14 Best Tokyo Disneyland Rides For Adults

Tokyo Disney is top of our list whenever we visit Japan. The two theme parks aren’t far from the centre of Tokyo and are easy to add to your itinerary.

Tokyo Disneyland is a classic Disney park similar to Magic Kingdom in Orlando or Disneyland California.

It features a fairytale castle, popular characters like Mickey Mouse, and much-loved rides like Space and Splash Mountains. There are a few unique attractions too. 

Its sister park is Tokyo DisneySea, our personal favourite as it’s unlike other Disney parks and is a little quieter and more adult-orientated.

Tokyo Disneyland is still a fantastic day out and ideally, you’d spent a day at each park. I don’t recommend trying to visit both parks in one day.

In this post, I share the best Tokyo Disneyland rides, our one-day itinerary, and other tips to help you make the most of your stay and avoid the crowds.

Contents

• Top Tokyo Disneyland Rides and Attractions
• Other Tokyo Disneyland Attractions
• Tokyo Disneyland 1 Day Itinerary for Adults
• Tokyo Disneyland Tickets
• Priority Pass and Premier Access at Tokyo Disneyland
• Time-Saving Tips for Tokyo Disneyland
• Hotels Near Tokyo Disneyland
• The Best Time to Visit Tokyo Disneyland
• How to Get to Tokyo Disneyland
• Vegetarian and Vegan Food at Tokyo Disneyland
• Is Tokyo Disneyland Worth Visiting?
• More Japan Posts

Top Tip: Make sure to book your tickets in advance as they are no longer available at the gate and they can sell out. The easiest way to purchase for English speakers is to get an e-ticket from authorised partner Klook. Get your Tokyo Disneyland tickets here.

Top Tokyo Disneyland Rides and Attractions

These are the best Tokyo Disneyland rides ranked in order starting with our personal favourites. Your tastes may differ.

1) Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast

Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast, the newest Tokyo Disneyland ride, opened in 2020 and is by far the most popular ride in the park. On our visit, when most major rides had around 60-minute wait times, Beauty and the Beast was at 120 minutes.

The trackless dark ride takes place in the Beast’s Castle and even the details in the queue are beautiful.

You ride in magical teacups that spin and dance in rhythm to popular songs from Beauty and the Beast (including Be Our Guest) and glide through scenes from the animated film.

This delightful ride features impressive animatronics and is an excellent example of a storytelling dark ride. We didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as we did.

It’s now one of the best rides at Tokyo Disneyland, and you won’t want to miss it.

Disney Premier Access (see below) is available for Beauty and the Beast and may be worth paying for (we did and it saved us 95 minutes). If not, head there as soon as the park opens (along with everyone else).

2) Space Mountain

Update: The current Space Mountain will close at the end of July 2024 for a major transformation and won’t reopen until 2027.

Space Mountain is the best roller coaster at Tokyo Disneyland. On this thrilling indoor ride you fly in the dark through the galaxy at high speeds with plenty of twists and turns.

There are no inversions or massive drops, but it’s still intense and the darkness adds to the thrill—you never know what’s coming next!

In the queue you’ll find interactive games to keep you occupied.

Space Mountain is one of our favourites and is usually one of our first stops of the day (there’s no better way to wake up!) before queues get too long.

3) Splash Mountain

We love cheerful Splash Mountain and think it’s a Tokyo Disneyland must do! Especially now the ride has closed at Magic Kingdom and Disneyland California in the US.

This log flume ride is mostly gentle but ends with a thrilling drop over a waterfall. You get less wet on the Tokyo version than the old US rides, so it’s worth doing even on colder days.

On this leisurely journey you follow the adventures of Br’er Rabbit with cute animatronic scenes and catchy songs.

Splash Mountain is very popular (especially when it’s hot), so head there early or at the end of the night. You can also pay for Premier access.

4) Big Thunder Mountain

The third Tokyo Disneyland mountain ride is another classic.

Big Thunder Mountain is a fun ride on a runaway mine train with sudden drops and turns. It’s not a scary roller coaster, but it is fast and we love the Wild West theming.

The journey takes you through an old gold mine and there are lots of humorous details to spot along the way.

It’s worth riding during the day and at night if you can (but queues can be long). It’s a good one to get a free Priority Pass for.

