Tokyo DisneySea: The Luxury Travel Guide

Tokyo DisneySea was our last stop during our tour of Japan, and I couldn’t think of a better way to end our time in the Land of the Rising Sun than by visiting Tokyo Disney’s water themed park before heading to Haneda Airport. Inspired by classic fairytales of the sea, like The Little Mermaid, Tokyo DisneySea is an incredible expression of storytelling taken to the next level.

The park consists of 7 themed ports, Port Discovery, the American Waterfront, Mediterranean Harbor, Mysterious Island, Arabian Coast, Mermaid Lagoon, and the Lost River Delta. Read on to see how much there is to do at the park, from marveling at the incredibly ornate architecture and trying foods unique to the park, to riding rides, meeting characters, and experiencing your favorite films in a larger-than-life setting.

Disney TokyoSea

Location: Tokyo, Japan
Address: 1 −１３ Maihama, Urayasu
Chiba 279-0031, Japan
Ticket Price: $75+ per person
See Ticket Prices Here
Dress Code: Casual
Prohibited Items: Drones, weapons, illegal substances,
large tripods pets, suitcases, etc.
(Check their website for a complete list)

How to Get to Tokyo DisneySea

From Tokyo Station, take the Japan Railway to Maihama Station, which is free if you have a JR Rail Pass via the Keiyo Line or Musashino Line. The signs are green and white, and clearly state which park is at which stop with English on top and Japanese underneath, since there are so many international visitors from around the world.

Pro Tip: To easily navigate the Japanese rail system, download the free “Japan Official Travel App” and select the “Route” button at the bottom center of the app, between “Discover” and “Search”. Then, simply enter which station you’re at and where you want to end up, and it will tell you which trains to take, which platforms they’re on, when they depart, and more. It made traveling around Japan a breeze!

What to Bring to Tokyo DisneySea

Like any other amusement park, you’ll want to dress comfortably yet in a way that you’d feel comfortable and confident taking vacation photos in. I recommend wearing comfortable shoes, bringing sunglasses, hand sanitizer, and sunscreen, and a small bag to carry your phone, cash and cards, and other necessities in. If you’re staying at one of the hotels on Disney’s property, everything will be much simpler because if you end up needing something during the day, you can run back to your room and grab it.

Different Regions of Tokyo DisneySea

Disney TokyoSea is organized into seven themed ports, and each is themed around either a Disney movie like The Little Mermaid or Aladdin, or a place like Venice, Cape Cod, and others. Here’s what you need to know about each region of the park.

Mediterranean Harbor

Mediterranean Harbor is modeled after various Italian port towns, and the influences of cities like Venice and Portofino are evident throughout the architectural and decor styles around the port. This will be the first port you’ll walk through as it’s where the entrance to the park is located, and from here you have two options, to head towards the American Waterfront off to the left, or to head right towards the Mysterious Island. Which will you choose?

Experiences in Mediterranean Harbor
DisneySea Transit Steamer Line Ride
Fantastic Flight Ride (FASTPASS Attraction)
Magellan’s Castle & Fortress Explorations
Venetian Gondola Rides

Pro Tip: If you want a great view of the park, climb aboard the Transit Steamer Line. You’ll be able to see all around the park, and it’s a great spot to take unique pictures of Tokyo DisneySea.
Pro Tip: The Venetian Gondola ride is another great way to get a unique perspective (and unique photographs) of the park. It’s also the most romantic ride in the park!

Restaurants in Mediterranean Harbor
Café Portofino
Gondolier Snacks
Magellan’s & Magellan’s Lounge
Mama Biscotti’s Bakery
Refresco’s
Ristorante di Canaletto
Zambini Brother’s Ristorante

Characters in Port Discovery
Various Wandering Characters

American Waterfront

The American Waterfront at Tokyo DisneySea, which is modeled after the United State’s Cape Cod and various other American port cities, is a beautiful tribute to how sailing and shipping by boat made America the country what it is today. There is also a memorial dedicated to the “Brave Women of Cape Cod Village” who did their part fighting in the war for America’s independence. I thought this was a bit random, but it was so sweet that the designers of this area of the park borrowed aspects of American culture so respectfully, and paid homage to the women who lost their lives fighting to keep this part of my country free from tyranny.

