i know you like it, but being in JAPAN , JAPAN is the main atraction, not USA products. in 2 or 3 days I will had the takayama, atraction miyajima ,kurama , and i f a i want modern fun i will go to maid cafe or akihabara in tokyo .....specially if the tour took you 15 to 20 days!!!
@@shonix123 we spent a week in Tokyo alone,and this was our second trip to Japan. We enjoy visiting and are becoming much more proficient at navigating our way around. The foods are amazing. My wife loves Kyoto and is addicted to everything Matcha. Son is more basic and sticks with chicken and ramen. I love almost everything I’ve tried.
Your Video is quite interesting and worthwhile . . . I think its worth recalling that when Mr. Disney took his (7 year old) daughters to amusement parks in L.A. circa the late 20s-early 30s, he found them to be dirty, poorly run, and the Staff unsavory . . . my Family owned a Hollywood-adjacent business in those years, and there was indeed an element of "Day of the Locust" in the mix . . . I have read that Mr. Disney visited the "Tivoli" theme park in Copenhagen, and was inspired by it ; perhaps the Scandinavians and the Japanese both have a reputation for Excellence . . . I would add that the earlier Carnival culture was noted for its Bohemian, not to say Countercultural attitude . . . some of that carries over into the Hollywood system, and perhaps to companies that are part of it. Of course Mr. Disney moved out of Hollywood and built a new Studio / Campus in Burbank . . . 😺😺😺 I want to add one thing : When you purchase something in the USA, 50% of the time you say "Thank You," and the Salesclerk says "No Problem."
Japan is just incredible and they care about quality in a way we simply don’t in the West. My wife and I loved our time there and have dreamed of going back ever since.
Japan is a great country to visit as a CUSTOMER not as a worker. Japanese excellent service is made up on the toxic work culture. It’s like serving customer as if they were god as a salve.
@@Qwentris Speaking as a Japanese, I would have approved of that opinion 10 years ago. Now it's changed quite a bit. Every time I see someone still saying that, I wish they would update their information. Still, there are some places that are partially harmful, but on a company basis, not a country basis, and this is everywhere in the world. For example, even in the US, amazon, blizzard, etc.
When I first went to Japan In '95' it was a culture shock. What a beautiful clean place.. the wonderful customer service. The people.Common courtesy still exists there. I came back to America with a different attitude. Smile in my face. What an amazing experience. To this day I I try to set my standards like the Japanese people. Pride. Doesn't hurt being married to a Japanese either which I am. 😬
Coming from annual passholder in Florida, Tokyo Disney is the best for sure. They get so much right and pay close attention to the details. How ironic is it that the best Disney park isn't even run by Disney.
Disney didn’t want put money and make a Disneyland just outside of Tokyo at that time. So Oriental Land gathered Japanese sponsors and built Tokyo Disney Land and they pay license fee to Disney. That’s why the tickets are much lower than the States. And now they just opened a new area in Tokyo Disney Sea and opened an expensive official hotel and all rooms are sold out for the next 4 months and people are going crazy for the new area in Disney Sea!!
Japanese person here. We are really happy to hear that overseas visitors appreciate how well run TDR is (as well as other things in Japan). Please do remember that Japan runs well because people are considerate of each other and follow rules. Many things in Japan run very efficiently and smoothly based on unspoken rules. We know that these may be hard for foreigners to follow, but please observe those around you and follow their lead, and please don’t take advantage of Japanese politeness. We won’t scream at you or literally remove you, but it shouldn’t come to that to you to change disruptive behavior. Please do your part to help Japan stay the Japan that you love!
Ok, i myself is a cosplayer and have been to disneyland JP 4 times. So full cosplay is not apparently allowed according to my Japanese cosplay friends but everyone loves to dress up in Disney theme clothes and dress cute or matching so they can take cute photos at the Park . I myself also dressed up in cute clothes by the 3rd time
I completely agree. I was doing the math late one night. It would cost me less to fly 2 people from San Francisco to Japan for 1 week, get hotels, food and passes to the park than it would to drive to Anaheim for the same amount of time.
@@vmerriwether Yes, the yen in down but not enough to excuse the massive gap. For example, one day one park June 26th. In California it is $169, in Tokyo Disneyland/DisneySea it is $56. (Over 3 times higher.) Again, yes the yen is down. However even at the most generous exchange rate (0.013) all the way back in 2011 that comes out to $116 for the same ticket. This same principle applies to everything from hotel to merchandise to food. Additionally, as others have pointed out. Even with an exactly equal price tag the experience is still significantly better. That is not to say there aren't other non exchange rate issues at play. (Including the insanely high California minimum wage.) But to simplify the price gap down to just exchange rate is giving the American Disney parks an unfair pass on unreasonably high prices. (Something they can, and should, be called out for.)
We did a Vacation Package in Tokyo Disney last month and we will NEVER visit a US park ever again. It was just a completely spectacular experience, the staff, the park goers, the overall VIBES! It just goes so hard! We were grinning like goons the entire time. It was pure magic, like Disney’s vision come true.
I agree with your description & from my perspective, it actually sums up the total Japan experience. The Japanese culture & living standard [clean, modern, hi-tech & safe] is roughly what I thought our future was supposed to be, as 'promised' by futuristic predictions in the 1960's media. [I grew up in the 50's & 60's.] 😀⛩
I'm just a casual Disney fan, who never really cared for any Disney theme park in the US. In my last vacation to Tokyo, I decided to visit Tokyo DisneySea and I was blown away. Bar none, probably the best theme park experience I've ever had, Disney-related or otherwise. Even if they ever raise their price (hopefully never!), I'd still come back to visit. It's really that good and I wish I had an extra day to check out Tokyo Disneyland. Definitely will visit next time.
I just returned from 7 days in Tokyo Disneyland and Disney Seas. You are right! For me? These two parks are THE absolute very best theme parks I have ever been to. It's not even close! After 26 years of constant almost monthly WDW weekends and yearly Disneyland trips?...no way! NOTHING even touches Tokyo...nothing.
I absolutely agree! I simply won't go to any other Disneyland after experiencing Tokyo Disney and Disney Sea. It's the cleanest theme park I've ever been to. Part of the reason for this is the customers. Japanese people consider it a privilege to be able to experience such a park and respect it as such. You won't see anyone, kids included, disrespecting the property. It is also Japanese culture to sit and eat. So there aren't a lot of people walking and eating, which can leave a mess with food scraps and such laying on the ground. Of course, there is the service aspect of it too. They are very proud of providing the best service possible, just as you've mentioned. Thanks for bringing back a great memory for me.
There have been problems with chinese scalpers causing issues at Disney Tokyo, like cutting lines to enter first and buying up large quantities of goods to resell it. Really annoying.
If you decide to go to Japan, do not go during the summer unless you like heat and lots of humidity. If you Google best time to go to Japan, it will list the best months.
I was a cast member in the early 80s at Disney World in Orlando and visited Tokyo Disneyland for the first time in May 1989 and from that moment I immediately realized how much more efficient and magical the Tokyo park was. And when I came to Tokyo DisneySea after it opened in 2001 I was blown away. Disney just doesn’t get any better that Tokyo Disney resort. They excel in every aspect of their operation. Your commentary about efficiency, live parades and shows, cleanliness etc was spot on. In regards to crowding, if you arrived at the gates after 9:30am then you missed the horrible lines to enter the park that start forming as early as 5am to enter. But they efficiently move people into the park and often times open the gates earlier than advertised. However arriving later is great to avoid lines but you risk the possibility of not getting stand by for new offerings as is the case now with Fantasy Springs at Tokyo DisneySea. You need a stand by pass or priority access pass to see Fantasy Springs and usually they’re gone 45 mins after gates have opened. So getting there early is sometimes the way to do it rather than later. As for queuing for rides… yes it’s very organized and well administered but it also helps that less than 1% of the guests are in a wheel chair or scooter which is the reason why attraction lines at Disneyland and WDW clutter and rides often stop to allow for “handicapped” guests on and off ride vehicles and such. It’s non existent at Tokyo Disney. The fact that guests in Japan are physically fit helps a lot. I wish you had commented more of the quality of “show”. How similar attractions differ for the better in Tokyo over counter parts in the USA. Take the jungle cruise for example where map projections highly increase the quality of the show compared to the basic stuff they do at the other Disney parks. All in all a very accurate opinion on your part. Now I would encourage you to visit Disneyland Paris which is called the most beautiful Disneyland park in the world, that is if you can look away from the less than stellar cleanliness and sometimes rude European guests.
My family went during January. Almost no lines anywhere. I have read and heard that other times of the year it is pretty crazy. We were just in Japan during Winter and got to avoid the crazy times. I loved Disney Sea because the rides were unique and different. But even Disney Land was simply better designed and executed. And of course it was cleaner than any other Disney park anywhere. I mean, it's in Japan. And the people working there were great. I used to think Anaheim Disney had the most friendly people working there, but then we went to Tokyo.
Thank you so very much for sharing this experience! I have been to Japan once but not here. Truly gorgeous area to visit. Fully understandable about the contrasts you two have experienced. The national changes of how ppl there do tasks with honor is quite different, and does reflect quite a bit into how experiences are reflected. Really glad you two enjoyed your time there.
