2025 Tokyo Disney Guide: How To Plan Your Visit

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Planning a trip to Tokyo Disney Resort can feel overwhelming, especially with the added excitement of experiencing two unique parks, Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea. Each park offers its own kind of magic, and the cultural nuances of visiting Japan make the adventure even richer – and possibly even more daunting!

This Tokyo Disney guide will help you navigate every detail to make your Tokyo Disney experience unforgettable— covering everything from the ticketing system and top attractions plus our insider tips that add to the magic.

There’s a reason why many people say the Tokyo Disney Resort parks are the best Disney Parks in the world!

The Ultimate Tokyo Disney Guide

Before we get into the good stuff, here’s a little history of Tokyo Disney Resort.

Two parks make up Tokyo Disney Resort. Tokyo Disneyland, which opened in 1983, is a little more traditional, with many of the same attractions and worlds that you have come to love from other Disney Parks around the world.

DisneySea, which opened in 2001, is a unique park that is unlike any other in the world. As the name suggests, it has a strong sea theme, with immersive lands that step you through times and places in a whole new way.

The other interesting thing to know is that currently, Tokyo Disney Resort are the only Disney Parks not operated by The Walt Disney Company. They are instead owned by Oriental Land Company with licensing rights.

Planning A Trip To Tokyo Disney Resort

Alright, onto the good stuff. Let’s plan your visit – how to get there, where to stay, how to make the most of your time in the park, tickets and more!

How to Get to Tokyo Disney Resort

Tokyo Disney Resort is located in Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, approximately 30 minutes from central Tokyo.

• By Train: Take the JR Keiyo or JR Musashino line from Tokyo Station directly to Maihama Station, the main entry point for Tokyo Disney. From here, catch the Disney Resort Line monorail (1-3 stops, depending on which park you’re visiting)
• By Bus: Direct buses run from major areas like Shinjuku, Shibuya, and Ginza, providing a convenient, direct route to the resort if you’re staying outside central Tokyo.
• Shuttle Options: Several Tokyo hotels offer shuttle services. Check with your accommodation to see if this is an option.
• Private Car: There is also parking available at the parks but it is expensive – ¥3,000 for the day.

If staying at the Tokyo Disney Resort Hotels, the Disney Resort Line monorail runs every few minutes throughout the day, with a total of 4 stops between the parks and the Maihama Station area. Single tickets are ¥300 for adults and ¥150 for kids 11 and under.

When to Visit Tokyo Disney Resort

The day you visit the parks can have quite an impact on your day, with larger crowds resulting in longer wait times for everything.

Insider Tip: This crowd calendar can help give you an idea of how busy it will be on your planned dates. It’s a guide only but a good starting point since it tells you if there are special events planned.

Choosing the Right Season

The shoulder seasons bring more pleasant temperatures. Try to avoid the Summer months if you can as the heat really is extreme.

We didn’t think it would bother us since we are from a place with hot, humid Summers (Queensland, Australia) but it was very draining and we visited in September. The Summer weather doesn’t usually linger so late though.

Late Spring (May aside from Golden Week) and mid to late Autumn (October-November) are good options for mild weather and crowds.

Avoiding Busy Times

• Japanese Holidays: Watch out for public holidays like Golden Week (early May), New Year, cherry blossom season (April) and Obon (mid-August), as crowds are high.
• Weekdays vs. Weekends: If possible, plan for a weekday visit (Tuesday to Thursday to avoid long weekends). Many locals frequent the parks on weekends, making weekdays significantly less crowded.

If you do have to visit on a weekend or public holiday, it won’t always be crazy busy! We were at Tokyo DisneySea on a Saturday and it was quieter than it had been on the previous day.

Insider Tip: It’s also worth checking out the ride closure schedule before you book too, in case the attraction you’re most excited for is due for scheduled maintenance. The best thing is that this is scheduled well in advance to help you plan.

