This guide to Tokyo DisneySea attractions contains reviews and ratings for every ride and show in the park, plus line-skipping recommendations. If you’re planning a trip to Japan, this is a great place to start when determining which attractions to do, when and how. (Updated September 16, 2024.)
Unlike Tokyo Disneyland, DisneySea is incredibly unique and unlike any theme park you’ve ever experienced. Tokyo DisneySea is Japan’s second gate to Tokyo Disneyland, with lands and attractions based on various ports of call, both real and imagined. (Speaking of TDL, see our Tokyo Disneyland Attraction Guide for more about that park.)
When used in conjunction with our 1-Day Tokyo DisneySea Itinerary, you should have a strong plan of attack, which is very important at Tokyo DisneySea, as lines can be very long. These Tokyo DisneySea ride ratings include headliners, smaller attractions, and shows. Besides Mermaid Lagoon’s kiddie rides, we don’t recommend skipping any attractions if you have the time to experience them all as pretty much everything in Tokyo DisneySea is varying degrees of awesome. But it’s very difficult to do it all in a single day, especially now that Fantasy Springs has opened.
Tokyo DisneySea is the best Disney theme park in the world. That was true even before Fantasy Springs. This is not just because of its stellar ride roster–which is now even better–but also because of its transportive sense of place, dining options, general ambiance, and the infectious attitudes of other guests and Cast Members. It’s difficult to fathom if you’ve never been, and this may seem like unattainable hype that the park could never live up to, but the whole of Tokyo DisneySea is so much more than the sum of its parts.
While originally envisioned as a more mature park to appeal to Japan’s aging population, Tokyo DisneySea has shifted its direction a bit since opening by adding attractions and characters based on Disney characters. Regardless of the recent change in direction, Tokyo DisneySea remains a decidedly adult park. It’s really a theme park unlike anything else Disney has to offer. There is still plenty to do for kids, but they’re more likely to prefer Tokyo Disneyland, as much of the brilliance of Tokyo DisneySea will be lost on them.
Because so much of Tokyo DisneySea is predicated on its ambiance and entertainment, in order to experience a good amount of what the park has to offer, you should expect to spend two full days in Tokyo DisneySea. We have found that even two days still only gives you a taste of the park–we usually do 3 days, but we’re Disney obsessives. Tokyo DisneySea is like a fine wine, and after the initial morning race to avoid the crowds, it’s a park that you really need to slow down to enjoy.
Before we dig into the Tokyo DisneySea ride guide, there are a few important updates for 2024 that we need to bring to your attention. First, as noted above, Fantasy Springs is now open. This is the new $2 billion port-of-call themed to Peter Pan, Frozen, and Tangled. Accessing this area and attractions will evolve in the coming months and years, but Fantasy Springs is NOT open-access and the rides do NOT offer standby lines. See How to Enter Fantasy Springs & Get On Rides: Good, Bad & Ugly Access Options for a rundown of how to gain access.
To that point, downloading the Tokyo Disney Resort app before your trip is a must–it’s necessary if you want to enter Fantasy Springs. The app is now available in English, and is how you’ll join show lotteries, obtain standby passes, make restaurant reservations or mobile orders–as well as purchase paid FastPass or obtain free FastPass.
Speaking of which, it isn’t called FastPass anymore. The spiritual successors to free FastPass are Premier Access and Priority Pass. See our Guide to (Free) Priority Pass & (Paid) Premier Access at Tokyo Disneyland & DisneySea for eligible attractions, prices, and how to make these line-skipping ride-reservations.
Since this guide is written in English on a site catering to US Disney theme park enthusiasts, it assumes that you’re a Disney fan. If not, these recommendations might be extreme for you–you may be able to see all you care to see in a single day.
Top Tokyo DisneySea Attractions
Sindbad’s Storybook Voyage (10/10) – Slow moving boat ride featuring vignettes of Sindbad the Sailor’s adventures, featuring a cast of over 100 Audio Animatronics. I’ve gushed a lot over Sindbad’s Storybook Voyage already, so I’ll keep this succinct. Sindbad’s is a nice, long ride with a catchy song, lovable characters, and rarely lengthy lines.
