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Hits and Misses from our Day at Tokyo DisneySea

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On my recent trip to Japan and China, I visited the last two Disney theme parks I had on my bucket list. Before I reveal my favorite Disney park, I will review the latest two I visited. Here are the hits and misses from our day at Tokyo DisneySea.

Hit: Unique Design and Structures

Without a doubt, Tokyo DisneySea has the most unique layout and design of any Disney park I’ve visited. Instead of a castle as the center point, the park has a volcano:

A group of five people is standing in front of a body of water with a scenic backdrop. Behind them, there is a rocky mountain with a castle-like structure and a ship. The people are smiling and posing for the photo, with some of them having their arms around each other. The scene appears to be at a theme park or tourist attraction.

The image shows the entrance to "Toyville Trolley Park," a themed area with ornate, colorful architecture featuring domes and decorative elements. A large sign with the words "Toy Story Mania!" is visible, along with a giant figure of a character wearing a cowboy hat. Many people are walking around, enjoying the park.

The image shows a lively scene at a theme park with a Middle Eastern architectural style. The building features ornate domes and towers with intricate blue and gold designs. People are walking around, some taking photos. One person is wearing a playful hat with animal ears. The sky is overcast, and there are palm trees in the background.

The image shows a stone castle entrance with two round towers on either side. The castle features decorative banners and a large archway leading inside. People are walking around the area, some with strollers and others taking photos. The sky is overcast, adding a dramatic backdrop to the scene.

It truly was a delight to see such unfamiliar buildings and landscapes in a Disney park.

Hit: Unique Rides

Tokyo DisneySea has some rides that can’t be found in any other Disney theme park. While it’s always fun to go on the familiar rides and compare the differences among the parks, it’s also thrilling to experience some unique new-to-us rides. Everyone in our group loved Journey to the Center of the Earth ride.  And, the Peter Pan ride was so different from the namesake ride at the other parks that I’m counting it as a new-to-us ride as well.

The image shows a rocky structure with a carved face of a smiling man integrated into the rock. Water cascades down from the top of the rock, creating a waterfall effect. The rock is adorned with greenery and flowers, adding a natural touch. In the foreground, there is a decorative fence with lanterns. The sky is overcast with clouds.
Near entrance to Peter Pan ride
The image shows a water ride with several small, round boats carrying people. The boats are floating on a waterway surrounded by rocky terrain. In the background, there is a structure resembling a bridge and a tall, decorative pole. Trees and a rocky hill are visible in the distance under a cloudy sky.
Aquatopia ride at Tokyo DisneySea

Hit: Character Costumes

Seeing Disney characters in different costumes was a hit with my family.

A character in a colorful costume is standing in an outdoor setting. The character is wearing an orange and turquoise outfit with gold embellishments and a matching headpiece. The character has large eyes and a beak, resembling a duck. People are around, including a child in a stroller and a person holding a toy.

 

A person is posing with a character dressed as Donald Duck, who is wearing a blue hat and jacket. They are standing on a cobblestone street in a theme park setting, with other people and buildings visible in the background.
Donald Duck is my son’s favorite

While we didn’t wait in any long character lines, we still enjoyed getting glimpses of new-to-us character outfits. I purchased Mickey and Minnie characters in traditional Japanese costumes as Christmas ornaments.

Miss: Entry Wait Time

We took a bus from our hotel and were excited to arrive shortly before the park opened. However, our enthusiasm waned when it took almost a full hour to actually get inside the park after we entered the line in front of the gate. I’m not sure if their security screening was more thorough than other parks, but we’ve never had that long of a wait.

Miss: Food

I know that you don’t go to Disney parks for the food. However, we’ve had some great food at Disney World in Florida (especially at EPCOT) on past trips. And, compared to the rest of the food we had in Japan, the meals and the snack offerings were lacking. We ate lunch at Horizon Bay Restaurant at tried several snacks. Nothing to write home about.

Miss: Attraction Wait Times

By far, the biggest miss at Tokyo DisneySea was the long wait for rides. While the ticket to get into the park was cheaper compared to parks in the US, the ride wait times were ridiculous. The big-ticket rides had waits of 90-120+ minutes, even though we went on a weekday in May that was supposed to be a “regular” crowd level. We ended up paying for Premier Access for 3 rides, which cost $10-$15 per person depending on the ride. Thankfully, we only paid for all six of us for one ride (Journey to the Center of the Earth), while subsets of our group got Premier Access to the other two rides. We waited 40-60 minutes on some other rides, which isn’t horrible. But, we really felt like we had to pay extra to get on the most popular rides.

Final Thoughts

My family enjoyed our day at Tokyo DisneySea. Based on our experience, I feel there is no way to experience the whole park in just one day, unless you buy Premier Access for everything. While I didn’t get to go on all the rides, I felt like I got enough of a taste for this park during one day, and I’m glad we went.

A family of three is posing with a person in a bear costume wearing a colorful poncho and hat. They are standing in a room decorated with musical instruments like guitars and maracas, and colorful woven textiles hang on the walls. The floor has patterned rugs.

Author: Nancy

Nancy lives near Dallas, Texas, with her husband and three kids. Her favorite vacations include the beach, cruising and everything Disney.

Comments

  2. Leana says

    My daughter requested to go to this park, so it’s on our list. Not my cup of tea, but this is her graduation present. I’m dreading the lines, but I’m glad there’s at least an option to pay extra to reduce the wait. Will definitely go that route.

    Reply

  3. Darlene says

    Sad you didn’t enjoy the snacks and food. I go about once a month and I love the snacks and food, one of my favorite things compared to the American parks. Yes the lines are long, but everyone is patient and I love people watching.

    Reply

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