Many Changes Ahead for Tokyo Disney Resort’s Reopening

As we reported this morning, the Tokyo Disney Resort is reopening to guests on July 1. But what changes can guests expect for their next visit? There are quite a few experiences that will be unavailable along with new health and ticketing procedures. The biggest change of all is the blocking of annual passholders, at least for the early days of reopening. Could this change be coming to the domestic Disney Parks? Let’s take a look at what the near future holds for Disney’s Japanese resort.

Health Procedures

In terms of new methods to promote health and safety, the majority of what guests will see at the Tokyo Disney Resort is similar to what is planned for Disney’s other theme parks. But there are important differences here. 

• Guest temperatures screened at admission – Guests with a temperature of 37.5 degrees Celsius (99.5 degrees Fahrenheit) or higher will not be granted entry. Disney’s US parks have set the temperature at 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit. We’ll be interested to see if many more guests are screened out as a result of Tokyo’s much lower number. 
• Guests must wear face coverings at all times in the Parks, except while dining.
• Maintain social distancing – New markings have been installed in queues, on seats and tables in restaurants, benches, etc.
• Wash and sanitize hands – Hand sanitizer dispensers will be available in attractions, shops, restaurants, restrooms, as well as other locations.
• Cashless transactions are preferred.
• Guests who become ill while in the Parks may be asked to leave depending on their symptoms.
• Single Rider options on attractions suspended until further notice.

Overall, that list has. become pretty standard stuff. However, there is one difference to their guidelines for mask-wearing. To help guests prevent heatstroke during Japan’s hot and humid summer season, guests will be allowed to remove their masks IF they are outdoors with “adequate distance from other people.”

What we found it strange that throughout the press release was there wasn’t a solid number for what constitutes “social distance.” There is a second page linked in the release that only had a Japanese version that we translated to find more clarity. Guests are required to stay at least 1 meter (approximately 3 feet) apart, but a 2 meter (approximately 6.5 feet) distance is preferable whenever possible. While these distancing guidelines may seem a bit light compared to the US, that is the official guidance nationwide in Japan at this time.

Ticketing Procedures

Similar to Disneyland Paris, Tokyo Disneyland will utilize dated tickets upon reopening. These tickets can be purchased online approximately one month ahead of the scheduled date. The first tickets will go on sale at 3pm (presumably Japan Time) on June 25. Up to five tickets can be purchased at a time.

Additionally, three different types of tickets will be available for guests to choose from. No other ticket types will be excepted, including Open Tickets, Annual Passports, and Revisit Passports. (that’s about $77 for a one day adult ticket)

Like Disneyland in California, Tokyo Disneyland is largely filled with passholders. Blocking of the Passholder program is the easiest way to control overcrowding at first. But Annual Passholders aren’t left completely out in the cold. Guests whose Annual Passports expire on or before February 29, 2020, are qualified for either an extension of the expiration period or a refund if they prefer. Plus, they are also able to purchase Park merchandise via the Tokyo Disney Resort app as well as participate in a lottery for Park admissions during the period when Annual Passports cannot be used. Additional details will be announced at a later date. Is this a path that Disneyland in Anaheim should also consider? 

IMPORTANT NOTE: If want to visit Tokyo Disneyland on reopening, carefully check travel bans. Japan is currently refusing entry to non-Japanese citizens who have previously been in over 100 designated countries around the world within the last 14 days, including the United States. Additionally, all people entering Japan, including Japanese nationals, must go through a 14-day quarantine at a designated location and cannot use public transportation for 14 days upon arrival. So if you’re interested in visiting the Tokyo Disney Resort, you’re going to have to wait until the travel ban lifts.

Unavailable At Tokyo Disneyland After Reopening

We’ve got to give Tokyo Disney Resort credit for a great deal of transparency in what will be closed during these early days of reopening. The extensive list of closed/suspended attractions, shops, entertainment and services will certainly keep many at home. We hope the US parks release more information soon about specifically what will be closed at their resorts as well. 

Closed Attractions/ Character Meet and Greets

• Penny arcade 
• Swiss Family Tree House
• Tom Sawyer Island rafts
• Woodchuck Greeting Trail
• Cinderella’s Fairytale Hall
• Goofy’s Paint & Play House
• Chip and Dale’s Treehouse
• Toon Park
• Donald’s Boat
• Minnie’s Home
• Mickey’s Home & “Meet Mickey”

Suspended Entertainment

• Dreaming Up!
• Tokyo Disneyland Electrical Parade Dream Lights (Nightfall Glow version also canceled)
• Disney Light the Night
• Jamboree Mickey!
• Let’s Party Gras!
• Mickey’s Rainbow Luau
• Horseshoe Roundup
• The Diamond Horseshoe Presents “Mickey & Company”
• Fun Maintenance 
• Breakbeat Dancers
• Bicycle Piano
• Sax Four
• Pirates Brass
• Court Jesters Quartet
• Opus5

