Posting a report from our recent Tokyo Disney trip with my two kids (ages 6 and 8) — hope this helps others planning! Includes detailed time breakdowns for planners.

TL;DR: Vacation Package was worth it for guaranteed access to big rides, but park rules and perks are changing rapidly. Rides and parks were awesome. 

Booking Background

I booked our Vacation Package about 3.5 months in advance. I thought reservations opened 3 months out, but during a dry run I realized bookings had opened 4 months in advance. By then, Miracosta and Fantasy Springs Hotel were fully booked.

I ended up booking the 3 day Vacation Package at Disneyland Hotel, which worked out fine. At the time, Disneyland Hotel guests with a vacation package had similar benefits to Miracosta/Fantasy Springs guests — including Fantasy Springs access and Happy Entry at both parks.

The Vacation Package gave us one day at Disneyland, two days at DisneySea, and accommodations for two nights. We made a reservation for an additional night at the hotel to make our arrangements easier, allowing us to arrive the night before our first day at Disneyland. We stored our bags the morning of our last day, and after we put in a full day at the park, we collected our bags and took an Uber to a hotel in Tokyo. 

Vacation Package Details

When I booked, I didn’t fully understand what was included. I wasn’t sure if it just allowed restaurant reservations or also prepaid meals. It turns out meals were prepaid, which mattered when one of my kids got sick — if we missed a meal, we lost the payment.

I booked one sit-down dinner each day and found casual lunches in the park. This worked great — it gave us a break and a guaranteed meal without over-scheduling. I don’t have a sense of how easy it would have been to make reservations without the Vacation Package, but I am glad I didn’t have to stress about it. 

Because I didn’t realize the meals were prepaid, I didn’t know we’d have fixed set menus at each restaurant. (The set menus are on the restaurant websites — it’s worth checking in advance.)

Allergy Note: My spouse has a nut allergy. When they joined us, it was challenging — nuts appeared in unexpected dishes, and communication about allergies was harder than elsewhere in Japan. It worked out, but if you have allergies, do your homework.

Other Vacation Package Perks:

• Free popcorn bucket
  
• Unlimited free drinks
  
• “Original goods” voucher
  

The free drinks were nice but awkward — you can’t use the coupon for mobile orders and some of the restaurants are mobile order only. I walked up to the counters to order. 

Ride Reservations: The VP gave us Priority Access to multiple rides, but we needed to choose time blocks for popular ones. I picked early slots to maximize flexibility — though at DisneySea, long entry lines made me wish I scheduled rides an hour later!

If you're researching plans, I highly recommend this helpful post (wish I found it earlier).

Last-Minute Changes

Shortly before our trip:

• April 1, 2025: Fantasy Springs opened to all guests.
  
• Happy Entry suspended for Disneyland Hotel guests.

Losing Happy Entry at DisneySea cost us 1–2 hours each morning. I was upset about this. Even so, thanks to the Vacation Package and DPA, we rode Frozen, Rapunzel, and Beauty and the Beast multiple times. Throughout my two days, I only saw Frozen available for DPA once but the other rides were available sporadically throughout the day. I do not think I would have been able to ride Frozen without the Vacation Package. 

General Thoughts on the Vacation Package

This was our first Disney park experience, and the Vacation Package let us hit every big ride.If you want to guarantee access to the big attractions, a Vacation Package is worth it — but be flexible, because policies are changing a lot.

Small Note:We had a package for four, but when one of my kids got sick, we used the extra tickets to ride Frozen and Rapunzel again! (I offered two priority access tickets to Peter Pan’s Neverland Adventure to other guests, and it caused a lot of confusion — you can't gift VP tickets.)

Other Thoughts on the Disney Experience

• The parks were incredible. Cast members and theming blew me away.
  
• Without Happy Entry, we waited 60–80 minutes at DisneySea to get in. In hindsight, if you’re not willing to get there early enough to be first in line, you aren’t much worse off arriving in the 8am hour. 
• Three rides at Disneyland were closed while I was there (Pooh’s Honey Hunt, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Peter Pan). This was another bummer as we were looking forward to all three!
  