5) Monsters, Inc. Ride & Go Seek!

Monsters, Inc. Ride & Go Seek! can’t be found at any other Disney park.

It’s an interactive dark ride that takes place after the events in the movie Monsters, Inc.

Along with Boo, you are invited to play a game of hide and seek with flashlights.

You board a gentle moving tram and go off in search of monsters. When you spot a monster helmet, shine your flashlight on it and the monsters pop up. It’s a fun and cute ride.

6) Pooh’s Hunny Hunt

Pooh’s Hunny Hunt is another popular dark ride unique to Tokyo Disneyland.

You travel on a hunny pot with a mind of its own and follow Winnie the Pooh on his search for honey in the richly detailed world of Hundred Acre Wood.

The ride is trackless which creates a more immersive experience as the cars engage with each other and the environment. There’s a cute moment when the car jumps with Tigger.

It’s one of the most popular Disneyland Tokyo rides so try to get a Priority Pass (it was our first choice) or ride it early.

7) Pirates of the Caribbean

A much-loved Disney ride around the world, Pirates of the Caribbean is a gentle indoor cruise.

You pass through scenes of a pirate raid from the bombardment of a fortress to debauchery after the victory. There are many elaborate details and quirky characters to notice along the way.

The films were inspired by this classic ride, which now features an animatronic figure of Captain Jack Sparrow.

Pirates isn’t as busy as other top Tokyo Disneyland attractions, so you can ride it whenever you have the chance.

8) Haunted Mansion

Another Disney classic, Haunted Mansion is an eerie ride through a Gothic mansion with 999 ghostly inhabitants.

It’s a gentle experience with lots of interesting details and special effects to enjoy. It’s not actually scary.

It’s also much easier to get on than the above Tokyo Disney rides with shorter queues than most of the others on this list. The queue has some interesting details anyway.

During Halloween and Christmas, the ride is transformed into a special holiday version which is well worth doing (but it will be busier than usual).

Priority Pass is available and is worth using (it was our second pick during Halloween season).

9) Star Tours: The Adventures Continue

Star Tours is a flight motion simulator journey through space with 3D effects. It’s the same as the Hollywood Studios ride in Florida.

There are multiple storylines so every time you ride it, it could be different (but quality varies).

Simon loves this one, but it aggravates my motion sickness.

This is one of the least popular attractions in Tokyo Disneyland so you should be able to get on without queueing too long, especially in the evenings.

10) Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters

Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters is an interactive dark ride based on the character from Toy Story.

You board a space cruiser (which you can spin) and blast away with your laser cannon at evil Emperor Zurg and his minions and try to rack up a higher score than your companions.

It’s an enjoyable ride, but I don’t think it’s worth a long wait.

11) Western River Railroad

For a total change of pace, board the Western River Railroad. This isn’t a must-do Tokyo Disney attraction, but we enjoy riding this steam train, especially when queues are long elsewhere in the park.

The train loops around Adventureland, Westernland, and Critter Country with fantastic views of the park and some cool hidden scenes. It even goes through Thunder Mountain.

It departs from and returns to Adventureland and you can’t get off along the way (unlike in Magic Kingdom in the US).

12) Mark Twain Riverboat

Like the Railroad, the Mark Twain Riverboat is a gentle way to explore the park when all the rides are busy.

It takes you on a 15-minute tour of the Rivers of America with superb views, especially at sunset.

13) Tom Sawyer Island

Although it’s primarily a kids play area, even as adults we like taking the raft across the Rivers of America to Tom Sawyer Island.

The Tokyo version isn’t as large or as quiet as the one in Magic Kingdom Orlando, but there are some fun attractions including a barrel bridge, fort, treehouse and caves.

Again, do this one when the crowds in the park are getting to you, as you’ll likely find a quiet spot to relax. It closes at sunset so is best visited in the afternoon.

14) Jungle Cruise

Jungle Cruise is an outdoor boat ride through the jungle past animatronic animals and other suprises.

This is a popular Disney ride worldwide but mainly for the pun-tastic jokes your tour guide tells along the way. Of course, unless you speak Japanese, you won’t understand any of them here.

It is still a fun, quirky ride, though, and worth doing if queues aren’t too long.

