What’s New & Next in 2026 & 2027 at Tokyo Disneyland & DisneySea
New lands, rides, restaurants, entertainment, and more have opened at Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea, with more coming in 2026 and 2027. If you’re debating dates for a Japan trip, here’s what has recently debuted and what’s next–construction info, expansion, opening dates, and more.
Before we get started, it’s worth noting that this post only covers new and changing things at Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea. If you want something comprehensive, consult our Tokyo Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide. That’s 6,000 words offering a crash course in the basics of trip prep, including everything from getting around to food to touring strategy and cities to visit in Japan beyond TDR.
The point of this post is to showcase what’s on the horizon, and help answer the question of whether you should visit Tokyo Disney Resort soon or wait. Most of you reading this are likely Disney fans based in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, or Europe who are on the fence about when to take your first trip to Japan. This should help make the decision easier…
As a threshold matter, you might be wondering about the best time to visit Tokyo Disney Resort. That’s beyond the scope of this post, which does cover whether you should go now or wait. For best & worst times of year, check out When to Visit Tokyo Disneyland. Note that Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea can be insanely crowded, so choosing the right travel dates and avoiding public holidays or school breaks in Asia is really important.
With that out of the way, let’s cover what’s new and what’s next at Tokyo Disney Resort!
What’s Next in 2026 & 2027
Throughout the year, Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea offer a lineup of seasonal programming. Here are the upcoming major seasonal events, most of which are consistent from year to year:
Seasonal Events
- Tokyo DisneySea Food & Wine Festival – April 15, 2026 through June 30, 2026
- Fun Time with Toy Story 5 – July 2, 2026 through September 14, 2026
- Summer Cool-off at Tokyo Disney Resort – July 2, 2026 through September 14, 2026
- Disney Halloween – September 16, 2026 through October 31, 2026
- Lazos de la Familia – September 16, 2026 through November 2, 2026
- Disney Christmas – November 11, 2026 through December 25, 2026
- New Year’s Special Event – January 1, 2027 through January 11, 2027
Obviously, Fun Time with Toy Story 5 does not occur annually, but TDR hasn’t really said anything about what that’ll entail. Just a single social media post indicating it’d feature a stamp rally to find the characters, merchandise, special menus, decorations, and so much more. Stay tuned for additional details.
Vanellope’s Sweet Pop World Pal-Palooza Event
Tokyo Disney Resort has revealed that the next Disney Pal-Palooza will be held from April 9, 2026 through June 30, 2026. During Vanellope’s Sweet Pop World, you can enjoy a world of sweet treats straight from Vanellope’s imagination. The park will be brimming with vibrant colors, adorable sights, and mouth-watering treats!
The highlight of Vanellope’s Sweet Pop World is the “It’s a Sweetsful Time” parade, which is themed to a colorful resort made of sweets, dreamed up by Vanellope from the Walt Disney Animation Studios film Wreck-It Ralph. It’ll feature characters from that film, along with Mickey & Friends and more. “It’s a Sweetsful Time” parade will be approximately 35 minutes long.
“it’s a small world with Groot”
This attraction overlay will feature MCU characters designed in the endearing style of the Tokyo Disneyland attraction “it’s a small world,” marking the first appearance of Marvel characters in an attraction at Tokyo Disney Resort.
Tokyo Disneyland is again presenting “it’s a small world with Groot” from now through June 28, 2026.
In the attraction “it’s a small world,” guests board boats for the “happiest cruise that ever sailed ’round the world” and are welcomed by Walt Disney Animation Studios’ characters, as well as children and animals from around the world. In “it’s a small world with Groot,” Groot from the Guardians of the Galaxy film trilogy and his friends from Marvel Studios films are visiting Earth for vacation.
Tokyo DisneySea 25th Anniversary
Tokyo DisneySea’s Sparkling Jubilee celebration will run from April 15, 2026, to March 31, 2027. As part of its 25th anniversary celebration, Tokyo DisneySea will present a dazzling anniversary event, with special entertainment, character costumes, menus, merchandise and more. The theme of the anniversary event is “Sparkling Jubilee,” and will revolve around the signature color “Jubilee Blue,” inspired by the beauty of the seas at Tokyo DisneySea.
