Terrible Experience at DisneySea

[Philo]

Really sorry to hear about the wait times. I visited there a couple of years ago and I was anticipating horrific crowds, but we seemed to get really, really lucky (not sure if that was due to the rain or due to it being the week before Golden Week).

Bottom line is that it's reportedly aways busy at both parks and there isn't too much that can be done about it, other then building more attractions which would probably just increase crowds anyway. I was under the impression that the reason you need to specify which park your visiting on which date was to try and control the crowds, but I guess there is only so much that helps.

I think the ToT ride thing is a cultural issue. I doubt they get many requests for it at TDL / DS.

Honestly, I think you had a rough time and I would have been disappointed too so I totally get where you're coming from, but if you visited WDW on thanksgiving etc it's probably a very similar experience.

 

[dennis-in-ct]

so .... when *is* the best time to visit TDR?

 

[BrianLo]

so .... when *is* the best time to visit TDR?

Visit the parks on a Monday-Thursday in January-Early February, or April-Early July (as long as it's not during their Golden week holiday). All things considered, it's a much better experience Spring/Early Summer than you'd get in the States.

Hotel Rates tend to be the best indicator: http://www.disneyhotels.jp/english/reserve/tdh_price_e.html

 

[BrerJon]

TDS is popular enough to not need me to defend it, but in case this thread puts anyone off going, I want to set the record straight.

I've been to Tokyo Disneyland and Sea several times and always managed to do pretty much every ride in a park in a single day and never waited more than 90 minutes for anything. The situation described in the trip report is NOT typical. The secret is just good planning, and in 2014 with the online info we have, there is no excuse.

If you think you can just turn up on a random weekend day and see a lot, then you will struggle.

But check crowd calendars, research the rides, make a touring plan and do your homework and the whole thing is easy.

There are lots of days when crowds are no larger than US crowds, most days even. But not weekends. Also, crowds get bigger as the day goes on, they don't reduce after dark like in the US, so the morning is the most important time. In the USA, some people get there for park opening. In Japan, *everyone* is there about an hour before the park opens.

Fastpass is a nice to have in the USA, in Japan it's essential, and the line to pick one up will often be longer than a ride line.

Basically plan, plan, plan, treat every day like Christmas or 4th July in WDW, and you'll be fine. Study touring plans and choose your dates wisely, and you can have a blast. TDS is the best theme park in the world, and a little planning goes a long way.

As for service, the Japanese give great service, as good as any cast members in the USA, but because of the language barrier they are likely to be a little terser with English speaking guests, and cultural differences need to be remembered. In America people raise their voices and get angry when they complain, in Japan this comes across as borish, and you'll be much more successful smiling, bowing and apologising when you complain about something. Again, a little planning and cultural homework goes a long way.

In Orlando, a Fastpass is a quick fix given to shut complaining guests up and have little value, in Japan people wait hours and hours for them, they are like gold dust, and they run out within an hour of park opening, so have a far higher value.

The Japanese view would be that when all the Japanese set their alarms, planned their day and made the effort to get them, how is it fair for you to get one without having done the same work? It doesn't surprise me at all they said no.

 

[Soarin2u]

Thanks for your input. Not trying to be argumentative but the only thing planning and research would have done is to decide to maybe not go at all. I would have just told myself to just go anyway in hopes it wouldn't be so bad. Also, disagree about the Tower of Terror issue. I have been accommodated on several occasions for various issues with fast passes out of good faith and customer service. It costs them nothing and goes a long way. Yes, they can't do that all the time for everyone but how many guests actually go to guest services and ask for a free fast pass?

I honestly feel Oriental Land Company dropped he ball in handling my concern and they should be ashamed if their parks are in this state most of the year. It's ridiculous and leads me to believe the Japanese are far more patient and accepting the other places in the world.

I shudder to think this is the direction WDW is heading has crowds grow each year and parks do not.

It is because they are.
I went on a crowded weekend too, waited in line for ToT for 140 minutes, rode a total of 5 rides before having to leave early and can still say I had one of the greatest Disney experiences of a lifetime.
I figured it'd be crowded, considering Japan is a highly populated place with limited vacations spots.
Sometimes you need to know what you're getting into and accept that it will be that way. If I had thought smaller crowds, and low wait times and not expected it, I'd be beyond mad. But I knew it was coming, and felt successful to how my day was spent.
Also, if you didn't bother to watch the water parade I saw when leaving that lines were way down to 20-40 minutes.
Sorry you didn't have a great time.

 

[Chef Mickey]

It is because they are.
I went on a crowded weekend too, waited in line for ToT for 140 minutes, rode a total of 5 rides before having to leave early and can still say I had one of the greatest Disney experiences of a lifetime.
I figured it'd be crowded, considering Japan is a highly populated place with limited vacations spots.
Sometimes you need to know what you're getting into and accept that it will be that way. If I had thought smaller crowds, and low wait times and not expected it, I'd be beyond mad. But I knew it was coming, and felt successful to how my day was spent.
Also, if you didn't bother to watch the water parade I saw when leaving that lines were way down to 20-40 minutes.
Sorry you didn't have a great time.

Absolutely. I loved Tokyo and will go back. If I do go back to Tokyo Disney, I'll have a different mindset and perhaps won't be as disappointed. I can tell you even a very patient person would have had trouble the day I went. It was a zoo. A very clean, orderly zoo, but a zoo nonetheless.

 

[Soarin2u]

Absolutely. I loved Tokyo and will go back. If I do go back to Tokyo Disney, I'll have a different mindset and perhaps won't be as disappointed. I can tell you even a very patient person would have had trouble the day I went. It was a zoo. A very clean, orderly zoo, but a zoo nonetheless.