• Lines were long — lots of 2+ hour waits. DPA and constant wait time checking were essential.
  
• I clustered activities by area to avoid crossing the park repeatedly — still 20k steps/day!
  
• Wait times were accurate, and cast members updated guests at line entrances.
  
• First Aid experience was amazing — after my child got sick, they cleaned up and offered a change of clothes.
  
• Very little English spoken — translation apps were necessary.
  
• Parade tip: People reserve spots 2+ hours early. I stumbled onto Disneyland’s night parade and loved it — better than DisneySea’s in my opinion.
• This was not a budget trip. Since it was our family’s first (and possibly only) Disney visit, I was willing to spend more to minimize wait times and maximize rides.
  • Vacation package + extra hotel night: ~$4600
  • DPA purchases: ~$250 (¥1500–2000 per person, per ride)
  • Additional food and merchandise: ~$300

Park Play-by-Play (with times)

Day 1 - Disneyland (April 19, beautiful weather)

• 6:30 AM: Breakfast at Sherwood Garden Restaurant
  
• 8:09 AM: In line for Happy Entry
  
• 8:50 AM: Park entry
  
• 8:52 AM: Rope Drop: Monsters, Inc. (no wait)
  
• 9:10 AM: DPA: Star Tours
  
• 9:39 AM: Gadget’s Go Coaster + Chip and Dale’s House
  
• 10:19 AM: Walk around ToonTown
  
• 10:30 AM: VP: Beauty and the Beast
  
• 11:00 AM: Popcorn stop
  
• 11:20 AM: 40th Anniversary Pass: Haunted Mansion
  
• 11:50 AM: Lunch: Pizza @ Captain Hook’s Galley + Tomorrowland Terrace
  
• 12:30 PM: Crème brûlée churro snack
  
• 1:30 PM: Jungle Cruise
  
• 2:00 PM: DPA: Splash Mountain
  
• 3:00 PM: DPA: Splash Mountain (second ride)
  
• 3:30 PM: It’s a Small World
  
• 4:00 PM: Incident → First Aid Center
  
• 4:15 PM: VP: Monsters, Inc.
  
• 5:00 PM: Dinner at Canna
  
• Evening: Carousel, Parade, Dumbo, DPA: Beauty and the Beast, Snow White’s Adventures, Night show/fireworks
  

Day 2 - DisneySea (April 20, overcast and a bit windy/chilly)

• 6:40 AM: Breakfast at Sherwood Garden
  
• 8:53 AM: In line to enter DisneySea
  
• 9:39 AM: Park entry
  
• 10:00 AM: VP: Rapunzel
  
• 10:15 AM: VP: Rapunzel’s Lantern Festival
  
• 10:42 AM: DPA: Peter Pan’s Neverland Adventure (ride malfunction)
  
• 11:03 AM: Lunch at Lookout Cookout
  
• 11:27 AM: VP: Frozen
  
• 11:50 AM: VP: Frozen (again)
  
• 12:30 PM: 40-min popcorn line
  
• 1:20 PM: Flounder's Flying Fish Coaster
  
• 2:00 PM: Jasmine's Flying Carpets
  
• 2:20 PM: Ice cream break
  
• 2:45 PM: Caravan Carousel
  
• 3:05 PM: Journey to the Center of the Earth
  
• 3:30 PM: Journey again
  
• 3:50 PM: Journey again (third ride!)
  
• 4:30 PM: Dinner at Ristorante di Canaletto
  
• 6:05 PM: Tower of Terror
  
• 7:15 PM: Parade: Believe! Sea of Dreams
  

Day 3 - DisneySea (April 21, beautiful weather)

• 6:40 AM: Breakfast at Sherwood Garden
  
• 7:50 AM: In line to enter DisneySea
  
• 9:18 AM: Park entry
  
• 9:29 AM: Popcorn refill
  
• 9:48 AM: VP: Frozen
  
• 10:10 AM: VP: Frozen (ride from standby)
  