At Mediterranean Harbor, Guests will have a blast celebrating with Mickey Mouse and other Disney characters dressed in special 25th anniversary costumes. This show will be approximately 20 minutes long, with 1 to 3 daily performances.
Other entertainment for the anniversary event includes “Dance the Globe,” which officially starts on January 14, 2026 before the Tokyo DisneySea 25th “Sparkling Jubilee.” Themed to dance and music styles from countries near and far, this show will be presented at Waterfront Park in American Waterfront.
D-Groovationz4 Live: Happy! Funky! Groovy! Tour
The D-Groovationz4 Live: Happy! Funky! Groovy! Tour is a stage show that will debut in Tomorrowland in the Showbase theater on September 30, 2026. The show will focus on live vocals by the dance group “The D-Groovationz4” and be presented in the form of an exhilarating concert.
D-Groovationz4 Live: Happy! Funky! Groovy! Tour will include both original songs and fresh spins on Disney classics, featuring Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, Vanellope, and Baymax. This will be the first time Vanellope and Baymax appearing in a stage show at Tokyo Disney Resort.
The show will be performed 4-5 times daily and is approximately 25 minutes long. There will be 4 singers and 12 dancers. It replaces the Club Mouse Beat, which is being retired as of March 31, 2026.
Wreck-It Ralph Shooter Ride
This attraction at Tokyo Disneyland will be an indoor interactive game play experience, perfect for children and adults, that will be created by reimagining the existing Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters attraction. As a result, Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters has permanently closed. This new Wreck-It Ralph attraction is expected to open in April 2027.
In the upcoming Wreck-It Ralph attraction, enter the candy-themed racing game Sugar Rush, which is being attacked by Sugar Bugs – glitches created by King Candy. Guests team up with the beloved film characters Ralph and Vanellope to transform the Sugar Bugs back to their original “kawaii” confectionery such as cookies and cakes.
Guests can look forward to this new attraction at Tokyo Disneyland and immerse themselves in the world of the candy-themed racing game, Sugar Rush, while embarking on a thrilling adventure. The Planet M gift shop will also close and be rethemed.
New Space Mountain
Now that Fantasy Springs has opened, Tokyo Disneyland is undertaking a New Tomorrowland project that revolves around rebuilding Space Mountain. This is also expected to open in Spring 2027, likely on or around the same date as the Wreck-It Ralph ride.
This all-new Space Mountain will also entail a reimagined plaza that will create a reimagined area of Tomorrowland. The new Space Mountain that will maintain its original concept as an indoor roller coaster, but will have enhanced performance and immersive special effects that will give guests even more thrills on this exciting rocket ride.
According to OLC, the new Tomorrowland plaza will express the connection between Earth and the universe, representing an image of a future where humans are in harmony with nature. Guests will be able to enjoy moments of rest and relaxation in this plaza where various icons and other design elements create a sense of hope for the future.
The new Space Mountain is expected to be of a similar nature as Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT, albeit with a different ride system and no Marvel connection. Meaning it’ll be a ‘story coaster’ with a large gravity building–very different from the legacy Space Mountain rides.
What’s New at Tokyo Disney Resort
Fantasy Springs
At Tokyo DisneySea, the biggest construction project at any Disney theme park in the world is now open! This blockbuster expansion brings big-budget Frozen, Tangled, and Peter Pan attractions to the new Fantasy Springs port-of-call. In addition to the four rides, it also offers a range of new restaurants and retail.
Fantasy Springs is now open-access and the rides DO offer standby lines. However, these attractions are incredibly popular and we highly recommend purchasing Premier Access. For other attractions, you’ll want to take advantage of Priority Pass. To that point, downloading the Tokyo Disney Resort app before your trip is a must.
