights available. This means you arrive in Macau, spend the evening on the Cotai Strip, and cross to Hong Kong the next day.
Option B: Fly Shanghai to Hong Kong, then take the crossborder bus or ferry to Macau. If flying into Hong Kong Airport, the crossborder bus crosses the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge directly to the Macau border without needing to clear Hong Kong customs, but you do still need to clear Macau customs even coming from Shanghai.
Yes, there are border crossings involved and the logistics take a little thought. But Macau is worth it.
The free light and fountain shows along the Cotai Strip after dark, the contrast between the casino hotels and the old Portuguese district, and Lord Stow’s Bakery Portuguese egg tarts the next morning, these alone make the side trip worthwhile.
Stay at The Venetian Macao for the full experience, or any of the major Cotai Strip hotels which all run free shuttle buses from the border crossings.
Read our Macau travel tips for everything you need on the logistics.
Day 16 – Hong Kong
Travel from Macau to Hong Kong by crossborder bus or ferry. The HKZM bus is the easiest option and drops you at the Macau border for the crossing, with connections onward from the HK side. Check into your Hong Kong hotel and explore nearby.
If you skipped Macau, this is your arrival day in Hong Kong from Shanghai.
We stayed at Disney’s Hollywood Hotel.
Initially we were going to stay on Hong Kong mainland and then considered Hong Kong Island, but since Disney was our big priority, we opted for Lantau Island.
One thing worth noting is that there is not much around.
There are no convenience stores or casual dining near Hong Kong Disneyland resort, which means you need to head into the city or dine at the Hong Kong Disney hotel restaurants (you can dine at any if you are staying at one), but they are expensive.
This is a consideration when deciding convenience for the park vs transiting on park days.
Day 17 – Hong Kong City
A full day exploring Hong Kong:
Victoria Peak is the classic Hong Kong experience and the views over the harbour and city are outstanding. Our tip: take the local bus up and the Peak Tram back down. The tram queue going up is long; the queue going down is considerably shorter. The bus is also a fraction of the price.
Star Ferry across the harbour between Kowloon and Hong Kong Island is one of the best value views in Asia. Do it at least once, and do it at sunset if timing allows.
Kowloon waterfront for the evening harbour skyline looking back toward Hong Kong Island.
Temple Street Night Market in Kowloon for dinner, street food and a wander.
Day 18 – Hong Kong Disneyland
One full day covers the park comfortably. Head to Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars first, one of the best Disney coasters anywhere.
Then Mystic Manor (a world-class trackless dark ride exclusive to this park, with its own lore that replaces the Haunted Mansion concept for cultural reasons). Then the Marvel content in Tomorrowland.
The Starline Diner in Tomorrowland does Marvel-themed burgers that are worth trying for lunch. Make sure you stay for the fireworks, light and drone show just before the park closes. It’s spectacular.
It’s worth nothing that Hong Kong Disneyland does not open until 10 am compared to the other Asian Disney Parks, unless you get a 1-hour early entry pass (but not every ride runs during that time).
Read our full Hong Kong Disneyland guide.
Day 19 – Lantau Island
Lantau Island is the same island as Hong Kong Disneyland and Hong Kong Airport, but the northern and southern parts of the island are completely different worlds. This day is about the non-Disney side of Lantau.
The Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car, Tai O and Big Buddha tour covers the highlights in a well-organised 5-hour package and is our recommended option. We did this as a day tour:
- Priority boarding on the Ngong Ping 360 cable car, which saves a long queue and gives you the best aerial views across Lantau and the South China Sea (the crystal cabin option with glass floors is worth considering)
- Tai O fishing village, a traditional stilt house village that feels like a completely different century, includes a boat tour with the chance to spot pink dolphins
- Tian Tan Buddha (the Big Buddha), one of the largest outdoor bronze Buddhas in the world, reached via 268 steps and worth every one of them
- Po Lin Monastery adjacent to the Buddha
DIY version: Take the MTR to Tung Chung Station, purchase cable car tickets on arrival (expect queues without priority boarding), take the bus to Tai O, and return via the cable car or bus.
Perfectly manageable but the tour earns its keep with the priority boarding and the dolphin boat trip included. Also, we splurged on the crystal cabin which has glass floors.
Day 20 – Hong Kong
Buffer day or extra exploration: Stanley Market, Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple, a dim sum lunch at a local restaurant, or simply a slower wander through whatever you haven’t covered.
Day 21 – Fly Home from Hong Kong
Hong Kong International Airport is one of the most efficient in Asia, with excellent connections to Australia and beyond. Allow plenty of time, the airport is on Lantau Island, and the transit from the city is around 45 minutes.
The airport is massive with over 500 gates but it doesn’t seem this large when you’re there.
