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Tokyo DisneySea: Top 5 FastPass Attractions & 5 Secret Tips For Attractions with Short Queues!

Tokyo DisneySea: Top 5 FastPass Attractions & 5 Secret Tips For Attractions with Short Queues!

Last updated: 2 March 2020

Tokyo DisneySea, right next to Tokyo Disneyland, is Japan’s other magical park, offering a plethora of exciting attractions, shows, and more. While some of them are so popular that you need to queue for hours, others are less well-known and seen as secret tips among DisneySea fans.

The greatest was to enjoy this unique park is to blend these secret hot spots with the popular must-rides! For that, it’s important to know how the “FASTPASS Ticket” works to skip the lines! Let’s take a look at the five must-ride attractions to absolutely get a Fastpass for, as well as five secret tips that you can enter almost instantly!

What is the Fastpass Ticket (FP)?

What is the Fastpass Ticket (FP)?

The Fastpass Ticket is a system that gives you almost instant access to various attractions in Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea. In a nutshell, it lets you reserve a specific time slot for an attraction, granting you access to the Fastpass Entrance with significantly less waiting time. These tickets are easy to get: simply find the machines in front of the different attractions, place your park ticket under the scanner, and receive a Fastpass for free. Return to the ride within the time printed on the Fastpass and you are good to go! The parks’ maps and the official homepage clearly indicate which attractions are part of this system, so be sure to check.
However, the Fastpass system also comes with certain rules. You need to wait for a specified amount of time before getting another Fastpass, and extremely popular rides such as Disneyland’s “Pooh's Hunny Hunt” and DisneySea’s “Toy Story Mania!” tend to run out of Fastpass tickets without one hour after the parks open. Even if you can get your hands on one, it may be for after 8:00 p.m. Likewise, if there’s an attraction you want to ride, by all means, do plan ahead and get yourself a Fastpass right after entering.

Tokyo DisneySea’s Most Popular Rides!
1. Toy Story Mania! – The Exciting Shooting Game (Fastpass Available)

Tokyo DisneySea’s Most Popular Rides!
1. Toy Story Mania! – The Exciting Shooting Game (Fastpass Available)

This ride is actually a shooting game that equips its players with 3D glasses and has been massively popular ever since it first opened in Tokyo DisneySea. As the name suggests, it is based on the movie Toy Story and offers a fun adventure under Andy’s bed with plenty of Toy Story characters!

A little trolley takes you to seven different stops hosted by different Toy Story characters, each of them a shooting game in its own unique scene. The individual scores are tallied at the end and competing with the other players is extra fun!

The ride also has plenty of tricks up its sleeve to immerse you in the Toy Story experience, such as making you feel tiny, just like a toy. That adds an extra layer of excitement to the thrilling “shoot, load, shoot” action! Naturally, park regulars aim to improve their score with every ride.

Toy Story Mania! usually has waiting times of 60 to 100 minutes on weekdays and 90 to 150 minutes on weekends. It’s DisneySea’s number one ride, clearly dominating in terms of popularity. The Fastpass for it tends to be gone about one hour after park opening on weekdays and within 40 minutes on the weekend and holidays. If you want to experience this attraction, you need to head there first thing as soon as Toyo DisneySea opens. We visited the attraction around 11:00 a.m. (a weekday in July) and Fastpass distribution had already ended. While most people will head for Toy Story Mania! right away and the urge to rush to it yourself might be hard to resist, don’t risk any accidents and head to the ride leisurely.

The standby queue.
The standby queue.
The Fastpass ticket machines. Even on a weekday morning, they were all but gone.
The Fastpass ticket machines. Even on a weekday morning, they were all but gone.

Area: Toyville Trolley Park
Basic Information:
Duration: ~5 minutes
Capacity: 12 people per trolley
Height restriction: none

Tokyo DisneySea’s Most Popular Rides!
2. Nemo & Friends SeaRider: A Great Adventure with Plenty of Friends Under the Sea! (Fastpass Available)

The building in the back is the attraction. (C) Disney/Pixar
The building in the back is the attraction. (C) Disney/Pixar

This brand-new attraction opened in May 2017. Get on the “SeaRider,” a submersible ship shrunk to the size of a fish and have an adventure below the waves!

(C) Disney/Pixar
(C) Disney/Pixar

Look forward to meeting lots of characters from the movie, including Nemo, Dory, and Crush. It’s a theater-type attraction, but you’re not merely seeing a movie. The seats move with the action on the screen and there is ample use of surprises, including water splashes! It may look tame from the outside, but this ride is surprisingly intense.

