Visiting Tokyo Disneyland
Visiting Tokyo Disneyland
Overview
John Daub and his family visit Tokyo Disneyland on September 14, 2022, to celebrate their son Leo's 18-month birthday milestone. Filmed as a live stream, the video captures the authentic experience of visiting the park with a toddler—navigating the standby pass system, enjoying seasonal Halloween decorations, and making memories at this iconic destination. The family stays at the nearby Hilton Tokyo Bay and shares practical tips about ticketing, dining costs, and what to expect when visiting with young children. John's signature warmth and humor shine through as he narrates Leo's wonder at seeing Mickey Mouse for the first time since the Ellis family visit.
Highlights
- 00:01 Leo experiences Tokyo Disneyland for the first time as the family enters the park just before 10am
- 00:13 Cinderella Castle and first park views — Leo points excitedly at the iconic castle
- 00:40 Kanae explains the ticketing app — how to purchase tickets via the official Tokyo Disneyland app
- 00:55 Ticket price revelation — 8,800 yen (~$70 USD) per adult on weekday visits
- 01:10 Standby pass system explained — Disney's new entry request system replacing fast passes
- 02:04 Birthday and first-visit stickers — Leo receives commemorative stickers from friendly cast members
- 02:07 Lunch at Alice in Wonderland — roasted chicken and corn chowder for 5,200 yen
- 02:09 Unbirthday cake tradition — celebrating Leo's milestone with a special cake
- 03:04 Westernland Railroad ride — Leo's excitement spotting deer along the track
- 03:35 Mickey Mouse meet and greet — Leo's reaction to seeing his hero in person
- 03:47 Space Mountain under renovation — closed for years, expected to reopen in a few years
Timeline / Chapters
00:00–00:30 — Arrival & Entrance The family arrives at Tokyo Disneyland around 9:50am. John introduces the stream and explains they're celebrating Leo's 18-month milestone. The park is decorated for Halloween, and John notes the difficulty distinguishing cast members from visitors in costume.
00:30–01:00 — First Impressions & Castle Leo walks and runs excitedly through the park entrance toward Cinderella Castle. John captures Leo pointing at the castle and notes their Hilton Tokyo Bay hotel is just a 10-minute walk away. They spot Mickey Mouse dancing nearby.
01:00–02:00 — Ticketing & Park Systems Kanae explains how she purchased tickets through the official Tokyo Disneyland app. They discuss the standby pass system (entry request system), noting that popular attractions like Beauty and the Beast are sold out within minutes of park opening. John expresses disappointment at missing certain rides.
02:00–02:15 — Lunch & Dining The family eats at the Alice in Wonderland area. Lunch consists of roasted chicken (1,800 yen), corn chowder (500 yen), and unbirthday cake (1,200 yen)—totaling approximately 5,200 yen. John reflects on park pricing and notes it has increased significantly.
02:15–02:30 — Stickers & Recognition Cast members kindly provide Leo with a birthday sticker and a "My First Visit" badge, creating a memorable keepsake.
02:30–03:15 — Tomorrowland & Attractions The family walks through Tomorrowland, where John reflects on how the retro-futuristic design now feels dated compared to modern technology. They observe Space Mountain is closed for renovations. The Haunted Mansion is accessible via standby pass.
03:15–04:00 — Westernland Railroad & Mickey The family rides the Westernland Railroad steam train, spotting deer along the perimeter. Leo has a nap earlier in the day. They end with a visit to Mickey Mouse in Toontown, where Leo interacts with his Disney hero.
