Tokyo Disneyland during Covid-19

When the Covid-19 situation in Tokyo improved, Tokyo Disney decided to reopen both of their parks- Land and Sea (on July 1, 2020). This would be done with a few changes to the general flow of things in order to create a hopefully safer experience during this pandemic of ours. I managed, just barely to get tickets for my sons birthday, so I thought I would update the curious on what is going on in Tokyo Disneyland during Coronavirus.

Read on to find our more about how Tokyo Disneyland is keeping everyone safe and to catch a glimpse of the new Beauty and the Beast area!

Best Way to get Tokyo Disneyland Tickets

First off, do not expect tickets to be available at the gates. Disney fans are really hardcore and have definitely been waiting for the parks to reopen, so tickets sell out quickly. I went on a Monday and was only able to snag tickets from 2 p.m. even though I got them about two weeks in advance. When we got to the Disneyland area they were loudly announcing that no tickets would be available for purchase at the gates.

Best way to get them is through the website: Tokyo Disneyland Tickets

Alternatively, the official Disneyland hotels in the Maihama area all have their own access to tickets and you can choose a ticket package when booking a room. However, I think this is probably the most expensive way to do it and I only recommend it if you are really set on a specific day.

Covid-19 Precautions in Tokyo Disneyland

So what’s changed since the parks reopened? There are a number of things that are different in Tokyo Disneyland in our post Covid world, so I’ll list a few of the things I noted while there.

• Mandatory Masks from 2 Years Old – This is probably the most obvious one. The only time you won’t be wearing a mask is when you’re sitting down and eating. If you’re going to Tokyo Disneyland during the summer I would bring more than one mask as with the heat and the humidity they will get sweaty pretty quickly. Not a pleasant experience.
• Alcohol at the entrance and exit of all attractions, stores, and restaurants – Not the fun drinking kind! Although that would make quite the experience if you took a shot every time you went on a ride. Something to muse over, Disney.
• Shorter Wait Times but Longer Lines – How does that work? There are less people in the parks so wait times for most attractions were only 15-20 minutes. We used the official Tokyo Disneyland application which updates the waiting times constantly. Because of social distancing the lines are really spaced out, so unfortunately you do have to spend some time waiting outside.
• Rides will often be closed for cleaning and disinfection – it seemed to be happening about once every hour or every two hours. Again, if you have the application it will show you what rides are closed.
• Less food carts – I guess to discourage people standing around and eating with masks off. The only standing food carts I really saw were the popcorn ones.
• No scheduled performances- Performances are my favorite part of going to Disneyland so this was a big bummer for me. I didn’t catch any shows though apparently they do happen sporadically.

Tokyo Disneyland: Belles Village and Beasts Castle

This was the most exciting part for me! The new area is not open yet but you can catch a glimpse of the castle, village, and beautiful mountain backdrop. I am a huge Beauty and the Beast fan so hearing the music and walking past the rustic village was a really special moment. I think they are holding off on opening the area to prevent crowding so that is something to look forward to once we get a vaccine.

Tokyo Coronavirus Cases have been Rising

This is one thing to consider when planning your trip. I did think that the park took all the precautions they possibly could but it is still a busy area, with many people who are touching things not only on the attractions but in stores and restaurants as well. Just like going anywhere in summer 2020, there will always be some risk.