How to Have a “Perfect” Day at Tokyo DisneySea

My last time at Tokyo Disney taught me that flexibility was really important. I’m not as familiar as I am with the domestic US parks so I definitely struggled at times even when I was just prioritizing my must do’s. However, things did work out with that approach. Therefore, I think the best way to have a “perfect” day is to prioritize the must do’s and then build the rest of the day around those. 

I wrote this article around some basic logistics and then my favorites or the most unique things in the main categories of attractions, shows, characters, and foods. This will all be based on what I’ve personally experienced or what I researched about so you have a “buffet” menu to help start building YOUR perfect day while allowing space for your own exploration. NOTE: This won’t be the most comprehensive list, but I have been a few times now and definitely did a lot of research so might as well spread the knowledge! 🙂

General Definitions

• Disney Premier Access (DPA) – This is the Tokyo Disney equivalent of a FastPass, Genie+, or Express Pass (~$10-20 per person) that works per attraction or show.
• 40th Anniversary Priority Pass – This is the free version of the DPA for attractions only.
• Standby Pass – This is the Tokyo Disney equivalent of a free virtual queue. You virtually wait until you’re called again to wait in person. This is only applicable to Fantasy Springs attractions, some merchandise, and a few character meet and greets. 
• Show Lottery – Unlike the US domestic parks, show seats are allocated through a lottery system since they provide assigned seating. You can only enter for one show time per show once each day. However, the nighttime show is not a part of this lottery system.

Attractions

• Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Journey – The best ride at Tokyo DisneySea and a must do! It’s a retelling of Frozen but with the latest special effects, elaborate set pieces, and a creative spin on the standard boat ride. 
• Peter Pan’s Never Land Adventure – This is not your typical Peter Pan attraction. This version combines real sets with 3D screens and is about an adventure in Never Land with Peter Pan, the Darling children, and the Lost Boys. For anyone with motion sickness, this may get a bit uncomfortable towards the end as the ride is about 5 minutes long. 
• Fairy Tinker Bell’s Busy Buggies – If you’re a fan of the Tinker Bell movies, this attraction will be the cutest! You get to help Tinker Bell give Cheese a day off from deliveries and travel to all the seasons in Pixie Hollow. 
• Rapunzel’s Lantern Festival – While beautiful, this ride is too short and not worth a long wait. I honestly would not wait more than 30 minutes or spend a DPA on it unless there’s a really huge Tangled fan in your party. 
• Journey to the Center of the Earth – This is definitely a unique ride to Tokyo DisneySea and a must do. I believe it follows the Jules Verne book. The ride is mostly a dark ride with a mild thrill at the end. 
• Aquatopia – This one is most similar to Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters at Disneyland in terms of the ride experience. However, unlike Luigi’s, you’re on water! Honestly, this one is more fun than it looks and a do if the line isn’t longer than 30-40 minutes. 
• Sindbad’s Storybook Journey – Another unique ride to Tokyo DisneySea and a must do in my opinion! It is a long boat ride that’s great for a rest although the set pieces in this ride are also really impressive. AND, there is a very cute tiger named Chandu. 
• Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull – This version is very similar to the one at Disneyland aside from a few story tweaks. However, I felt that it had a better upkeep which added to the overall ride feel. This is a great use for the 40th Anniversary Priority Pass.
• Raging Spirits – This is a short medium/high intensity roller coaster. There’s not a strong story in the actual ride so this is a more second tier attraction for me. 
• Tower of Terror – Although the fanciest, most themed version in all the parks, I thought this ride version was the most boring if you’re a thrill seeker. It felt shorter, and you’re so strapped in, you don’t get to experience the funny tummy feeling from a drop ride. 
• The Magic Lamp Theater – Definitely unique, but this attraction had the most Japanese in it. While you can still understand the gist of what is going on, I do think you miss out on certain jokes which I think adds quite a bit to the experience. 
• Jasmine’s Flying Carpets – A cousin to the classic Dumbo. Not a must do, but an option if other things are busy! 
• Flounder’s Flying Fish Coaster – A small coaster perfect for a kid’s first roller coaster. Not a must do, but fun if there’s no line. 

Shows

• Big Band Beat: A Special Treat – Go for the choreography and costumes alone! The theme is Old Hollywood and it truly embodies that. 
• Believe! Sea of Dreams – Classic nighttime extravaganza! This was like a water parade with essences of World of Color, fireworks, the storytelling of Fantasmic, and a delightful soundtrack to boot. There is a DPA option, but I don’t quite recommend it. It is just a designated section without any assigned spots. Therefore, the first come first serve element still applies. If crowds are not too heavy, I think it is still possible to get a decent spot if you plan early enough. 

Foods

• Gyoza Sausage Bun – This lives up to the hype of being a solid savory snack choice! The flavor is a standard pork and cabbage Chinese bao but well done – the bun is soft and there is a good ratio of filling to bao.
• Fried Chicken – A whole chicken leg/thigh was a very popular snack in Tokyo Disney with it being cooked in a couple of ways (fried, smoked) and in a few flavors (teriyaki, spicy, etc.) all scattered around the parks. My favorite version was a plain fried chicken leg/thigh with a Coke from the vending machine. Fried chicken in Japan is elite!
• Pop n’ Shrimp – This was surprisingly good. There was a good amount of shrimp in a serving, and the coating was hot, crispy, and not too thick. We also had the Seafood Calzone – this was less exciting, but pretty good if you want another item to make your meal a bit heartier. 
• Mickey Churro – This one was more for the photo, but how classic is a Mickey-shaped churro? It was also a delicious classic churro so what’s not to like about that?

Characters

It was very rainy when I was last there so I didn’t see too many characters roaming around. However, from videos, that seems to be more of the regular scenario than actual “set times” of character meet and greets. Character meet and greets tend to be a circle formed around the character and they will choose people to interact with rather than getting into a queue. I’ve also heard there are character Standby Passes but I’m not sure which characters! 

Final Thoughts

I hope this post was helpful for planning your DisneySea day. Let me know if you have any questions I can help answer!