Tokyo Disneyland Trip Report – July 2015

[ej119]

We just got back from our first trip to Asia (Tokyo and Beijing), which of course included at 3-day stop at the Tokyo Disneyland Resort!

I found the Boards incredibly useful in planning, but it seemed like there wasn’t too much to be found online (or in books) on TDR – so I wanted to write my first ever trip report to pay the favor forward. I also get a little bored with very long trip reports, so I’ll try my best to keep this brief.

The Travelers:

Me (right), my DH (left), and my DBFF (future84, center), who lives in Beijing and served as our TDR guide. No kids.

Itinerary:

Day 1 (Tuesday) – Arrive in Tokyo, Explore Resort Hotels and Ikspiari
Day 2 (Wednesday) – Tokyo Disneyland
Day 3 (Thursday) – Tokyo DisneySea

I’ll also do my best to answer any questions people post. So here we go!

Day 1

We got into Narita Airport around 3pm on Tuesday. Customs was pretty easy to get through (no visa needed to get into Japan from the US) and we caught the Airport Limousine Bus to TDR. We couldn’t pre-book, but I printed out the directions to find the kiosk and we were fortunately able to catch the 4:10pm shuttle. One note: I was led to believe the bus would make multiple stops, but our driver had everyone get off at the Tokyo Disneyland Hotel stop and so we caught a cab to our hotel.

Like the Disneyland Hotels in Anaheim, the TDR resorts were pretty pricey so we picked an off-property hotel that was very close: Hotel MyStays Maihama. It was a great rate and walking distance to TDR – although, insider tip: take the 5 minute walk to the Disney Ambassador Hotel and catch the free shuttle to the Parks. Our hotel offered a very limited, infrequent shuttle to the Parks as well and there was always a line.

The location of the hotel was convenient and the staff was very friendly, but while we were there it was 90-95 degrees Fahrenheit each day and the air conditioning was very weak with complicated controls that we couldn’t quite figure out. We even switched rooms the first night and had numerous staff members come up to show us how to work the unit. If you are bothered by heat, we were never successful in getting the room truly cooled down. This was a bit of surprise especially since I did a bunch of research on TripAdvisor before selecting a hotel for this portion of our trip.

After checking in, we decided to explore the resort hotels and Ikspiari. We did a full circuit on the Monorail and explored all Disneyland Hotels. Each hotel was gorgeous (really beyond any of my expectations) and had several restaurant options, ranging from a buffet at the Disney Ambassador to a Mediterranean restaurant at the Hotel MiraCosta at DisneySea. Although they all looked appealing, we settled for a simple izakaya (Japanese style pub) in Ikspiari, which again saved us a few bucks over eating at one of the Resort properties. We also knew that we were planning big dinners in the Parks over the next couple of nights, so it was good to have one low-key evening.

One final note on Ikspiari: I expected it to have a layout would be similar to Downtown Disney in Anaheim or Orlando, but it could have been any indoor mall. However, it does have a Monorail stop and a stop on the Japan Railway line that will get you downtown.

After dinner, we returned home for good night of sleep (minus the unexpected room change) prior to an early morning at Tokyo Disneyland!

Next Up: Day 2 at Tokyo Disneyland

 

[loladelorean]

I'm in!! I'm 5 weeks away from my first trip to TDR so hungry for trip reports. Can't wait to read the rest of yours, i've got the proverbial popcorn at the ready

 

[ej119]

Day 2 – Tokyo Disneyland

As many of you have undoubtedly read, TDR doesn’t issue Park Hopper tickets unless you stay longer than 3 days. As a result, we needed to pick what park we would visit on which day, so we did Tokyo Disneyland on Day 1 and Tokyo DisneySea for Day 2.

For those of us used to going to the US parks, you will be pleasantly surprised by the cost of a 2-day ticket, which (at the time of this writing) is about $100 US.

The night before, we grabbed an English-language version of the Park map from the Tokyo Disneyland Hotel to plan our strategy for the next day. English versions of the map are available at all the resorts and inside the Parks.

Tokyo Disneyland opened at 9am on the Wednesday we visited and we got in line around 8am. My DBFF warned me and I had read here on the Boards that people line up very early and that is 100% true, so I was glad we go there when we did. I also made a Starbucks run at Ikspiari while DH and DBFF held our place in line.

When the Park opened, we divided and conquered: I went to the Eastside Café in the World Bazaar (Main Street) to try and get Priority Seating for dinner (equivalent to day-of reservations); my DBFF headed to Blue Bayou to do the same; and my DH went to Monsters Inc. Hide & Go Seek to get our first set of Fast Passes. We then converged at the Tomorrowland Hall, where I took our tickets and entered a lottery for reserved seating for the nighttime show, Once Upon a Time. Although we didn’t “win the lottery,” we managed to get everything else.

