Christina Ostner Twelve hours is all you need to make the most of your time in Tokyo. From how to store hand baggage at the airport to navigating the park, here is my guide for how to maximize your layover time: Tokyo DisneySea Edition!
Tokyo DisneySea Layover Quick Guide:
- Prior to arrival: Book a flight with a layover that lands in Tokyo EARLY; purchase 1-Day Passports (park tickets) on the Tokyo Disney Resort app
- 6:50am: Land at HND, go through international customs, head to baggage claim and store bags
- 8:10am: Uber to Tokyo DisneySea (cost ~$70 USD)
- 9:00am: Park opens, run to Journey to the Center of the Earth (get to the center lake and head right) while also using the app to secure a 40th Anniversary Priority Pass (works like a virtual fastpass; we got ones for Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull for a return time of 12:20 to 13:20!)
- 9:25am: Ride Journey to the Center of the Earth, then head to Tower of Terror
- 10:00am: Ride Tower of Terror (the line was long so we bought Disney Premier Access for the ride, a one time fast pass that got us on instantly!)
- 10:30am: Dine at Dockside Diner (we were there for Food and Wine!)
- 11:00am: Ride DisneySea Electric Railway from American Waterfront to Port Discovery
- 11:30am: Ride Nemo & Friends SeaRider (waited about 20 min)
- 12:20pm: Ride Raging Spirits (waited about 40 min, wouldn’t recommend waiting any longer for this)
- 12:30pm: Ride Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull
- 1:00pm: Ride 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
- 1:40pm: Get a churro at Hudson River Harvest (we had crème brûlée churros: iconic!)
- 2:00pm: Character boat show in front of the volcano (check entertainment schedule on the app for day of visit entertainment)
- 2:45pm: Ride Flounder’s Flying Fish Coaster
- 3:00pm: Pick a popcorn bucket to take home (I window shopped all day and ended up finding the most perfect Tangled lantern popcorn bucket!)
- 3:10pm: Uber to HND. (cost ~$70 USD again), pick up baggage head back through customs and security and head to your gate!
Prior to Arrival
Flights to Japan from my local airports are normally closer to $2000 on a normal day, $1500 if I am lucky. When planning our April trip in reverse, I explored Google Flights and found tickets to Vietnam for less than $1000!
With a bonus long layover in Tokyo on the front and back ends of the trip, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to visit Vietnam for the first time AND get to see Japan again, if only for a day at a time.
Sold.
On our first layover on the way there, we were able to head into Shibuya, visit the Pokémon Center, and had okonomiyaki for dinner. Fast forward to leaving Vietnam: when packing, I made sure to have my change of clothes for Disney in my backpack with my toiletries so I could do a quick change in the airport and freshen up beforehand.
At HND
Haneda Airport is extremely easy to navigate. Our flight landed just before 7am. We followed the signs for international customs and secured visas in our passports before 8am. Then we headed to baggage claim. When you arrive in the baggage claim area, head left toward the cafe, and the baggage storage and restroom will be at the end on the left. Here we freshened up and stored our backpacks and carry-ons for $12 total! So cheap. The bags are secured in a room behind a counter and the attendants give you a tag for pickup. Take a picture of it on your phone just in case!
There is a train from HND to Disney, but it takes about an hour. An Uber cut the time in half, and since we wanted to beat park open, we chose this route. The Uber cost about $70 one way, but it drops off right by the entrance to DisneySEA.
Exploring DisneySea
Entering the Park
There is no “rope drop” at Tokyo DisneySea. Instead, guests queue up outside security until prompt park open (for us it was 9am). It looks chaotic, but have no fear: like everything else in Japan, the crowd quickly forms into queues that move efficiently. We were through the gate and taking pictures of the park’s central volcano before 9:15am!
Prioritizing Attractions
Having done ample research (as you are now, my kind of people haha!) I knew to run to Journey to the Center of the Earth first. This ride boasts long waits all day, and not wanting to miss it, I made it our first priority. On our way over there, I used the app to secure a complementary 40th Anniversary Priority Pass which locked us in for Indiana Jones just after lunch. Winning!
Once we arrived to the queue of Journey, we waited an easy 25 minutes. Not too shabby for a ride that usually has over an hour wait!
My research informed me to run to Tower of Terror next. Because the Twilight Zone is not a part of Japanese culture, the cursed elevator ride had a whole different look and feel. Fun fact: it’s plastered with the likeness of the same imagineer that founded Animal Kingdom! Instead of encountering ghosts, expect to tour the Hightower Hotel, whose owner mysteriously disappeared in 1899. Watch out for cursed artifacts…!
Tower of Terror already had a 90 minute wait by the time we arrived. Fortunately, the Tokyo Disney Resort app offers Premier Access for this attraction. For less than $10 per person, we were able to access the fast queue and boarded our elevator in less than fifteen minutes! So worth it.
Food
Our lunch at Dockside Diner was nothing to write home about, but it was a quick pitstop for refueling before exploring the rest of the park. The snacks were the true food heroes of the day: crème brûlée churros and black pepper popcorn!
Our Favorite Rides
If you prefer thrill rides (like we do!) then take our favorites into consideration when prioritizing your layover trip. For me, the theming, storytelling, scenic design and props at Tower of Terror were what set this attraction apart from the rest! He preferred Indiana Jones, and this was a close second for me. Fast-paced, thrilling, and nothing like hearing Harrison Ford shouting at you in Japanese to really add to the experience haha.
Just meandering Tokyo DisneySea is a joy in itself. Every corner is beautifully designed, and the adjacent Tokyo Bay as a backdrop for this park truly transports you to another reality. All of the random water-based attractions are a bonus. Explore, hop on whatever has a short wait time once you’ve hit your priorities, and you will not be disappointed.
Winning!
Considering we managed to ride 8 attractions, eat lunch, and even see a daytime show on the central lake, I’d say we won our Tokyo DisneySea layover! I even had time to browse the shops and purchased some Tokyo Disney merch (couldn’t help myself!).
Tokyo DisneySea Layover Cost Breakdown:
| Expenses: | Cost ($ USD): |
| 2 Park Tickets (for two adults, $52 per person) | $102 |
| Bag storage at HND for two backpacks and two hard shell carry-ons | $12 |
| Uber from HND to DisneySea | $73 |
| Premier Access for Tower of Terror ($9.50 per person) | $19 |
| Disney Merchandise (baseball cap, popcorn bucket) | $40 |
| Lunch at Dockside Diner | $20 |
| 2 Churros | $8 |
| Uber back to HND | $72 |
| Total Cost | $346 ($173 per person) |
Final Tokyo DisneySea Tips:
- Pack a change of clothes and keep your toiletries including travel size sunscreen handy in your carryon for a quicker transition from airplane mode to Mickey mode!
- A train is available to and from HND but it will take about an hour–we opted for the more expensive Uber to maximize our time since we would only have about 6 hours in the park.
- Prioritize Journey to the Center of the Earth, Tower of Terror, Indiana Jones, and the new Fantasy Springs expansion when planning your visit! If you can master these four attractions, consider yourself a DisneySea layover champ.
- Try the park’s unique snacks, especially the variety of popcorn and churro flavors… and treat yourself to a popcorn bucket while you’re at it!
Whether you are visiting Tokyo DisneySea soon or just love Disney, thanks for following along on my adventures! Have a magical day!
Me and my friends were just talking about taking a vacation and stopping in Tokyo as one of our stops. We weren’t sure what we would want to do on our short day there and now we know. This is such a good blog and informative for Disney Sea. We are huge Disney fans and never been to Disney Sea and are looking forward to it. Thank you so much for your help!