Tokyo DisneySea Guide

No trip to Tokyo is complete without trawling the city for matcha powder, getting lost in Shinjukiu station, and spending a day at Tokyo Disneysea. The only one of its kind in the world, Tokyo Disneysea had a major upgrade just last year with a sparkling new Fantasy Springs attraction featuring Frozen, Peter Pan, and Tangled themed-rides.

Anyone who has been there would tell you that a little research goes a long way in dealing with the crowd. So Singaporeans, here’s all you need to know before your 2025 Tokyo Disneysea visit.

The current exchange rate is ¥1,000 to S$9.17 as of 29th April 2025.

Should I choose Tokyo DisneySea or Tokyo Disneyland?

Disneyland? DisneySea? That’s like choosing between chicken rice and nasi lemak. Most of us with limited annual leaves can only afford to spare 1 day for the parks.

Disneyland is great for a classic “Disney” experience. It has the popular Disney rides like Space Mountain and Haunted Mansion, and its streets are filled with characters like Mickey and the Toy Story gang. Between the 2, Tokyo Disneyland has better kid-friendly rides, while Tokyo Disneysea has more thrill rides.

Peter Pan’s Never Land.
Image credit: Tokyo DisneySea

DisneySea has a one-of-a-kind ocean theme and you won’t find another Disney attraction like this. The new Fantasy Springs zone is in itself a good enough reason to prioritise this, if you ask us. There are plenty of new rides and the ambience is top tier.

If you simply can’t decide between the 2, there’s going to be a limited-time 1-Day Park Hopper Passport for the summer 2025. Tickets are priced from ¥15,300/adult – that’s about S$140 – and grants you access to both parks.

Do you still need a pass to get into FantasySprings?

Rapunzel’s Lantern Festival ride.
Image credit: Kezia Tan

Fantasy Springs is the shiny new land that opened in 2024, featuring zones inspired by Frozen, Tangled, and Peter Pan. There are 4 rides in this zone.

• Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Journey – A magical boat ride through Arendelle.
• Rapunzel’s Lantern Festival – Alas, you’ll actually see the lights!
• Peter Pan’s Neverland Adventure – Fly alongside Peter Pan in 3D, following the storyline of the movie.
• Fairy Tinker Bell’s Busy Buggies – A family-friendly ride through Pixie Hollow.

Fantasy Springs had entry restrictions up until March 2025. Good news for all of us: as of April 2025, all guests can access this area – no Stand-by Passes or Disney Premier Access Pass needed.

– Tips for visiting DisneySea – 

Just in case you’ve missed the memo, DisneySea can get crowded. Like really crowded. You won’t want to be visiting willy-nilly with zero research. We’ve done the legwork and these tips will help you check off as many rides as possible.

1. Check the crowd calendar & choose your dates wisely

Timing is everything so be sure to check the crowd calendars online before buying your tickets. You can look into sites like Thrill Data and Queue Times Forecast to find the best dates to visit during your trip.

Crowded seasons include: 

• Late December to early January – Christmas and New Year’s crowd
• Late February to early April – Japan’s spring vacation
• Early May – Golden Week
• July to August – Summer crowd

Less crowded seasons include:

• Mid January – Right after New Year’s peak period
• Early April – After Golden Week
• July to October – Less footfall due to rainy season

Tuesdays to Thursdays are also generally less crowded. Surprisingly, Mondays can get pretty busy because of Japan’s “Happy Monday System”, a nationwide law that moved some Japanese public holidays to Mondays.

2. Arrive at the park really early like the locals do

Queue at 8am.
Image credit: Kezia Tan

During our visit, we tried to arrive an hour before the official park opening hour of 9am. Surprise, surprise, there was already a super long queue, with many Japanese folks already chilling in line with picnic mats and snacks. We recommend coming 1.5 to 2 hours early if you want to be kiasu.

About an hour before the gates open, everyone has to stand up and compress forward so don’t get too comfy. Most importantly, avoid splitting up your group. We’ve seen many people struggling to reunite with their group due to the massive crowds.

Tip: You should definitely hit up the washroom before joining the lines.

Tokyo DisneySea Fantasy Springs Hotel Grand Chateau is right next to the park.
Image credit: Kezia Tan

P.S. If you really don’t want to deal with the queues, consider splurging on a stay at a DisneySea hotel for early entry. Guests get entry into the park 15 minutes before everyone else and can enter from a separate gate. This makes a huge difference since you can be among the first few in line and enjoy practically zero wait time. Tokyo Disneyland hotel guests also have early entry to DisneySea, but only until August 2025.

