Flight prices direct to Japan?

[AntonyJ]

Originally Posted by Kat11

Oh that’s good to know as a guide price. I’d seen £10,900 business return through BA but the cheaper business flights going have now gone so it’s £8,150 PE out Business back. That’s for 4 people. What does that sound like?

Are business flights to Japan generally more expensive than Orlando do you know?

Will take a look at ANA. Would preferably like direct. Thanks.

Kat

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Sorry the 2019 trip and the upcoming ones, are my only times in Business class so no real idea of prices compared to Orlando. The 2019 trip to Tokyo was done with Virgin Points redeemed to get Business and First seats - so only paid taxes and fees.

[AntonyJ]

Originally Posted by Kat11

Thank you.

I wonder wether it’s best to stay in Kyoto the whole time then go to universal from there? Or stay in Osaka with trips into Kyoto. What do both Cities have to offer? I assume Kyoto would be better as a base?

Did you do Disney was looking at Hilton Tokyo Bay for that?

Don’t know where’s best in Tokyo either as we’d really want to be central to be able to mostly walk everywhere.

Kat

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We did Hilton Tokyo Bay and loved it, going back again this trip for the Disney day, then move to another hotel in Tokyo.

We stayed in Shibuya (famous for its scramble / pedestrian crossing) and many things we wanted to go see in Tokyo were 20 / 40 min walks to get to. For the rest we used the trains and were fine. The hotel there was at one end of the train station and could not fault it, staff were lovely and rooms spotless and (important for me in any heat) the room had air con that could freeze a buffalo !

Be aware that the Hilton Tokyo Bay rooms a nice a big / western sized, but once you go into Tokyo itself the rooms tend to be a smidgen... well smaller!

If you want to PM me your email or mobile number, I can send you the pics I have of the Hilton at Tokyo Bay, the hotel we had in Shibuya and other places we went to there if you wanted

[AntonyJ]

Originally Posted by Kat11

My main concern is plucking up the courage to actually book to go! 😂 My Dd’s would love it, as would I, it’s just we are so used to Orlando. It’s like a comfort blanket but really could do with a change.

I’ve read on here about the rail pass so would be buying that. Also you’ve given be a couple of hotel ideas for Disney and universal reading through other threads. Still Need ides on Tokyo hotels now. I really like the idea of breakfast included as that would be one of the meals accounted for.

I am a bit of a planner so knowing what we are doing whilst there is important to take the stress out of it.

Booking flights is a big one too as I’d prefer to pay deposit only so would need to book a hotel for part of the trip to secure that. As it’s such a lot of money upfront otherwise. I got stuck with £6.5k in vouchers when I’d paid upfront on flights this last trip. Luckily managed to use on hotels but want avoid it this time.

Kat

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I know what you mean about Orlando - it has been for the last 20 or so years, my happy place, I used to go once or twice a year and it was heaven for me.

Look at BA holidays, flight and hotel, as I think you only need to pay a deposit today, rest later - type of thing.

[AntonyJ]

I was mostly scared of the food (not a big fish fan, in my world fish only comes in batter!) and getting around as the language on signs etc.

But once there it was so much choice for food and due to olympics coming, found all signs in at least English language and Japanese.

Google maps on your phone made navigation walking etc so easy.

[sky13]

Agree with other comments that Tokyo is huge and there isn't a "central" part as such, there are so many areas to visit there! But the train system is excellent and it was really easy to get around Tokyo.

We actually used the Sheraton Tokyo Bay as a base due to the rooms being larger/nicer than what we could get for the same cost in central Tokyo proper, plus I liked being close to Disney. It wasn't too hard to get into central Tokyo using the train system!

I think I booked the Sheraton Tokyo Bay over the Hilton Tokyo Bay probably due to it being cheaper or having some newly renovated rooms or similar reasons, but this was way back in 2015!

One other possibility to consider regarding Disney Tokyo hotels are the on-site hotels - in particular Disneyland Hotel is right opposite the entrance to Disneyland, and the Hotel MiraCosta is at the entrance to DisneySEA (similar to Disneyland Paris/Disneyland Hotel and DCA/Grand Californian). I honestly really want to stay in MiraCosta at least for a night at some point!

I've found out this year that the Google Translate app on my phone is amazing, as I can just point the camera at anything and it will instant auto-translate. I've been testing it out on Japanese on all the random Japanese snacks I buy and it works incredibly well. Even managed to use it to read a Japanese magazine. So that would help a lot with the language barrier in Japan.

(I really want to go back to Japan but am still waiting for their borders to properly open up!)

[AntonyJ]

Originally Posted by sky13

Agree with other comments that Tokyo is huge and there isn't a "central" part as such, there are so many areas to visit there! But the train system is excellent and it was really easy to get around Tokyo.

