Tuesday was the day we had all been waiting for—Tokyo DisneySea!
We started our morning with a quick breakfast of leftover pizza, which worked perfectly for getting us out the door on time. At 7:30 sharp, we hopped in a taxi bound for Disney. We had originally planned to take the train, but with all the transfers and an hour-and-a-half journey ahead of us (not to mention rush hour crowds), we decided to splurge on a taxi. Best decision ever! It gave us a relaxing (and unsuspecting magical) start to what would be a very long, full day on our feet.
The Sweetest Taxi Ride Ever 🍫🚕
Our driver was unlike any other we’d had in Japan—he actually talked to us! Out of the four taxis we’d used so far, he was the first one to really chat. At one point he asked if we liked chocolate (easy answer: yes, of course!). Then suddenly, he pulled into a 7-Eleven and told us, “Just one minute,” while stopping the taxi meter. We all sat there confused—what was happening?
A couple of minutes later he returned with not one, but two giant chocolate bars for us to try. One was like a super deluxe Crunch bar, way better than any Hershey’s version, and the other was a tray of strawberry white chocolate bites that tasted exactly like chocolate-covered strawberries. The strawberry was my favorite, and the little tray pieces were so fun. It was some of the best flavored chocolate I’ve ever put in my mouth! So good that I made a note to find it in a store and buy several to bring back home. I’ve never met a taxi driver so thoughtful—it was such a magical start to what would already be a magical day.
Rain, Umbrellas & The Slowest Line ☔
Our hour-long ride dropped us off right at the entrance. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t on our side—it was raining, which meant umbrellas and ponchos everywhere. Poor Carlynn was upset that we wouldn’t let her carry her own umbrella (we thought three would be easier to manage than four), while Charlie wielded his umbrella like a sword, completely unaware that he was bumping into Tom and me and even poking Carlynn in the face.
The line to get into the park felt endless. Unlike Universal Studios, DisneySea didn’t let anyone in early, and between the rain and everyone juggling umbrellas, the process was painfully slow. Still, we kept spirits high because we knew the fun was coming.
Tower of Terror & A Little Pixie Dust 🎢
Our first destination was Tower of Terror, the ride Carlynn had been buzzing about for weeks. On the way, we grabbed waters from a vending machine for just 250 yen (about $1.68). I couldn’t get over how affordable that was—especially compared to Disney World in Orlando, where bottled water is closer to $5. And the bottles even had Disney-branded designs!
When we finally got on the ride, the cast members sprinkled a little magic on us by giving Charlie and Carlynn “First Visit” stickers, plus stickers for all of us marking our “First Ride.” It was such a small thing, but it felt like real Disney pixie dust.
Raging Spirits & The Loudest Scream Ever 😱
Next up was Raging Spirits. Tom warned us that it had a 360-degree loop, but since they let us keep our bags and umbrellas at our feet, I assumed he meant the ride spun in a circle. Nope. It was a full upside-down loop! The kids thought it was amazing.
Then we rode Journey to the Center of the Earth. Everything was fine until we hit a “scary” moment—Carlynn let out the most ear-piercing scream I’ve ever heard. My ears were ringing the rest of the ride. She definitely made sure the whole car knew she was scared!
To recover, we grabbed a snack: a churro. But not your average churro—this one was made of potato and filled with some sort of paste. Different, but tasty.
Mermaid Lagoon Magic 🧜♀️
We ducked into the Mermaid Lagoon area to use the restrooms and were blown away. It’s a MASSIVE indoor space that feels like you’ve walked straight into Ariel’s world—shops, restaurants, rides, and so much seating. Tom took the kids on The Whirlpool (a teacup-style spinning ride), while I happily took a break. I met them at the end and watched them spin around laughing.
Next was Jumpin’ Jellyfish. I made the mistake of picking a pink jellyfish instead of a blue one, and Carlynn was furious with me for a solid 10 minutes. (Sorry, kiddo!) We skipped the Blowfish Balloon Race because the wait was 25 minutes, and we had a lunch reservation to make.