Shops with Suspended Operations

• Silhouette studio 
• Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique (some goes for the Disneyland Hotel location)
• Magic Shop
• Jungle Carnival
• Pirate’s Treasure 
• La Petite Parfumerie
• Westernland Picture Parlour
• The General Store
• Happy Camper Supplies
• Splashdown Photo
• Hoot & Holler Hideout
• The Glass Slipper
• Harmony Faire
• Pleasure Island Candies
• Treasure Comet

Restaurants with Suspended Operations

• Ice Cream Cones
• Great American Waffle Company
• Sweetheart Cafe
• Café Orléans 
• Crystal Palace Restaurant 
• The Gazebo
• The Skipper’s Galley
• Squeezer’s Tropical Juice Bar
• Parkside Wagon
• Fresh Fruit Oasis
• Boiler Room Bites
• Royal Street Veranda
• Cowboy Cookhouse 
• Camp Woodchuck Kitchen 
• The Diamond Horseshoe

• Pesos Bill Cafe
• Rackety’s Raccoon Saloon
• Cleo’s
• Troubadour Tavern
• Village Pastry
• Magical Market
• Dinghy Drinks
• Toontone Treats
• Pop-a-Lot Popcorn 
• Mickey’s Trailer
• Soft Landing
• Carriage House Refreshments 

Closed Services

• Guided tours
• Park Information Boards
• Ticket booth East/ Ticket Booth West
• Tomorrowland Hall (a show lottery location)

Unavailable at Tokyo DisneySea Upon Reopening

Closed Attractions/ Character Meet and Greets

• Fortress Exploration 
• Village Greeting Place
• “Saludos Amigos!” Greeting Dock
• “Mickey and Friends” Greeting Trail
• Ariel’s Playground
• Mermaid Lagoon Theater
• 20,000 League Under the Sea

Suspended Entertainment 

• Disney Light the Night (fireworks)
• Hello, New York!
• Big Band Beat
• My Friend Duffy 
• Ring of Mirage
• The Diamond Sisters

• Fun Custodial
• Time Traveler Band
• Wind Wanderers
• Trekking Musicians

Shops with Suspended Operations

• Rimembranze
• Steamboat Mickey’s 
• Tower of Terror Memorabilia (attraction photo service unavailable)
• Discovery Gifts
• Expedition Photo Archives (attraction photo service unavailable)
• Abu’s Bazaar
• Grotto Photos & Gifts
• The Sleepy Whale Shoppe (shop is open except for the silhouette and caricature portrait sales)
• Nautilus Gifts
• Parkway Gifts North
• Parkway Gifts South

Restaurants with Suspended Operations

• Gondolier Snacks
• Magellan’s Lounge
• Mamma Biscotti’s Bakery
• Refrescos
• Cape Cod Confections
• The Teddy Roosevelt Lounge
• Delancey Catering
• New York Deli
• Barnacle Bill’s
• High Tide Treats
• Hudson River Harvest 
• Papadakis Fresh Fruit
• Liberty Landing Diner

• Seaside Snacks
• Breezeway Bites
• Bayside Takeout
• Expedition Eats
• Tropic Al’s
• Miguel’s El Dorado Cantina
• Lost River Delta Cookhouse 
• Open Sesame
• Sultan’s Oasis
• Nautilus Galley
• Refreshment station

Closed Services

• Guided tours
• Park Information Boards
• Ticket booth North / Ticket Booth South
• Biglietteria (a show lottery location)

What About All Those Special Events?

This one is a tough pill to swallow. The majority of the events scheduled for this Fiscal Year are canceled. The rest have been postponed and will be offered at a currently undetermined date in the future.

Canceled Events

• Disney Easter at Tokyo DisneySea – originally scheduled to run from March 27 to June 12
• CookieAnn’s Greeting Drive at Tokyo DisneySea- originally scheduled to run March 27 to May 31
• Duffy and Friends’ Sunny Fun at Tokyo DisneySea – originally scheduled to run June 4 to August 26

• Disney Pirates Summer at Tokyo DisneySea – originally scheduled to run July 1 to September 2

Postponed New Attraction Openings

• Tokyo Disneyland Fantasyland Expansion – initially planned to open April 15 – has been delayed indefinitely. New Beauty and the Beast restaurant, shops, theater will open at an unannounced date. 

• New Happy Fair with Baymax at Tokyo Disneyland – initially planned to celebrate the opening of the new Big Hero 6 themed spinner attraction – will happen at a later unannounced date. 

Let’s Hear from You 

That is a ton of changes for one resort! Would you want to visit the Tokyo Disney Resort with so much closed (and after the travel restrictions are lifted)? Is there anything on that list of closed attractions and venues that you would keep you from visiting? Are their any of the new safety and operations changes you wish the US parks would adopt, or perhaps hope they don’t adopt? Let us know in the comments below!