At the bottom of the list is the only port at Tokyo DisneySea to be based completely on a Disney Intellectual Property (IP). But even last place at Tokyo DisneySea is still something special. From the outside, King Triton’s Castle is worthy of being a park centerpiece all on its own, with a fantastic façade that commands attention. The port is mostly housed inside a large show building, with only a couple of attractions located just outdoors. Inside, the illusion of having traveled “under the sea” is accomplished by descending a staircase (or elevator) to the lower level, and is a beautiful experience in and of itself. And while most of the rides and attractions are geared toward young children, the level of detail and immersion here are still top tier. However, one major “miss” with Mermaid Lagoon is the lack of a true dark ride – it seems this is a perfect place for a clone of the Little Mermaid ride from California and Florida. Even with those drawbacks though, it’s a port that is absolutely worth seeing in person. Mermaid Lagoon is the weakest of this pack, but this is Tokyo DisneySea, and it’s still a marvelous port to behold.

Sometimes described as “the Tomorrowland of Tokyo DisneySea”, Port Discovery is a futuristic themed port emphasizing exploration and discovery of the ocean and its wonders. The port serves as home to two mid-tier attractions: Nemo & Friends SeaRider, and Aquatopia. And while both are unique to this amazing park, neither is a true headliner. The port, however, does house a good food offering with Horizon Bay Restaurant. But where Port Discovery really shines is in its incredible job creating a believable environment. Immersive and impressive all at the same time, this port sits alongside Tokyo Bay, providing unobstructed views into the ocean, creating a seamless, convincing experience. And while this port’s footprint is definitely on the smaller side, the theming throughout is consistent and convincing, with the DisneySea Electric Railway elevated attraction making one of two stops here. Yes, it could use a true e-ticket experience to really give it a boost, and it lacks any proper entertainment offering, but overall it is still creates a fantastic sense of place, and Port Discovery is the sixth best port in Tokyo DisneySea.

Again, drawing loose comparisons, Lost River Delta might be considered the “Adventureland” of Tokyo DisneySea, with its heavy jungle-themed motif. Venturing into this port, the headliner here is Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Crystal Skull – a plussed version of the ride found in Disneyland California, with no tie in to the movie of similar name. The land also contains a winding river with a station for the DisneySea Steamer – a water version of the Disneyland Railroad. And finally, Lost River Delta is also home to the Raging Spirits roller coaster – a visually impressive, but disappointing experience that is much more enjoyable to look at than it is to ride – somewhat painful, and the only real letdown attraction in this park. The ride sure does command long lines however, possibly due to its being one of very few true “thrill rides” in Tokyo DisneySea. Solid entertainment and a smattering of food options are found in Lost River Delta as well, so the land can hold its own. Ultimately, the pros of Indy and the rest of this fantastic jungle themed port far outweigh the blemish of Raging Spirits, and it all adds up to the fifth best port in Tokyo DisneySea.

It’s quite a feat that Tokyo DisneySea can include a port that has very little to do with the water, and still feel right at home. Arabian Coast is a marvel, with sweeping courtyards and intimate alleyways, and feels like it could have been pulled directly from Disney’s animated feature Aladdin. Here is located the gorgeous double-decker Caravan Carousel, the fantastically detailed Jasmine’s Flying Carpets, incredible food and shopping options true to the theme of the Middle East, and a full-blown theater show at the Magic Lamp Theater. But it’s Sinbad’s Storybook Voyage that steals the show. This is “It’s a Small World” in principle – a slow moving indoor boat ride – but on a level that is virtually unmatched anywhere in the world. Hundreds of fluid, full-moving animatronics tell the story of Sinbad and his charming pet tiger Chandu as they travel the seas, accompanied by a fantastic original theme song “Compass of your Heart”. It is one of the best Disney attractions anywhere, and if this park contained nothing else, would be worth the visit. We will emphasize this again: Sinbad’s Storybook Voyage is one of the greatest Disney attractions in the world, and if you don’t think you’ll ever make the visit in person, you should absolutely spend time watching online video content of the attraction. It’s an all-original headliner that lives up to the Disney name, and singlehandedly carries Arabian Coast to fourth place on our list of Tokyo DisneySea ports.

