I just booked! Going to Shanghai, Hong Kong and Tokyo-update Disneyland Shanghai day 5 - 01/06

[Flossbolna]

Congratulations on finding such a fabulous rate!

Be aware that it appears to be common that hotels in Japan charge for pool access. When I booked our hotels, my BF was really keen on having a pool since we will there in July. It seems that charging 2800 yen per day is not uncommon. Not sure what the Sheraton does though!

 

[kahrani]

I'm excited to read your trip report! I'd like to do a similar trip one day, although that is a while off as we have WDW planned for 2019. So maybe 2021! I've been to HK before and seen several of the big tourist sites but not to the Disney park there - we were with friends and they picked Ocean Park instead (which is still a great day out). Have fun!

 

[Karin1984]

Congratulations on finding such a fabulous rate!

Be aware that it appears to be common that hotels in Japan charge for pool access. When I booked our hotels, my BF was really keen on having a pool since we will there in July. It seems that charging 2800 yen per day is not uncommon. Not sure what the Sheraton does though!

Thanks for the warning! I think I have read it for the Mira Costa hotel that it is the case, so I assume the same for the other Disney hotels. If Sheraton charges as well... I'll jump in the water next to Mount Prometheus Or just take a shower.

I'm excited to read your trip report! I'd like to do a similar trip one day, although that is a while off as we have WDW planned for 2019. So maybe 2021! I've been to HK before and seen several of the big tourist sites but not to the Disney park there - we were with friends and they picked Ocean Park instead (which is still a great day out). Have fun!

Welcome! 2021 is not that far away. Only 4 years, plenty of time to plan



I have e-mailed our hotels in Shanghai to put my friend's name to the reservations (see other topic I opened about the 144 transit visa) and I've e-mailed our Chinese embassy here to make sure there is not something else I have overlooked. That would be my worst nightmare, to arrive in Shanghai and only to be send back. Or change my ticket to Hong Kong to an earlier date. But I am now only thinking positive thoughts. This will be the best trip in my life and everything will be perfect

While I wait for them to reply I spent my staycation looking online for original Disney outfits. Which might be made in China!
I love swing dresses from the fifties (And I would love to go to Disney on Dapper Day), so to try if this website (Lightinthebox.com) has good stuff, I have ordered this dress. With all the locals in Tokyo with their coordinated outfits and all, I'd better try to fit in. When in Rome... Or in Tokyo

And I just want to have a fifties dress

And for fun I might order this tank top from Etsy Just in case I get lost.

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Like your option 3!! Also love the outfits! Back in 2012 the pool was closed when we were there (opening like the next week or two later - this was early April) but no mention of charges on anything I read in room etc I am pretty sure...but that was some years ago.

 

[Aussie Wendy]

I just checked and TA posts complain that the pool closes early like 8pm so before DL closes atm and the fee for wifi is dear but there is this in the Q&A in response to a Q: "Dear Guest, Thank you very much for contacting us and considering to stay with us again. Indoor pool is free for all of our staying guests. However, during the summer time when our Garden pool opens (normally from the end of July until the end of August, which is over the school summer vacation in Japan), the pricing may change for Indoor pool. We do not have exact schedule quite yet, but once our pricing and the dates get set for the summer this year, it will be announced in our branded website. If you have any additional questions regarding reservations, please contact us through our branded website. There is a link “contact us” close to the bottom of the homepage and then click “Email us”, which will connect you to the reservation team directly." So it looks like the Garden Pool isn't open much. Another version of their website says: Indoor Swimming Pool Closure Period: June 27 – June 30, 2017. It also says the indoor pool is complimentary to hotel guests but lockers cost money. Open 10-8pm, last entry 7pm. Treasure Island Oasis for children under 12 costs but adult accompanying is complimentary. Reiterates garden outdoor pool only open temporarily in summer and if there is a price I guess they post on this site when it opens. Weird? and all very regimented. I will keep this in mind if ever we go for a summer visit! The website with the most info is http://www.sheratongrandetokyobay.com/oasis

 

[Karin1984]

Thanks! Really strange that the hours are so limited, I would understand if it was closed during the day as most people will be out, but I would expert it to be open in the evening hours.

Probably then we will just take a shower, unpack and take the monorail to the parks or Ikspiari.

