From our trip: 28 February 2024
About this story
Based on H2 Journey’s original posts and photographs on trip year 1 Benefits, passes and services describe our experience at the time of travel.
Original posts: 9 Apr 2024
After a night in our Beauty and the Beast Room, we started the morning with Happy Entry, moved to a Park Grand View Room, and spent the rest of the day enjoying rides with the children before the evening parade. All trip times here are local Japan time.
Disneyland and a night in a Park Grand View Room
An early start for Beauty and the Beast
It was another early start for the children. We wanted to use Happy Entry to join the queue for Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast.
We passed through the entrance at about 8:58 a.m. Once the children were settled in the stroller, we hurried straight over. I'd had a quick look at the route in the app, so we didn't lose time finding our way. We could almost have followed the crowd, though: it looked as if 80–90% of the Happy Entry guests were heading to Beauty and the Beast too.
About five minutes later, we reached the end of the queue. Staff held signs showing where to join and kept letting us know the waiting time. When we arrived, the wait was about 70 minutes.
At first, we just shuffled along with the queue. A snack shop was open nearby, so we could take turns buying something to eat. Once we were through the castle doors, there was much more to look at. The statues and enchanted household objects from the story kept the children busy while we waited.
Our ride, and a breakdown in the ballroom
The ride itself wasn't very long, but it was one of the highlights for us. Our ride broke down in the final room, so we had to wait for the staff to help us out. Luckily, it was the ballroom scene, so we could enjoy looking around and taking photos while we waited. On the way out, staff scanned our tickets to issue Multiple Experiences passes, which on that visit could be used for another attraction or another turn on Beauty and the Beast.
We went on to the attractions we had booked with 40th Anniversary Priority Pass, then returned to our room to pack up for our room change.
From a Beauty and the Beast Room to Park Grand View
We’d booked two nights at the same hotel, but in different rooms: a Character Room first, then a Superior Room. We could tell the front desk what time we’d be ready to move—I think this needed to be before noon. If our next room was ready, we could pick up the new key cards and go straight in. Ours was ready at noon, so we moved straight across without waiting for the usual 3 p.m. check-in.
For the third night of our Disney trip, we had a Superior Room (Park Grand View), facing the park. I think the children preferred our previous room, but this one suited Dad very nicely. I love taking photos, and there was plenty to point the camera at from here.
A view Dad could happily spend hours looking at
The daytime parade and a buffet at Crystal Palace
We went back into the park to wait for the daytime parade. It was crowded as usual, so we watched from wherever we could find a space. We’d booked a buffet lunch and were waiting for our table. Luckily, our table was beside a window, so the children could still catch glimpses of the parade after we went inside.
A princess afternoon at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique
That afternoon, our older daughter had a princess makeover booked at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. The minimum age at the time was three. We chose the least expensive package... 😇 Just makeup, hair and nails, without a dress or photographer. The children were already wearing the princess dresses we’d brought from home—they’d asked to put them on that morning. They really enjoyed it, and we got to take the makeup and nail supplies home too.
A few more rides, and using our pass for Baymax
In the late afternoon, we took our own photos of the children and fitted in some rides without long waits. We also used our Multiple Experiences pass for The Happy Ride with Baymax. The staff were very thorough about checking height. 🙂 Our youngest was 81 cm tall—just one centimeter over the requirement on that visit—so she could ride. I thought it was another attraction well worth trying.
it’s a small world was another good choice for the children, with only a short queue that day. The ride itself lasted quite a while, and they were happy looking at everything around them. We were glad we’d gone on it.
Ending the trip with the Electrical Parade
Then it was time for the evening parade. We had bought Disney Premier Access (DPA) to reserve a spot in front of the castle, though perhaps we had left it a little late: that morning, we had hurried to the ride queue before opening the app. We ended up in Zone B, a little off to the side of the castle. For us, this was another show worth making time for. My only complaint was that it felt a little too short.
After the parade, we went on a few more rides. Our last one was the carousel, and it broke down too! By the time we got out, we had missed the fireworks. 😅
Our first trip together turned out better than we expected
❤️❤️ Our first Disneyland and DisneySea trip turned out even better than we'd hoped. We'd thought we might just walk around and enjoy the atmosphere, but both children had so much fun and went on far more rides than we expected. By the end, I was already hoping we could come back soon. ❤️❤️
🙏 Thank you to everyone who’s been reading along and leaving kind comments. We’re still finding our feet with this page, and your encouragement means a lot. 🌟
Read about Disneyland Day 1 and our night in a Beauty and the Beast Room
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You can find readers’ questions and experiences in the comments on our original Thai Facebook post.