I’m old. I was a frequent visitor to Disney world. In Florida back in the 70’s. The Disney you depict in Tokyo was the Disney we had in America back then. Employees were happy, very eager to help, provide information and do anything to improve the customer experience. Our culture in the US has changed, it was not like this and unfortunately Disney US has tolerated apathy, unhappy, unmotivated and politically charged issues to infect the US experience. As a whole the US has done the same. Disney US could do better if they demanded excellence of its product and entertainment. I vowed never to give Disney another dime. However if I ever had the money to go to Japan I would go to Disney in Tokyo to relive the experience I had as a kid
I'm an Asian-American (Filipina-American) mom of 2 teenagers and in my early 50s. I briefly worked in the hospitality business from 2022-2023 near my home. I've been to both Disneyland (as a kid & an adult~>I lived on the West Coast & the Southwest for 21 years (I currently live in the Southwest & have since 2018) and Disneyworld (as a kid). I've never been to Tokyo Disneyland. I can tell you that as an Asian-American that I am not surprised that the customer service is much better at Toyko Disneyland than at both Disneyland and Disneyworld. Japanese culture not only is group oriented but putting forth great customer service is a cultural thing. It doesn't really matter how small or how big a role someone has in an organization. It would be nice to see that kind of commitment to customer service at both Disneyland and Disneyworld.
@@lynettetaravella2578 agreed but while it was not as much of the core it is in the Asian world, here in America it was more simply pride in your job, looking to impress to get ahead and rise up or gain experience to move up in other organizations. Now people just want to get by. They just want to do the bare minimum yet get pay increases to do the same work. There is no motivation to move up the ladder. As Marxist principles are forced on our kids in schools while at the same time diminishing core academics we are raising dumb, unmotivated dependent young people who wish to be given success not earn it and take pride in personal achievement. It’s sad and scary.
@@lynettetaravella2578 I agree. I love the Japanese culture. They have retained strength, dignity, patience, respect and discipline. If I were younger and could learned the language and offer something business wise I would love to live there.
Hi! I’m also from SoCal and grew up with Disneyland and got to visit Tokyo Disney Resort for the first time a few months ago. It’s great to see someone making a comparison with Disneyland since so many do it compared to Disney World.
I live in Japan and just want to say one thing, only one visit is not enough in disney sea and land, sine it changing every season and also the shows are not the same (parade) so one time only gets a little taste of everything. have a nice day
Aloha! I’ve been to the Tokyo Disney Parks several times and 100% concur with you. The vibe is just better. Mahalo for eloquently articulating why Tokyo Disney Resort is so great! I was there in May and lucked out and experienced a soft preview opening of the new Fantasy Springs in Disney Sea. It was awesome. Highly recommend. It is super busy now but there are several “tactics” posted on TH-cam on how to get in.
Fun Fact: DisneySea was originally planned to be in Long Beach, CA around the Queen Mary but Long Beach refused to pay for freeway improvements to the park so they built it in Tokyo Instead.
...and California Adventure was originally slated to be built in Sacramento, but among other things they couldn't design a water treatment plant (to prevent contamination of the river adjacent to the site) to the satisfaction of the local government, so they built it on their old parking lot in Anaheim instead. Oddly enough, the giant letters that used to spell out "CALIFORNIA" in front of the theme park were eventually moved to that same site in Sacramento (Cal Expo)
Earlier story in the 1960s when Japan wanted a Disney park in Nara, but the license deal fell through during construction and end up creating a Disney knockoff, Nara Dreamland. Attendance plummeted of course when the real Tokyo Disney park opened. Nara is an hour from Kyoto and Osaka from the nearest airport and Shinkansen station. The final nail is when Universal Studios opened in Osaka taking the Nara park's remaining attendance.
This is so true, I was at Tokyo Disneyland 14 months ago. I stayed at the MiraCosta hotel at DisneySeas. I have been to every Disney park in the world except Shanghai China (thats for next year). So far Tokyo was the best! (Hong Kong was a close second place)
I am a 79 WDW cast member alumi. the standards and customer service when I worked at WDW was very high. only 1 out of every 50-70 applicants where hired at that time. I remember when the Oriental land company came around and toured WDW and I heard that they brought over some key employees to train at WDW first. Because of the high customer service and standards Disney had at that time. well standards have fallen off a cliff for the American Parks in the lat 20 years. :( and even worse in the last 5 years.
I grew up in San Diego. We went to Disneyland many times and I even met and shook hands with Roy Disney twice. It was truly a magical place for kids and family. I took my wife to Anaheim Disneyland when I retired from the military in 2012. I was so disappointed and upset on the terrible condition of the park. Numerous rides shut down and the sky high prices for everything. There were surveys being done by the people at the exit gates. I told them what I thought and said I would never be back and never will. The icing on the cake was gay boys and men hugging and kissing each other in front of families with children. Makes me sick what has happened to Disneyland. I won't give them a red cent for anything. I would be interested in Japan's Disneyland.
@@kevinleukhardt9560 You say gay boys but we get your meaning. It's the more acceptable way to say the ___s, the ____s and the new ____s as well as the _____s. I never got to see Disney's All GAy kiss parade you write about. was it shut down?
I knew it! I did not feel it when I went to the one in LA. The magic feeling I get in TDL wasn't there but I could not tell or put in words what was missing. So, Thank you for verifying my feelings or lack of it!
Thank you so much for this great report! I had totally given up on visiting Disney (in the USA) because of too many reports that both Calif & Florida are just poor experiences now, but I will _totally_ fly myself & my GF to Japan to visit that Disneyland 👍 (and we'll def. be getting the FastPass)
To say Disney Sea is their DCA is really disingenuous as by many, it is considered the best theme park on the globe. It's like DCA in that it was the second park built next door, that's about the only comparison that could be made. The theming, the original content, the details, scope and massiveness just blow away anything in the other parks and this would include Shanghai. Lately they have been doing some ride copoies (turtle talk, Tower of terror, Toy Story Mania, soarin) but they have either tweaked the ride or set up way more extensive and immersive environments to place those attractions. Eight years ago I did the Asia Disney swing with HK, Tokyo and then Shanghai for it's opening. They all have items to offer, but TDS is the king of the hill.
I think it's accurate from a certain point of view. I recall watching a Travel Channel show about the Tokyo Disney Resort. They benefited when Disney decided to kill the original DCA concept. The idea was then offered to Oriental Land Company, which resulted in Disney Sea. From what I understand, this is why some Disney fans in the US lament on what could've been...
Thank you very much for sharing your experience!! I am Japanese and live very close to Tokyo Disney Resort. I am so glad you enjoyed a lot and like our hospitality just as we do!! I used to have annual passport before COVID 19. But they do not sell it now. I also love WDW. The year of 2001 is my last visit. Hopefully I will go there next year including Disney Cruise!
I've been going to Disneyland in Anaheim for a long time since I was a kid, and I know that it does get crowded and sometimes a little chaotic. But if Disneyland Tokyo is really just as magical as people say it is from their experience, then I am definitely going to make it a must on my bucket list before I t turn 60 years old. I better start putting some money aside right now ❤😊
The fact that OLC is actually under a railway company but still run Disney parks better than the actual Disney Parks company. Japan knows what their customers want, and OLC is not afraid to spend loads of money to their parks. I already considered Hong Kong Disneyland as my "home" park since we've been there quite a few times these past few years. It was nice, it wasn't as crowded and we just loved it. But now that we recently have been in TDR, it definitely ruined HKDL for me HAHAHAHA.
I feel that Tokyo Disney cast members are more polite, fun, kind and engaging than US Disney casts. I mean US casts are good too but Tokyo Disney casts go far beyond.
Just went to Disney Sea last week. It completely ruined Disney in the states for me. I was miserable at California Adventure. The lines were in the unbearable sun. At Disney Sea Tokyo everything was covered and mostly air conditioned. Food was actually good and not expensive
Japan just has an overall higher standard of living. Affordable housing, higher wages, better protections for small businesses, affordable healthcare for all… it all culminates to an overall happier workforce. And the US used to be like that. Now Disney employees in the US are working for scraps wondering if they’ll be able to afford rent on their non-existent salary. Japan has some major societal problems, but economically, they just care more about their people.
but this is still nonsense, Japan has been in a recession since the 90s while US has not been in one and the stay have a higher standard of living. The problem is to do with culture and government I believe
Didn't go to Tokyo DisneyLand, but I did go to DisneySea. And yeah...what an amazing park. Just a much better experience personally in all my time as a passholder in the US. And I agree their work ethic and attention to detail helped bring back the "magic" for me.
OLC knows how to entertain everyone. They've had the best park(s) for years and now that they are the only place to ride Splash Mountain, it's just not even close!
@@MeMyselfAndUs903 The Oriental Land Company, they are the owners of the Japan based Disney theme parks. They pay DIS licensing fees for the use of the intellectual properties, but run the parks without Disney's hands on involvement.
