Slept in until almost 6am this morning.  Then got ready and went downstairs at 7am.  Stopped by the ticket window to buy our Disneyland tickets then went to the Lounge for breakfast.  After eating went back to the room to get ready for the day and we were on our way to Bayside Station.  Arrived at Disneyland just before 8:30 and joined in the big queue of guests for security.  It took nearly an hour to make it through security.  No wait to enter the park then.  Passed through World Bazaar on our way to Tomorrowland.  The standby queue for Club Mouse Beat was already full so we found a table and tried the entry request for a later show and promptly failed.   Checked the wait times and decided to head to Adventureland.  The Jungle Cruise was posted at 15 minutes but took less.  Then went on the Western River Railroad.  Strolled through Adventureland back to the Plaza and then into Fantasyland.  Stopped by Cinderella’s Fairy Tale Hall and then spent some time in World Bazaar while others waited for a waffle.  I also walked around Tomorrowland before joining them.  After our snack stopped by the New Orleans Square portion of Adventureland and then back through the Castle to Fantasyland.  Several groups of characters were out so watched them for a bit then headed toward Westernland.   Found a place for the 2pm Harmony In Color Parade.  After the parade inched through the crowd back to World Bazaar and walked over to Ikspiari for lunch.   After eating took the Resort Line back to Disneyland.  Made my way out to Tomorrowland and watched Club Mouse Beat from outside the theater.  Walked out to the Fantasyland Forest Theater and managed to just barely get in the standby line, they cut it off two people, one group, behind me.   Watched the show then walked through the Beauty and the Beast area and down the parade route to the Plaza taking some video and pictures of Cinderella Castle this evening.  Walked through Westernland and out to the Big Thunder Area then around the Rivers of America to Critter Country.  Found a place in Westernland for Dreamlights then wandered around Fantasyland for a while before finding a place in the Plaza for Sky Full of Colors Fireworks.  After the fireworks hung around the plaza and World Bazaar before bidding farewell to Tokyo Disneyland as they played the park is closing announcement.  Boarded the 40th Anniversary Resort Liner back to Bayside station and walked to the Hilton to wrap up my evening.

• The weather looked moderate for the day and we knew we were going to be in for a big crowd at the parks, but the thought of another day in the hotel room looking out at the parks did not make sense so we decided to just go with it.  As a general rule of thumb you want to avoid the Tokyo parks on weekends and we have abided by this on previous visits except for a late afternoon visit or two.
• First stop this morning was at the Disney Ticket window in the Hilton lobby. Wanted to confirm that the voucher I had was going to work and that we could not use a room charge or any other payment.  The person at the window confirmed so we set off for the cash exchange machine.  The process was really smooth. We selected the currency, put our US bills in and out came the yen.  The exchange rate was not great by the current rate, but it was actually better than the original exchange we did through our bank several weeks before leaving.  Returned to the ticket window and had our paper Tokyo Disneyland tickets in hand in a matter of minutes.     Interesting the Tokyo App would not let me scan the tickets in until they were used.  So I could not pre-set up the app.
• We left a little earlier than previous days for the park due to it being a Saturday and we were up and ready.  Plus we could see one security line from our room and it looked long.  As the Monorail pulled into the station you could see the lines were much longer than any of the previous days.   We were directed to the line by the parking structures.  I had never been out to that area so it was interesting to see the garages as well as the sea of guests in front of me.  We thought about going back to the room for an hour or so and then trying again but figured since we were already here why not see how long it takes.     It took almost an hour to make it through security.   The process was moving at an ok pace, but the volume of guests was just too many.
• Due to this long wait and it being a Saturday by the time we made it to Tomorrowland to check the standby queue for Club Mouse Beat it was at capacity.  So we found a table and sat down to try our luck at the entry request.   We failed again for both shows.  So I ended up going 0 for 6 at Disneyland and 1 for 2 at DisneySea this visit.   I was a little disappointed that in three days at Disneyland I was not going to be able to see the show from inside the theater.
• Wait times were up across the park as you would expect on a Saturday.   But some opportunities still arose with minimal waits.  For example we were able to visit the Jungle Cruise and Railroad with under 20 minute waits on each.  The Jungle Cruise in Tokyo is an interesting experience.   It is all in Japanese, which I know zero.   The cast members we have had are always way over the top and really into the spiel.  It is great to watch them and I am assuming what they are saying is the same spiel as the other parks so you have a general idea at the jokes.
• The wait for the Fairy Tale Hall was minimal so we paid a visit to the castle, primarily for the 2nd story views of Fantasyland.
• My group wanted a waffle for a snack, and of course that line was double what it had been the other days.   They wanted to wait so they did and I roamed around.  The guests holding tables while in that long queue were rather annoying.  They probably could have cycled through two groups of people while the one holding the table was in line.  So at any time a small fraction of the tables were in use and other guests were looking for places to eat.  
• As I roamed around the lines at most dining locations and carts were extremely long as the lunch rush was underway.  
• For lunch we decided to head over to Ikspiari to grab a quick bite vs dealing with the crowds in the park.
• I stopped by Starbase in Tomorrowland and watched the Club Mouse Beat show from outside the theater.  I thought it was interesting they held the group at the bottom of the ramp vs up closer to the theater where you could see more of the show.  Being back that far was not good, but it at least gave a sampling of the show. 
• The entry process for Mickey’s Magical Music World has changed and now they have opened the balcony for stand by for all shows.  The lower level is entry request only for all but the first show which remains all stand by.   I was walking by and the queue was still open for a show so I got in line.  There were two cast members counting guests as I entered and they ended up cutting the queue one group, two people behind me.  So I just barely made it in.    This viewing there were a number of open seats on both sides of the balcony again. I ended up sitting in one of the open areas with several open seats around me which was nice.   The show holds up well on a second viewing. 
• The clouds from this morning cleared and the afternoon and evening were clear blue skies and a nice sunset.   I spent some time roaming the park and taking some pictures of Cinderella Castle and out in Westernland with the clear sky which has been rare on my previous visits.
• Decided to watch the Electrical Parade Dreamlights from Westernland.  Being closer to the parade is a different perspective than the other night.   
• Sky Full of Colors fireworks went off as planned tonight. So this was my first night viewing them form inside the park and second out of 9 seeing them at all.  The show itself is about the same as other Tokyo fireworks shows. Not great but ok.   The castle had some lighting effects but that was it. 
• The queues for both Baymax and Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast were cut well before closing time so trying to squeeze in a ride on either to end the day was not an option.
• I was in World Bazaar at 9pm as the park was closing and the constant flow of guests out of the park was impressive to see.
• Interesting to note the Resort Line had no wait though. I was able to walk up and board a train with no problem.
  

2023 Tokyo Disney Trip Summary

Links from today:

• 55 min security line this morning at Tokyo Disneyland
• Failed To See Club Mouse Beat
• Pictures: Western River Railroad Views
• Pictures: Fantasyland Characters
• Pictures: Fantasyland Views from Cinderella Castle
• Pictures: Disney Harmony in Color Parade at Tokyo Disneyland
• Pictures: Tokyo Disneyland Cinderella Castle This Evening
• Pictures: Tokyo Disneyland Electrical Parade Dreamlights
• All my posts from today

• Tokyo Disney Resort Pictures
• Geek's Blog Tokyo Pictures
• Geek's Blog Tokyo News/Posts