The dream of many is to visit Disneyland in California! Some still don't know, but the Japanese don't need to leave their country to visit Disney. That's because in Tokyo there is not just one, but two Disney parks, today we will talk about "Tokyo Disneyland" and "Tokyo Disney Sea".
Tokyo Disney Resort is the location of the two Disney parks in Japan. Here you'll find hotel complexes and various attractions. The park was founded on April 15, 1983 as a replica of the Magic Kingdom in California.
Disney Japan was the first Disney park built outside of the US. It also has its own unique water park called Tokyo DisneySea. Disney Japan is the 3rd most visited park in the world. Let's get to know a little about each of these 2 Disney parks in Tokyo.
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Table of Content
How to get to Disneyland Tokyo?
Despite being called "Disney Tokyo," it is located in Urayasu in the Chiba region, a neighboring province about half an hour from the greater Tokyo area using JR train lines.
To get to Disney, you must depart from Tokyo station or nearby stations where the "Keiyo" line passes through and goes all the way to Maihama station, where Disney is located.
Once at Maihama Station, you will be right next to the Tokyo Disney Resort. Leaving the station, you can walk to the park entrance or take the Disney Resort Line, a monorail that circulates around the resort.
Japan Disneyland - Tokyo Disneyland
Disney Japan is located on an artificial island called Shin-Urayasu located in Chiba. The island has about 465,000m² and has a resort with 7 themed areas and 5 hotels. This park features the same attractions as Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World California. Of course, both have their exclusives, see the main attractions and a map of the place:
Tokyo DisneyLand attractions list
The Disney park in Tokyo is divided into about 7 locations where the attractions are located. Below is a list of the main attractions of Tokyo Disneyland:
- Cinderela Castle: The iconic symbol of the park offers a stunning view and serves as a backdrop for various performances and events.
- Adventureland:
- Jungle Cruise: A boat tour with guides narrating exciting adventures through an exotic jungle.
- Piratas do Caribe: A boat trip across the seas with pirates, treasures, and naval battles.
- Westernland:
- Big Thunder Mountain: A dynamic roller coaster that simulates a race through a gold mine in a Wild West setting.
- Country Bear Theater: A musical performance with animatronic bears.
- Critter Country:
- Splash Mountain: An aquatic attraction that combines an exciting waterfall with a charming story based on the movie "Song of the South".
- Fantasyland:
- Mansão Assombrada: A scary tour through a mansion inhabited by ghosts and spirits.
- Peter Pan's Flight: A magical flight journey over London to Neverland.
- Toontown:
- Casa do Mickey e Encontro com Mickey: An opportunity to explore Mickey Mouse's house and meet him in person.
- Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin: A spinning attraction that follows the crazy adventures of the cartoon character Roger Rabbit.
- Tomorrowland:
- Space Mountain: A roller coaster in the dark that simulates a high-speed space journey.
- Star Tours - The Adventures Continue: A flight simulator experience that takes visitors on a journey through the "Star Wars" universe.
There are many other attractions, presentations, shows, parades, restaurants, and shops that can be viewed in detail through the official Disney Tokyo apps.
recommendations
As soon as you arrive at the park, run to the "Beauty and the Beast" attraction, which is one of the ones with the longest line in the park. At least when I went, on the 40th anniversary of "DisneyTokyo", everyone was entitled to choose to use the fast pass on one attraction every 3 hours, check if this option is always available, it helped a lot.
I also really enjoyed Space Mountain, Stitch's show, and the Pirates of the Caribbean boat ride. The park is more focused on theming, with only about 4 thrill rides. I wanted to highlight Splash Mountain, but unfortunately, it was closed, and I couldn't experience it.
Dedication
To all of you who come to this happy place, welcome. Here you will discover enchanted lands of fantasy and adventure, Yesterday and Tomorrow. May Tokyo Disneyland be an eternal source of joy, laughter, inspiration and imagination for the people of the world. And may this magical kingdom be a symbol of endurance of the spirit of cooperation and friendship between the great nations of Japan and the United States of America.