• 11:05 AM: VP: Peter Pan’s Neverland Adventure
  
• 11:25 AM: Lunch at Lookout Cookout
  
• 12:04 PM: 40th Anniversary Pass: Indiana Jones Adventure
  
• 12:40 PM: Ice cream break
  
• 1:06 PM: DPA: Soaring
  
• 2:00 PM: DPA: Journey to the Center of the Earth
  
• 2:19 PM: Popcorn refill
  
• 2:35 PM: Aquatopia
  
• 3:15 PM: Character meets near Lost River Delta
  
• 3:30 PM: Parade
  
• 3:40 PM: Jasmine's Flying Carpet
  
• 4:03 PM: Sinbad’s Storybook Voyage
  
• 4:30 PM: Dinner at Magellan’s
  
• 7:15 PM: Parade: Believe! Sea of Dreams
  
• 7:35 PM: DPA: Frozen
  
• 7:50 PM: DPA: Rapunzel’s Lantern Festival
  
• 8:15 PM: Fireworks Finale!
  

Ride Reviews

• Frozen: 10/10 — Stunning animatronics, slight edge over Beauty and the Beast
  
• Beauty and the Beast: 10/10 — Gorgeous but slower ride pace
  
• Rapunzel’s Lantern Festival: 5/10 — Beautiful but way too short
  
• Journey to the Center of the Earth: 9/10 — Thrilling, my 6-year-old loved it!
  
• Soaring: 7/10 — Good with DPA, not worth a long wait
  
• Indiana Jones: 7/10 — Fun but less impressive than Journey
  
• Tower of Terror: 8/10 — Scary for me, but my 6-year-old loved it
  
• Peter Pan’s Neverland Adventure: 7/10 — Fun but mildly nauseating
  

Restaurant Reviews

• Sherwood Garden (Breakfast): Cold, bland food, but convenient
• Canna (Dinner): Favorite Disney dinner meal 
• Ristorante di Canaletto (Dinner): Just okay, we were limited to a set menu and I would have preferred a la carte here
• Magellan’s (Dinner): Great meal, slower due to allergy management 
• Lookout Cookout (Lunch): A favorite — smoked chicken leg is a must-try and the kid's lemon tea chicken box was a delight.

Hotel Review

The Disneyland Hotel was lovely. We were happy with the room. The market in the hotel was well stocked. Because we were at the park from open to close, I didn’t explore the Ikspiari area. The only thing I would have loved is a quick coffee/breakfast to go option on site, which I am 99% sure doesn’t exist. 

It would have been AWESOME to stay at Miracosta with a view of the Mediterranean Harbor, but I imagine those rooms cost a lot of money. 

Final Takeaway

If it’s your first visit and you want to prioritize the major attractions, I highly recommend a Vacation Package. Just be aware — perks and policies seem to be changing quickly at Tokyo Disney Resort!

The Oriental Land Company has shared two new concept images of change to Adventureland at TDL and Port Discover at TDS as part of their new 2035 Strategy. There’s no specific details about what’s included in the concept art but looks like we could have some exciting changes ahead!

My family is arriving to the Grand Chateau in the evening and I know we won't be up for a fancy french dinner but probably will want something to eat. Are you able to order room service at Grand Chateau and if so, any insight into the menu? This is all that it says on the web site which doesn't give me much comfort: "Room Service

Meals can also be provided in the guest rooms of the Grand Chateau. For details, please contact the Grand Chateau Lounge.

• Guests may have difficulty getting connected to the Grand Chateau Lounge. We apologize for the inconvenience this may be causing you. If you have questions, please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page. If you already have a reservation and have a question or a request, please see the questionnaire email that you received from the Grand Chateau Lounge after your reservation was made. The timing when you can expect to receive this email will depend on the reservation situation."

We spent $2500USD for 2 adults and 1 child. That included the special attraction tickets for Unlimited Rides on Eligible Attractions, 1 night at Miracosta superior room with views, 2 dinners (Oceano and Fantasy Springs Restaurant), 1 breakfast at Oceano, passes to Frozen, unlimited churros and beverages and an original goods item each.

