Attempting TOKYO DISNEY in 1 DAY = Madness! 😅 Disney Travel Vlog

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Join me as I spend 1 full day at Tokyo Disneyland. I test the limits of what feels like the most busy Disney park I’ve ever been to and see how much I can get done in 1 day at Tokyo Disney. I experience the best rides, attractions, parades and more. But even with all my Disney theme park years behind me, I am not ready for the crazy crowds that lay ahead.

RELATED DISNEY LINKS:

👉* WALKABLE HOTEL to Disneyland, Fabulous Rating: https://www.booking.com/hotel/jp/grand-nikko-tokyo-bay-maihama.en.html?aid=1864334&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2&label=Dis

👉* CHEAPER HOTEL but a little further out: https://www.booking.com/hotel/jp/mystays-maihama.en.html?aid=1864334&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2&label=Dis

👉* A number of foreign cards don’t work on the Tokyo Disney website. If yours doesn’t, you can get an E ticket here which can be scanned at the gates from your phone: https://affiliate.klook.com/redirect?aid=45118&aff_adid=831318&k_site=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.klook.com%2Fen-GB%2Factivity%2F695-tokyo-disney-resort-1-day-pass-tokyo%2F%3Fspm%3DSearchResult.SearchResult_LIST%26clickId%3D5bf8dcb8e5

👉 Disney Crowd Calendar Predictions (Best to use in Chrome with Translator turned on) http://www15.plala.or.jp/gcap/disney/

All shot on iPhone 15 Pro Max, filmed Feb 2024

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00:00 Disney Planning
2:11 Too Many People
9:12 Hunger Games
12:56 Redemption!
15:20 The Come Down?
17:26 Leave Them Wanting More?
19:29 Reflection
22:38 Disney at Night
24:31 A quick word

👉* Denotes affiliate link that supports this channel.

#tokyodisneyresort #tokyodisney #disneyvlog

For the last 12 years, every time I’ve visited  a Disney theme park, it’s been preceded by at   least a couple hours of Disney planning.  As the parks get busier and more complex,   and the price continues to climb, it’s  almost a necessity to get your moneys  

Worth. I’m a planner by nature so I actually  enjoy this part. So the night before my first   ever visit to Tokyo Disneyland, I set  some time aside, and did my studies… Download the Disney Resort app before you visit Arrive 1 to 2 hours before  the official opening time.

The Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast  is always busy so make that a priority. Once your ticket is scanned, use the app  to reserve your first free priority pass You can obtain your next priority pass 2 hours   later or after the start time  of your previous Priority Pass

Priority pass runs out on these  rides sooner so reserve those first Introducing Premiere Access Introducing Entry Request Introducing Disney Mobile   At this point, as strange as it may seem  to any non theme park folk out there,   this was all pretty standard fair  for an enthusiastic Disney fan.

See, I’m no stranger to Disney theme parks,  because I love visiting. I enjoy the Disney   movies as much as the next, but it’s the  parks that really hit the right note. As corny as it sounds, for me, there is a  magic to this place, maybe it syncs back  

To childhood memories, maybe it resembles  a safe haven away from life’s problems,   maybe its just a deep appreciation for  its theming, rides and environment. So I want you to know upfront, this isn’t  some throwaway negative Disney video. Nor  

Is it a blind faith love fest. It’s an hour  by hour retelling of the fantastic highs   and disappointing lows of visiting  Tokyo Disney in the modern day era. Now, I’d heard that Tokyo Disneyland specifically,  was busy on a whole other level. And that’s why  

I’d spent all those hours of planning, getting  up to date. I’ve had countless Disney plans   before and they have ALWAYS paid off and ALWAYS  meant I’m able to tick everything off my list. But as I’d soon find out, the  levels of people were so high,  

That despite all this research, surely putting  me ahead of the vast majority of park goers,   it would be the first time, that all this  preparation, was no longer, good enough. The park is set to open at 9am so, I arrive  90 minutes early, and there’s already a sea  

Of people in front. Maybe I should have got  here for 7, but no worries, I have the plan.   Probably the same plan as everyone else in  front, but hey, there’s enough to go around… It’s now 8:30 and Happy Entry starts which is  hotel guests gaining access 15 minutes early.  

Which means that 8:45, the parks opening early,  and I’m shuffling towards these magical gates. Once my ticket is scanned, most people are heading  towards Beauty and the Beast, as am I. There is a   slight urge to run hysterically towards it, but  I remember I am English, and I will remain calm.