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Other Tokyo Disneyland Attractions

If you have extra time, here are some more Tokyo Disney attractions to consider. Check the app for the day’s show and parade times.

• Disney Harmony in Color Parade – A large character parade. The parades are extremely popular with the Japanese who sit on mats by the route hours before the start. You can also pay for Premier Access to get a good spot.
• Tokyo Disneyland Electrical Parade Dreamlights – The vibrant nighttime parade is even more spectacular. We managed to get a decent view 10 minutes before the start, but if it’s important to you, arrive earlier.
• The Happy Ride with Baymax – This popular ride didn’t look worth the long waits for us, but apparently it’s the music that makes it fun (everyone dances along).
• Walk through Toontown – The area features rides for kids but it’s a fun and colourful place for a wander. Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin is a chaotic ride that’s worth doing if waits are low (evenings are best).
• Swiss Family Treehouse – A lowkey attraction where you climb up into a treehouse.
• Beaver Brothers Explorer Canoes – You can do real canoeing along the river here! It closes at sunset.
• Country Bear Theater – At Magic Kingdom we love this charming, hilarious show featuring singing bears. We didn’t like it quite as much in Tokyo as half the songs are in Japanese, but there’s no queue and it makes a good break. There are special shows at Christmas and in the summer (unlike at other Disney parks where these have been stopped).
• The Enchanted Tiki Room: Stitch Presents “Aloha E Komo Mai!” – Another show with no queue that’s good for a break. It features singing birds and is in Japanese.
• Sky Full of Colors – A fireworks show at the end of the night. We usually catch it as we walk out.
• Club Mouse Beat – A lively musical show featuring Mickey and friends in an outdoor theatre. You need to make an Entry Request on the app to enter the free lottery for a seat.
• Mickey’s Magical Music World – Another musical show that requires an Entry Request. It takes place in the new Fantasyland Forest Theatre.

I also highly recommend allowing time to just wander and explore as there are always fun details to discover and decorations at different times of year.

At Easter we loved spotting the eggs everywhere including a Sheriff egg having an eggsistential crisis.

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Tokyo Disneyland 1 Day Itinerary for Adults

Here was our itinerary for Tokyo Disneyland on a medium traffic day in October when the park was open from 9am to 9pm.

• 7.45am – Arrived at Tokyo Disneyland 30 minutes before Happy Entry started (staying at Hotel Miracosta). There were already loads of people ahead of us in the queue.
• 8.15am – Entered the park with our 15-minute early entry and straight away purchased Premier Access for Beauty and the Beast (10am return time) and a Priority Pass for Pooh (9am return time).
• 8.30am – Rest of park guests allowed in and the rides open. We rode Space Mountain. Failed to get entry request lottery tickets for either of the shows.
• 8.45am – Splash Mountain (it didn’t open until 9am and we got on at 9.10am).
• 9am – Booked our second Priority for Haunted Mansion (12.30pm return).
• 9.30am – Bought tasty Tipo Torta pastries from the stall in Fantasyland.
• 9.35am – Pooh’s Hunny Hunt with our Priority Pass. 10-minute wait when the standby was 65 minutes.
• 10.10am – Beauty and the Beast with Premier Access. 20-minute wait when standby at 115 minutes.
• 10.45am – Star Tours with a 10-minute wait.
• 11am – Got our third Priority for Monsters Inc at 4.50pm (Haunted Mansion now sold out).
• 11.15am – Early lunch at Plazma Rays.
• 12pm – Mark Twain Riverboat with no wait.
• 12.30pm – Haunted Mansion with Priority Pass. Booked our fourth Priority for Thunder Mountain at 8.20pm.
• 1 – 5pm Park very busy so we took a break back at our hotel. We had an early dinner at Guzman y Gomez at the Ikispari shopping centre on the way back in.

• 5pm – Monsters Inc with Priority. 12-minute wait when standby at 60 minutes.
• 5.30pm – Western River Railroad with a 10-minute wait.
• 6pm – Country Bear Jamboree for a break (still the weirdest thing at Disney).
• 6.45pm – Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin with a 5-minute wait.
• 7.05pm – Sat on the floor at Snow White’s wishing well (between Fantasyland and Frontierland) to watch the parade (sixth row back). Not a bad view considering we showed up 10 minutes before it started.
• 7.15pm – 7.45pm – Electrical Parade.
• 8.15pm – Thunder Mountain with Priority.
• 8.30pm – Left the park during fireworks show (avoided crowds and monorail not busy).

