1. Home
  3. Guide
  5. Tokyo Disney Resort
  7. Best Time to Visit Tokyo Disneyland in 2023

Best Time to Visit Tokyo Disneyland in 2023

92

My first visit to Tokyo Disney Resort was on a Saturday in the middle of June in 2010. The crowds were heavy, the humidity was less than ideal, and we didn’t get to ride much. My friends and I still had a memorable time, but if I had known the best time to visit Tokyo Disneyland, I’d have made a better decision.

Deciding when to visit Tokyo Disneyland is the most critical part of your trip planning, so you don’t want to make any mistakes. Here you’ll learn how to make the right decision that fits your travel preferences!

Since then, I have visited the parks many times — even wrote a 200-page book to help you plan — and have noted the best and worst times to visit Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea. All are based on my experience.

I’m excited for you to visit, so let’s help you decide when to travel!

Table of Contents

The Golden Rules

Dreaming Up Parade at Tokyo Disneyland
No matter when you decide to visit, you’ll be able to see the “Dreaming Up” parade at Tokyo Disneyland. It runs year-round.

To make things easier and not stress you out too much, I’ve devised a set of “Golden Rules” for deciding when to visit. Whenever you find yourself questioning your decision, come back to these rules.

I want to stress that there is no absolute best time to visit Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea. You’ll have to decide if you want perfect weather or low crowds (you won’t always get both).

The best advice is to choose what works with your budget, time, and travel style.

Here are the Golden Rules

  • Avoid weekends and national holidays
  • The best days to visit are usually Tuesday through Friday (lower crowds)
  • Mondays are generally the busier weekday
  • Crowds are always heavier in the morning, so it’s best to get there early
  • Check attraction closures

Major public holidays are usually the busiest times of the year, and off-peak or shoulder seasons tend to save your sanity. But because the Japanese calendar of public holidays differs significantly from North America (and even Europe). A slow season at other parks could be hectic at the Tokyo Disney Resort.

Buy your Park tickets for Tokyo Disneyland in advance.

What is the best time to go to Tokyo Disneyland?

Halloween Favourite Time at Tokyo Disneyland
For obvious reasons, Halloween is one of my favourite times to visit.

My favourite time to visit Tokyo Disneyland is mid-January, right after the New Year’s crowd has left. The weather is chilly yet fresh, and the crowds are light. It’s a perfect time to enjoy the attractions with minimal wait.

Sitting outside on the S.S. Columbia with a glass of hot wine and watching the sunset is what gives me life.

While somewhat controversial, I adore the summertime at the Parks. I’d visit in July before the summer vacation crowds descend and soak in the parks’ water shows. I’d rather be outside e and have water dumped on me than sitting at home in an air-conditioned building. That sounds odd, but I adore it.

Mid-October into November is another fantastic time to visit. If you time it right, you’ll experience Halloween and Christmas on the same trip. Both those seasonal events are some of the best at the Parks, and it’s the best use of your vacation time.

Best Time to Visit Tokyo Disneyland in 2023

Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast Tokyo Disneyland Review

Tourists can travel to Japan for the first time in almost three years, beginning October 11, 2022. At the same time, it’s tough to predict what’ll happen since all the changes since 2020. I’ve come up with a list of times I think are best to visit in 2023.

The most significant deciding factor for 2023 is the opening of Fantasy Springs at Tokyo DisneySea. There’s still no official opening date other than sometime in 2023. My prediction is sometime in the fall, but we’ll update you once there’s an official announcement.

If you plan to visit in 2022, please read my article on why I think Tokyo Disneyland isn’t at its best right now. But, if you decide to visit this year, you can refer to the section above to help with your decision!

Keep an eye on the ride closures for Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea. You don’t want to miss out on attractions if they’re closed when you’re visiting.

These dates also work with Universal Studios Japan in Osaka so you can visit Super Nintendo World!

Seasonal Events

Tokyo Disneyland Halloween 2021 Merchandise

Every month of the year has a seasonal event that brings merchandise, food, entertainment, and decorations. The first days of any seasonal event bring moderate to heavy crowds. Merchandise and food typically come out a week before the event’s start, increasing the crowds a bit.

See our Tokyo Disney Resort events calendar for exact dates for seasonal events as they become available.

Pro Tip: The day before an event begins, the entertainment typically runs with a soft open. Check the official Tokyo Disney Resort app for times.

When is Tokyo Disneyland Busy?

Natsu Matsuri Summer Tokyo Disneyland
Summer at Tokyo Disneyland is hot and humid but a ton of fun.

