Warning: This is on an Expo Park so Ghibli Park is part of another park with LONG QUEUES, LONG WAITS and A LOT OF WALKING to get from one place to another if you can't make the free bus (that runs every 30 minutes). There are lots of indoor areas you are NOT allowed to take photos and re-entry not allowed.

I booked 12pm for the Ghibli Warehouse for the 25/03/2024 but arrived at the park at 10am with my party of 4. It was raining so we couldn't predict that this will happen as I had to book this 2 months in advance. Booking was straight forward but time consuming after reading reviews to have the website ready very early not at the time that tickets are open for sale to get an earlier number in the queue. I purchased the premium one day tickets. There is a warning on the website that it will take longer than one day to visit all areas of the park and it is true. I couldn't see everything on the day and despite the rain it made it hard to walk around to every location with some being a short couple of minutes walk to feeling like a hike.

I would suggest to book an earlier time to get into Ghibli Grand Warehouse. The ticket says to queue within the hour of booking for Ghibli Warehouse. I rocked up with my party in the very long queue just after 11:00am to be told to come back at 12 as they are letting in those booked at 11am. I came back after checking the Witches area and given a UV light stamp so I can return into the place. (There was no time to come back at all with the time spent queuing in every section).

The information desk is inside the Ghibli Grand Warehouse and the only place that had a physical map of the whole park available and the Ghibli Grand Warehouse. And you have to ask for one and they only provide one per party.

It is very PACKED with long queues to take a photo with NO FACE in the Exhibition which I didn't bother and went to the main entrance to take a quick photo from outside the queue before someone went in for their turn to get their photo taken. More queuing to get photos for each section.

My friends went to the cafes to check for food and some food was sold out. Not great considering that there is more people coming in than the amount of food provided. There is food trucks outside but you can't go back in the Ghibli Grand Warehouse 🤷‍♀️😒so you have to stay in there to check everything.

Ghibli Park is more only for Instagram than for having a good experience.

I was left a little disappointed with the premium ticket NOT having a premium experience and more of a regular experience with lots of queues and having to quickly take photos while everyone is taking their time getting MULTIPLE SHOTS and in different positions.

The MAP is a LIE of the positioning of locations. The Dondoko house is more further than what it is on the map and for foreign tourists I had to follow Japanese locals to get the direction of where to go as there is no English signage. Some of the workers don't speak well English but at least some had the rules in English to follow to show before entering each locations aka no photos inside, no food or drink, no re-entry etc.

I didn't get a chance to catch the free bus that goes around every 30 minutes and the other option the Cat Bus you have to pay 1,000 Yen to take the cat bus to get from one specific place to another which I believe should be included in the premium ticket. I did not bother paying as I think it was a rort.

I missed seeing some locations missing the Free Bus and also by the time I found Dondoko Forest it was already getting hour close to closing time and my partner and I were tired. Our friends left earlier on as the experience was draining and they were not having a good time plus not big Ghibli Fans.