It still blows my mind how clean Japan is.
And if you do ever get the opportunity to go again, the best time I can suggest to you is during exams, where it will cut the younger college couples and the families with teens. So late march is Final exams and late April is a start of a new school year.

 

[TP2000]

I am well aware, as I stated, but surely Disney cares in some respect. I will contact the Oriental Land Company as well.

I'm late to the thread, but...

Your experience was entirely normal. You went on a busy spring Saturday to one of the planet's most popular theme parks and experienced epic crowds.

Your experience at Guest Relations is also normal. You received an apology and a refund on the part of the product you had not yet used. The park was staffed appropriately to handle the epic crowds. The Guest Relations CM you dealt with was very polite. But you got no "freebie" for your pain.

The freebie for your pain and suffering is a new American invention. If this scenario had played out at Disneyland in 1965 when Walt was running the joint, you would have gotten about the same thing you got in 2014 at DisneySea; a well managed park on a very busy day, heartfelt apology from a hostess at City Hall, and a refund on anything you hadn't used yet if you said you didn't want to use it. They would not have handed you a complimentary E Ticket to go ride Matterhorn in '65 though.

That concept of "I deserve something for my troubles" is relatively new and distinctly American. Chalk it up to experiencing the world and wait for your next visit to WDW where you may get something for free if you complain.

 

[TP2000]

I think there was also a culture barrier. To them you showed up on a day that is not unusual and asked for something rather out of the ordinary.

Bingo!

 

[Chef Mickey]

Somehow, I think people are missing that I truly understand I wasn't "owed" something for my trouble. It was just a bad experience for us and like it or not, Americans are the best business people in the world. There is a reason customer service exists in this country. We destroy other countries in revenues, profits, and every other measurable financial metric.

We have learned that giving up something small for the greater good is a net positive when managed over an entire portfolio. I didn't get it there and there are no hard feelings. I understand cultural differences and that I was a guest in another beautiful country.

I have nothing but positive feelings and things to say about Japan, but the Disney Sea experience was disappointing, normal or not. International travel is not new for me. I've been all over the world. Under the Disney umbrella, I was slightly irritated by my experience but can understand nonetheless.

 

[stevehousse]

Not trying to b rude but u went to a theme park on a Saturday, usually always the busiest time of the week, not to mention in the middle of the summer when crowds are at their highest...what did u expect??? Im sorry but complaining about wait times on a crowded day isn't gonna do anyone any good. I'm actually surprised they offered to refund you the second day of your ticket. That wa even going out of the way to accommodate you. Better planning next time...

 

[popsicletrees]

My husband and I went to DisneySea back in late May. We had a wonderful experience! We went on a Thursday, and while the crowds still seemed large when the park opened, we were able to do everything that we wanted to multiple times. Sorry you had a bad experience. It was by far one of my best Disney experiences.

 

[Chef Mickey]

Not trying to b rude but u went to a theme park on a Saturday, usually always the busiest time of the week, not to mention in the middle of the summer when crowds are at their highest...what did u expect??? Im sorry but complaining about wait times on a crowded day isn't gonna do anyone any good. I'm actually surprised they offered to refund you the second day of your ticket. That wa even going out of the way to accommodate you. Better planning next time...

Read the thread playa. I went in April, not the "middle of summer" and we already discussed everything you said. Next.

And that's not true...standard policy to refund unused portion.

 

[RandomPrincess]

Read the thread playa. I went in April, not the "middle of summer" and we already discussed everything you said. Next.

And that's not true...standard policy to refund unused portion.

Just to clarify there are usually two school breaks in April which will pump up crowds one at the end of the school year normally ending the first week of April and another at the end of the month starting April 29 - Golden Week. Sounds like you may have hit the every end of school break with your trip.

 

[Gullywhumper]

I guess this stops me from ever wanting to go to Disneyland Tokyo one day.

 

[AndyS2992]

I guess this stops me from ever wanting to go to Disneyland Tokyo one day.

Why? If you read the bad reviews of WDW, DLR, DLP and HKD you wouldn't want to go to any Disney park lol this is nothing compared to stories I've read about WDW.

 

[Gullywhumper]

Why? If you read the bad reviews of WDW, DLR, DLP and HKD you wouldn't want to go to any Disney park lol this is nothing compared to stories I've read about WDW.

I just wouldn't want to wait 300 minutes for rides, that's all.

 

[AndyS2992]

I just wouldn't want to wait 300 minutes for rides, that's all.

In peak summer and Christmas at WDW Space Mountain, Fairytale Hall, Soarin, Tower of Terror, Everest etc all reach 300 minutes+ so is that going to stop you visiting WDW?

 

[Gullywhumper]

In peak summer and Christmas at WDW Space Mountain, Fairytale Hall, Soarin, Tower of Terror, Everest etc all reach 300 minutes+ so is that going to stop you visiting WDW?

I don't visit WDW during Christmas time, so I have nothing to worry about!
Except for people who cheat at space ranger spin.

 

[DVCOwner]

We just got back from a visit to Tokyo DisneySea and we went at one of the busiest times of the year. I think DisneySea is the greatest of all Disney Parks that I have been to. I have been to 10 of the 11 parks. First I did a lot of on line research and knew the parks we going to be overcrowded, but it was the only time in the next few years that I would have a chance to visit. So I planned ahead and knew what I was going to do. Walk fast to the first E ticket ride I wanted to go on and pull a fast pass. Get to the second ride quickly and ride it (5 minute wait) or to the third ride and get on (10 minute wait). Go ride the fast pass ride and pull another fast pass. Doing this all day I avoided any standby line that was more than 30 minutes and rode every ride I wanted to.

I can not understand how anyone today, with access to the Internet and all the information on Disney Parks, could go to Disney Resort Tokyo and not know it is famous for its 120 minute and longer wait times.