Speaking of which, the spiritual successors to free FastPass are Premier Access and Priority Pass. See our Guide to (Free) Priority Pass & (Paid) Premier Access at Tokyo Disneyland & DisneySea for eligible attractions, prices, and how to make these line-skipping ride-reservations. We cannot emphasize enough how important advance planning is for Fantasy Springs–and frankly, Tokyo Disney Resort as a whole. You need savvy strategy to get a decent amount done!
Tokyo DisneySea Fantasy Springs Hotel
The newest in-park luxury hotel at Tokyo Disney Resort overlooks Fantasy Springs and is touted by OLC as the finest accommodations, even nicer than Hotel MiraCosta. (We vehemently disagree.)
The hotel is located directly behind Bayside Station, meaning it has convenient access (by monorail) to Tokyo Disneyland in addition to the immediate access to Fantasy Springs. This luxury hotel is boutique-sized, with under 500 rooms, two restaurants, and a lounge. Fantasy Springs Hotel is now open, but can be difficult to book.
Reach for the Stars Nighttime Spectacular
This is a new Cinderella Castle projection show at Tokyo Disneyland, that’s approximately 20 minutes long and presented 1-2 times per night. Reach for the Stars utilizes projection mapping, lighting, pyro, and special effects, memorable music, and a variety of characters.
Reach for the Stars is fine. The technology is impressive, and the show has its touching moments. At the same time, it tries too hard to cram way too many characters and properties into a single nighttime spectacular. The result feels disjointed and less cohesive than other productions, even montage shows.
Dreams Take Flight
This 25-minute stage show is set in an airplane factory in Lost River Delta at Tokyo DisneySea. “Dreams Take Flight” showcases a day where Mickey Mouse and other Disney friends come together to build an airplane, featuring rhythmical songs and dances.
Before the factory opens, Pete, the manager, along with the artisans who take immense pride in building airplanes, gather to kick off their busy day. The Disney friends work together to complete the airplane as they overcome challenges along the way. When the artisans finish assembling the airplane, the venue fills with a sense of camaraderie, culminating in a grand finale to celebrate the airplane’s completion.
Fantasyland Expansion at Tokyo Disneyland
Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast – Leaving the village behind, guests enter the forest and approach Beast’s Castle. Inside is the Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast, the expansion’s flagship attraction. This trackless dark ride features magical cups that “dance” in rhythm to the animated film’s music as they take guests through scenes depicting the story of Belle and the Beast.
We’ve now had the chance to do Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast several times (along with everything else on this ‘new’ list, for that matter) and it’s exceptional. It doesn’t quite enter the elite tier of attractions around the world, but it’s definitely in the top 20 for both of us. There are some truly remarkable effects, show scenes, and the queue and Beast’s Castle are absolutely stunning. Do not miss it!
Belle’s Village – This trio of shops consists of La Belle Librairie, Little Town Traders and Bonjour Gifts. These stores feature many details from the film, including the rolling ladder to reach books on the high shelves and Belle’s favorite book. They’ll carry hand-made toys, candlesticks, dish-ware, books, dresses, and other clothing.
La Taverne de Gaston – This is a counter service restaurant, similar to Gaston’s Tavern in Magic Kingdom. The menu is different, with a bunch of meat-stuffed pastries (best of both worlds!) and a soft drink version of Gaston’s favorite brew.
LeFou’s & Le Petit Popper – Next door to the taverne is LeFou’s, which is a small snack shop window that serves apple-caramel churros, a new flavor for Tokyo Disneyland. Le Petit Popper is also in this area, and is a wagon in village where Belle lives that serves up fresh popcorn.
Fantasyland Forest Theatre – Nestled in its own secluded setting straight out of a fairytale, this is the first indoor theater at Tokyo Disneyland. (It’s the indirect replacement for Showbase, which is between Space Mountain and Star Tours: the Adventures Continue.)
Both the exterior and interior design of this theater were inspired by the forest, with half-timbers, tree forms, and pillars featuring in the design. The theater is decorated with beautiful tapestries, candle-inspired chandeliers, and murals celebrating the forest and the woodland critters from Disney animation.
