Tokyo Disney Holidays

Getting There

Tokyo is becoming increasingly accessible from Australia, with daily flights from Sydney, Brisbane Melbourne, the Gold Coast and Cairns to both Haneda and Narita Airports. Haneda Airport is closer to the city centre, a 30-minute journey on the JR Line, while Narita Airport is located 65km from downtown Tokyo. That's a 53-minute trip on the Narita Express.

If you’re travelling direct from the airport to Tokyo Disney Resort, you may also want to consider the Airport Limousine Bus Service which travels at regular intervals. The service from Narita costs 2,450 Yen ($AUS29) for adults and 1230 Yen ($AUS14.60) for kids. The service from Haneda costs 830 Yen ($AUS9.90) for adults and 420 Yen ($AUS5.00) for kids.

To get to Tokyo Disney Resort from the city centre, hop on the Keiyo Line at Tokyo Station for the 16-minute journey to Maihama Station (it’s well sign-posted at Tokyo Station). From Maihama Station transfer to the Disney Resort Line monorail system, which connects the various resort facilities.

Flight Information

• Average flight time: 9h 30m to Haneda, 9h 50m to Narita
• Daily flights from: Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Gold Coast and Cairns.
• Major airlines: Qantas, JAL, Jetstar, ANA, Air New Zealand.

Both Disneyland Park and DisneySea Park are easy to navigate on foot, but the parks each cover areas around 50 hectares, so be sure to wear comfortable footwear. Plan your route around the park before you set off, working out where you might want to stop along the way to catch a show or have some lunch.

By monorail

The Disney Resort Line monorail circles Tokyo Disney Resort, connecting you from Maihama Station and the Ikspiari shopping centre to both parks and Bayside, where all the Official Hotels are located.

A single ticket allows you to ride up to one full loop per day and costs 260 Yen (About $3.00) with kids under 11 free. Day Passes, 2-Day, 3-Day and 4-Day Passes are also available, which you can use multiple times throughout the day, and start at 650 Yen ($AUS 7.70).

Disney Ambassador Hotel was the first Disney Hotel in Japan and blends rather elegant art deco design with touches of Disney fun. Mickey and Minnie Mouse can be found throughout the hotel and make a point of visiting guests while they dine at Chef Mickey and Disney’s Fairytale Weddings.

Our top picks

Sunroute Plaza Hotel Tokyo Bay

Sunroute Plaza Hotel Tokyo Bay is a 3.5-star family hotel, with themed rooms including a Castle Room, Frontier Room and Cruising Cabin. The hotel is a 15-min walk to Disneyland park and 10- minute walk to Bayside Station. A shuttle bus service is also available.

Hilton Tokyo Bay

The 4-star Hilton Tokyo Bay’s distinctive crescent-shaped building offers great views of the parks on one side and the Bay from the other. The rooms are spacious and stylish and there’s also a range of themed Happy Magic Suites. The hotel is directly opposite Bayside Station.

Sheraton Grand Tokyo Bay

At the top of the range, the 5-star Sheraton Grand Tokyo Bay has a wide range of room types, from Standard through to Sheraton Club Rooms and the Presidential Suite. The hotel’s mascot, Penton the Penguin features in the kid-friendly Treasures Rooms, which include a free Penton Pouch for the kids.

Crystal Palace Restaurant

At the Crystal Palace Restaurant in the Adventureland area of Disneyland Park, Character breakfast is available from the time the park opens at 10am, and is available until they reach capacity, so you need to get in quick.

Polynesian Terrace Restaurant

Also in Adventureland, the Polynesian Terrace Restaurant stages Lilo’s Luaua and Fun at lunchtime, and Mickey and Minnie’s Polynesian Paradise show at dinnertime, which you’ll need to reserve online.

The Diamond Horseshoe

Over in Westernland, enjoy a western-themed meal with the Horseshoe Roundup at lunchtime, and the Mickey & Co dinner show. These also need to be reserved online.

Chef Mickey

At Chef Mickey restaurant in the Disney Ambassador Hotel, you can enjoy a buffet-style meal for lunch or dinner, while Disney characters greet you at your table. Hotel guests are also able to join Mickey here for breakfast.

There are also plenty of opportunities for Disney selfies throughout Tokyo Disney Resort, as characters make guest appearances to pose for photos at designated Character Greeting Points. Some characters are more popular than others, and you’ll find some of the longest queues here are for Winnie the Pooh and Stitch, the lovable alien from Lilo & Stitch.

Eateries range from take-away trailers and wagons, counter service cafes, table service restaurants, through to bars and fine dining at the hotels. There is an incredible range of food, from Japanese curries and teriyaki chicken, to pizza, pasta and barbeque pork ribs.