We also just returned from Japan a few days ago. We are a crazy Disney-phile family, and that was part of the reason for going to Japan. (3 parks down, 3 to go). For the most part we totally agree. Disney land and especially Disney Sea was very good in terms of detail, price and service, but some rides don't work as well as in the US (mainly Pirates of the Caribbean). Agree that Beauty and the Beast is the best ride in DL, but If you can swing getting into the new Fantasy Springs area in Disney Sea (Staying at several of the resorts like the Ambassador, Miracosta, Fantasy Springs Hotel will get you in FS for the whole day with a permanent priority pass for the day.), then riding the Frozen ride will leave B&B in the dust!!!. Disney Sea is Definitely the BEST park in the world. Disney needs to re-learn from them, especially since the pandemic, they have lost the "magic". The detail and desire to make your visit a great one is extremely evident. Only minor drawback is when buying at the shops in the parks, selection is slim and they have some restrictions on how many items of one type you can buy and in FS, they only let you buy once in the gift shop for the entire day (no re-entry). But this was a minor thing and doesn't really affect many people anyway. The Grand Finally show in DS was very good, but Fantasmic in Hollywood Studios still reigns as the best Grand Finally show we've seen so far. Also, DL Tokyo's fireworks don't always happen, but the parades are top-notch.
OK, now I have to go to Japan and definitely both parks of Disney Tokyo! So now that you guys are pros on Japan, If I was going how long do I REALLY need to go for and what in additions to Disney are MUST see places or attractions??
If you’re into theme parks, then you may also try Universal Studios in Osaka, then if you’re already in that City, it’ll be nice to go to Narra. Our favorite in Japan is Kyoto. Other recommended places depend on the season (maybe avoid summer, June-Aug in Japan, super hot although we were just there this month of Aug 😂). If you’ll just be in Tokyo only, then Shibuya, Shinjuku, Ueno, Ginza, Minato (Asakasa, Roponggi) are great places. Again, this depends on what activities you want to do.
You went during some rain at tokyo disney. The locals stay home. We went may 14th and 16th and it was packed. The lines ro get in were back to the main monorail station. However once opened, the getting in goes smoothly. Plus, yes buy the premium skip line pass for each ride that is in high demand. We got on all rides by 4pm
0:00 I'm disappointed and upset because I still want to make an official animated movie about my favorite Tokyo Disneysea theme park in Japan someday. 😞😥🥺😢😍
We have visited all Disney Parks in the world..... I agree with other comments that Disney Tokyo parks are so much better. Japan is a beautiful country and as their people. On a side issue, and as an Aussie couple, its great to pay for things and not worry about annoying tipping all the time. The Japanese people generally do not accept tipping and may cause offence.
You should open a second channel, "Ellie in Theme Parks." Your discussion was very professional and insightful, all while wearing the silly Goofy hat. Your boyfriend's commentary & ridiculous hat were equally informative and comical. Nicely done. Cheers from Alaska
You know, Tokyo sounds a lot like what Disney used to be a few decades ago. The place was clean, everybody was friendly and the price was fine. One difference was way back then the wait times were not bad at all. They didn't even have express passes back then.
I’m glad that you guys put pricing as the first reason. It cannot be understated how much the pricing effects your overall experience. Pricing at the Disney parks in America is absolutely a scam. Your mind knows this, so the whole time you’re in an awful mood feeling scammed. Unless the parks get this under control they will fail in a few years as families look at their wallet after, think about the overall experience, and vow never to return.
We did Disney Paris a couple of months ago. While the Hollywood studios side was pretty “meh”, the magic kingdom was outstanding, better then either American magic kingdom with nicer service, with the best space mountain ever.
I just went to Japan for the first time and lets just say America we got some work to do. The class The quality and the character of Japan is just amazing. I will definitely be coming back.
You made the right decision on skipping the Tokyo Imperial Palace. Edo Castle was burned a long time ago. The present grounds has a french/british building (Privvy Council Building).And the current palace was built in 1968. You can't actually get to either one. There are nice gardens and museums though. As Japanese castles go, Osaka, Nagoya, Himeji are bigger and nicer.
Was in Tokyo and went to DisneySea and Disneyland in July. The line for Disneyland was not long, however the DisneySea line had at least 200 people in front of me at 6am. By 8am there were a good couple (possibly more) thousand people waiting for Disney Sea to open. I think it had to do with the new opening section if DisneySea called Fantasy Springs. Disney Tokyo is by far the best Disney I've ever been to. If you get the chance, go to Disney Paris...that's #2 in my book. DisneyWorld Florida is #3 (just based on sheer size and variety) and Disney California is #4. All for the same reasons you brought up in your video. I have not been to Shanghai or Hong Kong so I don't know where those rank. I am glad someone else enjoyed Disney Tokyo as much as I did!
Di$ney HK is much smaller in comparison. The bad thing about it is the Mainlanders. No respect for queuing and constantly on the defense against these line jumpers. Made is very stressful. Shortly thereafter, visited Tokyo DL and it was breath of fresh air, very relaxing and stressless. The people (customers) and its culture are the major factors in your personal experience.
Warren Redlich visited Japan recently. The price of prepared food is low everywhere there. According to WDW Pro, the light crowds are apparently the aftereffect of Covid restrictions.
Yeap, the yen is getting destroyed. Gained some recently, but still great value. I like watching some of the food videos. Absolute bargain prices on some of the takeout meals.
The long lines are when the park opens. Because pretty much everyone goes and waits for the park to open. It’s much quicker to get in a little later in the morning
You are 1000% Correct!!! My husband and I were both at Tokyo Disney Sea and Tokyo Disneyland and everything you listed is true!! And I even cried at the end of Enchanted Beauty and The Beast…it was just beautiful. In the US, we go to Anaheim Disneyland. Thank you for great video and review! 😊
Nice Obey jacket bro, had the same one. Thanks for the vlog since I’ll be going for my 40th & need to do more research for the VIP Tour there. Did the VIP Tour at Disneyland last year & it was absolutely amazing!
perhaps it was already mentioned somewhere, but if you ever get a sneak peak of characters backstage or waiting to appear on stage, you will never see them out of character. Even if nobody is watching, they strive to remain in character because they are very careful not to "crash the dream" as we say in Japanese. I don't have links for you offhand but there are videos on TH-cam where ppl caught costumed characters backstage, totally acting like Mickey or Minnie etc when they thought nobody was watching. They were even acting and reacting to each other just as you would imagine them to.
Could be a timing issue with Pirates at Anaheim. We were there about 15 years ago during off-season (year-round school). The sign said 10 minutes, but by the time we chicaned through the chicanes, we just hopped on the next barge.
I was there earlier this month. They do a bag search although it’s more cursory and they do fingerprint scan. There are rumors that they will do full biometric face scan as Universal Japan already has it in place. Also full face and fingerprint scan is a step in Japan customs so you won’t be able to avoid it
as others have pointed out, the rain does really affect the crowd size. Your observation on the lack of EVCs/wheelchairs is spot on. Also strollers are not as numerous as in WDW/DL where it is a battle and it is my main peeve
Totally, there were kids, but not as many and for SURE I didn't see any majorly obese people. It's seriously crazy how obese much of the American population is.
@@geek1O1 What law? Japanese people aren't overweight because (1)their food is much healthier (no added sugar, chemicals or preservatives), (2)they have a robust physical education and sports curriculum in schools and (3)they don't have a drive thru restaurant culture - you sit and eat at the table; no one eats in the car.
Great video! Even tho we live 2 miles down the road from Disneyland in Anaheim we only go to Tokyo Disneyland exclusively whenever we get a chance to go to Japan. Last time we were there we visited Disneyland like 5 times, and it costs equal to only one and a 1/2 visit to Anaheim one. Worth mentioning souvenirs and merchandise are less than half the price here too. Unparalleled service, cleanliness and their willingness to give visitor a top notch satisfaction are something Disneyland elsewhere can not recreate.
@@ellievated9819 I forgot to mention: weekday evening pass is 4,500 yen, that’s $28 at current exchange rate. You can get in after 17:00, plenty of time to have fun and watch parade/fireworks. Incredible deal.
I can’t wait to go one day there as well! I’m local to the California parks but I feel like California adventure is one of the worst Disney parks ever made. I wish they would revisit those plans they had in the 90s for giving us a west cot here and Disney sea in long beach
I wrote off disneyland in California long ago. You make me want to experience Tokyo Disney... this is news for my family. Now, if we can just do something about how Disney has single-handedly ruined the Marvel Universe lol.
If you like the trackless rides, you’ll also like Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, and the Ratatouille Ride. But that’s at Disney World in Florida. I wish the costs were less as well though, Tokyo has a lot of really awesome takes on Disneyland
I just went at the end of June. I LOOVED Disney Sea. I went shortly after Fantasy springs opened. I LOOVED Beauty and the Beast but I think the New Peter Pan ride in Disney Sea was Even better.
