It's official...ABD is going to Japan!

[ImprovGal]

They were still booking until 11pm last night. It's possible the website just hasn't gotten updated yet. The Vacationista I talked to, based on response prior to yesterday, fully expected it to sell out before it opened to the general public.

Sayhello

Do they close at 11pm Eastern? I'm trying to call in to pay deposit and phones are still busy. The hold on the reservation expires tonight at midnight.

 

[DVC Doc]

For 2 it was around $4500 on the June 2 one

WOW. That price seems absolutely ridiculous to me. $2250/night??? If it were me I would seriously look at pricing the extension separately.

For comparison, last month we stayed in a "Superior Grand Park View" room at Tokyo Disneyland Hotel. It was amazing and had a beautiful view of the monorail station and Cinderella's Castle. Our rate was about $520 USD per night. Park tickets are about $75 per day, more if you want the park hopper option (which I wouldn't recommend - there is so much to see at each park). Sherwood Garden breakfast buffet is FANTASTIC and was about $55 per person. We took a cab to downtown Tokyo and it was about $100 (and had room for two large pieces of luggage). To get to the airport on the day of departure, there is the Limousine Bus that leaves right from the hotel every half hour and is about $35.

I guess the question is how much are a few fast passes worth to you, and the convenience of having ABD arrange everything.

If you are worried about the booking process, its really not that bad especially for Tokyo Disneyland Hotel. Hotel Miracosta books up much faster and the Harbor View rooms can be gone in a matter of minutes. "Double beds" which we know as a king bed here in the US tend to book up faster at both resorts as well.

 

[sayhello]

Do they close at 11pm Eastern? I'm trying to call in to pay deposit and phones are still busy. The hold on the reservation expires tonight at midnight.

I'm really not sure how late they're open today. The Vacationista I talked to said they'd be there from 8am to midnight yesterday. My TA finished up with them at 11pm. I don't know if today's hours will be the same, but I'd hope so.

Sayhello

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

I'm really not sure how late they're open today. The Vacationista I talked to said they'd be there from 8am to midnight yesterday. My TA finished up with them at 11pm. I don't know if today's hours will be the same, but I'd hope so.

Sayhello

I'm so curious to know whether it really has sold out. The website certainly hasn't been updated. Anyone managed to get through today?

 

[disneyphx]

For those of you who have stayed at Miracosta/Tokyo Disneyland hotel - what do you see as the big draws and the appeal?
We are booked on the trip and trying to decide about the post-stay that we have a hold on.
We did an independent trip to Japan - train from Kyoto/Tokyo/DL; 3 nights at Hilton Tokyo Bay; used the monorail; and then limo bus to the airport. We had a great time and can't wait to return.
The fastpasses are appealing about the package.
Does being a hotel guest give any advantage to making in-park restaurant or show reservations?

 

[AquaDame]

Miracosta is objectively the more luxurious of the resorts in its decor and if you get a Harbor View room you are literally looking into the park (and can watch the shows on the lagoon from your window). You have an entrance right into the Portofino area. They also have Venice & Tuscany/Capitain Mickey themed rooms. One con is there is no market/grab and go there aside from some cup of noodles whereas the Tokyo Disneyland Hotel has a nice market with rice balls, sandwiches and other items like that in addition to a larger separate gift shop. The Tokyo Disneyland Hotel has character themed rooms if you enjoy that over more subdued and generic decor and they are located across from the main entrance to TDL with the monorail & its Disneyland station between. Both have theme park music playing early and late so if you crack your window you can hear it from your room if you have a view which is nice! Both are expensive but Miracosta is moreso.

Both guarantee entry (even on sold out days) and you can reserve restaurants ahead of time via the website if you have a reservation at - I think - 30 days out.

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

Both guarantee entry (even on sold out days) and you can reserve restaurants ahead of time via the website if you have a reservation at - I think - 30 days out.

Sounds awesome. Thanks so much for the info. This will be helpful when deciding whether to book on our own or go with the ABD resort add on. I went through the package booking up to the point of paying, and I was surprised that I was able to make breakfast reservations 6 months out (at the time of my reserving). Cool feature!

