Picture It with Priscila

How to Have a “Perfect” Day at Tokyo Disneyland

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. 

Cinderella Castle

 

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.
  • 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

  • Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast – The absolute best ride that’s also super family friendly! I half thought it was going to be overhyped, but it’s not. Not only is the attraction beautiful (queue included), the effects amazing, but the ride itself is a fun twist on the classic dark ride where the motions actually immerse you even more in the story somehow! 
  • Pooh’s Hunny Hunt – This is a unique Tokyo Disneyland attraction so definitely make it a priority. In my opinion, it’s better than both the Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom versions!
  • Monsters, Inc. Ride & Go Seek! – This is another unique Tokyo Disneyland attraction. In addition to being a dark ride, it’s also a bit of a game where you are using “flashlights” to find monsters! 
  • The Enchanted Tiki Room: Stitch Presents “Aloha E Komo Mai!” – Not going to lie, I wanted to go just to see little Stitch ears on the tiki room birds from Youtube videos, but the overall show was also quite fun and a delightful spin on the Tiki Room attraction. Worth a visit if you’re also looking to take a bit of a break.
  • Country Bear Jamboree – Since this version no longer exists at Disneyland nor Magic Kingdom, I think it’s a fun flashback choice. There’s a delightful Christmas version – get ready to hear a variety of Christmas songs from bears dressed in the holiday spirit! 
  • Big Thunder Mountain – Even though I would say this is not a must do since there are versions at both Disneyland and Magic Kingdom, I would say it’s still slightly different and worth the fun if there’s extra time in your day! 
  • Pirates of the Caribbean – I rode this one on my first visit, but I remember it being very similar to either the Disneyland or the Magic Kingdom version. I would recommend only riding it if there is a short wait and you have extra time in your day.
  • Haunted Mansion – I luckily got to ride the Haunted Mansion Holiday during my last visit. While fun, I do think the Disneyland version is a smidge better since it has the gingerbread house. Other than that, I could see that this attraction was very similar to the Disneyland version so definitely not a must do if there’s not enough time. 
  • The Happy Ride with Baymax – I did not get a chance to experience this, but it is very popular, even if it’s just to observe the group of Guests that gather round to dance/sing to the different songs at night. The attraction itself is similar to Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree at Disneyland or Alien Swirling Saucers at Hollywood Studios. 

Shows

  • Mickey’s Magical Music World – Such a great show! If you have ever seen Mickey and the Magical Map at Disneyland (RIP), you’ll really enjoy this. It’s the same idea as a mash-up of various Disney songs with some medleys, great dancing, and beautiful costumes.
  • Tokyo Disneyland Electrical Parade Dreamlights – This is the Disney Electrical Parade, but better! It has some of the same floats as the original Disney Electrical Parade but some floats are glammed up with better effects. The DPA for this is pretty great – there’s assigned seating so you don’t have to worry about getting there early. NOTE: The earlier you buy, the better the chance you have of getting the front row. I bought these the first thing after coming in which was just a minute or two before the regular crowds came in. 
Dreamlights

 

Foods

  • Shrimp Cutlet Burger – This was my favorite snack at either park! The bread was soft and pillowy, the shrimp patty was crispy and well portioned to the bread, and it was all tied together well with a sauce! 
  • Egg & Chicken on Chinese Bun – This was my second favorite snack! Combined with the Shrimp Cutlet Burger, this could become a lunch meal since they’re both sold at the same location. This was my second favorite since I couldn’t taste the eggs very well and the chicken didn’t have as good of a crunch as the shrimp patty. Otherwise though, it’s still delicious! 
  • Baked Cheese Potato – These potato bites were so much better than expected. It was surprisingly cheesy! If you want a larger meal, the Seafood Pizza is also sold at the same location. Not a must eat but still good.
  • Chicken and Tomato Calzone – I didn’t try this one, but my family really enjoyed it. I’ve also seen other creators recommend this so I thought it was worth keeping it as an option! 
  • Honey and Curry Popcorn – While the curry popcorn was good, the honey one was only ok. Neither had a very strong flavor, but that made it easy to keep eating. 
  • Little Green Dumplings – These are super viral, but honestly, they are ok mochi. The texture isn’t chewy nor soft enough. BUT lots of points for creativity and cuteness! 
  • Chocolate Churro – Although this was one of our favorite snacks, it was a seasonal item. My family and I are chocoholics and this was definitely a delicious flavor for the classic churro. It actually had chocolate flavor infused in the churro dough rather than it being a dip. 

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 DisneyLand day. Let me know if you have any questions I can help answer!

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?
Fried Chicken – all my other food photos were pretty bad!

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!

 

How to Spend 3 Days in NYC

I’ve been lucky to go to NYC twice now, and it’s definitely one of my favorite places on Earth (aside from the rats – I can live without them). There’s so many things to do and when you mix in seasonal offerings and limited time exhibits, it’s definitely a place you can come back to over and over again whether it be revisiting old favorites or trying new things.

Why Go?

I think NYC is a must for any city lover. It has food from almost any cuisine, world class museums, historical monuments, and a multitude of nighttime entertainment. It’s also ever changing and is host to more than a few, very famous global events (think Met Gala, Fashion Week, New Year’s Eve in Time Square).

Where to Stay?