Mickey’s Magical Music World – I’m not sure why I’ve made this a separate entry, but Mickey’s Magical Music World is the Tokyo Disneyland original musical production inside Fantasyland Forest Theatre. The stage show features Mickey Mouse and friends in a spectacular performance of music and dance that makes full use of the theater’s large-scale stage sets and effects.
The conceit here is that Mickey Mouse and friends discover a music box deep in the forest. They turn the music box’s large golden key and doors suddenly open. That begins (what sounds like) a montage musical featuring a slew of different characters and songs from various movies, as they search for a “lost song.”
The Happy Ride with Baymax – Opposite the Fantasyland additions in Tomorrowland is the Happy Ride with Baymax, which is the world’s first rotating ride attraction themed to Big Hero 6 (released in Japan as Baymax). Hiro Hamada and his robotic personal healthcare companion Baymax developed this wild, musical ride that is sure to make everyone happy–which is the first step to healthiness.
As Hiro’s favorite up-tempo music plays, guests aboard vehicles pulled by Baymax’s nursebot friends can enjoy being whirled around in unexpected ways. A device on the attraction’s ceiling “scans” the guests with lights to measure their happiness while on the ride. This is a straightforward flat ride, but hopefully it’s a surprisingly delightful one that overachieves (a la Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree).
The Big Pop – Next door to the Happy Ride with Baymax in Tomorrowland is The Big Pop, a cosmic-themed shop specializing in popcorn. Hanging from the starry ceiling is a huge popcorn chandelier representing the “big bang” that created the universe. Large windows allow guests both inside and outside the shop to view the kitchen where the popcorn is being made and enjoy the aroma.
The Big Pop offers a variety of popcorn buckets that can be filled with a choice of three flavors of popcorn: Cookie & Cream, Caramel & Cheese, and Strawberry Milk.
Minnie’s Style Studio – For the first time at Tokyo Disneyland, guests can meet Minnie Mouse in her very own greeting facility. Minnie’s Style Studio is the aspect of the expansion located in Toontown, and although it’s only a meet & greet, it’s a plussed version.
As a world-renowned fashion designer, Minnie Mouse will greet guests while wearing her latest design, which will change each season. Decked out with a big, polka-dot bow, Minnie’s Style Studio is where she designs, creates and photographs her new fashions.
Disney Harmony in Color Parade
Tokyo Disneyland’s latest daytime parade features a harmonious world of vibrant colors. This replaced Dreaming Up, and debuted for the 40th Anniversary. Normal new daytime parade cadence for Tokyo Disneyland is one every 5 years, so Harmony in Color will be replaced in April 2028.
Harmony in Color kicks off with Tinker Bell, followed by many other characters from popular Walt Disney Animation Studios films such as Zootopia, Moana, Wreck-It Ralph, Coco, and more appearing on colorful floats full of fun. In the finale, Mickey Mouse and his friends appear, inviting guests to a world of colors and harmony.
Believe! Sea of Dreams
The new nighttime spectacular at Tokyo DisneySea is Believe! Sea of Dreams, which is performed once nightly in Mediterranean Harbor. This 30 minute long show is the permanent replacement for Fantasmic, and is a ~$70 million addition. Believe! Sea of Dreams offers paid reserved viewing, and is recommended on busy nights.
As the name suggests, this nighttime spectacular transforms Mediterranean Harbor into the Sea of Dreams—a place filled with “wishing stars.” Believe! Sea of Dreams features large boats gliding dynamically over the water’s surface, bright lasers and searchlights illuminating the night sky and projections on the walls of Hotel MiraCosta. The nighttime spectacular will feature dancers, plus characters such as Peter Pan, Wendy, Aladdin, Rapunzel, Miguel, Ariel, Moana, Elsa, and others.