We actually used the Sheraton Tokyo Bay as a base due to the rooms being larger/nicer than what we could get for the same cost in central Tokyo proper, plus I liked being close to Disney. It wasn't too hard to get into central Tokyo using the train system!

I think I booked the Sheraton Tokyo Bay over the Hilton Tokyo Bay probably due to it being cheaper or having some newly renovated rooms or similar reasons, but this was way back in 2015!

One other possibility to consider regarding Disney Tokyo hotels are the on-site hotels - in particular Disneyland Hotel is right opposite the entrance to Disneyland, and the Hotel MiraCosta is at the entrance to DisneySEA (similar to Disneyland Paris/Disneyland Hotel and DCA/Grand Californian). I honestly really want to stay in MiraCosta at least for a night at some point!

I've found out this year that the Google Translate app on my phone is amazing, as I can just point the camera at anything and it will instant auto-translate. I've been testing it out on Japanese on all the random Japanese snacks I buy and it works incredibly well. Even managed to use it to read a Japanese magazine. So that would help a lot with the language barrier in Japan.

(I really want to go back to Japan but am still waiting for their borders to properly open up!)

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I booked Hilton as have Gold status in Hilton so get things like free breakfast , but when I looked into differences between the two the only real ones I saw was :

Sheraton had the newly renovated wing this must be 5 years or more ago now.
Sheraton had the coin operated laundry room.
Hilton had the doctor on staff

This was all pre-COVID of course !

[Kat11]

Originally Posted by AntonyJ

Sorry the 2019 trip and the upcoming ones, are my only times in Business class so no real idea of prices compared to Orlando. The 2019 trip to Tokyo was done with Virgin Points redeemed to get Business and First seats - so only paid taxes and fees.

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How did you use virgin points? I’ve got shed loads of them! I know they don’t fly direct so what was the process for you as that could be something to consider?

Kat

[AntonyJ]

Originally Posted by Kat11

How did you use virgin points? I’ve got shed loads of them! I know they don’t fly direct so what was the process for you as that could be something to consider?

Kat

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<links and clicks fingers in overly dramatic way>
Oh Kat11 - welcome to my life for last few years, trying to nab reward seats on ANA with virgin points!

Few quick things:
Reward seats are limited per flight, one plane might have 1 in each class (First, Business, Economy) and the next flight might have none at all.

Very very rare are 2 reward seats being available in same class - but not unknown.

So if to do manage to get reward seats you are all but certain to be sat apart in one way or another.

Here is the link to info on it on the Virgin web site:

flywith.virginatlantic/g...n-airways.html

How to nab the seats - see this thread - it might be slightly out of date now given recent events but gives you basic idea:

https://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/sho... php?t=1149065

Perhaps I should try and do a basic guide to it……

The taxes and fees have gone up dramatically on these reward seats, so much that am not sure the value is there to use them to get an economy seat, but still quite the bargain for business and first seats IMHO.

Finally for now, ANA have a premium economy seat on their planes but you cannot nab them with virgin points.

[Kat11]

Originally Posted by AntonyJ

<links and clicks fingers in overly dramatic way>
Oh Kat11 - welcome to my life for last few years, trying to nab reward seats on ANA with virgin points!

Few quick things:
Reward seats are limited per flight, one plane might have 1 in each class (First, Business, Economy) and the next flight might have none at all.

Very very rare are 2 reward seats being available in same class - but not unknown.

So if to do manage to get reward seats you are all but certain to be sat apart in one way or another.

Here is the link to info on it on the Virgin web site:

flywith.virginatlantic/g...n-airways.html

How to nab the seats - see this thread - it might be slightly out of date now given recent events but gives you basic idea:

https://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/sho... php?t=1149065

Perhaps I should try and do a basic guide to it……

The taxes and fees have gone up dramatically on these reward seats, so much that am not sure the value is there to use them to get an economy seat, but still quite the bargain for business and first seats IMHO.

Finally for now, ANA have a premium economy seat on their planes but you cannot nab them with virgin points.

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Thanks for this. Think I’ve probably missed the boat on reward seats then? Sounds like a lot of work to get them even if I were to be on the ball! 😂

Kat

[AntonyJ]

Originally Posted by Kat11

Thanks for this. Think I’ve probably missed the boat on reward seats then? Sounds like a lot of work to get them even if I were to be on the ball! 😂

Kat

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No I would NOT say you might have missed the boat :-)

With Russian air space being closed (most Euro ANA flights went through Russia) and Japan being closed to tourists - the appearance of reward seats to / from Europe have been a little strange as many flights have not flown at all, or flown reduced number of days a week etc.

It could well be that once Japan opens up the reward seats start to appear again. While the US ANA flights have the same entry issues, their flight paths have been effected much less by the Russian airspace issues, and they have seen decent numbers of reward seats released.

Hope springs eternal!