Disneyland in Tokyo: tips for tourists before visiting

Tokyo Disneyland is Asia's first theme park in this category. Although its Shanghai counterpart has already relieved it a little, there is still no place for apples to fall here on the weekend. We suggest you immediately decide which of the two options you want to get into. The fact is that in Tokyo, or rather in the city of Urayasu in Chiba Prefecture, there are two amusement parks. One of them is a standard type, where families like to go (Disneyland), and the second (Disney Sea) is intended for young people. Disney Sea is considered to be the most romantic place for a date. Let's go to regular Disneyland today, which opened its doors to visitors in 1983.

Story

The world's first children's amusement park, similar to the American Disneyland, was opened in Tokyo in 1983. 18 years later DisneySea was built. DisneySea cost $4 billion. Every year, $9 million is spent on updating them.

The total area of ​​the complex is 0.5 square kilometers. A monorail runs from the railway station in the city to entertainment centers. Up to 100 thousand people come to the parks every day: Japanese residents and tourists. There are five hotels between the parks and a parking lot nearby. There are cafes and restaurants on site.

Cafes and restaurants in the park

There are a huge number of food places in the park. Mostly it's fast food , but there are also restaurants . In Medieval Harbor you can eat pizza at the pizzeria Ristorante di Canaletto, on the American Coast you can buy a hot dog at Delancey Catering, and on the Mysterious Island there is Vulcania Restaurant. But for those who don't want to spend money in the park, you are allowed to leave to eat and return if your ticket time has not expired. also not prohibited your own food .

Sectors

Divided into 7 zones. 47 attractions imitate the adventures of Indiana Jones, heroes of Jules Verne, Mark Twain, and Disney cartoons. Adults and children will see medieval cities, jungles, and ancient pyramids. An ultra-modern sector with simulators of famous games has been created for daredevils.

World Bazaar

The first sector starts from Main Street. Shops and shops selling souvenirs with symbols are located along the shopping avenue and at the intersection with Central Street. An awning stretched from above protects from the rain those who want to walk or ride on an ancient two-story omnibus along the alley ending at Cinderella Castle. There is a slot machine area.

Wild West Country

The flavor of the Wild West is recreated based on the stories of Mark Twain. Visitors can take a ride on a ship from the mid-19th century, shoot with a virtual rifle at a shooting range, or race on a steam locomotive through a gold mine. An island in the middle of the river and a tree house, a raft, an Indian cave, a swamp will remind you of Tom Sawyer.

Adventureland

Exciting events await guests at Adventureland:

• meeting with the natives in Hawaii;
• journey on a pirate ship;
• wandering through the jungle.

Here you can expect to meet cowboys, an alien, and characters from the Robbins house.

Adventureland

Wild West Country

World Bazaar

Land of Creatures

There are 2 attractions in the sector: “Descent from the Mountain” and “Beaver Brothers Explorers”. In the first, a log boat slowly floats through a darkened tunnel of trees, among friendly fantastic animals. Suddenly the boat falls into a waterfall, falling down from a 16-meter height. In the second, participants independently float a canoe along a winding river bed, encountering water obstacles.

Fantasyland

The setting of fairy-tale adventures corresponds to the name.

In Fantasyland, adults and children:

• ride in a cup around the teapot at Alice's tea party;
• they will take a walk through the dark corridors of a gloomy house, where dead vampires and goblins afraid of light live; ride in a black carriage to see the ghost ball;
• spin on a carousel with baby elephants;
• they will walk the paths of the seven dwarfs to Snow White’s house;
• together with Winnie the Pooh they will look for honey;
• walk through Cinderella's Castle, where they will see her outfits and portrait.

Funny Peter Pan and Pinocchio will entertain guests.

Toon Town

The Tokyo Disneyland section is geared towards children. Here they will meet Chip and Dale, Rogers the rabbit, and Donald the duckling. In the entertainment offered, children can show their imagination and gaming skills. A playground and a low roller coaster will complete your time in the City of animated cartoon characters.

Future Country

The attractions are based on Walt Disney Studios films about Star Wars and cartoons about monsters. Visitors get a breathtaking experience on “Space Mountain”: a “spaceship” rushes in complete darkness across the “Galaxy”, among the stars, from time to time falling into the void. The shooter simulates the use of blasters from Star Wars. The monsters will offer to play fun hide and seek with them.

Fantasyland

Toon Town

Future Country

Basic information

Tokyo Disneyland is located near Tokyo in the city of Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture. This amusement park covers an area of ​​47 hectares and was opened in 1983 on April 15. In fact, Tokyo Disneyland in Japan was the first Disney park to be built outside of America.