The biggest question is, “when is it busy?” Tokyo Disneyland & Tokyo DisneySea are in the world’s top 5 most visited theme parks. The crowds at Tokyo Disneyland & DisneySea work differently than in other Disney Parks. That leads to frustration and confusion for many Explorers.

You’ll see lines for everything from restaurants, popcorn stands, and even toilets on busy days.

Here’s when Tokyo Disney Resort is typically busy:

  • New Year’s sees huge crowds right after December 25 (when the Christmas event ends) through the first week of January.
  • Spring Break is typically from the end of February and the month of it March (it differs depending on the schools in Japan).
  • Golden Week is the busiest time at the Parks, a string of holidays from the end of April through the first week of May.
  • Summer Holidays see huge crowds through July and August with hot and humid weather.

Other times Tokyo Disneyland can be busy.

  • Most weekends and public holidays are busy no matter the time of year.
  • Mondays are sometimes as busy as weekends because school children have the day off due to Sports Days.
  • The first and last days of seasonal events are typically busier

When is Tokyo Disneyland Least Crowded?

Rainy Season Tokyo Disney Resort

There are times when both Parks at Tokyo Disney Resort are not as crowded. The least crowded times can be considered one of the best times to visit Tokyo Disneyland.

Like most things in life, low crowds are not a guarantee. But I do my best to provide the best advice possible.

  • January is least crowded right after the New Years’ break
  • After the Golden Week holiday with ideal weather **
  • Typhoon days (July through October) and rainy days (June is the rainy season) make the parks empty

** This has changed since many Explorers have found this not-so-secret. It’s now become a popular time for non-locals to visit.

Month to Month Breakdown of Crowds & Weather

Golden Week is one of the busiest times of the year. Photo by Hector.

I break down each month of the year at Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea. I factor in weather, events, and crowds to help you decide. You can watch my video version of the chart below on YouTube too!

MonthAvg. TemperatureCrowd Levels & Weather
✅ January5°C (41°F)Crowds are high until January 5 (afterward is the start of the low season).
⚠️ February6°C (43°F)The cold temperatures and unpredictable crowds due to student discounts.
❌ March9°C (48°F)Spring break for students and the added student discounts make for large crowds.
✅ April14°C (57°F)Warmer weather and chances to see Cherry Blossoms (Sakura). Visit before April 29 to avoid the start of Golden Week.
✅ May18°C (64°F)The best month for lower crowds and comfortable weather. Visit after May 5 (Golden Week)
⚠️ June21°C (70°F)Rainy Season. Hit or miss because some years it doesn’t rain much.
⚠️ July25°C (77°F)Heat and humidity are unbearable. Crowds are lower at the beginning of the month and pick up at the end due to summer vacation.
❌ August26°C (79°F)Heat and humidity are unbearable. Summer holidays and Obon Week bring park capacity crowds.
✅ September23°C (73°F)Summer vacation is over, and the crowds are lower.
⚠️ October18°C (64°F)Typhoons bring high winds and tons of rain which lowers the crowds. Parks are still open during most Typhoons (indoor attractions still run).
✅ November12°C (54°F)Cooler weather and the beginning of Christmas
⚠️ December8°C (46°F)Cold weather. Avoid between December 25 and the beginning of January due to the New Years holidays.
✅ Best: ideal for lower crowds, nice weather, and events
❌ Avoid: not ideal due to larger crowds and hot or cold weather
⚠️ Hit or Miss: Depends mainly on the weather

There you have it, the best time to visit Tokyo Disneyland. In the section below, I have more guides to help plan your trip to Japan, so check them out!

Are you planning a trip to Japan?

Take the anxiety out of planning a trip to Japan with our premium ebook travel guides on Tokyo Disney Resort & Universal Studios Japan. Our guides have everything you need to know from the best times to visit, what hotel to choose, what to do, what to eat, and tons more! With nearly 2000 copies sold, our premium guides have become an essential tool for Explorers!

Get all your discount tickets for Tokyo Disneyland, Robot Restaurant, Universal Studios Japan, and more through our tickets page (includes an exclusive discount code). For my personal recommendations on SIM cards, portable wi-fi devices, travel insurance, cheap flights, and hotel bookings, read our travel resources page.

Do you love exclusive and early access to content? Support us on Patreon as it helps us continue bringing you free and continuous content to help you plan your trip.

Make sure to follow us on social media to stay updated on everything Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Shanghai! Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube.

Some links may be affiliate links to services I recommend. At no extra cost to you, buying services through these links help support TDR Explorer. Please read our full disclosure for more details.

Categories
Tags

92 Comments

Add yours
  5. Juliana Goh

    Hi!

