I have written extensive (they really are my longest and most detailed) blog posts on visiting Tokyo Disneyland with Kids and visiting Tokyo DisneySea with kids.
If you haven’t visited Tokyo Disneyland or Tokyo Disneysea for the past few years, one major change is the way that fast passes work.
I have gone into how the Disney Premier Passes work here.
Tickets for these fast passes cannot be purchased until you are physically standing in the park using the Tokyo Disney Resort App.
This blog post contains some affiliate links. This means that I will receive a small commission if you book a hotel or make a purchase using one of my links – at no additional charge to you.
HOW TO BUY GENERAL ENTRY TICKETS FOR TOKYO DISNEYLAND & TOKYO DISNEYSEA?
I recommend buying tickets directly for Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disneysea directly via the Tokyo Disney Resort. However, some people find that the site won’t accept their overseas credit card ( I know, as it’s happened to me a LOT!). So the next best option, in my opinion, is to book via Klook. Click here to book Tokyo Disneyland or Tokyo Disneysea via Klook. Klook send you an email with a QR code – scan that code into your Tokyo Disney Resort app and you’re good to go (go into the Tokyo Disney App to show your ticket for scanning at the disney gate. Remember to scan everyone from your group onto the same app on the one phone – that way you are able to apply for the fast passes and show lotteries as a group and can ride and sit together etc.)
If you buy Tokyo Disney tickets on Klook, you can just scan them in to the app using this QR code – like I did here.
BEFORE YOU BOOK DISNEY TICKETS!
Use the calendar on the official Tokyo Disney Resort website. The reason? Some days close early and the calendar on the site will tell you the open and closing hours for each day.
The upside to a long day ? More time in the park
The upside to a shorter day? Less people book for days where they park closes earlier (and earlier means around 6:30pm.) This can be handy if you are visiting with young children who won’t last longer than this time anyway.
Here is how to use a crowd prediction calendar.
Here are my tips on buying tickets for Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disneysea.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FAST PASSES AT TOKYO DISNEYLAND AND TOKYO DISNEYSEA?
As of the start of September 2026, the system involves just one type of fast pass and it does cost meony. Passes can be accessed via the Tokyo Disney Resort app. Please make sure you have the app on your phone prior to entering Tokyo Disneyland or Tokyo DisneySea. Make sure you put all tickets for your group onto the app – onto the same one phone in the same one app.* That way you will get to put in fast passes and show tickets and food orders as a group.
Please also make sure you will have internet access inside the park (there is no free wifi.)
*If you have a large group, you might want to split into two or three groups and load onto 2-3 phones instead. The reason? Large groups of 10 people+ could make it harder to win lottery tickets for shows (I explain the system here) and get some fast passes during busy times – so it depends how much you value moving as one large group.
1) The fast pass is officially called a Disney Premier Access (kind of the new version of what used to be called a fast pass) option and this costs money to skip the queue at an allocated time.
Tickets for these fast passes cannot be purchased until you are physically standing in the park using the Tokyo Disney Resort App.
2) There is an additional option that very ocassionally is available. It’s called the Standby Pass. This is often used for new rides or special events. This doesn’t mean that you can skip the line. It just means that you are able to join the line (it’s not readily available for just anyone to line up.) We have had this happen for one of the newer rides in the Fantasy Springs section. We applied to be able to line up for a ride at a certain time of day – still had to wait more than 30 mins so it didn’t exactly feel like a “treat.”
Do fast passes on the Tokyo Disney App ever run out?
Yes they do. This is why I explain how important it is to arrive early to the Tokyo Disney Parks.
In order to be able to promise those who have got their hands on those fast passes that they will be able to skip the queues at the designated time – they have done the calculations on how many they can offer and up until what time.
So once those spots are full for the day – the offer for fast passes stop. This is why, unlike some other Disneys around the world, it’s not a great idea to just turn up for the afternoon/evening. You will miss out on the ability to skip lines.
Naturally, they run out more quickly on weekends and busy national holidays – usually around 2 or 3pm (which means that the later evening time slots have all been taken up.)
What do I do if the paid Premier Passes are sold out at Tokyo Disneyland or Tokyo Disneysea?
The popular rides can sell out quickly on the first day. I recommend checking often ,as usually, around 1, 2 or 3pm a new batch of passes are released. The trick – don’t tell kids you are trying to avoid disappointment – keep it as a fresh surprise.
Can you get multiple fast passes at once?
Technically yes. When you purchase a fast pass and try to purchase a second the app will tell you what time the next fast pass is available for you to purchase. This is why no amount of money can make it possible to just skip all of the rides and that’s why I think it’s important to have a strategy – feel free to copy my Tokyo Disney Park strategy here.
What happens with kids who didn’t need to buy tickets (because they are too young) when it comes to fast passes at Tokyo Disney?
When children are too young to require a ticket to visit Tokyo Disneyland or Tokyo Disneysea they can still jump on in on your fast pass tickets – provided they are tall enough to ride on that particular attraction, of course. The heigh requirements are all listed on the official Tokyo Disney Resort website. If they can ride wth you, they just line up next to you and you show your adult fast pass at the entrance to the attraction – good to go!!
This blog post contains some affiliate links. This means that I will receive a small commission if you book a hotel or make a purchase using one of my links – at no additional charge to you.
I recommend buying tickets directly for Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disneysea directly via the Tokyo Disney Resort app. However, some people find that the site won’t accept their overseas credit card ( I know, as it’s happened to me a LOT!). So the next best option, in my opinion, is to book via Klook. Click here to book Tokyo Disneyland or Tokyo Disneysea via Klook. Klook send you an email with a QR code – scan that code into your Tokyo Disney Resort app and you’re good to go (go into the Tokyo Disney App to show your ticket for scanning at the disney gate. Remember to scan everyone from your group onto the same app on the one phone – that way you are able to apply for the fast passes and show lotteries as a group and can ride and sit together etc.)
*Please note that park entry tickets for Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disneysea are NOT included in your hotel price like in some other Disney parks around the world. You will need to buy Tokyo Disney Park tickets separately (I explain how here) or, if you are staying in an official Tokyo Disney Hotel, you can purchase while you check-in for your stay. The exception? If you’ve purchased some sort of vacation package. *
I speak further about restaurants and how we pretty much NEVER make restaurant reservations ahead of time for Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disneysea restaurants (as there are actually more restaurants that don’t take reservations and plenty of places to grab food whenever- and using the app you don’t need to wait either – so that it doesn’t interrupt your ride times at all.) HOWEVER, if you would like to make a reservation, jump on the official Tokyo Disney Resort website exactly one month before your park day.
Disney Parks in Japan have 3-4 shows that require paid tickets.
These shows are mostly in Japanese and are mostly used by tour groups but, if you would like to, you can book these 30 days in advance on the Tokyo Disney Official Resort website here. There are many other shows in the parks that do not require reservations.
*PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU DON’T NEED ANY SPECIAL TICKETS OF ANY SORT TO WATCH PARADES AT TOKYO DISNEYLAND. There are some special front row seats that cost money for shows and some parades – but we never purchase them and have never needed them. As I mention in my Tokyo Disneyland with kids blog post, we love watching from outside Tomorrowland Terrace. We set up our little picnic sheet (I talk more about this and other things to pack for a day at Tokyo Disney here) around 30-45 mins before the parade starts and use that time to have a snack and a little rest – one parent takes kids to the restroom while the other keeps our spot.*
