Planning a visit to Tokyo DisneySea? In this guide, I’m taking you along for a full day at the park, including Fantasy Springs, Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Journey, Rapunzel’s Lantern Festival and some of the best DisneySea snacks!
This wasn’t my first visit to Tokyo DisneySea, but it was my first time visiting since Fantasy Springs opened. So I really wanted to check out the newest Frozen and Rapunzel rides – and snack my way through the park haha!
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Watch my Tokyo DisneySea vlog
If you’d rather experience DisneySea with me than simply read about it, grab a snack and watch my vlog here. The vlog takes you through several areas of Tokyo DisneySea, including Mediterranean Harbor, Mysterious Island, Mermaid Lagoon, Arabian Coast and – of course – Fantasy Springs. You’ll also get to see the Duffy and Friends water parade, some of the food I tried throughout the day, and two of Fantasy Springs’ most exciting rides:
What is the difference between Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea?
Although both parks are part of the Tokyo Disney Resort, they offer very different experiences. Tokyo Disneyland is more similar to the classic Disney parks with familiar lands, classic attractions and characters. If you’re visiting a Disney park for the first time, traveling with kids, or simply love the traditional Disney atmosphere, Disneyland may be the obvious choice.
Tokyo DisneySea, on the other hand, is unique to Japan. It is the only DisneySea park in the world and is themed to the myths and legends of the sea with eight beautifully designed themed ports. It feels a little more immersive – almost like you’re exploring completely different countries in some ports! From Southern European vibes in Mediterranean Harbor and the American harbors of New York and Cape Cod in American Waterfront to an exotic and enchanting world in the Arabian Coast, every port has its own personality, food and attractions.
These are all the ports you can explore at the park:
- Mediterranean Harbor – a beautiful Mediterranean-inspired port and the first area you’ll see when entering the park.
- American Waterfront – here you will find the nostalgia-filled American harbors of New York and Cape Cod.
- Port Discovery – a futuristic marina ”located across the horizons of time”.
- Lost River Delta – here you can explore the ruins of an ancient civilization in the Central American jungles of 1930.
- Fantasy Springs – this port has three areas inspired by Frozen Kingdom (the Frozen-themed area), Rapunzel’s Forest (the Tangled-themed area) and Peter Pan’s Never Land (the Peter Pan-themed area).
- Arabian Coast – a colorful area inspired by the world of Aladdin, created by Genie and his magic.
- Mermaid Lagoon – an underwater-inspired world, home to Ariel from the The Little Mermaid.
- Mysterious Island – this is Captain Nemo’s secret base, hidden inside the caldera of a smoldering volcano.
Exploring Fantasy Springs
The main reason I was so excited about this particular visit was Fantasy Springs. And there’s good news if you’re planning a visit: Fantasy Springs is currently open to all guests visiting Tokyo DisneySea without any restrictions. You don’t need any special admission tickets to enter the area and you can simply join the regular queues (it is also possible to get Disney Premier Access for an extra fee).
The two attractions I was most excited about were Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Journey and Rapunzel’s Lantern Festival.
Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Journey ❄️
Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Journey takes you through the story and music of Frozen. The ride combines scenes from the movie with amazing detailed environments. It has the same vibes as the new ride in Disneyland Paris, but they are not exactly the same! I won’t share everything that happens in this ride (especially if you’re trying to avoid too many spoilers before your own visit!) …buuut if you’re curious, you can experience the entire ride with me in my vlog!
Rapunzel’s Lantern Festival 🏮
This attraction is inspired by Tangled. It is a super short Rapunzel ride (it’s about 5 minutes but it felt shorter lol). So if the waiting time is very long, you have to decide if it will be worth your time of if you would rather go for other attractions. I joined the – ridiculously long – queue anyway, but the beautiful lantern scene still made it somehow worth it! I also included this entire ride in my vlog, so definitely give it a watch if you are curious and let me know if you would like to see more videos like this!!
Xxx Kirsten ♥
Tokyo DisneySea: Frequently Asked Questions
How many days do you need at Tokyo DisneySea?
I would recommend spending one full day at Tokyo DisneySea. There is a lot to see and do, and a full day gives you enough time to experience several attractions, explore the themed ports, watch a water parade or show, and take some time for food and snacks without having to rush.
Are there any hotels at Tokyo DisneySea?
Yes! There are several official Disney Hotels around Tokyo Disney Resort, but there is one especially unique option: Tokyo DisneySea Hotel MiraCosta, which is located inside the park. The hotel has a classic Italian feel and many hotel rooms offer views into the park.
There is also the Tokyo DisneySea Fantasy Springs Hotel, located near the magical springs in Fantasy Springs. The hotel has two sections, Grand Chateau, a “luxury type,” and Fantasy Chateau, a “deluxe type.”
Other official Disney Hotels include Tokyo Disneyland Hotel, Disney Ambassador Hotel, Tokyo Disney Resort Toy Story Hotel and Tokyo Disney Celebration Hotel.
Staying at a Disney Hotel also comes with perks such as Happy Entry, which allows hotel guests to enter Tokyo Disneyland or Tokyo DisneySea 5 or 15 minutes before the other guests. Please always check the details here to see the overview of hotels with this perk, and to check when Happy Entry is NOT available.
What rides are in Tokyo DisneySea?
Some thrill rides that you can find in this park are Journey to the Center of the Earth, Tower of Terror, Raging Spirits, Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull, and Soaring: Fantastic Flight.
Fantasy Springs has fun attractions like Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Journey, Peter Pan’s Never Land Adventure, Rapunzel’s Lantern Festival, and Fairy Tinkerbell’s Busy Buggies. Other fun family rides are 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Sindbad’s Storybook Voyage, Flounder’s Flying Fish Coaster, Aquatopia, and Nemo & Friends SeaRider.
You can find the full list of attractions here.
Is Tokyo DisneySea for kids or adults?
DisneySea is more adult oriented, while Disneyland is more kids oriented. However, there is a great mix of thrilling rides and family-friendly attractions – so it is still a super fun park to visit with children! Just remember that you won’t see much of the classic Disney characters here. The park is the home of Duffy and Friends though, and to be honest I find these characters even cuter!
Can you visit Tokyo DisneySea and Tokyo Disneyland in the same day?
Technically, you can visit both parks if you have the appropriate ticket, but I wouldn’t recommend trying to do both in one day if you actually want to experience them. Both parks are large and have plenty to see and do! If you want to see both parks, I would say to use one full day for each of them!
Which is better: Tokyo Disneyland or Tokyo DisneySea?
There is no right answer to this question, and I still need to visit Tokyo Disneyland so I can’t make a fair comparison. BUT if you only want to add one Disney day to your Japan itinerary, I would add Tokyo DisneySea as it is more unique to Japan – especially if you’ve already visited a traditional Disneyland park before!