(C) Disney/Pixar
(C) Disney/Pixar

The characters appearing one after another are adorable as well. The story plays out in different ways, so this ride is enjoyable no matter how many times you come by.
Since Nemo & Friends SeaRider just opened, it enjoys plenty of popularity, but the theater seats 122 people and that capacity keeps queueing time in check.

You usually wait about 50 to 80 minutes on weekdays and 80 to 120 minutes on weekends and holidays. Fastpasses tend to be available until afternoon on weekdays but all gone before noon on holidays.

When we visited on a weekday in July, it was relatively empty, but Fastpasses were only available for the time slot from 8:15 p.m. to 9:35 p.m. around noon.

The Fastpass machines. (C) Disney/Pixar
The Fastpass machines. (C) Disney/Pixar
The standby queue.
The standby queue.

Area: Port Discovery
Basic Information:
Duration: 5 minutes
Capacity: 122 people per cabin
Height restriction: must be taller than 90cm

Tokyo DisneySea’s Most Popular Rides!
3. Tower of Terror: An Exciting Blend of Thrill and Horror! (Fastpass Available)

The Tower of Terror is the park’s eeriest landmark.
The Tower of Terror is the park’s eeriest landmark.

Every Disney fan is familiar with the Tower of Terror, a popular attraction said to be the scariest in the parks’ history, enhanced with eerie elements of horror. The setting of the ride is an abandoned hotel in New York, also going by the nickname “hotel of terror.” The guests join a tour by the New York City Preservation Association right through the iconic place.

This tour has you enter an old elevator inside the mysterious structure and, as expected, the ride is anything but smooth. It jumps up, then it abruptly falls, and ghastly figures just make this experience even scarier! The deepest drop is a full 38 meters, pleasantly turning your stomach with a free fall-like feeling. You can brace for it all you like, you will scream nonetheless!

The expertly executed blend of thrill and horror is what makes this ride one of the park’s most popular. Both the middle part and the top of the elevator also offers a beautiful view of DisneySea, somewhat balancing all the horror going on inside the building. You can move around the seats of the elevator freely, so don’t hesitate to get up and enjoy the view from all angles.

The standby queue is about 60 to 90 minutes on weekdays and rises to 80 to 120 minutes on weekends and holidays. During peak seasons, however, the waiting time can be an astonishing 180 minutes and more. If you haven’t experienced the Tower of Terror yet and it’s on your to-do list, get a Fastpass as early as possible.

They tend to run out around 2:00 p.m. on both weekdays and holidays. When we visited on a weekday in July, Fastpasses were available for 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. around noon.

The entrance of the attraction features plenty of warnings.
The entrance of the attraction features plenty of warnings.
The Fastpass entrance.
The Fastpass entrance.
The standby queue.
The standby queue.
The Fastpass ticket machines.
The Fastpass ticket machines.

Area: American Waterfront
Basic Information:
Duration: 2 minutes
Capacity: 22 people
Height restriction: must be taller than 102cm

Tokyo DisneySea’s Most Popular Rides!
4. Indiana Jones® Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull – Hop Right Into the Indy Movie! (Fastpass Available)

Tokyo DisneySea’s Most Popular Rides!
4. Indiana Jones® Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull – Hop Right Into the Indy Movie! (Fastpass Available)

This ride-type attraction lets you savor the world of Indiana Jones to its fullest. The guests turn into adventurers and join a tour organized by Paco, Indy’s assistant, and set out to find the rumored Fountain of Youth inside the temple. Of course, that trespassing angers the Crystal Skull, so brace for encountering numerous traps and predicaments, including the iconic giant boulder and poisonous arrows!

The jeeps you’re sitting in shake rather violently in the dark and the tracks lead you up and down and left and right, However, there are no steep drops or other coaster-like elements, so people looking for a mild ride will have a blast. What lacks in screams is more than made up with the rich sense of adventure keeping you on the edge of your seat!

You usually have to wait about 40 to 60 minutes in the standby queue on a weekday and about 80 to 120 minutes on weekends and holidays. The Fastpass is usually readily available until about 4:00 p.m. on weekdays, oftentimes not running out at all. When we visited, it was available for the time slot 1:50 p.m. to 2:50 p.m. at noon.

The ride is inside the Lost River Delta.
The ride is inside the Lost River Delta.
The standby queue.
The standby queue.
The Fastpass entrance.
The Fastpass entrance.
The Fastpass ticket machines.
The Fastpass ticket machines.

Area: Lost River Delta
Basic Information:
Duration: 3 minutes
Capacity: 12 people
Height restriction: must be taller than 117cm

Tokyo DisneySea’s Most Popular Rides!
5. Raging Spirits: The Park’s Thrilling 360° Loop! (Fastpass Available)

An exciting lorry-like coaster running through a mountain!
An exciting lorry-like coaster running through a mountain!

