My first visit to Tokyo Disneyland: my review

My 5th Disney park

This is the 5th Disney park I’ve been lucky enough to visit, and probably one of the most memorable of all the Disney parks around the world. Discovering Disneyland Resort in 2024, home to the very first park built by Walt Disney, had already been a very emotional experience, but Tokyo Disneyland raised the bar even higher.

It has to be said that this resort is truly unique, both in how it’s run (it isn’t owned by The Walt Disney Company but by the Oriental Land Company) and in how it was designed. Above all, Tokyo Disney Resort is home to the park many describe as the most beautiful Disney park in the world: Tokyo DisneySea.

In this article, I’m not going to give you a tour of the park! Others will do that far better than I could. Instead, I’ll share my review of the two parks, the food and the Disney hotel we stayed at: the Toy Story Hotel. Above all, I’ll help you avoid a few mistakes and make better choices than I did!

Toy Story Hotel: a pleasant surprise

After several weeks of preparation, watching videos and reading reviews, I finally went for the Toy Story Hotel, one of the cheapest themed Disney hotels at Tokyo Disney Resort.

Why did I choose this hotel over the MiraCosta or the Ambassador, which I’d also been considering? The main reason was the price ! With two teenagers in the family, I was a little worried that the Toy Story theme would put them off, and that breakfast would be very noisy. But this hotel pleasantly surprised me. Here’s everything I liked, and also what I liked less:

What I liked at the Toy Story Hotel 😍:

• The Toy Story franchise brilliantly used: the Pixar animated film shows up in every last detail, both in the rooms and in the public areas. I’ve rarely seen such a well-themed hotel since the Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel!
• The breakfast buffet : I’d heard that breakfast wasn’t up to the standard of the other hotels. But from my point of view, it’s more than satisfactory! Not only is it very generous and varied, it’s also quite carefully done down to the details (like the little Lotso biscuit). What’s more, as we were on a Vacation Package, the hostess always seated us in the annexe room, which was much less crowded and noisy than the main restaurant.
• The Shop Together mini-market: it’s a bit like a konbini, Disney-style! Very handy if you can’t be bothered to go out to eat. You’ll find ready-made Japanese meals, sandwiches, drinks and lots of very practical items.
• The home delivery service: you can have your luggage shipped to your next destination in Japan with this service. Incredibly handy if you’re travelling by train! Bring cash, as it’s the only payment method accepted.

Breakfast & Vacation Package

When you choose the Vacation Package, you’ll be asked to pick a breakfast time at Lotso Garden. Looking back, I get the impression that whatever time you choose, it won’t stop you from going. So don’t overthink it when you book!

What I liked less at the Toy Story Hotel 😠:

• The Cast Members’ level of English : the Japanese aren’t known for their command of the language of Shakespeare (nor are we French, for that matter), but for a Disney hotel, I found their level much poorer than what I’d seen elsewhere in Japan. When I had a problem with a ticket booking, making myself understood was a real struggle.
• No Disney films or Disney+ on the TV: I really struggle to understand why the Oriental Land Company hasn’t thought of adding this option in the rooms. Or at the very least, providing screens that let you cast your own Disney+ subscription.
• No early check-in: this is probably the same at all the Tokyo Disney hotels, but it’s a shame you can’t check in even an hour or two before the official 3pm. Especially when you know that you can normally buy reduced-price “Early Evening Passports” for entry after 3pm.

I should also add that I opted for a Vacation Package stay, a package that comes with a number of perks such as Happy Entry (the equivalent of our Extra Magic Time) and queue-skipping passes for certain rides (I’ll come back to this later).

Going at the start of July, my number one fear was the crowds and endless queues!

Tokyo Disneyland: some highs and some gripes

When we arrived at the hotel, we had the option of spending an extra afternoon in one of the two parks. I had the choice between Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea, and as the main park was closing at 6:30pm the next day (yes, it happens once a month and of course it had to be on my dates 🤬), I chose the former so I could see the night-time show.

Anyway, after struggling no end to buy an “Early Evening” ticket through the official app (see below), I bought full-price tickets at guest services. And off we went to Tokyo Disneyland! The entrance alone, with its famous World Bazaar, is impressive. And to think that we could have had the same thing at Disneyland Paris!

What I liked at Tokyo Disneyland 😍:

• The low crowds: my first (pleasant) surprise was finding that the park was far from full! Within an hour, we had already done 4 rides (Pirates of the Caribbean, Star Tours, BTM, Snow White’s Adventures). Surprising for the start of July…but once you visit Tokyo DisneySea, you understand much better why this park is so empty.
• There’s always something going on: just like at Disney World, there’s always entertainment at Tokyo Disneyland. Characters are everywhere and street music bands are very common.
• ToonTown : this unique land, admittedly a little childish, is really worth a visit! If only to ride Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin. A dark ride you can also experience at Disneyland in Anaheim.
• Splash Mountain (my absolute favourite): never having had the chance to ride it in Florida (it was already being transformed during my last visit 2 years ago), I was really hyped to do it. This flume ride is a little gem. On top of that, the wait time was very reasonable (30 min), so I was able to ride it several times.
• The same rides, but better: even though many of the rides are classics, a lot of them seem better made, like Jungle Cruise, which I much preferred to the US versions.

