As the holidays return, our minds turn to gift-giving, and favorite seasonal foods to savor. The Tokyo Disney Resort – normally packed with craveable merchandise and culinary delicacies – is especially enchanted during the Christmas season.
In this article, we explore the newest gift items from Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea, as well as special Christmas menus from the Resort. In our previous articles in this series, we highlighted Christmas celebrations at Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea.
Mickey, Minnie, and friends
Mickey and Minnie are ready for Christmas in their holiday outfits. They were featured in the Tokyo Disneyland Christmas parade (see excerpts from our video here).
Plush are priced relatively higher at Tokyo Disney Resort than they are stateside. Mickey and Minnie were about 14 inches tall, and priced around $45 USD each.
In Japan, home storage space is at a premium, so cute and tiny merchandise are very collectible. That’s why these small plush dangles are so popular. About three inches high, they fit right in – even if you collect fifty of your favorite character dressed in different seasonal outfits.
Huey, Dewey, and Louie (in their stockings from the Tokyo Disneyland parade) make a great set of dangles. Chip and Dale are very popular characters in Tokyo. They’re ready to go caroling in their snow outfits.
The theme this season at Tokyo Disneyland is “Christmas Fantasy 2016,” as highlighted on this magnet. Magnets and postcards are each individually wrapped in Tokyo.
Nanoblocks (super-tiny versions of Lego) come in special seasonal releases. Here, we see Santa Mickey, and a Mickey “SnoSnow” (more on the SnoSnow to come). These nanoblock sets are priced surprisingly high for their size. Non-Disney nanoblock sets include the Eiffel Tower, Venice, and Neuschwanstein.
Warm winter socks and gift pouches are practical holiday items. Wash-cloth sized towels are used daily in Japan for drying hands and faces, so there are many styles of affordable Disney towels to choose from. Here, they are pictured with miniature plates. Towels typically run about $5 USD each.
Light-up wands have Christmas overlays to glow brightly with festive spirit each season.
SnoSnows take Tokyo Disney by storm
The newest holiday sensation this year are the “SnoSnows.” They are adorable Mickey and Minnie snowmen, with a head and a body snowball, available at both Disneyland and DisneySea. We thought they looked familiar when we saw them in Tokyo.
Can you tell which is which? The newest SnoSnows from Tokyo are on the left. The tall Mickey snowman was from the Disney Store domestically in 2001. We also found these other strikingly-similar Mickey and Minnie snowmen (far right) in our collection – likely from Disneyland Anaheim. Although there are no dates on their tags, they are likely from 2008.
There are so many variations of SnoSnow merchandise. The most popular is the customizable “Make it mine” SnoSnow Mickey and Minnie. For 2200 Yen (about $22 USD), you start with either a Mickey or Minnie body.
Then, select a colored ball to put in the body. Each ball has a different meaning and shows through their little belly button hole.
Next, choose a gold “rivet” for the ear – a letter from the English alphabet (or a snowflake) – giving them a ‘knopf im ohr’ like Steiff plush.
Then, for 400 Yen (about $4 USD) each, you can add a hat, and a jacket/cape to dress your SnoSnow.
Of course, in Japan, it is customary to have samples on hand to view. Here is the sample display of many variations of these fluffy white creations. Be prepared: the customizable SnoSnows generate long queues that wind outside stores in both Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea.
You place your order, have it double checked with a cast member, and are given a return time to pick up your SnoSnow.
Here is a video that goes along with this SnoSnow display:
In addition to these custom plush, there are many other varieties of SnoSnow merchandise.
There are the dangles of course (about $15 USD). A giant, rather flattened (but very soft), SnoSnow Mickey is a bargain for his size at 5800 Yen (about $58 USD).
Stationery products are very popular gift items in Japanese culture. Pens, pencils, notepads, and plastic sleeves for papers are practical souvenirs. SnoSnow phone cases and microfiber cleaning cloths are also available.
This gift pack of bath powders are colorfully displayed, and very kawaii (cute).
Thankfully, even though I don’t read any Japanese, the diagram on this tag is self-explanatory. A thoughtful gift: this is a luxuriously soft foot warmer.