 

[AquaDame]

Sounds awesome. Thanks so much for the info. This will be helpful when deciding whether to book on our own or go with the ABD resort add on. I went through the package booking up to the point of paying, and I was surprised that I was able to make breakfast reservations 6 months out (at the time of my reserving). Cool feature!

That IS cool! I did room only then bought tickets when we arrived so maybe that is why we had to wait? Or they've changed it since last year! FWIW we were fine without getting FP from the package and rode everything we liked. We had a full day in each park and spent a few hours of the evening on our arrival day running around Disney Sea as well. We went midweek in mid April though - not a particularly busy time of year.

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

That IS cool! I did room only then bought tickets when we arrived so maybe that is why we had to wait? Or they've changed it since last year! FWIW we were fine without getting FP from the package and rode everything we liked. We had a full day in each park and spent a few hours of the evening on our arrival day running around Disney Sea as well. We went midweek in mid April though - not a particularly busy time of year.

You are making me regret not signing up for April!

 

[calypso726]

If you figure this out, let me know. I've gotten some toughies before (Noma, Brooklyn Fare, French Laundry), but this is on a different level.

I know. I've been dying to go since seeing the movie and reading about it. The kids both want to go, but I told them no way--2 is hard enough! We may try the easier to get into other location if I can't find someone who speaks Japanese to try for me. Apparently, it's harder to get a reservation is you speak English

We managed to get Noma during the Copenhagen ABD before our DCL Norway Iceland Scotland cruise. French Laundry is on the bucket list too. I was looking at what the general advice is for getting reservations at Sukiyabashi Jiro and the general consensus is to let the concierge at the Peninsula know about a few months beforehand that you want reservations at Jiro and cross your fingers.

Just booked the September 29 date for Japan after a four hour hold. I was told that the October trip is still waiting for a group to purchase. The agent offered to add me for a waitlist for the October trip in case it is opened to everyone. The September trip has 26 confirmed and will max out at 40. The agent did not take my credit card number because there are no double rooms left so she needs management to convert my reservation( currently a triple) to a double room.

There are no more spots for the Disneyland add on and they have started a waitlist for that. I will look into booking either the same package or hotel by myself since it seems like you can purchase the same add on. Any hints on booking TDR rooms would be appreciated.

We booked MiraCosta Harbor View rooms for 2 nights next month and Disneland Hotel for 2 nights. We used the advice found on this thread https://www.disboards.com/threads/mira-costa-booking-experience.3574819

Thanks for the inside scoop. I'm surprised the ABD Vacationistas are not given this information. Looking forward to meeting some Disboarders on the September 29 trip.

Me too!!!

I'm seeing reports on fb that the Japan trips are all sold out...

Sayhello

WOW. That price seems absolutely ridiculous to me. $2250/night??? If it were me I would seriously look at pricing the extension separately.

It isn't $2250 per night. That is for one person and 2 nights. Two people and 2 nights is $4500.

For those of you who have stayed at Miracosta/Tokyo Disneyland hotel - what do you see as the big draws and the appeal?
We are booked on the trip and trying to decide about the post-stay that we have a hold on.
We did an independent trip to Japan - train from Kyoto/Tokyo/DL; 3 nights at Hilton Tokyo Bay; used the monorail; and then limo bus to the airport. We had a great time and can't wait to return.
The fastpasses are appealing about the package.
Does being a hotel guest give any advantage to making in-park restaurant or show reservations?

@AquaDame gave a great synopsis. We are doing the China ABD this month and then doing a post stay on our own in Tokyo to visit the parks. It will be our first trip there. Besides the perks, I prefer staying on property. I've stayed off site at WDW and DLR and prefer being on site. In Paris, we stayed on site and we will do the same for the Asia parks.

 

[Mathmagicland]

I was looking at what the general advice is for getting reservations at Sukiyabashi Jiro and the general consensus is to let the concierge at the Peninsula know about a few months beforehand that you want reservations at Jiro and cross your fingers.

Here is what is says on the restaurant website re reservations -

In some cases, guests from overseas have been unable to arrive on the date and time of their reservation. For this reason, we can only accept reservations through the concierge of the overseas guests' hotel.

https://www.sushi-jiro.jp/本店のご予約について/

 

[Mathmagicland]

AbD website this morning shows only the April and June 16 departures as fully booked. The October departure does not show it is accepting any more waitlist, so I’d guess their waitlist for that is full.