Although I was afraid of the infamous crowd levels at TDR, we had a very successful day at the Park – alternating between Fast Passes and selecting attractions that had the shortest wait times. The only rides that ran out of Fast Passes early on and the wait times were just always too long (60+ minutes) were Splash Mountain and Pooh’s Hunny Hunt.

I was also nervous with all the new attractions announced at TDR over the last few months, as I worried that we would be greeted with cranes and constructions walls. However, there was actually very little noticeable construction going on, which was great! And the only attraction that was closed for the day was The Enchanted Tiki Room: Stitch Presents “Aloha E Koa Mai!” (which I had been looking forward to).

I am a big Alice in Wonderland fan, so I was especially excited to eat in the Queen of Hearts Banquet Hall. We went in around 1pm and this was, by far, our longest wait for anything at the two Parks. The buffeteria has significant crowd control problems as everyone enters and is funneled into a very narrow food selection line. I think we waited 45 minutes here before actually getting lunch – but I still loved seeing all of the Alice theming inside.

I also want to mention how much I loved this castle! Although very similar in style to WDW, it is huge and I spent a good half-hour enjoying ice cream and just staring at the castle.

Around 5:30, we conquered pretty much everything we wanted to do so we retired to the Dreamers Lounge at the Tokyo Disneyland Hotel for a little rest (aka wine and cheese).

We cancelled our reservations at Eastside Café and headed over a little early for our 7pm reservation at Blue Bayou. I have never been to Blue Bayou in the US parks due to price and mediocre reviews, but I was very happy to experience it here at TDR. Not only was it cheaper than the US counterparts, but the wait staff was wonderful, the food was pretty good, and the atmosphere was fantastic. Similar to what I’ve heard about the US experience, there remains a slight disconnect between the price charged, the quality of food, and the overall value.

We finished dinner just in time to see the last half of Dreamlights, the nighttime electrical parade (which was lovely). We then just stayed put in the hub to catch the Once Upon a Dream show. This is not a fireworks show (there were no fireworks while we were there), but a castle projection show.

An overarching theme of all the attractions/shows we saw: the Japanese seem to selectively translate songs. While almost all dialogue in the attractions and shows were in Japanese, some songs were in English while others were sung in Japanese. Although a little surprising at times, it didn’t hurt the experience and it was fun seeing my first castle projection show.

After a very long and successful day, we sadly left Tokyo Disneyland to catch some sleep before an even earlier day at Tokyo DisneySea.

The last thing I'll leave you with: a picture of me with the creepy Fairy Godmother character.

Next Up: A Soggy Day at DisneySea

 

[sperkins921]

I'm going to TKDL this September so I'm glad to see this trip report!

Is there Photopass or something similar to that like we have in the States? This is a completely solo trip and with there now being a ban on Selfie Sticks (had never used one anyway, but still) I'm wondering how I'm going to get character photos.....

 

[ej119]

I'm going to TKDL this September so I'm glad to see this trip report!

Is there Photopass or something similar to that like we have in the States? This is a completely solo trip and with there now being a ban on Selfie Sticks (had never used one anyway, but still) I'm wondering how I'm going to get character photos.....

Unfortunately I'm not sure. The Fairy Godmother is the only character I sought out for a photo this time around, lol. There was a cast member with her (not taking pictures) and she was surrounded by a crowd of people. In fact, the character interaction seems to be similar to how it goes in Anaheim: characters just wandering around the Parks instead of in a specific location. We saw characters from Alice several times throughout the day, and lots of characters from Pinocchio in both Disneyland and DisneySea.

I vaguely remember seeing professional photographers throughout the Parks, but I could be mistaken. However, we had no problem asking other guests to take pictures of us and everyone was happy to oblige.

 

[Agent 86]

Cool report. But, more importantly, where is DH's The Little Mermaid shirt from?

I don't think I've ever seen any Princess themed shirts for men, yet alone one featuring my personal favourite Princess!

 

[Tanzanite]

The shirt with Ariel is from Tokyo they have several different shirts like this i got Donald Duck my daughter got Alladdin they sell them in the gift shops at Disney Sea .They are exclusive to Tokyo quite expensive around 34000 yen but so adorable.

 

[Agent 86]

@ Tanzanite - Thank you! I hope they still have stock in September.

@ sperkins - I don't remember there being a photopass. There are an abundance of opportunities for character photos in Tokyo. One of my favourite aspects of Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea is that the characters (and their minders) appear to roam randomly and freely throughout the park to a much greater extent than any of the other theme parks. But, this does tend to attract big crowds so you have to be a little ... assertive to get your photo. I'm sure the character "minder" would be happy to take your photo. Otherwise, they have designated character photo opportunities (i.e. the type where you wait in line for a photo) and the cast members are only too happy to take your photo.