This past fall I was in Tokyo, was asked if I wanted to go to Disneyland. Isaid no cuz I’ve been to California and Florida. Now I know where to go next time I go to Japan.❤🎉
We have been 7 times. it cheaper and quicker to go to tokyo from Australia. It has been super busy at times and often we are able ride with only 5 min wait. Resort is also tons cheaper. Our airfares are only $200usd. We have been to Cailifornia and Paris and this is way way better. Universal in Osaka is also amazing
As a Japanese, I am happy that foreigners like her who love Japan enjoy travelling to Japan. By the way, I would like to ask a question to people from abroad who want to know about Japan or have already been to Japan. Do you know Thomas Lockly, a very famous foreigner in Japan these days? Do you know the song Yasuke isn't to blame or The sin of Thomas Lockly, which was written by a Japanese in response to his many comments?
I have never been to Tokyo, therefore I cannot comment on their Disney parks, but my favorite theme park in the United States is Epcot. I love the world's showcase.
Sadly, Tokyo Disneyland makes it extremely clear just how much corporate greed is driving the skyrocketing prices at American Disney parks...it's certainly not less expensive to run a theme park in Japan-probably more expensive, actually-and yet they manage to do a better job for far less money.
Its true. Other than the airfare, everything is cheaper and waaaaaay better than anything in the U.S Disney offers. And the people there at Tokyo Disneyland are A LOT nicer in the parks than here. Pro tip, go to Tokyo Disneyland Monday thru Thursday. The weekends are packed more often than not.
It's not the parks themselves, but the workers at the park. You can see this big difference in attitutude when you go to a fast food chain in Asia versus the United States. In America, the workers complain about $10, $15, $20 per hour wages, but in Asia, even if the wages are low, the attitude of the employees are much better in all aspects of the job. They try to the best at their job as they can, no matter the wages. That why almost all the McDonald's in every country around the world is better than the McDonald's in the U.S. I remember McDonald's in the 1970s and 1980s in America. This is how the employees of McDonald's around the are today, everywhere expect the U.S. And it shows by the quality of the food being better outside the U.S. The same goes for Burger King, KFC, etc.
Very true indeed the place in Japan is constantly clean. They keep the place clean the people are respectful and plenty more food and like she said it indeed cheaper.
I grew up in SoCal too, but until my visit to Disneyland Park in January was the first time in 31 years. In the last five years living in Japan, I've visited TDL and TDS more than 10 times, and quite frankly I would want to visit the two parks at least 10 more times in the next five years more but I would really need to think hard before making a visit to Anaheim again (new parade, fireworks, attraction etc). In TDL, visitors often go to Pirates of the Caribbean first (and last before leaving) when the park opens, which is probably five minutes walk. So I was surprised to see how long it took to walk thru Main Street USA and then make the big turn towards Frontierland (?) for Pirates. I was also surprised how long the Pinnochio ride was in Anaheim, but Maihama seems to tell the story well even with a shorter turnaround. It's a Small World in Anaheim does have Disney characters such as Three Caballeros, but I think Maihama has that more. Actually the Beauty and the Beast castle has far more queue features such as Mrs. Potter and Chip near a fireplace, etc. Haven't been able to see that part due to paying for the Disney Premier Access pass twice so next time I see a queue is down to 60 minutes, I'm going to stand in the queue to take photos on those details. Maybe Big Thunder Mountain in Anaheim is better since the queue goes in and around so you can see the train coming in while waiting. The one in Maihama has a Grand Canyon look before you fall, but I got a sense that Anaheim ride was slightly longer and more ups and downs than the Maihama one. California Adventure's queue for Soaring and Toy Story Mania (?) are significantly shorter than TDS so I give credit for that (one reason is that those two in TDS are the two most popular rides prior to Fantasy Springs opening), but I think Tokyo Disney Resort does a better job putting the Turtle Talk and Mickey's Philharmagic attractions in a better contextual space (visited DCA on my birthday this year). Although Carsland in DCA and Galaxy's Edge in Anaheim were absolutely breathtaking and amazing, to be sure. You were quite fortunate to visit this year after the 40-year anniversary ended on March 31 because for some reason there has been many days since then when the park has not been full. Last year, there were day after day when tickets were completely sold out between April to end of October, so much that the Halloween month had a stunning number of people waiting outside for perhaps a mile before 7 am. This year has not been the case, so maybe people enjoyed that, but not sure if this will be the case in 2025. (There has not been that many days in 2024 when tickets were sold out) By the way, Michael Eisner once said that letting Oriental Land with the license deal is the single biggest mistake in Walt Disney Company's history. I really wonder if the successor to Bob Iger would attempt to buy out Oriental Land...
My wife worked at Disney Sea for a couple of years. It was nice. She got free passes. We live pretty close to the resort now and go once or twice a year. I have fond memories of Disney World from when I was a kid. Kind of afraid to go back now.
I have been to DisneylandLA and DisneyWorld a few times and had a great time everytime. But Disneyland/Sea in Tokyo is the absolute best honestly… The Tokyo one was much cleaner, more efficient, better workers, and I can just tell how much care was put into maintaining it daily.
Absolutely agree. I have been to Anaheim, Orlando, Hongkong, and Tokyo Disneyland and Disney sea. Tokyo is beyond the others. You have to bear the language, but even without fully understanding what the character is saying, we are all familiar with the story lines.
I hope you guys do a Disney experience in Shanghai China to see their version of the park 🤔. It would be cool to see different versions of the Disney theme parks from around the world.
I saw the passholder's comment below...there is no way Tokyo is even remotely close to the level of awesome that is Disney World in Florida. Its also an entirely different experience. Yes, Tokyo has cheaper food and excellent attention to detail. I can easily say it's better than Disney Land. But Disney World? Come on. They don't even have a 10th of what is offered at Disney World. This is what Disney World has that Disney Tokyo doesn't...The Animal Kingdom and everything in it, Hollywood Studios and nearly everything in it (I am pretty sure Tokyo has Star Tours), Epcot and nearly everything (Turtle Talk in DisneySea) in it. Then there is Disney's Blizzard Beach, Disney's Typhoon Lagoon, Disney Springs, Disney's Boardwalk, ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Yes, Disney Tokyo can be compared to Magic Kingdom...and really only Magic Kingdom as far as Disney World goes. BUT, there is a big caveat and that is DisneySea which has some rides and adventures not found elsewhere. Which is epic. Ultimately, Disney Tokyo shows what can be done differently outside of the US and made to be great in its own way.
Japan is an awesome country. Seeing the guests all dressed up in disney theme really helped create the magic u mentioned. The only reason for going disney in US now is for the Starwars parks.
www.patreon.com/posts/105903532
i know you like it, but being in JAPAN , JAPAN is the main atraction, not USA products. in 2 or 3 days I will had the takayama, atraction miyajima ,kurama , and i f a i want modern fun i will go to maid cafe or akihabara in tokyo .....specially if the tour took you 15 to 20 days!!!
@@shonix123 we spent a week in Tokyo alone,and this was our second trip to Japan. We enjoy visiting and are becoming much more proficient at navigating our way around. The foods are amazing. My wife loves Kyoto and is addicted to everything Matcha. Son is more basic and sticks with chicken and ramen. I love almost everything I’ve tried.
Your Video is quite interesting and worthwhile . . . I think its worth recalling that when Mr. Disney took his (7 year old) daughters to amusement parks in L.A. circa the late 20s-early 30s,
he found them to be dirty, poorly run, and the Staff unsavory . . . my Family owned a Hollywood-adjacent business in those years, and there was indeed an element of "Day of the Locust" in the mix . . . I have read that Mr. Disney visited the "Tivoli" theme park in Copenhagen, and was inspired by it ; perhaps the Scandinavians and the Japanese both have a reputation for Excellence . . .
I would add that the earlier Carnival culture was noted for its Bohemian, not to say Countercultural attitude . . . some of that carries over into the Hollywood system, and perhaps to companies that are part of it. Of course Mr. Disney moved out of Hollywood and built a new Studio / Campus in Burbank . . . 😺😺😺
I want to add one thing : When you purchase something in the USA, 50% of the time you say "Thank You," and the Salesclerk says "No Problem."
Japan is just incredible and they care about quality in a way we simply don’t in the West. My wife and I loved our time there and have dreamed of going back ever since.
Yes 👍
Truly
Japan is a great country to visit as a CUSTOMER not as a worker.
Japanese excellent service is made up on the toxic work culture. It’s like serving customer as if they were god as a salve.
@@Qwentris Speaking as a Japanese, I would have approved of that opinion 10 years ago.
Now it's changed quite a bit. Every time I see someone still saying that, I wish they would update their information.
Still, there are some places that are partially harmful, but on a company basis, not a country basis, and this is everywhere in the world.
For example, even in the US, amazon, blizzard, etc.
Wait, wait, wait, West? Anglo countries are not the same as the West. Switzerland cares greatly about quality.
When I first went to Japan In '95' it was a culture shock. What a beautiful clean place.. the wonderful customer service. The people.Common courtesy still exists there. I came back to America with a different attitude. Smile in my face. What an amazing experience. To this day I I try to set my standards like the Japanese people. Pride. Doesn't hurt being married to a Japanese either which I am. 😬
Coming from annual passholder in Florida, Tokyo Disney is the best for sure. They get so much right and pay close attention to the details. How ironic is it that the best Disney park isn't even run by Disney.
