To keep away from crowds, there are good occasions to go to Tokyo Disneyland & DisneySea, and dangerous occasions to go to in 2023. Some days have low wait occasions, whereas others have 45 minute waits for popcorn. Additionally, extremes in climate, plus seasonal leisure are necessary elements to contemplate when planning your Japan journey.
In our newest replace to this information to one of the best occasions to go to Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea, we’re wanting ahead to 2023. This follows fairly a bit of reports and modifications. It additionally comes after our personal vacation season journey to Japan–the primary time we’ve been in a position to go to in 3 years as a result of border closure. During that go to, we spent a whole lot of time at Tokyo Disney Resort, and realized loads within the course of.
First, there’s a enormous quantity of pent-up demand amongst home guests in Japan. This really isn’t one thing we realized–we feared this and warned of sky-high crowds in 2023. Japanese individuals who have behaved cautiously plus vacationers who been shut out of Japan for the final two years making up for misplaced time may end in enormous crowds. This was hardly a daring prediction, as Walt Disney World and Disneyland have seen this precise situation play out within the U.S. parks. The solely distinction is the timeline being delayed on account of Japan’s slower reopening.
Second, there’s the large panda within the room: China. Previously, we urged that Tokyo Disney Resort gained’t see guests from China anytime this 12 months, and even the primary half of 2023 is unlikely on account of Beijing’s strict zero-COVID coverage. We additionally stated that even when zero-COVID was deserted, it will be a gradual coverage change, and there could be lag between the reserving of journeys and touring.
Well, that was very, very unsuitable. I don’t suppose anybody noticed the unraveling of zero-COVID enjoying out prefer it has, and it’s actually troublesome to say what occurs subsequent. My guess is that there will probably be a main quantity of pent-up demand amongst Chinese vacationers all through 2023, leading to larger-than-normal crowds throughout the board. Even with Japan creating some testing obstacles, journey brokers in China reporting sky-high bookings already mirror this.
Finally, there’s the open query of Japan’s home journey subsidies.
This is the most important wildcard of all, as Japanese guests make up the overwhelming majority of tourists in regular years. In 2019, worldwide guests solely accounted for 9.6% of all visitors at Tokyo Disney Resort. While that was the fastest-growing demographic, it was nonetheless a small proportion of all park attendees.
We skilled this primary hand with our Christmas journey to Tokyo Disney Resort. The parks had been filled with among the worst ‘feels like’ crowds we’ve ever encountered. This was for a handful of causes. One was the aforementioned home journey stimulus, which sponsored the price of lodge stays and different bills for home guests. Along with that, there have been low cost tickets for vaccinated guests that spiked attendance.
Finally, there was the matter of closed eating places and retail that also haven’t reopened previously ~3 years following the closure of the parks. While individually minor, these considerably affect retail and restaurant capability in mixture. The finish result’s crowded retailers and really lengthy strains for eating choices, particularly at peak occasions. There are additionally a lot of leisure choices which have but to reopen, which additionally decreased out there park capability. (Again, a really comparable dynamic to the U.S. parks in 2020 and 2021.)
Our honest hope is that this capability is restored in brief order, as will probably be wanted if attendance continues to extend. Already, massive strides have been made this vacation season, as “Believe! Sea of Dreams” nighttime spectacular debuted at Tokyo DisneySea and different seasonal leisure returned. This is a step in the precise path, but it surely’s only a begin.
Other important enhancements are anticipated within the lead-up to Tokyo Disneyland’s fortieth Anniversary (see What’s New & Next at Tokyo Disneyland & DisneySea in 2023-2024) and can completely be wanted by the kickoff of that milestone celebration. If you’re visiting after April 15, 2023, hopefully this gained’t be a problem in any respect. However, it’s attainable staffing shortages and different woes will persist, and exacerbate how crowded the parks really feel.
With that reasonably important preface out of the best way, we’ll do our greatest to foretell crowd tendencies right here primarily based on previous precedent in a traditional 12 months. All issues being equal, these normal patterns ought to repeat themselves once more in 2023 and past.
Narrowing issues right down to the season throughout which you wish to go to is an important first step from our perspective. This isn’t California and even Florida. The variations between January and April, for instance, are important. In January, you’ll definitely discover chilly climate and would possibly even be greeted by snow in several elements of Japan, together with Tokyo Disneyland. In April, climate is gentle, the cherry blossoms begin blooming, and the parks are celebrating spring.
To that finish, let’s begin by taking a month-by-month take a look at what you may encounter by way of seasonal choices, crowds, and climate. Note that it’s unclear what the occasions lineup will seem like in 2023–many of those seasonal occasions are prone to change in title or substance.
January
- Seasonal Event: Minnie Bestie Bash at Tokyo Disneyland
- Seasonal Event: Duffy’s Heartwarming Days at Tokyo DisneySea
- Weather: 35-50° F with principally sunny days and little precipitation.
- Crowds: Low after New Year’s week.
February
- Seasonal Event: Minnie Bestie Bash at Tokyo Disneyland
- Seasonal Event: Duffy’s Heartwarming Days at Tokyo DisneySea
- Weather: 35-50° F with principally sunny days and little precipitation.