Now that my ticket’s been scanned,  whilst still walking, I bring out   my phone and book my first Priority  Pass. For those who remember Fast Pass,   this is basically a digital version,  but now from the convenience of your   own phone. I reserve a Priority Pass for  Space Mountain between 10:10 and 11:10. Cool.

I look up from my phone and approach the  ride entrance for Beauty and The Beast,   marked by this stunning French Chateau. And  it’s here that I do a double take. The wait   time is already… 140 minutes. Like, how  is this even possible? The park has only  

Be open 25 minutes for Hotel guests, and 10  minutes for the public. It’s not even 9am,   the park shouldn’t be open yet, and there’s 140  minutes worth of people at this one ride? And if   you’re assuming they’re just over estimating  the wait time, we’ll get to that later.

Anyway, I immediately realise my first  mistake, something I hadn’t read during   planning. This ride is already so busy  that to join the back of the queue,   you don’t head to the entrance. No, the back  of the queue starts in the next land over,  

So I walk for a good minute. Watching the  castle slip into my past, my gut gets uneasy. So, I am now in my first queue at Tokyo  Disneyland. And, I really don’t mind queuing,   it’s expected within a Disney Park, but 2  hours and 20 minutes, this early in the day?

For comparison, just one week ago, I was at  Universal Studios Osaka. Here I followed a   similar plan to get into the massively busy  Nintendo Land. I arrived 90 minutes early,   used their single rider lane for free, which  Disney didn’t offer, and that all meant I  

Waited 10 minutes for the crazy new popular Mario  Kart ride. Tokyo Disney was a whole other beast. But that’s normally the beauty of arriving  early at a park; you can experience 2 or   3 of the most popular rides with little  wait, and then when it does get busier,  

The wait times are fine as you’ve averaged  it out, making the early rise worth it. But, after 5 minutes in this queue, I realise  I’d lose all that early advantage with this   one ride. I’ve never experienced this  many people this early into the game…

So I hastily made a decision that 10 minutes  ago hadn’t even crossed my mind. I was going   to succumb to my Fear of missing out  and purchase, Disney Premiere Access. Premiere Access allows you to purchase a  skip the line entry. Considering Disney  

Offered Fast Pass completely free for 20  years, the decision to now charge for this,   has understandably caused a big backlash,  even amongst the most diehard of Disney fans. The silver lining is the weak Japanese currency,  so my 2000 yen doesn’t break the bank, but I still  

Feel like an absolute mug for paying anyway. But,  I’m only here for one day so I can justify it. By the time I’ve added my card details, it’s 9:03,   and the wait now stands at 170 minutes  with the next available time slot 3 hours  

Away. I click purchase, the cogs  spin and… the payment is accepted. OK, so I’ve pre booked Space  Mountain for an hours time,   got Beauty and the Beast reserved  after that. What to do now? OK so the nearest ride to me also has  a 2 hours plus queue, there’s Monsters  

Inc? A 50 minute wait apparently, and that’s  easily done by listening to a single podcast   episode. For those wondering, my wife has  more sense than me, so is still in bed. I look at my watch and it’s been 55 minutes  in line. Those wait times seem to be pretty  

Accurate. After someone yells at me in Japanese,  I take my seat, hoping it isn’t important. But,   after being inside the park gates for 80  minutes now, the attractions can finally begin… It’s my first time riding Monsters Inc and  it’s fun for what it is. I’m given this torch,  

Which I can I can point towards various  monsters, which will in turn, make them   react in various ways. It’s a solid start and  I’m already feeling my energy slightly rekindled. As I exit through the gift shop,   I realise it’s already time for  one of my favourite Disney staples.

Upon arrival, I flash my free Priority Pass,   bypassing the common queue, feeling like  the Lion King. The plan is back on track. Walking through the priority line, I notice  several times that here, Space Mountain is   sponsored by Coca Cola. That must have cost  an absolute fortune and for what gain, I ask  

Myself? I mean, I’m certainly too intelligent  to fall for some brand association marketing,   that, I can be sure of, and it certainly  wont become relevant later in this video!… Whilst queuing, I realise I can  now book my next Priority Pass,  

Since I’ve just used the first. I remember  reading that Buzz Lightyears Astro Blasters   is usually the next most popular free pass  but by now, the next available slot is 6   long hours away. So I reserve the ticket  and get my head back into the theming,  