Also, the June 2 and September departures show price increases.

Rest of the departures show opening day pricing.

 

[ImprovGal]

AbD website this morning shows only the April and June 16 departures as fully booked. The October departure does not show it is accepting any more waitlist, so I’d guess their waitlist for that is full.

Also, the June 2 and September departures show price increases.

Rest of the departures show opening day pricing.

I looks like they added another adults only itinerary departing October 6. No pricing listed, however. The Oct 13 waitlist trip is the wdwradio trip and that group started taking their reservations and the date was removed from the abd website.

 

[Mathmagicland]

I looks like they added another adults only itinerary departing October 6. No pricing listed, however. The Oct 13 waitlist trip is the wdwradio trip and that group started taking their reservations and the date was removed from the abd website.

Thanks for clarifying the October dates - I could not remember the original dates for the wdwradio group.

With the new October dates, that is the first time they will have overlapping tours in country, with one finishing up as a another starts.

 

[sayhello]

Well, the website has been updated, and it looks like reports of a total sellout for Japan were inaccurate. (Or a LOT of people cancelled their reservations!) The April trip and the June 16 trip are sold out, and the June 2nd and September trip price has jumped $600.

Interestingly, the October trip is no longer listed as taking waitlists.

Sayhello

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

Well, the website has been updated, and it looks like reports of a total sellout for Japan were inaccurate. (Or a LOT of people cancelled their reservations!) The April trip and the June 16 trip are sold out, and the June 2nd and September trip price has jumped $600.

Interestingly, the October trip is no longer listed as taking waitlists.

Sayhello

Thanks to ou and @marhmagicland for the follow up. I’d guessed April would fill first. I hope I don’t regret not signing up for that date! Glad to hear they added another trip.

 

[sayhello]

I looks like they added another adults only itinerary departing October 6. No pricing listed, however. The Oct 13 waitlist trip is the wdwradio trip and that group started taking their reservations and the date was removed from the abd website.

I totally missed that the date was Oct 6 and not the old Oct 13 date. Interesting!

Thanks for clarifying the October dates - I could not remember the original dates for the wdwradio group.

With the new October dates, that is the first time they will have overlapping tours in country, with one finishing up as a another starts.

They have lots of itineraries that have overlapping dates. For example, virtually all of the Italy trips, the England/France trips and the Germany trips overlap. Some of the Costa Rica trips overlap, as do some for Wyoming.

Thanks to ou and @marhmagicland for the follow up. I’d guessed April would fill first. I hope I don’t regret not signing up for that date! Glad to hear they added another trip.

Actually, that was one of the things that helped me decide not to do the April trip, is that it was the most likely to be totally filled. Not that that may matter in the long run if the trips continue to sell out.

Sayhello

 

[AquaDame]

I looks like they added another adults only itinerary departing October 6. No pricing listed, however. The Oct 13 waitlist trip is the wdwradio trip and that group started taking their reservations and the date was removed from the abd website.

I honestly considered joining it as they sometimes do special things in the parks and during their trips but they didn't allow solo travelers. Made it easy! I'm back to my original plan of just going over there alone... I keep trying to get on an overseas ABD but keep having to just wing it. S Africa became Kenya/Tanzania for their iconic sights and old school charm and China we are doing on our own since they didn't have the date that works best for us (or hadn't risen dramatically in price) for this autumn. Japan was so expensive for a solo trip to a country I'm comfortable running around that I just couldn't pull the trigger without a park perk... Maybe the SE Asia one in 2020 will be THE one as the Galapagos trip also doesn't seem extensive enough. Gosh I'm picky...!

 

[sayhello]

I honestly considered joining it as they sometimes do special things in the parks and during their trips but they didn't allow solo travelers. Made it easy!

Seriously? No solo travelers? They can keep their stinkin' trip!

Sayhello

 

[AquaDame]

Seriously? No solo travelers? They can keep their stinkin' trip!

Sayhello

Yep! They said they *might* get more rooms later and accommodate. Who can plan like that? I'm sure they won't have any trouble filling it up though, so its probably just smart business for them and their commission!