    Thank you for writing about visiting Tokyo Disney Resort! I am wondering if it is wise to visit in the first few days of August considering they begin their summer holidays in August. :/ In addition, i missed a lot of rides the last time i visited during the New Year period, I wouldn’t really want to miss the rides again. Please advise? 🙂

    Thank you very much!

    Cheers,
    Juliana

  6. Fat Hobbit

    Hello Juliana! Unfortunately the entire month of August is going to be running close to capacity almost everyday. If you are visiting then I would advise lining up an hour before park opening and doing the attractions you missed as soon as the park opens. If you’re staying at one of the official hotels then make sure to use the “Happy 15” to get into the park 15 minutes before it opens. I hope this helps!

  8. Keith

    I’m going to be in Tokyo for my first time this May, during and after Golden Week, and I’m trying to figure out which would be a better plan of attack: a) stay in a resort-area hotel May 6-7, hit Disney Sea on Thu May 7 (the day after the last holiday of Golden Week) and maybe do a Starlight Passport after 6pm on May 6, or b) go sometime bet May 11-13, when 20k Under the Sea will be closed for refurb. I hate the thought of missing that ride!

  9. TDR Explorer

    Hi Keith! Going based on the crowd calendar it looks like the 6-7th should be OK. But it is hard to say, a lot of people may have the rest of the week off. So the prediction could change.

    http://tdrnavi.jp/forecast/disneysea

    If you are staying with an Official Hotel you will be guaranteed into the parks, even if they are at capacity. So that would be a good idea if you wanna go on those days (just to be safe and ensure you get in).

    Going on the 11-13th would guarantee low crowds, but as you mentioned you will miss 20 Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.

    I hope this helps!

  10. Sonia

    I am planning to visit Disney Sea on April 2 or 3 which is a Thu and Fri. I checked the crowd calendar of Disney Sea and the period from March 26-April 5 already has warning signs up and the wait time for the rides can take anywhere from 1-3 hrs. I know its cherry blossom season and peak season in Japan during this time but I thought being a weekday it would be less crowded. Would this be a bad time to visit?

  11. Fat Hobbit

    Hello Sonia! School is out for most children during this time, so that is why you are seeing high attendance. If it is your first time, you should probably try and avoid this time as it will be pretty close, if not, at capacity. If you can, go the week of April 6th that is when kids starts going back to school.

  12. Marcus Warnecke

    Damn! I am going the same time.. well was hoping to. I was thinking of Disneyland 24th, 25 or 26th of march… not sure now. School holidays start on the 28th so i was hoping before that wouldnt be too bad.. and on a week day too… oh well

  14. Marcus Warnecke

    Hey Sonia.. any ideas why that 2nd week in april is quiet? I might go to Disneyland then… I dont understand how it is less busy when Japan school holidays are at the same time!

  15. Sonia

    I read that spring break is 2 wks until april 5 so kids will be back in school by 2nd wk of april. Unfortunately for us, our trip is only until april 4. Oh well…we wil do disney sea some other time then. Good luck to you!

  16. Richard B

    Can anyone shed some light on traveling end of November / beginning of December time. Will the crowds be manageable then?

  19. Julie Trimboli

    Hi. I am planning a trip to go to tokyo Disney later this year. We can arrive sept 7th where crowds seem better but i am concerned about the weather. Or we can go 5th October where weather should be better but im nervous crowds will be high. The october crowd calender doesnt come up unitl the 1st of may which is so frustrating as i just want to make my decision and start planning. Any thoughts and advice would be much appreciated. 🙂

  21. Carrie M

    I am so happy to have found your site, I am headed to Japan in late September and spending a few days at Tokyo Disney to end our trip. Thanks for the tips, looks like we are going towards the end of summer so weather will be warm but I hope that will keep crowds low. Per the crowd chart, one side is better than the other on our days there so we will plan accordingly. Looking forward to seeing more posts from you soon!

  23. Taimur Khattak

    Hi, I’m planning to visit Tokyo Disney in Sept, how much time should I consider spending there?? and what about ticket prices??

  25. TDR Explorer

    You should spend at least 3 days there, so you can park hop on the last day. Or stay the full 4 days. We have a complete guide for the tickets you can read!

    //tdrexplorer.com/buying-park-tickets-for-tokyo-disney-resort/

  26. Irma karina

    Hi..i’m planning to go to tdr next april 2016..27th and 28th april to be exact..just right before the golden week..is the crowd still manageable? Any tips? Thanks a lot before..

  30. Not-Chibi Lim Erng

    Hi, I’m planning to go to Disney Sea on 28th of December 2016, only for a day, is it considered the worst time?

