After 25+ visits to Tokyo Disneysea with kids, we are delighted to share what works for us at this magical Japanese theme park when visiting with our children.
*Please note that the new section of TOKYO DISNEYSEA ( Tangled and Frozen and Peter Pan section called “Fantasy Springs” is opening on June 6th. If you decide to visit in June it can go one of two ways
1) If you are a hard core Disney fan and don’t mind waiting hours and hours – you could be one of the first people to enter this new section
2) The other areas of Tokyo Disneysea MAY be (no guarantee) less busy at this time before the focus with crowds will be on the new section so it could be a win-win if you deliberately avoid that new section
*Either way – tickets will be hard to get for this time (especially as annual passport holders will be all dying to go) so please remember to book early!
If you haven’t visited Tokyo Disney Sea for the past few years, one major change is the way that fast passes work.
There are currently two kinds of fast passes. I have gone into how the Tokyo Disney Premier Pass and 40th Anniversary Priority 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.
Tokyo DisneySea is a whole other Disneyland within the Tokyo Disney Resort. This unique-to-Japan theme park is ocean-themed and – instead of being based around a castle- is based around a giant volcano and lake. Tokyo DisneySea is also a magical place to spend a full and magical day with young kids and toddlers.
Disneyland was so successful in Japan that the resort decided to add a whole new park. Japanese die-hard Disney patrons were interviewed and surveyed extensively in order to find out just what they would like to find in additional Tokyo Disneyland option. The answers? They found that many Disney-goers wanted to feel like they were on an overseas holiday and have the opportunity for more thrilling rides. It is no accident that the park also feels very romantic and a lot like stepping straight onto a movie set. It is aimed at couples first and everyone else after that.
Tokyo Disneysea with kids is also truly spectacular. And I would love to share with you what we do to make the most of the day and our precious time at Disneysea!
LOOKING FOR WHERE TO BUY DIAPERS / NAPPIES IN THE TOKYO DISNEY AREA?
If it’s the day you’re visiting Tokyo Disneyland or Tokyo Disneysea, I recommend buying them inside the Baby Centre inside the Disney Parks.
However, if you’re looking for places to purchase nappies outside of the parks, I recommend going to Tomods Drugstore on the second floor of the Ikspiari complex outside of Tokyo Disneyland (opens at 10am) or at Drug Seims Drugstore in Urayasu which is 5 mins in a cab, approx 900 yen, from Tokyo Disneyland (opens at 8am.)
My family are Disney traditionalists so prefer DisneyLAND over SEA. However, there are so many cool things about this newer park and some sections are even better for small children (even though DisneySea was originally designed with teens and couples in mind.). However, now that my kids are a bit bigger -they do love the more thrilling ride options at Tokyo DisneySea – especially Journey to the Centre of the Earth and the Raging Spirits loop de loop rollercoaster.
If you live near Disneyland in another part of the world, DisneySea is a once off, only-in-Japan deal so it’s worth a visit.
I’ve heard some other parents talk about how Disneyland (and DisneySea) can be wasted on small children as they won’t remember it but, personally, I couldn’t disagree more.
My children have been attending since they were 5 months & 2 years old. I have written here that I still believe it is worth it to take our baby to the Tokyo Disney Parks as there is still so much that you can do together.
They really believe in the magic and that makes it magical for the whole family.
They have loved every minute of it and I think it’s such a good (and very full!) day out.
Another reason to take children? Their Disney tickets are free until they are 4 years old ! (woop woop woop!!)
If you’re reading this post while you are AT DisneySea and you are already there but it is busy day or you are unable to change your tickets to a less busy day… this blog post is all about how to survive a really busy day at Tokyo DisneySea.
Did you know that these are crowd prediction calendars that can tell you which days will be the least busy ?
I show you how to read crowd prediction calendars for Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disneysea here.
Although I wouldn’t really advise going to Disneysea in a blizzard or anything like that but we have found that a little bit of rain is actually a good thing as it can keep other people away so that’s more space in lines for you!
Summer is actually harder than Winter as the Japanese Summer is so hot and muggy.
See ahead of time what rides are closed for today. Find the Tokyo DisneySea closed attractions here.
PLEASE NOTE ( JUST TO KEEP EXPECTATIONS IN CHECK ) AN ” AVERAGE CROWD” AT A TOKYO DISNEY PARK OFTEN LOOKS A LOT LIKE A BUSY DAY AT ONE OF THE US PARKS
Once you’ve chosen your day (using the crowd prediction calendar as a guide) I highly, highly recommend buying tickets ahead of time.
