A commenter asks the question:

I’m a little intimidated about getting around Tokyo.  What is the best way to get to Tokyo Disney Resort?

Trains

Like with pretty much everything else in Tokyo, the train is your best option – and, to be specific, it’ll be the “Keiyō Line” which takes you to Maihama Station – Tokyo Disney Resort’s front door.

Depending on where you are in the city, how you connect to the Keiyō Line is going to vary.  If you don’t have access to the Internet to give you directions using Google Maps, my best suggestion is if you’re staying west of the resort, find some way to get yourself to Tokyo Station, and from there you’ll easily hop on the Keiyō Line and ride straight away to the resort.

If you’re north or east of the resort, talk to a JR Rail travel centre or information desk and they’ll help you with the route you should take.

Buses

If you’re with small children and you’re not wanting to join the crowds on the train (and in the train station), you can opt to take a motorcoach (bus) from a number of points around the greater Tokyo area.  The drawback to bus service is you won’t have much choice in when you go to or leave the resort – but this may be less of a concern if crowds are a primary worry.

On most days (except for the ones when the parks close early) JR buses leave Shinjuku Station every 30 minutes starting at 6:40am, with the final bus leaving at 9:50am (this bus leaves 40 minutes after the bus before it.). Buses back to Shinjuku Station leave on a schedule of roughly every 35-45 minutes (it varies through the afternoon and evening) starting at 4:10pm from Tokyo DisneySea and 4:20pm from Tokyo Disneyland.

Shinjuku Station is not the only place to catch a bus to the resort. Buses make regular scheduled trips from Tokyo, Akihabara, Yokohama, and many other locations throughout Japan. Tokyo Disney Resort offers a complete list of options and schedules on its website.

Airport Limousine Bus

If you are staying at Tokyo Disney Resort and are traveling from either Narita or Haneda airports, you may want to consider taking the Airport Limousine Bus service.  This shuttle service travels at regular intervals from the airports.

For service from Narita to Tokyo Disney Resort, you will pay ¥2,450 per adult per trip and ¥1,230 per child per trip.

For service from Haneda to Tokyo Disney Resort, you will pay ¥830 per adult per trip and ¥420 per child per trip.

Even though Tokyo Disney Resort is in Tokyo Bay, you can’t take a cruise liner to the parks! (But you can visit the SS Columbia at Tokyo DisneySea!)

Ship Your Bags

If you’re using a public transit option (especially the train) to get to Tokyo Disney Resort, it may be a good idea to have your bags shipped to the parks.

At both Narita and Haneda airports, companies like Yamato Transport Co. Ltd. and Sagawa Express have kiosks where they will accept your bags and courier them to the parks for a fee of about ¥1,800 per bag (depending on the weight and shape.)

One thing to remember is that depending on the time of day of your arrival, your bags may not end up at your hotel until the next day. This is something to consider when planning to ship your bags.

Driving + Taxi Service

Driving to Tokyo Disney Resort is not something we’d recommend.  In fact, driving in Japan is very different from driving in North America and might just make what should be a magical and happy day full of unnecessary stress.  Ditch the car and take a form of public transit instead.

Likewise, hiring a taxi to get you to the parks isn’t an ideal choice.  Taxis are very expensive in the greater Tokyo area, and should be avoided unless absolutely necessary (for example, in an emergency or if you’ve missed the last train.)

Have questions about Tokyo Disney Resort?  Ask them in the comments below!