Disneyland may be the most-Instagrammed location in the world, and Walt Disney World the most well-attended theme park, but when it comes to cutting-edge innovation and pure Disney magic, neither holds a candle to Tokyo DisneySea.
Nestled along the edge of the Tokyo Bay, the 176-acre nautical-themed park was the ninth to be constructed behind Disneyland, Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Tokyo Disneyland, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disneyland Paris, Animal Kingdom, and Disney California Adventure. Its layout is unlike that of any other Disney park in the world; rather than distinct lands that branch out from a central hub, it boasts seven ports that line the banks of a manmade river. At the center of the park, a steaming volcano called Mount Prometheus rises from the center of Mysterious Island, anchoring the park and providing a captivating backdrop for its evening entertainment. With rare character meet-and-greets, exquisite dining options, and truly original attractions, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more spectacular display of Disney Imagineering at its best.
Here are just five reasons why we think it’s one of the best parks Disney has to offer…
1. It’s a great theme park for adults to enjoy.
Look, we’re not here to shame anyone over the age of five years old who still loves going to the Disney Parks. Each park is incredible in their own right, and feeling like a kid is half the fun of a Disney vacation, anyway. Nor are we suggesting that DisneySea is in any way unsuitable for children—you need only dip a toe into the “underwater” portion of the Mermaid Lagoon, where kid-sized teacups, playplaces, and character meet-and-greets await.
Still, there’s something unique about the design of DisneySea that makes it feel a little more grown-up than the rest. Its seven ports of call are distinctly themed to the Mediterranean, a Jules Verne-inspired island, a whimsical mermaid lagoon, the Arabian coast, a rainforest in Central America, a marine life institute, and 20th century America, giving guests some distinct EPCOT vibes while they explore the Aztec ruins of Indiana Jones Adventure or venture out to Old Cape Cod for fried chicken sandwiches and the My Friend Duffy show. And unlike the neighboring Tokyo Disneyland, nearly every restaurant and lounge from the Zambini Brothers’ Ristorante to the über-popular Teddy Roosevelt Lounge aboard the S.S. Columbia offers select alcoholic beverages, which can be a definite plus if you’re planning to squeeze in a romantic outing or date night during your trip.
2. It doesn’t shy away from original attractions… and characters.
If it’s traditional dark rides and outer space roller coasters you want, you’re better off trying your luck at Tokyo Disneyland, Hong Kong Disneyland, Magic Kingdom… really, any park that isn’t Tokyo DisneySea. While there are a few overlapping attractions with other parks—most notably Toy Story Midway Mania! and Indiana Jones Adventure—DisneySea prides itself on a slate of innovative rides and shows that you simply can’t find anywhere else. Some of its best include Journey to the Center of the Earth, which winds through the steaming volcano at the park’s center, as well as a 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea dark ride, Nemo & Friends SeaRider simulator, and Peruvian Raging Spirits roller coaster. And a lovable baby tiger, Chandu, easily eclipses the cuteness of Mary Blair’s “it’s a small world” figures during a meandering boat ride dubbed Sindbad’s Storybook Voyage.
Not only does DisneySea offer its guests a veritable smorgasbord of unique attractions, but it improves on old classics, too. Its version of The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, shortened to “Tower of Terror,” features a new story about a greedy hotel owner plagued by a sinister (and self-induced) curse and is widely considered the best version of the attraction to date. DisneySea will also get the opportunity to rework a few more of Disney’s most popular stories—Peter Pan, Tangled, and Frozen—when it opens an eighth port of call sometime in 2022. For the first time, guests will be able to step inside Elsa and Anna’s castle in Arendelle, grab a bite to eat at the ruffian-friendly Snuggly Duckling pub, and shrink to Tinker Bell’s size in a Pixie Hollow-themed attraction as Disney finds new ways to recycle some of its older films and characters.