It IS possible to buy them on the day ( as long as the park isn’t sold out, of course!) – however, the ticket gates don’t open until the park does – so you’ll already be held up on your Disney day.
And once you’ve chosen your dates? See my post here on where to buy tickets to Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disneysea.
A little note with your children’s heights (metric!)
Although the staff can measure your children for certain rides, it helps to know ahead of time. Mainly to avoid disappointment when starting to line up for a particular attraction at either Tokyo Disneyland OR Tokyo Disneysea.
Measuring height and knowing the weight of your children before you travel to Japan will assist with clothing options as well as rides and is one of my tips for when preparing for your Japan trip with kids. See here for more of my easily “prepping ahead tips.”
Snacks & Drinks
Although Disney staff do a bag search on the way into Disney they are looking for flammables etc and don’t mind you bringing in your own snacks and drinks (which is perfect when you are taking small children.) No snacks that resemble a meal are allowed though – no fast food and no bentos etc.
The food inside the park actually isn’t hideously expensive so we usually buy lunch, popcorn and treats but I do pack crackers, juice, carrot sticks and grapes etc.
Portable Wifi
There is no free wifi inside of Tokyo DisneySea. This means that, if you don’t have internet already organised ahead of time you won’t be able to book premier or anniversary fast passes for rides or make use of the app functions (including the map). I like the company Japan Wireless for pocket wifi – and I have a discount link for 25% off (this is an affiliate link where I make a small commission at no additional cost to you.)
Activities for Kids
I pack for Disneyland similarly to the way that I pack for plane travel with kids – just a few activities to keep kids entertained while waiting in lines. Bubbles are the most popular with my kiddies ( I usually buy them at Japanese 7-Eleven) as are Disney colouring books, stickers and a couple of figurines.
Stroller (unless you plan to rent)
Strollers are for hire at Disneyland and DisneySea for 1000 yen for the whole day Read here for more information on stroller hire within the Tokyo Disney parks.
I usually take my biggest stroller so my children can nap whenever they need or I rent one for my big girl if she gets tired and take one of my own for my little boy. See here for the types of strollers we have used in Japan over the years.
Note: When waiting in line for rides and shows, strollers need to be parked in stroller parking bays. For parades they ask you to place them at the back of the crowd or fold up. During some of the shows, they will sometimes let you take in a stroller if baby is asleep.
Baby Carriers (if still using)
As strollers need to be parked in the stroller bays while you ride on attractions and wait in line, carriers are really handy when standing for long periods.
Spare Clothing
I recommend taking a few changes of clothing. It’s a long day and accidents happen. At Disneyland my kiddies get sweaty or rained on and it’s nice to be able to easily start afresh.
Extra phone charger packs.
These are NOT for sale anywhere in the park- although you can rent phone charging banks at some spots inside the park now. It is easier if you have our own portable charging option.
Costumes
When my kids were small I would dress them in a little buzz light year suit or a princess dress. Something to keep in mind though – for adults – costumes are NOT allowed unless it is Halloween season.
A backpack or one light bag
As you can imagine, with all the stuff I’ve listed above my bag is quite big – and I hang it on a stroller. But when we are on rides I leave the stroller in the stroller parking with all our stuff on it (I know, unfathomable in any other country) so I just need a bag to wear in line with valuables.
If you’re not comfortable with abandoning your stuff, there are lockers to rent just outside of the Tokyo Disney ticket gates ( Tokyo Disney Parks allow pass outs/ re-entry – you just need to get a stamp on your hand when doing so.)
So, which items are not allowed at Tokyo Disneysea?
– Alcohol ( although you can purchase alcohol inside of Tokyo Disneysea )
Extra tip: there is an old school cocktail bar called “The Teddy Roosevelt Lounge” inside the big ship the S.S Columbia, just incase Mummy needs a French Martini in front of a fireplace.
– Adult costumes or Disney cosplay or Masks ( kids are fine in little Disney outfits) – with the exception of the Halloween season
– Scooters, trikes or those ride-on push along bikes. Wagon style strollers are also not allowed.
– Selfie sticks & drones & camera stands
WHEN TO ARRIVE AT TOKYO DISNEYSEA?
YOU NEED TO ARRIVE EARLY! (especially when visiting with kids!)