Be sure to try the flavoured popcorn during your visit, it’s a Tokyo tradition, and you’ll find some of the flavours a little unusual. There are classics like honey, curry, strawberry, or soy sauce and butter, and some combinations you may not have imagined, such as milk tea, cappuccino or jalapeno and cheese.

Our top picks

Hungry Bear Restaurant
Westernland, Disneyland Park.

This is the place to come for Japanese style curry – a national dish in Japan which you should definitely sample. It’s also a great choice for lunch because there is ample room, so you can be assured of a seat. Choose from the Hungry Bear Curry (hamburger, chicken and steamed vegetables), crumbed Katsu Pork Curry, vegetable curry or chicken and roast onion curry.

Queen of Hearts Banquet Hall
Fantasyland, Disneyland Park

If you’re a fan of Alice in Wonderland, you won’t want to miss this beautiful restaurant. Walk though the mouth of the door knob (just like Alice) into the Queen’s Castle and kitchen. Try the Cheese Hamburg, a Salisbury steak with heart-shaped cheese and a playing card cracker, and top it off with an Unbirthday Cake for dessert.

Restaurant Hokusai
World Bazaar, Disneyland Park.

This traditional Japanese restaurant is beautifully themed and serves traditional Japanese food including a top-notch Pork Katsu with miso soup, rice and pickled vegetables.

Magellan’s
Mediterranean Harbor, DisneySea.

Enjoy canapés and cocktails in Magellan’s Lounge before choosing a three-course meal in this rather upmarket restaurant. Don’t worry about being underdressed, as you’ll see plenty of people savouring a delightful pinot noir wearing Goofy ears. Be sure to try the crème brulée.

Our top picks

Bon Voyage is an enormous travel-themed gift shop shaped like a giant suitcase and hatbox, rather romantically symbolising the 1930s travel boom in America.

Grand Emporium, near the entrance to Disneyland, has the widest selection of memorabilia, gifts, toys and keepsakes in the Park.

2016  marks the 15^th Anniversary of DisneySea, which opened on the 4^th September, 2001, so there will be major celebrations throughout the year which has been dubbed; ‘The Year of Wishes’.

All year the Park will be decorated with different coloured Crystals of Wishes, which will also be worn by Mickey and his friends. The crystal worn by Minnie Mouse is red, which symbolises her wish for love, while Donald Duck’s is blue for friendship.

A new show, ‘Crystal Wishes Journey’, premiers on 15^th April, presented at Mediterranean Harbor, as well as a new version of ‘Big Band Beat’ at Broadway Theatre and a new musical show called ‘Out of Shadowland’ at the Hangar Stage in Lost River Delta.

Monsters, Inc Ride & Go Seek!

Join Boo, Sully and Mike and lots of other monsters for a game of Hide & Go Seek through Monsters, Inc offices and the streets of Monstropolis, searching for hidden monsters with a flashlight.

Pooh’s Hunny Hunt

Follow Pooh through the Hundred Acre Wood as he hunts for honey in this wonderfully decorated attraction. It’s one of the most popular rides in the park, so be sure to use your Fastpass for this one.

Journey to the Center of the Earth and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

Travel through mysterious caverns to the Earth’s core and explore the depths of the ocean aboard rather fantastic vehicles and research submarines designed by Captain Nemo on these two rides.

Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull and Raging Spirits

Search for the Fountain of Youth in a ‘life-or-death’ journey, and dare to face the wrath of two ancient gods as you speed through an archaeological excavation on these two Indian Jones-themed rides.

FastPass Kiosks

A number of attractions use the FastPass system in both parks, and based on the most popular rides here in Tokyo, here’s the best strategy at Disneyland. Arrive at the Park at least 30 minutes before opening time at 10am, grab a Monsters Inc. FastPass then standby for Pooh’s Hunny Hunt. Once you have Pooh and Monsters, grab FastPasses for Big Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain, or Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters as these attractions usually have higher wait times compared to the rest.

Shinjuku and Shibuya

The bright lights of Shinjuku and Shibuya are recognisable from films such as Lost in Translation. Here you’ll find hundreds of karaoke bars, cat cafes, magical labyrinthine lanes to explore and the amazing Robot Restaurant.

Harijuku and Meiji Shrine

Harajuku is the place to come for a spot of shopping and people-watching, as the young pop-punk teenagers strut their stuff through the markets in frilly Sailor Moon skirts and impossibly chunky high heels. For a complete contrast, wander over to the other side of the station, and stroll through a tranquil forest surrounding the beautiful Meiji Shrine.

Akihabara

Visit so-called ‘Electric City’ for a day of gaming in its multi-level gaming arcades, or browse for the latest and greatest computer games, manga and anime figurines. Be sure to stop by an Owl Café to spend some quality time with a few fine feathered friends.