Wow!!! That’s says a lot! And it is unfortunate. I am so excited to go back to Japan
フロリダのディズニーに行くこと私の一生の夢です。東京ディズニーランドは一時間あれば一周できますがフロリダはもっとかかります。フロリダディズニー行きたい😂
Disney didn’t want put money and make a Disneyland just outside of Tokyo at that time. So Oriental Land gathered Japanese sponsors and built Tokyo Disney Land and they pay license fee to Disney. That’s why the tickets are much lower than the States.
And now they just opened a new area in Tokyo Disney Sea and opened an expensive official hotel and all rooms are sold out for the next 4 months and people are going crazy for the new area in Disney Sea!!
Japanese person here. We are really happy to hear that overseas visitors appreciate how well run TDR is (as well as other things in Japan). Please do remember that Japan runs well because people are considerate of each other and follow rules. Many things in Japan run very efficiently and smoothly based on unspoken rules. We know that these may be hard for foreigners to follow, but please observe those around you and follow their lead, and please don’t take advantage of Japanese politeness. We won’t scream at you or literally remove you, but it shouldn’t come to that to you to change disruptive behavior. Please do your part to help Japan stay the Japan that you love!
I 100% agree.
The respect for other people is much higher.
Completely agree. Don’t spoil it everybody.
One day I hope to visit your country. I will do my best to be respectful, knowing that it is your home!
Is there anything they did in the video that was disruptive of disrespectful?
well said 🙌
Japan's Tokyo Disney is an experience of surprise & delight.
And all the guests dress up in disney cosplay too!
same with Shanghai Disneyland, the guests dress up.
is cosplay allowed other than halloween month?
@@sunxuejun1118 yeah. guests get to dress up regardless of whether it is a holiday.
Ok, i myself is a cosplayer and have been to disneyland JP 4 times. So full cosplay is not apparently allowed according to my Japanese cosplay friends but everyone loves to dress up in Disney theme clothes and dress cute or matching so they can take cute photos at the Park . I myself also dressed up in cute clothes by the 3rd time
@@cassw7168
Dress as the Disney character, Yes. Dress as an Non-Disney character, that's a big no-no.
I completely agree. I was doing the math late one night. It would cost me less to fly 2 people from San Francisco to Japan for 1 week, get hotels, food and passes to the park than it would to drive to Anaheim for the same amount of time.
クオリティやホスピタリティが違います！
That's insane
There are other factors in play, but it’s because this year the Japanese yen is down. So everything in Japan cost less to go there.
😮
@@vmerriwether Yes, the yen in down but not enough to excuse the massive gap. For example, one day one park June 26th. In California it is $169, in Tokyo Disneyland/DisneySea it is $56. (Over 3 times higher.) Again, yes the yen is down. However even at the most generous exchange rate (0.013) all the way back in 2011 that comes out to $116 for the same ticket.
This same principle applies to everything from hotel to merchandise to food. Additionally, as others have pointed out. Even with an exactly equal price tag the experience is still significantly better.
That is not to say there aren't other non exchange rate issues at play. (Including the insanely high California minimum wage.) But to simplify the price gap down to just exchange rate is giving the American Disney parks an unfair pass on unreasonably high prices. (Something they can, and should, be called out for.)
We did a Vacation Package in Tokyo Disney last month and we will NEVER visit a US park ever again. It was just a completely spectacular experience, the staff, the park goers, the overall VIBES! It just goes so hard! We were grinning like goons the entire time. It was pure magic, like Disney’s vision come true.
I agree with your description & from my perspective, it actually sums up the total Japan experience. The Japanese culture & living standard [clean, modern, hi-tech & safe] is roughly what I thought our future was supposed to be, as 'promised' by futuristic predictions in the 1960's media. [I grew up in the 50's & 60's.] 😀⛩
@@jerryandbeauwhere did you booked your Disney package in Tokyo? Thanks
Good. Don't come back.
I'm just a casual Disney fan, who never really cared for any Disney theme park in the US. In my last vacation to Tokyo, I decided to visit Tokyo DisneySea and I was blown away. Bar none, probably the best theme park experience I've ever had, Disney-related or otherwise. Even if they ever raise their price (hopefully never!), I'd still come back to visit. It's really that good and I wish I had an extra day to check out Tokyo Disneyland. Definitely will visit next time.
That’s how we felt! We were shocked how much better it was
And cheaper
Shows how much better a third party can be at running it!
I just returned from 7 days in Tokyo Disneyland and Disney Seas. You are right! For me? These two parks are THE absolute very best theme parks I have ever been to. It's not even close! After 26 years of constant almost monthly WDW weekends and yearly Disneyland trips?...no way! NOTHING even touches Tokyo...nothing.
it has literally ruined other Disneys for me, haha , I guess that means more trips to Japan! So so glad you loved it!
I absolutely agree! I simply won't go to any other Disneyland after experiencing Tokyo Disney and Disney Sea. It's the cleanest theme park I've ever been to. Part of the reason for this is the customers. Japanese people consider it a privilege to be able to experience such a park and respect it as such. You won't see anyone, kids included, disrespecting the property. It is also Japanese culture to sit and eat. So there aren't a lot of people walking and eating, which can leave a mess with food scraps and such laying on the ground. Of course, there is the service aspect of it too. They are very proud of providing the best service possible, just as you've mentioned. Thanks for bringing back a great memory for me.
There have been problems with chinese scalpers causing issues at Disney Tokyo, like cutting lines to enter first and buying up large quantities of goods to resell it. Really annoying.
You snooze you lose
We are talking about taking a trip to Tokyo and Disneyland. Just shared this vid with my wife.
Fantastic!!! I’m glad I could help inspire !
If you decide to go to Japan, do not go during the summer unless you like heat and lots of humidity. If you Google best time to go to Japan, it will list the best months.
Tokyo Disney is simply THE best Disney Theme Park...I've been to Land, World, and Paris
I was a cast member in the early 80s at Disney World in Orlando and visited Tokyo Disneyland for the first time in May 1989 and from that moment I immediately realized how much more efficient and magical the Tokyo park was. And when I came to Tokyo DisneySea after it opened in 2001 I was blown away. Disney just doesn’t get any better that Tokyo Disney resort. They excel in every aspect of their operation. Your commentary about efficiency, live parades and shows, cleanliness etc was spot on.
In regards to crowding, if you arrived at the gates after 9:30am then you missed the horrible lines to enter the park that start forming as early as 5am to enter. But they efficiently move people into the park and often times open the gates earlier than advertised. However arriving later is great to avoid lines but you risk the possibility of not getting stand by for new offerings as is the case now with Fantasy Springs at Tokyo DisneySea. You need a stand by pass or priority access pass to see Fantasy Springs and usually they’re gone 45 mins after gates have opened. So getting there early is sometimes the way to do it rather than later.
As for queuing for rides… yes it’s very organized and well administered but it also helps that less than 1% of the guests are in a wheel chair or scooter which is the reason why attraction lines at Disneyland and WDW clutter and rides often stop to allow for “handicapped” guests on and off ride vehicles and such. It’s non existent at Tokyo Disney. The fact that guests in Japan are physically fit helps a lot.
I wish you had commented more of the quality of “show”. How similar attractions differ for the better in Tokyo over counter parts in the USA. Take the jungle cruise for example where map projections highly increase the quality of the show compared to the basic stuff they do at the other Disney parks.
All in all a very accurate opinion on your part. Now I would encourage you to visit Disneyland Paris which is called the most beautiful Disneyland park in the world, that is if you can look away from the less than stellar cleanliness and sometimes rude European guests.
Major Difference: The people in Tokyo are much more polite, well behaved and civilized.
Western culture has devolved
My family went during January. Almost no lines anywhere. I have read and heard that other times of the year it is pretty crazy. We were just in Japan during Winter and got to avoid the crazy times.
I loved Disney Sea because the rides were unique and different. But even Disney Land was simply better designed and executed.
And of course it was cleaner than any other Disney park anywhere. I mean, it's in Japan. And the people working there were great. I used to think Anaheim Disney had the most friendly people working there, but then we went to Tokyo.
I agree with all of these points!!!
Thank you so very much for sharing this experience! I have been to Japan once but not here. Truly gorgeous area to visit. Fully understandable about the contrasts you two have experienced. The national changes of how ppl there do tasks with honor is quite different, and does reflect quite a bit into how experiences are reflected. Really glad you two enjoyed your time there.
Glad you enjoyed it! And yes, I’m so greateful for the time we had there, we are so lucky
Agree with you 100%! We had the best time ever there! The parks were a lot of fun and the people are real friendly! Would love to go again!❤
We did the same thing too in July!! We go to Anaheim Disney several times a year and I can’t believe how Japan Disney parks are soooo good.
I’m old. I was a frequent visitor to Disney world. In Florida back in the 70’s. The Disney you depict in Tokyo was the Disney we had in America back then. Employees were happy, very eager to help, provide information and do anything to improve the customer experience. Our culture in the US has changed, it was not like this and unfortunately Disney US has tolerated apathy, unhappy, unmotivated and politically charged issues to infect the US experience. As a whole the US has done the same. Disney US could do better if they demanded excellence of its product and entertainment. I vowed never to give Disney another dime. However if I ever had the money to go to Japan I would go to Disney in Tokyo to relive the experience I had as a kid
I'm an Asian-American (Filipina-American) mom of 2 teenagers and in my early 50s. I briefly worked in the hospitality business from 2022-2023 near my home.