I see instagram stories or Tik Tok’s once a week of someone showing a massive line (in fact, many very orderly lines) of people outside of both of the Tokyo Disneys and the person taking the footage is like “oh no! What have we done?! It’s so busy today! Ew!” But what these people don’t realize is … the Japanese Disneys are different to those in other parts of the world. You want to be in these lines. The lines are orderly and organized. Someone will always comment on these types of videos saying “we walked in at 10am and there were no lines at all!!” – but that’s the way for the whole time after opening at Tokyo Disney Parks.
You want to be in those morning lines because then you can get on that first ride without having to wait. Then you won’t miss out on the free fast passes at the times that suit your family or show reservations- both of these options can only be done on the app once you are in the park.
That friend who boasted about strolling in at 10 or 11am have already kind of messed up their chances to have a full day with less waiting time once they are inside…..
By being in those lines, you are already ahead of the game for a better day out at the Tokyo Disney Parks.
The long lines at the start are normal. They look like that every day -even on “empty” days.
We like to arrive at Tokyo DisneySea approximately 1 hour before opening time. We eat a convenience store breakfast in the line, apply sunscreen, plan what we want to do first and what everyone in the family wants to ride on most. The opening hours change depending on the day and time of year so check out the calendar on the Tokyo Disney Resort Official Website.
See here for my article on peak/rush hour train times in Japan.
Actually.. before you enter the park
There is the Disney Train to travel from Maihama Station (Tokyo Disneyland Station) to Tokyo Disney Sea. It’s so cute – even down to the train grips – so have the camera ready. It really adds to the excitement.
Make a plan
Soarin’ is still one of the most popular rides at Tokyo Disneysea as it is still one of the newer attractions. If you are very keen to ride then I recommend heading to that ride first ( and expect to still wait in line for a while.)
I recommend having a game plan so make sure you have the map handy on the Tokyo Disney Resort App and also take note of the showtimes and try your luck at those which are luck of the draw lottery style ticketing.
We base our “attack” (disney geeks, right here!!) on the events that are time dependent.
*Note: I believe it isn’t worth paying for a premier pass for a parade spot – just turn up at least 30 minutes to your desired spot ahead of time (you have to arrive 30 mins ahead of time even if you’ve paid for a spot anyway.
We base our “attack” (disney geeks, right here!!) on the events that are time dependent.
We try to base rides and meals around show times.
See what rides are temporarily closed for the day on the Tokyo DisneySea website closures page here.
If you have a true Toy Story fan, I recommend going to the Toy Story ride as soon as possible – the line gets long really quickly and it is probably in one of the furthest spots from the park entrance.
We then head to either the beautiful double decker carousel (which is such a good idea as the lines are never really that long because there are so many ride-on animals) or straight for the Mermaid’s Lagoon.
The Mermaid’s Lagoon is such a fantastic area for little ones. It has almost all of the kiddie rides all in one gigantic cave and the Ariel show – which is one of our favourite shows in the whole resort. It is undercover so it doesn’t matter what the weather is like.
- Caravan Carousel
- Mermaid Lagoon Theater
- Jumpin’ Jellyfish
- Flounder’s Flying Fish Coaster ( for 3 years +)
- Blowfish Balloon Race
- The Whirlpool
- Jasmine’s Flying Carpets
- Aquatopia
- The Nemo ride
- Scuttles Scooters
- The Toy Story ride – warning. This ride has a long wait time (if it’s a priority – go here first!)
My kids also get a kick out of getting a 1st ride sticker for some of the bigger rides – these are sometimes handed out by ride staff.
Which Tokyo Disneysea ride do we all agree is rubbish?
20,000 leagues under the sea. I warned you. It’s just boring.
other than that though….
My kiddies adore DisneySea so much.
The only part that disappoints them is the fact that there are no parades. (But my kids are particularly nutty for parades.) The major shows are all performed on and around the lake in the middle of the park.
These shows are spectacular and great fun but my kids miss the interaction with the parade characters when they are up close and in their faces.
At night there is a night show in the middle of the lake. It’s called “Believe” Sea of Dreams!”
Mind you, there are fantastic shows around the base of the large ship and DisneySea has more “impromptu” shows (park cleaners that suddenly become magicians etc.)
The good news is that there are many many more rides that you CAN still jump onto (waddle onto) but here is the list of no-nos.
- Tower of Terror
- Indiana Jones
- Raging Spirits
- Journey to the Centre of the Earth
- Flounder’s Flying Fish Coaster
- Nemo & Friends Sea Rider
Also, did you know that you can request a Guest Assistance Card if you’re pregnant and can’t stand in line for a long period of time? Unfortunately, this doesn’t speed up the waiting process (so don’t even think about packing that watermelon to shove under your shirt, ok?) but it does mean that the staff will escort you to a place where you can sit while you wait. I have included link to this pregnancy section of the Tokyo Disney Resort website here.