Soaring: Fantastic Flight
This hang-glider simulator ride offers a grandiose flight over some amazing locations around the globe. Soaring Fantastic Flight’s ride component is similar to Soarin’ in Walt Disney World and DCA, if you’re familiar with those. The video is identical, save for the finale.
The big difference here is the build-up to that: Soaring Fantastic Flight has an incredibly lavish queue and impressive new pre-show with its own unique storyline that makes a world of difference and has impressive effects. The video also has one scene swapped out, and a new finale that ends over Tokyo Disney Resort. It’s worth seeing even if you’ve experienced Soarin’ elsewhere.
Soaring: Fantastic Flight is not brand-new, but it’s still newer in the grand scheme of things–and insanely popular.
Toy Story Hotel
Across from Bayside Station, nestled between the Hilton Tokyo Bay and Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay is the Toy Story Hotel. As the name suggests, this brings to life the world of toys and shrinks guests down to become “honorary toys” to take part in the fun that Andy has assembled. In essence, this means a lot of larger-than-life play figures around the hotel.
Toy Story Hotel is a moderate monorail loop resort with 595 guest rooms–575 standard rooms and 20 superior rooms. The guest rooms are inspired by Andy’s bedroom, and there are a range of other fun toy-themed amenities at Toy Story Hotel. With that said, it’s definitely positioned below Hotel MiraCosta and Tokyo Disneyland Hotel, both of which remain the gold standard at Tokyo Disney Resort, and worldwide.
Visit Now or Wait?
If you’re planning a once in a lifetime trip to Japan, we recommend visiting as soon as possible. There’s really no reason to wait at this point, as Fantasy Springs is open. This wrapped up the last major development cycle at Tokyo Disney Resort, and the only things on the horizon at this point are new rides in Tomorrowland. In our view, those are not sufficient reasons to delay a trip–there will always be something new on the horizon.
There’s also the matter of exchange rates. The yen is hovering around its weakest levels since 1998. The strength of the dollar means greater purchasing power when traveling abroad, and to Japan in particular. See Cheap Prices at Disney’s Two Best Parks for the low prices we paid for everything during our recent trip.
Even if that weren’t the case, Tokyo Disney Resort doesn’t nickel and dime. Regular tickets are much more affordable ($55 to $65 for 1-day tickets), all seasonal entertainment is included in the price of normal admission, snacks are inexpensive, as is most merchandise. The only (very big) exception to this is Duffy & Friends–now that stuff is expensive. (We joke that Duffy subsidizes the rest of Tokyo Disney Resort, which may not be that far off!)
All of this will be a breath of fresh air for Walt Disney World fans who have become disillusioned with price increases, entertainment eliminated, and all the nickel & diming. A few years ago, we wrote “Want to Recapture the Disney Magic? Visit Japan.” That’s even more apt today than it was then.
Since then, Walt Disney World has made even more cuts, whereas TDR keeps adding. At Tokyo Disney Resort, you’ll enjoy multiple parades per day (including Dreamlights, Disney’s best night parade by far), seasonal celebrations are included with admission, and prices are less expensive and more fair.
If you’re a Walt Disney World fan who has become disenchanted with the Florida parks, there is no better way to recapture that lost magic than by visiting Tokyo Disney Resort. Seriously. The only downside is that it’ll forever change the way you view every other theme park.
The bad news is that attendance continues to climb at Tokyo Disney Resort. Moreover, Fantasy Springs is massively popular and has exacerbated crowds. Worse yet, Japan as a whole breaks record-after-record for inbound international travelers. Overtourism is definitely an issue throughout Japan, especially in places like Kyoto. However, this is likely to get worse–not better–as Japan has big ambitions to increase visitor numbers even more over the decade to come.
In short, you don’t want to delay visiting for years in search of the “perfect” time. Trust us, the most likely response to your first Japan trip will be, “why didn’t we do this sooner?!” and most definitely not “we should’ve waited longer.” We hear for the former all the time, but never the latter.
