Many believe that a trip to Tokyo Disney Resort is nothing more than a pipe dream. Sure, the photos look amazing and everyone raves about it, but traveling to Japan is far different from traveling within the United States. While that is true to a degree, some may be surprised at how attainable at trip to Tokyo Disney Resort (and Japan) is. For those who have decided to go on this amazing trip, or even for those that are simply thinking about it, we’ve created this guide to Tokyo Disney Resort. Our planning guide will include the best times to go to Tokyo Disney Resort, places to stay, where to get park tickets, attraction guides, itineraries, dining tips and reviews, and more. We also have trip planning guides to Disneyland and Disney World.

While we’d like this guide to have every answer to any questions you might have, I also don’t want it to be longer than Moby Dick. Instead, think of this as a jumping off point for a trip to Tokyo Disney Resort. There are many links included within the guide, some to our content and some to other sites that we’ve used. Over time, we’ll have more and more TDR content and will update this guide periodically. More than anything, we want this post to ease some of the burden of what might feel like a monumental task. There are more things to plan and worry about when traveling internationally than there are when going to Disney World or Disneyland, but we think the reward is greater when going to Tokyo Disney Resort. For those just getting started on their planning, here’s a timeline to loosely follow.

Near the end of the post I will discuss whether 2024 is a good time to visit Tokyo Disney Resort. After all of the craziness of the last few years, Japan is open and drawing many tourists. 

I realize that people vacation when they can and sometimes that portion of trip planning isn’t all that flexible. If you can’t be flexible on what year to go, don’t fret. Tokyo Disney Resort and Japan are incredible destinations, regardless of the year. Sure, some are better than others, as we will discuss below, but if you are already planning then this guide will try to help you have an even better time. If you’re simply wondering how the resort differs from the American parks then this post may be a good place to start.

As always, if there is something we didn’t cover or you have a question, then please leave a comment. On to the guide!

When to Visit Tokyo Disney Resort?

Like any other trip, when you visit Tokyo Disney Resort will likely depend on your schedule and priorities. Where it differs is that the trip should include going to cities and landmarks around Japan. For example, we’ve centered some of our trips to Japan around cherry blossom season and fall color season. Both were incredible and had little to do with Tokyo Disney.

Before booking our trip, I did check a crowd calendar to make sure the parks wouldn’t be overrun with people during our potential dates. I’d recommend the same strategy for anyone else. The cherry blossoms and fall colors in Kyoto should likely outweigh any factors that Tokyo Disney Resort brings. But, if your trip is mainly focused on TDR then here is a breakdown of what months we’d recommend, starting with the months we’d probably stay away from. We do have a full post on this subject if you’d like to go further in depth.

Like Disneyland and Disney World, the weather in July and August can be excruciating in Tokyo. Both months are also fairly crowded with the higher crowds being in August. Tokyo can be quite humid in the summer and we’d recommend staying away unless you have no other option. June is also quite warm but doesn’t have as high of crowds, so if you need to travel during the summer months we’d recommend June.

Somewhat surprisingly, one of the busiest months at Tokyo Disney Resort is March. This is because of spring breaks for the schools and student discounts on tickets. If possible, wait until the first week of April is over to visit if you are going to Japan in the spring. February is somewhat similar to March, although the crowds are slightly lower and the weather a little cooler.

September and October are hit and miss crowd wise, thanks to the popularity of Halloween at Tokyo Disney Resort. The average temperature is ideal but it is typhoon season so guests might run into high winds and rain. Of course, if you love Halloween then seeing how TDR decorates may be worth any crowd or weather headaches.

November and early December have lower crowds and the resort does a wonderful job of decorating for Christmas, despite the holiday not being widely celebrated in Japan. The temperatures can be cold but it may be worth it to see the outstanding décor and experience some of the Christmas entertainment. Avoid the week after Christmas, leading into the New Year as the crowds are absurd.

The lowest crowd levels of the year are generally in mid to late January. Sure, weather is cold but it may be a solid trade-off to see the parks empty. Plus, you may be able to see Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea with snow on the ground.

The sweetest spot as far as crowds and temperatures go is April and May, except for Golden Week (a week in Japan with multiple holidays where many people travel). While the events are slightly less interesting than Halloween or Christmas, the parks look beautiful as guests would catch the tail-end of blooming season and the parks will be filled with color. If you have your pick, I’d recommend May or early December.

For a look into what specific week you should visit, this is a great crowd calendar. It is all in Japanese, so either use Google Translate and then decipher from there or check out this post that breaks down the crowd calendar from the excellent TDR Explorer. Last of all but probably most importantly, go to Tokyo Disney Resort on weekdays. The crowds will be much lower and more manageable. While we don’t completely advise planning a trip to Japan around Tokyo Disney Resort, make sure your itinerary has you there on weekdays as opposed to weekends. This isn’t quite as big of an issue post-pandemic but is still smart to try for.