Seasonal Events and Special Experiences

Tokyo Disney’s seasonal events add a magical touch to the parks, making each visit unique. Each special event brings decorations, special menu items and performances to the parks.

There were still Summer-themed activities and parades when we visited in September, so there is almost always something unique happening.

Popular Annual Events

• Halloween: October through to early November with spooky costumes, themed decorations, and seasonal treats.
• Christmas: From mid-November through December, holiday lights, parades, and festive snacks transform the park into a winter wonderland.
• New Year’s: From January 1st through to mid-January.

Insider Tip: Park tickets CANNOT be purchased at the gate. You must purchase them online in advance. The only exception is if you are staying at a Tokyo Disney Resort hotel and then you can purchase from the hotel with guaranteed entry, even if the park is at capacity.

Skip The Queue Priority Passes

If you have visited other Disney Parks around the world, you are likely familiar with express passes such as FASTPASS or Genie Passes. The names have changed a few times over the years, as have the processes with most parks moving away from the physical express pass kiosks.

Express passes allow you to skip the queue or gain access to priority viewing areas for parades and performances. They aren’t available for every ride and attraction but are an option for many.

And they are worth knowing about since the most popular rides at Tokyo Disney Resort will have long lines, sometimes even upward of 2 hours. Especially for new attractions, like the Fantasy Springs area that opened mid-2024.

But don’t let the huge crowds put you off. Priority passes can help reduce your ride wait times.

There are currently 2 main types of express passes available at Tokyo Disney parks.

Disney Premier Access

This is a paid pass that gives express access (or priority seating) for a single ride on an attraction or for a parade viewing. You can purchase a Disney Premier Access pass via the Tokyo Disney Resort app for a specific time of day.

Disney Premier Access (DPA) passes are currently ¥2,000 each, per person.

You can purchase another DPA 60 minutes after purchasing a DPA or after the start time of your experience. For attraction DPAs, they have a 60-minute window of time to be used.

To redeem your DPA, enter the attraction via the Express Lane and a staff member will scan the QR code from your Tokyo Disney Resort app (or paper ticket if you are doing a Disney Vacation Package).

DPA are limited to certain rides and they do sell out so book your first one soon after entering the park.

40th Anniversary Priority Pass

There are also free priority passes available for certain rides and attractions. The name for these may change soon since the 40th anniversary was in 2023.

These work similarly to the DPA, but are free to book. Again, using the Tokyo Disney app, when you click through to the pass, it will give you a list of rides currently available for use with the Priority Pass. Once you select one, it will give you options for time slots to book.

You can obtain another 40th Anniversary Priority Pass 120 minutes after your last booking or after the designated time slot has passed.

These are also limited each day so make sure you book your first one as soon as you enter the park!

Insider Tip: Book your priority passes as soon as you enter the gates then set yourself a phone reminder to book your next one as soon as you are eligible (i.e. 120 minutes later for a free priority pass). This way you can maximise on skipping the queue as much as possible!

Entry Request

Some certain shows and performances are extremely popular at the parks and require an entry request to attend. This is essentially like a raffle. If there’s a show you want to see, make an entry request on the app and see if you get a time slot.

Entry requests are required for some character meet and greets and shows such as Jamboree Micky and Mickey’s Magical Music World.

If you don’t get an entry pass, you’re out of luck, unfortunately! You can only attempt one entry request per attraction per day.

Tokyo Disney Accommodation

If you want to stay close to the parks to make it easy on the day, there are a lot of different options available.

Tokyo Disney Resort Hotels

These are the official Tokyo Disney Resort hotels. The price points for each of the hotels vary, along with the level of luxury and perks. They do all come with extra perks compared to offsite hotels though!

You can also stay at a Tokyo Disney hotel as part of a Tokyo Disney Vacation package. More on that soon.

The other perk is depending on which hotel you stay at, you might get a Happy Entry. This is a 15-minute early entry into the park for hotel guests, although it’s subject to availability and also depends on which hotel you stay at.

