Tokyo DisneySea with Kids: How to Make the Most of Your Visit
Whether or not you’re a Disney fan, the Tokyo Disney Resort is quite a sight to behold. The architecture and design are out-of-this-world, and our family enjoyed watching groups of friends and family dressed up in as their favorite characters, like Duffy (a Japanese icon) and The Aristocats. Not to mention, the food! You, of course, have to try the yummy food and snacks (worth their own follow-up post) like cult-favorite gourmet popcorn flavors and Disney-themed canisters to trot them around in. To top it off, entrance is one-fifth the price than at Anaheim, and their evening show “Believe! Sea of Dreams” is a top-tier magical experience.
Despite having a love-hate view of Disney (the corporation), I find it difficult to resist the pull of the round-eared mouse, especially having grown up indoctrinated in the Disney culture. They are REALLY good at taking my money, and I let them, especially when it comes to my kid.
Tokyo DisneySea is is definitely worth a visit, and my whole family would agree! Here’s how to make the most of your experience at this unique Disney park.
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What makes Tokyo DisneySea special?
DisneySea is unlike any other Disney park in that it has many unique themed areas and rides. Tokyo Disneyland is essentially a replica of Disneyland Anaheim, while many of the features of the Disney Sea cannot be found anywhere else!
Our Experience
- Destination: Tokyo DisneySea, Japan
- age of our kid: 5 and 8 years
- Length of stay: 1 full day
- time of year: February & July
Quick Tips
Before You go
- Have a Plan. This goes for every theme park, but having a broad outline of your day is incredibly helpful for maximizing your time at DisneySea with littles in tow.
- Download the Tokyo Disney Resorts app. The app is essential for checking ride wait times and gaining special entry to shows. We didn’t know that it would also be super helpful for ordering food ahead, which was a requirement for some of the restaurants before you could even go inside of them.
- Have a general idea of the park layout so you don’t have to be constantly checking your map.
- Check out the show schedule and plug it into your calendar.
- Glance at the food and popcorn menus so you don’t find yourself stopping at every popcorn stand (though if you do, more power to you!).
What To Pack
- Snacks and water bottles
- Standard diaper bag essentials
- A fan
- Travel carseat
- Umbrella stroller, if needed
- Ergobaby or soft baby carrier, if needed
Costs
It can be hard to know how much an influencer actually paid for a trip–the table gives readers a look into our budget and how fancy (or not) we went.
| Item | base cost |
|---|---|
| Admission to DisneySea | $30-$60/ person/day |
| Add-Ons | |
| Disney Resort Line Tram | ¥300 / ages 12+; ¥150 / child |
| Shopping and souvenirs | $50-$100+ |
| Meals and Treats | $50 |
Getting There
Tokyo Disney Resort is located in Urayasu, about a 20-minute JR Train ride from Tokyo Station. Once you arrive at Maihama Station, you can choose to walk 20 minutes to the entrance of DisneySea or ride for a few minutes on the Monorail for ¥260 / adult with a transit card, or ¥300 / ages 12+ and ¥150 / child to get a physical commemorative ticket (which makes for a cute souvenir!).
travel
History Corner
Our Experience
As we visited cultural sites, I was struck by the number of people donning Japanese cultural attire.I am generalizing, but I couldn’t help but wonder what percentage of folks actually understood what they were wearing and how much of it simply was them playing dress-up. I felt uneasy, replaying the mantra in my head, “culture is not a costume.”
Learn More
- Learn about the indigenous Ainu peoples of Hokkaido.
- Learn about Japanese cultural attire.
Antiracist Travel Considerations
Top Family-Friendly Activities in Tokyo DisneySea
Here are BBA’s recommendations for how to spend your time at Tokyo DisneySea.
Worth the Hype
- Fantasy Springs
- Arielle's Playground
- Shrimp Burger
Skip It
- Cookies & Cream Churros
- American Waterfront
- Tiramisu Ice Cream Sandwich
Bask in Fantasy Springs
Fantasy springs is such a great addition to Tokyo DisneySea! This area of the park opened in 2024, so we experienced it on our second DisneySea visit. It has a calming natural landscape while also feeling super magical, featuring a mini ice castle and Arendelle area from Frozen, as well as Rapunzel’s Tower. Here you’ll also find some of the best kid-friendly rides in the park: Peter Pan’s Never Land Adventure (3D), Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Journey, and Rapunzel’s Lantern Festival (though sadly it was closed when we visited). Plus, the food! The Snuggly Duckling has an amazing shrimp burger (veggie burger was so-so), and next time I’d love to try dining at the Royal Banquet of Arendelle. Definitely do not miss Fantasy Springs!