Airfare, Transportation, & Communication

We have a few thoughts on airfare in our post about what a Tokyo Disney Resort vacation would cost. This will be one of the most expensive portions of your trip if you live outside of Japan. Having said that, airfare from the United States to Japan has steadily decreased in price over the last few years. If you live on the west coast, I’ve seen airfare under $700 out of Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Vacouver BC. Other west coast cities, including Seattle and Portland, have airfare below $900 round trip commonly. Throughout America, costs shouldn’t rise much above $1,000 RT and could be less than that if you are close to a major hub like Chicago or New York.

If flying into Tokyo, there are two options – Narita (NRT) and Haneda (HND). Narita is the bigger of the two airports and may be the cheaper option. Haneda is closer to Tokyo Disney Resort and has been gaining popularity over the last few years. If you are going straight from the airport to TDR then Haneda may be the better choice but only if it won’t cost you much more than Narita. Traveling from the airport to the resort is a little bit cheaper and faster from Haneda but it’s not much time in the grand scheme of things.

If Kyoto, Osaka or other cities in that region are where you’re starting your itinerary then check out flights into Osaka International (KIX). While likely not cheaper than one of the Tokyo airports, it might save you some money in travel costs in getting from Tokyo to one of those cities.

As usual, we recommend using Matrix ITA Software to find the best fare when looking for a flight. That site includes nearly all major airlines and is very direct in the information given, with no pop-up ads or other distractions. While you can’t book directly on that site, it will show the cheapest option. If possible when first starting to look into flights (and your trip) we recommend being flexible on dates to find the cheapest option.

Once at the airport, getting to Tokyo Disney Resort is fairly simple. Both Narita and Haneda Airports offer direct buses to the resort and the signage within the airport is pretty clear in how to catch a ride. If you are coming from Tokyo (or outside of Tokyo) via trains then get to Tokyo JR Station and transfer to the Keiyo Line. Follow signage for Tokyo Disney Resort from there.

When you finally make it to the resort, there is an internal monorail to take to your hotel. Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland Hotel share a stop. Following that is Bayside Station (the Official Hotels stop), which includes Hilton Tokyo Bay, Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay, and other resorts. The next stop is Tokyo DisneySea and Hotel MiraCosta. Finally, the Resort Gateway Station is right next to the JR train line that the trains come from. This is home to Ikspiari (Tokyo Disney Resort’s version of Downtown Disney) and the Disney Ambassador Hotel. We loved the monorail and recommend using it when going in between parks and resorts, although it does cost a nominal fee.

For traveling outside of Tokyo Disney Resort but still in Japan, we like the convenience of the Japan Rail Pass. This is offered to foreigners and gives easy access to railroads, including the Shinkansen (bullet train), across the country. If you are traveling throughout Japan rather than just Tokyo then you will get value out of the Rail Pass at least in terms of time. The rail system in Japan is very advanced and can get travelers to nearly any area they want to go. With renting a car being somewhat out of the question for most (we wouldn’t recommend it even if you were feeling up to the challenge) trains are an easy way to get around. Buy the JR Pass before leaving for Japan. Unfortunately, the prices on the pass have been raised in the last year so it’s not as good of a deal.

Here’s a whole post on the subject!

When traveling throughout the country, Google Maps will be a huge help. We recommend putting locations into Google Maps during your trip planning so that you’ll be somewhat familiar with locations. Planning itineraries using landmarks that are close together will make traveling more efficient and enjoyable.

As far as how to get Google Maps to work while walking around Japan, we recommend a device that you can rent called pocket wi-fi. This is essentially a wi-fi hot spot small enough to fit into your pocket that you can connect multiple smart phones (or laptops) to. This will make messaging (multiple messaging apps work), as well as connection to apps or the internet, fairly easy. You can find one here and combine it with a JR Pass purchase.

How Many Days?

This one used to be simple… Four days. As we’ll cover in the park tickets section, the maximum amount of days you used to be able to buy a ticket for is 4 park days. Multi day tickets at Tokyo have not come back yet although I think they will at some point. Regardless, filling up four days at Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea is very easy. In fact, I’d recommend more days if it was at all logical or a good value.

Of course, time constraints come into play and eventually you’re robbing Peter to pay Paul. Tokyo, Kyoto and other landmarks in Japan are fantastic destinations in themselves. Staying at TDR for a full week will likely take a hefty chunk out of your trip to Japan. Perhaps that’s fine with you and, if that’s the case, you should stick to a 4-Day pass. If on limited time, I do think you could see most everything with a 3-Day Passport. That’s assuming that you are going during the week and at a less busy time of year. Any lower than 3 days and I’m not sure how you’ll be able to see everything. Perhaps that’s okay with you if you’re more interested in Japan than you are Tokyo Disney Resort. Since you’re reading this blog, we come at it from a Disney centered point of view but can certainly understand being more interested in other aspects of the trip. That said, four days gives you the ability to explore the parks as well as ride and see nearly everything without rushing around.