Got an e-mail from Booking.com for changing the names on the reservation of our first hotel. I get a reply about check in and check out times and how to get to the hotel from the airport... That is not what I asked, Booking.com! I replied with a counter question to read my e-mail before answering

 

[Karin1984]

Just because it's Sunday and I have nothing better to do than to read the DIS... small updates. And only 2.5 months to go!

Shanghai
Booking.com has sent me another e-mail, apologizing for the inconvencience with a new confirmation of the hotel with both names on it. And so did the Charms hotel itself.

I had e-mailed the Toy Story Hotel over 2 weeks ago, but no reply. But coincidentally I checked my spam filter (tried to win a free trip with a Coca Cola contest we have here, and they advised; check your spam filter), and there was the reply from Disney Shanghai! An almost instant reply! Which is great Except that it is in my spam folder and only told me to contact the hotel by phone instead of by e-mail... So I will give them a call next week.

I have been checking the app of Shanghai and currently crowds on the weekend don't look too bad, so hopefully it will continue like this all summer

Hong Kong
Friends are visiting Hong Kong at the very moment and they have visited the 10K Buddha Monestry, so I can double check with them how to get there. They say it's definitely worth a visit.

Tokyo
A friend who was in Japan in March/April has handed over his Pasmo Card with about 1,000 Yen still on it, plus 1,000 Yen in cash he had left. So I will have a little bit of money when we arrive!

And in other news:
The fifties dress has arrived. It's flimsy and I could use a longer petticoat, but for the money I paid, I couldn't expect anything more!

Also made my first official purchase for the vacation: I bought a new memory card for my camera. I thought my camera was having issues as it took too long to get ready for the next picture. I'm sure that I missed some good shots at the parade in Disneyland Paris last month because of the issues.
After some googling, the first advice was to get a new memory card which can process with a higher speed. Then I checked my memory card and it is a 40MB/s card. So I upgraded to a 80MB/s card I now only should go to DLP to try if my assumptions are right

 

[Karin1984]

One more update. A few hours after my previous post, I thought: Why would I wait till next week to call Disney Shanghai? Why not do it right away? Probably my irrational fear to call to arrange something in my 2nd language with a person who also speaks English as a 2nd language.

So I called, and after getting through the menu (with twice the option to select English...) I was put through to a CM who spoke decent English. There were long silences as she worked the system, but that could also be as the CM was new or I can also imagine it's not part of Chinese culture to small talk. She was friendly and polite and she didn't get confused when I spelled names using NATO-spelling. So I now have also this reservation on both our names.

And the CM could also help with making the reservation for the Royal Banquet Hall! A little earlier than I wanted, we will have to leave the city an hour earlier than planned. Which I don't really mind, gives us more time after dinner to get familiar with the park before we have 2 full days.

And I just wanna try this dessert

Now everything is really arranged. And the waiting even more begins. Less than 80 days to go!

 

[PrincessInOz]

There were long silences as she worked the system, but that could also be as the CM was new or I can also imagine it's not part of Chinese culture to small talk.

YAY for having all your accommodation paperwork sorted out. Yes....I found the long silences a little disconcerting as well.

And the CM could also help with making the reservation for the Royal Banquet Hall! A little earlier than I wanted, we will have to leave the city an hour earlier than planned. Which I don't really mind, gives us more time after dinner to get familiar with the park before we have 2 full days.

Double YAY for having a reservation at RBH. That dessert is delicious! Hope you enjoy it.





Less than 80 days to go. Not long now.

 

[PrincessInOz]

10K Buddha Monestry

The one at Sha Tin? It looks awesome!
Can't wait to see it in your TR section.

A friend who was in Japan in March/April has handed over his Pasmo Card with about 1,000 Yen still on it, plus 1,000 Yen in cash he had left.

WOW! That's a very generous friend.

The fifties dress has arrived. It's flimsy and I could use a longer petticoat, but for the money I paid, I couldn't expect anything more!

It looks great in the picture. And I'm sure you're going to rock it in Tokyo.

the first advice was to get a new memory card which can process with a higher speed. Then I checked my memory card and it is a 40MB/s card. So I upgraded to a 80MB/s card I now only should go to DLP to try if my assumptions are right

What camera are you shooting with? Hope the faster card fixes your upload processing.

 

[Karin1984]

The one at Sha Tin? It looks awesome!
Can't wait to see it in your TR section.