- Crowds: Low to average, rising in direction of the tip of the month.
March
- Special Event: Minnie Bestie Bash at Tokyo Disneyland
- Seasonal Event: Duffy’s Heartwarming Days at Tokyo DisneySea
- Seasonal Event: Disney’s Easter at solely Tokyo DisneySea
- Weather: 40-55° F with principally sunny days and lightweight precipitation.
- Crowds: Moderate crowds all the month getting worse in direction of the tip of the month, each in Tokyo Disneyland and Japan generally (blossom season).
April
- Seasonal Event: Disney’s Easter at solely Tokyo DisneySea
- Weather: 50-65° F with average sunny days and lightweight precipitation
- Crowds: Low outdoors of potential holidays on the finish of the month (keep away from days round Golden Week).
May
- Seasonal Event: Disney’s Easter at solely Tokyo DisneySea
- Weather: 60-75° F with average sunny days and lightweight precipitation.
- Crowds: Low after Golden Week journey concludes.
June
- Special Event: Duffy Sunny Fun & Disney’s Easter at solely Tokyo DisneySea
- Weather: 65-75° F with some sunny days and average precipitation.
- Crowds: Low.
July
- Seasonal Event: Duffy Sunny Fun & Pirates Summer in Tokyo DisneySea
- Weather: 75-85° F with some sunny days, some precipitation, and excessive humidity.
- Crowds: Moderate till the final week, which is heavy.
August
- Seasonal Event: Duffy Sunny Fun & Pirates Summer in Tokyo DisneySea
- Weather: 75-90° F with average sunny days, gentle precipitation, and excessive humidity.
- Crowds: Heavy.
September
- Special Event: Halloween in each parks
- Weather: 70-80° F with average sunny days and a few precipitation.
- Crowds: Low firstly of the month, rising to heavy on the finish.
October
- Special Event: Halloween in each parks
- Weather: 60-70° F with average sunny days and lightweight precipitation.
- Crowds: Heavy.
November
- Special Event: Christmas in each parks
- Weather: 50-65° F with principally sunny days and lightweight precipitation.
- Crowds: Moderate.
December
- Special Event: Christmas in each parks
- Weather: 40-55° F with principally sunny days and lightweight precipitation.
- Crowds: Low till Christmas week; heavy thereafter.
Note that this month by month look is a excessive stage overview, and makes generalizations about crowds and climate. For precise dates of Tokyo Disney Resort seasonal occasions, seek the advice of their official month-to-month calendar.
In addition to the occasions on this calendar and that official one, Tokyo Disneyland has opened its large enlargement that features the brand new Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast attraction and the indoor Fantasyland Forest Theatre. In Toontown, the brand new Disney Character greeting facility Minnie’s Style Studio can be open, and the Happy Ride with Baymax has debuted in Tomorrowland.
In phrases of climate, it will get chilly within the winter after which more and more hotter till peaking throughout the spring months. Late-June by way of early-August are the worst occasions to go to from a climate perspective phrases of each precipitation and debilitating humidity.
Pre-closure, we visited throughout a number of occasions of 12 months. Most noteworthy for the needs of this submit was our summer time go to. While we loved the summer time festivities, the climate bordered on depressing. Japan’s sweltering temperatures made world information on account of temperatures over 100F and a record-breaking warmth wave that has killed dozens. Obviously, temperatures this intense usually are not regular for the summer time in Japan, however such a climate is feasible, and that’s one thing to contemplate when planning.
Around September, the climate begins to chill once more within the fall resulting in colder climate once more within the winter. From September by way of November, issues are usually nice. December by way of February are as soon as once more “weather wild cards” with freezing temperatures and even snow attainable. If you’re averse to chilly climate, you need to keep away from these months.
Weather as soon as once more turns into extra temperate within the spring, with April and May being fairly good. Our calendar above covers in-park crowds, and signifies that April is mostly off-season for Tokyo Disney Resort. Note that April is cherry blossom season in Japan, so you’re prone to encounter heavier crowds outdoors the parks throughout peak sakura occasions. (Ditto that with mid to late November and fall colours season.)
As for crowds, you positively wish to seek the advice of one thing extra exact than our overview. Japanese nationwide holidays and to a lesser extent nationwide holidays in China and South Korea (the most important demographics of abroad guests to Japan) can have affect crowds on sure dates, and crowds can activate a dime from being gentle to heavy when faculty is out of session.
For a bit extra precision, we suggest consulting Crowd Calendars for Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea. These are extremely nice assets for selecting which days to go to the parks when you’ve narrowed down your tough journey dates primarily based upon the season or particular occasions you wish to expertise. There’s a whole lot of data within the crowd calendars, they usually have by no means steered us unsuitable.
One factor to notice is that crowds fluctuate extra at Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea greater than another parks on the earth. We’ve been on “low” days in the midst of the weeks which are lighter than mid-January at Disneyland, and we’ve been on weekends that really feel like New Year’s Eve in Magic Kingdom.