We both consider it our favorite attraction at Tokyo DisneySea, with Chandu the tiger being one of our all-time favorite theme park characters. Do this whenever. Sindbad’s is entirely in Japanese, but the story is largely conveyed via scenery and song–it’s a masterpiece no matter what language you speak.
Big Band Beat (10/10) – This 30-minute Broadway jazz revue featuring tap dancing, an orchestra, and other performers is housed in the Broadway Music Theatre, which harks back to classic theaters in New York City. The theater is beautiful and the show is fantastic, with incredible production value and talented performers. While most of Big Band Beat is traditional non-Disney jazz numbers, there are appearances by Disney characters.
Mickey Mouse also appears for an impressive finale. The show is our favorite stage show at any Disney theme park in the world. Its popularity bears this out, as Tokyo DisneySea employs a kiosk-based lottery system for reserved seating (the first show is first-come, first-served). Big Band Beat is entirely in English and is a headliner that should be experienced in mid-afternoon.
Important note: Big Band Beat is still modified as of late 2024, and is being presented as ‘Big Band Beat – A Special Treat.’ It does not feature the same caliber or quantity of live performances and is not a 10/10. It’s still highly-recommended and a must-see, especially if it’s your first time. (It’s hard for us to score the current version because we’ve experienced the regular show, which is so much better. If you haven’t, you might still enjoy ‘A Special Treat’ a lot.)
Journey to the Center of the Earth (10/10) – A hybrid dark ride and thrill ride, Journey to the Center of the Earth is Tokyo DisneySea’s flagship attraction. Starting with the approach that goes inside Mount Prometheus, Journey to the Center of the Earth is incredible.
Its queue is meticulously detailed, taking guests through a makeshift lab in a cavern where Nemo and his crew have been studying their excavations, before taking them on a terravator deep down beneath the surface of the earth. The attraction takes guests on excavators deeper below the earth, from a forest of mushrooms with cute little creatures, to a sea with a special effect that will make you jump from your seat. The climax is intense and spectacular.
Journey to the Center of the Earth is a great rope drop/park opening attraction that isn’t nearly as competitive as some of the alternatives. You can also purchase Premier Access for it. Journey to the Center of the Earth has minor dialogue in Japanese, but language is immaterial to understanding what’s going on.
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (10/10) – A sea rover based dark ride into the depths of the sea. Unlike the old Walt Disney World version, you never enter any water in this version–it’s all an illusion. Guests board a ride vehicle called Neptune with room for about 6 people and go through a suspended dark ride. This is a great attraction that is brilliantly executed and suspends disbelief. In typical Tokyo DisneySea fashion, the scenes and effects are pretty spectacular and detailed. You won’t be able to see it all on one–or even four–rides through.
Guests can use lanterns to illuminate objects out the portholes make the experience engaging, and the various monsters and friendly creatures encountered along the way are cool. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is moderately popular, but it tends to be one of the last attractions to run out of free Priority Pass. Either do it in the morning after Journey to the Center of the Earth and Indiana Jones Adventure (skip if the posted wait is above 30 minutes) or wait until only it has Priority Pass availability remaining and get that for it. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is in Japanese, but the important storytelling is all visual.
Fortress Explorations (10/10) – A Tom Sawyer Island-like play area featuring 10 very memorable exhibits. It is EPCOT Center caliber “edutainment,” that not only showcased some still-impressive technologies from centuries ago, but also the revolutionary thinkers who devised the devices. Kids (and even many adults!) will have fun exploring it and learning a thing or two. There is even a game you can play that includes a map, but that may require speaking Japanese (we have not tried to play it). Do Fortress Explorations whenever convenient, probably in mid-afternoon when lines are long for everything else. Signs are all in English.