3. Its diverse cuisine and elaborately-themed restaurants are unparalleled.
Image: Martin Lewison, Flickr (license)
Turkey legs, Dole Whips, Mickey pretzels, and fresh churros may be the basic staples of every parkgoer’s diet, but there’s far, far more to explore when it comes to the rest of the Disney Parks’ dining options. Disneyland’s Blue Bayou offers bone-in rib-eye and crème brûlée along the dusk-trimmed river of Pirates of the Caribbean, while Be Our Guest serves charred octopus and “the grey stuff” cupcakes in the very ballroom where Belle and her Beast once waltzed together.
DisneySea takes themed dining to a new level, however, one that may only be rivaled by the eateries throughout EPCOT’s World Showcase. Immersive experiences await diners at every quick-service and reservation-only spot, from classic “mile high” sandwiches at the deli counter of the American Waterfront’s New York Deli to gourmet three-course meals at Magellan’s, a premier table-service restaurant so immaculate that it somehow eclipses even Carthay Circle and Monsieur Paul for in-park dining.
An entirely separate top-5 list might be dedicated to DisneySea’s snacks, too: Little Green Men mochi rice cakes, Mickey ice pops, and shrimp-filled Ukiwaman can be found at various locations throughout the park, while their flavored popcorn (black pepper, cappuccino, and curry are just a few of the truly odd and delicious flavors offered) remains the one can’t-miss item on the menu.
4. It offers meet-and-greets with seldom-seen characters.
Image: Michael Zimmer, Flickr (license)
Whether you’re five or twenty-five, character meet-and-greets can make for a fun, silly way to pass time during any Disney trip. While the Fab Five and most of the princesses (as well as a few villains) draw long lines at nearly every park throughout the year, you’re far more likely to stumble across a rare character at DisneySea. In addition to Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, and their pals, guests can snap photos with characters like Thumper, Marie, Bernard, Bianca, Scrooge McDuck, Max Goof, Geppetto, and even Indiana Jones.
Granted, character meets are among the most popular activities no matter where you go, and DisneySea is no exception. Allowing for large crowds and long wait times means that most character interactions are much shorter than they normally would be, leaving guests with the opportunity to take exactly one photo with each character before moving on.
5. Superlative theming brings every port of call to life.
Image: Ruth Hartnup, Flickr (license)
We’ve gushed a little about theming already, but it bears repeating: Even given Disney’s sterling-silver reputation when it comes to replica facades, intricate landscaping, and themed attractions, the buildings, eateries, and rides featured at DisneySea blow everything else out of the water.
It’s not just that DisneySea eschews centralized princess castles for an active volcano or the way it blends the studio’s oft-overlooked film material (The Emperor’s New Groove) with original-concept rides (Raging Spirits). Every nook and cranny of the theme park’s seven ports of call—Mediterranean Harbor, Mysterious Island, Mermaid Lagoon, Arabian Coast, Lost River Delta, Port Discovery, and the American Waterfront—feels like it was ripped out of a storybook from days gone by. In particular, the American Waterfront outshines EPCOT’s American Adventure, where guests are limited to a singular white-pillared colonial mansion, within which The Voices of Liberty sing a capella tunes in the lobby and Audio-Animatronics pontificate about American history. DisneySea, meanwhile, taps into the collective nostalgia of its American visitors with scenes from Industrial-Age New York City, where old Broadway theaters, classic delis, and corrupt millionaires rule the day. (And its immersive features don’t end with the American Waterfront, of course: even the latest-rumored lands are expected to be just as extensively themed, if the concept art for a pirate bay in Neverland, a glistening tower in Corona, and the ice-cold kingdom of Arendelle is in any way accurate.)
Whether you’re in Orlando or Anaheim or Tokyo, Disney finds ways to transport its guests to worlds fantastical and unknown. DisneySea’s blend of innovative attractions, varied and well-themed cuisine, and clever twists on classic Disney films and characters continue to top the charts year after year—and we’ve only just scratched the surface of all it has to offer.
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Have you crossed Tokyo DisneySea off of your bucket list yet? What did you like about it? What would you avoid next time?
