TR: Tokyo, Disney and DisneySea

[chris31997]

Finally booked our trip We are going to Tokyo in Nov for a week.

I'm not excited or anything

The crew that is flying with me DH, DD, and DS. We will be staying at the Hilton, a good neighbor hotel. We are planning on 1 day at Disney and 1 day at DisneySea. Than exploring on our own Tokyo Bay area and maybe more depending on how adventurous we get on the subway/trains.

Please be gentle this is my first TR( and PR )

Hopefully, this will give more info to more people

[DreamSweetsLove]

Cool! Have a great time! The weather should be much more comfortable in November!

[tinibee]

The trains and transportation here can be a learning curve but isn't too bad.

I bought Getting Around Tokyo Pocket Atlas and Transportation Guide (http://www.tuttlepublishing.com/book...48053100144350). This book has been helpful for me to better understand the transportation systems. And its the first English documentation I've found for buses in Japan!

Have a great trip!

[chris31997]

A friend pointed me in the direction of bus service from the airport to the hotel. Found the website. Check out the Access TokyoDisney website

http://www.tokyodisneyresort.co.jp/e...ita/index.html

As we are flying into Narita, we will have alittle wait because we arrive just as one leave We of course could not time it any better. Oh well. Maybe we will take the train instead of wait Maybe we will get lunch(bentos) and wait for the bus. You can get some really yummy things out of the vending machines and from vendors. We shall see.

Anyone got favs that they want to share for dining at the airport close to the baggage claim???

I am trying to limit the baggage to 1 maybe 2 bags and carry-ons.

I need to make my list of places to hit and the addresses.

Confession time of sorts
As we live in Okinawa, we have the cell phones for here. DH is stationed here. I guess you might say we are transplants and exploring mainland Japan. We are looking forward to it.


On a side note. I got my birthday gifts last week. 2 Disney purses. But they say Walt Disney World and Disneyland. I ask DH if I could get new ones that say TokyoDisney He said only if they said Hong Kong Disney also Really. Like Tokyo Disney is going to have stuff from Hong Kong. Not fair.

[jessily]

We just returned from Tokyo (my brother in law is also stationed in Okinawa). It was a great trip! The arrivals area didn't have much in the way of restaurants, but there were plenty of little stands with snacks/smoothies/etc. Both terminals had lots of restaurants near check-in before going through security. I believe there's a shuttle that can take you between different areas of the airport.

I found almost nothing in the way Disney merchandise that actually said Tokyo on it. No t-shirts, magnets, etc. People there are crazy for the merchandise, but it's mostly stuffed animals and snacks that they take home for friends and coworkers from what I saw.

Hope you have a great trip! We absolutely loved the parks. It was great people watching and took some of the things that I found interesting about Japan to a whole new level

[PrincessInOz]

Originally Posted by chris31997

As we live in Okinawa, we have the cell phones for here. DH is stationed here. I guess you might say we are transplants and exploring mainland Japan. We are looking forward to it.


On a side note. I got my birthday gifts last week. 2 Disney purses. But they say Walt Disney World and Disneyland. I ask DH if I could get new ones that say TokyoDisney He said only if they said Hong Kong Disney also Really. Like Tokyo Disney is going to have stuff from Hong Kong. Not fair.

Happy Birthday!

I hope you will post your travel adventures of Japan; not just of TDL. It will be cool to see what you go see.


And seriously? No merch at TDL that says "Tokyo Disneyland"?

There were lots of merchandise at Hong Kong that said Hong Kong Disneyland...pins, t-shirts, magnets etc.

WOW! That's really different.

[chris31997]

Originally Posted by jessily

We just returned from Tokyo (my brother in law is also stationed in Okinawa). It was a great trip! The arrivals area didn't have much in the way of restaurants, but there were plenty of little stands with snacks/smoothies/etc. Both terminals had lots of restaurants near check-in before going through security. I believe there's a shuttle that can take you between different areas of the airport.

I found almost nothing in the way Disney merchandise that actually said Tokyo on it. No t-shirts, magnets, etc. People there are crazy for the merchandise, but it's mostly stuffed animals and snacks that they take home for friends and coworkers from what I saw.

Hope you have a great trip! We absolutely loved the parks. It was great people watching and took some of the things that I found interesting about Japan to a whole new level

It is a good thing we have had fun learning snack/smoothie/food stands. Thankfully, the kids have gotten used to eating foods that don't look normal

Originally Posted by PrincessInOz

Happy Birthday!