American Waterfront is one of the largest ports in Tokyo DisneySea, and it absolutely transports to another time and place. Here is the hey-day of early 20th Century America, with a Cape Cod themed area as well as a busy New York Harbor. The full sized SS Columbia ship, which houses an incredible food experience along with a Turtle Talk with Crush attraction commands attention, and is literally built in a way that incorporates the backdrop of the actual Tokyo Bay and real Pacific Ocean. Fantastic entertainment options, as well as shopping and dining experiences abound. American Waterfront is also the official home of Duffy the Disney Bear, a lovable character who is almost as popular with the locals as Mickey Mouse. The Toy Story Mania attraction sits within Toyville Trolley Park, an incredible Coney Island inspired section, ablaze with lights and incredible theming. The elevated DisneySea Electric Railway provides another layer of motion and energy. But perhaps all that needs to be said (or seen) of American Waterfront is the jaw-dropping exterior of Tower of Terror. On the outside, this is a wonder to behold, both during the day, and at night when lightning periodically “strikes” the tower. Inside, the Twilight Zone theme has been ditched to instead tell the original story of Harrison Hightower, a member of the Society of Explorers and Adventurers (S.E.A.), whose explorations led him to a cursed idol and an eventual disappearance in the elevator of his own hotel. This truly creepy and compelling backstory results in an incredible experience that is undoubtedly the highlight of American Waterfront. It also solidifies this fantastic port as the third best at Tokyo DisneySea.

Walking into Tokyo DisneySea for the first time is a surreal experience. The park entrance literally passes under the flagship hotel, the incredible MiraCosta, themed to a mediterranean village overlooking and wrapping around the main harbor. Venetian Gondolas travel the waterways, adding kinetic energy, as well as being a fun experience for guests. The harbor itself houses the main entertainment at this incredible theme park, and the overlooking restaurants and shops are high-end, and incredibly immersive. It’s even more impressive when seeing the “village’ that creates the façade of the Soaring: Fantastic Flight e-ticket attraction, a version of Soarin’ housed within the Museum of Fantastic Flight, with a few unique scenes to the Tokyo resort. But the real show-stealer here is Fortress Explorations, and elaborate walk-through area that includes a full-sized ship The Renaissance, and a seemingly infante number of rooms, passageways, and buildings to explore, overlooking the harbor. Inside guests will find mysterious artifacts, tools, and puzzles to solve, all left by the members of S.E.A. Fortress Explorations cannot be overstated, as it is an unmatched Disney walkthrough attraction, and could literally command hours to experience properly. And to top it all off, in the base of this attraction sits Magellan’s restaurant – widely regarded as the single best Disney dining experience in the world. The immersion and details truly abound at Mediterranean Harbor, the second-best port in all of Tokyo DisneySea.

Anyone who knows anything about Tokyo DisneySea likely knows Mount Prometheus, the large (and regularly “erupting”) volcano that is the centerpiece of this amazing theme park. And for good reason. Mount Prometheus, and the surrounding Mysterious Island port, are quite possibly the most incredible themed area in the entire theme park world. The volcano is massive, and once passing through one of its entryways, Mysterious Island is a feast for the eyes and ears. Jules Verne-inspired machinery bores its way into the mountain, which produces steam, lava, and water in random patterns. The central body of water bubbles and boils in strange and unsettling ways. The DisneySea Steamer cruises through the central waterway. The Nautilus submarine, stationed next to the entrance to the incredibly theme Vulcania restaurant, adds even more depth and realism. On top of all of this amazing orchestration of theming and immersion, the land contains two of Tokyo DisneySea’s best attractions. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is a unique interactive dark ride that burrows deep into the ocean. Riders can control lights to shine on various attraction features, as their submarines take them on an adventure that ultimately leads to the discovery of the lost city of Atlantis and its inhabitants. And then, there is Journey to the Center of the Earth, quite possibly the headliner of this headliner park. The attraction utilizes the slot-car technology to provide an incredible, immersive experience. Beginning with the amazing queue, the excitement builds all the way to the climax, when the ride vehicles come blasting out the side of the mountain after encountering an incredible underground lightning storm, and a massive creature dwelling near the earth’s core. This is everything it’s hyped up to be – a fitting centerpiece of this amazing port that rounds out the experience, providing thrills and excitement. Mysterious Island is hard to put into words properly, but there’s no doubt it is best of the best, the single greatest port in the masterpiece that is Tokyo DisneySea.