E. Cardon Walker, April 15, 1983
Watch a video showing Tokyo Disneyland:
Water Park - Tokyo DisneySea
Tokyo DisneySea has approximately 712,246m2, it's a nautical exploration themed park that takes you on a global journey. Unlike Tokyo Disneyland, the overall intention is to create a more adult-themed park, including faster and scarier attractions, as well as shows aimed at an older audience. Considered a major attraction and one of the most beautiful parks ever made. The two symbols of the park are:
- DisneySea AquaSphere A water fountain with a giant model of the earth located at the entrance to the park;
- Mount Prometheus - A volcano located in the center of the park at the same height as Cinderella's Castle;
See some of the attractions and the park map:
Tokyo DisneySea Attractions List
At Tokyo DisneySea, the attractions are inspired by maritime legends and exotic ports from all over the world, divided into seven unique themed areas:
- Mediterranean Harbor:
- Gôndolas de Veneza: Gondola rides that recreate the romantic atmosphere of Venice.
- Voando: Voo Fantástico: A flight journey that provides spectacular views of wonders of the world.
- Ilha Misteriosa:
- Viagem ao Centro da Terra: An exciting adventure inside a volcano, following the theories of Jules Verne.
- 20,000 léguas submarinas: A submarine exploration in Verne's universe.
- Lagoa das Sereias:
- Ariel's Playground: A play area with toys and themed attractions based on the movie "The Little Mermaid."
- Flounder's Flying Fish Coaster: A gentle roller coaster ideal for families.
- Arabian Coast:
- Aladdin's Flying Carpets: An attraction that allows visitors to fly on magic carpets.
- Sinbad's Storybook Voyage: A boat trip narrating Sinbad's adventures with a captivating soundtrack.
- Lost River Delta:
- Indiana Jones Aventura: Templo do Crânio de Cristal: A journey full of action in search of treasures in a cursed temple.
- Raging Spirits: A roller coaster with a spectacular 360-degree loop.
- Port Discovery:
- Aquatopia: An attraction of vehicles moving unpredictably on the water.
- Nemo & Friends SeaRider: A submarine simulation trip in the world of "Finding Nemo".
- American Waterfront:
- Torre do Terror: A free fall inside a haunted hotel, with a unique story for the DisneySea version.
- Toy Story Mania!: An interactive 3D tour that simulates a shooting game in the "Toy Story" world.
Disney SEA has a greater focus on adult audiences with more thrilling attractions, several roller coasters, the famous Tower of Terror, so there is no point in me making my recommendations in this park, everything is worth it.
Dedication
Welcome to the world where imagination and adventure embark. Tokyo DisneySea is dedicated to the spirit of exploration that lives in each of us. Here we'll chart a route to adventure, romance, discovery and fun on a journey to the exotic and fanciful Ports of Call. May Tokyo DisneySea inspire the hearts and minds of all of us who share the water planet Earth.
Michael D. Eisner, September 4, 2001
Check out a video showing Tokyo DisneySea:
Disney SEA or Disneyland - Which one to choose?
If you are in doubt about which park to visit, I would recommend visiting both, choosing one day for each. Of course, you should expect to spend at least 9,000 yen to visit each park.
Tokyo Disney Resort offers several ticket options that allow access to both parks, each on a different day. There are multi-day passes and special packages available.
Now, if you intend to decide to go to just one of the parks, that will depend on your preferences, as both offer unique experiences. Let's highlight their differences below:
Tokyo Disneyland It is classic and familiar, reflecting the original spirit of Disneyland in California. It is ideal for fans of traditional Disney characters, families with young children, and those seeking the classic Disney experience with iconic attractions such as the Cinderella Castle, It's a Small World, and traditional themed areas such as Adventureland, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland.
Tokyo DisneySea It is unique to Japan and offers a more mature and sophisticated experience, with a focus on maritime adventures and exploration. Its attractions are more geared towards an older audience, with more complex and elaborate themes, such as Mysterious Island and Arabian Coast. DisneySea is also known for its stunning aesthetics and detailed design, often considered the most beautiful theme park in the world.