November 2024 Trip To Tokyo Disney !

[Flossbolna]

You can keep it at your feet. Not sure how big the overhead is. It probably depends how long your ride is and how tall you are.

Yes, but that’s not comfortable. For us, booking with the reserved luggage space means one less worry, so we will do that.

 

[Flossbolna]

Lazy question …How far in advance can you book the Shinkansen

One month if you want to pick your seat. I think otherwise it’s two months out, but they will just assign a random seat.

 

[Nakkira]

Sounds like a great itinerary!

On the Shinkansen from Kyoto to Tokyo there is now a rule that you have to reserve seats with luggage storage if you bring bigger suitcases. You might be the type who just travels with a carry on, but we aren’t and that new rule has me a bit concerned. But considering how many trains are runnning between the two cities it should not be an issue to get that reservation.

Thank you! I was aware of that change to the shinkansen luggage policy. (However if I had not yet been aware I would have very much needed to know)
I am still torn on weather I will be using a delivery service to get our luggage from Kyoto to Tokyo or if we will take it with us on the train. I guess it will depend on the price.

 

[Nakkira]

Lazy question …How far in advance can you book the Shinkansen?

Good question.. I will have to look into it.


EDIT: Nevermind, I just saw Flossbolna's helpful response.

 

[Nakkira]

You can keep it at your feet. Not sure how big the overhead is. It probably depends how long your ride is and how tall you are.

I am too tall to consider that an option.

 

[Disneyhanna]

I am planning a trip for May/June and I am 100% planning on relying on luggage shipping including to and from Kyoto. I can definitely report back on how it goes! I'll plan to keep my carry on so I'll have to take that with me on the Shinkansen but from what I can tell carry ons are fine, though I admit I haven't done much research on that part yet.

 

[foolish_mortals]

Strongly advise shipping anything larger than a small carryon. Ship the carryon too if you can survive with a large tote or backpack for a night. Most hotels will handle this for you and it makes traveling around Japan a lot easier.

Definitely at least consider sending large pieces ahead to the airport the day before you depart.

 

[wanderlust7]

I am still torn on weather I will be using a delivery service to get our luggage from Kyoto to Tokyo or if we will take it with us on the train. I guess it will depend on the price.

We paid 4360 yen to send 2 checked luggage from Tokyo to Osaka. That's less than $15 per bag in today's exchange rate. Worth every penny and more not having to schlep luggage through train stations. It can be difficult to find an elevator or escalator, especially in older stations.

We use the service every trip. Usually I'll have the luggage bypass the short 2 day stops and just take a carry on.

 

[soniam]

I am planning a trip for May/June and I am 100% planning on relying on luggage shipping including to and from Kyoto. I can definitely report back on how it goes! I'll plan to keep my carry on so I'll have to take that with me on the Shinkansen but from what I can tell carry ons are fine, though I admit I haven't done much research on that part yet.

I'm a bit reluctant, because I don't want to be without stuff for at least 2 days. That's what I have been reading lately for luggage transfer between Tokyo and the Kansai region, ie Kyoto or Osaka. We will probably have to do it from Kyoto back to Tokyo Disney, since we will be doing Ghibli Park, and they don't allow large bags or have storage. Since it's basically 3 adults, my husband, our 18 year old son, and myself, the bags shouldn't be too hard to carry around. We have done it in South America and Europe, especially Paris where it seems impossible to find elevators or escalators.

 

[Disneyhanna]

I'm a bit reluctant, because I don't want to be without stuff for at least 2 days. That's what I have been reading lately for luggage transfer between Tokyo and the Kansai region, ie Kyoto or Osaka. We will probably have to do it from Kyoto back to Tokyo Disney, since we will be doing Ghibli Park, and they don't allow large bags or have storage. Since it's basically 3 adults, my husband, our 18 year old son, and myself, the bags shouldn't be too hard to carry around. We have done it in South America and Europe, especially Paris where it seems impossible to find elevators or escalators.

