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Re: Trip Planning Well Underway
Posted: Sun Oct 24, 2010 4:02 pm
by churros
It was great that you could meet up with Ken!
You have had a fantastic trip Keith - thanks for sharing it with us! I hope you have a smooth flight with a strong tail wind!
Re: Trip Planning Well Underway
Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2010 12:33 pm
by KeithS
Hi everyone - we are back home. Thanks for all for the comments along the way - it made it fun to do the updates - knowing that you were all back here reading them.
We arrived this morning after the overnight flight - a bit tired of course. We are going to unpack all the loot tomorrow and download the photos to our computer - so I'll begin posting some of them later in the week.
Suffice to say we had a wonderful time in Tokyo - it is a brilliant place to visit. I'll do a proper summing up once my brain is back in perfect working order!
Re: Trip Planning Well Underway
Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2010 1:40 pm
by Mel
Welcome home Keith!
Can't wait to hear more detail about your trip - I hope you're better at keeping Trip Report promises than that last family that went to Tokyo Disneyland from here
Re: Trip Planning Well Underway
Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2010 4:08 pm
by mushu mama
Welcome Home Keith and Della..
I've missed days and days of the reports being away myself... just catching up while I'm waiting for my flight back to Brisvegas. What an amazing trip - thanks for sharing so much of it with us all. -/
Lisa.
Re: Trip Planning Well Underway
Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2010 4:35 pm
by KeithS
I'm slowly recovering from the trip. As I mentioned early on, I caught Della's cold and it has been with me for two weeks - only today does it feel like I'm getting over it! It made the flight home very interesting...
I've downloaded my camera's photos to my PC and tomorrow I'll grab all of Della's photos. I'll then start sorting through them all and pick out a bunch for you guys. I took over 2000 shots on my DSLR in the three days I took it to the parks!
Some of the highlights from this year's trip were:
The Tokyo Bay Hilton Hotel (again!). We stayed there in 2008 and got a newly renovated Happy Magic Room. This time, we got a newly renovated normal room on the top floor of the hotel and it was even better than 2008. We loved this room!
Mysterious Masquerade - this is a stage show in Disneysea that you need to win the lottery to view and is only on during Halloween. We won tickets both times we entered (lucky!), the first time our seats were dead centre to the stage and just a couple of rows back. The show is MASSIVE, featuring a big cast, moving stage sets, awesome music and lighting. This alone was worth the entrance fee. I can't believe the scale of this production for a six week run - if it was in Anaheim, they'd milk it continuously for three years...
Everything else in Disneysea - this park still blows me away for it level of detail. Whilst Disneyland in Anaheim will always sentimentally be the best park, Disneysea is without doubt my favourite park to visit... From the quality of the shows like Mythica, Braviseamo, and Big Band Beat, to the level of theming all around (from the volcano to the SS Columbia and Arabian Coast), and the awesome rides like Journey to the Center of the Earth - this park really does have it all.
Duffy madness - yes, it began to affect me too - this little bear is huge in Japan now - much bigger than when we were there in 2008.
Pooh's Hunny Hunt - still one of the best attractions out there - I had forgotten how beautiful it was until I rode it again - I wish they had built it elsewhere.
Disney on Classic concert - performed all over Japan every October-December. The concert is in two parts with this year's part one featuring music scores from the Fantillusion Parade, Mickey's Philharmagic, and Stormrider suite, followed by songs from Mulan, Lady and the Tramp, The Hunchback of Notre Dame; and finishing with an arrangement of the main themes from Prince of Persia. After the intermission, they then performed the entire soundtrack of Beauty and the Beast, followed by a number of encores - it was a brilliant night a Disney music performed by a top orchestra with excellent singers from New York.
