Magical, but not very Japanese (Tokyo Disneyland)

Member Name: Starlight81

Product:	Tokyo Disneyland
Date:	28/01/09 (35 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Easy to get to from the centre of Tokyo

Disadvantages: Not great value for money

I visited Tokyo Disneyland in 2000, so that was quite a while ago, although it's possible very little has changed since then. I went in August, and I would warn you to beware going in the heat and incredible humidity of a Japanese summer. Rides tend to be popular and queueing times long, and standing outside waiting with the sun beating down on you is none too pleasant. Probably the best time to go would be in the spring i.e. between March and May. June is the rainy season.

I think this theme park probably holds more appeal for the Japanese than for tourists coming to Japan, as it is very western in its design. In fact, there's not much there that you wouldn't just as easily find at the Paris one, and I was also quite shocked by the fact that they had employed all western looking people for the parade. There was not a single Japanese native to be seen in costume.

It's quite easy to get to from the centre of Tokyo- you can take the JR Keiyo Line or JR Musashino Line, which takes about 15 minutes from Tokyo station. Otherwise there are plenty of buses- check out the official website for more details.

If you want a day pass, it'll cost you ¥5,800 for an adult (about £45) or ¥3,900 for a child (£30). There's also something called a 'junior' ticket, which is for people aged 12-17 (¥5,000 / £39). If you look on the website, you can also find options for night tickets / weekly passes etc. However, I'd have to say that if you're going to go all the way to Tokyo, your money would be much better spent on a sumo wrestling tournament or a meal in a nice sushi restaurant. If you want Disney, just go to Paris.

Summary: Go and see some temples instead!