I Stayed At One Of The Toughest Disney Hotels To Get Into, And Now I Understand Why It Almost Always Sold Out
With hundreds of Disney hotels across the world, Tokyo Disney Resort has recently developed a few properties that have been getting a lot of attention. One of them is The Tokyo Disney Resort Toy Story Hotel.
To note: Tokyo Disney Resort is not actually operated or owned by The Walt Disney Company but rather Oriental Land Co., Ltd.
The Toy Story Hotel in Japan was built in 2022, making it the fifth-themed and first "moderate-type" hotel on the Tokyo Disney Resort property. Disney fans across the world have been raving about its near-perfect design, mid-tier price point, and guest benefits. This combination of amenities can be hard to find, especially for American Disney lodging, which may be why rooms have been selling out months in advance.
The hotel includes 595 rooms, a Lotso-themed buffet restaurant, a gift shop with specialty merchandise, a convenience (konbini) store, and two major play areas where kids (and adults) can explore along with their Toy Story pals.
While room prices may vary due to conversion rates and date availability, rates can range from $200 to $500 a night. For example, rooms may be cheaper if you book Monday through Friday, whereas prices can skyrocket during the weekend and holidays. Even though the Toy Story Hotel is more expensive than its off-property "value type" partner, Tokyo Disney Celebration Hotel, it can be much cheaper than the "deluxe" or "luxury" on-site properties, which can cost a couple of hundred dollars more a night.
Oh, and let's not forget the benefits. Any room you purchase includes the following:
1. Happy Entry to Tokyo Disneyland: You can enter the park 15 minutes before it opens.
2. Park ticket purchases directly from Guest Services: Guests have the ability to buy park tickets at the official Disney hotel, whether the parks are sold out or not. However, you can only buy park tickets per stay, meaning if you only have a one-night reservation, you can only purchase tickets for one day at the park.
3. Access to special hotel amenities like Gift Planet, Lotso Garden Café, and both play areas: These areas are reversed for hotel guests only.
4. Close access to the monorail: Since this hotel is on Disney property, you'll be about five to10 minutes away from the Disney parks by monorail.
5. Extra hotel amenities: There's a home delivery service where you can deliver your suitcase to any hotel or home in Japan, a baby care room, a smoking room (which is pretty common in Japan), and a laundry room.
When my husband and I went to Japan at the end of 2023, I was lucky to snag a one-night stay at the Toy Story Hotel to easily access the Tokyo Disney parks — so if you're thinking of trying to book a night at one of the most sought-after Disney hotels for your next Japan trip, here's everything you'll need to know, including how to book a room, photos of the property, and a complete review of the buffet and hotel.
Since this is such a sought-after hotel, I highly recommend not "winging it" when making reservations (seriously, don't do this). Tokyo Disney Resort releases room reservations on its website exactly four months ahead of time. So, if you want to stay at the hotel on February 8th, 2025, you can (and should) reserve a room on October 8th, 2024, just to increase your chances of booking a room.
Pro tip: The website also says reservations are released at 11 a.m. JST, so if you really want to be on top of it, you can time it perfectly from where you live.
Since I live on the East Coast, I woke up early in the morning, exactly four months before the day we wanted to stay at the hotel, to snag a reservation, and there were still plenty of room options to choose from.
The room we chose was a weekday standard room that cost us about $240 for the night. While this is a little higher than I would normally like to spend on a hotel, it was also my husband's and my honeymoon, so we splurged a little.
The one major thing to note when booking any hotel in Japan is to make sure you count every person who will be staying in the room with you — and I mean everyone.
Unlike in the States, where prices are based per room, Japan bases hotel pricing per person — and most hotel staff won't let you keep the room if this number is incorrect. So, just double- and triple-check that everything looks good when booking a room online.
Another thing to note: Disney properties in Japan require a partial payment when you book online. The remaining balance will be paid once you check into the hotel on your arrival date. Pro tip: Make sure you have your passport on you because they will need it to check you in.
Once you arrive at the hotel, you can leave your bags at guest services (which is where you can also buy your park tickets) before check-in time, which is at 3 p.m. JST. Once the room is ready, the staff will bring your luggage directly to your room. As for us, we actually arrived at the hotel after 7 p.m. because our flight landed at 5 p.m.
Pro tip: If you believe you may be in a similar boat, you may have to call the hotel ahead of time to let them know that you may be checking in after 8 p.m. If not, Tokyo Disney Resort may cancel reservations if guests don't notify staff of a late check-in.