Harajuku - I didn't know what to expect heading over to Harajuku, but I found a fun and lively part of Tokyo that was probably let down by the influx of big fashion names (Swarovski, Gucci, LV etc). Away from the main shopping area, you find Yoyogi Park, which is home to a number of Tokyo sub-cultures including the 1950's greasers gangs keeping the big 50's hair dos and fashions alive in gang-rivalry dance offs (I couldn't believe what I was seeing!). The park was home to musicians of all types from harpists, bongo drummers, guitarists etc; we saw a skateboarding dog and a group of young guys playing a sport that required a small bean bag to be kept off the ground just using their feet. Of course, Harajuku is also home to the Harajuku fashion girls (google search if you need to) and cosplayers - so there is something for everyone here - and it is all family-friendly too.
Tokyo trains - still unbelievably efficient! And the subway museum was a great place to visit.
Little shops in Tokyo - sure, there are plenty of big name international brands, but take a look at a lot of the little independent retailers - they just well weird stuff that I won't even bother describing as I have no idea what it is - but is cool to look at. The toy stores we visited were brilliant!
The people - the Japanese are great and everyone was looking to help us. Whenever I pulled out a map, people asked if I needed help. One night at a subway station, I was going through my wallet looking for the right money when a lady asked if I needed help. A girl at the Disney on Classic concert came up to me after the show and asked if I needed assistance getting back to my hotel. A businessman I sat beside on the train gave me a tin a Japanese sardines from his grocery shopping - telling me they were his favourite and hoped I enjoyed my stay in Tokyo (can you imagine giving a Japanese tourist something from your grocery bag while sitting on a train?!)
There is obviously heaps more to talk about, but I'll wait for the photos.
Re: Trip Planning Well Underway
Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2010 5:27 pm
by churros
Loving this!
Re: Trip Planning Well Underway
Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2010 7:14 pm
by mushu mama
Oh wow... brilliant stuff Keith... -/
I'd LOVE to check out Harajuku ... I agree with the 'little shops' thing, I found the most beautiful ceramics and oddities in the little shops....
Can't wait for the photos... and also CAN'T BELIEVE you only took your camera for 3 days... I wouldn't have been able to go to the park without it at any point. Although, I guess 2000 photos is plenty.
Re: Trip Planning Well Underway
Posted: Wed Oct 27, 2010 10:08 am
by KeithS
Although, I guess 2000 photos is plenty.
That's just my camera - we took Della's little point and shoot with us everyday - so I don't think you'll miss out on anything!
Another highlight I failed to mention was meeting with Ken and Eno from the Mountainears in Washington. Those two guys were terrific and made the two hour journey up from where they were working just to get photos with us! We met them in the Hilton lobby then took the monorail for two laps around the resort before getting off at the Disneyland station. We then took photos outside the gates of Disneyland before Della and I entered the park and Ken and Eno went off to explore the hotels etc - they were visiting the parks that day. When Della and I were leaving for the last time, we ran into them again outside of Disneyland - they'd been photographing the Disneyland Hotel and had visited the shops. We had another long chat with them before we departed ways. Ken and Eno are in Japan for three weeks. I'll post photos of our meeting when I get them off Della's camera later today.
Della and I want to visit Seattle one day and it would be great to tie it in with one of the Mountainears meetings.
Re: Trip Planning Well Underway
Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2010 2:00 pm
by KeithS
Okay - I know you want some photos, so here is the first batch...
Here is the view from our hotel room on the 11th floor of the Hilton. I'll get you a photo of the television in the bathroom later!
On the way to Disneyland when we noticed this - some people really take their Duffy's seriously!
It was a fine and sunny day - and yes, that is Mt Fuji in the distance beyond the Disneyland Hotel.
The Castle was looking pretty good...
...as was World Bazaar...
...and the Halloween decorations around the resort were amazing!
This is a cool optical illusion. At first glance, it doesn't look like much...
...but as you get closer, it begins to take shape. I wonder what the metal pole with the glass is for?
Wow - this is the view through the glass and all the pieces come together!
The stage is set for the Disney on Classic concert.
Della and her day one shopping...
Meeting Duffy...
The stage for Mysterious Masquerade.
...more to come.
Re: Trip Planning Well Underway
Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2010 2:14 pm
by KeithS
More photos.