I hope you will post your travel adventures of Japan; not just of TDL. It will be cool to see what you go see.


And seriously? No merch at TDL that says "Tokyo Disneyland"?

There were lots of merchandise at Hong Kong that said Hong Kong Disneyland...pins, t-shirts, magnets etc.

WOW! That's really different.

Thank you for the bday wishes. We had heard that to get merchandise with TDL on it would be next to impossible. DD found a t-shirt at a thrift store in Hawaii with TDL, of course we were not looking for it and now we have to keep it

Now my issue, Edo Tokyo Museum or Tokyo National Museum?????

As a homeschooling mama, I manage to work something educational into all of our trips Can't even go home without doing it Anyway, TDL can be some what educational some how...... I am sure I can figure out some way to turn it into a field trip But I do want to work in some real educational field trip into the trip.

I am sure we will and can find castle/shrines/temples somewhere around Tokyo. We have been to several of them here. I can even say we have been to 3 World Heritage Sites. Which we all thought were cool and neat in some way

I also want to go to the Tokyo Tower(is that what it is called???) It is near where MIL and Aunt stayed and would be neat if not alittle to go to the top and see if we can see Mt Fuji

Looking at going to TDL and Sea on Wednesday and Thursday. That leaves Monday afternoon and Friday morning to entertain ourselves with.

I want to go to the Washi Paper store that others have posted about. I am also planning a 20th vow renewal on DCL and would like to make invites out of the paper. Of course I have a few years to go for that


I do have to call the lovely people who can meet us at the airport hold the car and than pick us back up at the airport, so we don't have to park at long term parking.

Can't wait to go

[DreamSweetsLove]

I'm really surprised you could not for anything that said Tokyo Disneyland on it. Almost all the merchandise says the name of the resort on it somewhere. Do you mean merchandise that just has the name splashed across in huge letters? Usually the labeling is discreet and the design of the souvenir is the stronger focus I think but there is a lot of merch referencing the parks specifically and goods sold in the park which are really fun. Like the mini popcorn bucket keychains designed after the buckets sold at the parks or the file and stationary sets featuring park snacks like churros, choco balls, etc. Every season the is merchandise for the seasonal events which also had the resort park name and date.

[DreamSweetsLove]

Originally Posted by chris31997

It is a good thing we have had fun learning snack/smoothie/food stands. Thankfully, the kids have gotten used to eating foods that don't look normal





Thank you for the bday wishes. We had heard that to get merchandise with TDL on it would be next to impossible. DD found a t-shirt at a thrift store in Hawaii with TDL, of course we were not looking for it and now we have to keep it

Now my issue, Edo Tokyo Museum or Tokyo National Museum?????

As a homeschooling mama, I manage to work something educational into all of our trips Can't even go home without doing it Anyway, TDL can be some what educational some how...... I am sure I can figure out some way to turn it into a field trip But I do want to work in some real educational field trip into the trip.

I am sure we will and can find castle/shrines/temples somewhere around Tokyo. We have been to several of them here. I can even say we have been to 3 World Heritage Sites. Which we all thought were cool and neat in some way

I also want to go to the Tokyo Tower(is that what it is called???) It is near where MIL and Aunt stayed and would be neat if not alittle to go to the top and see if we can see Mt Fuji

Looking at going to TDL and Sea on Wednesday and Thursday. That leaves Monday afternoon and Friday morning to entertain ourselves with.

I want to go to the Washi Paper store that others have posted about. I am also planning a 20th vow renewal on DCL and would like to make invites out of the paper. Of course I have a few years to go for that


I do have to call the lovely people who can meet us at the airport hold the car and than pick us back up at the airport, so we don't have to park at long term parking.

Can't wait to go

I would skip Tokyo Tower and go see the Sky Tree instead. If you really want to see Tokyo Tower an open top bus tour would be fine. It's not very impressive inside.

[chris31997]

Originally Posted by DreamSweetsLove

I would skip Tokyo Tower and go see the Sky Tree instead. If you really want to see Tokyo Tower an open top bus tour would be fine. It's not very impressive inside.

Sky Tree??? I have not heard about that. What is that?

I want to get a couple of the popcorn buckets. I saw some friend's, Donald with his head stuck in it and Stich driving his car They were cute and funny. Not only that, really interested in trying the different flavors of popcorn.

