Everything About Visiting Tokyo DisneySea With Children
An Abundance Of Kid-Friendly Features Behind The Headline Thrills
Is Tokyo DisneySea really better for adults? Never! Go beyond DisneySea thrill rides to discover the park’s enchanting sites for children.
A popular opinion about Tokyo Disney Resort differentiates its two parks: Tokyo Disneyland is for children, while Tokyo DisneySea is for adults. But don’t believe the hype! While it’s true that DisneySea has more adult thrill rides and date spots than Disneyland, DisneySea has some enchanting, unique-to-Japan attractions for kids that make it well worth a visit.
This article includes attractions that may or not be currently open at DisneySea due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We’ve included our top recommendations, but also provided additional resources to aid your planning.
When to go to Tokyo DisneySea
If you can get to DisneySea on a low crowd day, you’ll get the most out of your ticket. Wait times will be relatively low and you’ll get to experience lots of attractions. Check the Tokyo Disney Resort crowd prediction calendar to find low-crowd days—usually, weekdays when Japanese schools are in session.
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Currently, park crowds are kept low to prevent the spread of Covid-19. But when normal operations resume, it is worth braving a bit of a crowd during DisneySea special events, such as Pixar Playtime and Disney Halloween. Check for them on the DisneySea events webpage.
What to bring to Tokyo DisneySea
Expect to be walking for much of your day. Wear comfortable shoes and pack a bag or stroller with what you’d expect to use for one full day out with your children. Dress appropriately for the weather—it can get windy. Note that no tripods or selfie sticks are allowed inside the park.
Additionally, these things are helpful:
- Stroller: Your own strollers (not carts or wagons) are allowed into the park, or you can rent a Mickey Mouse-themed stroller for ¥1,000.
- Portable phone charger: It’ll be a long day, and the park does not have a lot of charging stations.
- Costumes: It’s popular for families to dress in coordinated outfits or matching headgear, and it’s fun, too!
- Face masks: Guests are currently required to wear masks inside Tokyo Disneyland, except when eating. Also, expect a Disney cast member to take your temperature as you enter the park.
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What guides and maps to pick-up
Pick up an English map from wagons located past the Aqua Sphere in the passage towards Mediterranean Harbor. On the back of this map, find the “Quick Guide to Shopping,” where you’ll find locations to purchase helpful items such as rainwear, stroller rain covers, diapers, and cold packs.
The “Quick Guide to Attractions” on the map tells you which rides have height and child-on-lap restrictions. Note the lost child facility—just in case—in the Mediterranean Harbor between Mamma Biscotti’s Bakery and the park entrance to the Miracosta Hotel.
You should also grab a “Foods & Goods” guide—this one features seasonal foods and souvenirs. An insert in the map, “Today,” gives information on that day’s parades and shows.
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For parents of infants, there is a Baby Center near the park entrance to the Miracosta hotel. This facility has sales of formula and baby food, hot water for preparing infant formula, and designated spaces for nursing infants.
There is also a nursing mother’s lounge in the restrooms near the Tower of Terror, and a baby care room inside Mermaid Lagoon.
Where to eat with children in Tokyo DisneySea
DisneySea is beloved by its fans for featuring special foods that can’t be found at any other Disney park. They aren’t strange foods—they are just in Japanese styles, such as noodle dishes, dessert parfaits, and specialty drinks. Many come with souvenir cups and plates to purchase, too.
If your child has food allergies, you can bring your own meals into the park, or ask for a “low allergen” set at many restaurants, which is a meal that does not include wheat, buckwheat, egg, milk, or peanuts.
During Tokyo Disneyland’s Covid-19 modifications, visit the park’s Restaurant status page for an updated list of restaurant closures.
Blueberry popcorn at Tokyo DisneySea
Sebastian’s Calypso Kitchen (Mermaid Lagoon)
This restaurant is inside the kids’ paradise of Mermaid Lagoon, so it’s a natural choice as you’ll likely wind up there anyway. The menu has seafood or sausage pizza, fried shrimp, and french fries.
Look for an ice cream cart near this restaurant. It will have some delicious only-in-DisneySea treats like a tiramisu ice cream sandwich and a sea salt manaka.
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Casbah Food Court (Arabian Coast)
Easy curry dishes here mean kids will enjoy a familiar meal. Adults can enjoy the combined curry dish that has both beef and shrimp curries.
Cape Cod Cookoff (American Waterfront)
Hamburgers, cheeseburgers, and chicken or fish sandwiches are on this menu, as well as Mickey-shaped chicken nuggets. Order any set from the menu for each member of your party, and you all can enjoy the “My Friend Duffy” show with your meal.
Zambini Brothers Ristorante (Mediterranean Harbor)
This casual, counter-style restaurant has kid-friendly pasta with meat sauce and a fun “spaghetti pizza” with shrimp and pancetta. Enjoy some cute desserts, too, like a turquoise blue churro themed to the Soaring attraction or a raspberry mousse parfait.
