Planning your Tokyo Disney Trip

You've finally made the decision to visit Tokyo Disneyland, and now comes the exciting part: planning! Tokyo Disney is quite distinct from Disneyland and Disney World. I aim to simplify the information to make your planning process easier and stress-free.

There are a few ways you can visit Tokyo Disney:

1) Stay at a hotel in Tokyo, buy a day pass for the day and visit the park.

2) Stay on property at a Disney resort, buy a day pass for the day as well.

3) Buy a vacation package, which includes tickets, breakfast and hotel.

Option 1: ($)

You can buy Disney park tickets on the Disney site and other 3rd party sites like Klook.This is the most affordable option, with adult tickets ranging from 7,900 to 10,900 yen, Junior tickets (ages 12-17) from 6,600 to 9,000 yen, and tickets for children (ages 4-11) from 4,700 to 5,600 yen. There are also discounted pass prices available for individuals with disabilities. Additionally, if you're only interested in attending the evening shows, a ticket is available that grants park access from 5 pm until closing.

If you opt for this choice, it's advisable to arrive at the parks at least 3 hours before they open, as the entrance queue can be extremely long, potentially taking up to an hour to enter. Therefore, if the park opens at 9 am, you might not be inside until 10 am.

Just bear in mind that Tokyo Disney do not sell park hopper options. Each park ticket allows entry to one park per day.

Tickets can be bought at 2 PM JST exactly two months in advance of the desired date.

Disney Hotel: ($$)

Ticket prices remain the same whether you stay at a Disney hotel or not, but there are benefits to staying at a Disney property hotel.

1) You are close to the park entrances, allowing you to sleep in a bit longer before heading to the park.

2) You can take advantage of happy entry, entering 15 minutes before the park opens to the general public, which is great as it saves you from standing in line for 3 hours. However, it's advisable to arrive 1 hour to 30 minutes before the official happy entry so that you are one of the first to enter to either que up for a ride or buy your Disney premier access passes for rides or shows.

3) You can enjoy all the Disney theming to fully immerse yourself in the experience, as the theming in Japan is incredible.

Disney Hotels may be booked at 11am JST on the same day 4 months before your stay.

Disney Vacation package: ($$$)

These are all-inclusive packages that cover the hotel, breakfast, and tickets. Although they are pricier, they contribute to a more carefree vacation experience. Depending on the package you choose, you may receive fast passes for various rides, character experiences, or early dining reservations.

Currently, as of writing of this post, there are 3 vacation packages to choose from, however Tokyo Disney is constantly changing there vacation package offerings, it's always best to check their site constantly.

Booking Disney Vacation packages can be tricky depending on your preferences, the package type, and your desired hotel. If you're planning to stay at popular locations such as Fantasy Springs or Hotel Mira Costa, it's best to make reservations as soon as they open. Sometimes the booking process is simple, but other times packages sell out fast. Unfortunately, you won't know which scenario you'll face until it's too late.

Regardless of the option you select, you will experience a magical time at Tokyo Disney. Keep in mind that you're on vacation, so make sure to enjoy yourself.