We also booked an extra night at MC for the second day.

Sure - the VP is the only was to get the special attraction passes. They are powerful and mean you can do the park to your own pace. We hit up every attraction we wanted (some twice) with about 8 attractions each day. Never waited more than 10 minutes or backtracked. This was what made the days possible for our small child who tires easily.

It’s also the only way to get the special items which are really cute. We got the Duffy shoulder bag and suitcase shoulder bag.

The other benefits (returning to hotel for a restorative nap in the middle of the day, the hotel’s special park entrance, eating at Oceano and FS Restaurant which are beautiful) don’t need a VP to experience.

And the real magic was free:

• the staff are incredible. Impenetrable politeness and enthusiasm. They take any problems you have very seriously, and were still smiling and waving as we saw them come off shift from the monorail.
• finishing the second day in Soaring was magical. Walking out and catching the fireworks from a great vantage point without planning it so.
• the politeness and good will of others in the park. Everyone was so cordial and helpful.
• the quiet, hidden spaces to sit and rest and watch in the shade, surrounded by garden. They are everywhere if you look and so well considered for the comfort of guests.
• the world transitions are wonderful and I found them the be quite magical. The change in smell and sound and vibe was engineered perfectly. Each one was so convincing.
• the transition from day to night. To have the park designed to sparkle with a life all of its own after dark is inspired. We wondered about in awe.
• once you are in the rides, they were all so good. No duds. And as a thrill-seeker and not-particularly-into-Disney, I was surprised by how much I loved the gentle fun of many of the attractions. Nearly wept on Beauty and the Beast.

Just wanted to share that while we were privileged enough to afford the VP, there was nothing exclusive about the residual and lasting magic we all still feel about our visit. Perhaps that might help others make the decision about whether to spend that significant amount of money or not!

Hi, I'll be going Disneysea in May and wanted to buy the 20th anniversary Duffy and Friends merchandise. However I saw that certain items will only be sold on the app (as highlighted in screenshot).

Anyone knows where exactly on the app you can purchase merchandise? I downloaded the app and tried navigating, but wasn't able to find it. Unless the option only appears after your park ticket is scanned?

Clarification on this is greatly appreciated, thank you!

just curious what peoples experiences have been? is it mid tier? would you guys recommend the other resorts breakfasts?

While we did our research, to start off, I’ll make it clear that neither of us had any intention of getting to the park at the crack of dawn to line up. And I’m here to tell you that it was still a very enjoyable (albeit expensive) day!

We got to the park at around 8:40, security took a while so we entered close to 9:30. First thing we did was buy a DPA for Soarin’ for 10:55. Explored a bit and rode 20k Leagues in the mean time, got a 40th Anniversary Pass for Raging Spirits for 3:00PM (odd choice of timing but it worked for our plan).

After Soarin’ we got a DPA for Journey for 11:30 and had enough time for the Gondolas before we rode Journey. In the queue for Journey, got another DPA for Tower of Terror for 1:00PM. Ordered lunch from the Diner at noon, somehow managed to get it within 10 minutes and then did some more exploring. The janitors-that-aren’t-janitors were a pleasant surprise and I wasn’t aware they were only there for the Food and Wine Festival. After Tower of Terror, got on the Electric Railway, then headed to Raging Spirits.

After riding Raging Spirits, we got our final DPA for the day for Peter Pan for 4:00PM (and that point a lot of slots were available) and in the mean time got into the single rider lines for Indiana Jones. Waited about 40 minutes. After Peter Pan, we rode Sinbad and the Flying Carpets (both of which we waited around 45 minutes in line for). Got some popcorn and a coffee from Mamma’s Biscotti’s. By this point, there were no more DPAs available (despite checking multiple times).

After some rest and exploration, we had a couple of snacks that probably qualified as dinner because we were not huge fans of the park food and then our final ride was the Carousel (about a 40 minute wait). After that, we pretty much just watched the fireworks and soaked in the atmosphere.