Japan Travel Tips
- Getting there: Take the JR Keiyo Line to Maihama Station, then walk or take the Disney Resort Line monorail to the park gates
- Best time to visit: Weekdays outside of summer vacation and peak seasons — tickets are cheaper and crowds are more manageable
- Ticket pricing: On weekdays in September 2022, adult tickets were 8,800 yen (~$70 USD); prices vary by season with peak periods being more expensive
- Children under 3: Free entry to Tokyo Disneyland
- Stay nearby: The Hilton Tokyo Bay is a 10-minute walk from the entrance — convenient without needing a Disney hotel
- Book attractions early: The standby pass system for popular rides (like Beauty and the Beast) sells out within minutes of park opening at 9am; guests at park hotels may get priority access
- Bring cash for small purchases: Water and snacks add up; budget for park food which is priced at tourist-area premiums
- Halloween season (September–October): The park has special decorations and atmosphere, but crowds increase
- Know your child's limits: Rides have height requirements; the Baby Center provides strollers and amenities for families with young children
Japanese Language & Culture Notes
- Kanpai (乾杯): The traditional Japanese "cheers" — Leo has learned this from his grandfather
- Standby pass (スタンバイパス): The current attraction entry system at Tokyo Disney Resort, replacing the old fast pass. Requires advance booking via the app or obtaining passes at the park
- Cast member: Disney's term for employees; Japanese cast members are notably friendly and provide personalized touches like commemorative stickers for milestones
- Park hp (パークホップ): Refers to free re-entry to the park if you leave for a meal break or return to your hotel
- My First Visit (初次紀念): A sticker tradition at Tokyo Disneyland recognizing first-time visitors
- Halloween at Disney: Unlike Western Halloween, the Japanese version focuses on autumn decorations and playful character costumes rather than horror themes
- Cosplay in public: Japan has a strong cosplay culture, making it genuinely difficult to tell Disney cast members apart from enthusiastic visitors in costumes
Food & Drink Guide
| Item | Price | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roasted chicken (半熟チキソ) | 1,800 yen | Alice in Wonderland area | Half a mini chicken, substantial park meal |
| Corn chowder (コーンシャワダー) | 500 yen | Alice in Wonderland area | Comforting soup option |
| Unbirthday cake | 1,200 yen | Alice in Wonderland | Special celebratory cake for Leo's milestone |
| Bottled water | ~200 yen | Throughout park | Essential on hot September days |
| Iced coffee | ~400-500 yen | Throughout park | For parents to recharge |
Total lunch cost: Approximately 5,200 yen (~$50 USD equivalent) for two adults
People
- John Daub — Host and narrator. Shares practical tips, makes observations about Disney culture, and captures his family's special day. Notes it has been years since his last visit (2018).
- Kanae Daub — John's wife, handles ticketing via the official app and provides local insight into park operations. Explains the standby pass system and seasonal pricing.
- Leo — John and Kanae's son, 18 months old. First-time visitor experiencing the park with wonder. Loves pushing carts, cars, and pressing buttons. Had a successful nap earlier in the day.
- Peter von Gomm — John mentions Peter's car broke down and is no longer the "sweet ride" it once was. A running joke that non-Japanese cars have reliability issues in Japan.
- Cast Members — The friendly Disney employees who provided Leo with special stickers, operated rides, and greeted characters.
Key Takeaways
- Tokyo Disneyland requires planning: The standby pass system means popular attractions must be booked immediately at park opening
- Weekday visits are more manageable: Lower crowds and cheaper tickets compared to weekends and peak seasons
- Children under 3 enter free: A significant benefit for families with toddlers
- Park food is expensive: Budget for premium pricing — lunch for two adults can easily exceed 5,000 yen
- Stay nearby: The Hilton Tokyo Bay offers convenience at a fraction of Disney hotel prices
- Halloween decorations are seasonal: Late September brings special theming but also increased crowds
- Space Mountain is closed: Expected to reopen in a few years; plan accordingly
- Bring essentials: Sunscreen, water, and patience for navigating crowds with young children
Notable Quotes
00:00:37 John Daub: "It's Halloween right now, and I don't know who's a cast member and who's actually staff here at Tokyo Disneyland. So it's kind of confusing."
00:02:22 John Daub: "What was really interesting for me, as someone who was prone to Johnny Depp–Amber Heard things a little bit, in the background, was that the Pirates of the Caribbean ride is shut down right now for renovations."
00:05:05 John Daub: "That's like 70 bucks... I haven't been here in years. It used to be a lot less. And I think with the exchange rate, if you're coming from abroad, it's a lot cheaper now."
00:06:13 John Daub: "But apparently Leo can do a lot more than I thought, but some of the stuff I want to do, he can't do. Like the roller coaster."
00:07:45 Kanae Daub: "From 9 o'clock, it's all sold out."
00:09:48 John Daub: "So he got a birthday sticker from the staff. And a My First Visit sticker."
00:10:23 John Daub: "It kind of looks like, is that Sputnik? Kind of looks like that 1950s dream of what the future looks like. And now that we're in the future, it's not quite like that, is it?"