It was built according to the same type as parks in California and Florida. The park is currently owned by the Oriental Land Company, which has received a license from the Disney Corporation. This is perhaps the only Disneyland that is not owned by the Disney corporation. It ranks third in the world in terms of the number of visitors.

TokyoDisneySea Zones

DisneySea Park has 7 ports with a specific theme. The entertainment center is aimed at visitors over 14 years of age.

Children's area - Little Mermaid Lagoon.

Mediterranean port

Here you can see the Italian harbor of the XIV-XVII centuries. There is a fortress on the shore, a galleon is at anchor, and gondolas glide along the bay. There are daytime and evening performances with fireworks.

Mysterious Island

There is a volcano in the center of the island. The attractions, named after the books of Jules Verne, take place in the scenery of travel to the center of the Earth and to the underwater world. A scientific vessel rushes towards the center of the Earth with access to the surface through the mouth of a volcano. You can explore the underwater world on the Captain Nemo submarine. They complement the ambiance of the themed area of ​​the Victorian-style building.

Little Mermaid Lagoon

The scenery is reminiscent of the Disney fairy tale about the Little Mermaid: Triton's palace and its inhabitants.

Arabian coast

The thematic zone is dedicated to the fairy tale “A Thousand and One Nights”. Visitors sailing in a boat will see a shore filled with characters from fairy tales, Aladdin, and an ancient fortress. All this comes to life in a 3D show accompanied by oriental melodies.

Lost River Delta

The ruins of the pyramid, inside which the action of attractions based on the films about Indiana Jones takes place. You will have to follow a rope path over the abyss, race in a car through underground passages, sometimes taking off, sometimes falling on potholes.

Point Discovery

Thrill-seekers can test themselves by simulating a flight in strong wind conditions called “Plane in a Storm.” The Aquatopia simulator will give you the feeling of a diver on the seabed.

American port

In this part of the park you can see what New York looked like a hundred years ago, and you can see a copy of the ancient steamship Columbia, launched in 1902. Here is the “Tower of Terror”, for those who want to get a dose of adrenaline in their blood.

Tokyo Disneyland at sea

As already mentioned, the Tokyo amusement park consists of two parts. Conventionally, they are called “for children” (“Disneyland”) and “for adults” (“Disney Sea”). Disney Sea is a unique amusement park of its kind. Initially, its attractions and entertainment areas were aimed at adults. The food here is better than at the neighboring Disneyland, and you can buy alcoholic drinks, which is why it is so popular in Japan among young people.

The main theme of the park is the sea and its secrets. It is also divided into 7 zones.

"Medieval Harbour". Located at the entrance to the park and greets guests with beautiful views of the Italian port city. Daily boat shows allow visitors to feel like residents of romantic Venice.

"Mysterious Island". Located in the heart of the park next to the volcano. Visitors can look at the depths of the sea on a submarine ride, or view the structure of the Earth from a scientific liner.

"The Little Mermaid's Bay" The magical world of the sea princess Ariel will not leave anyone indifferent. Small fish of all colors of the rainbow, azure reflections of the sea surface will appeal not only to children, but also to their parents.

"Arabian coast". It will take visitors to the fabulous world of the Arabian Nights and the homeland of Aladdin. The amazing show and sea voyage with Sinbad will be remembered for a long time by Disney Sea guests.

Between the ruins of ancient temples and the jungle is the Lost River Delta, where Indiana Jones once frolicked. Visitors are given a unique chance to explore the ruins for themselves.

"Port of Findings". It is a scientific aircraft in which visitors will experience all the “delights” of a real storm.

"America's Waterfront" This is a US port town of the early 20th century, home to numerous restaurants, playgrounds, shops and the beloved and terrifying “Pagoda of Terror”.

Performances and parades

Each thematic zone hosts its own shows every day:

• “MickeyFilarMagic” - a 3D show with the heroes of your favorite fairy tales in Fantasyland;
• “The Enchanted Room” - with Hawaiian natives and an alien;
• musical show performed by bears;
• daytime and evening shows in the Mediterranean port;
• 3D show on the Arabian coast.

Every day, after 18.00, Tokyo Disneyland hosts a parade of all the characters, accompanied by live music and fireworks. At Christmas, New Year, and other holidays, even more colorful and large-scale events are organized.

Location

The main gate of Tokyo Disneyland is located between Maihama and Tokyo Dizunirando (東京ディズニーランド) stations. The amusement park is divided into two entertainment areas: for children and adults. When traveling around Japan, it is important to know how to get to Tokyo Disneyland.