I've been to both Disneyland (as a kid & an adult~>I lived on the West Coast & the Southwest for 21 years (I currently live in the Southwest & have since 2018) and Disneyworld (as a kid). I've never been to Tokyo Disneyland. I can tell you that as an Asian-American that I am not surprised that the customer service is much better at Toyko Disneyland than at both Disneyland and Disneyworld.
Japanese culture not only is group oriented but putting forth great customer service is a cultural thing. It doesn't really matter how small or how big a role someone has in an organization. It would be nice to see that kind of commitment to customer service at both Disneyland and Disneyworld.
@@lynettetaravella2578 agreed but while it was not as much of the core it is in the Asian world, here in America it was more simply pride in your job, looking to impress to get ahead and rise up or gain experience to move up in other organizations. Now people just want to get by. They just want to do the bare minimum yet get pay increases to do the same work. There is no motivation to move up the ladder. As Marxist principles are forced on our kids in schools while at the same time diminishing core academics we are raising dumb, unmotivated dependent young people who wish to be given success not earn it and take pride in personal achievement. It’s sad and scary.
@@lynettetaravella2578 I agree. I love the Japanese culture. They have retained strength, dignity, patience, respect and discipline. If I were younger and could learned the language and offer something business wise I would love to live there.
Hi! I’m also from SoCal and grew up with Disneyland and got to visit Tokyo Disney Resort for the first time a few months ago. It’s great to see someone making a comparison with Disneyland since so many do it compared to Disney World.
I’m local to so cal too and I wish they would revisit giving us west cot and Disney sea Long Beach
I live in Japan and just want to say one thing, only one visit is not enough in disney sea and land, sine it changing every season and also the shows are not the same (parade) so one time only gets a little taste of everything. have a nice day
Aloha! I’ve been to the Tokyo Disney Parks several times and 100% concur with you. The vibe is just better. Mahalo for eloquently articulating why Tokyo Disney Resort is so great!
I was there in May and lucked out and experienced a soft preview opening of the new Fantasy Springs in Disney Sea. It was awesome. Highly recommend. It is super busy now but there are several “tactics” posted on TH-cam on how to get in.
Fun Fact: DisneySea was originally planned to be in Long Beach, CA around the Queen Mary but Long Beach refused to pay for freeway improvements to the park so they built it in Tokyo Instead.
...and California Adventure was originally slated to be built in Sacramento, but among other things they couldn't design a water treatment plant (to prevent contamination of the river adjacent to the site) to the satisfaction of the local government, so they built it on their old parking lot in Anaheim instead. Oddly enough, the giant letters that used to spell out "CALIFORNIA" in front of the theme park were eventually moved to that same site in Sacramento (Cal Expo)
Long Beach Disney would have all the gangsta parade
Earlier story in the 1960s when Japan wanted a Disney park in Nara, but the license deal fell through during construction and end up creating a Disney knockoff, Nara Dreamland. Attendance plummeted of course when the real Tokyo Disney park opened. Nara is an hour from Kyoto and Osaka from the nearest airport and Shinkansen station. The final nail is when Universal Studios opened in Osaka taking the Nara park's remaining attendance.
This is so true, I was at Tokyo Disneyland 14 months ago. I stayed at the MiraCosta hotel at DisneySeas. I have been to every Disney park in the world except Shanghai China (thats for next year). So far Tokyo was the best! (Hong Kong was a close second place)
I am a 79 WDW cast member alumi. the standards and customer service when I worked at WDW was very high. only 1 out of every 50-70 applicants where hired at that time. I remember when the Oriental land company came around and toured WDW and I heard that they brought over some key employees to train at WDW first. Because of the high customer service and standards Disney had at that time. well standards have fallen off a cliff for the American Parks in the lat 20 years. :( and even worse in the last 5 years.
I grew up in San Diego. We went to Disneyland many times and I even met and shook hands with Roy Disney twice. It was truly a magical place for kids and family. I took my wife to Anaheim Disneyland when I retired from the military in 2012. I was so disappointed and upset on the terrible condition of the park. Numerous rides shut down and the sky high prices for everything. There were surveys being done by the people at the exit gates. I told them what I thought and said I would never be back and never will. The icing on the cake was gay boys and men hugging and kissing each other in front of families with children. Makes me sick what has happened to Disneyland. I won't give them a red cent for anything.
I would be interested in Japan's Disneyland.
@@kevinleukhardt9560
Also, they killed Star Wars for some dumb politically right reasons. It's a Horrible mistake and so unforgivable.
@@kevinleukhardt9560 You say gay boys but we get your meaning. It's the more acceptable way to say the ___s, the ____s and the new ____s as well as the _____s. I never got to see Disney's All GAy kiss parade you write about. was it shut down?
I knew it! I did not feel it when I went to the one in LA. The magic feeling I get in TDL wasn't there but I could not tell or put in words what was missing. So, Thank you for verifying my feelings or lack of it!
Thank you so much for this great report! I had totally given up on visiting Disney (in the USA) because of too many reports that both Calif & Florida are just poor experiences now, but I will _totally_ fly myself & my GF to Japan to visit that Disneyland 👍 (and we'll def. be getting the FastPass)
To say Disney Sea is their DCA is really disingenuous as by many, it is considered the best theme park on the globe. It's like DCA in that it was the second park built next door, that's about the only comparison that could be made. The theming, the original content, the details, scope and massiveness just blow away anything in the other parks and this would include Shanghai. Lately they have been doing some ride copoies (turtle talk, Tower of terror, Toy Story Mania, soarin) but they have either tweaked the ride or set up way more extensive and immersive environments to place those attractions. Eight years ago I did the Asia Disney swing with HK, Tokyo and then Shanghai for it's opening. They all have items to offer, but TDS is the king of the hill.
I think it's accurate from a certain point of view. I recall watching a Travel Channel show about the Tokyo Disney Resort. They benefited when Disney decided to kill the original DCA concept. The idea was then offered to Oriental Land Company, which resulted in Disney Sea. From what I understand, this is why some Disney fans in the US lament on what could've been...
Thank you very much for sharing your experience!! I am Japanese and live very close to Tokyo Disney Resort.
I am so glad you enjoyed a lot and like our hospitality just as we do!!
I used to have annual passport before COVID 19. But they do not sell it now.
I also love WDW. The year of 2001 is my last visit. Hopefully I will go there next year including Disney Cruise!
Every employee in Tokyo Disneyland and Disney Sea is so polite. Even going on and off a ride is met with courtesy. Unreal ! ❤
I've been going to Disneyland in Anaheim for a long time since I was a kid, and I know that it does get crowded and sometimes a little chaotic. But if Disneyland Tokyo is really just as magical as people say it is from their experience, then I am definitely going to make it a must on my bucket list before I t turn 60 years old. I better start putting some money aside right now ❤😊
The fact that OLC is actually under a railway company but still run Disney parks better than the actual Disney Parks company. Japan knows what their customers want, and OLC is not afraid to spend loads of money to their parks.
I already considered Hong Kong Disneyland as my "home" park since we've been there quite a few times these past few years. It was nice, it wasn't as crowded and we just loved it. But now that we recently have been in TDR, it definitely ruined HKDL for me HAHAHAHA.
I feel that Tokyo Disney cast members are more polite, fun, kind and engaging than US Disney casts. I mean US casts are good too but Tokyo Disney casts go far beyond.
Everyone in America wants to low key off themselves
That's literally what Walt had wanted. To go Far Beyond.
Japanese people in general are far more polite than most anywhere else in the world.
Politeness and hospitality are huge parts of Japanese culture.
It's not just the cast and ride operators... the people in line don't behave like ingrates.
Just went to Disney Sea last week. It completely ruined Disney in the states for me. I was miserable at California Adventure. The lines were in the unbearable sun. At Disney Sea Tokyo everything was covered and mostly air conditioned. Food was actually good and not expensive
Oriental Land Company, seems to me to be owned and operated by actual theme park fans.
New bucket list trip. Thanks
I’m so glad !!! It honestly was well worth the long journey to Japan
Japan just has an overall higher standard of living. Affordable housing, higher wages, better protections for small businesses, affordable healthcare for all… it all culminates to an overall happier workforce. And the US used to be like that. Now Disney employees in the US are working for scraps wondering if they’ll be able to afford rent on their non-existent salary. Japan has some major societal problems, but economically, they just care more about their people.
but this is still nonsense, Japan has been in a recession since the 90s while US has not been in one and the stay have a higher standard of living. The problem is to do with culture and government I believe
Didn't go to Tokyo DisneyLand, but I did go to DisneySea. And yeah...what an amazing park. Just a much better experience personally in all my time as a passholder in the US. And I agree their work ethic and attention to detail helped bring back the "magic" for me.
OLC knows how to entertain everyone. They've had the best park(s) for years and now that they are the only place to ride Splash Mountain, it's just not even close!