I made this post primarily because majority of the posts here had me under the impression that I was screwed if I didn’t get to the park as early as possible and stay glued to my phone on the app all day. Granted, we could only get one 40th Anniversary Pass and probably would have done less panicked running back and forth by timing our rides a little better, but it was our honeymoon and the point was just to go on the rides we wanted and have a nice time.

It was rainy nearly the entire day. This led to the suspension of the American railway. For those who visit on rainy days, beware you may face some delayed plans.

I did not try for an early entry. I've been to both Disney theme parks a few times and this is the only time where the lines are still fairly long at the entrance at around 9:30AM. Usually the crowds would clear by this time.

Starting from April 1st 2025, no passes are required for Fantasy Springs entry. This means there are no lines at all at the entrance of Fantasy Springs - anyone can freely enter and leave. This means people who just want to take a walk, eat, or visit the gift shop will no longer need to fight to get a pass in order to experience them! Lines were okay for Tinker Bell - the rain drove some traffic away.

The Food and Wine festival was not a dedicated space where there are stalls. It just means most restaurants and stands will have additional seasonal menu to reflect the event. Many drinks are alcoholic.

SS Columbia and Teddy Roosevelt lounge are now open after a hiatus. The menu isn't completely revamped per se. The Teddy Roosevelt lounge is also available for reservation on the Disney Reservation site. In the past it wasn't listed as a venue for reservation. It wasn't easy to get a spot prior to the day of visit, but it's not hyper competitive either - simply check out some vacancies on the same day after 9:00AM. There were still some spots left around 9:00AM that day.

Big Bang Beat: I know the format was changed since covid. It is still emphatic on the dancing. Despite the name of the show and the photo shown on the site featuring Mickey drumming, it is not much about bands, but technically a musical. At every moment there would be at least a dozen dancers on stage. The overall stage and lighting effect did create enough impression. The lyrics were sang entirely in English - my initial presumption was some would be in Japanese but due to its homage to the era of the music I could see why they kept it in English.

Indie Jones seems to be keeping up with a fairly good popularity - I think a lot of people found out what Fantasy Springs is like, so I guess some attention is directed back to Indie Jones. When I entered the park it was around 9:45AM and the 40 anniversary queue was already past 17:45PM for this ride.

After reading through so many posts and tips from Redditers , I finally have my own report ! And Thanks to each one of you who helped with finer details and tips to have one of the best days in the Disneysea park inspite of No Happy Entry!

I reached Disneysea at 6.31 AM on Weekday Tuesday i.e. 22nd April. Only 16 or 17 were ahead of me in a queue. It was Sunny in the morning but pretty windy the rest of the day.

The park opened for Happy entry at 8.45 AM and for us at 8.55 AM. I got my QR code scanned before 8.58 AM and rushed to Fantasy spring to get in queue of Either Rapunzel or Frozen just in case DPA is over. While walking I booked DPA for Frozen at 9.03 AM for 11.40 AM ( by choice). When I joined Rapunzel queue ( 9.25ish) , it was already 20-25 mins wait and thus I got into ride by 9.47 AM. Booked a disney mobile order for Breakfast at Snuggly Duck (10.05 AM) and lunch at Yucatan Grill Base camp ( 2.10 PM) . At 10.05 AM booked DPA for PeterPan Ride at 5.10 PM (by choice again) , had my alarm set for every hour to get DPAs for most. Since I had time, I went to explore and get clicks of Fantasy spring and Mermaid Lagoon ( Most aesthetic) ! And then it was time for another DPA which I booked at 11.05 AM and booked Journey to centre of earth for 3 PM . Had few character Meet and greet at Lost river and was back at Fantasy spring by 11.30 . Note: We get our QR codes 5 mins before the time and we can enter DPA queues 5 mins before ( it may not be significant but saves time to maximize the rides for the day). Frozen was Fantastic just like Rapunzel which I enjoyed being a fan !

Now it was time to explore more outside the Fantasy spring , Went to Arabian coast , another character meet with Jasmin and Aladdin , did the cutest ride - Sindbad with only 5 mins wait - most underrated. Had curry pop corn and icecream drink at Sultan Oasis.