- Turtle Talk
- Sindbad’s Storybook Village (although really little kids wouldn’t mind. It’s similar to “It’s a Small World”)
- The Magic Lamp Theater (although some people still say they like this without understanding. It’s a lot of talking though.)
Ariel’s Playground
From a grown-up perspective it’s not the most exciting section – but my kids love Ariel’s Playground.
The playground is an under-the-sea type Jungle Gym with a boat to climb on and caves to explore. My family love it because of all the different activities. My hubby and I love it because there is also no wait time.
It’s a beautiful little kid-friendly oasis from all the queues while visiting Tokyo Disneysea.
Cuddle a Character
Meeting characters is something that I love WAY more than DisneyLAND. At DisneySea, in order to meet a character you don’t just need to just be “lucky” enough that they appear at the right time ( although there still are characters wandering around the park here too.) There is a section near the Indiana Jones ride where visitors can line up to meet their favourite character – just like you would queue for a ride. A professional photographer can be found at each booth but they don’t mind if you just ask for a photo with your own camera/phone either.
It’s easiest to meet Toy Story characters outside of the Toy Story Mania ride.
The Aladdin & Little Mermaid characters (roaming around the park) are kept exclusively for DisneySea.
Look who we also bumped into! Chip and Dale!
And the Incredible Family a few times too ( we have also “met” them at Tokyo Disneyland. )
Take a break and have a bite to eat at Cape Cod restaurant
We came across this hidden gem the third time we visited DisneySea and now we go there every single visit. Inside the restaurant is a show that is constantly on repeat. It’s a Mickey, Minnie and Duffy show that consists of 3 -4 scenes over and over. My children love this so much and so we grab drinks and mickey-shaped chicken nuggets and chill out for a bit in the afternoon.
Carnival Corral play area
The Carnival Corral Play Area doesn’t have any lines. It’s just a play area with some old school-style arcade games and clown mirrors. My two are just as excited by this as they are by the rides next door. Little play spots like this that don’t cost additional money and also don’t get overly crowded are just one of the reasons it’s so lovely to visit Tokyo Disneysea with kids.
Operate model ships in Fortress Exploration
There is a small (mostly indoor) climbing and exploration section in the Mediterranean Harbor Land area. It’s good for a little run around while you wait for a show to begin or someone else in your group to finish up on a ride etc.
We had a lot of rain in the evening while at Tokyo Disneysea with kids last summer and they loved operating the model boats and driving them into the fake storms (100 yen for a few minutes each.)
Stop for a curry at Casbah Food Court in Agrabah
This is the least junkie foodie food that we’ve managed to find inside Tokyo DisneySea and we also liked it as the eating area is right on the large courtyard so kids have lots of space to run and play while grown-ups eat.
If you are looking for Vegan food at Tokyo DisneySea I recommend Casbah Food Court’s Indian Vegetable Curry with Naan Bread.
or Stop for Italian food at Zambini Brothers’ Ristorante (in front of Soarin’ in the Mediterranean Harbor section.)
Use the app to try for a standby pass to this restaurant or join the queue to purchase at the counter. Meal options include spaghetti and meatballs, tomato and basil long pizzas, minestrone soup with mickey shaped croutons. They also sell the Little Green Man alien dessert mochis.
If it rains or is really hot, it’s good to know which rides you can wait for and stay dry or in the shade when doing Tokyo Disney Sea with kids.
And at Disneysea ..
The whole Mermaid’s Lagoon section is undercover. You could spend so much time in there completely dry !
Other attractions undercover or the line is under cover at Tokyo DisneySea are:
Tower of Terror ( partly, if the line isn’t too long)
Fortress Explorations
Turtle Talk * not much fun if you don’t speak Japanese
Toy Story Mania ( partly, if the line isn’t too long)
Nemo & Friends
Indiana Jones ( partly, if the line isn’t too long)
Caravan Carousel
Sinbad’s Storybook Voyage
The Magic Lamp Theater
My little guy adores this Chandu stuffed toy ( Chandu is a character from the Sinbad’s Storybook Voyage ride)
Line up for Big Band Beat
For Musicals and/or old school swing music fans…make sure you leave time to go and see Big Band Beat. It is located down near the giant ship and Toy Story Land. The first show is at a first come, first enter basis ( you’ll need to line up from 45 minutes before the show) and shows after that are on a lottery basis.
