Cousin Orville
Inventor of Air Cooling
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2000
- Messages
- 3,027
Does anyone know anything about arriving in the Osaka Airports -KIX vs ITM? Price and FF Mile options appear to be the same arriving into Osaka.
We are headed home now from the parks in Japan. I will share some random thoughts and observations for those who plan to do a pre or post trip to the Japan parks that may be helpful. We did 4 days and nights from June 1 - 4. Two nights were at TDL resort and two nights at the MiraCosta.
Thanks! That's really great information! What airlines are you looking at?For those researching airfares, be sure to check out Haneda along with Narita. I’ve learned that Narita, the newer airport, has some operating restrictions that do not allow international arrivals before a certain time and departures after a certain time. Haneda does not have the same restrictions. We are looking to depart Haneda as we can stay at TDR several hours longer on our last day, getting more from our third day ticket without another hotel night outside of the package.
When you booked your reservations, did you book as 2 packages or 2 room only reservations and buy tickets separately? I ask because it doesn't look like room only reservations offer much availability. Packages appear to open a month before room only reservations.
I did room only last time. On the next round I will be going for a package.
Yep. That looks like the way to go. What’s the best room views in your opinion?
All Nippon Airways ANA. They have a 10:55 PM flight to LAX. The latest flight times we were finding out of Narita were all in the 5-6:30 PM range. That’s a lot more time to use our last day park hopper & some of those fast passes. We feel we will be getting more value out of the third day with the later flight.Thanks! That's really great information! What airlines are you looking at?
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I would be thrilled to get the same view we had which was Porto Paradiso side Harbor view room. We watched Fantasmic from our room the two nights we were there. I was so impressed with the view that I even videoed Fantasmic with my iPhone and posted it on FB. I will say that if Harbor View package rooms are not available then I will be taking my chances again and going for room only.
All Nippon Airways ANA. They have a 10:55 PM flight to LAX. The latest flight times we were finding out of Narita were all in the 5-6:30 PM range. That’s a lot more time to use our last day park hopper & some of those fast passes. We feel we will be getting more value out of the third day with the later flight.
Good to know - thanks! They have good rankings on surveys and have been very helpful with some questions I had, but I always appreciate hearing from someone with personal experience.We flew ANA last fall and had a great experience. We're flying United this time as that was our best deal for award tickets.
Good to know - thanks! They have good rankings on surveys and have been very helpful with some questions I had, but I always appreciate hearing from someone with personal experience.
Not sure if you're planning on economy or business. I've done both (generally between Tokyo and Jakarta, which is about 7-8 hours so not super long, but not short - though a few other routes as well). Both are good; however, I have never had a good meal in economy. I don't choose my airlines based on meals, but ANA economy (at least on the NRT-CGK route) is brutal. The business class meals (same route) are quite tasty.
I can't remember what thread I was reading, but I saw something recently that threw a ratchet in my plans a little and I was hoping to see if anyone had any ideas.
It looks like right now that our best bet for flights will be in and out of Tokyo. As the ABD starts in Osaka, I was planning to come in a day early, stay at a hotel near the bullet train, and then take the bullet train to Osaka. But someone posted about doing something like that and mentioned that having big bags on the train would be a nightmare. As we'll be loaded down with all our bags, and I've pretty much given up on the idea of ever packing light (defeated multiple times, LOL), it made me wonder whether I should take a local flight instead? Unfortunately due to the timing of the west coast flights and the fact that it would be separate ticket that needed plenty of time between flights, I would still have to have the hotel night in between. I guess in that situation we would just stay somewhere near the airport.
So my choices right now:
--Fly into Tokyo. Stay at hotel near train. Train next day to Osaka with lots of bags.
--Fly into Tokyo. Stay at hotel near airport. Flight to Osaka next day.
--any other ideas???
FWIW, I had a friend traveling solo look at this very scenario (of visiting Kyoto) and elected to fly to Osaka rather than deal with luggage on the train.
We considered pre-nights in Tokyo, but ultimately thought the pre-day traveling in Tokyo may be more trouble than it's worth with the kids. So, we're going immediately to Kyoto and staying 2 pre-nights.
If you decide to fly to Osaka the next day, I would stay near Narita. It's a long train ride from Narita into Tokyo. We stayed near the Narita for one night on a long layover last year. Spent the evening in town.
Our United flight is Houston IAH -> NRT -> ITM with a 3 hr Tokyo layover. Then NRT -> IAH on the return.
United isn't going to work for me as they've had no business saver awards 11 months out at any of the flights I've been tracking.
I saw tons of saver availability from SFO as well. It's the business/first saver that's so disappointing--definitely can't pull the trigger on the regular fare either. Ouch!Yeah, part of me was hoping to find the 110k United super saver business flights to Tokyo, but as you've seen they're all 175k (each way). Just couldn't pull the trigger. Our economy flights were 35k saver awards which I though was pretty good. Should be an easier (mostly) nonstop flight for our kids than some of our multi leg European flights though.
I saw tons of saver availability from SFO as well. It's the business/first saver that's so disappointing--definitely can't pull the trigger on the regular fare either. Ouch!
Thanks! I'll need it to get 4!Good luck on the hunt!