Lunch at Restaurant Sakura 🍱
I had booked us a table at Restaurant Sakura for a midday break. The menu was small, and honestly, the food wasn’t our favorite, but it was our most expensive meal of the trip. Still, it gave us a chance to sit down for an hour, regroup, and recharge.
And, in true Disney fashion, there was an unexpected sprinkle of magic. The table next to us, who had a family member with special needs, was gifted a certificate and a surprise character visit from Scrooge McDuck and Clarice. Since our table was right beside them (and the area was nearly empty), we got a quick visit too!
Toy Story Mania Fun 🎯
Recharged, we headed to Toy Story Mania. On the way to the ride we made a pit stop to watch the volcano erupt. I didn’t catch the eruption on video, but caught the post-eruption noise and smoke.
Toy Story Maina didn’t have a premier pass for us, so we waited in the full line—about an hour, but it moved quickly. It ended up being one of our favorite rides of the day. With 3D glasses on, we paired off: Charlie vs. Carlynn, and Tom vs. me. The shooting actually worked much better than the Orlando version. Tom destroyed me on points, and Charlie beat Carlynn, but the laughter and competitiveness made it one of our top memories.
Ice Cream, Gondolas & The Worst Drink Ever 🍦🚤🥤
Time for a sweet break! Carlynn picked a tropical fruit Mickey popsicle, Charlie grabbed a squeeze pouch, and Tom tried a seashell-shaped sea salt Monaka. I wasn’t going to get anything—until I tasted Tom’s. It was so good (vanilla ice cream, a layer of jam, all inside a crispy wafer shell) that I immediately went back for one of my own.
Then we took a gondola ride. The kids weren’t thrilled, but I insisted. In the end, it was a peaceful 10-minute break and I loved every second.
We stopped at another vending machine, planning to grab a hydration drink, but Carlynn accidentally hit the wrong button and bought Sokenbicha. We opened it up and… yikes. It smelled and tasted like ashtray water. Tom made us all take a sip (so now we know!) before we threw it away. Definitely the worst drink of the trip.
Evening Magic ✨
As the day went on, we rode:
- Soarin’, which felt so realistic I nearly freaked out over the heights.
- Indiana Jones Adventure, which had a surprisingly short wait.
- A two-story carousel in the Arabian Coast area. Carlynn and Tom rode on magic genies, Charlie picked a phoenix, and I rode a horse.
We also picked up some fun souvenirs—Charlie bought a magic set, Carlynn picked out a magic book, and we scored adorable Mickey popcorn tongs when we tried the black pepper popcorn.
At first, we weren’t going to bother with the fireworks (thinking it would be too crowded), but as we were leaving, a cast member suggested a bridge nearby. It turned out to be perfect: front-row view, hardly any people, with the castle glowing in the background. It felt like the perfect end to the night.
Well, almost the end. We couldn’t resist one last ride when we saw Nemo & Friends SeaRider had a 10-minute wait. Everyone else loved it, but it made me queasy almost instantly. I spent the whole ride staring at one spot until it was over.
A Sketchy Taxi Home 🚖
By the time the park closed at 9:00, we had officially been there from open to close. Exhausted, phones nearly dead, we set out to find a taxi. Easier said than done—it took us over 30 minutes wandering in circles before someone finally approached us offering a ride. He wasn’t a registered taxi driver, but for 8,000 yen cash, we climbed into his van and got home safely. Probably not the safest choice, but at that point, we were just happy to get home (and we made it home safely!)He even offered Tom a deal for our airport trip.
Final Thoughts
Our day at Tokyo DisneySea was everything we hoped for—thrills, surprises, laughs, and more magic than we could have imagined. Between the kind taxi driver, the unique rides, the quirky snacks, and those unforgettable fireworks, this day will always be one of the highlights of our Japan trip.
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