Lots of people of apprehensive about visiting Tokyo Disneyland on account of photographs that flow into of humongous strains to get into the park and loopy congestion, and whereas the previous is true each day (the Japanese like to indicate up early!) the latter is simply true on the busiest days of the 12 months. I wish to underscore this as a result of the notion of crowds in these parks has taken on a lifetime of its personal and is, frankly, overblown.
With that stated, it is rather necessary to decide on your journey dates correctly to keep away from weekends and holidays, in any other case you threat being caught in certainly one of these ‘crazy congestion’ occasions. Our 3 favourite occasions to go to the parks are mid-May, early to mid-September, and early-November.
If you go in mid-May, you keep away from the the Golden Week crowds, get higher climate than earlier within the 12 months, and can have the ability to see Disney’s Easter, which is superior. In our expertise, that is the candy spot by way of climate, crowds, and seasonal occasions.
If you go to in early to mid-September, you’ll find a way once more have milder climate and you’ll beat the Halloween crowds (which get dangerous!) whereas nonetheless with the ability to benefit from the Halloween festivities.
We’ve dubbed going for the final two days of Halloween and the primary week of Christmas as “HalloXmas at Tokyo Disney Resort.” This is our absolute favourite time of the 12 months to go due to seasonal choices. Note that Halloween itself is dangerous crowd-wise, however the next days are gentle. Weather ought to be temperate all through the journey, however you would possibly want a lightweight jacket.
We love Tokyo Disney Resort, however we expect it will be kind of excessive (and never EXTREME! in a great way, like chugging a bunch of Mountain Dew and hanging out with Chuck Norris) to go to Japan with out seeing different elements of Japan, so you need to positively seek the advice of a calendar of happenings across the nation earlier than finalizing your dates.
As famous above, cherry blossom and fall colours seasons are going to be busy all through the nation. This is especially true in Kyoto, Mt. Fuji, and different areas recognized for seasonal magnificence. If you’re simply visiting solely Tokyo in your first journey to Japan, this shouldn’t be as a lot of a priority.
Once you’ve decided what time of 12 months you wish to go to, it’s necessary to plan the actual days you may be visiting. The most necessary takeaway you may glean from this text is don’t go to Tokyo Disneyland or DisneySea on weekends. That’s actually necessary, so let me reiterate with some dramatic emphasis: DO NOT VISIT TOKYO DISNEY RESORT ON WEEKENDS!!!
This is true it doesn’t matter what time of 12 months you go to, even throughout the lowest seasons, weekend crowds are dangerous. Like Times Square on New Year’s Eve (minus the B.O. and vomit) dangerous. This is as a result of Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea are locals parks greater than even Disneyland in California, that means they get crowded with Annual Passholders on the weekends when they’re off faculty and work.
Saturday is absolutely the worst day of the week, with Sunday a detailed second (till round 5 p.m. when locals begin heading residence). Friday is the third worst day, particularly within the afternoon and night, as folks head to the parks to kick off their weekends.
In phrases of the remainder of the week, we will’t actually say we’ve seen a big distinction amongst Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, save for Monday arguably being barely busier with a couple of locals doing lengthy weekends and vacationers kicking off the beginning of their trip head to the parks. This distinction is negligible at greatest, and we might not suggest avoiding Monday because of this.
One ultimate factor to contemplate is the energy of the yen as in comparison with the greenback. The yen is hovering round its weakest ranges since 1998, with the Japanese foreign money falling about 25% year-to-date. The energy of the greenback means higher buying energy when touring overseas, and to Japan specifically.
The Bank of Japan has intervened by promoting dollar-denominated property to purchase the yen in an effort to prop-up the Japanese foreign money’s free-fall, however that hasn’t accomplished a lot. The Bank of Japan has reaffirmed a dedication to ultralow financial coverage, whereas the U.S. Federal Reserve and different central banks within the West have hiked rates of interest repeatedly–and have signaled intent to proceed doing so by way of 2023. These divergent approaches will imply the consequences of the yen intervention is likely to be restricted, except the BOJ modifications its dovish stance. Consult conversion charts whereas planning your journey to Tokyo Disney Resort to see the place issues stand previous to your go to, however you ought to have extra buying energy in relation to airfare, accommodations, park tickets, and outfits in your Duffy plush–you recognize, all the necessities.
Planning a visit to Tokyo Disney Resort? For complete recommendation, one of the best place to begin is our Tokyo Disneyland & DisneySea Trip Planning Guide! For extra specifics, our TDR Hotel Rankings & Reviews web page covers lodging. Our Restaurant Reviews element the place to dine & snack. To get monetary savings on tickets or decide which kind to purchase, learn our Tips for Saving Money submit. Our What to Pack for Disney submit takes a singular take a look at intelligent gadgets to take. Venturing elsewhere in Japan? Consult our Ultimate Guide to Kyoto, Japan and City Guide to Tokyo, Japan.
Your Thoughts
If you’ve been to Tokyo Disneyland or Tokyo DisneySea, what did you suppose had been one of the best or worst occasions to go to? Thinking about visiting at any specific occasions of 12 months? Other ideas on avoiding crowds at Tokyo Disneyland? Share your ideas or questions within the feedback beneath!