Planning a trip to Tokyo Disney Resort? For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Tokyo Disneyland & DisneySea Trip Planning Guide! For more specifics, our TDR Hotel Rankings & Reviews page covers accommodations. Our Restaurant Reviews detail where to dine & snack. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money post. Our What to Pack for Disney post takes a unique look at clever items to take. Venturing elsewhere in Japan? Consult our Ultimate Guide to Kyoto, Japan and City Guide to Tokyo, Japan.
YOUR THOUGHTS
Looking forward to Fantasy Springs at Tokyo DisneySea? What about the new and refreshed seasonal events this year and in 2026-2027? Which additions coming to Tokyo Disney Resort in the coming years are you most excited to experience? Have you been delaying your first visit to maximize seeing new stuff’ or are you waiting until the Fantasy Springs crowds die down? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
I saw Small World with Groot during its first run back in June 2025. It had absolutely no business being as cute and charming as it was. Of course it helped that in true Tokyo Disney fashion, every single ride prop was functional, with all of the Marvel music mashups added, and dedicated audio for nearly each marvel figure. I need to stop doubting Tokyo’s ability to pull off the improbable.
“I need to stop doubting Tokyo’s ability to pull off the improbable.”
Yep.
I’d take that a step further, and argue that if everyone anyone wonders whether Imagineering has lost its touch or whatever, they should visit TDR. Proof positive that WDI is *not* the problem.
We can’t wait to visit Fantasy Springs when we return to TDS next summer! We had a plan for our 1-day visit last summer but wound up feeling so happy-overwhelmed to be there, we mostly just wandered around and soaked up the environment (though we did manage to do Sinbad and Indiana Jones). We’ll have more time on our next visit and will finally make it to TDL too. We want to spend at least 1 night at Mira Costa again because that was a major highlight from our last visit. Thanks for all the fantastic Tokyo Disney content!
Hi Guys – great posts thankyou so much. We are planning on visiting TDR and DisneySea 2nd or 3rd week of January 2025 on the return leg of a European holiday (we live in Australia). Any tips or wisdom to share ? This is our first trip ever to Japan but not our first Disney (only Tokyo and Shanghai remain).
Crowds at Tokyo Disney are like nothing you’ve seen at other parks. Wait times frequently hit 2-3 hours for the headliner attractions. January is a quiet season so that’s something but you can still expect long waits. Go mid week if possible and avoid weekends and all costs. You’ll need to make use of premier access (paid fastpass) especially at Tokyo Disney sea. Go with a plan. Show up a hour to a hour and a half before opening (all the Japanese do rope drop and it helps to get there super early). There is a great crowd calendar link below. You’ll need 2 days for each park there is so much to see and do. Oh and premier access passes can be purchase 60 mins after your last purchase so make good use of that one hour time window. Check out the touring plans and planning guides here they are great.
https://yosocal.com/
I am excited for all of these updates, but most especially the idea that we might no longer see Easter at TDL. Those faceless egg things are the stuff of nightmares and were always the worst part of an otherwise adorable celebration. The end of May on random weekdays was always my favourite time to visit, especially when I lived there, because many of the schools were having their first sets of exams, so you were less likely to see large groups of students until the evening. Evenings are a totally different beast, as I’m sure you’ve noticed, with the Weeknight Passport offering.
You are not at all wrong in regards to visiting the Japanese Disney parks being amazing. We took a family trip when an airline had a fire sale on plane tickets and almost DIDN’T go because I wanted my kids to focus on the cultural and ancient aspects of Japan. Lucky for me on one of the blogs I was doing my research on they mentioned how Tokyo Dland and Sea have become their own very Japanese things and they were so right!
First of all the customer service is off the scale. You take the Disney customer friendly ethos and add Japanese hospitality and it blew my mind how attentive and helpful the cast is there. The food is distinct (and delicious), hearing rides in Japanese* is too fun (my favorite was the talking skull right before the drop in Pirates of the Caribbean). They still have the Swiss Family Robinson version of the treehouse which was so fun for my kids because we had just listened to the audiobook and watched the movie. Also the people there was unique to Japan we went during the week and there were almost no children, lots of adults and young adults, dressed loosely in the colors or theme of favorite characters (even the men), lots of matching outfits. It was so much fun to see.