Where to Stay?

We’ve covered this topic extensively in this post. A quick breakdown of the accommodation situation (feels like a Schoolhouse Rock song) – there are Disney Hotels, Official Hotels, and Partner Hotels or other places throughout Urayasu and Tokyo. The Disney Hotels include Hotel MiraCosta, Tokyo Disneyland Hotel, and the Disney Ambassador Hotel. These hotels are pricey but lavish with outstanding locations. The recently opened and popular Toy Story Hotel fills the mid-range price point. There’s also Tokyo Disney Celebration Hotel that would be considered a value Disney hotel. We do not recommend that option, as the location is far worse compared to similarly priced hotels. These hotels do get you into the parks 15 minutes early in the morning, which might not seem like a lot but is beneficial for the headliner rides. Staying at one of these hotels also makes it easy to book dining reservations ahead of time. If you have the means, the high-end Disney Hotels are incredible.

The Official Hotels are also very nice and with a great location. No, they aren’t Disney hotels but they are usually far cheaper. Their location is mere minutes away from the parks while still being high quality hotels. The Official Hotels include a Hilton, Sheraton and several other Japanese chain hotels. If you are wanting to stay somewhere nice and close but are looking to save a little money then one of these hotels is the way to go.

Lastly, the partner hotels or staying at an Airbnb away from the parks is an option. Frankly, we wouldn’t recommend this unless you are on an extremely strict budget. Even then, we’d recommend trying to save elsewhere. Transportation can be a bit of a headache if you are staying outside of the resort grounds and makes getting to the parks on-time in the morning quite difficult. While we don’t recommend them while staying at Tokyo Disney Resort, we have had several wonderful experiences staying in Airbnb’s throughout Japan, specifically in Kyoto and Tokyo. We don’t recommend it here unless you can get a spot very close to Tokyo Disney Resort but do recommend that route for other legs of your Japan journey.

Park Tickets

Tokyo Disney Resort tickets are far more affordable than the Disney Resorts stateside. This isn’t because there is some secret site to go and buy discounted tickets but simply because the tickets are cheaper. With a 1-day ticket costing less than $70 depending on the time of year, the value is already there. Currently, Tokyo Disney uses a dynamic pricing model with a 1-day ticket so it can be anywhere from around $50 USD up to 80.

In the past, Tokyo Disney Resort also offered Starlight Passports (just under $50) which give guests a chance to enter after 3 PM on select national holidays, Saturdays and Sundays. On weekdays, After 6 Passports (under $40) are offered and they allow guests to go into a park of their choosing after 6 PM. While neither ticket is an extremely good value, it is a way to get a little extra park time out of your trip while perhaps exploring Tokyo or another city during the day. We started off our Tokyo Disney Resort stay with an After 6 Ticket before using a 4-day ticket and I thought the strategy worked well, although it’s not a great value. These tickets aren’t offered at the moment but I’m hopeful they’ll come back.

The easiest way to buy tickets is through the Tokyo Disney website or app. You can buy them 2 months in advance and it’s a fairly simple process, following steps as directed. If you are staying at a hotel affiliated with Tokyo Disney, meaning the official hotels (like the Hilton, Sheraton, etc.) or Disney Hotels, then you can buy your tickets there, as well. If you go that route, I recommend doing that the night before you enter the parks as it saves time in the morning and waiting in line at the ticket booths is a hassle, especially on busy days. There’s really no reason to do anything other than buy them on the app or website.

Attractions, Itineraries and Guides

Both parks have a number of world class attractions and we’ve ranked them all. This probably goes without saying but prioritize the ones that we rank in the top ten!

• Tokyo Disneyland Attraction Rankings
• Tokyo DisneySea Attraction Rankings

Of course, there are more to the parks than just attractions. Tokyo Disney Resort is full of incredible entertainment, from jaw-dropping parades to outstanding stage shows. The resort just debuted a new daytime parade and the nighttime option, Dreamlights, is the best we’ve ever seen. DisneySea is home to giant harbor shows that are quite a spectacle as well as our favorite stage show of all time – Big Band Beat. On top of that, both Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea have beautiful lands that you should take plenty of time to explore and enjoy. With all of this in mind, we’ve created 1-Day Itineraries to each park that try to encompass the best of attractions, shows, food and wandering.