With my current Priority Pass turning  what is now a 90 minute wait into 15. Space Mountain has recently seen a resurgence  at Tokyo since it’s soon to be closing for a   reimagined version. So at least for  me, this finality made it even more  

Special and the pitch black roller coaster is as  atmospheric and exhilarating as its ever been… Completing my Tomorrowland experience then, is  Star Tours, with a tantalising 35 minute wait.   For those that don’t know, it’s a pretty unique  3D simulator, in that the ride sequence is always  

Randomised. This means guests will experience  any 4 out of a possible 21 different segments,   which amounts to 700 possible combinations.  Although it’s a ride I’m really familiar with,   it’s executed really well and  is always a fun experience.

I glance at my watch and, wow, it’s already gone  11am. It’s a little early than I’d have liked but   this means it’s lunch time. The plan says that  peak lunch really kicks off from 11:30 so now  

Is probably a good time to get in before everyone  else. Oh, you have no idea how very wrong I was… If you’ve ever watched or read any theme  park tips content, they all make an almost   passing suggestion to eat outside of peak lunch  hours. Only sometimes do I pay attention to it,  

Because generally, even when it is a bit  of a wait, it isn’t that much of an issue. The plan suggested Tomorrowland Terrace, and  here it is looking empty. The reason being   is that it has the most number of seats, but I  just really wanted a burger. I open the app to  

See where it was and I’m shown a 30 to 45 minute  wait time. Ah but there’s the new Disney Mobile   Order system. This lets you reserve a 10 minute  collection window… but the next available slot   clashes with the parade. I look at the Queen of  Hearts Banquet hall, but that’s an hours wait.

I don’t want to be locked into a 10  minute food reservation window so I   notice a 10 to 30 minute wait  for Gastons Tavern, selling   sandwiches. Hopefully it’ll be on  the lower side of that estimate. I walk to the doors of Gastons and, yeah, I’ve  clearly learnt nothing from this morning as  

Again I’m headed to the entrance, when in fact the  queue for sandwichs starts all the way over here… So I take place, and question my life. I wait long enough to see inside,  hoping that’s the end but yeah,   this is absolutely 30 minutes. Since I’ve  got Beauty and the Beast coming up soon,  

This possibly doesn’t then give me much time  to find a space for the parade, so instead,   I enjoy this Kit Kat I brought with me.  Note to self. Next time bring more Kit Kats. So, with some time on my hands, I take  a breather and check out Cinderellas  

Castle up close. This iconic centrepiece is  actually my most sentimental Disney tradition   and has lasted for 25 years. Whenever  I exit a Disneyland or Magic Kingdom,   right as I’m leaving, I always take one  final glance over my shoulder. Not only  

Is it sad to leave such a happy place and  go back to the real world and its problems,   but it’s a quiet thank you a fun day. I wonder  how I’ll actually be feeling by tonight? As for right, now, aside from hunger,  I am feeling bemused yet a little  

Overwhelmed all at the same time. Lucky for  me though, Disney is about to blow my mind… So I want to tell you a little travel story.  As you may know, this trip was part of a 3  month journey around Asia. Just as we were  leaving, Season 2 of The Traitors had just  

Started on the BBC. It’s my absolute favourite  reality show, especially the UK version. So, we’re in Malaysia, episode  2 comes out, and to watch it,   since its on the BBC, I’d have go to  the airport, catch a flight to England,   enjoy some Traitoring on my own, then  return. Next week, we’re in Indonesia,  

Episode 3 comes out, ANOTHER flight. This cost  me £2000. Then, Nord VPN came into my life. At the click of a button I was able to change  our location to the UK whilst traveling,   and just like that, we were watching The Traitors.  Plus, if you’re concerned about online security,  

Nord NPN offers tonnes of extra features.  Maybe you want extra safety using unprotected   wifi. Nord VPN can also help block  malicious trackers when browsing,   Can scan files before you download. Even alert  you when your passwords have been exposed.   All of this is covered across 6 different  devices, keeping an entire household safer.

So get 4 bonus months on a 2-year plan by visiting   nordvpn.com/SuitcaseMonkey It’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money-back  guarantee so it’s worth checking out,   even if you’re just curious. Now, back to Tokyo. Whenever a new Disney ride is being shown on a  YouTube video, I always, always look away from  

The screen. I want to go in, totally blind for  what’s about to happen. Indeed, I’m possibly the   only parks fan who still doesn’t really know what  to expect at Floridas Pandora and Galaxy’s Edge. But the reason why I look away  is exactly for moments like this.  