00:10:53 John Daub: "Japan takes their cosplay so seriously that I've seen Johnny Depp. Was that Johnny Depp? Was he that Johnny Depp, Jack Sparrow? Was he a cast member?"
00:14:38 John Daub: "Here's Space Mountain and you can see it's closed down right now. I wonder what they're going to do with it."
Related Topics
- Only in Japan Go — Family activities in Japan
- Tokyo Disney Resort complete guide
- Theme park travel with toddlers
- Disney in Japan vs. Disney in the US
- Chiba prefecture tourism
- Japanese theme park ticketing systems
Search Tags
#only-in-japan-go #tokyo-disneyland #disney-resort #chiba #urayasu #maihama #tokyo-bay #hilton-tokyo-bay #theme-park #family-travel #japan-with-baby #toddler-travel #halloween #disney #japanese-theme-park #standby-pass #cast-member #cinderella-castle #tomorrowland #space-mountain #pixar #beauty-and-the-beast
Full Transcript
Speakers:
- SPEAKER_03: John Daub
- SPEAKER_07: Kanae Daub
00:00:01 John Daub: He's enjoying the bubbles.
00:00:09 John Daub: Thank you, that was nice. Hello everybody, welcome to Tokyo Disneyland. We thought we would bring you with us. This is Leo's 18-month birthday, a year and a half, and that's kind of special. And if you haven't been here in a while, you're here right now. This is gonna be a really short live stream, but I thought we would share with you the experience.
00:00:34 John Daub: He's walking by himself. In fact, he's running. The thing is, it's Halloween right now, and I don't know who's a cast member and who's actually staff here at Tokyo Disneyland. So it's kind of confusing. Okay, Leo, go! This is the main entrance to Tokyo Disneyland. We got here just a little bit before 10am.
00:01:06 John Daub: The birthday boy is having a fun time. Wow! Leo, castle! I'm getting the Lazarus, Leo. Come here, come here! Wow! So there's the castle. Leo, let's go! Do you want to push?
00:01:27 John Daub: He wants to go this way. Why do you want to push? Leo really loves to just push stuff. As you saw at the airport in... Where were we? Hakodate. He just likes to push the cart. We just saw Mickey Mouse too, and he was dancing. Right? Leo the pusher.
00:01:54 John Daub: It's a really hot afternoon. And not humid though, like a September heat. It's really comfortable. So, you know, we're going to be staying here at the Hilton, which is just a 10-minute walk from the entrance of Tokyo Disneyland. You don't have to stay at a Disney hotel to have a really good place. And we're going to have a cake, and we bought him a present. It's not his real birthday, but it's 18 months, and that means something.
00:02:22 John Daub: What was really interesting for me, as someone who was prone to Johnny Depp–Amber Heard things a little bit, in the background, was that the Pirates of the Caribbean ride is shut down right now for renovations, I guess. But they're still selling the Jack Sparrow stuff like crazy.
00:02:38 John Daub: So, taking a break? Or is he doing the number two? Dropping a deuce. Hey buddy! Let's keep going. Did she just talk right there? Okay.
00:03:10 John Daub: Leo, Dada's over here. No, don't do that! That's a bit nasty. Oh my gosh. Hey, what happened to you? Your back's... That's how he was when he was like six months old. Oh my gosh. Leo? Okay, that's enough of that. Mama. Okay, let's get him up here. Look at Mommy.
00:03:41 John Daub: Hey, the kid knows where he wants to go. Space Mountain. He wants to go to Space Mountain. This is the baby center. So you can get a baby stroller here, as well as other amenities. You know, to get the tickets here, let Kanae describe the process. Kanae, how did you get the tickets to come here this time?
00:04:03 Kanae Daub: I bought the tickets online. It's the app.
00:04:12 John Daub: Oh, on the Tokyo Disneyland app.
00:04:15 Kanae Daub: Yeah, I downloaded the app. And I got two tickets.
00:04:19 John Daub: Okay. Two tickets for me and you, and Leo's free?
00:04:21 Kanae Daub: Yeah, Leo's free.
00:04:24 John Daub: So Leo, something is free at Tokyo Disneyland. It's easy to get the tickets today because it's weekday.