Daisy has really taken off in Japan - there was a lot more merchandise for her this trip than what we saw in 2008.
Then again, there was plenty of merchandise for everyone else too - here is a small selection of plates...
Duffy and ShellieMae on their day out together in Disneysea...
Della terrifying me again on Tokyo's version of Autopia.
A typical street in the Ikebukuro section of Tokyo. We were on our way to Build-a-Bear.
This is the Disney Store in Ikebukuro (Sunshine City). It looks like the old Sydney stores.
This is the Shibuya Disney Store - it is Tokyo's flagship store and is different inside.
These next three photos are of one of the department stores in Akihabera - Electronic City. We both had a ball going through here - this store was nine huge floors of electronics and gizmos!
Still more to come!
Re: Trip Planning Well Underway
Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2010 2:32 pm
by KeithS
Continuing our trip around Tokyo.
Here we are in Harajuku. This is the amazing Kiddyland toystore - this is their new premises they've just moved into.
And here is a view inside one of the floors.
Here are the Harajuku greaser gangs (Google them...) dancing off on Sunday afternoon.
Monday morning and it is back to Tokyo Disneysea. Did I tell you I really like this park?!
Such a lovely morning, might as well go out on the gondola...why? Because we can!
It is hard to take a bad photo here - this is about as bad a photo as you can take
On to the Arabian Coast. We tried winning Chip and Dale on the ball games, but ended up with the pin set instead.
Buzzard was enjoying himself, this was his first trip to a non-Magic Kingdom park. He liked Mermaid Lagoon.
I really wanted to take Ariel home with me, but she was too big to stuff in my suitcase...
Some local Disneysea bird life. But how many Duffy's can you also see here (he is taking over the world!)
Another bad photo of Disneysea...
And here is the Tower of Terror. We only rode once because the lines were insane and we'd rather fastpass Journey.
Still more to come...
Re: Trip Planning Well Underway
Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2010 2:49 pm
by KeithS
More photos.
Another hat to add to my collection...
Super Duper Jumping Time - for a kids show, this sure has a lot of adults watching it!
The Ghosts are out - it is Halloween after all!
One Man's Dream - for some reason, I really like this show...
Here's a different view.
Back in Tokyo - this time we are at the Mitsukoshi Department store in Nihonbashi.
Tortoro! Lots of Tortoro!
And big sleeping cats...
And here is Ken from the Mountainears! Hi Ken!
Of course - we have to do a group shot at the entrance to Disneyland!
Duffy and Shelliemae borrow Belle's meet and greet seat behind the castle in Fantasyland.
Did I meniton it was busy on our last day? This is the queue for the Space Mountain Fastpass - the Fastpass machines are in the distance under that awning!
More queue photos in the next post
Re: Trip Planning Well Underway
Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2010 2:58 pm
by KeithS
Okay - have I killed everyone's bandwidth yet with all these photos? Sorry Lisa if you are having trouble loading them all!
Okay, where were we? Oh yeah, some photos of the last day madness. It was a Sunday and I generally make it a rule not to visit either Tokyo or Paris Disneyland on a weekend - but as it was the last day of our holiday, we had to go to the park.
Here is the queue (I'm not joking...) for Big Thunder Mountain (way in the distance...)
And this is the Jungle Cruise queue.
But what are queues without a wait time board?? Take a look at some of these numbers.
210 minutes for Pooh! You could start watching Titanic when you joined the queue, and still be waiting in line when the movie has finished and everyone is dead!
So it is almost time to leave the park for the last time. Here is the Mickey floral out the front.
And a last view of the front entrance.
And of course, me, Della, Duffy and ShellieMae - about to leave the park (thanks again to the anonymous Japanese people who continuously volunteered to take our photos on this trip!)
But that's not the end of the photos people. I'll be back with some show photos.
Re: Trip Planning Well Underway
Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2010 3:04 pm
by KeithS
Re: Trip Planning Well Underway
Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2010 3:11 pm
by KeithS