Local tells Tokyo Disneyland vs Tokyo DisneySea… which is better?

Hi,I’m Keiko from Osaka!

Those visiting Tokyo Disney Resort on a tight schedule will face the ultimate question: Do we go to Tokyo Disneyland or Tokyo DisneySea?

If you are visiting there for 2 or more days, you will sure be able to visit both Disneyland and DisneySea.

But if you only allocated 1 day in Disney Resort area, you will have to choose…

In this article, I will try my best to guide you by comparing the two Parks based on the number of visitors, the area size, the number of thrill rides, restaurants and hotels.

I hope this will guide you to make this difficult decision!

Local tells Tokyo Disneyland vs Tokyo DisneySea… which is better?



1. The number of Visitors

The number of visitors to Disneyland in 2017 was 16,600,000 while those visiting DisneySea was 13,500,000.

This trend was observed not only in 2017.

As far as I recall, historically Disneyland has been attracting more visitors.

So we can say that Disneyland is more popular.



2. Parks’ Area Size


Disneyland: 510,000m2
 DisneySea: 490,000m2

Disneyland is slightly bigger than DisneySea.

However it is important to note that since DisneySea has a manmade harbor sitting in the middle of the Park and since its attractions are spread apart through out the Park, you would likely to walk more in DisneySea.

Also there are more stairs and hills in DisneySea, which is also a consideration.



3.Thrill Rides

For many, thrill rides are thee reason to visit an amusement park.

Disneyland has 3 thrill rides whereas DisneySea has 4 below.
Disneyland:
１.Space Mountain
２.Splash Mountain
３.Big Thunder Mountain

DisneySea:
１.Tower of Terror
２.Journey to the Center of the Earth
３.Raising Spirit
４.Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull

So the number wise, there isn’t much difference between the two Parks.

However, thrill rides of DisneySea tend to be a lot “thriller” than those of Disneyland.

For example, “Tower of the Terror” ride in DisneySea is known to be the scariest ride with a free fall at the end among all rides in Disney Resort.

Also, “the Center of the Earth” in DisneySea is the fastest ride which runs through at 75km/hr of the maximum speed.

For those who love the thrill rides, DisneySea might be a better option. 



Next.let’s see the restaurants!

4.Restaurants

One unique difference between the dining experience of Disneyland and that of DisneySea is serving of alcoholic drinks.

Restaurants in Disneyland do not serve alcoholic drinks while those in DisneySea can and do.

There are 48 restaurants and food stalls in Disneyland while there are 38 of them in DisneySea (as of August 2018).

Personally, I think there are better restaurants in DisneySea. 


5. Hotels

Disneyland: Tokyo Disneyland Hotel, located right in front of Tokyo Disneyland entrance

DisneySea: Tokyo DisneySea Hotel Miracosta

If you are into Disney characters, I certainly recommend staying at Tokyo Disneyland Hotel, which has special character rooms such as the Beauty and the Beast room, Cinderella room, Tinkerbell room, etc.

I myself was very satisfied when I was able to stay at the Beauty and the Beast room.

My recommendations

【For First timers:】
For those visiting the Disney resort for the first time, I recommend choosing Tokyo Disneyland.

It is easy to navigate even for those visiting for the first time, as you just have to walk around having the Cinderella Castle as your reference.

It is a bit more difficult and tiring to navigate DisneySea which has a unique shape and where the attractions are spread throughout the Park.

【For Families with small children:】
Tokyo Disneyland is also recommended for those with small children since Disneyland has more attractions that are fitting for smaller children.

【For Adult members looking for thrills:】
On the other hand, for those looking for thrill rides or having a few drinks along with your lunch or dinner, I recommend DisneySea.

I personally love to go to both Park.

But, I would choose Disneyland if I only have one day.

I would not want to miss the Electrical Parade and it has the attractions that I like.

If you are debating which Parks to go, I hope that this article can guide you to make your decision.

Whichever you choose, I am sure you will have a magical time!! 



If you would like to purchase your Park ticket online in advance, you may do so through Voyagin below:








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