Agreed
I can’t wait to go back
AND ITS SO MUCH CHEAPER
What is OLC?
@@MeMyselfAndUs903 The Oriental Land Company, they are the owners of the Japan based Disney theme parks. They pay DIS licensing fees for the use of the intellectual properties, but run the parks without Disney's hands on involvement.
We also just returned from Japan a few days ago. We are a crazy Disney-phile family, and that was part of the reason for going to Japan. (3 parks down, 3 to go). For the most part we totally agree. Disney land and especially Disney Sea was very good in terms of detail, price and service, but some rides don't work as well as in the US (mainly Pirates of the Caribbean). Agree that Beauty and the Beast is the best ride in DL, but If you can swing getting into the new Fantasy Springs area in Disney Sea (Staying at several of the resorts like the Ambassador, Miracosta, Fantasy Springs Hotel will get you in FS for the whole day with a permanent priority pass for the day.), then riding the Frozen ride will leave B&B in the dust!!!. Disney Sea is Definitely the BEST park in the world. Disney needs to re-learn from them, especially since the pandemic, they have lost the "magic". The detail and desire to make your visit a great one is extremely evident. Only minor drawback is when buying at the shops in the parks, selection is slim and they have some restrictions on how many items of one type you can buy and in FS, they only let you buy once in the gift shop for the entire day (no re-entry). But this was a minor thing and doesn't really affect many people anyway. The Grand Finally show in DS was very good, but Fantasmic in Hollywood Studios still reigns as the best Grand Finally show we've seen so far. Also, DL Tokyo's fireworks don't always happen, but the parades are top-notch.
You have to go back because they just open Fantasy Springs. DisenySea and California Adventure, both opened the same year 2001.
OK, now I have to go to Japan and definitely both parks of Disney Tokyo! So now that you guys are pros on Japan, If I was going how long do I REALLY need to go for and what in additions to Disney are MUST see places or attractions??
If you’re into theme parks, then you may also try Universal Studios in Osaka, then if you’re already in that City, it’ll be nice to go to Narra. Our favorite in Japan is Kyoto. Other recommended places depend on the season (maybe avoid summer, June-Aug in Japan, super hot although we were just there this month of Aug 😂).
If you’ll just be in Tokyo only, then Shibuya, Shinjuku, Ueno, Ginza, Minato (Asakasa, Roponggi) are great places. Again, this depends on what activities you want to do.
Disneyland Tokyo is more mirrored after the Magic Kingdom in FL.
Great report by both of you, thanks. And, Jonathan sounds almost as smart as Ellie!
You went during some rain at tokyo disney. The locals stay home. We went may 14th and 16th and it was packed. The lines ro get in were back to the main monorail station. However once opened, the getting in goes smoothly. Plus, yes buy the premium skip line pass for each ride that is in high demand. We got on all rides by 4pm
0:00 I'm disappointed and upset because I still want to make an official animated movie about my favorite Tokyo Disneysea theme park in Japan someday. 😞😥🥺😢😍
We have visited all Disney Parks in the world..... I agree with other comments that Disney Tokyo parks are so much better. Japan is a beautiful country and as their people. On a side issue, and as an Aussie couple, its great to pay for things and not worry about annoying tipping all the time. The Japanese people generally do not accept tipping and may cause offence.
You should open a second channel, "Ellie in Theme Parks." Your discussion was very professional and insightful, all while wearing the silly Goofy hat. Your boyfriend's commentary & ridiculous hat were equally informative and comical.
Nicely done.
Cheers from Alaska
Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed our discussion!!!
You know, Tokyo sounds a lot like what Disney used to be a few decades ago. The place was clean, everybody was friendly and the price was fine. One difference was way back then the wait times were not bad at all. They didn't even have express passes back then.
I’m glad that you guys put pricing as the first reason. It cannot be understated how much the pricing effects your overall experience. Pricing at the Disney parks in America is absolutely a scam. Your mind knows this, so the whole time you’re in an awful mood feeling scammed. Unless the parks get this under control they will fail in a few years as families look at their wallet after, think about the overall experience, and vow never to return.
We did Disney Paris a couple of months ago. While the Hollywood studios side was pretty “meh”, the magic kingdom was outstanding, better then either American magic kingdom with nicer service, with the best space mountain ever.
Sounds worth checking out!!
I just went to Japan for the first time and lets just say America we got some work to do. The class The quality and the character of Japan is just amazing. I will definitely be coming back.
Thank you for keeping the hat on the entire time. Love that!
Keep splash mountain. Nice vlog! Great conversation and vids by both of you. Please do more Disney vids.
You made the right decision on skipping the Tokyo Imperial Palace. Edo Castle was burned a long time ago. The present grounds has a french/british building (Privvy Council Building).And the current palace was built in 1968. You can't actually get to either one. There are nice gardens and museums though. As Japanese castles go, Osaka, Nagoya, Himeji are bigger and nicer.
Was in Tokyo and went to DisneySea and Disneyland in July. The line for Disneyland was not long, however the DisneySea line had at least 200 people in front of me at 6am. By 8am there were a good couple (possibly more) thousand people waiting for Disney Sea to open. I think it had to do with the new opening section if DisneySea called Fantasy Springs. Disney Tokyo is by far the best Disney I've ever been to. If you get the chance, go to Disney Paris...that's #2 in my book. DisneyWorld Florida is #3 (just based on sheer size and variety) and Disney California is #4. All for the same reasons you brought up in your video. I have not been to Shanghai or Hong Kong so I don't know where those rank. I am glad someone else enjoyed Disney Tokyo as much as I did!
Di$ney HK is much smaller in comparison. The bad thing about it is the Mainlanders. No respect for queuing and constantly on the defense against these line jumpers. Made is very stressful. Shortly thereafter, visited Tokyo DL and it was breath of fresh air, very relaxing and stressless. The people (customers) and its culture are the major factors in your personal experience.
Warren Redlich visited Japan recently. The price of prepared food is low everywhere there. According to WDW Pro, the light crowds are apparently the aftereffect of Covid restrictions.
Yeap, the yen is getting destroyed. Gained some recently, but still great value.
I like watching some of the food videos. Absolute bargain prices on some of the takeout meals.
Great coverage :-) you should mention this channel more often on Ellie in space
Good call! I’ve been neglecting this channel, so hopefully I’ll start posting more here
The long lines are when the park opens. Because pretty much everyone goes and waits for the park to open. It’s much quicker to get in a little later in the morning
You are 1000% Correct!!! My husband and I were both at Tokyo Disney Sea and Tokyo Disneyland and everything you listed is true!! And I even cried at the end of Enchanted Beauty and The Beast…it was just beautiful. In the US, we go to Anaheim Disneyland. Thank you for great video and review! 😊
Nice Obey jacket bro, had the same one.
Thanks for the vlog since I’ll be going for my 40th & need to do more research for the VIP Tour there. Did the VIP Tour at Disneyland last year & it was absolutely amazing!
perhaps it was already mentioned somewhere, but if you ever get a sneak peak of characters backstage or waiting to appear on stage, you will never see them out of character. Even if nobody is watching, they strive to remain in character because they are very careful not to "crash the dream" as we say in Japanese.
I don't have links for you offhand but there are videos on TH-cam where ppl caught costumed characters backstage, totally acting like Mickey or Minnie etc when they thought nobody was watching. They were even acting and reacting to each other just as you would imagine them to.
Could be a timing issue with Pirates at Anaheim. We were there about 15 years ago during off-season (year-round school). The sign said 10 minutes, but by the time we chicaned through the chicanes, we just hopped on the next barge.
A very balanced review and an entertaining video.
The lack of bag searchs or biometrics in Tokyo is because of the lack of American Urbanites. It also reflects on the cost overall.
I was there earlier this month. They do a bag search although it’s more cursory and they do fingerprint scan. There are rumors that they will do full biometric face scan as Universal Japan already has it in place. Also full face and fingerprint scan is a step in Japan customs so you won’t be able to avoid it
as others have pointed out, the rain does really affect the crowd size. Your observation on the lack of EVCs/wheelchairs is spot on. Also strollers are not as numerous as in WDW/DL where it is a battle and it is my main peeve
Totally, there were kids, but not as many and for SURE I didn't see any majorly obese people. It's seriously crazy how obese much of the American population is.
@ellievated9819 you can thank the food companies in America for that one 😅
@@ellievated9819Japan has a law where their citizens aren't allowed to be overweight.
@@geek1O1 What law? Japanese people aren't overweight because (1)their food is much healthier (no added sugar, chemicals or preservatives), (2)they have a robust physical education and sports curriculum in schools and (3)they don't have a drive thru restaurant culture - you sit and eat at the table; no one eats in the car.
@@geek1O1そんなものないよ。私は日本在住の日本人です。あなたがどの法律のことを言っているのかわからないです。
Subscribed ! Love to hear new points of view of these US parks. Especially in light of how awesome it can be elsewhere.
