Heading off to Tokyo Disney? You’re in for a magical time! My family and I recently went to Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea and found a fantastic hotel that’s perfect for bigger families. Let me tell you all about it!
Finding a Family-Friendly Hotel
We were on a mission to visit all six Disney Castles worldwide. We had five of them checked off our list, and Tokyo Disney was next! We were excited, but we needed a hotel that could accommodate our family of five. We knew that the Disney parks are located in the Tokyo Bay area, about an hour away from the city center by metro. We decided it would be easier to relocate to a hotel closer to the parks for the last part of our trip.
There are tons of Disney hotels in the area, but none of them could fit our family in one room. Most allowed a maximum of four guests, and even those with children six and under could only squeeze in two extra kids by sharing beds. We even looked at the Hyatt Regency Tokyo Bay nearby, but it also couldn’t accommodate us all. Plus, it wasn’t on the monorail line, and we didn’t want to rely on a shuttle each day.
Hilton Tokyo Bay: A Dream Come True
After lots of research, we booked a room at the Hilton Tokyo Bay. It’s right next to the Disney Toy Story Hotel and across from the new Fantasy Springs hotel, which is being built. It’s just a five-minute walk to the monorail station, and from there it’s one stop to DisneySea and three stops to Disneyland. The whole trip takes about eight minutes!
If you’re traveling with a big family like ours, and can’t find a Disney hotel that fits everyone, the Hilton Tokyo Bay is an excellent choice!
Magical Details and Fantastic Amenities
We stayed in the Family Happy Magic Room, which had three single beds and a set of bunk beds. When we checked in, we were given a special envelope with a sweet note for the girls. The hallway outside our room was enchanting! There was a giant unicorn painted on the ceiling, large trees with peekaboo holes to see hidden animals, and so much more.
Our daughters were ecstatic when they opened their letter, which was from a fairy friend. There was a big key on the wall to unlock a story and a magic mirror. It was pure magic!
Family-Friendly Perks and Points
Standard rooms at the Hilton Tokyo Bay, for up to four guests, can be booked using points for around 55,000 to 60,000 points per night. If you have American Express points, they transfer to Hilton at a 1:2 ratio, making it a great way to use your points for a family vacation.
The bathroom was clean and spacious. The hotel provided extra towels, pajamas, slippers, and even kid-sized versions of everything! They even included kid-friendly toothbrushes and toothpaste.
Our room faced the theme parks, and we could see the fireworks every night! It was such a wonderful surprise!
Delightful Dining Options
The hotel has several restaurants, including Lounge O, where we enjoyed breakfast every morning. It’s a typical hotel buffet, so be sure to arrive early to avoid the crowds who are also heading to the parks by 8 a.m. Luckily, there’s a special priority line for Hilton Honors members, which helped us get seated quickly each morning.
The buffet had Western and Japanese options, including a made-to-order omelet station. The kids loved the kid-friendly buffet with all their favorites, like french fries, waffles, pancakes, and of course, lots of chocolate croissants!
For dinner on our last night, we went to the Square: Forest Garden buffet. Like breakfast, it had a mix of Western and Japanese cuisine, including a hamburger station, sliced roast beef, and a fantastic salad bar. The dessert selection was impressive, and they even had a special build-your-own pudding platter for the kids.
Pool, Fitness Center, and Other Amenities
The Hilton Tokyo Bay has both an indoor and outdoor pool, but we were too busy with our Disney adventures to even check them out. The outdoor pool wasn’t open yet when we visited in April.
There is also a small fitness center and a business center, but that’s about it for amenities. The hotel’s biggest draw is its proximity to the Disney parks.
We were surprised to find that there was no laundry room, and the nearest laundromat was far away. The only option was to use the hotel’s laundry service, which charged $3 to $5 per item, and we weren’t interested in that. We just made do with the clean clothes we had left.
Tokyo Disney Tickets and Insider Tips
Be sure to buy your tickets in advance and load them into the app. They don’t sell tickets on the day of your visit. Compared to the Disney parks in the U.S., tickets in Tokyo are much cheaper. We paid about $35 per child and $68 per adult for a day’s admission. We also picked up some cute Mickey ears for $13!
We arrived at the parks about an hour before they opened and waited in line until the gates opened. Once inside, we booked our first Premier Access (similar to the paid Lightning Lane in the US). The 40th-anniversary pass comes with two free fast passes per day. The lines for the popular rides get very long, so we paid for Premier Access for Beauty and the Beast and Baymax at Disneyland, and Journey to the Center of the Earth and Tower of Terror at DisneySea. It cost about $13 per person, but it was worth it to skip the 150-minute lines!
A Magical Stay at the Hilton Tokyo Bay
The location of the Hilton Tokyo Bay is incredibly convenient for the Disney parks, and for the price, it was perfect for our short stay. We especially loved that the hotel has plenty of room options for families of five, and they can all stay together. I would highly recommend the Hilton Tokyo Bay to larger families who want easy access to Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea. The location and set-up make it the perfect place to experience the magic of Tokyo Disney!
