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Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea are bucket-list destinations for many, and while prices will always be high, there are easy ways to save some yen—maybe for a second helping of that delicious caramel popcorn or another Mickey waffle. 1. Buying Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea tickets Where and how to buy Tokyo Disney tickets There are two ways to buy: Authorized resellers You can buy Tokyo Disney tickets online from an authorized booking site like KKday, which sells a 1-day pass for each of the Disney resorts. The Tokyo Disney tickets may be discounted on KKday -- so it's worth checking. Their availability also tends to be good. Viator also offer a , which saves you figuring out the journey to "Tokyo" Disneyland (which isn't actually in Tokyo). Official website You can also buy your tickets through the Tokyo Disney resort website itself. One benefit of this is that Disney allows free changes to be made online, including last-minute ones -- helpful if the kids get sick! You can also find a variety of different passes on the official website. Date-specific or open Disney tickets? Tokyo Disney provides two ticket options -- a date-specific ticket or an open ticket. Date-specific tickets guarantee you entry on your chosen date, even if there are restrictions in place, and are valid for three months (note that this might change). Open tickets don’t guarantee entry, but are valid for one year. Since you can change the date on e-tickets online for free (as long as it’s still in the validity period) it’s usually better to select the date-specific ticket if possible. They can be purchased up to two months in advance. Can you buy Tokyo Disneyland tickets at the gate? Presently, the sales counters at both Tokyo Disney theme parks are not operating. This means you either have to buy online, through a travel agency, an affiliated hotel, or a convenience store within Japan. Ticket purchases are limited to five for one group. Wherever you buy your tickets, be sure to download the Tokyo Disney app for ease of entry, as well as actual navigation of the resort and its facilities. You'll also need the app to make reservations for restaurants and attractions. How much are Tokyo Disney annual passes? Most passes like the Starlight Pass, Multiple Day Pass, and Annual Passes that offer discounts have been discontinued until further notice. There haven't been any updates on whether or not they will be available again in the future. Pro tip: Check the Disney crowd calendar (in Japanese but fairly easy to understand) before you head over to the Magical Kingdom. It gives a surprisingly accurate forecast of how many visitors are expected at Tokyo DisneySea and Disneyland on a given day. 2. Bringing snacks to Tokyo DisneySea and Disneyland Much like Disney parks across the world, food and drink is priced pretty high inside the gates, but surprisingly you can bring in your own, with a few restrictions. We’re not saying don’t have any popcorn or churros, we’re just saying have it after an onigiri or two. If you want to have a full-on DIY meal, you'll probably need to chow down outside the park, and then re-enter. Ways to save money 1. Buy breakfast at a convenience store before you go. The Tokyo Disneyland Hotel, right across the road from the park entrance, has a convenience store well-stocked with breakfast-type foods. And at Maihama Station, there is a convenience store with a good selection of ready-to-go breakfast items, some even hot, that will be much cheaper than what’s on offer in the park. 2. Bring enough snacks and drinks to last the day. The park has picnic areas to eat in and the only prohibited items are alcoholic drinks and drinks in cans or glass bottles. You can leave food in lockers and pick it up later too. 3. Bring a refillable water bottle or reuse a plastic one. Both Tokyo DisneySea and Disneyland have water fountains dotted throughout the grounds -- good for your wallet and the environment! Plus, vending machines are hard to come by. We didn't see any in the park, and the ones outside were priced almost double what you'd usually pay! 3. Opting for a late lunch at Tokyo DisneySea or Disneyland While the meals can be a big part of the Tokyo Disney experience, thanks to Japanese portion sizes they may not be a big enough part for hungry travelers. The answer to this is the golden rule of choosing lunch over dinner, which is always much cheaper in Japan. Pro tip: Skip the monorail and walk between Tokyo DisneySea and Disneyland. It takes about 10 minutes. Ways to save money on meals 1. Check out some restaurant menus beforehand -- China Voyager (DL), for example, has bowls of noodles for while the Dockside Diner (DS) has sets from , which is not bad. Grandma Sara’s and Hungry Bear Restaurant at Tokyo Disneyland offer decent portions. The set meals are big enough for two people if you do not need to eat much and are about . 2. Budget for some clever treats -- the turkey legs are and will give you a better energy boost than sugary snacks, for example. Note: If you want to eat at a sit-down restaurant, we highly recommend making a reservation early in the morning, via the Disney app, for a better chance of a seat. The crowds can be crazy. 4. Cheating the crowds While it isn’t exactly saving you money, there are some ways to make sure you get the most out of your day, which is kind of the same thing; maybe? Ways to save time at Tokyo Disneyland 1. Running toward the Fast Pass counters are a thing of the past. Instead, simply download the official Disney Resort App and book all the rides and attractions you want from there. Make sure to have the app pre-installed onto your phone and activate it using the code on your ticket after you have your ticket scanned. Gone are the days of huffing and heaving across the entire park just to beat the line. Another thing about this app is that you can also check the waiting time and availability of attractions on the day. 2. Check schedules and plan around the performances: If you want to see the shows at Tokyo Disney, then be in the right place and be there early to get a seat. Some will require an Entry Request (via the app) -- which is a little bit like the lottery. If you’re not too bothered, take advantage of the (slightly) shorter queue times while everyone else is busy. The evening fireworks displays and day parades are also a great time for shorter queues. This hack is most helpful on emptier days, so ... 3. Avoid the busiest days of the year and thus lots of the people: This includes Christmas Eve/Day, New Year's Eve/Day, Obon and Golden Week as well as Saturdays, which are often the busiest day of the week -- and long weekends. Again, the Disney crowd calendar will help a lot with making your experience truly magical instead of one long waiting game. 5. Sacrificing those souvenirs Matching outfits are the done thing in Japan for dates, friends and families too, and even the most steadfast of haters may find themselves tempted to join in after a day of people-watching. The Disney souvenirs are bright, fun and … well, pricey, so they can be an easy way to cut costs, especially since you’ll probably never wear them again. Ways to save on souvenirs at Tokyo Disney 1. If you have friends in Tokyo, see if you can borrow a hat or t-shirt they’ve had since their last Disney trip, or bring your own not-quite-official version from home. 2. Make the most of the photo-opportunity areas, e.g. sticking your face into a Mickey-shaped hole or posing with a character, which is free -- you’ll get the photos and can spend on something else. 3. Consider something practical, like a water bottle -- cute and money-saving is the best, right? 4. Disney Stores throughout Japan, e.g. the one in Shibuya (on the third floor), often have discounted merchandise corners. Here, you'll find goods that are sometimes only a few months old at 20-70% off the regular price. 5. The Bon Voyage Store on the way from Maihama Station to the resort also sometimes has a “Value Section”. This merchandise is discounted up to 50% off. 6. The stores in the park also have discounted goods. The sections aren’t really advertised, but, you guessed it, check in the corners and at the back of the stores for goods with red stickers. 7. Nakano Broadway in Tokyo has a secondhand store for Disney merchandise. Go before your big day and save some serious cash! Bonus tip #1: Finding cheap hotels near Tokyo DisneySea and Disneyland If you're looking for somewhere to stay, we've got that covered too — see our article on affordable hotels near Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea. Bonus tip #2: Going straight from Narita Airport to Disney Save some money and hassle on your airport transfer with our guide on getting from Narita Airport to Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea. While we do our best to make sure it's correct, information is subject to change. This post was first published in July 2020 by Mareike Dornhege. Last updated in September 2023 by the TC editorial team.

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