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12 Hours at Tokyo DisneySea®: Plan your perfect day and explore the park in style!

12 Hours at Tokyo DisneySea®: Plan your perfect day and explore the park in style!

Last updated: 18 April 2019

Welcome to Tokyo DisneySea! Together with neighboring Tokyo Disneyland®, this aquatic-themed park forms Tokyo Disney Resort®, a magical stop that should be on every traveler’s itinerary.

Whether this is your first Disney experience, or you’ve visited Disney theme parks around the globe, you’ll find that the iconic characters, stunning settings, and general joie de vivre that fills the air makes Disney’s Tokyo destination an experience all its own!

Join us as we guide you through a 12-hour jaunt along the perfect route for a couple of best-friends visiting Tokyo DisneySea together for the first time.

9:00 a.m.: Arrival

Tokyo DisneySea opens at 8:00 a.m. on most days, and there are always people lining up in advance. But feel free to arrive at your leisure and take it easy.
Tokyo DisneySea opens at 8:00 a.m. on most days, and there are always people lining up in advance. But feel free to arrive at your leisure and take it easy.

As you pass through the entrance gates, you are greeted by a magnificent fountain with a globe at its center—a reminder of how much of Earth is covered with water. For the next 12 hours, those vast oceans are going to be our playground as we explore seven expansive areas inspired by ocean tales and legends.

You never know who might welcome you on arrival. If you see your favorite character, don’t be shy! Be sure to have your photo snapped with them!
You never know who might welcome you on arrival. If you see your favorite character, don’t be shy! Be sure to have your photo snapped with them!
Look across Mediterranean Harbor towards Mysterious Island as you plan your next move. Multilingual maps are available and friendly cast are always on hand to point you in the right direction.
Look across Mediterranean Harbor towards Mysterious Island as you plan your next move. Multilingual maps are available and friendly cast are always on hand to point you in the right direction.

First order of the day is to plan your route (or just follow this handy itinerary). The seven areas take you from Venetian canals across Mediterranean Harbor to Mermaid Lagoon and the towering volcano, right to the Arabian Coast. There is almost too much to see, but try we will!

10:00 a.m.: Start with souvenirs!

It might seem the wrong way around, but it is a wise idea to get your souvenir shopping done first—especially if you’re a first-time visitor. The shops can get crowded as the park starts to close, so if you want to browse in peace and quiet, this is the time.

Spoiled for choice in the gift shop! Will it be Japanese senbei (rice crackers) in a traditional Japanese textile tin …
Spoiled for choice in the gift shop! Will it be Japanese senbei (rice crackers) in a traditional Japanese textile tin …
… or Chocolate Crunch in an exclusive canister?
… or Chocolate Crunch in an exclusive canister?

As you may know, the custom of returning from a trip with omiyage (gifts) is an important part of Japanese culture. Make sure you share your experience with friends and family, and treat yourself, too!

Find your Tokyo DisneySea look.
Find your Tokyo DisneySea look.

Another Japanese custom you are sure to spot in the park is groups wearing matching outfits—especially Disney hats and headgear. Join in the fun and find your own style before you visit the attractions!

At Tokyo DisneySea, pair looks are very much in vogue; so match with your friend as you explore!
At Tokyo DisneySea, pair looks are very much in vogue; so match with your friend as you explore!
Lockers ensure that luggage is not a concern as you shop in style.
Lockers ensure that luggage is not a concern as you shop in style.

With your souvenir shopping completed, you can leave your gifts in nearby lockers while you enjoy the park. And say goodbye to any heavy bags while you are at it.

11:00 a.m.: Get your Center of the Earth FASTPASS® to make the best use of your time.

11:00 a.m.: Get your Center of the Earth FASTPASS® to make the best use of your time.

Once you have your route down, the next thing to do is to get a FASTPASS® for the attractions you want to enjoy most. Just go to a FASTPASS® machine and insert your pack ticket with the 2D code facing up. Come back within the time frame indicated and board at your comfort. You can make arrangements on the day, and just a little planning helps you get so much more out of your visit!

While you wait, give yourself an energy boost with a freshly smoked turkey leg! You won’t believe the size, and they taste as good as they look.
While you wait, give yourself an energy boost with a freshly smoked turkey leg! You won’t believe the size, and they taste as good as they look.

Our first ride of the day is 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, in the Mysterious Island area. See you on the other side!

Dive deep and search for the lost kingdom of Atlantis on this interactive ride. Expect the unexpected …
Dive deep and search for the lost kingdom of Atlantis on this interactive ride. Expect the unexpected …

Noon: Get your Tower of Terror FASTPASS®, then Journey to the Center of the Earth

More thrills are to be had as you Journey to the Center of the Earth. Soon you’ll be plunging out the side of the volcano at the heart of the Mysterious Island!
More thrills are to be had as you Journey to the Center of the Earth. Soon you’ll be plunging out the side of the volcano at the heart of the Mysterious Island!

