Tokyo DisneySea Tips to help you have the Best Day Ever!

Tokyo DisneySea is unlike any other Disney Park in the world. While there are plenty of Disneylands there is only one DisneySea. After comparing Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea I choose the later. The park is so different, and in my opinion is the best Disney park in the world, there are special Tokyo DisneySea Tips to help make the most of it.

Tokyo DisneySea Tips

Tokyo DisneySea Tips: Buy your Tokyo DisneySea Tickets in Advance

When you purchase your Tokyo DisneySea tickets in advance you can skip the line at the ticket booth and get right into the line to get in the park. This Tokyo DisneySea Tip will save you time and make your morning a little less stressful.

For those who like to plan in advance of arriving at a destination, you can buy your tickets at the Tokyo Disney website. Keep in mind that if you purchase an e-ticket it will need to be printed out in advance. You cannot scan your ticket from your phone as the park does not allow it.

If you prefer to get your ticket upon arrival to Tokyo you can purchase your tickets at the following places:

• Disney Store locations in Tokyo
• JR (Japan Rail) Ticket Windows
• 7-eleven Kiosks (I know this sounds weird, but you really can get tickets there.)
• On-line retailers like Viator and Get Your Guide

Tokyo DisneySea Tips: Go Early

While getting to the park early means you’ll be getting in line with all the other people it will also up your chances of getting a DisneySea fastpass or getting on the ride that you really want. When the DisneySea is at it’s busiest fastpasses go early and lines can get extremely long (We’re talking 3 to 5 hours long).

I don’t recommend going to Tokyo DisneySea when it’s at it’s busiest – you can learn more about the best times to go to DisneySea in my Ultimate Guide to Tokyo DisneySea – get there early no matter when you go. Arriving at the gate at least an hour in advance (when it’s not super busy) will ensure you get a decent spot in line, but if you’re motivated get their even earlier.

Best Tokyo DisneySea Tips: Download the App

The Tokyo Disney app is, as of the writing of this post, only available in to download in Japan. It’s also only available in Japanese, but you might be able to figure it out as it’s pretty intuitive. The app, like the other Disney apps, provides wait times and show schedules. It’s helpful, but good luck translating. If you speak Japanese this is the one of the best Tokyo DisneySea Tips I can give you.

Tokyo DisneySea Tips: Pocket WiFi

There is no reliable public WiFi at Tokyo DisneySea. Yes, there is WiFi, but you can only get it around the park entrance and for 15 minutes at a time. If you want to use the Tokyo Disney App to see wait times and other useful information, you’ll need to get yourself a pocket WiFi device.

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Tokyo DisneySea Tips: Check the Information Board

Upon entry to the park (if you do no have the Tokyo Disney App), there is an information board with an up-to-date ride and attraction waits. They also post DisneySea hours and showtimes across the park. We didn’t realize it was there until the end of the day and wish we’d known earlier as we passed it a couple of times and it could have saved us some walking.

Tips for DisneySea: Bring an Umbrella

I’m not talking about for when it rains, but when the sun is so bright you’re gonna get a sunburn. I brought my umbrella with me because I thought it was going to rain, and it ended up being so nice out. However, it also ended up being 90 degrees Fahrenheit and I thought I was going to melt. My umbrella saved me!

Tokyo DisneySea Tips: Single Rider Lines

Whether you’re at DisneySea solo or with friends utilizing the single rider lines will get you on rides faster than standing in the standby line.

A single rider line is designed for people who are looking to get on the ride solo. Thus, if you use the single rider line you’ll be treated as such. When I went to DisneySea I met up with my friend Chelsea and we used the single rider line. It only took us 15 minutes to get on one of the rides. However we ended up in separate cars, but it was totally worth it for the short wait.

At DisneySea there are 2 rides that have single rider lines: Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull and Raging Spirits. These rides can have 1 to 3-hour waits, so take advantage of the single rider line.

Tips for DisneySea: FastPass – Use It!

If you go to ANY Disney park and don’t use the fastpass system, you’re seriously missing out on easy access to the park’s best rides. DisneySea is no different and with how crowded the park can get you need to utilize this system.

During my first visit, which was in September, in the course of a day we were able to 6 fastpasses! IN ONE DAY! One many of the rides the standby line was 1 or 2 hours, but the fastpass would get us on the ride before we would have if we had waited in line. Check the fastpass return time before getting in the queue, you‘ll probably save yourself a decent wait.

But, don’t expect this every time you visit, so make sure you make a plan for the ride you want to go on the most and go directly to that attraction first. After that, go from there.

Top Tokyo DisneySea Tips: Check out Exclusive Merchandise

Just like at all the Disney Parks there is merchandise that you can only get at that park. While I’m not big a souvenir, I try to pick up little things when I go to Disney parks and DisneySea was no different. I picked up a DisneySea t-shirt that says the park name is Japanese and this 1st-time visit button. There are plenty of trading pins, hats, and other gear too. Check out the stores as you explore the park.

Wandering Characters and Meet N Greets

One thing that Tokyo DisneySea does more than any other Disney Parks I’ve visited is wandering characters. At every park you can line up and meet your favorite characters, but only at special events to characters tend to walk around the parks or have pop-up areas.

In the Morocco area of DisneySea we ran into Aboo and Jafar. There’s usually a crowd of people around them, but since Japan is such an orderly country they don’t usually get mobbed by people.

We waited a little while and were able to take this super cute photo with Aboo!

Get a seat early for shows

Just like with getting into the park finding a spot to see the shows early on is key for being able to see the shows. As a culture the Japanese are very patient people and don’t mind waiting to see something they really want to, like the great shows at DisneySea.

Shorter Lines at Night

In the evenings the rides are usually a bit shorter. This is because some people leave early after being it he parks for a long day and people are posted up for the evening shows. If you’re not into shows this is a great time to try and get on as many rides as you can.

Explore areas that don’t have rides

Make sure you visit all the areas around the lagoon, even the ones with no rides. I didn’t know I was going to visit my home turf of Cape Cod while in Japan or Venice! Did you know you can take a ride on a gondola through a faux Venetian canal.

My favorite area is Port Discovery, a old world port town equipped with tall ship sailboat. Check out all the nooks and crannies in that area. Plus you get an amazing view of the front half of the park.

Don’t skip the Popcorn

The Tokyo Disney Resort is known for it’s amazingly unique popcorn flavors. They have your standard salted and caramel flavored varieties which are pretty tasty. Once you’ve tried those standard flavors get a little more adventurous with the 6 other flavors they have: blueberry, black pepper, herb-tomato, garlic shrimp, milk chocolate, and the park’s most popular flavor curry.

I hope these Tokyo DisneySea Tips help you have a great day at the park! Let me know if you have any questions in the comments.

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