For example, Toy Story Hotel only has Happy Entry available for Tokyo Disneyland. It doesn’t sound like much but this 15 minutes gives you a great head start on rides and priority pass bookings at park opening.

Nearby Accommodation

For a wider range of prices, Urayasu has hotels that often provide free shuttle services to the park, making them great for those on a tighter budget.

You can also stay in Tokyo and transit each day as the public transport system has been set up to be easy. It does make for a longer day but totally do-able!

Tokyo Disney Vacation Package

If you want your visit to Tokyo Disney Resort to be really simple, a Tokyo Disney Vacation Package might be for you!

Our first visit was with a Vacation Package and it pretty much does most of the planning for you with accommodation, park entry and special priority passes included.

The only catch, a Tokyo Disney Vacation Package is significantly more expensive than the DIY planning approach and they are limited to 1 or 2-night packages. They also sell out really quickly!

Planning Your Day: Read This Before Your First Day In The Parks

We have visited many theme parks over the years, but doing Disney anywhere in the world does require a bit of extra planning! For this reason, we’ve created a bit of a timeline for planning a trip to Tokyo Disney.

These tips will help you make the most of your day and spend less of it standing in line:

4-6 Months Before Your Visit

• Book your Tokyo Disney hotel or Vacation Package (only relevant if you plan to stay at an official hotel)

The booking window for hotels and vacation packages can sometimes change so keep an eye on this page when you’re getting closer to your trip.

We have heard plenty of horror stories about how quickly packages can sell out the second the window opens, yet somehow had no trouble at all booking our Vacation Package when I casually decided to browse the site one random Sunday…

2 Months Before Your Visit

• Book your Disneyland and DisneySea passes online

Insider Tip: While it does not happen every day, sometimes the parks will sell out and unless you’re staying at an official hotel, you’re out of luck. You also do need to book tickets in advance if you are planning to visit, so the safe option is to get them early!

1 Month Before Your Visit

• Book your dining reservations for your visit

If you are doing a Vacation Package, you will have this option earlier, otherwise, you can do it 1 month before your entry date.

We didn’t book our first day and regretted it as we stood in line for 40 minutes waiting for a table at a less popular restaurant at dinner time. We booked the morning of our 2nd day entry. There weren’t a lot of options but we were happy to get anything that late!

Each park offers unique attractions and layouts, so planning is essential to get the most out of each day.

It would be impossible for us to say what the best attractions are at each of the parks, since the type of rides and shows you like might be very different! However, we will share what we loved and what was most popular to help you plan your day at each park.

Tokyo Disneyland Attractions

Tokyo Disneyland is a little more like the other ‘castle parks’ around the world. Some of the rides will be familiar, with their own unique Japanese twist.

Tokyo DisneySea Attractions

Tokyo DisneySea is unlike any other Disney park and that means it has different worlds and areas, and of course, its own unique rides and attractions.

The theming is incredible. One moment you’re wandering through Italy and the next, you’re in the Roman Forum, before making your way ‘under the sea’.

Insider Tip: Look for special characters like Duffy’s friends (such as StellaLou and Gelatoni) that are exclusive to Tokyo DisneySea.

Insider Tip: Start with top-priority popular attractions first, especially if you’re aiming for popular rides or shows, as wait times build quickly. Monitor wait times in the Tokyo Disney app.

Food at Tokyo Disney Resort

Tokyo Disney Resort is known for its exceptional food options, with Japanese flavours and Disney-themed treats you won’t find anywhere else.

The best part is that it’s actually quite reasonably priced compared to most other theme parks. That’s not to say you won’t still spend a lot on food, but you can get more for those dollars!

There are some more traditional Japanese restaurants and menu items, but for the most part, it’s a fairly Western menu with a few Japanese twists. In other words, there’s something for everyone!

And for a really special experience, there are some Character Dining restaurants too. Make sure you book these ASAP as they book out very fast!