Tower of Terror (10/10) -A free-fall thrill ride with an elaborate lead-in and excellent story. While Journey to the Center of the Earth is widely viewed as Tokyo DisneySea’s best attraction, we’d give Tower of Terror the nod over it. Unlike the US versions, this has no Twilight Zone tie-in. Instead, the New York City Preservation Society gives tours to the hotel previously owned by dubious explorer and collector of exotic artifacts, Harrison Hightower. The story centers on Hightower’s disappearance, which was supposedly caused by idol Shiriki Utundu.
The sheer number of artifacts, different pre-show rooms, and newspaper clippings means that you’ll need to experience this several times before seeing it all. This is one attraction where, we feel, it would have been nice to know Japanese, as that’s what the NYC Preservation Society guides speak in the pre-show. Like the other versions, the thrilling fall is the least important part of Tower of Terror. This is another Premier Access paid line-skipping attraction. That’s one option, or you can rope drop this side of the park and knock out Tower of Terror and Toy Story Mania at park opening.
Soaring Fantastic Flight (9/10) — A popular hang-glider simulator ride that offers a grandiose flight over some amazing locations around the globe. The giant screen combined with the swinging gliders and an epic score creates a really believable experience, making Soaring Fantastic Flight an absolute must-do for anyone who meets the 40″ height requirement and isn’t terribly afraid of heights.
Soaring Fantastic Flight’s ride component is similar to Soarin’ in Walt Disney World, Disney California Adventure, and Shanghai Disneyland. The big difference here is the build-up to that: Soaring Fantastic Flight has an incredibly lavish queue and impressive new pre-show. The video also has one scene swapped out, and a new finale that ends over Tokyo Disney Resort. It’s worth seeing even if you’ve experienced Soarin’ elsewhere.
Soaring Fantastic Flight is incredibly popular, even 5 years after it opened. If you line up before park opening, this can be a good rope drop option. Otherwise, our best advice is racing here (you’ve gotta be fast!) as Believe! Sea of Dreams ends. Failing both of those options, pay for Premier Access or skip it. As great as this is, it’s still Soarin and if you have only one day to do TDS, you’ve gotta make tough decisions.
Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull (10/10) – Hybrid thrill ride and dark ride aboard a transport vehicle through the Temple of the Crystal Skull (same ride system as Indiana Jones Adventure at Disneyland and Dinosaur at Animal Kingdom). The premise and track layout, along with many effects are very similar to the Disneyland version, but there are differences throughout. There are also two effects that totally make the experience.
Indiana Jones Adventure is the best Priority Pass attraction at Tokyo DisneySea, so we recommend using that on this attraction. Other alternatives are within the first hour or towards the end of the night. Indiana Jones Adventure is at the back of the park, so it doesn’t have a huge line first thing.
Indiana Jones Adventure is one of two attractions at Tokyo DisneySea with a Single Rider line. We highly recommend using it (if your party can handle being in a foreign country in Asia, you’ll be fine splitting apart for like 5 minutes) as it will cut wait times significantly. During one of our visits, we waited 5 minutes in the Single Rider line when the normal queue had a 150 minute posted wait. If you are unwilling to use Single Rider, do this immediately after Journey to the Center of the Earth, first thing in the morning.
Venetian Gondolas (9/10) – Venetian gondolas captained by two charismatic gondoliers from the Palazzo Canals to the lagoon in Mediterranean Harbor and back. The scenery and the romanticism of gondolas is the big draw, but the gondoliers can be a highlight, too. They sing, and some will even interact with the boat in English if you make an effort to engage them. This attraction is most fun at or shortly after sunset, but lines are shortest first thing in the morning. Due to its low capacity and popularity, its lines can get long as the day goes on.
DisneySea Electric Railway (8.5/10) – Relaxing and scenic elevated railway ride through the American Waterfront and a little bit of Port Discovery. The DisneySea Electric Railway is awesome in the same way that the TTA is awesome. This is the type of relaxing “ambiance” attraction I could envision myself riding over and over to do some sightseeing in the American Waterfront if I were a local with unlimited time. The views along the way are great, and you see parts of American Waterfront buildings you wouldn’t see otherwise. Do this whenever, the line should always be fairly short.
