After 20+ visits to Tokyo Disneyland with kids, we are delighted to share what works for us at this magical Japanese theme park when visiting with our children.
If you haven’t visited Tokyo Disneyland for the past few years, one major change is the way that fast passes work.
There are currently two kinds of fast passes. I have gone into how the Tokyo Disney Premier Pass and 40th Anniversary Priority Passes work here.
Please note that it is NOT possible to buy tickets for Tokyo Disneyland at the gate. This is why their crowd prediction calendars are so accurate.
See here for where to buy Tokyo Disneyland tickets.
Please note that Space Mountain is closed for renovations until 2027.
This blog post contains some affiliate links. This means that I will receive a small commission if you book a hotel or make a purchase using one of my links – at no additional charge to you.
It’s the happiest place on earth, Tokyo-style! We are absolutely Disney-crazy in this household so we are definitely the right people to ask for Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea advice.
But I’m asked for my Tokyo Disneyland with kids tips often- especially as we have been just so so many times ( and we are all very Disney crazy.)
My children have been frequent disney visitors since they were 5 months & 2 years old!
They really believe in the magic and that makes it extra special for the whole family. They have loved every minute of it and I think it’s such a good (and very full!) day out.
Tokyo Disneyland with kids adds a whole new level of magic ( trust me, as I’ve also done it many times without kids too!)
Another reason to take small children? They are free to enter until they are 4 years old ! (woop woop woop!!)
Before my little girl turned 4, I would sometimes take them on my own – pack our own snacks and the whole day cost 7500 yen ! – So much cheaper than the US Disneyland.
LOOKING FOR WHERE TO BUY DIAPERS / NAPPIES IN THE TOKYO DISNEY AREA?
If it’s the day you’re visiting Tokyo Disneyland or Tokyo Disneysea, I recommend buying them inside the Baby Centre inside the Disney Parks.
However, if you’re looking for places to purchase nappies outside of the parks, I recommend going to Tomods Drugstore on the second floor of the Ikspiari complex outside of Tokyo Disneyland (opens at 10am) or at Drug Seims Drugstore in Urayasu which is 5 mins in a cab, approx 900 yen, from Tokyo Disneyland (opens at 8am.)
The mall at Shin-Urayasu Station (just 1-2 stations away) has a supermarket that also stocks nappies/diapers.
Are you AT Disneyland right now but it is busy ? OR you are unable to change your tickets to a less busy day…? This post is all about how to survive a really busy day at Tokyo Disneyland.
PLEASE NOTE : there is no such things as “pin-trading” at Tokyo Disney Resort (either park) and US Disney Gift Cards also cannot be used. The Tokyo Disney parks are owned by The Oriental Land Company, which licenses intellectual property from The Walt Disney Company – but it is a separate company.
There is also no such thing as a Disney Nanny at Tokyo Disney. I suppose you could hire your own babysitter in Tokyo but you would also need to pay for their Disney ticket.
Warning: There is no free wifi in the park (or even a pay to use option – which is crazy to me!). This is another reason I recommend using a rental wifi box option like Japan Wireless- my favourite company to use. If you do book with Japan Wireless, I have a 25% off discount link here -it’s an affiliate link so I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Japan Wireless also have an option now for esims so you also don’t need to pick up or return a box at all – you just pay on their site and receive a QR code and off you go! Please use their “e-sims supported phones list” before making a purchase – the list is easily found on their homepage.
If you can, avoid going to Disneyland on a weekend or public holiday. It’s still a great day when it is busy but it limits just how many rides you’ll be able to go on and how many shows you’ll see.
Did you know there is such a thing as a crowd prediction calendar for Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disneysea? I explain how to use these here. It can ensure that you choose a day that is less crowded and less lines for rides.
I explain how to use these Japanese crowd prediction calendars for theme parks here.
EXTRA TIP FOR POTENTIALLY RAINY DAYS AT TOKYO DISNEYLAND !!!!!!!
If you think it MIGHT rain… “park” your stroller at the Snow White ride. The stroller section is undercover. We may or may not have left it here almost all day until we needed to go back for extra snacks, clothing and nap times. ( We kept our valuables with us though, of course.)