Buses run daily to this attraction from Tokyo Station. You can get there by train or subway on the Keio and Musashino lines. Next, you need to take a bus to the Tokyo Disney Resort station and drive to Disneyland for about 40 minutes.

Ticket prices

A ticket to Tokyo Disneyland is called a passport. Having paid its cost, the visitor has the right to participate in all entertainment.

The passport can be purchased:

• for a day;
• 2 days;
• 3 days;
• 4 days;
• for a year.

The cost of admission to both entertainment centers depends on age and validity period:

• for children under 4 years of age admission is free;
• for children 4-11 years old – 4800 yen/day, 53000 yen/year;
• from 12 to 17 years – 6400 yen/day, 80000 yen/year;
• from 18 years old – 7400 yen/day;
• over 65 – 6700 yen/day; 59,000 yen/year.

Annual passes are available for both parks simultaneously or separately. On weekends and holidays after 15.00, the cost of the pass is reduced for each category of visitors by approximately 30%. On weekdays, the price for admission after 18.00 for everyone is 4,200 yen.

Disneyland opening hours

You can visit the park every day, from 8:00 to 22:00, all year round. You can find out about any changes to the schedule on the official Disneyland website. Try to get there early to avoid queues. To come here, the majority of visitors choose Golden Week (late April-early May) or Obon (mid-August). If the cold doesn’t bother you, come in winter, because then there are fewer queues. And of course, avoid school holidays in August or March.

To have time to ride all the attractions, you will need at least two days. Therefore, we recommend staying in a hotel near Disneyland. For example, this link is an excellent option for accommodation with children, 5 km from the park.

All hotels near Disneyland can be found here.

Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo: choose a hotel

If you have enough time to visit Disney Sea, then stay an extra day.

NOTES

Tokyo Disneyland

- one of the largest parks in the world - located on the outskirts of Tokyo in Chiba Prefecture.
Next to it are the DisneySea
and five hotels built specifically for families with children.

Today, the entire entertainment complex on the shores of Tokyo Bay is known under a new name - Tokyo Disney Resort.

.

The first amusement park, created by American cartoonist Walt Disney, opened in California in July 1955. Disneyland was immediately included in the list of attractions, without which any tourist trip to the USA was considered incomplete. Since then, Disneyland has firmly entered the list of “wonders of the world.” Is it any wonder that other countries tried to reproduce something similar, of course, under a license from the Walt Disney company. Paris and Hong Kong wanted to host a world of wonders and children's fantasies in the Disney style. But the first foreign copy of this park was Tokyo Disneyland.

Work on the shores of Tokyo Bay began in December 1979 and ended in April 1983, and on the 15th of the same month, Tokyo Disneyland received its first visitors.

On an area of ​​80 hectares there are 47 attractions, which are divided into 7 sectors:

A sea of ​​adventures and unforgettable sensations awaits you here! You can ride through the mountains on an old train or temporarily become a passenger on an American steamship from the time of Tom Sawyer, see almost real pirates or fly into space. If you like exotic things, then you will not deny yourself the pleasure of going on a dangerous journey through the African jungle or visiting the mysterious Cinderella Castle, and at the same time taking a photo hugging Winnie the Pooh or Mickey Mouse. In addition, you will be pleasantly surprised by the perfect cleanliness of the park, the attentiveness and politeness of the staff.

Already in the first year of operation of Tokyo Disneyland, the number of its visitors exceeded 10 million. And the flow of those wishing to plunge into the joyful, exciting atmosphere of a magical Disney fairy tale does not dry up, to this day. To date, 300 million people have visited here, which is more than twice the size of the entire population of Japan (up to 100 thousand people visit the park per day). There is nothing surprising here, since about 10 billion yen are spent annually on updating Disneyland attractions.

In September 2001, DisneySea was added to Tokyo Disneyland. It is full of the same crazy attractions, it is inhabited by the same Disney cartoon characters. But its main difference was the marine theme, based on the exploits of Sinbad the Sailor, Captain Nemo, and Indiana Jones. Here you can meet pirates and mermaids, as well as ride water slides and Venetian gondolas or go scuba diving.

DETAILS ON ATTRACTIONS:

It’s worth coming to the holiday park for at least a couple of days, or better yet, staying longer to take in everything without rushing. There is a nice monorail train running around the park, which fits very well into the surrounding environment. The train makes only 4 stops: at Disneyland, DisneySea and near two hotels. At each station there are storage lockers where you can leave large bags before going to the park.

