Best rides...

[KashasMom]

I'm not particularly up to running all over, back and forth to get fast passes so I'm trying to figure a strategy. What were your favorite do not miss rides at both parks?

Are Pooh's Hunny Hunt and Monsters, Inc. the only two rides that are unique to TDL? How far in advance do you need to reserve a spot for the parade?

Any other tips are always appreciated!

 

[nutshell]

TDL: Pooh; Monsters; Indy’s storyline is slightly different, as is the queue.

TDS: I love Journey. Also, Sinbad is grossly underrated. One of my all time favorite boat/dark rides.

 

[Agent 86]

Rides: All of them? It probably depends whether you like thrill rides, themed rides or any and all rides. And also whether you're happy to skip some rides (e.g. Toy Story Mania).

Parade: It depends. If you want to be at the very front, probably at least an hour, depending upon the parade and the crowds on the day. But, the crowds in Japan are extremely polite so the first four or so "rows" of people actually sit down for parades. That means the people standing in the "fifth" row and beyond still have a good view of the parade. Also, they don't put their children on their shoulders, wave iPads in the air and other actions which block the views of those behind them.

We've often gotten in line only 15 or so minutes before a parade began and more than happy with how much of the floats and performers we could see.

 

[indoshakespeare]

The Tiki Room in TDL is different (features Stitch). Cinderella's castle has a very good walkthrough and you can pose with the glass slipper at the end. Goofy's Paint n Play in Toontown is unique and worth a look if the queue is not long.

 

[gelatoni fan]

Rides: Journey and Nemo are my favorite in TDS. What I feel like doing TDL side will depend on my mood.

Here's how I would categorize the rides in TDL according to uniqueness:
Unique: Pooh, Monsters Inc.
Major differences from other parks: Space Mountain, Jungle Cruise, Western River Railroad, It's a Small World
Minor differences from other parks: Pirates, Mark Twain, Big Thunder Mountain
Inferior to versions in other parks: Dumbo, Star Tours

I'm often doing something like just over 1 hr for a seated spot and 20 minutes for a standing spot for the parades. Of course, things will change depending on the weather and crowds that day. I've never won the lottery for parades but those spots tend to fill a lot later.

 

[nutshell]

Rides: Journey and Nemo are my favorite in TDS. What I feel like doing TDL side will depend on my mood.

Here's how I would categorize the rides in TDL according to uniqueness:
Unique: Pooh, Monsters Inc.
Major differences from other parks: Space Mountain, Jungle Cruise, Western River Railroad, It's a Small World
Minor differences from other parks: Pirates, Mark Twain, Big Thunder Mountain
Inferior to versions in other parks: Dumbo, Star Tours

I'm often doing something like just over 1 hr for a seated spot and 20 minutes for a standing spot for the parades. Of course, things will change depending on the weather and crowds that day. I've never won the lottery for parades but those spots tend to fill a lot later.

Jungle is a great mention.

 

[Chewbette]

I've never won the lottery for parades but those spots tend to fill a lot later.

¨
There is a lottery for the parades? Is it every day and where are the machines?
Last year we did for the shows but didn't know/see for the parades...

 

[gelatoni fan]

Currently, Dreamin Up (the daytime parade) and Spooky Boo (the Halloween parade) have lotteries. The lottery machines are the same as those for shows in Tomorrowland.

Whether a lottery is done will depend on expected crowd levels and can be checked on the website:
https://www.tokyodisneyresort.jp/en/tdl/show.html

 

[Chewbette]

I can't remember, if there are 2 parades/shows with the lottery system in TDL, like Dreaming Up and Celebrate!, do you have to chose 1 and try the lottery only on this one or can you try both of them once in the lottery?

thanks for your answers

 

[ChrisFL]

TDL: Pooh; Monsters; Indy’s storyline is slightly different, as is the queue.

TDS: I love Journey. Also, Sinbad is grossly underrated. One of my all time favorite boat/dark rides.

Indy is in TDS

Agreed with your others, though I think Monsters is overrated that's a personal thing and most people love it. Tower of Terror also has a completely different storyline and is very well done.

I think it also depends on which Disney parks you've visited before. For example, I'd recommend going on Pirates if you've only see the WDW version, because it's like Disneyland Anaheim's version.

 

[gelatoni fan]

I can't remember, if there are 2 parades/shows with the lottery system in TDL, like Dreaming Up and Celebrate!, do you have to chose 1 and try the lottery only on this one or can you try both of them once in the lottery?

You can try once for each show. If there are multiple times for a show, you can only try for one time. For example: If you do the lottery for the 1st showing of Celebrate TDL, you cannot do the lottery for the 2nd showing. But you can still do the lotteries for Dreaming Up, One Man's Dream, etc.

 

[MKTokyo]

I can't remember, if there are 2 parades/shows with the lottery system in TDL, like Dreaming Up and Celebrate!, do you have to chose 1 and try the lottery only on this one or can you try both of them once in the lottery?

thanks for your answers

You can try once per show per day.

The machines are at Tomorrowland Hall (TDL) & Biglietteria (TDS)... or, at least, that is where they have historically always been. You will want to verify that. They have an app for the lotteries now & I haven't used the machines in a while.

 

[Leilanie94]

My family and I went in July 2018.
Our favorites...

TDS:
Sinbad's Storybook Village
Indiana Jones
Raging Spirits
Aquatopia

TDL:
Pooh
Tiki Room - Stitch
Star Tours-
My husband and teen boys got Fast Pass. Soon afterwards, then went again....NO LINE! I think total 4 times straight.

Edited to add:
We watched the Country Bears "Summer Vacation". My very first time to watch this show! Enjoyed it!

 

[D-Trick]

A reminder that Indiana Jones at TDS has a singles line!!! It's the Japanese culture to experience things together and to patiently wait... which means an advantage for you: the singles line is ALWAYS EMPTY.

Agreed with most that Sinbad is an awesome attraction and I was very impressed.