Must-Try Food & Snacks

• Popcorn in Unique Flavors: Soy sauce and butter, white chocolate matcha (our fave), cheddar cheese and curry popcorn are all popular – and the adorable themed popcorn buckets (that aren’t cheap) are awesome keepsakes!
• Mickey-Shaped Treats: Look out for ice blocks, nuggets and waffles shaped like Mickey for cute photo opportunities.
• Little Green Dumplings: If you like mochi, the little green alien dumplings are very popular! I didn’t love them but the kids did.
• Sea Salt Ice Cream Monaka: Vanilla ice cream with raspberry filling inside a wafer shell.
• Apple Tea Soda: This is a speciality drink rather than a snack but it’s so delicious and available from some of the counter service restaurants and quick service carts.
• Baymax Curry: This was from Center Street Coffee House and it was YUM! Rice shaped like Baymax sitting between two flavoured curries.

Shopping and Souvenirs

Tokyo Disney Resort offers a range of exclusive merchandise that makes perfect gifts and keepsakes.

And of course, they have their own exclusive Minnie Ears. Best of all, they are really affordable – around ¥1,800 to ¥3,000 each which is much cheaper than the USA Disney Parks.

There are stores for souvenirs in every area as well as shopping carts. Each of the stores has a different variety of merchandise to suit the theme, including different Minnie Ears.

We got 2 pairs on our first day at Disneyland and waited until the next day at DisneySea to see what options they had and found a beautiful pair of ears we hadn’t seen anywhere else.

Insider Tip: Tokyo-exclusive items like Duffy the Disney Bear and Marie from Aristocats are incredibly popular in Japan but hard to find elsewhere, so be sure to grab these unique souvenirs.

What To Pack For A Day In The Park

Your Tokyo Disney essentials will differ depending on the time of year you are visiting and the weather, however, there are certain things to always bring with you!

• Reusable drink bottle – There are water fountains everywhere to refill
• Hat, sunglasses & sunscreen
• Jacket – Light during the warmer seasons and heavier for the cooler months
• Lip balm
• Bandaids for blisters
• Rain poncho – Weather can be unpredictable
• Portable charger – Using the App in the park can drain your battery faster
• Comfortable walking shoes – SO IMPORTANT!
• Backpack

There are lockers inside the park if you’ve shopped up a storm and need to store some items during your visit too.

Insider Tip: Read our Disney trip packing guide to make sure you don’t forget any essentials!

Cultural Etiquette and Language Tips

Experiencing Tokyo Disney also means immersing yourself in Japanese culture and customs, which add a unique charm to the visit.

While most rides and shows are in Japanese, language differences don’t prevent your enjoyment. Many attractions, especially beloved Disney classics, are visually captivating and easy to follow, making them enjoyable regardless of language.

For instance, Tokyo Disneyland’s Pooh’s Hunny Hunt and DisneySea’s Peter Pan’s Neverland Adventure offer immersive storytelling through stunning visuals, music, and interactive elements.

Even without understanding the dialogue, the park’s attention to detail ensures you feel the magic and excitement every step of the way. Plus all cast members have a basic understanding of English too.

As for Japanese customs, when purchasing at shops or food stands, place cash or cards in a small tray instead of handing it directly to the cashier. This practice is standard across Japan, as it reflects respect and attentiveness in service. You will encounter this even outside the parks, so it’s a helpful custom to keep in mind for the entirety of your trip.

Read our guide on things to know before visiting Japan for more cultural differences

Tokyo Disney Resort combines the magic of Disney with unique Japanese influences, exclusive attractions, and cultural touches that set it apart from other Disney parks. It’s a must-visit for Disney enthusiasts, families, and thrill-seekers alike. Plan ahead, take advantage of priority passes to reduce your wait times, and enjoy the magical details that make Tokyo Disney an unforgettable destination.

Only got 1 day to visit Tokyo Disney Resort? Read our guide on which Tokyo Disney park to visit.