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Tokyo Disneyland Tickets

Currently, you can only buy one-day Tokyo Disneyland tickets. There are no multi-day tickets available (except for a brief period in the summer), so if you’d like to visit both Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea, you’ll need to buy two separate one-day tickets.

I don’t recommend trying to visit both parks in one day as there is too much to do in each and there are no park hopper tickets. 

One-day Tokyo Disneyland tickets cost from 7900 yen ($51) depending on the date.

You must buy tickets online before your visit and choose a specific date. Tickets go on sale two months in advance and they can sell out.

The easiest way to buy tickets is from authorised partner Klook, as international credit cards don’t work on the Tokyo Disney website.

You can book on Klook’s website or app then scan into the park directly with the QR code you are given.

Or as we did, scan your Klook ticket into the Disney app. You can then use the app as your ticket and be ready to apply for Premier and Priority passes as soon as you enter.

Buy your Tokyo Disneyland tickets here.

You can also use Klook to book lots of cool things to do in Tokyo and get discounts on activities.

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Hotels Near Tokyo Disneyland

For the full Disney experience, I recommend staying in a hotel nearby and spending two days in the parks (one at DisneySea and one at Tokyo Disneyland).

You can then move to central Tokyo to explore the rest of the city (we love Shinjuku as a base).

We have visited Tokyo Disney both from central Tokyo and stayed in a nearby hotel and we much preferred staying nearby. Here’s why:

• Save travel time (about an hour from Shinjuku) and start the day more refreshed.
• Avoid the busy morning commute (Tokyo trains get very crowded).
• Be able to take a break in the afternoon (when the parks are busiest) and then stay late (when crowds ease off).

Staying nearby is especially worthwhile if you plan to spend two days and visit both parks.

Budget Hotel in Walking Distance

We have stayed at Hotel Mystays Maihama. It’s one of the cheapest options in the area (we paid about 15,000 yen/$107) and we thought it was excellent value considering we could walk to DisneySea in 10 minutes and Disneyland in 20 minutes (there’s also a free shuttle at certain times). 

Rooms are nothing fancy but are clean and comfortable with a fridge, kettle, and desk. Breakfast is an extra cost so we bought snacks instead.

It’s a 15-minute walk from the Ikispari shopping centre, where there are plenty of shops and restaurants, and Maihama Station.

Click here to search for more hotels near Tokyo Disneyland. 

Disney Hotels

If you stay in an official Disney hotel, you’ll benefit from “Happy Entry”—being allowed in the park 15 minutes before anyone else through a special entrance. Hotel prices are much higher, though.

Happy Entry is not available on your check-in day, but it is on your check-out day.

We stayed at the MiraCosta on our last trip and loved it. It was worth the high price for the views into DisneySea and direct access. We took the monorail to get to Tokyo Disneyland.

The Disney Ambassador Hotel is in the Ikispari shopping centre, a short walk from Tokyo Disneyland (or there’s a free shuttle). 

The luxury Tokyo Disneyland Hotel is the closest hotel to Disneyland, but it’s more expensive. 

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The Best Time to Visit Tokyo Disneyland

Avoid visiting Tokyo Disneyland on weekends or national holidays as it will be extremely busy.

Check this Tokyo Disney crowd calendar to find the quietest day to visit. Look for days that are green or light blue. It’s in Japanese but with Google Translate you should be able to figure it out.

Mid-January is the quietest time to visit but it will be cold and more rides than usual may be closed.

Late-April/early-May (Golden Week) and Christmas/ New Year are the busiest times of year.

If there’s a ride you really want to do, check Disney’s ride closure list to make sure it will be open. You can also see the Tokyo Disney calendar for park opening and show times. 

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How to Get to Tokyo Disneyland

The nearest train station to Disney Japan is Maihama. From there you can walk to Tokyo Disneyland in about five minutes or take the Disney Resort Monorail (260 yen), which takes two minutes.

I’d allow about an hour to get from Shinjuku or Shibuya stations to Disneyland including transfer times and walking to the resort.