Toy Story Mania (8/10) – A 3D screen-based shooter game with Toy Story characters. This is the best version of Toy Story Mania, with a really cool queue and load area. It’s also the most popular version, with long lines throughout the day.
The attraction itself is a direct clone. If your time is limited, we highly recommend skipping Toy Story Mania. If you absolutely must do it, the best options are rope dropping it, buying Premier Access, or getting in line ~45 minutes before the park closes, which will be right around the time they cut the line. Either way, make sure you check out this area at night.
DisneySea Transit Steamer Line (8/10) – Relaxing, scenic boat ride with a couple of route options from Mediterranean Harbor to Lost River Delta or Cape Cod (round-trip). We recommend the latter. It’s a great way to slow down and see the park.
Aquatopia (7/10) – A self-guided water “car” ride that weaves around a path. Aquatopia uses the trackless ride system from Pooh’s Hunny Hunt and combines that with water, but there’s not really any substance to it. It’s mildly fun and pretty at night, but still nothing special. It’s still an enjoyable ride that’s often a walk-on at night. It’s fun, so do it. It’s just disappointing given the ride system utilized.
Nemo & Friends SeaRider (7/10) – This simulator attraction in Port Discovery is based upon Finding Nemo. It’s a cute attraction that follows Nemo and his friends around underwater, and there are some amusing effects, but it’s a pretty bland and predictable experience. Only a must-do for those with kids, or huge Pixar fans.
Believe! Sea of Dreams (8.5/10) – Nighttime spectacular where Disney friends remind dreamers to keep on believing and making their wishes come true. Believe! Sea of Dreams features large boats on Mediterranean Harbor, bright lasers, and pyrotechnics illuminating the night sky, as well as projection mapping that envelops the vast performance space of the harbor.
Believe! Sea of Dreams is presented nightly in the Mediterranean Harbor lagoon, and can be viewed from 360-degrees around the water. This nighttime spectacular has some great visuals, especially with characters (Peter Pan, Moana, Rapunzel, Little Mermaid, etc.) rising from their respective boats. We prefer watching this from an angle that faces the front of the park, as there are projections on Hotel MiraCosta that provide a lovely backdrop. Fortress Explorations is a good free option, as is the nearby bridge leading from American Waterfront.
Fantasy Springs Attractions
Fairy Tinker Bell’s Busy Buggies (8/10) – This is a family-friendly attraction in Pixie Hollow, the fairy valley in Never Land where Tinker Bell lives. Guests board a Busy Buggy, a vehicle made by Tinker Bell, and explore the fairy valley and its changing seasons. In this fairy valley, everything from flowers and mushrooms to painting utensils and pieces of nibbled cheese is larger than life, creating the impression that guests have shrunk down to the size of a fairy and entered their world.
Fairy Tinker Bell’s Busy Buggies punches above its weight. This is the simplest and most straightforward attraction in Fantasy Springs–it’s a kiddie ride that fills a role for families with small children, and doesn’t aspire to be anything more than that. And yet, it does. The scenery are adorable, the motion of the vehicles is delightfully fun, and the whole thing just oozes whimsy. That’s to say nothing of the end, where you encounter a character who has already developed a cult following. There’s a certain je ne sais quoi about Fairy Tinker Bell’s Busy Buggies and it is better than it has any right to be. It’s still firmly the #4 attraction–almost no one would rank it any higher–but it’s fantastic for what it is.
Rapunzel’s Lantern Festival (8/10) – A romantic gondola tour with outdoor scenery and indoor show scenes that culminates in the annual Lantern Festival, where guests follow Rapunzel as she experiences her “best day ever” and meets Flynn Rider for the first time. Boats float towards the tower where Rapunzel lives, and find her gazing out of her lofty tower window, singing “When Will My Life Begin,” as Flynn Rider watches.
Rapunzel escapes from the tower and with Flynn Rider at her side, the two develop a strong bond as they visit various locations featured in the film. Rapunzel and Flynn Rider go on to sing “I See the Light,” and guests are enveloped by the glow of countless lanterns filling the night sky.