00:04:28 Kanae Daub: Yeah, it's easy to get the tickets today because it's weekday.
00:04:31 John Daub: Oh, right. And not summer vacation. Is there usually... So some days are just sold out. There's a limit to the number of people.
00:04:38 Kanae Daub: Yeah, I'm not sure.
00:04:41 John Daub: I think so, yeah. We think so. I know that... Sometimes it's very busy.
00:04:45 John Daub: The price is different, too.
00:04:46 Kanae Daub: Oh, the price is different? So it's cheaper on other days, some days?
00:04:50 Kanae Daub: Yeah, I think price season is expensive.
00:04:52 John Daub: Oh, August and now since kids are back at school. Today was 8800 yen.
00:04:58 Kanae Daub: For adults.
00:04:59 John Daub: 8800 yen? For one person. Oh my gosh.
00:05:05 Kanae Daub: Yeah, I know. That's like 70 bucks.
00:05:08 John Daub: It used to be... Well, I haven't been here in years. It used to be a lot less. And I think with the exchange rate, if you're coming from abroad, it's a lot cheaper now.
00:05:15 John Daub: Are they cast members? No, they're not. Like, they're all dressed up in uniforms. Are they in Halloween or is that... Because school is out. Or school is in... I guess they are... They got annual passes.
00:05:29 John Daub: Thanks, guys, for the really warm wishes. Thank you. That's nice. Leo loves cars and buses and trains. When he sees a sweet ride, he knows to get in. Unfortunately, Peter's car broke down, so it's not as sweet of a ride as we thought. But I guess in Japan, never buy a non-Japanese car.
00:05:53 John Daub: Leo, there's a line over there. Space Mountain is closed down and it's undergoing renovations. I think it's just right over there. You can see the towers of it.
00:06:13 John Daub: Alright, Leo, what's next? Where were we going? To Toyland, right? At Toontown. Hey, Suzette, thank you. So I noticed that a lot of the things Leo can't do, but a lot of the things that we weren't really sure what kids could do and not do. But apparently Leo can do a lot more than I thought, but some of the stuff I want to do, he can't do. Like the roller coaster. Alright, here we'll get a picture. I think the first time Leo saw Mickey Mouse was at Ellis' place. Ellis, thank you, buddy. I think that was the first time he ever saw Mickey Mouse.
00:07:12 John Daub: Leo, it's a car! Beep beep! Leo, beep beep! Leo, beep beep! Alright, I guess we should leave. There's like a line. That's another thing. So I was really confused about the way the pass system is. The fast pass system apparently is no longer in use right now. It has something called a stand-by pass. So you can go online. You get a stand-by pass, which allows you to line up. Without the stand-by pass, you can't line up. So there's a lot of attractions like the New Beauty and the Beast attraction we can't go to because we can't get a stand-by pass. They're sold out the minute the park opens at 9. It's sold out.
00:07:47 Kanae Daub: From 9?
00:07:48 John Daub: From 9 o'clock, it's all sold out. Because I think people staying at the park hotels get first dibs, and that one has gone fast. So it was a... it's kind of a sad moment. There's some rides that we can't just go to. We were able to do the Haunted Mansion, but that was that was a standby pass. And then an hour after that, there was no more standby passes.
00:08:16 John Daub: Leo, this way. Leo-kun, put it. No. Hey, Alex, thank you. Yeah, we're gonna get some dinner in the park soon. I appreciate that. Thank you.
00:08:32 John Daub: We ate lunch at the Alice in Wonderland space. That's nice. We had roasted chicken. It was like, it looked like half of a mini chicken. It was 1800 yen. And we got a corn chowder that was about 500 yen. And in the end, it cost 5200 yen for lunch, which is roughly like $50 equivalent. But Leo, just to put it in perspective, it's kind of pricey.
00:09:07 John Daub: And then we got an unbirthday cake at the Alice in Wonderland. And that was 1200 yen. So in all of it. It was 5200 yen. Just to give you an idea of the prices. 8800 for an adult pass on the weekdays. But you know, when you're on your holiday, you kind of do. But I don't, we don't get a chance to do this so often. It's been years since we were here. The last time was 2018 before a wedding when we had family over.
00:09:46 John Daub: Oh, right. So it's Leo's first time. So he got a birthday sticker from the staff. And a My First Visit sticker. Check that out. It says Leo-kun on there. Leo.
