Konnichiwa Mickey-san

Watching the clock strike midnight in Japan isn't nearly the festivity we make of it back home, so we emulated our hosts and called it an early night. What is a bigger deal is witnessing the first sunrise of the new year. We were able to accomplish this feat thanks to our plans to visit an old friend from California - Sir Mickey Mouse.

During our extensive time planning this voyage, Disneyland Tokyo had never remotely on been our radar. I wasn't even aware Tokyo had a Disneyland until a dear friend shared his itinerary with me. Given we had repeatedly heard that the country would be shut down on New Year's Day, and tickets were surprisingly affordable, we booked two last-minute passes. We figured it would be a total zoo (think Disneyland CA on Christmas), but at least we would have something to do while the nation enjoyed its holiday.

I'll confess to being fairly cynical about the House of Mouse. With each consecutive visit, I found myself groaning that I paid an arm to get in, another leg to eat, and waiting multiple hours for the privilege of being reminded that it is indeed a small world. I understand why people adore it, and I love the movies as much as anyone, just not my cup of お茶 (☕).

Despite this, I was determined to try and enjoy a Japanese take on one of America's greatest cultural exports. I'm pleased to report it took no effort at all. Let's break it down:

Crowds: Through a serendipitous combination of the holiday and Japanese people being far more polite in crowds, this wasn't nearly as awful as I bracing for. The lines were still long, but far more organized. People don't push and hoard together. Sure, there was one toddler throwing the most aggressive tantrum I've ever witnessed while in line for Monsters, Inc, but what can ya do. Kids are still kids. 

Unique attractions: While Disneyland Tokyo and Disneyland CA are ~90% the same, there are still some novelties to be found. Thanks to a combination of Priority Passes, we experienced the best Disney Tokyo had to offer with minimal wait times. The Beauty and the Beast ride was probably the coolest Disney experience I've had. Winnie the Pooh's Hunny Hunt was nostalgic and adorable. Baymax's Happy Ride certainly lived up to its name. Even for the most experienced Disney vet, there's new fun to be found.

Food: Due to my previous wet blanket proclivities (Sorry old friends. I promise I'm working on it.), this was unsurprisingly something I abstained from in CA if at all possible. Thanks to lower prices in JP, combined with a strong dollar and weak yen, we ate like kings. Snacks were bought for a few dollars each rather than dozens. Everything we ate tasted as fun as it looked. This was all before an unexpected surprise that truly solidified our culinary experience.

A Pirate's Life for Me: On the Disney Resort app, you can book spots at restaurants and order food ahead of time. When trying to find something for us for lunch, I noticed there was a single opening at the Blue Bayou. Disney fans will know that this restaurant inside the Pirates of the Caribbean ride is all but impossible to get into. We had to jump. Unsurprisingly, the food was great and it was surreal to be a part of the attraction for a meal.

Our day in Walt's Wonderland was capped off by an incredible light and firework show set to music over the castle. I've got to hand it to them, they got me. Disneyland can be a whole lot of fun. If anyone ever wants to go to in the future, you can count me in. You just better have a valid passport because we won't be going in America 🇯🇵.

I'm currently writing this on a bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto. Mount Fuji can be seen from our window on a perfectly clear day. After a day filled with American nostalgia, what could be more Japanese.