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How to make your first Disney trip more fun

By on April 11, 2016

You may not have realized it, but you live in only one of four countries in the world that have a Disney Theme Park. We’re lucky – Japan actually has two Disney Theme Parks, and whether you’ve never visited one, or are an Annual Pass holder, there’s always a tip or two that can make your visit even more fun.

First and foremost – choose your day wisely…If you don’t, you can spend the day waiting in long lines with grumpy children, wondering why you came. Days to avoid due to crowds are: Japanese public holidays, Japanese school holidays, the two weeks around Christmas and New Year’s Day, and the first day of all “Special Events.” In general, Saturdays and Sundays are a little busier than weekdays, but quite often during slower months (January, February, mid to late April, June and September), even weekends aren’t too crowded. Once you’ve picked your day, buy your ticket ahead of time to avoid waiting in line at the gate. You can purchase tickets at any Disney Store, online, or at most large convenience stores.

Next, take time before you go to plan out your day. You don’t have to schedule every second, but it’s a good idea to get a guide map beforehand (or look at the map online), and identify your top five or six attractions, and pick a show or two that you think you’d like to see. If you have small children and haven’t been there before, read up on the attractions to make sure your kids are tall enough, and that you’re not picking anything that could frighten them. It also wouldn’t hurt to select where you might like to eat lunch and/or dinner along the way. (In general, the really big “quick service” restaurants, like Plaza Pavilion, tend to take much longer than smaller outlets.)

To make the best use of your time, take advantage of the FASTPASS system that allows you to get a virtual “reservation” for the most popular attractions. (See FASTPASS box). Once inside the park, go directly to the attraction at the top of your list and get your first FASTPASS. As soon as you’ve used it, go get one for the next FASTPASS attraction on your list. To save time, you can just send one member of your party with everyone’s tickets to get your next FASTPASSES while the rest of you continue to play.

Tokyo Disneyland
Go to the Show Lottery (in Tomorrowland, near Star Tours) when you first enter the park, to get seats for the Castle Show.
If you’re willing to forego the afternoon parade, it’s a good time to hit busier attractions.

Adventureland tends to be less busy in the morning.

Tomorrowland tends to be busiest in the morning.
A few restaurants that usually aren’t overcrowded – Café New Orleans (Cajun food – full service), East Side Cafe (varied menu – full service), Crystal Palace (varied menu – buffeteria), Grandma Sara’s Kitchen (varied menu – quick service).
Check the website
www.tokyodisneyresort.co.jp
How FASTPASS Works:
Insert your admission ticket into the FASTPASS machine at any FASTPASS attraction (they’re noted on the map).
Immediately you’ll get your ticket back along with a FASTPASS ticket with a specific time to return to bypass the line and ride that attraction.

Note: The system only allows you to get one FASTPASS at a time, and it must be past the time printed on your FASTPASS before you’ll be able to get one for a different attraction.

Not up for a full day in the parks?
“Starlight Tickets” are available for admission after 3 pm on weekends.
“After 6 pm” tickets are another good option when the parks are open until 10 pm – especially if you just want to go in for dinner and one of the nighttime spectaculars (Braviseamo at Tokyo DisneySea, or the Electric Light Parade at Tokyo Disneyland).

 

Tokyo DisneySea

Screen shot 2016-03-30 at 10.26.27 PM
Tokyo DisneySea is one of the best-kept secrets. Many people are not clear on what the park actually is – often confusing it with a water park. It is in fact, a theme park with rides, shows, restaurants, and a good dose of Disney pixie dust. But, this park is like no other Disney park in the world. It’s architecture, attractions and shows are all unique. If you haven’t been there before, plan your next Disney day here.

If you have kids under 8 and are willing to get a little wet, go on a rainy day to Mermaid Lagoon. Everything is indoor, so it’s an easy place to spend a couple of hours.

If it’s a busy day and your kids just want to get on a ride, go to Sinbad. There’s rarely a wait, and it’s not too fast. It is a “dark ride,” so young kids might find it frightening.

A few restaurants that usually aren’t overcrowded – Magellan’s (European food – full service), S.S. Columbia (Italian food – full service), Sailing Day Buffet (varied menu, all-you-can-eat) and Miguel’s Cantina (Tex-mex, quick-service).

 

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