In regards to Tokyo Disney, their program for guests with disabilities is called "Barrier Free". The link to download an english booklet for both parks is on this page:
https://www.tokyodisneyresort.jp/en/tdr/bfree.html . The component to get an alternate waiting method is called Disability Access Service. The booklet has photos of every attraction and theater in regards to seating or accessing the attractions, so it is an amazing ressource. It gives measurement of how big the seats are and openings to get into ride vehicles.
The key points in regards to Barrier Free:
- Guests with a disability need to be accompanied by an able bodied member of their party to do attractions and character greetings.
- You will need a certificate or doctor's note to show to Guest Relations at either parks to get access to the service. A doctor's note in english was enough for my mom and we are from Canada.
- It used to be booklet that would be filled with times to return for attractions when I went. Now, a photo is taken when the Disability Access Service is issued and it linked to a park ticket, like what WDW and DLR do now.
- You will need to wait the same time or longer depending on the attractions than the posted waited times.
- It is valid for up to six persons at attractions and up to 10 at character greetings. If your group is more, the extra people will be told to wait in the regular queue and to meet up with you at the end of the line.
- It used to be that you could get fast passes in addition to using the booklet for return times. Now, with the system moving online, I wonder if you can buy Premier Access and also use the return times? I am going to Tokyo in March and will inquire then.
In regards to visiting the resort:
- the monorail is paid public transportation with its own tickets or you can use your PASMO/SUICA payment card. (PASMO/SUICA cards are loaded with yens and you tap them when entering and exiting trains and subways. The amount is deducted and you save a little versus using individual tickets.)
- Crowds are quite large at the resort and pre pandemic, your average friday in october was equivalent to a christmas week visit at the Magic Kingdom crowd wise.
- Food wise, it is quite varied, but vegetarian options are more limited than at the american parks.
- The parks have a temporary closure calendar where they list when rides go down for refurbishment and repairs. This is the link to the page where the dates are listed:
https://www.tokyodisneyresort.jp/en/tdl/monthly/stop/ Right now, if you're going in May 2023, Space Mountain is going down for its last refurbishment from April 17th to June 21st and depending on when in May, other rides will be closed at Tokyo Disneyland. Over at Tokyo DisneySea, Raging Spirits will be down from May 12th to June 14th.
In regards to that, I have my list of attractions that are different, unique or just amazing there that have to be running for me to consider a trip:
Tokyo Disneyland
- Space Mountain (Its a clone track wise of Disneyland with a unique Matrix like theme. The ride is closing for good in early 2024 to be replaced by a new Space Mountain opening in 2027.)
- Splash Mountain (No, its not closing for good there.)
- Big Thunder Mountain.
- Pooh's Hunny Hunt.
- Beauty and the Beast.
- Monsters Inc Ride and Go Seek!
Tokyo DisneySea:
- Tower of Terror.
- Soaring Fantastic Flight.
- Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull.
- Sindbad.
- Journey to the Center of the Earth (if this ride is down for refurbishment, I am not even going...)