Find Arielle's Playground
Little Mermaid was one of the big Disney movies of my childhood, so of course I squealed with delight when we unexpectedly found Arielle’s Playground, complete with her collection of whosits and whatsits galore, including a full-size statue of Prince Eric. Wow, what dreams are made of. As of this writing, Sebastian’s Calypso Kitchen of Arielle’s Grotto is also where you can order the delectable Sparkling Jubilee Macaron (a standout food item of the park) and some yummy seafood eats.
Eat all the snacks
DisneySea is great for foodies, and I was impressed by not only how many pescetarian options there were, but also how yummy they tasted! Some highlights include the Shrimp Burger from The Snuggly Duckling, the Sparkling Jubilee Macaron from Sebastian’s Calypso Kitchen, and the Donald Duck Ukiwa Bun from Seaside Snacks. Read about our favorite DisneySea foods and souvenirs on this post.
Be wowed by Believe! Sea of Dreams
The evening show, Believe! Sea of Dreams is epic. It features beloved Disney characters and dancers atop giant boats with video screens that rise and fall throughout the show. Our favorite segments featured the characters from Frozen and Moana, but there was also a lovely medley in the middle. I’ve seen it twice now, and it still gives me goosebumps. Definitely watch it from the ground to be immersed in the show, as watching it from more of a bird’s eye view makes it less so. Being THOSE Americans, my kid and I were singing along and clapping after almost every segment on our first visit, but we learned to tone it down by the second one, ha!
Bask in Fantasy Springs
This area of the park opened in 2024, so we experienced it on our second DisneySea visit, and is such a great addition! It has a calming natural landscape while also feeling super magical, featuring a mini ice castle and Arendelle area from Frozen, as well as Rapunzel’s Tower. Here you’ll also find some of the best kid-friendly rides in the park: Peter Pan’s Never Land Adventure (3D), Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Journey, and Rapunzel’s Lantern Festival (though sadly it was closed when we visited). Plus, the food! The Snuggly Duckling has an amazing shrimp burger (veggie burger was so-so), and next time I’d love to try dining at the Royal Banquet of Arendelle. Definitely do not miss Fantasy Springs!
Find Arielle's Playground
Little Mermaid was one of the big Disney movies of my childhood, so of course I squealed with delight when we unexpectedly found Arielle’s Playground, complete with her collection of whosits and whatsits galore, including a full-size statue of Prince Eric. Wow, what dreams are made of. As of this writing, Sebastian’s Calypso Kitchen of Arielle’s Grotto is also where you can order the delectable Sparkling Jubilee Macaron (a standout food item of the park) and some yummy seafood eats.
Get celebration and name stickers
As with any Disney park, if it’s a special occasion for your family, definitely stop by Guest Relations to obtain stickers commemorating your first visit or birthday. While you’re there, obtain ID stickers and write your name and number for your littles in case of emergencies.
Things to Skip
Churros
The churros were just “okay.” We were very excited about the Mickey Mouse shapes and different flavors (cookies & cream), but in the end they were stale and not tasty.
American Waterfront
Being from the U.S., I don’t find the American Waterfront that entertaining—I don’t need to see fake colonial America while I’m in Japan.
Extras
Travel Mishaps
My, oh my. Many a travel mishap was had on the Tokyo leg of our trip. Where to begin?
First, during our day at DisneySea, I believe my daughter and I were the only ones whooping and clapping during the evening show—no one else in the crowd clapped, so I was left to feel like I must’ve missed a cultural memo, probably fulfilling the typical trope of “that loud American.”
Then, my brother came down with COVID, and had to spend his last couple days isolating in our hotel room in Tokyo.
Finally, my daughter and I spent our last day in Tokyo at the U.S. Embassy, applying for emergency passports because I had lost ours at Tokyo Skytree the night before. Not only that, but I ran out of cash to pay for said emergency passports, so I incurred some yucky fees pulling some cash out of a nearby ATM.
Despite these wild mishaps, we had a lovely time in Tokyo!
oops!
Read on
Our partners at Storybook Lists provide children’s book recommendations that feature native and local voices to deepen our understanding of the places we visit.
Looking for more?
Browse Storybook Lists’ full catalog of recommended children’s books on Japan.
Wishlist for our Next Visit
- While overall a magical experience, I don't know that I would go to DisneySea a third time unless my family was begging to go. That said, if we ever go again I'd be excited to try out the big-kid rides, and of course get my food and popcorn fix. Maybe even spend the night at one of the resort hotels?
Final Thoughts
While we haven’t yet experienced all the rides and attractions that Tokyo DisneySea has to offer, I’m content with our two visits. It was fun to experience the park both when my kid was a bit younger, and now that she’s a bit older and we can enjoy more of the rides together.
Let us know your family’s fave Tokyo DisneySea activities in the comments below!
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