私たちは、東京ディズニーリゾートに行きます Geoffa & partner

[Guest]

It means we are going to Tokyo Disney Resort!

Having promised we would go this year and then promptly booked for California we have now set dates (29/8 to 6/9)to visit Tokyo Disney Resort in 2013. The trip will only be for a week because of my partner's work commitments but it's somewhere I have longed to visit for a number of years. Whilst it is Disney in ethos it is very different to the parks we know in USA. There is no train running around the Disneyland perimeter - their train runs through Adventureland. They have Tokyo Disneysea which has an erupting volcano (man made) and a ride that is a journey to the centre of the earth! There is a monorail that surrounds both parks and you have to pay to use it!
We'll be using DVC points for this trip and when I tell you that one night in a Disney hotel here averages £400 you can see it isn't
cheap. We have decided to stay at the Mira Costa hotel which is built to look like the buildings and canals of Venice. There are cheaper alternatives - Disney partner hotels surround both parks.
As it is usually an overnight flight to Japan we'll be taking Business Class on the way out (probably BA) and PE on the return journey. At least I'll be able to sleep on a flat bed on the way there. Arrival is around 7a.m.
Reading up on customs etc is interesting. You never hand anything over with one hand. You do it with both - even a credit card. This should be placed in the little dish by the till. It will be returned (with two hands) to the dish with the receipt wrapped around it. In restaurants you may be given a menu with pictures of meals as well as a description. Makes for easier ordering. Bowing is a whole minefield. A CM will bow deeply to a guest but the guest should make a shallower bow in return as they are seen as superior! It should all make for good fun.
Two other Dibbers, James & Emma, are making plans to go in January '13 and we have been PM-ing each other on tips and tricks.
I currently have two books on the go - Tokyo Disney Made Easy and Tokyo Disney Resort - both of which I'm reading avidly.
One recommendation is not use a rental car as all road signs are in Japanese.
We plan to visit Tokyo itself one day of the holiday and the advice here is hire an English speaking guide. You can get hopelessly lost and if you don't speak the language...
Another day will be a trip to see Mount Fuji and its surrounding area. This will involve a trip on the famous Bullet Train.
So - loads to plan.
In the meantime... Sayonara!

[Guest]

That sounds like an amazing trip, I will be keeping an eye out for updates on your plans.

[Guest]

You will love it! i DID! Although the background story for ToT is very weird! xxx

[Guest]

Originally Posted by Disney_Dolly

You will love it! i DID! Although the background story for ToT is very weird! xxx

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Did you realise the portrait of Mr Hightower is actually Joe Rhode - one of Disney's Imagineers (who gave us expedition Everest). The reason for the odd background story at ToT is because the Japanese never had Twilight Zone on their TV.

[Eeyore rocks]

It sounds amazing Geoff...

Happy planning...and i look forward to the trippie.

[goodevans]

That should be an amazing trip

Will look forward to the first hand report all about it

[stupet11]

Great stuff - a place I too long to visit - with or without a slice of Disney.

It must be like going to WDW for the first time all over again.

Enjoy!

[Guest]

Originally Posted by geoffa

Did you realise the portrait of Mr Hightower is actually Joe Rhode - one of Disney's Imagineers (who gave us expedition Everest). The reason for the odd background story at ToT is because the Japanese never had Twilight Zone on their TV.

See more...

I didnt know about the imagineer, thats very interesting! My friend did tell me about the no Twilight Zone thing but I still found it very odd. Not sure I liked it tbh. Maybe because I am so used to the usual story?

You always know so many good Disney facts Geoffa!

xxx

[kevbrydon]

Hi Geoffa...really enjoyed your trip report last time at Grand Californian Villas..so looking forward to this trip even more...something that we wouldn't even attempt...but really pleased you are making the effort to share with us..

[Disneycraft]

How exciting for you ! Can't wait to read your take on it all