Is DISNEYLAND TOKYO Worth It? [best things to do on a short layover]

If you're a Disney fanatic, or just love to have fun at the most magical place in the world, then chances are if you're headed to Tokyo then you'll want to visit Disneyland Tokyo. Although it would be best to explore the park over multiple days - sometimes all you have is one day - or a long layover. In this post we've gathered some of Disneyland Tokyo's top sights, foods, and attractions - sharing best tips and tricks to make your one day at Disneyland Tokyo the best it can be! Our best recommendation is to always read up on the latest park updates before visiting any Disney Park.

Other posts you might be interested in :

• ​17 Coolest Vending Machines in Tokyo​
• ​Best Things to Do Kuala Lumpur
• ​24 Hours in Singapore

Our Essential Travel Resources :
​There are a lot of travel companies out there, but some are better than others. These are our favorite websites and resources to help you plan an incredible trip.

For flights, we recommend using WayAway or Hopper to compare the cheapest dates to travel to your destination.

Car rentals comparisons are best through Discover Cars - just make sure to bring your international driver's permit with you if you're heading somewhere international!

We always use AGODA for hotels. They have an easy-to-use platform where you can compare the best rates.

To keep cell phone service if you're traveling internationally, we always use Airalo’s easy to purchase eSIM’s (no installation required).

For fun things to do, we always recommend Viator to find the best tours in the area, otherwise Klook also does the trick, especially for tours in Asia.

Just in case, Safetywing is the insurance I always use for travel insurance.

Lastly, my packing list for your international or domestic travels.

How to Get to Disneyland Tokyo?

Disneyland Tokyo is easily accessible via the public subway system in Tokyo, and lies about 45 minutes from central Tokyo on the JR Keiyo Line. Simply make your way to Maihama Station, then get out and walk the 5 minutes to the main entrance of Disneyland Tokyo!

​If you're coming from Narita Airport then it'll take about an hour - begin on the Keisei Narita Skyaccess Line then change to the JR Keiyo Line at Higashi-Matsudo Station towards Maihama Station. If you're coming from Haneda Airport then it'll also take about an hour - start on the Keikyu Airport Line that transfers to Hibiya Line at Ningyocho Station, then take the JR Keiyo Line to Maihama Station. If public transportation isn't your thing, other options include taxis - which are quite reliable in Japan. Airports also have the option of shuttles and airport limousines - which will be the spendier option.

Get UNLIMITED rides on the JR line in Tokyo with this pass! 

It's also worth noting that Disneyland Tokyo has a large, locker storage area for guests to use. At 800 yen for the day (unless you open the locker more than once) you can store any luggage you have with you, and our carry on suitcase along with our backpack each fit with plenty of room left. Before you go into the park, after you walk across the bridge, this storage area can be found to the right - directly across from the main entrance!

Get tickets before they sell out to Disneyland Tokyo!

Best Rides at Disneyland Tokyo

We have to be honest, the rides at Disneyland Tokyo aren't nearly as intense or as thrilling as the rides we're used to in the US - HOWEVER, the shorter lines definitely made up for it and it goes without saying that we had a blast! Since we only had about 7 hours to make the most of our visit - we opted to visit some of the bigger, more popular rides, but we've also listed the other rides below as well! With 6 main areas of the park to explore - there's something for everyone. If you're looking for some more thrilling rides, we recommend checking out Tomorrowland, Westernland, and Adventureland first. If you're going with family and have some young kids - or just don't like big rides - we recommend checking out Fantasyland and Toontown first.

• Star Tours : The Adventure Continues - a 15 minute ride in a 4D theater through the galaxy (10 minute wait)
• Space Mountain - a classic rollercoaster through a dark mountain that never seems to end (35 minute wait)
• Winnie the Pooh - a simple yet fun ride in a pot of honey through Pooh's world (30 minute wait)
• It's a Small World - another classic, easy boat ride (10 minute wait)
• Splash Mountain - prepare to get wet on this fun log ride! (45 minute wait)
• Big Thunder Mountain - one of the best roller coasters at the park! (25 minute wait)

​We also want to take a minute to mention the castle - the Cinderella Castle that is. Not only can you walk through it and see Cinderella's Glass Slipper, it's also one of the most iconic and picturesque spots in the entire park! We aren't experts on Disney Castles, but our friend Grace has an entire post dedicated to the best Disney Castles around the world!