This thrilling roller coaster runs through an excavation site of an ancient religious temple in the middle of the jungle. You’re riding a lorry that takes you through the entire site at the tremendous speed of 60km/h! Chased by enraged spirits, you’re in for plenty of drops and curves, as well as Tokyo Disney Resort’s only 360° loop!

These exciting elements are exactly what makes this ride so attractive, tightly packed into the 1 minute and 30 seconds of actual ride time. There’s not a single second of relaxation, tickling your nerves throughout! Thrill-seekers should put this one on the top of their must-ride list. Because it’s an outdoor coaster, it might be shut down during bad weather, so make the most out of it if it’s open!

Waiting time is about 60 to 80 minutes on weekdays and about 100 minutes and over on holidays. The Fastpass tends to be available until about 4;00 p.m. on weekdays and usually gone by noon on weekends and holidays, so compared to other rides, it’s not a lot of trouble to get one. We visited the attraction at about 1:00 p.m. and Fastpasses were available for 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The Fastpass entrance.
The Fastpass entrance.
The standby queue.
The standby queue.
The Fastpass ticket machines.
The Fastpass ticket machines.

Area: Lost River Delta
Basic Information:
Duration: 1 minute 30 seconds
Capacity: 12 people
Height restriction: must be taller than 117cm and under 195cm.

Tokyo DisneySea’s Secret Spots – No Long Queues!
1. Mermaid Lagoon Theater: A Fun Show Under the Sea! (Fastpass Available)

Tokyo DisneySea’s Secret Spots – No Long Queues!
1. Mermaid Lagoon Theater: A Fun Show Under the Sea! (Fastpass Available)

As the name suggests, this musical show takes place in the Mermaid Lagoon theater, inviting you straight to the world of Arielle and her friends. It’s a faithful recreation of the Little Mermaid world that isn’t only truly magical but fun for both old and young.

Arielle’s beautiful singing voice is the star of the show, enhanced by a fresh take on the classic movie that features images, music, and performance in an energetic blend. The theater can fit 700 people at one, so there is almost no waiting time. A lot of people love to take a breather here while enjoying some genuine Disney magic.

The show is held every 30 minutes and that is usually the longest you will have to wait. When we visited, we could enter the theater straightaway.

The entrance to the Mermaid Lagoon. The theater is inside.
The entrance to the Mermaid Lagoon. The theater is inside.
The theater’s entrance. We were able to go in immediately.
The theater’s entrance. We were able to go in immediately.
The Mermaid Lagoon is especially popular on rainy days.
The Mermaid Lagoon is especially popular on rainy days.

Area: Mermaid Lagoon
Basic Information:
Duration: 14 minutes
Capacity: 700 people
Height restriction: none

Tokyo DisneySea’s Secret Spots – No Long Queues!
2. DisneySea Transit Steamer Line: Relax on a Boat Ride Through the Park

Tokyo DisneySea’s Secret Spots – No Long Queues!
2. DisneySea Transit Steamer Line: Relax on a Boat Ride Through the Park

Enjoy a laid-back ride on a boat that doesn’t only get you from one location to another but also features a guide. The ship either goes back and forth between the Mediterranean Harbor and the Lost River Delta or does a roundtrip through the entire park, starting at the American Waterfront. Of course, Tokyo DisneySea’s main shows are held in the Mediterranean Harbor so the ship changes course during these times. At night, it may also follow a different course. For details, it’s best to ask the staff.

The biggest draw of this attraction is simply being able to relax and take in the detailed, stunning scenery of the park. Seeing it from the water offers an entirely different perspective.

There are three stops in total and waiting times are different for each of them. The Mediterranean Harbor is relatively empty, so with 10 minutes at max, there’s barely any waiting time. The Lost River Delta is used for transportation a lot, so waiting times can climb to 20 minutes on weekdays and 30 minutes on holidays. The American Waterfront varies greatly, and you should expect something between 5 and 20 minutes. We waited about 10 minutes at the Lost River Delta and had no waiting time at all at the Mediterranean Harbor.

The boarding pier at the Lost River Delta.
The boarding pier at the Lost River Delta.
The entrance at Lost River Delta.
The entrance at Lost River Delta.
The entrance at the Mediterranean Harbor.
The entrance at the Mediterranean Harbor.
Experiencing the park from the boat is fun.
Experiencing the park from the boat is fun.