Just an extra note on rainy days at Tokyo Disneyland…. Rain rarely ever affects rides and other attractions ( although wind will bring some options to a halt.)
Parades in the rain usually still happen and the characters wear clear raincoats or have special rain outfits (although sometimes it is a shorter version of the parade.)
The Summer Parade Festival (shoots water) is usually held from early Julyー early September.
Once you’ve chosen your day (using the crowd prediction calendar as a guide) I highly, highly recommend buying ticket ahead of time.
And once you’ve chosen your dates? See my post here on where to buy Tokyo Disneyland tickets.
See here to pre-book Disney and Disneysea shows and restaurants in English. The link for this section of the Tokyo Disney website.
We normally don’t book Disney restaurants ahead of time as we just like to wing it as we go on the day (because we priorities rides and parades etc and are happy too grab fries and sweets and whatever yummy things we find as we go.)
HOWEVER, we have prebooked The Diamond Horseshoe restaurant for lunch before – particularly as my little boy is Toy Story crazy. It was really cute. It’s a show while you eat and the characters come up to the table. I’ve written all about it here.
You don’t have to pre-book the shows and most of them can only be booked once you’re in the park on that day anyway (and almost always using a ticketing lottery system) via the app.
1. A little note with your children’s heights (metric!)
Although the staff can measure your children for certain rides, it helps to know ahead of time. Mainly to avoid disappointment when starting to line up for a particular attraction at either Tokyo Disneyland OR Tokyo Disneysea.
Measuring and weighing your kids in order to buy clothing easily in Japan is actually one of my tips for when preparing for your Japan trip with kids. See here for more of my easily “prepping ahead tips.”
2. Snacks & Drinks
Although Disney staff do a bag search on the way into Disney they are looking for flammables etc and don’t mind you bringing in your own snacks and drinks (which is perfect when you are taking small children.)
The food inside the park actually isn’t hideously expensive so we usually buy lunch, popcorn and treats but I do pack crackers, juice, carrot sticks and grapes etc. There are lots of drink vending machines around the park too (around 200 yen only per drink) which means you don’t need to join a queue for a refreshment – another reason to love Tokyo Disneyland with kids! There are also water fountains to fill up drink bottles.
I even took in a birthday cake ( incase anyone cares, it was a Tim Tam Slice-pictured below) for my little girl so that we could sing Happy Birthday while waiting for a parade to start.
If you are gluten-free and visiting Tokyo Disneyland there are a few options but you will also be allowed to bring in your own food (although may be asked to explain why.) The Tokyo Disney Resort app has some information on gluten-free options. One worth noting is the Restaurant Hokusai Japanese restaurant within the park has a gluten-free child’s place of traditional Japanese gluten-free food.
The East Cafe have a steak on their menu that they can make gluten free and the Blue Bayou Restaurant (reservations required) has a 3 course gluten free meal.
For comprehensive gluten free advice in Japan, I recommend following the Gluten Free in Japan group on facebook.
For after Disneyland, I have some gluten free restaurant suggestions in the Ikspiari shopping complex, just outside of Tokyo Disneyland.
In terms of other food recommendations at Disneyland in Tokyo:
My daughter really loves the BayMax Curry Rice plate at “Center Street Street Coffee House” (we’ve always just joined the line and have waited for 10-15 mins – haven’t needed a reservation.)
If you are looking for vegan food at Tokyo Disneyland (I’m so sorry that there aren’t more options but..) there is a plant based meat Korean Bulgogi dish at Plaza Ray’s Diner (Tomorrowland) – it comes with a soft boiled egg but the egg is whole so it’s easy to take it out of the bowl with a fork.
Disney isn’t super flexible but you can also try to ask for it without the egg … say “tamago nashi” – this means, “without the egg.”
Other vegan options at Tokyo Disneyland include the Mickey or Minnie Ice Bar (found throughout the park)
( If it’s in the vicinity of your child’s birthday, tell one of the staff they will give them a birthday sticker to wear and all of the characters and staff will wish them happy birthday all day long. )
A Tokyo Disneyland with kids birthday is something my kids have never ever forgotten!