Great video! Even tho we live 2 miles down the road from Disneyland in Anaheim we only go to Tokyo Disneyland exclusively whenever we get a chance to go to Japan. Last time we were there we visited Disneyland like 5 times, and it costs equal to only one and a 1/2 visit to Anaheim one. Worth mentioning souvenirs and merchandise are less than half the price here too. Unparalleled service, cleanliness and their willingness to give visitor a top notch satisfaction are something Disneyland elsewhere can not recreate.
Wow- that really says a lot!
@@ellievated9819 I forgot to mention: weekday evening pass is 4,500 yen, that’s $28 at current exchange rate. You can get in after 17:00, plenty of time to have fun and watch parade/fireworks. Incredible deal.
I can’t wait to go one day there as well! I’m local to the California parks but I feel like California adventure is one of the worst Disney parks ever made. I wish they would revisit those plans they had in the 90s for giving us a west cot here and Disney sea in long beach
I wrote off disneyland in California long ago. You make me want to experience Tokyo Disney... this is news for my family. Now, if we can just do something about how Disney has single-handedly ruined the Marvel Universe lol.
You should 100 percent take the trip to Tokyo
If you like the trackless rides, you’ll also like Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, and the Ratatouille Ride. But that’s at Disney World in Florida. I wish the costs were less as well though, Tokyo has a lot of really awesome takes on Disneyland
Do you think when disney world opens its 5th park it'll result in the other parks not being so crowded?
I just went at the end of June. I LOOVED Disney Sea. I went shortly after Fantasy springs opened. I LOOVED Beauty and the Beast but I think the New Peter Pan ride in Disney Sea was Even better.
This past fall I was in Tokyo, was asked if I wanted to go to Disneyland. Isaid no cuz I’ve been to California and Florida. Now I know where to go next time I go to Japan.❤🎉
We have been 7 times. it cheaper and quicker to go to tokyo from Australia. It has been super busy at times and often we are able ride with only 5 min wait. Resort is also tons cheaper. Our airfares are only $200usd. We have been to Cailifornia and Paris and this is way way better. Universal in Osaka is also amazing
I was blown away by the Beauty and the Beast ride too. INCREDIBLE!!!
I will admit that Tokyo Disney Resort is very underrated in America. 🎉❤😢
I have been to Disney in Florida, California, and Japan. I loved them all. I want to go to Disney in France next.
I heard the US locations are going to stop allowing in adults without kids.
@@jool4867 Rather than hearsay, do you have actual proof?
As a Japanese, I am happy that foreigners like her who love Japan enjoy travelling to Japan.
By the way, I would like to ask a question to people from abroad who want to know about Japan or have already been to Japan.
Do you know Thomas Lockly, a very famous foreigner in Japan these days?
Do you know the song Yasuke isn't to blame or The sin of Thomas Lockly, which was written by a Japanese in response to his many comments?
If Disney had any sense at all, they would recruit someone from the company that runs Tokyo Disney, as the new CEO to replace Iger
Hey Ellie - Who knew you like two of my passions!! I'm a big Ellie in Space fan. Just discovered this channel!
I have never been to Tokyo, therefore I cannot comment on their Disney parks, but my favorite theme park in the United States is Epcot. I love the world's showcase.
Disney-Sea in Tokyo is the best of all Disney Parks. Change my mind.
Sadly, Tokyo Disneyland makes it extremely clear just how much corporate greed is driving the skyrocketing prices at American Disney parks...it's certainly not less expensive to run a theme park in Japan-probably more expensive, actually-and yet they manage to do a better job for far less money.
Biggest difference would be all the overweight people in wheelchairs and scooters in Anaheim Disney. SMH.
Its true. Other than the airfare, everything is cheaper and waaaaaay better than anything in the U.S Disney offers. And the people there at Tokyo Disneyland are A LOT nicer in the parks than here. Pro tip, go to Tokyo Disneyland Monday thru Thursday. The weekends are packed more often than not.
When we went here... what i appreciated the most was they have senior staff members.
It's not the parks themselves, but the workers at the park. You can see this big difference in attitutude when you go to a fast food chain in Asia versus the United States. In America, the workers complain about $10, $15, $20 per hour wages, but in Asia, even if the wages are low, the attitude of the employees are much better in all aspects of the job. They try to the best at their job as they can, no matter the wages. That why almost all the McDonald's in every country around the world is better than the McDonald's in the U.S. I remember McDonald's in the 1970s and 1980s in America. This is how the employees of McDonald's around the are today, everywhere expect the U.S. And it shows by the quality of the food being better outside the U.S. The same goes for Burger King, KFC, etc.
Came here from the short, stayed for the review. I wish one day I could go there 🌸
Thanks for the insight, love to go to Tokyo
It’s SO worth it
Very true indeed the place in Japan is constantly clean. They keep the place clean the people are respectful and plenty more food and like she said it indeed cheaper.
I grew up in SoCal too, but until my visit to Disneyland Park in January was the first time in 31 years. In the last five years living in Japan, I've visited TDL and TDS more than 10 times, and quite frankly I would want to visit the two parks at least 10 more times in the next five years more but I would really need to think hard before making a visit to Anaheim again (new parade, fireworks, attraction etc).
In TDL, visitors often go to Pirates of the Caribbean first (and last before leaving) when the park opens, which is probably five minutes walk. So I was surprised to see how long it took to walk thru Main Street USA and then make the big turn towards Frontierland (?) for Pirates. I was also surprised how long the Pinnochio ride was in Anaheim, but Maihama seems to tell the story well even with a shorter turnaround.
It's a Small World in Anaheim does have Disney characters such as Three Caballeros, but I think Maihama has that more.
Actually the Beauty and the Beast castle has far more queue features such as Mrs. Potter and Chip near a fireplace, etc. Haven't been able to see that part due to paying for the Disney Premier Access pass twice so next time I see a queue is down to 60 minutes, I'm going to stand in the queue to take photos on those details.
Maybe Big Thunder Mountain in Anaheim is better since the queue goes in and around so you can see the train coming in while waiting. The one in Maihama has a Grand Canyon look before you fall, but I got a sense that Anaheim ride was slightly longer and more ups and downs than the Maihama one.
California Adventure's queue for Soaring and Toy Story Mania (?) are significantly shorter than TDS so I give credit for that (one reason is that those two in TDS are the two most popular rides prior to Fantasy Springs opening), but I think Tokyo Disney Resort does a better job putting the Turtle Talk and Mickey's Philharmagic attractions in a better contextual space (visited DCA on my birthday this year).
Although Carsland in DCA and Galaxy's Edge in Anaheim were absolutely breathtaking and amazing, to be sure.
You were quite fortunate to visit this year after the 40-year anniversary ended on March 31 because for some reason there has been many days since then when the park has not been full. Last year, there were day after day when tickets were completely sold out between April to end of October, so much that the Halloween month had a stunning number of people waiting outside for perhaps a mile before 7 am. This year has not been the case, so maybe people enjoyed that, but not sure if this will be the case in 2025. (There has not been that many days in 2024 when tickets were sold out)
By the way, Michael Eisner once said that letting Oriental Land with the license deal is the single biggest mistake in Walt Disney Company's history. I really wonder if the successor to Bob Iger would attempt to buy out Oriental Land...
My wife worked at Disney Sea for a couple of years. It was nice. She got free passes. We live pretty close to the resort now and go once or twice a year. I have fond memories of Disney World from when I was a kid. Kind of afraid to go back now.
I have been to DisneylandLA and DisneyWorld a few times and had a great time everytime. But Disneyland/Sea in Tokyo is the absolute best honestly… The Tokyo one was much cleaner, more efficient, better workers, and I can just tell how much care was put into maintaining it daily.
Absolutely agree. I have been to Anaheim, Orlando, Hongkong, and Tokyo Disneyland and Disney sea. Tokyo is beyond the others. You have to bear the language, but even without fully understanding what the character is saying, we are all familiar with the story lines.
I hope you guys do a Disney experience in Shanghai China to see their version of the park 🤔. It would be cool to see different versions of the Disney theme parks from around the world.
I saw the passholder's comment below...there is no way Tokyo is even remotely close to the level of awesome that is Disney World in Florida. Its also an entirely different experience. Yes, Tokyo has cheaper food and excellent attention to detail. I can easily say it's better than Disney Land. But Disney World? Come on. They don't even have a 10th of what is offered at Disney World. This is what Disney World has that Disney Tokyo doesn't...The Animal Kingdom and everything in it, Hollywood Studios and nearly everything in it (I am pretty sure Tokyo has Star Tours), Epcot and nearly everything (Turtle Talk in DisneySea) in it. Then there is Disney's Blizzard Beach, Disney's Typhoon Lagoon, Disney Springs, Disney's Boardwalk, ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.
Yes, Disney Tokyo can be compared to Magic Kingdom...and really only Magic Kingdom as far as Disney World goes. BUT, there is a big caveat and that is DisneySea which has some rides and adventures not found elsewhere. Which is epic. Ultimately, Disney Tokyo shows what can be done differently outside of the US and made to be great in its own way.
Japan is an awesome country. Seeing the guests all dressed up in disney theme really helped create the magic u mentioned. The only reason for going disney in US now is for the Starwars parks.
Was the Fantasy Springs area when you visited? New area is so awesome with new attractions!