This summer we decided to take the vacation of our dreams. We packed our bags and caught a flight to Tokyo, Japan. And since we were going to be in Tokyo anyway, we decided to visit both Tokyo Disneyland and Disney Sea. And since tickets to the parks only cost $60 per park, of course we were gonna make it happen. Unfortunately we didn’t have too much time to spare so we had to use our time wisely. We decided to spend a full day at Tokyo Disneyland and a half day at Disney Sea. Keep reading to get the inside scoop on both parks and tips to make the most of your trip. 

Choose Tokyo Disneyland if: You want the classic Disney Magic, the parades, nostalgic rides, and if you’re traveling with younger kids. 

Choose Disney Sea if: You’re looking for a completely unique experience that doesn’t exist anywhere else in the world. If you love immersive land design, are looking for more adult friendly rides, or have your heart set on visiting the newest addition Fantasy Springs, then this is the park for you.

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Why Disney Sea Stands Out

Disney Sea was straight out of a fairytale. Each themed port transported you into the magical world of some of our favorite Disney Movies. There are 8 ports in total. These are some of our favorite ports at Disney Sea:

Fantasy Springs

This is the park’s newest addition and it is straight out of the fairytales we love. In this port you will find areas dedicated to Frozen, Tangled, and Peter Pan. The way we truly felt like we were walking through the streets of Arendelle was incredible. Everywhere you look you’re able to find something magical. 

Also, I wanted to let you know that as of recently, Fantasy Springs does not require virtual passes to enter. You can just enter the land and wait in the regular stand by line or pay for DPA to skip the line.

Lost River Delta

Lost River Delta, which is where the Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull is located. The port was modeled after the jungles in Central America and ancient Aztec Ruins. The level of detail was impressive. We really felt like we were stepping into sacred ancient grounds.

Mysterious Island

This is a futuristic looking island designed for the immersive ride 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. The ride simulates a submarine adventure to the lost city of Atlantis. I’ve never seen anything like it anywhere else, it was one of the most memorable experiences at Disney Sea. 

Mermaid Lagoon

Mermaid Lagoon was stunning! This port was designed to make you feel like you were under water hanging out with the Flounder & Sebastian. It was a captivating area, and in my opinion the best area in Disney Sea if you’re travelling with little kids.

What Are The Best Rides at Disney Sea

We are still kicking ourselves for only dedicating half a day to Disney Sea, but it is what it is. We decided to hone in on exploring the park and prioritized four major rides. We were able to squeeze in Rapunzel, Peter Pan, 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, and Sinbad’s Storybook Voyage. Unfortunately both Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Journey and the Indiana Jones ride were down. So we weren’t able to ride them, the ports were beautiful and an experience of their own, but hearts were definitely broken. Olivia, my oldest daughter loved Frozen, so I really wanted her to have that experience, oh well, guess that means we’ll have to go back. 

Last Thoughts on Disney Sea

Disney Sea is definitely worth a whole day, maybe even two. If I could turn back time I would dedicate at least one full day to this park. There is just so much to see and explore. There are a total of 31 rides spread across 8 ports. Out of those 31, seven of them are only in Japan. So if anything I would make sure to dedicate one full day so you can at least experience those 7 rides during your visit.

Tokyo Disneyland’s Greatest Hits & Exclusive Rides

While Tokyo Disney resembles our very own Disneyland in Anaheim, it features some incredible attractions of its own. Not to mention some pretty cool upgrades I wish we had in our own Disney Parks. Like the fans and air conditioning throughout the park. Even the picnic areas had massive fans that kept us cool while were were taking breaks. Oh and the best part, there was air conditioning throughout the lines, it was so nice!

What Are The Top Tokyo Disney Rides You Can’t Skip

Beauty and the Beast 

The Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast was unbelievable. First off, the tech used to pull this attraction off is fascinating. The ride itself is trackless so it looks like we’re just hovering over the ground in giant cups. The animatronics movement is so fluid it’s almost humanlike. Nothing like what we see in Anaheim. It was amazing! It was such an immersive experience we truly did feel like we were guests in the castle. 

Pooh’s Hunny Hunt

I love Winnie the Pooh, it takes me right back to my childhood, so regardless of the hype I would have been interested in this attraction. But yea, I get the hype, this ride was awesome! Standing in line was a whole experience too, I felt like I was walking through the 100 Acre Woods with my family. It was really cool. But anyway, the ride itself is a trackless ride that takes you on a wild adventure with Pooh Bear. It was so good! 

Monsters, Inc Ride & Go Seek

This ride is an interactive attraction that takes you on a monster hunting adventure. You have a little flashlight that you point at the Monsters Inc Logos scattered throughout the track which reveal hidden monsters. It was a lot of fun!

Thunder Mountain

This ride is pretty much the same as the one at home, but not quite. For starters, the track is longer! There’s also a couple different scenes in it, like the hot springs, and the mine town. If you have the time I would definitely add this to your ride list, it’s always a good time.

Is Disney Premier Access Worth It

We were not able to get our hands on fast passes at Disney Sea, but for Toyo Disney they came in so handy. We purchased Disney Premier Access for Beauty and The Beast, and Thunder Mountain. We visited Tokyo Disney on Tuesday and the lines were not so bad. They were averaging a 40 to 60 minute wait while we were there. But paying $15 USD per DPA meant we’d have more time for attractions, food, and shopping. So I’d definitely say it’s worth it!  Especially if you’re on a tight schedule like we were.

Tokyo Disney Fireworks

We weren’t originally planning to stay for the firework show. By that time we were so exhausted all we wanted to do was teleport to our hotel. But I am so glad we stayed! The firework show was accompanied by a pretty cool projection show on the castle and shortly after that, the coolst drone show we’ve ever seen.

Peek What We Ate at Tokyo Disney

We did our best to eat anything and everything we could while we were in the park. We had our main meal at The Queen of Hearts Cafe. It was so cute & everything in there was delicious. I had the steak plate with a side of mashed potatoes, it was delicious. There were a couple of foods we tracked down in the park too, including the Little Green Men Mochis, the Mike Wazowski Melon Pan, and all the Mickey & Friends Ice Cream, because it was a pretty warm day.

Is Tokyo Disney Resort & Disney Sea Worth going to?

The sweet and short answer, is yes. It absolutely is worth visiting Disney Tokyo and Disney Sea. I cannot recommend just one park because they’re both amazing. Tokyo Disney Sea is a one-of-a-kind experience with attractions and features found nowhere else in the world. Tokyo Disneyland is home to exclusive rides like the Beauty and The Beast ride and my personal favorite Pooh’s Hunny Hut. Tickets are affordable, starting at just $60 a day! So, yea, in my opinion it makes total sense to add both Disney Parks to your Japan Travel itinerary.

📌 Quick Travel Resources for Your Tokyo Disney Trip

• Hotel Recommendation: We stayed at Hotel Mystays Maihama . It was nice, had breakfast onsite and was walking distance from Disney Sea.

• Park Tickets from $63 per person: Book your official Tokyo Disneyland Resort Pass or Tokyo Disney Sea