A word of warning, the locals have a unique approach to character photos. The vast majority of Japanese seem to prefer to simply take a photo of the character in various poses (as opposed to actually being in the photo with the character). And if they do want to be in the photo with the character, they will seek to have various photos done in a variety of poses. I personally found this a little odd and frustrating the first time as it obviously makes the wait much longer, but I just embraced it. And it was nice to have multiple photos with the characters to choose from as I would ordinarily quickly pose for one photo and then leave to keep the line moving quickly.

 

[ej119]

@ Tanzanite - Thank you! I hope they still have stock in September.

@ sperkins - I don't remember there being a photopass. There are an abundance of opportunities for character photos in Tokyo. One of my favourite aspects of Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea is that the characters (and their minders) appear to roam randomly and freely throughout the park to a much greater extent than any of the other theme parks. But, this does tend to attract big crowds so you have to be a little ... assertive to get your photo. I'm sure the character "minder" would be happy to take your photo. Otherwise, they have designated character photo opportunities (i.e. the type where you wait in line for a photo) and the cast members are only too happy to take your photo.

A word of warning, the locals have a unique approach to character photos. The vast majority of Japanese seem to prefer to simply take a photo of the character in various poses (as opposed to actually being in the photo with the character). And if they do want to be in the photo with the character, they will seek to have various photos done in a variety of poses. I personally found this a little odd and frustrating the first time as it obviously makes the wait much longer, but I just embraced it. And it was nice to have multiple photos with the characters to choose from as I would ordinarily quickly pose for one photo and then leave to keep the line moving quickly.

There were also Aladdin and Winnie the Pooh shirts in the same style -- but DH believes that he paid closer to US$22 (2700 Yen) for it.

However, we had to hunt for a Medium-sized men's shirt -- they were scarce!

 

[ej119]

Day 3 – Tokyo DisneySea

Rain finally happened the morning of our DisneySea visit.

The opening of DisneySea was scheduled for 8:30am, so we grabbed our ponchos and aimed to be in line by 7:30am. Our strategy was similar to Disneyland: Two of us would grab priority seating at the SS Columbia Dining Room and Magellan’s, and DH would grab a Fast Pass from the Tower of Terror – all meeting at the opening of Journey to the Center of the Earth.

After securing our place in line, I hopped on the Monorail to do another Starbucks run for everyone at Ikspiari – only to discover that the mall doesn’t open until 8:00am sharp. When it did, I rushed to get my order and hop back on the monorail. I arrived at DisneySea at 8:26am – and this is when I discovered that there are actually two points of entry into the Park and I could not find the rest of my party anywhere.

I got into the back of the shortest line I could find and entered the Park, hoping I could find someone (this was when I really wished I had a working cell phone in Japan). Fortunately, my DH was waiting for me near the globe in DisneySea plaza and spotted me. Aside from this little hiccup, the rain stopped and we successfully got reservations at the two spots and Tower of Terror Fast Pass.

Before I continue, I just want to say: DisneySea completely lives up to expectations! It is an absolutely gorgeous park with unique theming unlike any Disney Park that I’ve seen.

The wait time for Journey was pretty short so we started out with that and it was one of my favorite attractions. Half-dark ride, half-roller coaster through the volcano, it was great! We then continued onto 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. My DBFF promised me that it was better than our Stateside submarines, and he was correct. It is just a really well done dark ride and one of only two attractions we did more than once throughout the day – it was probably my favorite.

It was then time to return for our Tower of Terror Fast Pass, but we were also able to pick up another one for StormRider and took the Electric Railway to the American Waterfront. The Tower of Terror theming here is fantastic! Essentially the same ride, but a completely different and well thought out backstory. If the US Parks ever lose the Twilight Zone tie-in, I would love to see the California and Florida versions of the ride become Hightower Hotels.

One other attraction of note in the Waterfront is Toy Story Midway Mania. And let me tell you, if you think the lines in the US are bad, you haven’t been to DisneySea. Those Fast Passes were gone in a manner of minutes (after waiting in line for quite a while) and the standby wait consistently neared the two hour mark.

As we headed back to StormRider, we took a leisurely stroll through the Park, enjoying the detailed theming of the American Waterfront and Port Discovery. It was a little odd to see a recreated Cape Cod town right here in Japan – but I guess Duffy the Bear needs someplace to live.

StormRider was another unexpectedly fantastic ride. I don’t want to give away too much detail, but the ride system is essentially the same as Star Tours. However, with a lot of extra magic touches that enhance the attraction.

