Theme Parks

Tokyo Disney Resort (Time 1.0)

Many travelers plan their Tokyo trip mainly to visit Disney.

However, with a 1-Day Passport, you cannot visit both Disneyland and DisneySea on the same day, so you must choose one.

So what is the difference between the two parks?

Disneyland is a fairy-tale theme park with Disney characters, where you can enjoy many attractions and parades. It also exists in other cities such as Paris, Orlando, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

DisneySea is the only theme park built around an ocean theme with 7 themed ports, and it exists only in Tokyo.

In general, Disneyland is more for children and families, while DisneySea is more for adults who want atmosphere and thrills, and alcohol is available in DisneySea from daytime.

If you are not sure, Disneyland is recommended for family trips, and DisneySea is recommended for couples or friends. 🎡

Disney tickets can be booked from two months before your visit date, and you can enter directly with a QR code. Selfie sticks and outside food are not allowed, and bag checks are done at entry.

Full-body cosplay is not allowed to avoid confusion with official characters, but there are exceptions during the Halloween season.

If you install the official Tokyo Disney Resort app, you can check waiting times in real time. After entry, you can also use the services below, so installing and logging in in advance is essential.

1) Disney Premier Access (DPA)

Disney Premier Access

• Paid reservation system
• Reserve a time in advance to enter popular attractions and parades faster
• Price: about 1,500 to 2,500 yen per attraction (varies by season and facility)
• Available in the official app or at the Information Center
• You can buy the next DPA 60 minutes after purchase

2) Standby Pass (SP)

Standby Pass

• Free, but you must get it in advance
• You can enter the line only during your assigned time slot
• Applied automatically when waits get long, first-come first-served
• Be careful because you cannot wait outside the assigned time
• You can get the next pass 120 minutes after issuance

3) 40th Anniversary Priority Pass

Priority Pass

• Limited service launched for the 40th anniversary in 2023
• Similar to the old FastPass system
• Fast entry at the assigned time
• It may end, so check in advance
• You can get the next pass 120 minutes after issuance

4) Disney Resort Line

The Disney Resort Line is a dedicated monorail that connects Disneyland, DisneySea, official Disney hotels, and the Ikspiari shopping mall.

It has 4 stations and runs about every 13 minutes, and the Disney-themed design makes the ride itself part of the fun.

• Single ride fare: 300 yen
• Regular IC cards (Suica, Pasmo, etc.) accepted
• 1-day unlimited ride pass: 700 yen

5) Disney Resort Welcome Center

At the Welcome Center on the left side of the JR Maihama Station exit, there is a service that delivers your luggage to your Disney hotel for Disney hotel guests.

• Disney hotel list (online check-in is available only for local residents)

  • Disney Fantasy Springs Hotel
  • Disney Ambassador Hotel
  • Hotel Miracosta
  • Disneyland Hotel
  • Toy Story Hotel

• Disney Resort official hotel list (advance check-in available)

  • Tokyo Bay Maihama Hotel First Resort
  • Tokyo Bay Maihama Hotel
  • Grand Nikko Tokyo Bay Maihama
  • Hilton Tokyo Bay
  • Hotel Okura Tokyo Bay
  • Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay Hotel

6) Lockers

If you are not staying at a Disney hotel, you can store your luggage in coin lockers.

Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo - The Making of Harry Potter (Time 0.5)

This is a must-visit place for Harry Potter fans.
In June 2023, the world’s largest indoor Harry Potter theme park officially opened in Tokyo.

Here, you can see highly detailed sets recreated like the real world, including Hogwarts Castle, King’s Cross Platform 9¾, Diagon Alley, and the Ministry of Magic in London, making you feel like you have stepped into the Harry Potter world.

You can also buy many Harry Potter souvenirs, including a custom wand with your name engraved.

Sanrio Puroland (Time 0.5)

This is Tokyo’s representative indoor theme park where you can fully experience the world of Sanrio characters, including Hello Kitty, and it welcomes about 1.5 million visitors every year.
It is filled with cuteness beyond expectations, and it is especially popular with children and character fans.

• For adults, same-day tickets are usually about 3,600 to 5,300 yen, so it is more economical to book in advance at a discounted price.
• Advance reservations are required for entry, but foreign visitors can replace this by filling out a simple questionnaire on site on the same day.