Okay, now that we got some of the logistics out of the way, let's check out the hotel because the design is unlike anything I've seen for a mid-tier Disney hotel. When I tell you no detail was overlooked, I mean it. The overall theme of the hotel is based on the idea that before Andy went to Cowboy Camp, he created a toy hotel for all his favorite toys to stay in while he's away — and guests can visit this toy-sized world as "honorary toys." This means when you walk through the hotel, everything feels larger than life — from the play areas to the rooms to your favorite Toy Story characters.
When you look up at the building, you'll notice it's made out of "building blocks." The design depicts a facade of a cityscape in front of the legendary Toy Story clouds. Just like in Toy Story Land, you'll find various "knickknacks" that embody real-life items. For instance, the ends of pencils are used as bollards in front of the hotel, "just eaten" popsicles are used to build fences or benches, and alphabet blocks are used to create signage, like "Hey, Howdy, Hey" right outside the hotel to welcome guests.
However, it doesn't stop there. When you enter the lobby, you can also expect to find pillars made out of colored pencils that are tied together with rubber bands, ceilings and floors covered in childhood-favorite board games, and various cases — whether it's for eyeglasses, crafts, or push pins — being used as the front desks. Oh, let's not forget the giant LiteBrite that spells "You've Got a Friend in Me!" because it's *chef kiss.*
Talking about the LiteBrite area, this is where you will check-in. As I mentioned before, you'll need your passport so you can fill out some paperwork that will be required for your stay as a tourist. However, before you even walk up to the desks, you'll find all of the incredibly kind staff waving and saying hello to all the guests who walk throughout the lobby. It's the cutest thing to witness.
Pro tip: Don't worry too much if you don't fluently speak Japanese, as most of the staff can speak English. Just make sure to learn a few words like "hello" (Konnichiwa), "thank you" (Arigato gozaimasu), and "excuse me" (Sumimasen) to show respect toward the staff.
Bonus thought: All of the writing within the hotel is in English as well.
After you check in, you'll be instructed to go to one of the two elevator areas that will take you up to your room. One wing is BuzzLightyear-themed, while the other is Woody. While all the rooms in the hotel are created mostly the same, the elevator areas on each floor are designed based on either one of these characters, depending on which side of the hotel you're on. Oh, and remember when I said every detail has been accounted for? Well, when you get off the elevator to go to your room, you'll find a mirror that looks like a toy box. Perfect for last-minute outfit checks and social media postings.
Raven Ishak
The hallways leading to the rooms are extremely bright and colorful. The carpet is covered with rows of different hues, including Buzz's, Woody's, and Rex's footprints. Each of the doorways is designed with various single colors, such as blues, reds, or greens.
Raven Ishak
While the walls are monochromatic, with lined drawings of all the Toy Story characters, every single room number is designed to look like jumbo magnets we used to play with at school.
Now, let's talk about the hotel room! Overall, the theme of the guest rooms is pretty perfect. The main area of the room resembles Andy's bedroom, with the legendary blue sky-clouded wallpaper and the nearly identical bedframe. While there's no Buzzlighter comforter like in the original movie, the designers did borrow inspiration from Woody's outfit to decorate the bedding.
Unfortunately, the beds were incredibly firm. I prefer much softer mattresses, so this was a negative thing for me, but if you love nearly rock-hard beds, this will be a win for you. However, I will say that even though this may be considered a family hotel, we did not hear any noises. The hotel was really, really quiet at night.
Raven Ishak
As for the rest of the room, you'll find "posters" of Toy Story characters "hung up" on the walls, a tiny round green table and chair in the corner, reading lights attached to the bed frames, a trundle underneath one of the beds, a full-length mirror on the bathroom door, a '90s-inspired blue Mickey watch as the clock, postcards with Toy Story characters, a double stars ceiling lamp, a row of different-colored hangers held with push pins, and a multifunctional dresser area you can use as a desk (which also houses the safe, mini fridge, and coffee and water area).
Raven Ishak
The one thing you won't find? A closet (hence the hangers on the wall) — but, again, this is pretty common in most budget-friendly Japanese hotels.
While all of these little features are very good, nothing takes the cake quite like the Etch-a-Sketch TV frame, the Woody slippers with Andy's signature on the bottom (that you get to keep!!!), and the Buzz Lightyear-inspired pajamas (which come in different sizes). I truly believe these added details (in addition to the iconic cloud wallpaper) are what set this room apart from other Disney hotels.