If anything, this is the opposite of Busy Buggies in the sense that Rapunzel’s Lantern Festival arguably under-delivers on its promise and potential. This has perhaps the biggest ‘wow’ moment in any Fantasy Springs attraction and a few other lovely scenes and effects, but it’s a bit on the short side and also more rudimentary. It’s as if Imagineering started with the iconic Lantern Festival, nailed that, and decided i was good enough. To be sure, that scene is alone worth the price of admission, but the rest of the ride falls a bit flat–and is over too soon. Read our Review: Disney’s Most Romantic Ride Ever?! for more.
Peter Pan’s Never Land Adventure (10/10) – Guests join the Lost Kids on an epic adventure to rescue John from Captain Hook and his band of pirates. When Peter Pan informs guests that John has been kidnapped by Captain Hook and his pirate crew, they board a boat and set off on an adventure. Tinker Bell then sprinkles fairy dust on the boat, allowing guests to soar into the sky.
During their journey, guests encounter beloved characters from the film. Guests will discover Captain Hook’s moored ship, the Jolly Roger, and look on as a battle with the pirates ensues. This is a 6-minute 3D motion-base-simulator-meets-dark ride attraction has guests boarding makeshift boat ride vehicles and wearing 3D goggles, and has a minimum height requirement of 102 cm (~40 inches).
Peter Pan’s Never Land Adventure is one of two “no notes” attractions in Fantasy Springs. On paper, this ride is very similar to Spider-Man or Transformers at Universal, which are iconic screen-based attractions that are also chaotic adventures. In actuality, Peter Pan’s Never Land Adventure is much more like Avatar Flight of Passage. Like that, this adventure with Peter Pan offers battle and excitement, but also a majestic and well-paced attraction that takes its time to slow down and chew on the scenery. The thrills are followed by a quiet and introspective moment, and a grand finale that’s stunning and takes your breath away. Do not miss Peter Pan’s Never Land Adventure, even if that means paying for Premier Access. For more, see our ride review: Disney’s New Peter Pan E-Ticket is an Avatar Flight Plus Spider-Man Adventure.
Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Journey (10/10) – Guests set out on a voyage by boat that leads them through the events of Frozen. This adventurous and heartwarming tale of two sisters features themes of true love, along with twists and turns (literal and figurative) along the way. Grand Pabbie draws guests into the world of Frozen as he tells the tale of Anna and Elsa to two young trolls, bringing the sisters’ childhood memories back to life with an iridescent light through his magic.
Guests then embark on a journey through the sisters’ memories, accompanied by well-known songs from the film. Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Journey culminates in Elsa climbing North Mountain, where she creates an ice palace with her powers. During the ride’s climactic moments, Elsa attempts to save her sister from Hans in an act of true love.
This is totally different from Frozen Ever After at the other parks, and is the second of two perfect attractions in Fantasy Springs. In our view, this is the “perfecter” of the two, and is arguably the best ride in all of Tokyo DisneySea–maybe in all of the world. Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Journey features jaw-dropping Audio Animatronics, gorgeous show scenes, and a few “how did they do that?!” moments and effects. We rarely recommend purchasing Premier Access, but it is absolutely worth it here. This is an absolute must-ride, and should be your #1 priority at Tokyo DisneySea. For more photos & commentary, see our ride review: Anna & Elsa’s Frozen Journey is One of Disney’s Best Rides Ever!
Tokyo DisneySea Attractions You Can Skip
Raging Spirits (4/10) – This is the “intense” thrill ride at Tokyo DisneySea, which has a 360-degree loop. It draws long waits, is incredibly short, and locks you in so tight that the experience really has no sensation. Almost identical in layout to the Indiana Jones coaster in Disneyland Paris, and only slightly better. Theming is good, and the exterior looks really cool at night. Single Rider is available and recommended, but even it moves slowly. The much better way to experience this attraction at night is by grabbing a beer and watching the mesmerizing for about 10 minutes. We’re not even kidding.