My visits have been mostly focused in Manhattan so I definitely recommend Manhattan for this itinerary. Within Manhattan, I think if you’re staying close to a subway stop, you’d have convenient access to the places on this itinerary. I personally stayed near Hudson Yards, but a place near Times Square, Central Park, or Madison Square Park would also put you in a good location.

How to Get Around?

Luckily, NYC is a fairly easy city to navigate. Not only is it walkable but there’s an easy public transportation system. I have to admit I’ve only used the subway lines but there’s always a stop near the major, popular sites. Recently, when I went in May 2024, you can use your credit card as your metro card so you can take advantage of the weekly max amount. Last but not least, there’s also Uber/Lyft. 

Day 1

The first day is a typical city tourism day. I would start off at Central Park. The Park is actually much, much larger than a typical park with numerous walking paths, beautiful gardens, big sport fields, and even a lake for rowing. You can easily spend an hour, a half day, or even a whole day there. Luckily, since it’s a park in the middle of the city, you have easy access to restaurants and even museums if you want to take a breather from the green space! I personally would spend the morning at the Park, have lunch, and then head over to a nearby museum for the afternoon. 

For a museum, I personally would choose the Met. I have yet to go but it’s so iconic not only because of the Gala but because of the art pieces as well. Other options are the Guggenheim Museum or the American Museum of Natural History. If museums are not your thing, there’s also the Central Park Zoo!

After dinner, I would start the night with a Broadway show. There’s always so many shows to choose from. If you’re going with a bigger group or seeing a popular show, I would definitely book tickets ahead of time. However, if you’re willing to be flexible, I had some good luck getting great deals on last minute tickets at the box office day of or even a few minutes before. After the show, I would head over to Times Square as I think everyone should experience the bustle and the lights of Times Square at least once in their life. There’s also a fantastic Disney Store right in the middle where I had once picked up New York exclusive pins!

Day 2

The second day is all about New York specific tourism sites! I would start off at the 9/11 Museum. There are early morning tours if you want a more quiet experience as it is very popular and can get crowded fairly easily. The museum is very somber so be prepared but it’s also very informative especially to what it was like and what was going on in the city during the attack. I remember where I was during 9/11 but it was educational to see it from a different time/place as California is 3 hours behind. 

After the museum, I would definitely allow for some time to recover. One of my friends was slightly depressed after coming out and that isn’t the best feeling to go exploring with. We got lucky that day that Smorgasburg was outside so we had lunch there from a few booths, but on your way to the second activity, you’ll be walking through the Financial District if you want to research ahead for where you want to have a bite to eat! A couple notable stops in the Financial District include the Charging Bull and Trinity Church (the Cemetery is where Alexander Hamilton and his wife, Elizabeth, are buried).

The second activity for the day is the Statue of Liberty. I haven’t actually been since the last time I went, it was a bit cold already and it would be even colder riding the boat. However, it is on my list of things to do the next time I go back! We just took a sneak peek from Battery Park through the fence. However, as I was linking the website, it looks like reservations are highly recommended especially if you want to visit the Crown or the Pedestal. Note: The best part of the park is the Seaglass Carousel! You sit in colorful opaque fish that rotate around and up and down. It’s $6 (as of Oct 2024) and the ride is actually fairly long. But the best thing is that it’s just such a simple, joyous thing to do especially as the sun hits in and the colors reflect all around you! 

To close out the second day, there are awesome bars to check out. Or, if you’re not feeling up for that kind of adventure, there are plenty of dessert shops, ice cream parlors, or cookie establishments that have late hours! 

Day 3

The third day is going to be filled with my other favorite activities that I’ve done in New York along with a couple of things I still want to do! Feel free to mix and match what sounds interesting to you! 

The first is the New York Library. I love libraries in general, but the New York Library is massive and has a Winnie the Pooh display in the children’s section! It’s honestly delightful to walk around and see some of the different research rooms. There’s also tours and a visitor center for information. Note: Plan to spend a couple hours. When I went, an hour was not enough! The library is also located on 5th Ave so it’ll be a fun stroll afterward looking at all the luxury brand storefronts. 

Another option is the Morgan Library and Museum. We went on a free night which was on a Friday. The “museum” portions that comprise his private collections are a bit random… rich people sure do collect odd things. But the library itself is very beautiful and the rest of the building houses other exhibits that were quite interesting. For instance, we got to see an exhibit on Beatrice Potter and learn about her life and how she got into illustration and writing. The free time is limited but I think it was a nice sample of the place and we got to see everything we wanted to see.

My last recommendation on things I’ve done is the High Line. It’s a nice nature walk in the concrete jungle that’s not Central Park. There’s also art pieces randomly along the path with benches to sit down on to chat with friends or to admire nature. 

Now for things that I have not done but want to! The first is the Empire State Building. While I know a lot of people go for the view from the top, I personally want to know more about the history of the building and send a postcard from there since it literally has its own zip code! The second one is Grand Central Station. In addition to being a pop culture filming location, it’s known for beautiful architecture, shopping, and food. My personal goal is to try the oyster pan roast at the Oyster Bar!

Final Thoughts 

As you can see, it is so easy to pack a full 3 days or more! It’s one of the few places on Earth that I would happily go back to because there is genuinely always something going on, something to eat, or something to see!