3. A Tokyo Disneyland with Kids MUST!!!!! – A Picnic Sheet or Picnic Rug
In Japan these are often called a Picnic Sheet or Leisure Sheet and they are for sale in 100 yen and 300 yen stores. 1 hour before parades begin the park allows patrons to lay down these sheets and sit to save their spot. Having a sheet down makes it nice for children to lie down when they wait for the parade to begin too.
We have always folded up our stroller and popped against the wall/ fence /stopper behind us.
We always time snack times before the parade so it’s a little break time which we are saving our spot. If you have more than one adult with you, you can also do what we do and take turns taking kids to the bathrooms during this time too.
4. Tokyo Disneyland with kids activities
I pack for Disney similarly to the way I pack for plane travel with kids (my drama free travel with kids tips are here – including all the nerdy things I pack to make everything SOOOOOOOOOOOO much easier ) – just a few activities to keep kids entertained while waiting in lines. Bubbles are the most popular with my kiddies ( I usually buy them at Japanese 7-Eleven.) Also handy are Disney colouring books, stickers and a couple of figurines ( gotta get extra “parent points” for sticking to the Disney theme, right?)
5. Stroller (unless you plan to rent)
Strollers are for hire at Disneyland and DisneySea for 1000 yen for the day. Read here for more information on stroller hire.
I usually take my biggest stroller so my children can nap in the stroller when they need or I rent one for my big girl if she gets tired and take one of my own for my little boy. See here for the types of strollers we have used in Japan over the years.
Note: When waiting in line for rides and shows, strollers need to be parked in stroller parking bays. For parades they ask you to place them at the back of the crowd or fold up. During some of the shows, they will sometimes let you take in a stroller if baby is asleep.
When my kids were smaller (both under 3) I would take a double stroller so that they could both sleep at the same time.
Please note that Tokyo Disney does not rent out strollers with rain covers – you will need to buy them seperately (2000-3000 yen) or bring your own.
6. Baby Carriers (if still using)
As strollers need to be parked in the stroller bays while you ride on attractions and wait in line, carriers are really handy for standing for long periods. We always keep ours in the storage section of the stroller and pull it out for the rides and shows.
7. Extra phone charger packs.
These are NOT for sale anywhere in the park. Correction. They are now for sale at some stores in the parks. However, I’ve never been able to buy one since they have been introduced. They have either been sold out or sold out of the kind I needed (an iPhone version. )
If you don’t have your own or access to a charger/ batter pack, you’ll have to leave and go to one of the Disney Hotels.
If buying one ahead of time, phone charger packs are sold in all Japanese convenience stores . If you can’t locate one, show this to the shop assistant 充電器・ボビイルバッテリー and they will know what you mean.
8. Spare Clothing
I recommend taking a few changes of clothing for children. It’s a long day and accidents happen. After a full day out, my kiddies get sweaty or rained on and it’s nice to be able to easily start afresh. In winter months, we also take a light, rolled-up blanket.
9. Costumes
I usually take a costume for my kids but it’s not everyone’s thing. Something to keep in mind though – for adults – costumes are NOT allowed unless it is Halloween season.
10. A backpack or one light bag
As you can imagine, with all the stuff I’ve listed above my bag is quite big – and I hang it on a stroller. But when we are on rides I leave the stroller in the stroller parking with all our stuff on it (I know, unfathomable in any other country) so I just need a bag to wear while in line which contains our valuables.
If you’re not comfortable with abandoning your belongings, there are lockers to rent just outside of the Tokyo Disney ticket gates. However, just a warning. These lockers outside of the park AND at the station fill up REALLY quick first thing in the morning. It’s a better bet to ask your hotel to store your luggage for you instead (even if it’s the day you are checking out.)
You keep your bags with you for all rides at Tokyo Disney Parks (the design of all rides is thought out so well. Bags are either stored in baskets in front of you, under you or at your feet.)
11. Neck fans when it’s hot.
We bought ours at Yodobashi Camera in Shibuya.
– Alcohol ( you can purchase beer as a few of the kiosks and in some of the restaurants within Tokyo Disney)
– Adult costumes or Disney cosplay or Masks ( kids are fine in little Disney outfits) – with the exception of the Halloween season
– Scooters, trikes or those ride-on push along bikes
– Selfie sticks & drones & camera stands
If you are looking for breakfast close to the park…
Just a heads up that the Ikspiari area (the shopping and restaurant complex outside of Tokyo Disneyland) isn’t great for breakfast. There are just convenience store options and McDonalds doesn’t open until 8am.