Caravan Carousel (7/10) – Double decker carousel. Proving that just about anything is better in Tokyo DisneySea, this takes the classic Disney carousel and kicks it up a notch, with an ornate look, and a second level. One of my fondest Tokyo DisneySea memories is being on the second level of this during sunset on the last night of our first trip to Tokyo. For what it is, it’s pretty cool.
Turtle Talk (7.5/10) – Kids interact with Crush from Finding Nemo in a screen-based attraction that mimics portholes out of the SS Columbia. Gains points for a much better presentation than the Epcot version (brilliantly integrated into the lower level of the SS Columbia), but loses points for being entirely in Japanese, meaning most English-speaking guests won’t get as much out of the experience.
The Magic Lamp Theater (6.5/10) – 3D show (plus pre-show) featuring the Genie interacting with a Cast Member performer. It’s an enjoyable, albeit bizarre 3D film with good effects and nice, organic interactions with the Cast Member. This show is entirely in Japanese, but an English close captioned device is available for it. You’ll definitely want that. Do this whenever.
Jasmine’s Flying Carpets (6.5/10) – Spinner ride a la Dumbo. Offers great views of the Arabian Coast and has a great lighting package. Definitely something to consider doing at night if time allows and the line is short.
Blowfish Balloon Race (3.5/10) – Mermaid Lagoon is full of kiddie rides, none of which are anything special and should only be done by those with small children. This one is a mildly-exciting spinner in King Triton’s Castle with hanging baskets. Skip it.
Jumpin’ Jellyfish (3/10) – Slow-moving up and down jellyfish ‘towers’ in King Triton’s Castle. Waste of time.
Flounder’s Flying Fish Coaster (4/10) – Very short, unthemed kiddie coaster located outside in Mermaid Lagoon. Only do this if you have kids who can’t go on other Tokyo DisneySea attractions.
Scuttle’s Scooters (3/10) – Whirly kiddie ride that goes around on a circular track. Skip it.
The Whirlpool (3/10) – Same idea as the Mad Tea Party at Disneyland, without iconic status or any great views, located inside King Triton’s Castle. Don’t bother.
Song of Mirage (9/10) (Temporarily Unavailable) – The newest stage show at the Hangar Stage, this is show features Mickey Mouse and his Disney Friends going on an adventure to seek out the Rio Dorado (Spanish for “golden river”) and its legendary city of gold in a musical show that lasts 30 minutes. We’ve yet to see Song of Mirage, but the show promises beautiful visuals, projection screens, and live character performances. Expect the story to be entirely in Japanese.
King Triton’s Concert/Mermaid Lagoon Theater (7/10) (Temporarily Unavailable) – Abstract puppet-based show based on the Little Mermaid. The puppets and presentation of the show are beautiful, but the pacing is poor, and the show literally just abruptly stops. The new version of this show opened a couple of years ago, and is moderate improvement over the old version of the show, but feels like it took a tech-first approach in many segments, and feels disjointed as a result.
This leaves out roaming atmospheric performers, seasonal entertainment, and character meet & greets, but it’s all of the significant, year-round attractions. If you have the time, try to do every attraction that isn’t one of the Mermaid Lagoon kiddie rides, as even the lesser attractions aren’t bad. If you have small children, you’ll probably even want to do the Mermaid Lagoon stuff!
Planning a trip to Tokyo Disney Resort? For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Tokyo Disneyland & DisneySea Trip Planning Guide! For more specifics, our TDR Hotel Rankings & Reviews page covers accommodations. Our Restaurant Reviews detail where to dine & snack. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money post. Our What to Pack for Disney post takes a unique look at clever items to take. Venturing elsewhere in Japan? Consult our Ultimate Guide to Kyoto, Japan and City Guide to Tokyo, Japan.
Your Thoughts
What other questions do you have about Tokyo DisneySea? If you’ve been, which attractions are your favorites? Which ones do you skip? Do you agree or disagree with our ratings? If you haven’t visited Tokyo DisneySea yet, which attractions are you most excited about? Hearing from you is half the fun, so please share your questions and thoughts in the comments!