I have seen a lot of people receive their bags only one day later even between Tokyo/Kyoto! I think two days is what they generally promise but as long as you ship in the morning, I think there's a good chance it'll arrive next day. I use air tags when moving bags even at WDW. I will probably ship my carry on as well depending on how my packing goes. I will have to do a trial run at home of how much room my stuff take up and if I can fit everything into a backpack for two days just in case. The tricky thing is I have to be a bit strategic about laundry so I need to make sure I have my bag back on a certain day...gotta plan out all of the moves ahead of time so I can just check my notes each day of what I need to do!

I am an overpacker though, so my suitcases always end up so heavy. Japan is going to require a lot of sacrifices as I am usually a 2-3 outfits per day type of person. Packing only a few outfits for a two week trip is NOT my usual method. But I'm a shopper too, so I know I need to leave room to go crazy at Uniqlo and GU for clothes alone (and Disney, obviously)

 

[Disneyhanna]

Strongly advise shipping anything larger than a small carryon. Ship the carryon too if you can survive with a large tote or backpack for a night. Most hotels will handle this for you and it makes traveling around Japan a lot easier.

Definitely at least consider sending large pieces ahead to the airport the day before you depart.

I thought about that (for the return to the airport) but since I am planning on taking a limo bus from Disney, I figure I will just deal with the luggage on the bus. I need to do some research if their two-bag limit only applies to check bags, or if carry ons are part of that. I will have two check bags and a small carry on (and underseat bag lol). The ticket is so cheap I wonder if they'd just let me buy a second ticket if they really end up that strict about the bag limit?

 

[Nakkira]

I am planning a trip for May/June and I am 100% planning on relying on luggage shipping including to and from Kyoto. I can definitely report back on how it goes! I'll plan to keep my carry on so I'll have to take that with me on the Shinkansen but from what I can tell carry ons are fine, though I admit I haven't done much research on that part yet.

Can't wait to hear back on your experience

 

[Nakkira]

Strongly advise shipping anything larger than a small carryon. Ship the carryon too if you can survive with a large tote or backpack for a night. Most hotels will handle this for you and it makes traveling around Japan a lot easier.

Definitely at least consider sending large pieces ahead to the airport the day before you depart.

I plan on getting transportation for but us and our luggage on departure day.

My first tip to Japan we were allowed 2 checked bag each with our our flights. So we stuffed a medium suitcase inside a larger suitcase (packing the medium bag with our clothes and filling the gap space around it in the larger suitcase) for the journey there so we would have plenty of room for the stuff we were buying, plus we each had a carry-on and a back pack. It was a challenge getting around with all of that during our transfers. On the way back when we had the extra luggage full of stuff we gave up and ordered a van to the airport. LOL

Also they were VERY heavy because we bought a couple dozen used kimono (for resale as material in Cosplay) but we are not doing that this time.

This time we will each have a large (but not "oversize) suitcase and a carry one (+backpack). The carry on will be inside the large one for the trip there (again for souvenir space on the way home). Because a few of our stops are only a couple of nights I don't want to try to use luggage service for those but I am absolutely considering the service for our trip from Kyoto to Tokyo since by then we will have likely bought stuff and would be dealing with two bags each.

I am also really going to try bringing less clothes even though we will be there almost two weeks. If I need to hit a laundry mat I will, but I also have laundry detergent dry sheets so if I have to hand-wash in a bathtub, so be it.

 

[Nakkira]

I have seen a lot of people receive their bags only one day later even between Tokyo/Kyoto! I think two days is what they generally promise but as long as you ship in the morning, I think there's a good chance it'll arrive next day. I use air tags when moving bags even at WDW. I will probably ship my carry on as well depending on how my packing goes. I will have to do a trial run at home of how much room my stuff take up and if I can fit everything into a backpack for two days just in case. The tricky thing is I have to be a bit strategic about laundry so I need to make sure I have my bag back on a certain day...gotta plan out all of the moves ahead of time so I can just check my notes each day of what I need to do!