The Disney Asia Itinerary At A Glance
| Day | Destination | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrive Tokyo | Check in, optional half-day park |
| 2 | Tokyo | Tokyo Disneyland |
| 3 | Tokyo | Tokyo DisneySea |
| 4 | Tokyo | Asakusa, Shibuya, Harry Potter Studios |
| 5 | Hakone | Hakone Loop, Owakudani |
| 6 | Hakone to Kyoto or Osaka | Shinkansen from Hakone, check in |
| 7 | Kyoto or Osaka | Full city day |
| 8 | Kyoto or Osaka | Second city day or day trip |
| 9 | Kyoto or Osaka | Free time |
| 10 | Japan to Shanghai | Fly Osaka (KIX) to Shanghai |
| 11 | Shanghai | Natural History Museum, Nanjing Road, Shanghai Tower |
| 12 | Shanghai Disneyland | Zootopia, TRON, Pirates, ILLUMINATE! |
| 13 | Shanghai | 2nd park day or city |
| 14 | Zhuijiajiao day trip | Yu Garden, Zhujiajiao, Old Street, The Bund |
| 15 | Shanghai to Macau (optional) or Hong Kong | Cotai Strip at night, egg tarts in morning |
| 16 | Hong Kong | Return from Macau or arrive from Shanghai |
| 17 | Hong Kong | Victoria Peak, Star Ferry, Kowloon waterfront |
| 18 | Hong Kong Disneyland | Big Grizzly, Mystic Manor, Marvel zone |
| 19 | Lantau Island | Ngong Ping cable car, Big Buddha, Tai O |
| 20 | Hong Kong | Flex day or fly home |
| 21 | Depart | Arrive home |
Want To Extend Your Trip? Add A Disney Cruise
If you want to push this into a 3.5 to 4-week trip, consider adding a Disney Cruise to your trip.
Disney Adventure cruise from Singapore
The Disney Adventure departs year-round from Marina Bay Cruise Centre in Singapore. The cruises are 3 or 4 nights. We did the 3-night cruise, and it was fantastic, plus Singapore as a whole is worth visiting.
Spend a day exploring Singapore city, visit Sentosa Island and then if you have more time, add Mandai Wildlife Reserve and the Night Safari. Singapore sits naturally on the route between Japan and China, but each of the 4 countries are close enough no matter the order.
A 3 or 4-night cruise plus 2-3 nights in Singapore adds around a week. Read our full Disney Adventure cruise review before booking.
Disney Cruise Line is expanding their cruise offerings into Japan from 2029 also as an alternative in future.
Tips For The Whole Disney Asia Trip
- Flights: Fly into Tokyo, out of Osaka (KIX) at the end of the Japan leg, then Shanghai and finally Hong Kong. This routing avoids backtracking and flows logically through the itinerary.
- eSIM: Airalo is our pick across all three destinations. For mainland China, choose an eSIM with a built-in VPN and test it before switching from your home SIM.
- Priority passes: Book Tokyo passes, Shanghai DPA bundles and Hong Kong DPA in advance via Klook rather than managing them on the day.
- Disney app downloads: Tokyo Disney Resort app, Shanghai Disney Resort app and Hong Kong Disneyland app all need to be on your phone before you visit. Each park has its own Disney App.
- Currencies: Japanese yen for Japan, RMB for Shanghai, Hong Kong dollars for Hong Kong and Macau. HKD is accepted in Macau so no need to exchange separately for a Macau stop. We managed an entirely cashless trip in Shanghai and Hong Kong. Japan still uses cash at a lot of places.
FAQ
How long does it take to visit all the Disney parks in Asia?
Three weeks covers all four parks (Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo DisneySea, Shanghai Disneyland, Hong Kong Disneyland) with meaningful time in each city. Two weeks is possible but means less city time.
What is the recommended order for visiting the Disney Asia parks?
Tokyo first (two parks, most complex logistics), Shanghai second, Hong Kong last. This flows geographically and saves Hong Kong’s more relaxed experience for when energy is lower after Shanghai.
Do I need Disney Premier Access Passes (Express Passes)?
Yes, I would not visit Tokyo Disney Resort or Shanghai Disneyland without Disney Premier Access passes. We also got them for Hong Kong Disneyland and on a weekday outside of busy periods, you could get away without them, but for peace of mind, if you can afford the splurge, it’s worth it. You might only get to visit the parks once so you want to make the most of your time, not queuing all day.
What is the best time of year for a Disney Asia trip?
Late October to early November is the sweet spot: Halloween events at all three resorts and manageable temperatures across all destinations. Avoid summer and Chinese and Japanese public holiday periods.
Should I add the Disney Adventure cruise?
It’s a great add-on for a four-week trip. The Disney Adventure departs from Singapore year-round, and from 2029 Japan sailings will also be available. Read our Disney Adventure review for everything you need to decide.
Book Your Disney Asia Trip
- Tokyo Disney Resort Tickets
- Hong Kong Disneyland Tickets
- Shanghai Disneyland Tickets
- Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car, Tai O and Big Buddha Tour
- Yu Garden, Old Street, Bund and Zhujiajiao Tour
Plan Your Trip
Here are a few things we always organise before travelling:
- Stay connected: We use Airalo eSIM
- Car hire: Compare options with DiscoverCars
- Travel insurance: Check SafetyWing or World2Cover via Klook
- Airport transfers: Book with Welcome Pickups
- Accommodation: Find the best deals here
- Tours: We always use GetYourGuide
More Disney Asia Planning Resources
- Best Disneyland in Asia: Shanghai vs Hong Kong vs Tokyo
- Hong Kong vs Shanghai Disneyland
- Tokyo Disney guide
- Tokyo Disneyland vs Tokyo DisneySea
- Is the Tokyo Disney Vacation Package worth it?
- Tokyo Disney Toy Story Hotel review
- Shanghai Disneyland guide
- 3-day Shanghai itinerary
- Hong Kong Disneyland guide
- Disney’s Hollywood Hotel Hong Kong review
- Disney Adventure cruise review
- Disney Wonder review
- 2-week Japan itinerary with kids
- China travel tips
- Hong Kong travel tips
- Macau travel tips
- Venetian Macao review
- Night Safari Singapore review
- Mandai Wildlife Reserve review
- Airalo eSIM review
- Disney packing list
- How to save money at Disney parks
- Things to do while waiting in line with kids