Yes, that's the one! What I like most about this, is the stairs leading up to the monastery with all the Buddhas next to the stairs. You can see they all have different personalities. I have been to my share of churches and chapels and museums in Europe, but when you look at Christian art saints are always depicted in the same holy way. Here they seem more human, some are happy, or sad, or serious.

What camera are you shooting with? Hope the faster card fixes your upload processing.

I have a Sony Cybershot DSC HX-300, 2 years old. I'm not as good with it as I wanted to, but I get by.

I love shows, parades and M&G, which have a lot of moving objects. And I noticed it on my last two Disney trips to Paris, definitely the one before the last, I was disappointed with my pictures. It looked like I was constantly one second too late or too early, but never right. Fingers crossed this solves it, but I would really love to get a trial trip to Paris. Hopefully end of July or beginning of August I might squeeze in a trip.

 

[PrincessInOz]

I love shows, parades and M&G, which have a lot of moving objects. And I noticed it on my last two Disney trips to Paris, definitely the one before the last, I was disappointed with my pictures. It looked like I was constantly one second too late or too early, but never right. Fingers crossed this solves it, but I would really love to get a trial trip to Paris. Hopefully end of July or beginning of August I might squeeze in a trip.

If you don't mind me poking my nose where it doesn't belong......

Whilst the faster memory card helps with the writing of your images to the card, I suspect that it may not be the cause of your disappointment.
I don't know if you are using the functionality on your camera already or not.....but I would try using either the AF Tracking or Face tracking function on your camera. If you haven't use this function before, check it out in your camera manual. The camera should be able to track your subject whilst it is still moving for a short duration.
I would also set your shooting mode to burst or continuous shooting mode. If your camera gives you a choice of 2 continuous shooting modes, choose the fastest one. I googled your camera features and it is capable of shooting up to 10 frames per second. If you click and let it shoot, you might find one of the images meeting your expectations.

Hope you get to test it out at Paris!

 

[Karin1984]

If you don't mind me poking my nose where it doesn't belong......

Whilst the faster memory card helps with the writing of your images to the card, I suspect that it may not be the cause of your disappointment.
I don't know if you are using the functionality on your camera already or not.....but I would try using either the AF Tracking or Face tracking function on your camera. If you haven't use this function before, check it out in your camera manual. The camera should be able to track your subject whilst it is still moving for a short duration.
I would also set your shooting mode to burst or continuous shooting mode. If your camera gives you a choice of 2 continuous shooting modes, choose the fastest one. I googled your camera features and it is capable of shooting up to 10 frames per second. If you click and let it shoot, you might find one of the images meeting your expectations.

Hope you get to test it out at Paris!

Of course I don't mind! I love your pictures, you are much more skilled with a camera than I am, I'll take all the advice I can get.

I have never used face tracking, I usually use the sports mode, which works fine most of the time. I will try face tracking next time. Burst mode with 10 per second I haven't used often, but stopped because it takes a while to process the 10 pics.

Thank you for your help!

 

[PrincessInOz]

I have never used face tracking, I usually use the sports mode, which works fine most of the time. I will try face tracking next time. Burst mode with 10 per second I haven't used often, but stopped because it takes a while to process the 10 pics.

Hope it works for you.


With burst mode, you just click and stop when you think it's appropriate. It just lets you take up to 10 fps. Most of the time, I take 3 or 4 and usually there might be one in the bunch that is good enough.

 

[Karin1984]

Today it's 73 days to go! Not that this a particular interesting number to mention, but I need something to start this post with.

Today I cancelled the hostel we had booked originally in Tokyo. Somehow I had never done that. Booked at booking.com, no fee to cancel. So, that's done.
When I checked the hotel in Hong Kong they had the same room available but with a window! For only 3 euro more for five nights: that is 30 cents per night per person! A window is definitely worth 30 cents

And the pre-vacation shopping has started. To me, this is what we call in Dutch 'pre-fun' has started. It means the fun you have, the excitement you feel before doing the actual thing (Don't think the English language has a word for this feeling ). I get very happy preparing and planning for a vacation, making lists and buying new things for the vacation. And during the last weeks I have bought:

- A new suitcase
I am used to borrowing the suitcase of my mother, but I am now in my thirties, I own a house, I make a good living. I can afford my own suitcase And the store had Samsonite suitcases on sale. So I bought this beauty for 130 euro! And it's purple. Which wasn't the main reason to buy it, but it was definitely part of my decision.