Area: Lost River Delta
Basic Information:
Duration: ~6 minutes
Capacity: 49 people
Height restriction: none

Area: Mediterranean Harbor
Basic Information:
Duration: ~7 minutes
Capacity: 49 people
Height restriction: none

Area: American Waterfront
Basic Information:
Duration: ~13 minutes
Capacity: 49 people
Height restriction: none

Tokyo DisneySea’s Secret Spots – No Long Queues!
3. Sindbad's Storybook Voyage: Depart on an Adventure!

Arabian-style buildings.
Arabian-style buildings.

This adorable adventure takes you on an Arabian Night journey with Sinbad and his little tiger Chandu. Relax on a large boat and cruise through the original, beautifully told story of this ride. The song and the movements of the characters are perfectly synched and you’ll find yourself getting lost in the picture book-like voyage. Be careful though, the tune is so catchy, it is likely going to get stuck in your head!

It’s a smooth ride without any rapid movements and enjoys popularity because it’s casual, relaxing, and entertaining for all ages and genders. Chandu, the little tiger, can only be found at that ride, adding an extra notch of popularity!

There’s hardly any waiting time and you’ll very likely not wait more than 10 minutes, no matter if weekday or weekend. We just slowly proceeded to the boat without any waiting time at all during our park visit.

The entrance is at the front of the building.
The entrance is at the front of the building.
The waiting time was about 5 minutes.
The waiting time was about 5 minutes.

Area: Arabian Coast
Basic Information:
Duration: ~10 minutes
Capacity: 24 people
Height restriction: none

Tokyo DisneySea’s Secret Spots – No Long Queues!
4. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Jule Verne’s Ocean, Beautifully Reproduced! (Fastpass Available)

The attraction sits underneath a large spiral slope.
The attraction sits underneath a large spiral slope.

Explore the mysterious depths of the ocean in a small submarine, Jules Verne-style! Of course, the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea ride faithfully recreates the world from the famous novel, having you search for an ancient, advanced civilization and the sunken continent of Atlantis. Each submarine has search lights that can be controlled by the guests and the ride is full with little details and discoveries!

Of course, a giant squid attacks and it feels frighteningly realistic, to the point where you’re genuinely relieved as the little submarine speeds off to safety. The stunning details and colors of this ride are an absolute must-see and a perfect choice to relax for in between larger rides.
You will usually wait between 10 and 20 minutes on weekdays and 30 to 50 minutes on weekends.

While this attraction does have a Fastpass, it is disabled except for very crowded days, but even then, you should be able to get in without a painfully long queue. We waited about 10 minutes and the Fastpass was disabled.

The entrance to the attraction is at the top of the slope.
The entrance to the attraction is at the top of the slope.
The waiting time is shown at the entrance. It wasn't busy when we visited so there was no Fastpass available.
The waiting time is shown at the entrance. It wasn't busy when we visited so there was no Fastpass available.

Area: Mysterious Island
Basic Information:
Duration: ~5 minutes
Capacity: 6 people
Height restriction: none

Tokyo DisneySea’s Secret Spots – No Long Queues!
5. Aquatopia: Fun, Unpredictable, and Plenty of Water!

Tokyo DisneySea’s Secret Spots – No Long Queues!
5. Aquatopia: Fun, Unpredictable, and Plenty of Water!

This fun ride has you cruise over the water in a wonderfully unpredictable manner! One such boat can seat up to three people, taking you here and there in sharp turns without being too intense. Sometimes, you stop mere inches before a waterfall or get spun around like you’re in a whirlpool! It’s plenty of fun and while rather mild, people who don’t like being spun around repeatedly might be careful with this one.

You’re spun around and around!
You’re spun around and around!

There are four courses for the oats in total, but you cannot see the rails, so you have no idea where you’ll be taken next. It’s also way too difficult to remember, so each time you ride Aquatopia, you’re in for an entirely new round of fun! While you’ll stay dry for most of the year, the scorching summer months between July and September treat you to a special wet course, cooling you down with plenty of water. Special tip: this ride looks particularly stunning at night, giving it a bit of a romantic touch.

The waiting time is about 10 to 20 minutes on weekdays and 20 to 40 minutes on weekends and holidays. There’s no Fastpass, but the regular queue moves fast enough as boats arrive and depart quickly. In summer, however, this ride experiences a spike in popularity and will be more crowded as everybody craves the fun, refreshing water ride. We visited in July and the weekday queue was untypically long with 25 minutes.

We got to ride the “wet course!”
We got to ride the “wet course!”
The pier is on the other side of the building.
The pier is on the other side of the building.

Area: Port Discovery
Basic Information:
Duration: ~2 minutes 30 seconds
Capacity: 3 people
Height restriction: none

*This information is from the time of this article's publication.
*Prices and options mentioned are subject to change.
*Unless stated otherwise, all prices include tax.

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