What we do.. we line up outside of Tokyo Disneyland and one of the adults go to the convenience store inside the Tokyo Disneyland Hotel and grabs some sandwiches and rice balls, juiceboxes and milk. Then we eat while we wait for the gates to open. This convenience store is called “Looking Glass Gifts”
Please note that there are no Starbucks stores inside Tokyo Disneyland. You will need to go to Ikspiari before you enter if Starbucks is what you want. I speak more about Ikspiari and the general Disney area here.
WHEN TO ARRIVE AT TOKYO DISNEYLAND?
YOU NEED TO ARRIVE EARLY! (especially when visiting with kids!)
I explain more here about why it is important to arrive early to Tokyo Disney Parks.
I see instagram stories of Tik Tok’s once a week of someone showing a massive line (in fact, many very orderly lines) of people outside of both of the Tokyo Disneys and the person taking the footage is like “oh no! What have we done?! It’s so busy today! Ew!” But what these people don’t realize is … the Japanese Disneys are different to those in other parts of the world. You want to be in these lines. The lines are orderly and organized. Someone will always comment on these types of videos saying “we walked in at 10am and there were no lines at all!!” – but that’s the way for the whole time after opening at Tokyo Disney Parks.
You want to be in those morning lines because then you can get on that first ride without having to wait. Then you won’t miss out on the free fast passes at the times that suit your family or show reservations- both of these options can only be done on the app once you are in the park.
That friend who boasted about strolling in at 10 or 11am have already kind of messed up their chances to have a full day with less waiting time once they are inside…..
The long lines outside the gate at the start are normal. They look like that every day -even on “empty” days.
We like to arrive at Tokyo Disneyland approximately 1 hour before opening time. The opening hours change depending on the day and time of year so check out the calendar on the Tokyo Disney Resort Official Website.
See here for my article on peak/rush hour train times in Japan.
Did you know you can check the official Tokyo Disneyland website (click on the calendar icon and then the date) to see which rides will be closed on the day you are visiting? This is a great way to manage expectations for young children to avoid disappointment. I then ask my kids to choose 2-3 rides that are at the top of their wishlist and try to prioritize those throughout the day. Best to check again the morning of for the most current information.
Make a plan
I recommend having a game plan so make sure you have the map handy on the Tokyo Disney Resort App and also take note of the showtimes and try your luck at those which are luck of the draw lottery style ticketing.
We base our “attack” (disney geeks, right here!!) on the events that are time dependent.
My children LOVE the Tokyo Disneyland parades the most so we try to base rides and meals around parades and shows.
*Note: I believe it isn’t worth paying for a premier pass for a parade spot – just turn up at least 30 minutes to your desired spot ahead of time (you have to arrive 30 mins ahead of time even if you’ve paid for a spot anyway.
See ahead of time what rides are closed for today. Find the Tokyo Disneyland closed attractions here.
NOTE: The newest rides at Tokyo Disneyland at the moment are the Beauty and the Beast & Baymax rides. This means that they are also the most popular.
We usually head to FantasyLand which has some of the most kiddie-friendly rides and do as many as we can first thing. That way, if we have to sit and wait later – the kids still feel like they have done a lot already. It starts us off on good footing and the day already starts to feel “full.”
The Beauty & the Beast area
This area opened September 2020.
In my opinion, if you only pay for one fast pass while at Tokyo Disneyland, I would pay to skip the line for the Beauty and the Beast ride. It is just so beautiful and so well done – but the wait time is also insane. So I believe that it is worth paying extra to skip waiting around for so long.
Big Hero 6 “Baymax” attraction also opened in 2020. This ride is just opposite Tomorrowland Terrace in Tomorrowland.
The Baymax ride has looooooooong lines every single day. The ride itself is really short so I don’t recommend lining up here for more than 20 mins or skipping it and spending your time elsewhere. Wait times are usually over 1 hour long all day – so please please be careful promising kids they can ride on this if you’re not prepared to pay via the app and skip the queue.