- Flats
These are Crocs and supercomfortable. I am a pain when it comes to shoes as I have large wide feet. And I am a little bit vain. I want shoes that are comfortable to walk around all day, but also look nice under a skirt or dress.

- Collapsible water bottle
It's going to be hot when we are in Asia, I will need this.

- 100ml bottles
I used to also borrow this from my mother, I can afford this now too ;-)

- Powerbank
With all the apps on our phones we are going to use to get around in and outside Disney, our batteries will die at some point, no doubt. Better safe than sorry and bring along one of these.

 

[PrincessInOz]

- Powerbank

You probably already know this but I thought I'd just mention it anyway.

Just make sure you check your airline and airport guidelines for where they want the powerbanks to be packed. I had packed mine in my check-in suitcase and when I was at Shanghai Airport, my bag got pulled out of the conveyor belt. I had to go open the bag up in a separate room for bag check and pull it out before I was allowed to finish checking in and getting a boarding pass.

I just forgot....and packed mine in the big bag the night before without thinking.

 

[Karin1984]

@PIO Thanks! Will try to keep it in mind.

Small update. About 2 weeks ago a friend of us from San Diego got tagged on Facebook for good fares from the US to Japan. When it appeared on my timeline I joked 'come join us!'
First response: 'Oh no, I couldn't!'
Second response ten minutes later: 'When will you be in Tokyo?'

Fast forward, today the booked and she will be joining us for out last week in Tokyo! She is a Disneyland Anaheim regular and a SeaWorld employee and just really nice to have with you on a trip so happy about her joining.

This does mean look into the hotel options. Technically 4 adults fit in the room we had at the Sheraton, however none of us was very keen on sharing a bed.

I checked for hotels and the Sheraton is still cheaper than Hilton, and about 30eur/35usd cheaper for the entire stay if we have 3 people.

However... the dilemma started when I looked at the Disney Hotels. The new Celebrations hotel is a bit more expensive than the Sheraton with 3 people, but still cheaper than what we had initally with 2 people. I am not sure what is better, Celebrations gives is 15 minutes early access but requires bus transport. Sheraton is closerby, 5 star vs Value Resort, also easier if we want to go into the city. But no early access...

Any advice?

 

[Flossbolna]

To me the Clebrations Hotel does not look that interesting at all. Unless you are planning to be there on very crowded day (I found this crowd calendar recommended http://tdrnavi.jp/forecast/disneyland?lang=en) I would not bother about the 15 minutes early entrance. But ultimately it is a question of how much you are willing to compromise on your lodgings for 15 minutes. I like nice hotels, so that is where my motivation comes from. What do your travel mates think?

 

[Karin1984]

To me the Clebrations Hotel does not look that interesting at all. Unless you are planning to be there on very crowded day (I found this crowd calendar recommended http://tdrnavi.jp/forecast/disneyland?lang=en) I would not bother about the 15 minutes early entrance. But ultimately it is a question of how much you are willing to compromise on your lodgings for 15 minutes. I like nice hotels, so that is where my motivation comes from. What do your travel mates think?

We are there the week after the summer season ends and before the Halloween season begins, so we are hoping for low crowds. If the Celebrations hotel was within walking distance of the park, then we might have done it. But in the end value vs. 5-stars, the last one being cheaper and on the monorail... it was a no-brainer.

I had e-mailed the Sheraton to make sure the new room I was looking at had indeed 3 beds (the pictures didn't show), and they came back to me with a better offer than they had shown online, saving us more money than we had expected

 

[Karin1984]

It's 48 days! The countdown has truly started!

I e-mailed Emirates to ask about the 144 hours visa. I don't remember who it was on the Dis, but someone started their journey at a small regional airport where no flights to Shanghai/China were going from directly, so the check in agents hadn't heard of this policy and this DISser almost missed her flight because of this. Of course Amsterdam and Brussels are by no means small regional airports, but as Emirates doesn't have their own staff at these airports but handling agents of the airport... I wanted to double check.
And after a quick and well-written reply, I was given a link to their visa tool. I must say, it is better than my own beloved airline I work for ;-) It's very clear in stating the rules.
Yes, I'm happy with Emirates

I really can't wait anymore. It's taking so long and there is nothing to arrange anymore! I have broken in my new shoes. That was the last thing I really HAD to do