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• ​​Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters - unfortunately this ride was closed when we visited, but it's said to be a fun shooting game ride
• Beaver Brothers Explorer Canoes - join other riders to paddle down a river before dusk
• Mark Twin Riverboat - join other guests on a multi-story river boat, no paddling required
• Tom Sawyer Island Rafts - pile onto a raft with other guests to make your way to Tom Sawyer Island
• Pirates of the Caribbean - an indoor boat ride that takes you through the lively story of pirates and cannonballs
• Jungle Cruise : Wildlife Expeditions - a fun boat ride with animal sightings ;)

Download the official park map from Disneyland Tokyo here.

Family Friendly Rides :
Although we tend to go for the more thrilling rides, there are plenty of family friendly rides in the park - entire areas in fact. We didn't have enough time to try every single ride at Disneyland, however, Toontown and Fantasyland happen to have a large selection of rides for children that aren't quite as intense. Our best recommendations if you're visiting as a family or with some younger kiddos would be to check out the Stitch Encounter, the Happy Ride with Baymax, Monsters Inc. Ride & Go Seek, and the rest of Toontown and Fantasyland.

The parade is also a HUGE attraction to Disneyland go-ers in Japan. Unfortunately, people will start lining up along the parade route hours before the actual parade - meaning unless you want to use your day waiting for the parade, then you more likely won't get a great viewing spot. However, we arrived at the parade line just about 15 minutes before it started and we were still able to stand a few rows back and enjoy our view of the parade over everyone's heads! With lots of dancing and colors, the 45 minute Disney Harmony in Color Parade was such a fun time we highly recommend trying to fit it in during your visit! Right now, it's at 5 pm every day.

Foods to Try at Disneyland Tokyo

In addition to having the famous popcorn buckets (that we never knew were a "thing" before our visit), there's plenty of character shaped foods to enjoy on your visit! We listed our favorites below, but there are plenty of foods that you should keep your eyes out for! It's also worth noting that once you choose your special popcorn bucket, refills are 600 yen, and there are over 20 flavors of popcorn to try! (Each popcorn stand has a special flavor.) Some of our favorites snacks were :

• Mike's Melon Head & Mickey Chocolate Muffin - a melon flavored bread with melon custard and a mickey shaped chocolate muffin (for both, with a water bottle, cost us 1080 yen at the Sweetheart Cafe)
• Winnie the Pooh Popcorn Bucket - we tried the honey flavor in a special Winnie the Pooh popcorn bucket! (2600 yen +600 per refill, popcorn stand located outside the Winnie the Pooh ride)
• Bacon Pineapple Pizza & Cheese Baked Potato Bites - they also have a seafood pizza available! (1800 yen for both at Captain Hook's Galley)
• Mickey Shaped Ice Creams - we tried the raspberry & tropical fruit flavored ones (700 yen for both, at multiple stands throughout the park)
• Raspberry Drink - a fizzy drink with jellies and pomegranate (600 yen at a stand in Westernland)

Other things we missed that you'll want to keep your eyes out for include...

• Stormtrooper Mochi - the newest snack at Disneyland Tokyo, these white mochis with a stormtrooper stamp on the front, comes in three different flavors found at Pan Galactic Pizza Port and Soft Landing
• Little Green Men Dumplings - the most famous snack here, these little green cuties come in chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry flavoring and is found at Mamma Biscotti's Bakery
• Mickey's Glove Chicken Sandwich - another popular item, this chicken pao sandwich comes with chicken, sauce, lettuce and egg salad inside a Mickey glove shaped bread and is found at the Good Time Cafe
• ​Ukiwa Shrimp Bun - this donut shaped bun is brightly colored and you guessed it, has shrimp inside, found at Seaside Snacks
• Mickey Mouse Shaped Eggs - these boiled eggs are definitely something special, the yolk in the center is shaped just like Mickey Mouse! find these on different dishes throughout the park
• Mickey Shaped Churros - classic snacks to take on the go, find these at Camp Woodchuck Kitchen
• Pizza Spring Roll - another easy snack to take on the go, these are sold at the stations in Toontown

Watch our Adventures at Disneyland here!

Check out our other Japan blog posts!

• 17 Coolest Vending Machines in Tokyo
• One Day at Disneyland Tokyo
• Kobe, Japan - 8 Best Things to Do
• Hiroshima, Japan - 7 Best Things to Do

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