Experiences in American Waterfront
Big City Vehicles Ride
DisenySea Electric Railway (trolley to Port Discovery)
DisneySea Transit Steamer Line (boat to Mediterranean Harbor)
Tower of Terror Ride (FASTPASS)
Toy Story Mania! (FASTPASS)

Pro Tip: Explore the deck of the Columbia ship and enjoy great views of the park!

Restaurants in American Waterfront
Barnacle Bill’s Sausages
Cape Cod Confections
Cape Cod Cook-Off
Delancery Catering (Hot dog stand)
Dockside Diner
High Tide Treats (Churros)
Hudson River Harvest
Liberty Landing Diner (Shaved ice, chicken wings, etc.)
New York Deli
Papadakis Fresh Fruit & Pastries
Restaurant Sakura (Japanese food & tempura)
S.S. Columbia Dining Room
The Teddy Roosevelet Lounge

Characters in American Waterfront
Waterfront Park – Various Characters
Village Greeting Place – Meet Shellie May & Friends

Arabian Coast

Beautifully inspired by one of Disney’s most visually stunning films, Aladdin, the Arabian Coast port is a beautiful amalgamation of colors, textures, sites, and sounds. Look carefully at lamp posts, door handles, and more for surprising details only Disney would think of.

Experiences in Arabian Coast
Caravan 2 Level Carousel
Jasmine’s Flying Carpets Ride
The Magic Lamp Theater
Sinbad’s Storybook Voyage

Pro Tip: Set aside some time to wander through and marvel at the incredible bazaar set up inside the Arabian Coast. There’s authentic hammered metalware, beautiful hand painted plates, and even handmade rugs hung from the “ceiling”. The attention to detail here is phenomenal.

Restaurants in Arabian Coast
Casbah Food Court (Indian food)
Open Sesame (Churros)
Sultan’s Oasis (Ice cream & snacks)

Characters in Arabian Coast
Lilo & Stitch
Various Characters

Mermaid Lagoon

The Little Mermaid was my very favorite movie growing as a child on the shores of Lake Michigan in the United States. I loved swimming and visiting the beach, plus I had really long hair, so I saw a lot of myself in that movie, plus I always secretly hoped I’d see a mermaid on the waters that surrounded my home. Look closely at the buildings here for even more incredible details. Each individual tile that comprises the replica of King Triton’s castle has different Disney motifs on it, like Ariel’s face, fish, lobsters and crabs, flowers, and even hidden Mickey Mouse shapes. Look closely at the next photo to see for yourself.

Experiences in Mermaid Lagoon
Ariel’s Playground
Blowfish Balloon Race
Flounder’s Flying Fish Coaster
Jumping’ Jellyfish Ride
Mermaid Lagoon Theater (King Triton’s Concert)
Scuttle’s Scooters
The Whirlpool (similar to Disneyland’s Tea Cup Ride)

Restaurants in Mermaid Lagoon
Sebastian’s Calypso Kitchen (Pizza & Seafood)

Pro Tip: There’s a little snack cart down near Sebastian’s Calypso Kitchen and it serves cute Disney shaped ice cream treats that are very instagrammable.

Characters in Mermaid Lagoon
Ariel’s Greeting Grotto – Ariel from The Little Mermaid

Lost River Delta

This jungle themed corner of the park was my husband’s favorite. The rides in this section are more geared towards adults and therefor more exciting than the rest, plus we both love the outdoors and the plethora of tropical plants decorating the Lost River Delta was a welcome relief from the big city of Tokyo. The food in this section was the only place in Japan we found Mexican food, which is one of our favorite things to cook at home.

Experiences in Lost River Delta
DisneySea Transit Steamer Line River Boat Ride
Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull (FASTPASS)
Raging Spirits Rollercoaster (FASTPASS)

Restaurants in Lost River Delta
Expedition Eats (Sausage Rolls)
Lost River Cookhouse (Smoke chicken)
Miguel’s El Dorado Cantina (Mexican food)
Tropic Al’s
Yucatan Base Camp Grill

Pro Tip: Try the various flavored popcorn offered around the park. Our favorite was the Chinese Chili flavor found in this section!

