Japan Itinerary: A Short Visit to Tokyo Disney Sea

We were in a bit of a 'Disney Dilemma' while planning our itinerary: Tokyo Disneyland or Disney Sea? But upon learning that Tokyo Disney Sea is the only Disney Sea in the world, it became a clear choice.

 

On our second day in Tokyo, we were supposed to spend an entire day at Disney Sea. However, due to delays in our first day itinerary, we weren't able to tour around Odaiba, and this ate up a huge chunk of our second day tour in Tokyo.

Still, we went ahead with our plans to experience every kid's and kid-at-heart's dream: a visit to a Disney Resort. Plus, we were also set to meet our high school English teacher, Ma'am Tongco (now Mrs. Amoy), and her husband, Kuya Neil.

 

Tokyo Disney Resort has its own train line. From Maihama Station, you can walk straight to the Disney Train Station and hop on the unique Disney Train with Mickey-shaped windows.

 

 

Upon exiting the Disney Sea Station, Luvley, with her floral fascination, immediately noticed the colorful flowers. This is the first of many eyegasmic plating areas perfectly satisfying everyone's Spring obsession.

 

Just how colorful can Spring get?

We started touring Disney Sea at around 4PM, not too late to enjoy the stunning architectural works yet already too late to still manage to enjoy the rides, since by this time, Fast Passes have already run out and the queues were outrageously long.

Gladly, some shows were still running and we could still make the most out of our trip. And I guess DisneySea being a world full of limitless photographic opportunities was already enough for us to have a great time. It has already been 15 years since Disney Sea first opened but the structures seem to have not aged a bit. The maintenance is truly admirable, inspiring and worth emulating.

Our photo walk started at the iconic globe of Disney Sea, similar in concept to Universal Studios' globe but completely differently designed. 

 

 

We went ahead to the Mediterranean Harbor and Mysterious Island where we ate gyoza buns. Eating the Disney gyoza buns is highly recommended by other tourists.

 

Stunning view as the sun was setting and we were walking through Hotel Miracosta towards the Mediterranean Harbor.

Absolutely beautiful! Looks extracted right from a movie.

To catch "A Table is Waiting", a musical show featuring Disney characters seemingly reenacting the popular scene from the Beauty and the Beast, we went to Port Discovery and the American Waterfront, where the Dockside Stage (in front of SS Columbia) is located.

 

 

After which we went back to the Mediterranean Harbor in time for the Fantasmic Show.

 

The Harbor takes on a different vibe at night. Warmly lit buildings and pavements impose a romantic atmosphere. It could have been the perfect time for a gondola ride.

The Fastasmic Show (which happens every Spring) was the highlight of our evening. Full of stunning lights, visual effects, and massive floats spewing water jets and fire, it was the most visually satisfying show I have ever seen. It was an imagination brought to life, which only Disney is capable of.

Fantasmic! is something one shouldn't miss when visiting DisneySea in Spring.

 

There is no Disney castle at DisneySea. The closest thing is Triton's Kingdom at Mermaid Lagoon. It is not as grand as the castle at Disneyland, but it is absolutely eye-catching and fascinating. The color scheme is magnificent and the interiors are breathtaking. A remarkable "Under-the-Sea" experience on land.

 

 

The final spectacle for the evening was King Triton's Concert, a relatively newer show which started in April 2015. For the most part, it was Ariel's solo affair, but definitely still worth watching due to its extravagant and unique production.

 

A look inside the theater. Taking photos and videos during the show is strictly prohibited.

Unfortunately, all shows at Tokyo Disney Resort are in Japanese. Consistent with Japan's strong sense of nationalism, the locals are their priority. Sorry non-Japanese tourists.

We ended our Disney tour at the Arabian Coast. We weren't able to get a closer look at the Lost River Delta since we were already rushing to eat dinner and go home in order to avoid the huge crowd once DisneySea closes.

 

 

Time was too short for us to have a complete Disney experience. What we had was just a taste of the whole: we weren't able to experience even a single ride, eat more Disney-exlusive food, watch all shows, and take better photos and have more time to appreciate the fine architecture. Indeed, there's a long list of reasons to go back.  

We ended the night with a dinner treat from our former teacher and her husband. Thank you for making this tour more memorable!

More photos of our Disney Experience here.