DisneySea has its own unique vibe and rides – it was so great we’re planning on going again in a couple of years. And its MUCH more economical for a better experience in my opinion.
*Once we decided to go I was worried about some of the magic being negated because of the language difference but even experiences with a lot of dialogue like Star Tours my kids and I (ages 4, 6, 8, 10 and 30/40s at the time) got the gist of what was going on and had a lot of fun. Fantasmic I’ve seen enough times that I told them the gist (I grew up 30 min from Disneyland and went all the time because my cousin worked there).
Hey Tom could use your advice. Planning our big Japan trip for 2024. We could go as early at March or April and as late as October or November. I see you mentioning October I to November is your general favorite I’ve to visit, but you are recommending visiting asap, however we wouldn’t be going early 2023 like you suggest.
Why do you prefer October into November? If deciding between April 2024 or late October 2024 which would you pick? I know with October the new expansion would def be open. Thank you Tom! I know you say the one time lifetime trip ends up to not be the case, but I really do think this is one trip for us!
Hey Tom. Thanks for the post update. I’m thinking maybe mid to late April 2024 for our trip, flying home just before Golden Week based on your updates. Do you think that makes sense?
We’re looking at going in May of 2024 or 2025. Do you think 2024 will be cutting it close with the opening of Fantasy Springs? I’m wondering if we should wait until 2025. I don’t want to miss it or it be crazy crowded because of it
We are going for our first time to Japan in 2024.. we decided on the last week of May and first week of June. Getting past Golden week and cherry blossom season, and rainy season usually holds off until mid-June but crowds do seem to drop off at that point. We figure there’s two ways it can go – Fantasy Springs won’t be open and crowds will be low, or it will have just opened and it’ll be busy. Obvious upsides to both scenarios, but since it’s out of our hands, we’re going to roll with it and enjoy the vacation!
Oh dear. As of a couple of days ago (when Hong Kong lifted its last quarantine requirements for incoming visitors), we decided we’d go for it next fall. 3 days at HKDL (2 park days plus an extra day for jet lag) and 3 weeks in Japan. We already have a Feb/March trip booked elsewhere, don’t want to go in the summer, and so fall makes sense. I was thinking the bulk of November, but I see you don’t recommend waiting… Not sure we can make it work any sooner, and I am seeing lots of great deals for airfare & hotels using various points in the fall, so at least if we get stuck with crowds we will have landed good deals. Fingers crossed!
FWIW, this was written before domestic travel subsidies were released and prior to our recent visit to Japan and we definitely underestimated the amount of *current* pent-up demand playing out. Japan is going to release even more subsidies in early 2023, so a lot of the pent-up demand could be burned off by next November.
Who knows what’ll happen with demand from China, but I certainly wouldn’t plan around it. Next November should be a good time to visit. It’ll be busy, but that’s always the case because it’s a spectacular season!
Thanks for that reassurance. And yup, we have decided to just go for it. Gonna start buying yen while the exchange rate is good! After I left that comment I went back & skimmed through your articles about Halloween & Christmas as well as your Hallow/XMas in one trip suggestion. So I’m thinking about trying that now. Of course that increases the total number of days we’ll spend at TDR & only gives us 2 weeks to do everything else we want to do… Hard decisions! lol.
We have had our last 3 trips to Japan cancelled, each time hoping that the country would be open again, and now we have to wait for September next year due to school and sports events. Super excited to see that it will be 40th birthday time then!! I was lucky enough to visit WDW for their 40th so this would make our souvenirs match too.
You sold me! We just cashed in a bunch of points to go Summer 2023! (with school schedules this is really the only time it could work for us). Spending almost 3 weeks in Japan including 3 full park days at TDR-flying into Osaka and out of Tokyo. I was wondering if Universal in Osaka is worth sacrificing a day. We’ll be spending 3 full days there (in addition to the Universal day) and taking Tom’s recommendation of spending the extra time in Kyoto-almost 5 full days-and about 4 days in Tokyo on top of the Disney days. We’ll have our 16 and 13 year old sons with us. Thanks!!