Nice to hear that you can get different type of merchandise and some with holiday themes. Going when we are, we will get to see the Christmas stuff

[battymum]

Originally Posted by DreamSweetsLove

I would skip Tokyo Tower and go see the Sky Tree instead. If you really want to see Tokyo Tower an open top bus tour would be fine. It's not very impressive inside.

Is there a hop on hop of bus in tokyo? Would you recommend it?

[DreamSweetsLove]

Originally Posted by battymum

Is there a hop on hop of bus in Tokyo? Would you recommend it?

It's ok, it can be pretty at night definitely! It really depends on time you have or how you like to explore the city. My son gets a big kick out of it, so maybe good for children too.

[DreamSweetsLove]

Originally Posted by chris31997

Sky Tree??? I have not heard about that. What is that?

I want to get a couple of the popcorn buckets. I saw some friend's, Donald with his head stuck in it and Stich driving his car They were cute and funny. Not only that, really interested in trying the different flavors of popcorn.

Nice to hear that you can get different type of merchandise and some with holiday themes. Going when we are, we will get to see the Christmas stuff

The Sky Tree is a broadcasting tower that has replaced Tokyo Tower, it's the worlds tallest freestanding broadcasting tower. It's close to Asakusa too so you can visit both in the same day! I've been meaning to write out my trip report from the summer and one of the places we went to was the Sky Tree, maybe I can get started on that today.

This is from the Sky Tree's website:
http://www.tokyo-skytree.jp/en/index.html

The height of the TOKYO SKYTREE was originally specified at approximately 610m in the original project. However, it was planned from the beginning to be the world's tallest free-standing broadcasting tower. After careful discussion and research on high-rise buildings that are being built around the world, it was finally decided on 634m, to become the tallest free-standing broadcasting tower in the world.

Thus, the 634m-high TOKYO SKYTREE was recognized by the Guinness World Records Company on November 17, 2011 as the tallest tower in the world.


The decision on the figure "634" for the height was based on the concept of choosing a figure that would be easy for everyone to remember with the world's tallest tower that has also become a symbol of the area.

The sound of the number "634" when read in old Japanese numbers is "mu-sa-shi", which reminds Japanese people of Musashi Province of the past, that used to cover a large area, including Tokyo, Saitama and part of Kanagawa Prefecture.

Historically speaking, the area where the TOKYO SKYTREE stands belonged to Musashi Province. From the Observation Decks, the landscape of the old Musashi Province spreads out before you and reminds visitors of the locality and history of the area lying east of Tokyo, i.e. east of old Edo.

We believe that the use of a familiar figure for the height of the TOKYO SKYTREE will make it easier for everyone to remember.

[jessily]

Originally Posted by DreamSweetsLove

I'm really surprised you could not for anything that said Tokyo Disneyland on it. Almost all the merchandise says the name of the resort on it somewhere. Do you mean merchandise that just has the name splashed across in huge letters? Usually the labeling is discreet and the design of the souvenir is the stronger focus I think but there is a lot of merch referencing the parks specifically and goods sold in the park which are really fun. Like the mini popcorn bucket keychains designed after the buckets sold at the parks or the file and stationary sets featuring park snacks like churros, choco balls, etc. Every season the is merchandise for the seasonal events which also had the resort park name and date.

You're correct, there was definitely some unique/fun merchandise (especially lots of Halloween items). We were hoping to find a tshirt or magnet that simply had the park logo on it or said Tokyo Disneyland, but didn't have much luck there. A lot of the merchandise was character based, which is great, just not what we were looking for on this trip since luggage space was extremely limited. We ended up getting a small tumbler glass that has a pretty pattern and says Tokyo Disneyland on it. We didn't have a lot of time in the parks, so we didn't make it into all the stores, just tried to visit the main (Main St Emporium type) shops. I'm sure there is even more unique merchandise if you explore further. I forget the name of them, but I especially liked the mini lego type kits... we saw them all over Tokyo, and I loved that they had Disney themed ones at the parks.

[chris31997]

Originally Posted by DreamSweetsLove

The Sky Tree is a broadcasting tower that has replaced Tokyo Tower, it's the worlds tallest freestanding broadcasting tower. It's close to Asakusa too so you can visit both in the same day! I've been meaning to write out my trip report from the summer and one of the places we went to was the Sky Tree, maybe I can get started on that today.

This is from the Sky Tree's website:
http://www.tokyo-skytree.jp/en/index.html

Thanks for the link. I will have to show it to DH and see what he thinks. Not sure if my tummy can handle both. Can you really go up to the very top?