2 Solo Days - Both at Tokyo DisneySea or One Day Each Park?

[bryanb]

I’ll be spending two solo days in Tokyo before meeting my group for a vacation. I don’t know when I’ll be back in Tokyo again and I’ve heard many people proclaim that DisneySea is the best Disney park in the world. Is it possible to do it justice in one day?

If you had two solo days, would you spend them both in DisneySea or would you split one day at each park? I’ve worked at Disneyland Park and visited Magic Kingdom (WDW) a dozen times. While it would be fascinating to see the Japanese version of the castle park and appreciate the differences, I’ve heard many of the attractions are faithful to their U.S. counterparts.

Unfortunately, there are no park hopper tickets which would be most ideal, because I have heard that Beauty and the Beast is amazing, and it would be fun to ride Spalsh Mountain one last time… am I missing anything else significant?

Oh and my trip is mid-December, if that makes a difference. I’m hoping also that the parks aren’t too cold and crowded in the winter! I’m from California and when Disneyland gets down to 55 degrees (13 degrees C) it already is pretty cold to me!

(Adding another day isn’t an option as the rest of the vacation is packed.)

 

[gelatoni fan]

It depends on what your priorities are. The shows at DisneySea post-pandemic have been really trimmed down but the shows at Disneyland are basically back at the level they were before the pandemic. Pooh's Hunny Hunt and Monsters Inc are unique rides. There's also significant differences for Jungle Cruise. I think Disneyland is more fun while DisneySea is more interesting.

But you don't necessarily have to be locked in now. You can do your first day at DisneySea and then decide that evening which park to visit on the second day. There's also the option of buying both a Disneyland and DisneySea ticket for the same day.

 

[MikeOhio]

I would try to do a half day at DL with the goal of riding Monsters, Honey Hunt, Beauty and the Beast and Splash. The first three are excellent unique to Tokyo rides (although I guess Splash is unique now too).

They don't sell park hopper tickets but you can buy one DS and one DL ticket on the same day. The tickets are very cheap compared to WDW.

 

[Disneyhanna]

I expected to love DisneySea as so many people call it their favorite park ever, but I honestly preferred TDL, and this is coming from someone with a WDW AP and DL Magic Key So my two cents is one day per park. Agree maybe start with DisneySea on day 1 and then decide on day 2 on the fly. I don't think availability of tickets is really a concern like in the US parks but someone correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[gelatoni fan]

I expected to love DisneySea as so many people call it their favorite park ever, but I honestly preferred TDL, and this is coming from someone with a WDW AP and DL Magic Key So my two cents is one day per park. Agree maybe start with DisneySea on day 1 and then decide on day 2 on the fly. I don't think availability of tickets is really a concern like in the US parks but someone correct me if I'm wrong.

The downgraded entertainment at DisneySea changes a lot. There's no show in the Hangar stage. Jamboree Mickey is meant to be a mini-kids show that is not a full show like Hello New York was. Big Band Beat has fewer performers than before. I also find Believe to be inferior to Fantasmic. And comparing the Seasonal Greetings to the pre-pandemic Seasonal Harbor shows would be like comparing the carousel to Rise of the Resistance.

For me, TDS may have slightly beaten TDL pre-pandemic but right now, I definitely prefer TDL. Outside of English forums dominated by Americans with annual passes to the US parks, most people actually prefer TDL.

 

[DizneyLizzy]

I would do one day at each. I can’t imagine going all the way to TDR and not doing the Beauty and the Beast ride.

 

[dunkindonut]

Both parks definitely, you have no guarantee with FS rides and it's just luck of the draw. I greatly prefer TDL, I just feel there's more to do within a day whereas with TDS I kind of ran out of things to do by the end of the day. FS probably changes that, but as I said it's really the luck of the draw when it comes to the VQ or whatever.

 

[bryanb]

Thanks to everyone! Based on the responses, I am thinking of buying a 1-day ticket for each park, and maybe on the first day at TDL buying a weeknight pass for DisneySea to spend more time there. I’ll have to see what nighttime entertainment is available at each park in December before I confirm my decision. I’ve heard the nighttime show at DisneySea is a can’t-miss!

I am one of those Americans who has been to Disneyland and Magic Kingdom very very often, but a trip to Japan will only happen once or maybe a few times in a lifetime. But I do hear that Beauty and the Beast is amazing enough to make a stop at TDL worth it.

 

[catloaves]

Thanks to everyone! Based on the responses, I am thinking of buying a 1-day ticket for each park, and maybe on the first day at TDL buying a weeknight pass for DisneySea to spend more time there. I’ll have to see what nighttime entertainment is available at each park in December before I confirm my decision. I’ve heard the nighttime show at DisneySea is a can’t-miss!

I am one of those Americans who has been to Disneyland and Magic Kingdom very very often, but a trip to Japan will only happen once or maybe a few times in a lifetime. But I do hear that Beauty and the Beast is amazing enough to make a stop at TDL worth it.

I'd put Pooh's Hunny Hunt right up there with Beauty and the Beast, so that's double the reason to stop by TDL! It's even more incredible when you realize that it's been around for 20 years, and still more technologically advanced than any ride we have except for RotR.

 

[DizneyLizzy]

I'd put Pooh's Hunny Hunt right up there with Beauty and the Beast, so that's double the reason to stop by TDL! It's even more incredible when you realize that it's been around for 20 years, and still more technologically advanced than any ride we have except for RotR.

Agreed! I'd also recommend Splash & Small World (it's amazing to see versions of Small World and Splash Mtn that both looked like they opened yesterday) I know you're tempted to spend the evening at TDS, but the TDL Electrical Parade is really fantastic too. I'd say my top TDL experiences were: Beauty and the Beast, Pooh, Splash, Small World, and the Electrical Parade. I'm sad that we missed Jungle Cruise at night, because I've heard that's really great too.

 

[jimmymc]

Beauty and the Beast, Pooh's Honey Hunt, and the parades I think make it worth doing one day in DL. DisneySea has a lot to do, but if you're willing to spend a little bit on premier access, you can do a lot of attractions in one day.