We really like USJ, but it would not be high on my priorities for a first trip to Japan. It’s also a very busy park during the summer. (If you do opt to go, here’s our guide, which will receive a major update later this year: https://www.travelcaffeine.com/universal-studios-japan-tips/)
With that said, I also would not spend 3 days in Osaka. It’s fine–but definitely my least favorite major city in Japan. Consider taking doing a day there to see the highlights, and use the rest of the time as a base for day trips to Himeji and Kobe–maybe even Hiroshima/Miyajima.
Here are our itineraries for those destinations and more in Japan: https://www.travelcaffeine.com/itinerary-japan-kyoto-tokyo-walking-tours/
Did a mom and 4 year old trip to TDR four years ago, and can’t wait to go back. We even skipped a few of the headliners because she was too short or scared. A few times each year she brings up wanting to go back with the whole family this time.
We’re looking at going in May of 2024 or 2025. Do you think 2024 will be cutting it close with the opening of Fantasy Springs? I’m wondering if we should wait until 2025. I don’t want to miss it or it be crazy crowded because of it
Sorry that wasn’t supposed to be a response to you lol
We had the good fortune to live near Tokyo for a few years and visited TDR on numerous occasions. We were able to visit a few more times when we lived in South Korea and flights to Narita were cheap and a mere 2 hours. I’m fairly certain I choked up that last evening as we were walking out of DisneySea. Fast forward 8 years and we tentatively have a trip to go back next year. We had visited at some point when they were celebrating the 30th Happiness is Here Anniversary, so what a treat it would be to be there for the 40th. And I would love to stay at Miracosta once more, but the budget — after paying for 4 plane tickets to Japan — may only allow a room at Hilton Tokyo Bay using our points. Which isn’t a bad way to go at all, as we’ve stayed there many times, but I found there truly was something magical at Miracosta. Wherever we stay, I will be thrilled to be able to visit once again!
My current plan is to go in late October 2024, go to TDR for a few days for Halloween, then visit Japan for a couple of weeks and be back to TDR for Christmas season. It’s something you suggested some time ago, why it’s not in your tips about when to visit?
God this all sounds awesome. A 2 week Japan vacation topped off with a couple days at the Disney parks is definitely on my lifetime bucket list. Has anyone with kids done this trip? Wondering what’s the youngest age that would make sense considering the massive flight time, etc…10?
We took our then 4 year old in 2016 to Tokyo, Kyoto and Disney flying from Canada. He did really well! We eventually had to buy a travel stroller for him as it got to be too much walking. It was a great trip. It helps that we had Japanese relatives with us – especially for the train stations.
I didn’t plan much ahead of time, so I realize in retrospect this should have been a terrible idea: I bought and went to DisneySea for one day, December 31, 2019. I think it’s one of the busiest days there at Tokyo DisneySea. I didn’t know anything about it beforehand, just showed up and walked through, grabbing a few FastPasses along the way. No strategy, just enjoying what I wanted to enjoy. I don’t think I waited in any line more than an hour. I rode everything once except Soarin. It was one of if not the best day I’ve ever had at a Disney park. If I could only choose one park to visit the rest of my life it would be DisneySea. If you ever get the chance, even if it’s the busiest day of the year, GO!
I have been to every Disney park in the world at least once (all except HK Disneyland at least 2x) and I agree with your assessment that Tokyo Disney is special and worth visiting if you love Disney. If you can only do one overseas trip, this one is absolutely the one we’d recommend, in particular DisneySea. We are torn between visiting next Spring (likely less crowded) and waiting for the DisneySea expansion to be completed.
FWIW, we just visited Disneyland Paris a few months ago, and (even as a francophone Francophile) it’s not remotely as magical or unique as Tokyo.