In March 2023, we visited DisneySea and Disneyland in Japan as the country started reopening post-COVID. Although the crowd was still present, the park operated at 90% capacity on March 13 and 14. The wait for popular rides like Soaring Fantastic Flight could reach 150 minutes! To make the most of your experience, follow these suggestions.
Purchase tickets early online: You can buy tickets directly from the official website or through third-party apps like Klook. After purchasing, you’ll receive an e-ticket with a QR code for each guest, which you’ll need for park entry. In our case, we printed our QR code and use it to scan for entry.
Download the Tokyo Disneyland App from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store: The app helps you navigate the park, check wait times for attractions, and purchase Premier Access Passes or reserve spots for popular shows.
Arrive early: We got to the park around 8:30 am, which was already crowded. If taking the train, disembark at Maihama Station. DisneySea visitors should buy a Disney Resort Line ticket, while Disneyland visitors can walk to the resort entrance. Learn more about getting to Disneyland here.
Prepare for crowds when leaving: The Maihama train station will be extremely busy, especially after the fireworks show. To save time, consider buying round-trip train tickets in advance. We bought the return trip ticket at the train station when we arrived at Maihama Station.
Disney Premier Access: Premier Access has replaced Fast Passes, allowing you to reserve a time slot for attractions. You can book another attraction either 1 hour after your reservation or after your ride, whichever comes first. Each attraction costs about ¥2,000. You can reserve a designated viewing area in advance for parades and shows. More details on Disney Premier Access can be found here.
Entry Request: Some shows require a free ‘Entry Request’ reservation.
Plan ahead: Popular attractions may have long wait times or offer Premier Access. Book your favourite attractions immediately upon entering the park, as they fill up quickly. If you use 3rd party tickets, you must scan your QR code after entering the Park. Do this by selecting ‘Premier Access’, and there will be an option for you to scan your QR code. This is a one-time effort.
Popular attractions and their Premier Access availability:
DisneySea:
- Soaring: Fantastic Flight: 160 min (Yes)
- Toy Story Mania!: 144 min (Yes)
- Journey to the Center of the Earth: 101 min (Yes)
- Indiana Jones: 64 min (No)
Disneyland:
- Enchanted Tale of Beauty & the Beast: 114 min (Yes)
- Splash Mountain: 96 min (Yes)
- The Happy Ride with Baymax: 67 min (Yes)
- Space Mountain: 59 min (No)
- Big Thunder Mountain: 54 min (No)
The Parade: Don’t miss Disneyland’s nighttime parade, but you can skip the daytime one if you’re short on time.
[…] Planning is crucial for a trip to Disneysea. We travelled to Maihama Station and took the Disney Resort Train to DisneySea. The park was bustling with visitors, making for an exciting day of family fun. […]