Disneyland Tokyo & Disney Sea

[aznaphrodite]

I'm planning a trip to Tokyo right now and would like to visit Disneyland Tokyo and Disney Sea. Is one day for both parks adequate? I've been to WDW twice and was an annual passholder for Disneyland for 4 years. I noticed Tokyo Disneyland is very similar to Anaheim.

Any other tips on getting to the parks from Tokyo?

Thanks in advance!

 

[tink576]

Well I don't know tokyo Disney...but I know for DL paris and Disney Studios Paris I enjoyed having two days because that allowed me to see all the shows and not be rushed...Everything in Paris was either in english or translated for both language except the fantasy land rides and the younger kid stage shows...which were still nice to watch in the other language even though I didn't understand a word...So because it's two parks, I would think it would be logical to spend two days and have the time to spread things rush...I tend to run place to place in WDW but when you are over there you really want to absorb the atmosphere cause when will you ever get to go to that park again?

 

[hismattjesty]

I have never been, but am planning a trip in late 2009. From all my research, 1 day will NOT be enough. Shortly after opening, you can plan on a minimum 90 minute-2 1/2 hour wait for Pooh's Hunny Hunt alone! Not to mention a good 90 minutes minimum at just about any point in the day for Buzz Lightyear as well. And this is only Tokyo Disneyland.

I am personally making Tokyo Disney Sea a MINIMUM of 3 days. It is, in my honest opinion, the quitessential Disney park. It's like the best points from all the parks around the world, rolled into one. Here, you can expect a 2 hour wait for Stormrider alone. We won't even get into 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, the Live shows, and of course having to dine at Magellan's Restaurant.

Also from my research, there is no slow time of year for either park. There is definitely a peak and value season for the resorts, but the crowds never seem to subside. There are also not a lot of good resources in English on the net, so that is why I have been planning almost a year already for this.

Good luck in your quest for knowledge, and have a wonderful trip! You'll be making it a year before I do.

 

[downunder]

While i dont have all the experience like you in the US parks, i have actually been to Tokyo DIsneyland and Disney Sea. I think you will need more than just 2 days. Maybe 2 days per park.

Even though disneyland tokyo is similar to the US parks, there are still so many special Tokyo things to look at, not to mention the shops and the merchandise.

Tokyo Disney Sea is amazing, it is so different!! you will definatley need at least 2 days there.

I am not sure about how to get there from tokyo, but their train system is pretty good and i am pretty sure you can get the train to disney from the city. We stayed at one of the good neighbour hotels in the disney resort area.

If you have any more questions, please PM me!

Jess

 

[Mrsjvb]

I could spend three days at Disney Sea and STILL not have enough time!. absolutely not will one day to do both be enough.

Getting there is super easy, the train/subway system is easy to navigate and bi lingual. If I recall correctly, there is even multiple signage that direct you specifically to the line that Disney is on. Just hope you aren't afraid of heights because part of the ride is up on trestles but man the view is tremendous.

whatever hotel you stay at will definitely be able to get you directions for the trains. and most of the employees speak at least a little English.

 

[aznaphrodite]

Wow! Thanks for the info, everyone! I had no idea that I would need so much time there.

That's a bummer the lines are so long. Do they not have a FastPass system?

 

[ChrisFL]

Kevin Yee on Miceage.com has just posted a few new articles about the parks as well

I also have not been yet but have been researching extensively and I seriously doubt one day would be adequate, plus I don't think they offer a 2-park one day pass

 

[jsilvers]

That's a bummer the lines are so long. Do they not have a FastPass system?

There is... but the average Japanese visitor appears to actually understand and use it, so it doesn't provide as much of an advantage as in the U.S., where the masses often appear clueless...

If the crowds are manageable, you can hit the highlights of both parks in one day (I've done it, but I may have been lucky, given the waits some have cited). But it would certainly be a "commando trip" without much time to enjoy the atmosphere.

Also, tickets don't work quite the same way as in the U.S. If you have a one-day ticket, there is no opportunity to add a "hopper" option - but on most days, there are discount tickets for afternoon or evening admission, so you may not need to buy two full tickets.

 

[Super Momma]

Hi there. I actually live in Japan and have been to both parks more times than I can count.

I LOVE TDL and TDS but be prepared to wait. As long as you are prepared, it is a great experience. There are quite a few rides that are the same as WDW. TDL is quite small land wise but quite compact. There is a lot to see in both parks. I would recommend at least one day per park.

There isn't a one-day park hopper style pass here. If you buy a three or four day pass then you can park hop BUT only on the third and fourth day. The first two days you can only choose one park to visit. The wait time can be INSANE! There are sometimes an hour wait for popcorn! It REALLY depends on the time of year that you visit. If you visit during the first week of May (It is called Golden Week here because EVERYONE in Japans has a week holiday April 29th to May 6th), the park is actually closed for short periods due to it is filled to capacity. Also During Aug 10th to the 17th, another National Holiday week. The wait time for the lines get to the point where the CMs old up signs with the time in hours not mins.

There is some great shopping BUT get it done early! by the end of the day, the shelves are empty! It is a tradition here to buy souvenirs for everyone back home and the dog too! So by 5pm, the stores look a bit bare and the wait to pay is almost as long as the ride lines.

Fast passes are almost gone by the second hour after opening. So get there early. Or pick the few rides that you want to go on and RUN!

Do you plan on staying at a Disney hotel? There are some really nice partner hotels that are actually closer in distance to the parks than some of the official hotels. There is simple (but not so simple in price) hotel right near the train station. It is not listed as a partner hotel but it is directly in front of the shopping center Ikspiari. It is called JR Dream Gate Maihama. Here is a link: http://hotel.eki-net.com/e/dreamgate/index.html

Sorry for being so long winded. Hope that all helps. If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask.

 

[scrump]

I used to live in Japan, went to Tokyo Disneyland several times, but unfortunately left the country before I could get to DisneySea. I still have family who live in Tokyo, so it won't be long until I actually get to go (maybe even next year! woo hoo!)

As for getting to the parks from Tokyo, there are several train lines that go there. I would check their website, I seem to remember a "Getting Here" link. I remember getting on the Keio line and getting off at Maihama.

Tokyo is supposedly modeled after Anaheim's layout, but the parks are different in vibe. Personally, for my trip, I would love to do at least two days per park. That said, if this is more of a Japan trip, rather than a Disney trip, I would have to say to keep it to one day in each park, and see some other things. There's so much more to Tokyo than Disney!