- Alice’s Tea Party (Tea Cups)
- It’s a Small World – this ride has been completely renovated and opened again April 2018. It now includes the Disney characters.
- Castle Carousel
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant
- Goofy’s Paint’n’Play House
- Minnie’s House
- Jungle Cruise (they always get a little bit scared but they love most of it – it’s pretty creepy at night)
- Western River Railroad ( they always get a little bit scared but they love most of it)
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- Pooh’s Hunny Hunt (they both found it to be scary until they were about 3 years old though)
- Star Tours (since my little guy turned 3 we were all able to ride)
And a cute, random idea for the days after Disney?
My kids love ‘playing’ teacup rides with their toys and an IKEA ‘Lazy Susan’ like this. Pretty cute, right?
The shows are currently on a lottery basis.
For many of the shows, the first show of the day is open to anyone and after that is a lottery. So we don’t risk it (because the one time we tried to – we failed) – we line up early and secure our spot.
Here are my kids drawing pictures while we wait for the show to start. They also allow food here and they make you wait 15 mins in the theater before it starts so bring take away options with you.
And just outside the main theatre entrance in Tomorrowland is Pan Galactic Pizza so we sometimes get our pizza to go and eat it while we wait for the show to begin.
You can ask for a “vegetarian pizza” here if you need. It will take a few mins longer though.
Also , there is a food ticketing machine inside Pan Galactic Pizza. Orders can be made in English and can be paid for in cash or by most major credit cards. Then, the receipt can be taken to the counter for food collection.
DO TOKYO DISNEY PARKS HAVE A CHILD SWAP RIDE SYSTEM?
Yes. They do ! In Tokyo it is called the Rider Switch system. This is great if you have a baby with you or kids that don’t meet the height requirements for a certain ride. There is no need to prebook or anything – just let the staff members know you will be using Rider Switch while you are in the line.
The rides with a Rider Switch System at Tokyo Disneyland are:
– Big Thunder Mountain
-Splash Mountain
-Star Tours
Here is more information on the Rider Switch system at Tokyo Disney Parks.
The good news is that there are many many more rides that you CAN still jump onto (waddle onto) but here is the list of no-nos.
- Big Thunder Mountain
- Splash Mountain
- Gadget Go Coaster
- Star Tours
- Space Mountain (please note that Space Mountain is closed for renovations until 2027 )
Also, did you know that you can request a Guest Assistance Card if you’re pregnant and can’t stand in line for a long period of time. Unfortunately, this doesn’t speed up the waiting process (so don’t even think about packing that watermelon to shove under your shirt, ok?) but it does mean that, if you’re pregnant at Tokyo Disneyland, the staff will escort you to a place where you can sit while you wait.
As I mentioned, my two are completely bananas for the parades.
We usually rest and eat some snacks or lunch on our picnic sheet while we wait for the parade to begin (Some people have asked me how soon before the parade begins… we are usually there about 40 minutes before hand- we like to be at the front…and everyone needs a break and a snack anyway.)
They always ask us to fold up our stroller. We just place it behind us.
I recommend choosing a spot towards the end of the parade route as you’re more likely to find a spot at the very front of the ‘audience’.
Where do we like to watch the parade from ?
Our favourite spot is near the Tomorrowland Terrace food court. This is towards the end of the parade route and it’s a great place to chill and get a spot at the front so we can high-5 the characters etc.
Another great spot (more popular though so you need to be there at least 45 mins before parade time – take your food court food to sit and eat while you wait.. it’s good when everyone has sore legs anyway) is in front of the castle kind of near the Pirates of the Caribbean ride side.
We also like the Electrical Dreams Parade at night. It has been running pretty much since Tokyo Disneyland began. It’s a classic.
At the age of 2 and 4 years old, my kids found these rides quite scary so we often gave them a miss:
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Pinocchio’s Daring Journey
- Snow White’s Adventures
- Pooh’s Hunny Hunt (they both found it to be scary until they were about 3 years old though)
Pooh’s Hunny Hunt: You can see how a large portion of the line is out in the elements? If the wait time is longer than 40 mins long – you will be waiting outdoors. 