We wandered up to the Lost River Delta to grab lunch and do single rider lines for Indiana Jones and Raging Spirits (the only two attractions that have single rider lanes). Although it is called “Temple of the Crystal Skull,” the Indiana Jones ride is essentially the same as the one in Anaheim. Raging Spirits was the only attraction I was disappointed with – a pretty short, off-the-shelf roller coaster that seemed tacked on.

However, it was in Lost River Delta that we had some great encounters. First, groups of Japanese teenage girls kept approaching us asking to take pictures with us because the three of us really stood out in the crowd. And second, while waiting for Indiana Jones, a family of four gave us their Fast Passes for Toy Story Midway Mania!

The Arabian Coast is another massive, beautifully themed area. The highlight is Sinbad’s Storybook Voyage – a boat ride in the vein of Small World, but with great animatronics and gorgeous sets. Again, it was all in Japanese but you could make out the story based on the visuals alone. I would love to see this Stateside as well.

My DH is obsessed with The Little Mermaid and was excited to see Mermaid Lagoon. It is a really clever, indoor area – but essentially off-the-shelf kiddie rides (similar to “a bug’s land” in DCA) so not much for us to do. I would have liked to see King Triton’s Concert, but the wait time was just a little too long for me to justify.

As we made our way to Midway Mania, we wandered through the Mediterranean Harbor (much of which also serves as the Hotel MiraCosta). Again, gorgeous detail that, in my opinion, puts the World Showcase to shame (which I do love). This is also where a lot of the retail shops are located.

We took our late afternoon break at the Teddy Roosevelt Lounge in the SS Columbia. I’m not quite sure why it was Teddy Roosevelt themed (his image and “artifacts” are everywhere), but I enjoyed a nice glass of wine and a snack; and since we cancelled dinner reservations in the dining room, I was happy to get some time in here.

We decided to ride Tower of Terror one more time (stand-by was only 25 minutes) before our dinner at Magellan’s.

Located in the Mediterranean Harbor, dinner at Magellan’s was probably what I was most looking forward to at DisneySea; however, it did not live up to expectations. First, the interior was a little more Renaissance Fair than I expected. Second, despite my research, I did not realize that the menu was not a la carte but instead was prix fixe. I normally have no problem with prix fixe menus or associated prices, but just didn’t expect to commit to a four-course dinner (you do have different options based on price point). Third, the meal ended up lasting 2 hours with very long periods between courses. And finally, the food just wasn’t anything terribly fantastic.

There were also numerous families in the restaurant with young children, and I would recommend steering away from Magellan’s if you will be there with your kids. There weren’t a lot of options on the menu and I think there are numerous other table service options that kids and families would appreciate more and cost less.

Leaving the restaurant, Fantasmic was going on in the harbor area. It’s essentially the same as the US versions, we a few notable additions and I was happy to get to see it as it was a fitting end to the day.

As we exited DisneySea, it was great to see it with it all lit up at night. This was truly a unique experience and although it was sad to leave, I hope I have the opportunity to visit again someday.

The End of Our Tokyo Disney Adventure!

The next day, we moved to a different hotel in the Shibuya district in Tokyo where we stayed for two nights. We then flew to Beijing, China and spent 6 nights there (where DBFF lives). I'm happy to answer any questions about those part of the trip as well.

 

[Agent 86]

Thanks ej119 - Aladdin is my second favourite Disney film, so I'll be on the look-out for that t-shirt as well!

It's a shame that you didn't enjoy Magellans. Our upcoming trip is the first time that we've decided to treat ourselves to some of the nicer eateries and Magellans was at the top of our list. Do you think that dining in the smaller "secret" room would have helped? At least in terms of less noise from the children?

 

[ej119]

Thanks ej119 - Aladdin is my second favourite Disney film, so I'll be on the look-out for that t-shirt as well!

It's a shame that you didn't enjoy Magellans. Our upcoming trip is the first time that we've decided to treat ourselves to some of the nicer eateries and Magellans was at the top of our list. Do you think that dining in the smaller "secret" room would have helped? At least in terms of less noise from the children?

I didn't know about a secret room! I mean, give it a shot: it was definitely on my TDR bucket list. If I hadn't gotten reservations, I would have been sad to have never experienced it.

 

[Tissa]

Thanks for the report. Where did you stay in Shibuya?

 

[ej119]

Thanks for the report. Where did you stay in Shibuya?

We stayed at the Shibuya Excel Hotel, booking through hotels.com. It was a bit more of a splurge -- and there are more hotel option in Shinjuku -- but I really enjoyed our time there. We were on the 22nd floor and it was so cool being in the thick of things.

 

[Agent 86]

@ ej119 - In addition to being a fan of Disney tees, I have a weakness for baseball caps with Mickey Ears. Did you happen to see the following Mickey Ears baseball cap (below the Minnie version) during your visit:

http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/pannahouse/item/dsn-minniebaseballcap/