You will never find this unique gift stateside: a ready-to-mail surgical mask gift-pack.
Shareable and individually-wrapped food gifts (‘omiyage’) are very popular in Japan. The SnoSnow ‘cake’ package on the right is filled with small wrapped cookies. All this is presented in the large SnoSnow box to the left.
This custom-order SnoSnow ice cream cake is adorable, but pricey at 7800 Yen (about $78 USD).
Store windows capture imagination and showcase more craveable merchandise
These SnoSnow windows spread holiday cheer, and share important aspects of the Tokyo Disney experience – enjoying delicious new foods, and trying every flavor of popcorn!
Pluto enjoys some SnoSnow fun, and Donald trims the tree to celebrate Tokyo Disneyland’s “Christmas Fantasy 2016”
Classic doves float in the windows of the stationery store, featuring a grand assortment of paper goods.
Winter magic for Duffy, Shellie Mae, and Gelatoni
Mickey’s bear, Duffy, is a celebrity in Tokyo, and exclusive to only Tokyo DisneySea. In addition, Duffy merchandise is limited to only three stores within Tokyo DisneySea. And not every item can be found in every store. Here are Christmas outfits for Duffy, Shellie Mae, and Gelatoni.
Some special limited items are released in only one store in the park. For example, the release day for this Gelatoni Christmas wreath (around $35 USD) generated lines around the block at McDuck’s Department store.
The 2016 Christmas Duffy (about $110 USD) is also a hot item. We saw so many of them being carried around the park by guests. Of course, we can’t forget the perfectly-dressed Shellie Mae dangle. She’s ready to be added to your collection.
“Special Set” and Seasonal food menus
An important part of the experience at Tokyo Disney Resort is sampling the many delectable food items. Each restaurant and food stand has unique items on the menu. Seasonal items, packaged as a “Special Set” menu offer new tastes limited to this season.
These delicious Green Alien mochi are filled with strawberry, chocolate, and vanilla custard. For Christmas, they are available in an antler-decorated Green Alien container. In previous years, Tokyo Disney had a Green Alien popcorn bucket.
Tokyo DisneySea’s 15th Anniversary has generated many themed collectible items. Here is the Christmas dessert cup with “15” molded into the handle. Honestly, every food concoction that we tried at Tokyo Disney has been delicious. Even if it looks or sounds unusual, it is worth a try.
Mr. Potato Head is another favorite at Tokyo Disney Resort. He is the seasonal popcorn bucket this Christmas. The large popcorn buckets are refillable for a ‘refill’ price. Guests bring back popcorn buckets from years past throughout the parks.
The SnoSnows are featured in this brilliant re-usable popcorn holder; it safely protects your box of popcorn through many attractions through the day.
Tokyo Disney is famous for its many unique flavors of popcorn. Salt and Pepper, Milk Chocolate, Soy Sauce and Butter, Honey, Cappuccino – all these are available at specific locations indicated on the Park maps. One of my favorites is Curry flavor.
Christmas menu desserts with souvenir Duffy merchandise are on display here at Cape Cod. Some of the descriptions may seem somewhat dubious, but they were delicious.
Candy food gifts are brightly packaged and ready for gifting. After the yummy treats are gone, the cute containers are a great keepsake.
The dining room of the SS Columbia at Tokyo DisneySea (resembling the Queen Mary) is decorated with classic elegance, setting the mood for a fine dining experience.
In addition to the usual favorites, the special set Christmas menu has options ranging from $39 to $55.
The Tokyo Disneyland Hotel was dressed in sophisticated style for the “Christmas Fantasy 2016.” Each Tokyo Disney Resort hotel also has special menus during holiday seasons.
This delicate “dessert medley” was a special item at the Tokyo Disneyland Hotel lounge (about $18 USD).
The Tokyo Disney Resort is full of surprises, with unique seasonal food and merchandise offerings that are certain to delight. Which are your favorite Christmas season specialties? Would love to hear!
If you enjoyed this article, click here for more on Tokyo Disneyland’s Christmas celebrations, and the holiday festivities at Tokyo DisneySea!