Rides with lots of talking and a story to them can be hard if you don’t speak Japanese.
Rides like:
- The Enchanted Tiki Room
- Stitch Encounter
- Monsters Inc. (this ride always has a really long wait and the ride time is short too. So I don’t really recommend it unless you have a die-hard Monsters Inc. fan with you or just a kid who knows the story well enough to not have to worry about what is being said.)
- Although not a ride, the Donald & Chip’n’Dale puppet show has lots of talking – but little babies don’t mind at all
Swiss Family Treehouse
From a grown-ups’ perspective, it’s really boring, but my kids love the Swiss Family Treehouse. It’s just a big playground. My kids love it because it’s fun. Hubby and I love it because there is no wait time.
Tom Sawyer Island
It’s a little island, accessible by (motorized) raft. The island has rocks to climb, rope bridges to cross and caves to explore. It’s a really good wriggle-spot.
A little play in Critter Country.
It’s nothing much but my kids love playing in the fake mountainside at the base of Splash Mountain. There are also some seats and a drinking fountain here too.
Cuddle a Character
The Characters are at the entrance first thing in the morning and wander around throughout the day until it gets dark. If your child has a favourite character, it is worth asking a staff member as some of them have an idea as to which character will be at which part of the park at a certain time.
It can be frustrating to try and meet a character at Tokyo Disneyland because, unlike other Disney’s around the world, fully-grown adults are just as disney-crazy as the kids (dare I say…sometimes…more?!!)
We have had the most luck first thing in the morning if we haven’t stopped at the entrance (crazy busy as everyone stops here ) but gone to the base of Cinderella’s Castle. We have also found some special photo moments during the afternoon (when kids are cranky) back at the entrance with hardly anyone else around – something to keep in mind.
Toon Park
This is a small playground for toddlers in Toon Town that doesn’t require any wait time. My little boy loved this area most of all from ages 1-4. A Tokyo Disneyland with kids ( and toddlers!) must!
Snow White’s Wishing Well
At the base of Cinderella’s castle is Snow White’s Wishing Well. If you’re a hard core Snow White fan, like my daughter, you’ll love pretending you’re in the movie for a little bit. The well even sings back – just like in the film.
Country Bear Theater
This constantly on-going “puppet” show is a great spot for a chill out or to hide from rainy weather.
70% of the songs are sung in Japanese but it’s all fun and lots to look at so kids won’t care one bit.
We like this place for a bit of a “re-group” and chill out – especially if we have time to spend before a parade begins or someone in our group just needs to sit for a bit. If you want to know what to expect with this show, the Tokyo Disneyland website has a little video of the Country Bear Theatre here.
Check out the Mickey Soap Dispensers in some of the bathrooms
It is also possible to take home a small mickey soap dispenser bottle too – sold in many of the gift shops.
People watch: the matching outfits
There is this “thing” in the Disney Resort where couples and often large groups of Disney visitors will all dress-up the same. It will usually be a disney-inspired costume. It’s part of the whole day itself.
Tokyo Walker Magazine (May Edition) showed just how much this disney-inspired dressing is serious business.
People watch: the hard core fans
Fully-grown Adults are serious Disney fans in this country. I once saw a woman (on her own) setting up her toys to watch the parade, a university-age student burst into tears when meeting Donald for the first time because she had waited for this moment all her life and a women who was so devoted to her collectables that she had her entire bag covered with them.
People watch: the popcorn lines
The lines for popcorn are often as long as some rides! There are different flavours available in different areas of the park and many people are keen to either try them all or keep refilling their popcorn buckets all day long. It’s a sight to see.
Curry popcorn anyone? How about Soy Sauce flavour then? There is even a Roast Beef flavoured popcorn.
If you want to be able to see the full selection of popcorn and most of the flavours in one spot, go to Big Pop in Tomorrowland.
Try on all the hats
Try them on. Take pictures. The shops and stalls aren’t bothered.
Eat the Disney-shaped food
Mickey Mouse hamburgers, chicken nuggets, mouse ears icy-poles, alien shaped dumplings..the list goes on. In the catalogue you recieve with your map on the way into the park is a list of all the ‘limited time’ only treats too.