To give a little context, almost all Japanese hotels provide slippers for the rooms, toothbrushes and toothpaste, a pair of pajamas, shampoo, body wash, and conditioner. Basically, when you travel to Japan, you technically don't need to bring any bathroom essentials unless you want to!
But even though most of these amenities are included in hotels, the Toy Story Hotel took it up a notch by making them part of the room's overall story.
Raven Ishak
Since we're on the topic of the bathroom, let me introduce you to this area. Bathrooms are a little bit bigger in Japan because the toilet is traditionally separated from the wash areas. Also, the shower room includes a bathtub and a shower in one combined area, which I believe is incredibly smart (although in this particular hotel, I found the bathtub to be small even for 5'4" me — but I bet it's perfect for smaller kids). While I believe the design of the bathroom is a little bit mismatched, with puzzle pieces wallpaper in the sink and toilet area and a crayon-drawn mural of Wheezy with bubbles in the shower room, the two designs are connected with little bubble light fixtures on the mirror.
Amenities that are included in the bathroom: three toothbrushes; a foldable hairbrush; a little kit that includes hair ties, cotton swabs, and a few other things; a washcloth; three Solo-inspired cups for rinsing; tissues; a blowdryer; a bidet toilet; a small stool for kids; plenty of large and small towels; and shampoo, conditioner, and body wash.
Pro tip: Be very, very careful when using the water in the hotel bathrooms in Japan because it can get extremely hot. Don't worry; there are warnings that tell you this in the shower rooms, but since some American hotels can be fickle with water temperature, I was not prepared for this luxury. Was it one of the best showers I've had in my life? Absolutely. Did I almost burn my skin off? Maybe.
Raven Ishak, @adultsindisney / Via youtube.com
After settling into the hotel room, my husband and I were starving. Before we landed in Japan, we booked an 8 p.m. reservation at Lotso Garden Café, the only restaurant on the property.
If you've never seen Toy Story 3, you may not know who Lotso is. (Also, stop what you're doing and watch this movie now.) He's a strawberry-scented teddy bear who *spoiler* goes rogue and takes over a daycare with his own mobster toys. In Japan, they ignore his villain persona and just highlight his cute and cuddly nature.
Raven Ishak
I'm going to be real with ya'll: The food was just OK. I was really looking forward to dining at this buffet, but while the food itself was incredibly cute to look at (think: Toy Story characters shaped into different foods) and included non-specialty drinks within the overall price, the taste of each dish (minus the desserts) was lackluster at best. And for the price tag — Adult (ages 13 and over) ¥5,500 ($39), Junior (ages 7 to 12) ¥3,300 ($23), Child (ages 4 to 6) ¥2,200 ($16)— this was even more disappointing.
Some of the things I did appreciate about the overall experience were the service, the overall decor, and the creativity of each food item. The majority of foods are bite-size in nature; however, there are Western options, like pasta with broccoli and creamy meat sauce and mixed fried potatoes, that are served in larger, traditional containers. Also, expect some unique flavor mixings, like strawberry sauces drizzled over meats.
As for the decor itself, there were a lot of murals that featured Lotso and friends, giant toy-like trees that brought a nature-like aesthetic into the room, and giant windows that gave you a perfect view of the open waters near the hotel.
Overall, the vibe is extremely kid-focused with a "playground" aesthetic. You'll find the staff singing Happy Birthday to kids, helping take pictures of you in front of the Lotso photo area, and giving you stickers every time you dump your trash into the trash can. While it's not the type of restaurant where you can really relax, it's very cute for families to enjoy some unique bites.
Keep in mind: if you have any dietary restrictions, you will be encouraged to order from the "Special Dietary Menu," as substitutes are not really a thing in Japan.
Raven Ishak
My verdict: Skip the dinner buffet entirely and go to the convenience store (konbini) called Shop Together right down the hall instead. (Yes, it's inside the hotel.) Maybe the breakfast buffet is better, but unfortunately, we didn't have the opportunity to try it out.
Another thing: I do wish the restaurant was open for longer. The current hours are 6:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. for breakfast and 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. for dinner. I assume the hours are built this way because a lot of the guests will probably be at the parks (which is totally valid), but if you need to eat lunch, the konbini is really your only option unless you want to explore the neighborhood or eat inside the parks.
Why do I suggest the konbini store instead? Because it's magical. While a lot of "gas station" stores in America, like 7-Eleven, usually have a weird reputation, Japanese convenience stores — like Family Mart, Lawson, and 7-Eleven — are filled with pre-packaged foods and drinks that actually taste good and won't break the bank.