• Tokyo Disneyland 1-Day Itinerary
• Tokyo DisneySea 1-Day Itinerary

While we tried to incorporate this into our itineraries, make sure to give yourself time to relax and wander the park. Part of the charm of these parks is some of the beautifully detailed lands inside of them. I could walk around Tokyo DisneySea for an entire day without riding an attraction and be perfectly happy. Tokyo Disneyland isn’t far behind in that regard either. A few of our favorite lands in these parks are Mediterranean Harbor, American Waterfront, Mysterious Island, and Arabian Coast in DisneySea and Westernland, Fantasyland, and World Bazaar in Tokyo Disneyland.

Dining

The food in Japan is one of the things that we’re asked most about. While we understand that foreign food can be intimidating, it’s much ado about nothing really. Japanese food is mild, as far as spices go, and full of flavor.  Outside of putting too much mayonnaise on a few random items, we thoroughly enjoyed everything we tried while in Japan.

Tokyo Disney Resort’s food is even less foreign than that as there are plenty of different options throughout the parks. While there are some traditional Japanese restaurants throughout Tokyo Disney Resort, there’s also American, Italian, Chinese, and standard theme park food that we’d find throughout Disneyland and Disney World.  We haven’t made it to every Tokyo Disney restaurant but we do have a number of reviews listed below.

The food throughout TDR and Japan, as a whole, is cheaper than what we’re used to in America. Magellan’s, arguably the best theme park restaurant in the world, has 3-course meals that are cheaper than some standard table-service restaurant entrees in Disney World. It’s easy to find table-service meals for under $30/person and counter-service meals for under $15/person. Dining prices are an easy way to save some money on a trip to Japan.

Tokyo Disneyland dining reviews:

• Crystal Palace (table-service)
• Hungry Bear Restaurant (counter-service)
• China Voyager (counter-service)
• Queen of Hearts Banquet Hall (counter-service)
• La Taverne de Gaston (counter-service)
• Pan Galactic Pizza Port (counter-service)

Tokyo DisneySea dining reviews:

• Magellan’s (table-service)
• Ristorante di Canaletto (table-service)
• Restaurant Sakura (table-service)
• New York Deli (counter-service)
• Vulcania (counter-service)
• Zambini Brothers Ristorante (counter-service)
• Horizon Bay Restaurant (counter-service)
• Casbah Food Court (counter-service)
• Cafe Portofino (counter-service)

Along with some fantastic restaurants, Tokyo Disney Resort is home to some of the best, and definitely the cutest, snacks in any Disney Park. This post ranks all of the snacks we’ve tried at both Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea. Make sure you set aside some time and funds for snacking around the parks. All in all, dining in Japan and Tokyo Disney Resort is something to look forward to, not something to be afraid of.

Outside of the Parks and Resources

If this hasn’t come through already in this guide, we absolutely loved Japan outside of Tokyo Disney Resort. From Kyoto’s contemplative history to Tokyo’s futuristic skyline, both cities made a lasting impression on us. Kyoto has become our favorite city in the world and one we long to visit nearly every day. I can’t recommend it enough. Tokyo is overwhelming to the senses and fascinating. While we loved both cities, we only were able to experience a fraction of them so we are far from experts. To read about our travels in Japan, check out this trip report. In the future we look forward to experiencing Hiroshima, Nara, Himeji Castle, and other landmarks throughout the country.

For better resources of what to do in Japan check out Travel Caffeine, an excellent travel website by Tom Bricker (Disney Tourist Blog also has great Tokyo Disney Resort tips). He has developed the best online resource to Kyoto there is, as well as other cities in Japan. TDR Explorer is another exceptional resource to Tokyo Disney Resort, Japan, and other theme parks in Asia. In planning our travel, we used these sites extensively as well as Lonely Planet’s Japan Guide. If you have questions about Japan please let us know in the comments!

Should You Visit Tokyo Disney Resort in 2024?

Yes! The country is open, the resort is in decent shape and one of the biggest expansions in theme park history is set to open in June. Naturally, this means that the summer months at the park will be quite crowded. If you feel like you can handle that, go for it! Otherwise, going this fall or winter would be fantastic. The next big project Tokyo Disney is opening isn’t until 2027 so there’s no time like the present.

Tokyo Disneyland boasts a new Beauty and the Beast attraction as well as the soon to be Fantasy Springs. Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast opened in 2020 during the pandemic. In June, DisneySea will be adding Fantasy Springs, a multi-billion (that’s billion with a B) dollar expansion. There’s no doubt that the land will be a sight to behold.

Regardless of when you’re able to visit Tokyo Disney Resort we know that you’ll have the time of your life. These are two of the best Disney Parks in the world and Japan as a whole is a beautiful place to discover. We couldn’t recommend traveling there highly enough.

We hope this guide has been helpful! If you have any thoughts or questions, please leave a comment down below. If you enjoy what you are reading here on Wandering in Disney please share this post with your friends, as well as like our social media pages. You can also subscribe to the blog via WordPress or email. All of those links are on the right side of this page. Thank you for reading, we really appreciate it!