Can you do Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disneysea in one day?
Can Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disneysea be done in one day? That’s the question we were wondering as we deliberated between choosing two days to explore Tokyo Disney or squeezing it into one day. We decided to go with the latter. One day it was.
One of the big reasons for this? Half day tickets. That’s right, you can choose to buy half day tickets to either of the Disney parks, for about half of the price. Of course, there are stipulations, but we’ll get to that soon.
Buy your half day Tokyo Disney tickets
Before we go any further, make sure to buy your Tokyo Disneyland tickets here and buy your Tokyo Disneysea tickets here.
So, those half day rules? Park entry must take place after 5pm. It’s really not a big deal, particularly as it gives you time to duck into the nearby mall, Ikspiari, to grab some food in between your park transfer.
How to get there?
So now you’ve made your mind up, you need to know how exactly to get to Disneyland. Of course there are the usual options, such as getting an Uber or a taxi, but we recommend using the trains, if you don’t find them too confusing. Take the JR Keiyo Line to Maihama station, which is about 15 minutes by train from Tokyo Station. At Maihama, things become even more clear. The Disney Resort Line will connect you between the different parks, and even better - it’s full of adorable Disney details such as Mickey Mouse shaped windows and hand rails. You buy your tickets inside the building that is very, very clearly marked, and they will cost 300JPY (US$1.97) per person. The tickets all feature different Disney characters, so they make a nice little keepsake from your Tokyo Disney trip.
Why should I visit both parks?
Where do we even start? There are so many reasons! First and foremost, Tokyo Disneysea is the only park of its kind. That’s right, there is only one Disneysea in the entire world, and it exists in Tokyo Japan. Disneysea features all kinds of exclusives, including an alternate version of the Indiana Jones ride, and it has characters you will only find in Japan, such as Duffy the bear.
Tokyo Disneyland also holds its own exclusives - with Fantasty Springs being its latest offering. Possibly the most defining part of Fantasy Springs is that it is where you’ll find Arendelle, from Frozen. The moment you lay your eyes on Fantasy Springs, you’ll be greeted by an enormous mountain, straight out of Frozen. The scale is absolutely unreal and it genuinely makes for quite a surreal experience.
Unlike Disney parks around the world, which hold the most famous rides inside one park, in Tokyo they are split across Tokyo Disneyland and Disneysea. Below you can find a list of some of the bigger rides you can expect to find at each park.
Tokyo Disneyland:
Haunted Mansion
Big Thunder Mountain
Splash Mountain
It’s a Small World
Space Mountain
Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters
Tokyo Disneysea:
Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull
Tower of Terror
Raging Spirits
Journey to the Centre of the Earth
How can I do both parks in one day?
Planning beforehand and time management are essential for covering Tokyo Disneyland and Disneysea in one day. Make a list of all the rides you’d like to go on, and put them in order of priority. For us, the Haunted Mansion was what we wanted to go on, so that was our first stop the moment we got inside the park. So that’s exactly what we did.
The next tip - and this is a BIG one - is to try and get a Fast Pass. This will save you hours upon hours of waiting in those seemingly never-ending queues. To get your fast pass, you’ll need the Disneyland Tokyo app. We recommend entering your credit card details before you arrive in Japan. We forgot to do it beforehand, and initially struggled in the park in terms of receiving an otp, meaning that we couldn’t purchase any fast passes. Eventually we managed to sort it out (Barnaby, you genius!) and not gonna lie, the feeling of walking straight ahead of a 60+ minute queue to Splash Mountain was pretty fantastic. So you heard it here - splurge and get a fast pass!
Last big tip - pay close attention to your Tokyo Disneyland app. It updates in real time, so you can literally check wait times for rides and restaurants and move around the park accordingly.
Food and Drink
Something I think is worth bringing up is eating in the park. A lot of the restaurants have enormous queues if you haven’t booked ahead, and that includes things like Captain Hooks Galley, which is more of a casual dining option. The fantastic thing about Tokyo Disney is that you’re allowed to bring your own food, so we recommend packing some snacks in your bag when you visit. There’s also a convenience store just outside the park where you can pick up onigiri - another good (and tasty!) option.
And if you’re feeling thirsty and those queues have got you down, we recommend taking the raft over to Tom Sawyer Island. Here you’ll find a couple of vending machines, so you can stay hydrated without the swarms of people you’ll find in the main eating area.
Can you do Tokyo Disneyland and Disneysea in one day?
Ultimately, yes, yes you can. Do we recommend it? Well, it depends on your situation. If you’re not in Tokyo for long and worried you can’t fit everything in, then yes, absolutely. You can definitely do both in one day. Will you have the best experience? Possibly not. We absolutely loved our Disney day, but we simultaneously wish we could’ve spent more time in Tokyo Disneysea. After all, it’s the only one in the world, so there’s nothing quite like it. But if you don’t have much time, definitely do both. You will have an absolute blast.
We hope you enjoy your visits to Tokyo Disneyland and Disneysea. Remember to click here to book your Disney tickets. Have fun!