I have absolutely no idea what  I’m walking into and it’s a joy. The pre show and line itself is everything you’d  expect, setting the tone and scene perfectly. But   as I see the cars we’re about to ride in, I  know I’m in for a treat. The first thing I  

Notice is that these teacups are trackless, which  always impresses me. The ride is structured into   different rooms, each depicting key scenes from  the movie. Unfortunately I can’t include the   music being played here or this video will get a  copyright strike, but just imagine sitting in a  

Very excitable teacup that’s floating on air, as  if by magic, with Lumiere singing Be Our Guest. And it’s at this very point that I forget all  about the plan, forget about the wait times,   hell, even the fact that the only thing I’ve  eaten in the last 7 hours is a tiny Kit Kat,  

This is something only Disney can pull off,  and it literally sends chills down my spine. Lasting 8 minutes in total, it’s longer  than your average ride and for me,   should be the blueprint for modern day  attractions. Moving across 4 rooms for   2 minutes each really allows  you to soak in the atmosphere,  

You’re not just passing an animatronic for  10 seconds and then moving onto the next. And, I’m so lost in this moment, that I  don’t even wonder where this is all going   to climax. As the melody that accompanies  the words Tale as old as Time begins,  

We enter into that ballroom and I have  no words. It’s one thing to witness an   embracing beauty and the beast right in front of  you, it’s another to be dancing around them and,   as I assume is intended, dancing with them.  You literally become part of one of Disneys  

Most famous moments. We are now a collective  group of teacups, dancing with Beauty and   the Beast and I think I’ve just died and gone to  Disney heaven. This cannot be topped. Or can it? Feeling like Rapunzel, I step  into a new world. It’s now 12:30,  

Disneyland is my oyster and yes I’m  feeling apprehensive but positive   about completing my Disney list. I head towards  Fantasyland, with the parade being my end goal. I still keep an eye out for food but the lines  are even longer now and my stomach grumbles on.

To allow for crowd flow, you can only  watch the parade from specific areas,   and I duck under a rope into an open spot,  which I think is allowed if there’s space?   I arrive 18 minutes before show time  and am more than happy with my view.

Whilst waiting, I notice that all free Priority  Passes have already run out. So, I ultimately   decide that paying for Splash Mountain is my best  option. It currently has a 2 hour standby time,   so I pay 1500 yen to reserve my slot. Again,  I feel like I’m part of the problem, I know,  

But you must remember that, oh  sorry, the parade’s starting… By this point, everything is 60  or 90 or 120 minutes and beyond,   so here’s an idea. Lets refrain  from trying to plan everything   and go traditional with a good  ol’ fashioned Disney wander…

Over the next 3 and a half hours I pack in the  highest density of wins yet. I start with Pirates   of the Caribbean, and the ride continues  to remain a classic, and for good reason. I then finally notice a restaurant that doesn’t  have a queue bursting out its doors. I order the  

Hungry Bear Curry and for some reason, I’m  absolutely gagging for a Coca Cola. Oh yes,   Coca Coca number 1! But no time  to relax, I have Premiere Access. Over to Splash Mountain then, and the weather’s  getting me well and truly prepared. As I arrive,  

The wait time stands at 135 minutes but  my paid Access spins it into 15. This   has always been my favourite from the  mountain trilogy and easily the best   Disney ride soundtrack out there.  And then, of course, there’s this…

Oh, The Jungle cruise. I have no idea what  this guy’s saying, but, I’m all for it… Next and contender for the worlds greatest  song to listen to for 10 minutes on repeat,   it’s Small Small World. Marking the  definition of “its so sweet its scary”,  

How could you not enjoy being under its spell? (music repeats) Normally, I remember being able to get at  least 4 Fast Passes during a day at Disney,   but it’s now time for my second and final  Priority Pass. It’s another shooter ride but  

Since this one requires two hands and I’m  very competitive, I have no time to film. And finally, there’s the Western River Railroad;   something I’d not normally do, but with  a 15 minute line, it’s hard to resist   and it’s actually an enjoyable change  of pace, especially during nightfall…

These last few hours of back to back rides feels  like classic Disneyland. And that’s because,   largely, it is. I’m mostly left riding  yesterday’s rides, with fewer people in line,   and not having to think about using an app  to reserve or pay for them, which is nice.