For instance, the konbini store inside the Toy Story Hotel offers prepackaged meals for breakfast, lunch, or dinner; Disney-themed toy or food souvenirs; dozens of to-go coffees, sodas, or alcoholic drinks; and toiletry or body care items. While this might sound like any other convenience store, please trust me when I say that it is completely worth a visit.
The best part about this konbini store is that even though it's located in a Disney hotel, the prices are kept low, meaning there's no price gouge just because the store is located in a tourist area.
We actually got to try out the konbini the following morning before we headed to the parks. For about $14, we got three coffees, an egg salad sandwich (IYKYK), a fruit cup, a cup of yogurt, and a couple of pastries. My stomach was happy, and so was my wallet. We also got a few Gashapon toys (which are kind of like blind boxes); however, we also wanted to check out the Gift Planet store that was in the hotel lobby.
The good news is, if you're an early riser, the store opens at 6 a.m., which is 30 minutes before the buffet opens. A lot of restaurants in Japan don't actually open until 11 a.m., so these two spots are extremely convenient places to grab breakfast before heading to the parks if you're in a pinch.
Speaking of Gift Planet, hundreds of souvenirs will catch your eye at this store (so apologies to your wallet). While you may find plenty of these toys and gifts inside the parks themselves, quite a few specific Tokyo Toy Story Hotel items can only be found inside this gift shop, like mugs, a toy set of the actual hotel, or napkins with drawings of the outdoor play area.
The prices for the souvenirs were slightly lower than those in other Disney parks (plus, it helps that the dollar is stronger than the yen right now), and the selection of items was great even though the shop is smaller. Yes, the majority of the souvenirs are Toy Story-centric; however, you'll find a few general Disney items as well, like Mickey ears and candies.
But even if you don't plan on shopping at Gift Planet, I highly recommend visiting to check out the decor that's inspired by the Green Little Men characters. Just like the lobby, the ceiling and floor are covered with old-school board games, and small details cover the walls, such as giant alien Bandaids, little Post-It notes that visually describe certain areas of the shop, character stickers that cover the "carboard-like" walls, and large murals that feature the Green Little Men themselves. The attention to detail is superb, and I wish every Disney shop were like this.
@adventuringwithannie / Via youtube.com
The last things you'll want to explore before you check out are the play areas. There are two: The first one is called Slinky Dog Park, and it's located at the front of the hotel. And then there's Toy Friend's Square at the back of the hotel. Although you can obviously explore these areas anytime you want, I highly recommend checking them out at night to see everything come to life (pun intended). Why? Because each of the play areas is covered with large Christmas lights that illuminate the parks along with other decorative toy lights.
Raven Ishak
While Slinky Dog Park is created to look like a real-life board game that's themed after Slinky himself, Toy Friend's Square is created to celebrate the importance of friendship. However, in both areas, you'll find Tinker Toys as giant posts that are held down by giant push pins, larger-than-life Toy Story characters interacting with games or other toys, and a barrel of monkeys... monkeying around.
Even though these two areas are clearly made for children, as a woman in her 30s, I was so excited to take pictures of everything. I do wish some of the "toys" were interactive, like Wheezy singing "You Have a Friend In Me"; however, since these play areas are located pretty close to the hotel rooms, I do understand that "noise" would be a problem.
Raven Ishak
Final thoughts and opinions.
Raven Ishak
This Toy Story Hotel in Tokyo is a must-visit if you plan on going to the Disney parks and want a pretty comfortable stay in a fairly new hotel that won't break the bank, whether you have kids or not.
While the restaurant isn't amazing, the beds are pretty firm, and you don't get Happy Entry to Tokyo DisneySea, the attention to detail, the service, and the convenience of being close to the parks and having a food store within the hotel are truly astounding to have all in one place, especially for the price point.
Since there is so much to do and see at the hotel, I highly recommend setting aside a few hours to explore and get the most out of your stay. Since we got there late and wanted to get to the parks early the next day, we didn't get to fully check out the Slinky Dog Park area, which was a bummer.
Normally, when you stay in a hotel, you just use it to sleep and get out, but every detail was considered to make you stay on the property just a little bit longer — which I was not mad about as a Toy Story fan.
It was hard not to feel like a kid when walking around this hotel, so I would 100 percent book another stay there if I could.
Have you been to The Tokyo Disney Resort Toy Story Hotel — or have you stayed at other Disney hotels? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below!