What I liked less at Tokyo Disneyland 😠:

• Limited food options: of the 5 Disney parks I’ve visited, this is definitely the one with the least choice. There are few places to eat, and they often serve the same things. And the wait is often long, whether you’re buying popcorn, an ice cream or a snack. For table-service restaurants, or simply anywhere with air conditioning, it’s worse.
• Closed rides: OK, that’s just bad luck. But Small World & Monsters, Inc., two of the park’s big rides, closed in the middle of July? I struggle to understand the timing. What’s more, the list of closed rides on the official website wasn’t even up to date!

Tokyo DisneySea: without doubt the most beautiful park in the world

Yes, this park is absolutely stunning! But above all, it’s unlike any other park. When you walk in, you don’t immediately feel like you’re in a Disney park. The entrance through Mediterranean Harbor is truly magnificent, polished and immersive. You feel completely transported.

But you need to be patient at DisneySea. First to get in, then for everything else. To eat, to go on rides or to shop. The park is packed, and it’s easy to see why. And I’m not even talking about the wait times for the Fantasy Springs rides. Allow 120 to 160 min on average for Rapunzel’s Lantern Festival and Fairy Tinker Bell’s Busy Buggies. Even longer for Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Journey (we waited 2.5 hours!).

To wait much less, the passes included in the Vacation Package help a lot, and so do Disney Premier Access passes. But all of that comes at a cost!

What I liked at Tokyo DisneySea 😍:

• Journey to the Center of the Earth : this ride, admittedly a touch too short, is a total success! Half dark ride, half mine train, this journey to the centre of the Earth is now in my top 5 Disney rides. If only we had it at Disneyland Paris…As for queues, allow a wait of 60 to 100 min. For my part, I had it included in the Vacation Package.
• The sense of escape and the scenery: I hadn’t been this impressed since discovering Pandora at Animal Kingdom in Orlando! The beauty of the scenes is beyond compare. I can still picture myself walking through Port Discovery and gazing at that little fishing harbour, which has nothing to do with the Disney universe, but is so beautiful.
• Fantasy Springs: the new expansion shows once again the talent of the Imagineers and the Oriental Land Company. How beautiful it is! The entrance to Fantasy Springs is an attraction in itself. It reminds me a little of the Tree of Life at Animal Kingdom, with animals carved into the trunk.
• Sindbad’s Storybook Voyage :

What I liked less at DisneySea 😠:

• The wait before opening : it took us 40 min to get into the park! With the park opening at 9am, we arrived at 8:45am. What a mistake! 40 min to get through security and ticket checks is a lot. Especially when you know you need to get into the park as quickly as possible to book the free passes. It’s a shame the park can’t manage the flow of visitors better in the morning…
• Ride closures : once again, we were out of luck. Several major rides were closed: Fairy Tinker Bell’s Busy Buggies (one of the 3 rides in Fantasy Land), Flounder’s Flying Fish Coaster and, above all, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea!
• The crowds and wait times: imagine waiting almost 2 hours for Soaring! A ride where only the queue and the pre-show are really worth it (unless you’re a true flying theatre fan). Since access to Fantasy Springs stopped being restricted, the land has been packed.
• The merchandise : I expected much better from this park. Merchandise in keeping with the park: original, unique. For one thing, there aren’t many shops. For another, there are relatively few exclusives.

My 4 tips & mistakes to avoid

1. Get Happy Entry at DisneySea

Being able to get into DisneySea 15 minutes or more early is far from a luxury, especially if you’re planning to go at a busy time. By staying at the MiraCosta, the Ambassador or the Fantasy Springs Hotel (admittedly sky-high prices), you’ll be able to enter the park earlier and avoid the crush at the land’s 3 big rides.

As a result, you’ll be able to book a free “40th anniversary Priority Pass” for another ride in the park (such as Aquatopia, Indiana Jones or 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea), and even add other rides with the Vacation Package. By choosing your passes carefully, you’ll save several hours over the day!

2. Arrive early, before DisneySea opens

Not having Happy Entry, I made the mistake of not arriving early enough before opening. The result: a 40-minute wait to get into the park, and the free passes had almost all gone. Especially as, between the two parks, you should clearly give priority to DisneySea over Tokyo Disneyland.

3. Check the park opening hours and the ride closure schedule

Don’t do what I did and book your stay on the only day when Tokyo Disneyland closed early, at 6:30pm! If I’d checked the opening hours, I would have moved my dates. Because it cost me the night-time show that day and precious hours to enjoy the park.

Also check the list of temporarily closed rides. By planning properly and choosing the right dates, you’ll avoid needless frustration.

4. Book your restaurants well in advance

If you want to eat in peace at one of the resort’s restaurants, there are two important things to know:

1. The restaurants close early: most of them close at 9pm. My advice: either eat very early in the parks if you want to enjoy the shows, or later outside the resort, in Maihama for example, with its Ikspiari shopping centre, which closes around 10:30pm.
2. They fill up very quickly: you’re unlikely to find a table at a restaurant, table service or not, without a booking.