The nighttime parade makes a wonderful addition to the park experience in Japan . PHOTOS BY TDR EXPLORER
Santa , along with Duffy and Friends , float through the Mediterranean Harbor to wave to guests and pose for pictures . PHOTO BY TDR EXPLORER
If you ’ re a photographer and want that perfect shot of the characters , view the end of the parade route in Toontown : The characters have to face one way due to the bushes on the left side . This makes for the perfect opportunity to snap some photos .
I recommend arriving at each of these viewing spots at least an hour before parade start time . These are well-known spots , and they fill up quickly .
Seasonal Parades Every few months , Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea change their seasonal events , including new seasonal parades . Throughout the year , you ’ ll see New Year ’ s , Easter , Summer , Halloween , and Christmas parades . The best part is this is all included with your day ticket ; there ’ s nothing extra to pay .
TOKYO DISNEYSEA HARBOR SHOWS Unlike Tokyo Disneyland , Tokyo DisneySea doesn ’ t host traditional parades . Instead , the park has shows on top of the water in the Mediterranean Harbor , which uses the park ’ s icon , Mount Prometheus , as a backdrop .
Character Greeting Shows The most common type of show is a Character Greeting , in which characters come out on barges that zip around the harbor , waving and dancing in their seasonal costumes . While these little shows aren ’ t as grand as the parades at Tokyo Disneyland , it ’ s a fun way to break up the day with a performance for about 10 minutes .
Seasonal Harbor Shows Every season , Tokyo DisneySea has a harbor show that ’ s part of the seasonal event . During Halloween , you ’ ll see Disney Villains take over the harbor while Captain Jack Sparrow invades the waterways in the summer months . All of these shows utilize the water in some way , which stays true to the DisneySea theme .
The Mediterranean Harbor is circular , so there are plenty of vantage points to
watch the shows , even if you show up at the last minute . But , if you want the best spots in the park , you ’ ll want to snag a place about an hour before showtime in Mickey Square , right under the Hotel MiraCosta at the entrance to Tokyo DisneySea .
Other great spots include Lido Isle , which is on the left side of the harbor ( walking toward Tower of Terror and Toy Story Mania !) and the stage area near Soaring : Fantastic Flight on the right .
It ’ s easy to spend a lot of your time watching the beautiful parades and harbor shows at Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea . A word of caution : Once you see these shows , you ’ ll never want to leave . The best way to plan your day is around these shows so that you don ’ t miss anything .