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Ristorante di Canaletto (Mediterranean Harbor)
This restaurant is a good up-scale choice for dining with children. For kids, there is a “Bambino set” with pasta and sides on a Mickey-shaped plate or a wood-fired cheese pizza. Adults can enjoy a glass of wine with fancier choices such as squid tagliolini or spaghettini and clams peperoncino.
Kid-friendly snacks at Tokyo DisneySea
Grab a New-York-City-style hot dog at Delancey Catering, a food wagon across from the American Waterfront Station entrance of DisneySea Electric Railway. Eat it while the railway squeaks by overhead—it really does sound like the elevated train in Queens, New York.
Don’t miss DisneySea’s famous mochi treat, themed after the green aliens from Toy Story. Buy a cup of three of them in front of the S.S. Columbia in the American Waterfront. Surprise! Each of the three aliens has a different flavor of cream inside. Purchase this snack early on a high crowd day, as it can sell out.
Lastly, kids and parents will both enjoy some of the eccentric popcorn flavors at DisneySea, such as strawberry, blueberry, matcha milk, or garlic shrimp. Your English map designates the locations of these popcorn stands and the flavor at each. Prepare to queue for quite a long time for the most famous flavors!
Pick up the green alien mochi treat in front of the SS Columbia
Navigating rides and attractions with kids
Start your day at DisneySea by grabbing Fastpasses for your family, then plan to spend your day on featured rides, exploring enchanting themed lands, and, if you don’t mind waiting in line, doing a character greeting. We’ll describe some shows to take in, too.
We’ve listed our recommendations below as if DisneySea is in normal operations. However, during the park’s Covid-19 modifications many attractions are closed, Fastpasses are unavailable, and shows are canceled. Check their park operations procedures for the latest openings and closures.
How to use Fastpasses at Tokyo DisneySea
A Fastpass is a ticket, either paper or digital, for a specific ride that allows you to enter with a shorter wait (usually about 15 minutes) than the standby line (which would probably be an hour wait or more during a moderately crowded day).
Arrive at the park early, at opening time or earlier, to get your first choice of Fastpasses. The fastest way to get them is by using the Tokyo Disney Resort app, which is available internationally and in English. Download it before you go so you can set up a Japan Disney account. As soon as you enter the park, you’ll be able to select your first Fastpass on the app.
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You can alternately obtain a Fastpass by walking to your desired ride and scanning your paper ticket at a Fastpass booth. Each ticket holder is allowed one Fastpass initially, and that Fastpass will tell you the time you can obtain your next one. Pay attention to this time and you may be able to obtain more than one Fastpass in a day.
If your child is under four years old and without a ticket, don’t worry, he or she just rides along with you. Children three years old and younger enter DisneySea for free, no ticket required!
The best Fastpass rides for kids at DisneySea
When you go to DisneySea with children, we recommend prioritizing these Fastpasses:
- Soaring: Fantastic Flight. Fastpasses can disappear for this ride in as fast as 15 minutes, and the standby queue can reach over 3 hours! It has a height restriction of 102cm (about 3ft, 4 inches), so it’s good for elementary school-age children and older.
- Toy Story Mania! This is a really fun ride for kids and it can also have an extremely long standby queue, so a Fastpass here is worth it. There’s no height restriction.
- Nemo & Friends Searider. This ride has a height restriction of only 90 cm (just under 3 ft) but the ride has bumpy jolts and surprises. It might be too scary for some young children, especially toddlers. If that concerns you, try riding Aquatopia next to Nemo instead, which is more gentle.
Best attractions for children at Tokyo DisneySea
Beyond DisneySea’s headlining, Fastpass attractions are enchanting lands that delight both children and parents. Once you’ve made a plan for your Fastpass rides, plan to spend most of your day exploring these charming settings until the nighttime shows begin.
Mermaid Lagoon
A glittering pastel palace marks the entrance to Princess Ariel’s homeland, Atlantica, at the Mermaid Lagoon attraction. King Triton, riding dolphins, will be your welcomer. When you see him, look directly down over the railing to catch a glimpse of Ariel’s Secret Grotto.
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Then descend down the entrance pathway into a deep purple and blue land under the sea. Kids love this atmosphere. The rides in Mermaid Lagoon are all kid-friendly. There are gentle spinning kelp cups, jellyfish that gradually rise up and down, a blowfish balloon ride, and a sea creature play area for toddlers.
The best part of Mermaid Lagoon is Ariel’s Playground. It’s an amazing under-the-sea-themed playscape. There’s a kelp maze, a rope walk, a scary shipwreck, and some secret pathways that lead to Ursula’s lair and Ariel’s Secret Grotto, which you may have glimpsed down into upon your entry. Pick up the English pamphlet guide map for Ariel’s Playground to make sure you don’t miss a thing.