This is the first time I’ve visited a Disney  Park that requires the app and overall,   I’ve found its reliance kinda took me  out of my surroundings. 10 years ago,   the only real preparation you needed to know, was  the order of collecting Fast Pass tickets and now,  

For me, it’s gotten a little out of hand.  Although I didn’t realise it at the time,   those Fast Pass machines and park maps, both  benefited from being physically in the Disney   World, so they weren’t breaking immersion. Needing  my phone so much to get the most from Disneyland,  

Is like playing Mario and needing to be in the  menu screen more than the Mushroom Kingdom. There are obviously clear benefits  to using this app, but my point is,   there is a tangible cost of making your  park rely so much on your own phone.

For comparison, I used more data 1 day at  Disney than I did over 2 days at Universal   Studios. And I should note, I was able  to do everything I wanted on my equally   packed first day there, so let me know  if that’s a video you’d like to see.

So before the evening truly sets in, with  the electric parade and final fireworks,   what have I missed? The Haunted Mansion  has remained around 90 minutes for the   entire day and it’s the only ride I’m sad to miss. I’ve also given up on watching a live show,  

Which is the first time I’m not been able to see  at least one during a visit. For performances,   they have something called Entry Request.  It’s effectively a lottery where you have   to request entry to a show, because just  turning up is no longer good enough.

Unfortunately, I was unsuccessful in that  lottery, and after being refused once,   you can’t apply again for that show.  The cast members suggested I arrive 30   to 60 minutes before the next performance to  have a possible chance of still getting it,  

But again, it clashed with my other timed  attractions so just fell by the wayside. Overall then, the pre planning has mostly  paid off. Unlike with previous visits,   it did still come at the cost of needing a  lot of extra organisation during my time here,   and then of course, paying  twice for Premiere access.

More than ever, it seems, you do need  a Disney plan to really get your monies   worth and hopefully by the end of this video,  you’ll know how I truly feel about my day here. I do wonder though, what must  be going through the minds of an  

Unprepared family who just casually stroll  in at 9am. Like, what are they thinking? Maybe it’s just no longer  possible to see everything   you want in a single day which is a good thing,   but that choice also comes at a price and a  change of mind set on my part, going forward.

One thing to keep in mind I found interesting.  There’s this online crowd calendar that all the   Disney experts say is pretty accurate  based on their years of visiting. It   predicts how busy the park will be on a  scale of 1 to 8, with 8 being insanity.

Today is projected to be a 3 out of 8, less than  30,000 people. Now, predictions are obviously   just that, but even if this is a 4, or a 5? I  don’t even want to think what a 6 feels like. Unfortunately, my last few hours at  Tokyo Disney were a little disappointing,  

And to no ones fault. I asked a cast member  about the Electric Parade and they said that   due to the rain, it was unfortunately  cancelled. I’m not exactly sure why,   something about water and electricity, their  English wasn’t very good. But they did then  

Raise a question mark over the likelihood of  the final fireworks display from happening also. Looking for things to do, even this late in  the day, the wait times weren’t coming down,   and I was pretty exhausted. But I was able  to duck into Star Tours one more time,  

Enjoying another randomised sequence. I also  got to grab that burger I’d wanted 8 hours ago. But the fireworks were eventually cancelled,  which is just one of those things that   can’t be helped. To combat the overall  disappointment that was hanging in the air,  

They did put on a scaled back parade as a  consolation prize which was appreciated… As the parade passed me by, my time at  Tokyo Disneyland was coming to an end… I made my final walk, towards the exit,  reflecting on the crazy day I’d just had;  

The good times, the not so good times, the  hungry times and the fun. The strange thing?   That despite everything, despite  any unexpected down sides that I’d   experience over the last 12 hours… I  still looked back, over, my shoulder…

Well this was a fun video to make. Welcome to  those who are new to the channel and welcome   back if not. I try to make YouTube travel videos  that are unique in this world of copy and paste.  

They take a lot more effort than your average  YouTube video so please do share this one with   your friends, especially if you have any  Disney friends out there. We make travel   videos from all over the world, covering all  aspects of travel, so if you want some more,  

I’ll link a good follow on video for  you here to watch next. As mentioned   this was part of our 3 month Asia trip  and I’ll be releasing videos from that   trip over the coming months. So as ever,  thanks for watching, Suitcase Monkey. 🙂