I am an overpacker though, so my suitcases always end up so heavy. Japan is going to require a lot of sacrifices as I am usually a 2-3 outfits per day type of person. Packing only a few outfits for a two week trip is NOT my usual method. But I'm a shopper too, so I know I need to leave room to go crazy at Uniqlo and GU for clothes alone (and Disney, obviously)

I am usually an over-packer too. Going to try very hard to be more conservative this trip, having had to haul heavy suitcase up the station steps on my last trip.

 

[Disneyhanna]

I also have laundry detergent dry sheets so if I have to hand-wash in a bathtub, so be it.

For some reason I always forget this is an option. Adding detergent to my packing list and reducing my changes of clothes

 

[Nakkira]

We paid 4360 yen to send 2 checked luggage from Tokyo to Osaka. That's less than $15 per bag in today's exchange rate. Worth every penny and more not having to schlep luggage through train stations. It can be difficult to find an elevator or escalator, especially in older stations.

We use the service every trip. Usually I'll have the luggage bypass the short 2 day stops and just take a carry on.

When you bypass the two day stops how does that work. do you just tell the luggage company what day you are arriving at the location you are sending it to? For example if I leave Osaka to head to Kinosaki (we will be wearing Yukata most of the time we are there and won't need more than a few basic that we can put in our backpacks) and just ship my luggage to Kyoto (the following stop) can I tell them what day we arriving in Kyoto and it gets there the same day or do they just sent it and it gets there when it gets there? What does the Hotel do with my luggage if it arrives a day or so before I do?
Hope I am not over complicating this..LOL

 

[soniam]

For some reason I always forget this is an option. Adding detergent to my packing list and reducing my changes of clothes

We will have access to laundry in our rooms in 2 of the places we are staying. Plus, I have hand/sink wash detergent and a portable drying line. I used it this summer on a cruise, because the items could not be put in the dryer and the ship only had laundry service, no self-self service. It worked well. It probably didn't hurt that a lot of the clothes were made for warm, sunny weather and were quick drying.

 

[wanderlust7]

When you bypass the two day stops how does that work. do you just tell the luggage company what day you are arriving at the location you are sending it to? For example if I leave Osaka to head to Kinosaki (we will be wearing Yukata most of the time we are there and won't need more than a few basic that we can put in our backpacks) and just ship my luggage to Kyoto (the following stop) can I tell them what day we arriving in Kyoto and it gets there the same day or do they just sent it and it gets there when it gets there? What does the Hotel do with my luggage if it arrives a day or so before I do?
Hope I am not over complicating this..LOL

Usually the front desk fills out the form for me. I think they ask what day I'm arriving. Some will call the receiving hotel to let them know it's coming. It's not an issue for the hotel to hold it. Often we get to the room and the luggage is already there waiting for us.

Our last trip was TDR (3 nights) - Kamakura (2) - Tokyo (4) - Universal (2) - Osaka (3). We sent the luggage from TDR to Tokyo, bypassing Kamakura, then from Tokyo to Osaka, bypassing Universal. We took 1 carry-on for the 4 of us, plus backpacks. It worked out very well!

 

[Nakkira]

For some reason I always forget this is an option. Adding detergent to my packing list and reducing my changes of clothes

I use these for travel. I just stick a few in a ziplock and they hardly take up any space or weight.

 

[Nakkira]

We will have access to laundry in our rooms in 2 of the places we are staying. Plus, I have hand/sink wash detergent and a portable drying line. I used it this summer on a cruise, because the items could not be put in the dryer and the ship only had laundry service, no self-self service. It worked well. It probably didn't hurt that a lot of the clothes were made for warm, sunny weather and were quick drying.

Yes. I got a portable laundry line off Temu to bring with too! When I was in Paris I has access to a Washing machine but no dryer. I figured for ANY trip it doesn't hurt to have a way to air dry wet things.
https://share.temu.com/Fbj0k5iq2AA