Fortress Explorations
Fortress Explorations sits at the base of Mount Prometheus. It’s a delight for kids because it’s a giant castle to explore, with all sorts of enchanting pathways and mysterious discoveries.
The Renaissance ship open for exploration
Leave time to explore this attraction thoroughly. There are several themed rooms with mechanics and inventions to tinker with. The walkways above have great views of the Mediterranean Harbor and American Waterfront. Atop the castle, you can find cannons that kids can pretend to shoot with realistic sound effects and a puff of smoke. Behind the castle, close to the water, is a sailing ship to board and investigate.
There is an attraction in conjunction with Fortress Explorations called, “The Leonardo Challenge,” but it’s in Japanese only. You may see a line for this at one of the castle entrances, but don’t wait in it—there are several alternate wait-free entryways. An English guide book is available for this attraction, too.
Playing with cannons in Fortress Explorations
Arabian Coast
Arabian Coast is another land with a good mixture of kid-friendly attractions. In it, ride the double-decker Caravan Carousel or Jasmine’s Flying Carpets.
There is also a ride here unique to DisneySea called Sindbad’s Storybook Voyage. It’s an uplifting boat ride through the adventure of Sinbad and his tiger pet, Chandu. There is also a designated character greeting area outside this ride. The characters are unannounced, but they are often from the film Aladdin.
Additionally, inside Arabian Coast, find a game area where you can win prizes. There is an extra cost for these games and there is often a waiting line to play them, but it’s a fun activity and the prizes are unique souvenirs.
Sunset view of the Arabian Coast
Insider Tips for adult thrill riders
Sneak in some fun for mom & dad, too!
The Single Rider trick: Two thrill rides, Indiana Jones Adventure, and Raging Spirits, have single rider lines. This means one person can stand in a shorter wait line for one single seat only. Have one parent take the kids over to Arabian Coast while the other rides these two big ones, then: switch!
Alternate Rider pass: Ask a cast member at any ride entrance for an “Alternate Rider Pass,” and one parent will be allowed to ride while the other waits with the kids. When that parent is finished, the waiting parent gets to ride second and skip the line!
Parents and kids will also enjoy a walk through the American Waterfront Area, which brings them to a quaint Cape-Cod-like coastal town and old New York. And there is one more attraction to explore there, too the S.S. Columbia steamship.
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Character Greetings at Tokyo DisneySea
If you’re willing to stand in line, you could meet Mickey, Minnie, or Donald at Tokyo DisneySea’s official character greeting locations in Lost River Delta. At Village Greeting Place, meet Duffy or one of his friends, those かわいい (kawaii; cute) characters that are all the rage in Japan.
Other Disney characters will appear in other spots in the park throughout the day, at unannounced times. Look for them in front of the Tower of Terror, in Port Discovery, and along the !Saludos Amigos! Greeting Dock in Lost River Delta.
During DisneySea Covid-19 precautions, there are no character greetings, but throughout the day some Disney characters wave to the visitors from a boat sailing around the Mediterranean Harbor and on the waterway between Mermaid Lagoon and Arabian Coast. The times are unannounced so as not to attract a crowd.
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Tokyo DisneySea shows for kids
There are three FastPass theater attractions at DisneySea for shows that delight kids: Turtle Talk, The Magic Lamp Theater, and King Triton’s Concert. They are only in Japanese, however. You probably won’t enjoy the first two if you don’t speak Japanese, but King Triton’s Concert is worth viewing, if only for the kids to witness Ariel flying suspended above the audience.
Another show worth seeing is the energetic Big Band Beat. This show is music-based, so you don’t have to speak Japanese to enjoy it. Entry is by lottery, and you can enter the lottery in person or by using the Tokyo Disney Resort app.
In the evening, don’t miss the featured show on the water of the Mediterranean Harbor. “Believe! Sea of Dreams,” a new harbor show, is scheduled to premiere in April 2021.
Following it is a fireworks show set to music called Light the Night. It’s best viewed at the Mediterranean Harbor, too.
Well, “Hot dog!” as Mickey Mouse says… that’s all! We hope our recommendations for a day at Tokyo DisneySea with children will give you a better understanding of the park, and a fun-filled Tokyo Disney day.
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The Deets
Where: 1-1 3 Maihama, Urayasu, Chiba
Business hours: Vary daily. Check the park operation calendar.
Cost: ¥8,200 (Adult), ¥6,900 (Juniors aged 12 to 17), ¥4,900 (Children aged 4 to 11). Available online. Visit Tickets for Park Admission for full purchasing details during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Access: Take the JR (Japan Railway) Keiyo Line / Musashino Line to Maihama train station. Exit the station on the Tokyo Disney Resort side, then take the Disney Resort Line three stops to the Tokyo DisneySea station.
Parking: ¥2,500 (weekdays) / ¥3,000 (weekends & holidays)
Restaurant reservations: 057-005-1118 from within Japan and +81 45-330-5711 from outside Japan. For English assistance, press 9 and then 1. Restaurant reservations are also available online.
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