There is another limited time only vegan icypole at Tokyo Disneyland until March 2025. It is called a Donald Duck Ice Dessert and it is mango flavoured. It is sold at Fresh Fruit Oasis just opposite the Jungle Cruise ride.
Be careful what you promise…
More than other Disney resorts in the world, the Tokyo parks are geared even more so for adults than children. That means you can get caught out (speaking from experience!!) by promising your child a toy at the end of the day. There aren’t really many toys in the gift shops. There are lots of Disney themed homewares and keyrings etc, but even the plush toys are often limited time only “Mickey in a Santa or Easter costume”.
I’m assuming this is because the Disney Stores are such big business here and the ordinary standard soft toys can be purchased inside normal department stores.
Perhaps consider buying a small toy ahead of time and keeping it for the end of the day instead?
Update: I have found one toy store called Toy Station just near the edge of Tomorrowland (just near the Monsters Inc. ride). The range isn’t great but it will help if you have promised a little something that you will pick up a toy instead of a plushie. Toy Station also offers an option for kids to make their own matchbox style “Disney Shuttle Bus” and the kids can choose all the parts and colours and watch it being made in the “factory” from behind glass (cost : 1800 yen.)
My little girl chose this barbie outfit recently. If you’ve been to Tokyo Disneyland before, you’ll know that this is basically a Disney visitors uniform.
And, at the end of the day, there are the giant Mickey balloons … for an “in the moment” present.
As mentioned above, I’ve found that Disneyland in Summer is 1000 times more difficult than a colder winter.
There isn’t a whole lot of shade. If you’re like me and, when fed up, can turn into that “fab” parent who dictates the family rides by the cooler places to wait… this might help…..
**See the start of this post for details on how to use the website to see the wait times live on your phone while in the park.
ADVENTURELAND
Western River Railroad ( mostly undercover if less than 20 min wait and has some cooling / heating)
Pirates of the Caribbean (undercover with cooling/heating)
Jungle Cruise ( mostly undercover if less than 30 min wait and has some cooling / heating)
The Enchanted Tiki Room (undercover with cooling heating) *Note: this attraction isn’t much fun if you don’t speak Japanese
WESTERNLAND
Big Thunder Mountain (half of the queue is undercover)
Mark Twain Riverboat (undercover with cooling /heating)
CRITTER COUNTRY
Splash Mountain (undercover with cooling/ heating unless longer than approx 45 min wait time)
FANTASYLAND
Alice’s Tea Party – aka Teacups ( mostly undercover if less than 30 min wait and has some cooling / heating)
It’s a Small World (undercover with cooling/ heating unless longer than approx 45 min wait time)
Castle Carousel ( mostly undercover if less than 30 min wait and has some cooling / heating)
Cinderella’s Fairy Tale Hall (undercover with cooling/ heating unless longer than approx 20 min wait time)
Pinocchio’s Daring Journey ( mostly undercover if less than 25 min wait and has some cooling / heating)
Peter Pan’s Flight ( mostly undercover if less than 25 min wait and has some cooling / heating)
Pooh’s Hunny Hunt (undercover with cooling/ heating unless longer than approx 45 min wait time)
Haunted Mansion (undercover with cooling/ heating unless longer than approx 30 min wait time)
Mickey’s PhilharMagic (all indoors) *I think this is one of the most underrated rides at Tokyo Disneyland. It’s so so good! The songs are in Japanese but it doesn’t matter. It’s also all indoors and there is hardly ever a wait time ! It’s just next to the teacups.
Snow White’s Adventures ( mostly undercover if less than 25 min wait and has some cooling / heating)
Dumbo The Flying Elephant ( ( mostly undercover if less than 25 min wait and has some cooling / heating)
TOONTOWN
Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin ( mostly undercover if less than 45 min wait and has some cooling / heating)
TOMORROWLAND
Star Tours ( mostly undercover if less than 45 min wait and has some cooling / heating)
Stitch Encounter ( mostly undercover if less than 45 min wait and has some cooling / heating) *Note: this attraction may not be much fun if you don’t speak Japanese
Space Mountain ( mostly undercover if less than 60 min wait and has some cooling / heating)*Closed for renovations until 2027 !