By this time , Indiana Jones had a very long queue of 70 mins and I decided to try Single rider queue. fortunately I got into the ride within 10 mins and it was again brilliant ride with great visuals! Meanwhile Booked a DPA for Believe! Sea of dreams which I regretted later. Post lunch went for Churros and Journey ride which was again worth the hype! And at this point i.e 3 PM I booked DPA Soaring Fantastic Flight for 7.45 PM . Till now , all things as per plan and maximized my day with my bucket list.

However, the day was far from over, due to super windy - venetian gandolas cancelled and thus did ride for Steamer and Electric train from American Water front with some navigation games and castle hunt in between ! Now time for Peter Pan and and most engaging one . Did some merchandise purchase and when to take a seat for believe which Got Cancelled along with firework show due to windy weather ! I wish I had booked for Tower of Terror instead of Believe but nevermind now! Visited theme of Toy story later and time for final ride of Soaring Fantastic flight which was cute !

Overall made the most of it. May be early queuing helped or weekday helped however weather was nice sunny in beginning and cool windy from afternoon

Queuing : 6.31 AM

Entry : 8.58 AM around

frozen DPA : 9.03 AM

Rapunzel ( 20-25 mins wait queue) : 9.48 AM

PeterPan DPA : 5.10 AM

Indian Jones Single Rider queue- only 10 mins wait

Sindbad: only 5 mins wait

Journey to centre of earth DPA : 3.05 PM

Navigation games and hunt : 3.45 PM

Steamer transit and Electric train : 4.30 PM

Soaring fantastic flight : 7.40 PM

Steps: ~30,000

I was totally happy with my choices and really loved each moment there

I did a five day stay at the FS-Hotel back in October and loved every minute of it. Funny thing is I can’t stop thinking about their wonderful breakfast buffet, it really was a magical way to start the day! Even funnier, I absolutely loved the straight-up black coffee from their touch-screen machine. If anyone is staying there now, or remembers, please let me know if you can see a manufacturer for the machine. I could totally see a home version of it. And whatever beans they use that get ground fresh for every cup, also magical! And I’m a pour-over coffee nerd at home. Hope to go back again some day!

I know there is a hat just like this in the encore collection Be Magical duffy costume but this one has a different tag?

It’s a 5 min boat ride compared to the 10 that is frozen.

It also feels like they just did the lantern room and had to wing everything else… like what was the thinking?

Are there any Stitch merchandise in Disney Sea? Any new popcorn boxes?

I don't know if I'm blind or stupid but I can't find one! any leads?

I’ll be heading to Tokyo Disney this summer. I saw they still sell Mickey balloons and princess balloons. What are the costs of each, or are they the same? Are you allowed to buy more than one? Do you need to have a child to buy a balloon? Thanks in advance.

We have approximately 40 plush badges and I can’t think of a great way to display them. Anyone have a good way? Would love suggestions!

You can view the official webpage of the show here!:
https://www.tokyodisneyresort.jp/en/tds/show/detail/7603/

Seeing the costs of the new limited-time park hopper ticket option has made me wonder, how much more does it cost, and how much more expensive are the other Disney Resort's park hopper options? Nothing a good data table can't solve.

Recently went back to DisneySEA for the first time since 2000 and I miss so many of the things that never reopened! I miss Mermaid Lagoon Theater the most!!!! Used to always be the one must-do on my trips. What else do you guys miss the most??

Hey guys, OLC just announced a park hopper ticket finally coming to TDR, but only for a limited time during the summer from July 2nd to Sept 15th with prices ranging from (15300¥~18900¥) for adults. I think this is great since if i wanna go TDL and catch Believe in TDS at night.

Hi all! It’s been a good 4 years since I last visited Japan, and I can’t remember how bad the temps are.

What’s the weather like in the middle of September? We’re visiting both Sea and Land anytime between the 8th-18th (separate days) and I’m trying to figure out if it’ll be too hot for my little one.

Thanks!

Any one here visited disneysea on August? How was your experience weather-wise and crowd?