After two and a half years, Japan will soon allow visa-free, independent tourism within its borders once again.

Beginning October 11th, individual visitors will be allowed to enter Japan and the country will be reinstating visa waivers — along with eliminating the cap on daily arrivals. With this excellent news, you might be wondering if now is the time to plan a trip to Tokyo Disney Resort. But, where do you start?! We’re sharing how to visit Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea now that Japan is opening its borders!

Now that Japan will begin allowing independent, visa-free travel starting on October 11th, 2022 — it might be the perfect time to finally plan that Tokyo Disneyland or Tokyo DisneySea trip you’ve been dreaming about! Visiting international Disney parks isn’t quite like popping into your local theme park, though, as there are a few extra steps required if you’re coming from outside a country’s borders.

So, how can you visit Tokyo Disney Resort? We’re here to help you figure it out!

First things first, you’re going to want to make sure all members of your travel party have a valid passport otherwise you won’t be able to actually enter Japan, and it must be valid throughout the entire length of your stay — which can be no longer than 90 days without a visa. You can visit the U.S. State Department’s Japan travel website for more specifics.

Previously, tourists had to have booked a guided tour or have used a registered travel agent in order to enter Japan. Beginning on October 11th, that will no longer be the case, and independent travelers can once again enter the country.

In addition to passport requirements, tourists will also need to be vaccinated three times (1 original vaccine and 2 boosters) and provide proof of such or submit a negative COVID-19 test ahead of their visit, according to the Japan Times.

Now that you’re pretty confident you have your ducks in a row and can actually enter Japan, you’ll have to figure out how to get there and where to stay. Since Japan is an archipelago (a.k.a. a bunch of tiny islands all bunched together), chances are you’ll have to secure airfare. Once that’s all taken care of, it’s time to figure out where you’re going to stay at Tokyo Disneyland!

There are quite a few options for your stay on property, including Deluxe, Moderate, and Value Resorts! If you’re looking for something swanky, consider staying at the Tokyo Disneyland Hotel with rooms themed to Disney films like Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella, or the Tokyo DisneySea Hotel MiraCost — which is actually INSIDE the Tokyo DisneySea theme park!

The recently opened Toy Story Hotel is a great option for families traveling with kiddos, and the Tokyo Disney Celebration Hotel is for those who want to enjoy all the parks have to offer on a budget.

Now it’s time to plan your visit to Tokyo Disney Resort! Luckily, there’s a pretty handy guide on the Tokyo Disney website, but we’ve broken it down for you as well. You’ll want to decide which park you’re going to — Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo DisneySea, or both — and check the Park Operation Calendar to make sure they’ll be open during your planned visit.

Once you’re sure you can visit on the days you’d like, it’s time to purchase park tickets! This can be done through the Tokyo Disney Resort Online Reservations & Tickets website. Kids ages 3 and under do not need tickets to enter the theme parks, and at this time park pass reservations are not required.

After you’ve got your park tickets all squared away, now the fun begins as you wait until 10AM on the date one month before your visit to book your Priority Seating — what Tokyo Disney calls Advance Dining Reservations. This is also the earliest time when you can reserve guided tours.

And then, all you’ve got to do is wait until it’s time for your trip to Tokyo Disney Resort. Make sure you’ve got your valid passport and proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test with you — and then you’re off to have the trip of a lifetime. We’ll continue to keep an eye on news that could impact your travel to the Disney parks.

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If you’re looking for more Disney planning tips, check out the hardest reservations to get in Disney World in 2023 here. And, you can read about how to SAVE money on your Disney trip by clicking here.

We’ve got a great resource for you when you plan your NEXT Disney World trip – our DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining. We wrote our ebook after decades of visiting Disney World, so that we could help you have a stress-free vacation! Click here and use code WDW2022 to get 25% off!

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Will you be planning a trip to Tokyo Disney Resort now that Japan will be opening its borders? Let us know in the comments!

The post Now That Japan Is Opening Borders, Here’s How To Go to Tokyo Disneyland first appeared on the disney food blog.