Monsters Inc. Ride & Go Seek ( mostly undercover if less than 30 min wait and has some cooling / heating)
Popcorn containers from Disney
I think that the popcorn containers from Disney make fantastic gifts (although you will need to fill them with clothing to make it worth your while shoving it into the suitcase.) Each popcorn stand sells different kinds of containers ( I mean, different characters and shapes etc.)
In Japan, collecting these babies is SERIOUS business.
They are all produced for a limited time only – which is a genius idea when it comes to producing a sense of urgency when it comes to sales.
The two pictured below were purchased at DisneySea (Tokyo Disneyland and Disneysea both sell these limited edition containers but the options are not the same at the two separate parks – this is also deliberate and, from a marketing perspective is very clever.)
They weren’t cheap – around 2500 yen each – BUT if you buy them to use right away – and you want popcorn refill several times over at Disney…. the refills are very cheap… but you still need to buy the bucket first. The popcorn carts all have a normal “box of popcorn” price and a “refill popcorn” price.
I think that they are adorable and make for beautiful keepsakes.
On a weekend or a movie night – I buy a bag of popcorn or microwave popcorn and the kids bring the containers out again and sit it on their laps throughout the whole film.
If you want to be able to see all of the popcorn containers in sale at the park and most of the flavours. Go to a shop in Tomorrowland called “Big Pop.”
Tokyo Christmas can feel a little unfestive at times but Disneyland is a great place to get in that cheesy Christmas cheer.
Read my full post on my favourite Winter and Christmas spots in Tokyo here.
The dispensers in the bathrooms at Tokyo Disneyland dispense soap in a Mickey shape!!! Pretty cool detail, right?
If you’re all about the fireworks, then maybe consider an evening pass instead? Check the Tokyo Disneyland website calendar dates for which passes are available on which days.
* Just a note, fireworks will be cancelled for rainy or windy weather. Make sure you explain to kiddies that this is a possibility- we have had this happen to us more times than not.
Okay …. so I know that I talked about this pizza place above but I wanted to share again, in case anyone else has a Disney-mad child like mine who, basically, is too excited to eat at all at Disney ( at least anything substantial….)
So, last time we visited Disneyland, we did this …
On the way out we went to Pan Galactic Pizza ( it is opposite Space Mountain. )
All of the pizzas come in a pizza box, regardless of whether it is takeaway or not. So… pop it in your bag and go. You can ask for a “vegetarian pizza” here if you need. It will take a few mins longer though.
This pizza photo is taken back at our hotel when we stayed at Ibis Styles Tokyo Bay. I have more information and pictures of the room in my Hotels near Tokyo Disney blog post here.
The standard pizza is a salami-sausage pizza but if you ask for a vegetarian pizza – you can get a simple cheese pizza too! ( will take a few more minutes to prepare, of course. )
This saved me so much by taking it back home or to a hotel ( and everyone know’s next day pizza is also good pizza!)
Many of the hotels near Tokyo Disney have complimentary shuttles back to the hotel from just outside of the Tokyo Disney Parks.
With luggage, I wouldn’t rely on using coin lockers next to Tokyo Disneyland or Tokyo Disneysea – they fill up first thing in the morning. Best to have your hotel store your luggage and go back for it later.
An extra tip if you are staying in Shinjuku and need to get to Tokyo Disneyland or Tokyo DisneySea, I recommend taking a train (takes approx 40 mins, 410 yen per person, 1 train change) or a bus from Shinjuku Busta (Bus Terminal.) This bus terminal is near the New South Exit of Shinjuku Station. The buses take approximately 1 hour and run in the morning and then back from Tokyo Disney Resort in the evening. Bus price is 1000 yen per person.
Here is an extra tip if you have to leave Tokyo Disneyland early and are exploring the Disney area or staying at a hotel near Disney at the end of the day, if the weather is nice (so nice that they aren’t cancelled) you can see the Tokyo Disneyland fireworks from Maihama Station at 8:30pm each night.
If you are returning to the city via taxi or a rental car –did you know that there is a drive-thru Starbucks on the way back in to Tokyo? I’ve written about it here.
This blog post contains some affiliate links. This means that I will receive a small commission if you book a hotel or make a purchase using one of my links – at no additional charge to you.