Fuji-Q Highland & Thomasland (Time 1.0)

Fuji-Q Highland makes a strong first impression from the entrance. It is an amusement park and theme park located near Mt. Fuji.

It can be the best choice for thrill seekers, with roller coasters holding titles like “the scariest,” “the fastest,” and “the steepest,” and a total of 14 attractions listed in Guinness World Records.

It is only a 3-minute train ride (180 yen one-way) from Kawaguchiko Station, and admission is free.
However, each ride has a separate fee (400 to 2,000 yen), and if you plan to ride many attractions, buying a Free Pass is more cost-effective.

The Scream Priority Ticket is a paid option that lets you ride popular attractions without waiting, and it must be purchased separately from the Free Pass.

You can check real-time wait times in the official app, but note that it is available only with a Japan account.

Fuji-Q Highland is also family-friendly, with a themed area called Thomasland.

Thomasland also has free admission, and you can pay per ride or use a Free Pass.

For families, this can be a satisfying plan because adults can take turns riding attractions.

• If you want free admission, you must collect a ticket at the ticket counter to enter.

1) The 4 major scream machines

1. ZOKKON
   The newest attraction, where you ride a motorcycle-shaped coaster and feel the thrilling sensation of actually driving a motorbike.

2. Eejanaika
   This coaster’s name means “Isn’t it great?” It is the world’s largest 4D roller coaster, and the seats rotate 14 times during the ride, leaving riders dizzy. Isn’t it great? Eejanaika~

3. Takabisha
   A roller coaster famous for its 121-degree drop like an “R” shape from a height like a 17-story building, also listed in Guinness World Records. Before the drop, you can steady yourself while looking at Mt. Fuji in the distance.

4. The Haunted Hospital: Senritsu Meikyu

   • This attraction is themed not as the world’s scariest haunted house, but a haunted hospital. You walk about 900 m inside a ruined hospital for around 40 to 50 minutes.

   • Entry times are fixed, so you must apply in advance.

   • Up to 4 people per group can enter. Even with a Free Pass, an extra 4,000 yen per group is required. If your group is small, you can try to find companions starting from the bus ride from Shinjuku.

   Excuse me... did you come after seeing TourCast?
   We are going to Senritsu Meikyu—would you like to join us?

   • According to staff, they do a morning “ritual” for the ghosts (?) before opening every day.
   • If it feels too scary, you can buy a protective charm (omamori, 500 yen) and wear it around your neck. They say the ghosts will not come close.
     • Of course, this may simply be a marketing trick 🤑
   • They even sell underwear, in case you get too scared and have an accident. It shows a very “Japan-style” level of detail.
   • If it is too scary and you want to quit halfway, there is also a midway exit route.

2) Buy a Free Pass

1. Buy on the official Fuji-Q Highland website (Club Fuji-Q)

   • Membership registration is required
     • Enter your name in English or Chinese characters
   • You can also choose products like TOKU Q-Pack (Free Pass + round-trip bus) or plans that include an afternoon pass
   • Bus seats can be reserved in advance
   • Payment is made at the time of booking
   Club Fuji-Q

2. Buy the Highway Bus Q-Pack

   • Q-Pack is a package including a round-trip bus from Shinjuku or Shibuya + a 1-day Free Pass
   • Prices vary by season
   • After securing a seat, if you do not complete on-site ticketing by 30 minutes before departure on the day, it may be automatically cancelled
     • If you take an early morning bus, buy it the day before
   • You can book without membership, but you must print the booking completion page, and there is no separate booking confirmation page
   • To cancel, you need information such as phone number, English name, departure date, and bus number
   • Seats are assigned randomly, so you may be separated from your group
   • You must bring the printed paper on the departure day; reissue is not possible if lost
     • If printing is difficult, you can use a screenshot or photo
     • Show the booking page and say 'Toku-Q-Pack de Onegaishimasu~ (TOKU Q PACKでおねがいします。)' to receive the round-trip tickets and the Free Pass exchange voucher
     • Planning ticket(企画券): bus ticket
     • Free Pass voucher(富士急ハイランドフリーパス引換券): attraction pass

3. Other purchase options
   • You can buy a Free Pass, afternoon pass, or 1-day liner pass separately
   • Suitable if you depart from areas other than Shinjuku
   • The 1-day liner pass allows boarding only at a designated time, so check whether your booking is confirmed