00:10:04 John Daub: That's so nice. So this is the, I guess this is the Tomorrowland, which is, I guess, getting something of an upgrade. It kind of looks like, is that Sputnik? Kind of looks like that 1950s dream of what the future looks like. And now that we're in the future, it's not quite like that, is it? Now we have lasers. The screens aren't green like they were in Alien. You remember the 1979 thriller? Horror? I don't know if it was a horror or thriller, but they had these monochrome green screens. Now it's at the future. The future's realistic looking.
00:10:44 John Daub: Again, the thing about Halloween is I'm so confused because I don't know who's a cast member. Japan takes their cosplay so seriously that I've seen Johnny Depp. Was that Johnny Depp? Was he that Johnny Depp, Jack Sparrow? Was he a cast member? Yeah, we saw Johnny Depp. Or was, is he just a regular person? Or was he working for Disney? I don't know. We don't know. Yeah, I want to talk to him. Yeah, so we don't know who's Disney worker and who's not. There's Alice. It's so confusing.
00:11:17 John Daub: Chug, chug, chug. Kanpai! He knows kanpai. His grandpa taught him. Oh my gosh. Did you just down that? Gotta stay hydrated. Exactly, Jason. It was a hot one. We have a fan and he already took a two hour nap. Kanae and I got an iced coffee to recharge. We need to do that. So, yeah, like space, space tours, he's not big enough to do that yet. But the staff was really friendly and they're the ones who gave us the stickers. Hey, is that Captain Nemo, the Captain Neo with Michael Jackson still here? That's one of my favorites.
00:12:24 John Daub: Wow, he's going broke. Yeah, he wants to be everybody's friend.
00:12:42 John Daub: Leo, Dada. Leo, Dada. Leo, what's with the crawling? He said Mickey. Oh. Mickey. All right, Leo, come on up. Let's go. Ah, no, he escaped. Kanae, track him down.
00:13:20 John Daub: He's got a lot of energy. He gets like this when he has a successful nap. Look at him go. Uh oh. Somebody dropped 5,000 yen. There you go. Come on, jump.
00:13:52 John Daub: Let's go. Leo, look. Deer. Deer. We saw deer. We took this railroad. What was it called, Kanae?
00:14:03 Kanae Daub: The Western Railway.
00:14:05 John Daub: We saw some deer. Oh, yeah. He's going crazy. All right, he wants down. Leo, you can hold the baby car. But there's some people. I don't know who's cast members and who's not, right?
00:14:27 John Daub: So here's Space Mountain and you can see it's closed down right now. I wonder what they're going to do with it. It's supposed to open up again in a couple of years, I think. I don't know. It's been closed for a while. Leo, that place is really cool. If you press that button, if you press it, it opens up a portal somewhere else. So right now, somebody's falling through a portal in another part of the world. You don't want to touch that. Okay, close the portal. Let's get going. Close the portal. No. No more portal openings. He loves to push the buttons. Oh my God. All right, Leo. Let's get moving.
00:15:03 John Daub: Leo, let's go to see Mickey. We're going to see Mickey. Mickey. Mickey. Mickey Mouse. Leo, Mickey. Hello, Leo. It's Mickey Mouse. Leo, have you been here? Been a good boy tonight? Because if you have, I'm gonna give you a cake and a bus. It'll be a Disney bus. It'll cost you $100. Leo, it's Mickey. By the way, Mickey's voice in Japanese is a little bit weird. That's me doing Mickey. Hello, everybody. Leo, have you been a good boy? Wow. He really, yeah, he really likes to open portals or portal potties. Who knows? Leo, people don't, you know, wash the bottom of the shoe when they go into the restroom. I wouldn't touch that. How often do we alcohol wipe his hands? All right, Leo, okay. Oh my gosh. What is it? What is the fascination with that? Oh my god, he's going deep. Do you dig deep in your nose with that finger? That's his nose-picking finger, can I? Oh my god.
00:16:35 John Daub: Oh my gosh, no way. How do we wash it? Here. Well, sometimes he puts his finger in my nose. That's why I'm not worried about what he does with his nose. That's his finger. But he puts that finger in my nose, especially when I'm sleeping. He just walked right through them. Leo, come back.