The parks open at 9.00-10.00 and are open until 21.00-22.00. A ticket (passport) can be purchased before entering the park or in advance. Cost: 5800 Japanese yen (about 68 US dollars).

After passing the turnstile and taking a map of the park (available in English), you will immediately meet cartoon characters you know. They walk among visitors and play with children. You can shake hands with Mickey Mouse, hug with Donald Duck, take a photo with Captain Hook.

Near popular attractions there are special machines for issuing FASTPASS tickets. You insert your entry ticket (passport) and receive a FASTPASS ticket for the time at which you must return to the attraction and go through a special corridor for holders of these tickets. The only limitation: You cannot take another FASTPASS ticket if you have not used the previous one. This means that while you have time, you can enjoy other attractions.

Future Country

Anyone dreaming of becoming an astronaut should head straight to Tomorrowland. The most extreme attraction here is Space Mountain

(Space Mountain).
Imagine: you are flying at high speed in a spaceship, stars are twinkling around, other space shuttles are rushing past! The feeling is unforgettable! Star Wars fans should check out Star Tours
.
There you will become a participant in the attack on the Death Star and will be able to feel like Luke Skywalker or, in extreme cases, R2D2. Another attraction worth checking out is Micro Adventure
. You will go to the cinema and receive 3D glasses, thanks to which you will feel like the hero of a movie based on the film “Honey, I Shrunk Our Children” - something similar will be done to you by the mad Professor Zhilinsky. The effect of presence is simply amazing!

The next small country in this huge fantasy park is Toon Town

This fairy-tale town will interest young children and help their parents plunge back into the wonderful world of childhood. Perhaps, while climbing around Chip and Dale's house, you will remember how you once built houses in the trees yourself. And you can also go to visit Goofy: visit his house, sit in his car; climb on Donald Duck's ship or ride on a small tram.

Next we are transported to Fantasyland

Here you will find yourself in the world of Winnie the Pooh, Peter Pan, Pinocchio. Don't forget to visit Cinderella Castle

is a symbol of Disneyland. You've no doubt seen his image many times before Disney movies. For small children there are many carousels, including the cheerful flying elephant Dumbo, who is ready to give the kids rides at any time.

If you want to tickle your nerves, then the Haunted House

(Haunted Mansion). Everything here inspires awe: the gloomy atmosphere, eerie music, the portrait of Dorian Gray on the wall, gradually changing its appearance. Then you will sit in a black carriage, and it will take you inside a scary, mysterious house. You will become a guest at a ghost ball, hear the howling and gnashing of claws of unknown monsters trying to open the doors and get to you. This is an extraordinary, enchanting spectacle and extremely realistic, thanks to the use of ghostly holograms. By the way, when you drive through the corridors in a carriage, don’t forget to look in the mirrors! They will show a ghost sitting next to you, whispering stories of the afterlife to you...

Next country – Animal Country

Here is one of the most popular attractions - Splash Mountain

. Just imagine: you are floating on a log, and the action from Uncle Remus' fairy tales is unfolding around you. Brother Rabbit and Brother Fox accompany you all the way and tell you something. You relax so much that you don’t expect a catch at all. And suddenly your log falls off the top of the waterfall and flies down into the thorn bush. And as you approach the bush, you are photographed. If you wish, you can print your photo as a souvenir for 1,000 yen (about $12 US).

You can also visit Tom Sawyer Island.

The way there lies through the neighboring country - the Wild West,

where you will take part in the Tom Sawyer Islands Rafts

. You will be transported on a raft to the island, where you will walk through the cave in which Tom and Becky once got lost and Injun Joe hid his treasures. Then visit a Wild West pioneer fort or meditate inside an authentic Indian wigwam. The Mark Twain steamship cruises around the island. From its deck there is an amazing view of the surrounding area, especially the Indian camp, so take care of your scalps, pale faces!

If you wish, you will have the opportunity to row in a real canoe ( Beaver Brothers Explorer Canoes

) around Tom Sawyer Island.

By the way, local ducks begging for popcorn from cafe visitors are a funny sight. All you have to do is sit down at a table and watch.

If you want to cheer up, then it's time to visit the Big Thunder Mountain

. You will be put on a train and sent to “write out” turns on the slopes of the mountain. This attraction is very popular and you will most likely have to wait in line. In this same part of the park you can feel like a true cowboy - walk around the town, go into a saloon and shoot with a gun.

Adventureland

You will be transported to the jungle and find yourself surrounded by unusual buildings, burning torches and totems of unknown tribes. To feel like a pioneer, visit the Jungle Cruise

(Jungle Cruise). You will be put on a small ship and taken along the most mysterious rivers of Africa, South America and Southeast Asia. There, dangers lurk at every step: emerging crocodiles and hippos, anacondas, hostile natives, waterfalls. But don’t worry - you will have an experienced guide with you and, moreover, a well-armed one - he will not let you disappear in the jungle.