Make sure you take some discrete snacks. There are no big snacks allowed in the theatre but I feel like there is a while between being seated and the show starting (so pack a box of cookies or chopped carrots or something.)
No photos allowed while watching this show.
*Writing this additional point : Please leave time to find your seat if you are lucky enough to score a ticket to this show in a COVID world as seats are now allocated.
Check out the Mickey Soap Dispensers in some of the bathrooms
It is also possible to take home a small mickey soap dispenser bottle too – sold in many of the gift shops. This particular picture was taken in the restrooms next to the Indiana Jones ride.
People watch: the matching outfits
There is this “thing” in the Disney Resort where couples and often large groups of Disney visitors will all dress-up the same. It will usually be a disney-inspired costume. It’s part of the whole day itself.
Tokyo Walker Magazine (May Edition) showed just how much this disney-inspired dressing is serious business.
People watch: the hard core fans
Fully-grown Adults are serious fans in this country. I once saw a woman (on her own) setting up her toys to watch the parade, a university-age student burst into tears when meeting Donald for the first time because she had waited for this moment all her life and a women who was so devoted to her collectables that she had her entire bag covered with them.
People watch: the popcorn lines
The lines for popcorn are often as long as some rides! There are different flavours available in different areas of the park and many people are keen to either try them all or keep refilling their popcorn buckets all day long. It’s a sight to see. Curry popcorn anyone? How about Soy Sauce flavour then?
Try on all the hats
Try them on. Take pictures. The shops and stalls aren’t bothered.
As an adult I enjoy Disney from a business model perspective too. How on earth do they manage to make everyone feel like they are constantly having fun and getting their money’s worth?
I also love that there are no corners cut when it comes to detail. Every rubbish bin matches it’s section of disney. The water fountains too!
Example: this was my husband’s coffee stirrer. You can’t help but appreciate these little tidbits.
Duffy is a reasonably new disney character. He is , apparently Mickey’s teddybear …? I think?
This special teddybear is for sale in some other Disney’s around the world but in Japan, Duffy has a cult following. In Japan, Duffy is only for sale in Tokyo DisneySea and the Duffy gift stores are wall-to-wall with Duffy fans.
I have to admit that my family also love the teddybear too and even have become properly Japanese and invested in the Duffy bag/backpack.
Lina Bell and Olu Mel
Only for sale at Tokyo Disneysea
Be careful what you promise…
More than other Disney resorts in the world, the Tokyo parks are geared as much for adults as for children. That means that you can get caught out (speaking from experience!!) by promising your child a toy at the end of the day. There aren’t really many toys in the gift shops. There are lots of Disney themed homewares and keyrings etc, but even the plush toys are often limited-time-only “Mickey in a Santa Costume” or “Anniversary Edition Donald.”
I’m assuming that this is because the Disney Stores are such big business in Japan and the ordinary standard soft toys can be purchased easily.
Perhaps consider buying a small toy ahead of time and keeping it for the end of the day instead?
I’ve done this before ( had some little Mickey and Minnie figurines in my bag ) and it worked out well for us. 
I think that the popcorn containers from Disney make fantastic gifts (although you will need to fill them with clothing to make it worth your while shoving it into the suitcase.) Each popcorn stand sells different kinds of containers ( I mean, different characters and shapes etc.) In Japan, collecting these babies is SERIOUS business. They are all produced for a limited time only – which is a genius idea when it comes to producing a sense of urgency when it comes to sales.
The two pictured below were purchased at DisneySea. The popcorn buckets weren’t cheap – around 2500 yen each – BUT if you buy them to use right away – and you want popcorn refill several times over at Disney…. the refills are very cheap… but you still need to buy the bucket first.
They are adorable and make for beautiful keepsakes.
On a weekend or a movie night – I buy a bag of popcorn or microwave popcorn and the kids bring the containers out again and sit it on their laps throughout the whole film.
Beautiful photo courtesy of @tokyodisneystyle
TOKYO DISNEYSEA
1-13 MAIHAMA, URAYASU, CHIBA
千葉県舞浜1-13
SEE WEBSITE AS OPENING HOURS VARY
TOKYO DISNEY RESORT WEBSITE
Please do let me know if you visit Tokyo Disneysea with kids, please do let me know if you found my tips to be helpful!
Read here to see exactly what I pack for a day at Tokyo Disney with kids.
If you are returning to the city via taxi or a rental car –did you know that there is a drive-thru Starbucks on the way back in to Tokyo? I’ve written about it here.