You can use the Navitime website or app to check train times. Trains will be very busy in the morning rush hour. 

If you are spending a few days in Tokyo, I recommend getting a Suica or Pasmo card, which you can top up and use as a ticket for all trains in Tokyo.

Tokyo Station to Tokyo Disneyland

Take the JR Keiyo or JR Musashino line to Maihama. It takes about 15 minutes.

Shinjuku to Tokyo Disneyland

Take the JR Chuo rapid line from Shinjuku to Tokyo then change to the JR Keiyo or JR Musashino line to Maihama. It takes about 30 minutes.

Shibuya to Tokyo Disneyland

There are two options:

1) Take the JR Saikyo-Rinkai line to Shinkiba then change to the JR Keiyo line to Maihama. The Saikyo line technically ends at Osaki but some trains continue on the private Rinkai line to Shinkiba. This takes about 35 minutes.

This route is fastest but it has two downsides—trains don’t run that frequently so you could have to wait 30 minutes between trains and it’s more expensive than JR lines (720 yen vs 410 yen).

2) Take the JR Yamanote line to Tokyo Station then change to the JR Keiyo or JR Musashino line to Maihama. It takes about 45 minutes.

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Vegetarian and Vegan Food at Tokyo Disneyland

Vegetarian and vegan food at Tokyo Disneyland is limited, although it has improved slightly recently.

• Plazma Ray’s Diner – The Plant-Based Korean-Style Rice Bowl used to contain meat but is now fully vegan and the best option in the park. The french fries and cup salad are also vegan (skip the salad dressing, which has bonito flakes).
• Eastside Cafe – A table service restaurant that requires a reservation. The only vegan option is a set menu with soup and pasta with a vegetable tomato sauce.
• Mixed Greens – This new vegan salad with beans and grains is available at La Taverne De Gaston and Camp Woodchuck Kitchen. You can also get french fries.

The Instagram account Vegan at Tokyo Disney Resort is the best source of up to date information including which snacks are vegan.

Sweet Treats

• Sweetheart Cafe – Various self-service baked goods. Limited vegan options (red bean-filled rice bread).
• Little Green Men – These adorable custard-filled mochi are the cutest snack in the parks. They are not vegan. We got ours from Plazma Ray’s but they are available in a few places.
• Tipo Torta – These pastry sticks filled with seasonal creams (ours was chocolate orange) are really good (but not vegan). Available at the Village Pastry wagon in Fantasyland.

You can make reservations for table service restaurants on the day from 10am at the restaurant, but your choice of times will likely be limited. You can also book online on the Tokyo Disney website up to one month before. 

You can find restaurant menus on the Tokyo Disney website, but they are in Japanese so you’ll have to use Google Translate. 

We often eat outside the park at Guzman y Gomez, a Mexican chain restaurant in the Ikispari shopping centre between Disneyland and Maihama train station.

You can order burritos, tacos, nachos and bowls with vegetables and guacamole (vegans can skip the cheese and sour cream). You order at the counter and service is quick.

On the 1st floor of the mall, there’s also a supermarket with lots of imported items if you are looking for familiar snacks.

Although veggie choices are limited in the parks, there is plenty of delicious vegetarian food in Tokyo that you can try during the rest of your stay. 

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Is Tokyo Disneyland Worth Visiting?

Yes, Tokyo Disneyland is worth visiting! It offers the quintessential Disney experience with Cinderella’s Castle, classic rides like Space and Splash Mountain, and all the favourite characters.

It’s a fun day out, but if you only have one spare day in Tokyo, I advise visiting DisneySea instead as it’s unlike any other Disney park around the world.

Best of all, spend two days nearby and visit both parks!

For more tips on visiting Tokyo, see our post on the best things to do in Tokyo. 

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More Japan Posts

Our Tokyo Travel Guides

• 14 Best Tokyo DisneySea Rides
• 26 Cool Things to Do in Tokyo
• 18 Best Things to Do in Shinjuku, Tokyo
• Why Shinjuku is the Best Area to Stay in Tokyo
• Best Vegetarian Restaurants in Tokyo

Other Japan Posts

• Planning a Trip to Japan: Dos and Don’ts
• 56 Best Things to Do in Japan for an Unforgettable Trip
• 16 Unmissable Places to Visit in Japan

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