  33. Brooke

    Hi there, we are heading over in February 2017 and were wondering if there is any holidays or school breaks we should avoid? It is Both on the quiet time list abut also the worst time to visit… The cold weather doesn’t bother us if that helps? Thankyou In Advance… Extremely grateful for your help! We are flexible with dates so when would u go? X

  34. mutia wisnu

    will next January 9 or 10, 2017 be the slow times to get the discounted ticket? I will ask my friend who study in Japan to buy the discounted ticket

  36. Sean Campbell

    Thank you for pointing out the Journey closure, I wasn’t aware of that. We’re having our honeymoon in Japan this summer, exact dates TBD as we’re at the mercy of some work schedules. How much importance would you say we should put on scheduling around Journey?

  37. Mari Kirsten

    I’m in the same boat as Sean – visiting in June with my daughter (who is 6 and loves Disneyland). I was thinking we would go June 26-28, but curious to know if we should instead do a day at the beginning of our trip to catch Easter and Journey to the Center of the Earth. Thank you for any advice you can give!

  45. Belén Lagar

    Hello! I am going o be in Tokyo on my birthday, March 25.
    It´s gonna be a saturday, and I would like to visit Tokyo Disneyland ….what do you think? Should I go? I can wait and go firsts days os April also…Thank you !!! 🙂

  54. Ruritto

    Hi! I’m planning to make a trip and hopefully going to do both Disneyland and Disneysea (as requested by my mom) around last week of June. I know you mentioned the rain but does the crowd get bad? We’re planning around June 25-26, 2018 so it’ll at least be a weekday. Does the crowd usually get bad around then? I went to DisneySea April this year and the lines were pretty long so I was hoping it’d be better than that experience.

  57. Alyssa Zuniga

    I am going to TDR mid-April 2018 (full dates are April 13-23) and I’m curious about crowds during the first week of the anniversary. My instinct is to think the weekend after the anniversary starts will be more crowded than the weekend before (Saturday the 14th and Sunday the 15th). Currently we’re planning on spending Tuesday April 17- Friday April 20 at TDR but wondering if we would be okay with Saturday the 14th – Tuesday 17th?

  58. Justin Earnest

    Thanks for this article. My wife and I were planning to go to DisneySea in May and then I realized that the Tower of Terror and Journey to the Center of the Earth will be closed at that time. That’s a deal breaker unfortunately but this saved us a lot of money and future disappointment. Good info.

  59. Diego Sapia Maia

    Same thing here, visiting TDR April17-19 and wondering if the crowds will be bigger because of the 35th Anniversary. Crowd Calendar Forecast says low, but I’m not sure if it’s considering the beginning of the 35th Anniversary celebration.

  61. Ashley Dingess

    the unfortunate part is i have 3 weeks off in december, december 15th-jan 2nd so this is when i can go. is it going to be uncomfortably busy?

  66. SteveB

    One thing Im struggling to get info about is whether queues drop in the evenings. Happy to stay late if it means avoiding queues during the day.

  68. Doug

    I see that you discourage visiting in March due to crowds. According to the crowd calendar you’ve linked, March 2019 has some of the lowest crowds of the year. Am I missing something?

    By the way, love the site!

  71. Mel

    We will be in Tokyo over the New Year. I see that TDR closes early on Dec 31. What do you think the hours will be for the following few days? Will they be open even? Thank you!

  73. Leam

    Hi! We’re visiting Disneysea on the 5th of Nov. Will there be Halloween merch available or have the merch usually transitioned to Christmas by then? What’s the parade going to be? Halloween or Christmas? Thank you.

  81. Pam Raschella

    We are planning to make a trip to Tokyo the first of September…I see the vacation packages online only extend 2 days, so if you want an extra day do you book a separate package? Also, the difference in the Ambassador and the Sheraton is about $500 for the 2 day package with 7 FP…is it worth the difference to stay there? And what is the best way to get to the parks from the Sheraton?

  92. Sarah

    Thank you so much for such an extensive helpful guide! Was wondering if you had any advice for visiting around Christmas this year? My family and I are planning a trip to Japan December 23rd through January 4th and would like to stay in Tokyo during the tail end or beginning of that trip, but while things seem to be getting better with COVID we know things are still up in the air.

    Initially I was thinking of staying at a Tokyo Disney resort (haven’t decided which one, Sea or the regular) the 23rd through the 25th but I’m worried the park will be jam-packed (given a. the 24th/25th fall on a weekend this year and b. Christmas still seems like a popular time to go). To add to that since we land on the 23rd I’m worried we’d be too jet-lagged to get our moneys worth at the park. What would you recommend?

+ Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.