3. Familiarise yourself with the new ride pass system

Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Journey.
Image adapted from: Tokyo Disney Resort Official via Youtube

At Tokyo Disneysea, you can make use of passes to skip the line. There are currently 2 types of ride passes and you can only start booking them via the Tokyo Disney Resort App once you enter the park.

Disney Premier Access (DPA) pass 

The DPA lets you book your preferred time slot and skip the line. It is available at an additional fee on top of your entrance ticket. DPAs are sold on a per-ride basis and cost around ¥1,500-¥2,000 each.

Most visitors use them for popular attractions with typically long wait lines of over 2 hours like Rapunzel’s Lantern Festival, Journey to the Centre of the Earth, and Raging Spirits.

40th anniversary pass

Essentially the free version of DPA, the 40th Anniversary Priority Pass is available for a limited time, until further notice. Unlike DPA, you cannot choose your preferred time slot and the pass is only available for 6 rides including Indiana Jones Temple of the Crystal Skulls and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

Both of these passes are available in limited quantities for every time slot so be sure to make your bookings as soon as you are through the entrance gates. Everyone will be doing the same so the signal can get patchy near the entrance. We suggest walking further inside to get a better connection.

Tip: These passes have a cool down period of 2 hours after booking so be sure to pick your rides properly! Also set an alarm so you can make more bookings once the cool down period is over.

P.S. There are also Standby Passes, which are required for certain shops like McDuck’s Department Store, Aunt Peg’s Village Store, and Galleria Disney. Currently, Standby Passes are not being used for attractions – only for shops!

4. Bring a portable charger to power the Disney Resort app

The Tokyo Disney Resort app (iOS, Android) is a must have during your time at Tokyo Disneysea – FRFR. Download the app ahead of time when you are at your hotel to avoid draining your precious roaming data. And, bring along a portable charger since your battery is going to be drained real fast with the constant use of the app.

During your visit, you’re going to be doing most, if not all of your bookings, on this app. This includes getting ride passes and making restaurant reservations. Quite a few of the restaurants also require you to make your food orders in-app.

Image credit: Tokyo Disney Resort

Our favourite feature on the app was the preview of ride wait times so you can strategically plan which ride to visit next. When we were there, ride wait times went up as the day went by. Always try to go for the popular rides at the start of the day!

5. Make dining reservations for popular restaurants 

The Snuggly Duckling.
Image credit: @riegeldesign via Instagram 

Yes, you can make dining reservations and you should – especially if you want to avoid long wait times. The new Fantasy Springs restaurants – Royal Banquet of Arendelle and The Snuggly Duckling – in particular do get crowded. There’s no charge for making a reservation.

Is it worth dining at these popular restaurants? Definitely, if you are a fan of the movies. The vibes are on point and surprisingly the food was reasonably priced. Can you really say no to a meal at the real-life Snuggle Duckling?

If you aren’t particular, there are a lot of restaurants within the park, some with no queue if you visit outside meal hours.

6. Weatherproof yourself for outdoor queues

Tokyo DisneySea might be one of the most beautiful theme parks in the world but you won’t enjoy the atmosphere if you’re getting roasted in the sun or shivering in the cold. Many queues extend outdoors when the lines are long, leaving you at the mercy of the weather.

So, dress smart for the season. Winters can be brutally cold and windy since the theme park is right next to the sea. Bring extra layers for standing in line, and an extra heat pack or 2 to keep your fingers toasty.

Summer in Japan is hotter than Singapore. Temperatures can exceed 30°C, and the humidity can get pretty high. Pack a portable fan with you. Cooling wet wipes will also be your godsend.

7. Ride queues shrink during parades & shows

Image credit: Laughing Place

This is a relatively short tip but a really nifty bit to know if you’ve failed to get passes but still wish to ride the popular attractions. When everyone flocks to Mediterranean Harbor for the big “Believe! Sea of Dreams” show, that’s your cue to zoom into high-demand rides. Queue times drop like magic.

8. Plan your route & wear comfy shoes

DisneySea is massive – larger than Tokyo Disneyland in fact. You’ll easily be clocking in 10,000 steps by lunchtime if you don’t plan ahead. Map out your route to hit key rides ahead of time. You’ll also want to leave those cute heels at the hotel and pick up your sneakers instead if you want to be comfy.

Guide to visiting Tokyo Disneysea

With this cheat sheet in hand, you’re all set to conquer DisneySea like a pro, and maybe even hit all the rides on your checklist. Whether you’re chasing thrills, swooning over fairytales at Fantasy Springs, or just soaking in the magical vibes, you’ll be glad you planned ahead.

More theme park guides:

• Super Nintendo World Japan guide
• New and upcoming theme parks near Singapore
• Best theme parks in Malaysia
• Chimelong spaceship theme park in China

Cover image adapted from: Tokyo DisneySea