In every part of the park there are many cafes, restaurants and eateries to suit every taste. Moreover, they are all stylized to match the places in the park in which they are located. So don't be surprised if you come across a colonial-style cafe or a futuristic space diner. In addition, the park is replete with an abundance of souvenir shops, or maybe you would prefer to linger at the very beginning of Disneyland, in a place called World Bazaar, where the shops are located.

There are shows throughout the day in different parts of the park. The largest ones are best viewed near Cinderella Castle.

Here, cartoon characters walk along the main road and colorful cars pass by ( Disney's Dreams on Parade

).
Well, the most magical sight is the evening show Disney's Magic Lights
(Tokyo Disnayland Electrical - Dreamlights), when a long line of brightly lit characters from famous cartoons move to the music. A stunning picture that is worth seeing.

And at the end of the day, a truly wonderful fairy-tale fireworks display awaits you ( Disney Magic in the Sky

).

The entire park is very similar to the American Disneyland, however, as experts note, the Tokyo version differs for the better in its cleanliness and somewhat exaggerated politeness of the service staff, whose representatives will not only provide the visitor with any required service, but will also accompany it with a deep bow. Among the architectural features, noteworthy is the huge glass roof covering the main street of the Tokyo park - the World Bazaar with dozens of souvenir shops and restaurants. Frequent rains, rare in California but typical in Japan, forced additional measures to be taken so as not to spoil the visitors' impressions of what they saw.

It is estimated that 95% of park visitors come here again. Some 8-10 times. In this regard, it is understandable why the administration of Tokyo Disneyland is very reluctant to spend money on international advertising. The park has enough of the country’s “internal reserves” - enthusiastic Japanese children and their happy parents.

This feature helps explain why Japanese Disneyland is so difficult to get into during the holidays. Sometimes the admission of visitors to the park may be interrupted at noon, when the planned capacity of the park (85 thousand guests) has already been exhausted, and resumed in the evening - at 17:00. In total, up to 100 thousand people visit the park per day.

And in September 2001, a sister park was added to Tokyo Disneyland - DisneySea, or the so-called Disney Park on the Water, where the main emphasis in the attractions was on the marine component: scuba diving, Venetian gondolas, mermaids, the exploits of Sinbad the Sailor, Captain Nemo, Indiana Jones. Now the entire entertainment complex on the shores of Tokyo Bay is known under a new name - Tokyo Disney Resort.

Parades

Disneyland hosts parades in honor of public holidays such as Halloween, Christmas, and New Year. The events are accompanied by bright outfits, jokes from the actors, and music. In the evening, the life of a fabulous amusement park in Japan does not stop. Fireworks are set off in all seven parks, accompanied by music performed by an orchestra.

Transport

Disneyland in Tokyo is so huge that special trains run inside it. They run every five to ten minutes in a circle over a distance of about five kilometers and make four stops during the entire time. For those just getting started with the Disneyland experience, you might want to take one lap of the train first to get an idea of ​​which attractions to choose first. It is simply impossible to see everything and master all the attractions of Disneyland in one visit. Visitors are offered excursions, separate areas for children's entertainment, pet centers, hotel accommodation, banking services and much more. Special facilities are provided for disabled people. The park's staff are Japanese. They will try to do everything to make your stay in the park as comfortable as possible.

Entry tickets

An entrance ticket, or passport as it is called at Disneyland, includes all attractions for one day and costs about 2 thousand rubles (prices may vary). You can also purchase a ticket for two days, and on certain days after 17.00 - a discounted ticket. Children under 3 years old have free admission. Tickets are sold at the main entrance to the park. There are usually huge queues there, so it is, of course, better to buy tickets in advance, for example, from Japanese travel agencies. Disneyland does not have a clear opening hours, but, as a rule, it is open from 8-9 am to 21-22 pm.

Neighborhood of the park

Children of all ages can spend the night at Disneyland hotels. Adults have a huge selection of hotels, boarding houses and hostels that are located within walking distance from the park. After visiting Disneyland, you can see the Emperor's Palace, explore the Tokyo National Museum or pray at the Kannon Temple. Not far from the park are the TV tower, the Olympic complex and the Japan Bridge. In addition, tourists can enjoy a walk through Nikko Lake Park or visit Yokohama Port. And after it, it’s a good idea to go to Kamakura to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of ancient Japan.