Characters in Lost River Delta
Mickey & Friends’ Greeting Trails (Mickey Mouse, Minnie, Donald Duck, and others)
iSaludos Amigos! Greeting Dock – Duffy

Mysterious Island

I wasn’t as familiar with the movies represented in this section of the park, but I had a ton of fun admiring the architecture nonetheless. The best gift shop in the park, in my opinion is Nautilus Gifts, located in this section of Tokyo DisneySea.

Experiences in Mysterious Island
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Submarine Ride (FASTPASS)
Journey to the Center of the Earth (FASTPASS)

Restaurants in Mysterious Island
Nautilus Galley (Gyoza, Gyoza buns)
Refreshment Station (Churros)
Vulcania Restaurant (Chinese Food & Dim Sum)

Pro Tip: This section becomes even more spectacular at night!

Characters in Mysterious Island
Various Wandering characters

Port Discovery

It seemed as though this port was mainly aimed at children, which is perfectly fine of course, but as such, we didn’t linger here very long. We did however try the sushi at Bayside Takeout and it was really good!

Experiences in Port Discovery
Aquatopia water ride
DisneySea Electric Railway to American Waterfront
Nemo & Friends SeaRider Submarine Ride (FASTPASS)

Restaurants in Port Discovery
Bayside Takeout (Sushi)
Breezeway Bites
Horizon Bay Restaurant 
Seaside Snacks (Ukiwah Buns – shrimp, pork, and vegetable filled lifesaver shaped buns)

Characters in Port Discovery
Various wandering characters

Pro Tip: To easily cut between park sections, hop on the DisneySea Electric Railway and cut across to the American Waterfront. It saves you time and allows you to rest for a few moments.

Where to Stay near Tokyo DisneySea

We stayed at the Ritz Carlton in Tokyo and took the train in, but we would have loved to stay at the Tokyo Bay Maihama Hotel or the Tokyo Disneyland Hotel, but they were both sold out. For a full list of Disney hotels and resorts, click here to view them on Tokyo Disney’s website.

Where to Eat at Tokyo DisneySea

Disney parks are famous for their amazing food, and Tokyo DisneySea is no exception. We had fresh, inventive seafood dishes at Café Portofino in the Mediterranean Harbor, sushi from Bayside Takeout in Port of Discovery, Chinese Chili Popcorn from a popcorn cart near the Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull ride, and an incredible dinner at The Teddy Rosevelt Lounge at the American Waterfront. For a full listing of where to eat, search above to find food in the section you’re visiting.  You can’t go wrong with what you’ll find in the parks!

Pro Tip: The best place to watch the nightly fireworks show in the park is atop Magellan’s Restaurant – there’s hardly anyone up there and you won’t have to worry about people standing in front of you and blocking your view since you’ll be elevated!

Safety

We never once felt unsafe during our time at the parks. The staff do a fantastic job of ensuring everything is orderly and safe for guests. None of the rides really pose any serious dangers, and even the roller coasters are quite tame. As with any crowded place, always know where the exits are, have a plan in place on where to meet if you get separated from your group, and keep your purse or wallet in front of you to prevent pickpocketing. If at any point you feel unsafe, you become lost, you somehow get injured, feel sick, or need another form of help, don’t hesitate to ask a member of the staff, called a cast member, for assistance and they will be happy to help you.

Be careful around the bridges and water. While the water is shallow and the entire park is designed to prevent people from falling in, we did see one person stand up on a bridge for a photograph and then accidentally fall in before the worried staff could tell her to get down. I didn’t see what happened after that, but she could have been seriously injured if the water was too shallow.

When to Visit

If possible, get to the park as early as possible to avoid the lines. While we were here during cherry blossom season, the park was less than crowded than when we’d visited Disneyland or Disney World, but evidently it was very unusual, and the park us generally jam packed with people.

Have you ever visited Tokyo DisneySea? Are you planning a trip and looking for specific advice? Let me know in the comments below!

xAnnie Fairfax
Follow Me for More: @AnnieFairfax

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