Now that you have your FASTPASS® rhythm down, you should be thinking one attraction ahead at all times. Before we ride the exhilarating Journey to the Center of the Earth, we can get our FASTPASS® for the first ride after lunch. The machines are easy to use and offer multilingual menus, so everything ought to be a breeze.

1:00 p.m.:Watching the Hello, New York! Show

1:00 p.m.:Watching the Hello, New York! Show

Countless Disney favorites are on hand at the Hello, New York! show as you approach the American Waterfront. Be sure to check the show schedule as you go through the park as there is always something going on.

1:30 p.m.: Enjoy an Elegant Lunch Fit for a Princess

The magnificent S.S. Columbia is waiting for us at the American Waterfront!
The magnificent S.S. Columbia is waiting for us at the American Waterfront!

The S.S. Columbia Dining Room sets the scene for a sumptuous girl’s lunch. With a Priority Seating available, you can be seated with a minimal wait after you arrive at the restaurant. You are sure to feel like a Disney princess as you enjoy the refined menu and historical atmosphere.

The historic dining rooms are home to a rotating seasonal menu with an extensive wine list.
The historic dining rooms are home to a rotating seasonal menu with an extensive wine list.
Time-limited special course. (Shown is the 35th Anniversary special set limited to the first part of the year; it is no longer  offered.)
Time-limited special course. (Shown is the 35th Anniversary special set limited to the first part of the year; it is no longer offered.)

3:00 p.m.: Steel yourself and take on the Tower of Terror

This imposing, architecturally striking structure is our next stop.
This imposing, architecturally striking structure is our next stop.

For thrill-seekers, the Tower of Terror is a must. Its lighting-strewn exterior and decayed, decadent décor only elude to what you will find inside. You are in for a surprise.

Try to ignore the screams from far above and muster the courage to step inside.
Try to ignore the screams from far above and muster the courage to step inside.

4:00 p.m.: Recharge with popcorn in a wearable box!

Popcorn is available in sweet flavors such as strawberry and savory ones such as garlic shrimp!
Popcorn is available in sweet flavors such as strawberry and savory ones such as garlic shrimp!

After the Tower of Terror, you might need to sit down and catch your breath. Luckily, the popcorn vendors in front of Liberty Landing Diner are there to help you do just that.

Relax in the expansive Waterfront Park before making your way to Port Discovery.
Relax in the expansive Waterfront Park before making your way to Port Discovery.

5:00 p.m.: Say hello to Nemo and friends!

Join Nemo and his friends on the SeaRider as you explore the depths of the ocean.
Join Nemo and his friends on the SeaRider as you explore the depths of the ocean.

For a more relaxing, but no-less-enjoyable ride, head to Port Discovery and the Nemo & Friends SeaRider, where you’ll board a submersible and shrink to the size of a fish!

6:00 p.m.: Enjoy a pre-show beer in a nautical setting

Relax with a Japanese-style gyoza sausage bun and a cold beer beneath bursts of flames and the intermittent eruptions of a volcano!
Relax with a Japanese-style gyoza sausage bun and a cold beer beneath bursts of flames and the intermittent eruptions of a volcano!

Nautilus Gallery, in the watery pools right beneath the softly smoldering volcano at the center of the Mysterious Island, is a great place to have a beer as you count down the hours to the evening show.

Enjoy your dinner before a finale that is sure to take your breath away!
Enjoy your dinner before a finale that is sure to take your breath away!

8:00 p.m.: Finally, the finale!

There are many seasonal shows throughout the day, but the highlight has to be Fantasmic!, a spectacular show that features Mickey Mouse as the Sorcerer’s Apprentice. Currently held every evening in the Mediterranean Harbor, this interplay of water, fire, lasers, and lights lasts 20 minutes and is an unforgettable story sure to be the highlight of your Tokyo DisneySea experience.

The view is good no matter your vantage point, so arrive at your leisure and enjoy the show!

Greet your favorite characters as they sail past.
Greet your favorite characters as they sail past.
The fantastic spectacle that plays out in the center of the resort includes numerous references to your favorite Disney characters. The story shifts from romance …
The fantastic spectacle that plays out in the center of the resort includes numerous references to your favorite Disney characters. The story shifts from romance …
… to jeopardy in a flash! Will our heroes be victorious? Visit and find out!
… to jeopardy in a flash! Will our heroes be victorious? Visit and find out!
Watch the show in comfort from the harborside as the 20-minute show builds to a crescendo of fireworks. The vibrant explosions reflecting on the tranquil waters are a sight to behold.
Watch the show in comfort from the harborside as the 20-minute show builds to a crescendo of fireworks. The vibrant explosions reflecting on the tranquil waters are a sight to behold.

9:00 p.m.: Homeward bound

We have only scratched the surface of the fun to be had at Tokyo DisneySea. There are too many attractions, restaurants, and shopping to cover in one day, and we leave the park with more than a couple of secrets left to be discovered.

Craft your own Tokyo DisneySea memories on your trip. Begin planning your visit on the official website.

See you there!

*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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