No Florida trip next year for us.. but we have a plan!

[zippy99]

After much debate in the Zippy house we have decided to give Orlando a miss next year. We love our holidays there and know we will have a good time but do not want to tire of the magic and found that on our trip this year (which we considered our best ever) we found our touring was so much more relaxed with us doing most attractions just once and perhaps we did not appreciate it quite as much.

Now we have got over our post holiday blues and that desperate need to book again we have thought about it more and decided this is for the best. I was inspired by Isabel's (Disneynutinlondon) Safari trip that we should try something different as we won't have many more holidays with the kids as kids.

So.... we are planning a 2 week trip elsewhere (but not to worry it will include a bit of Disney).... nope not California .... or Paris... Japan is our destination of choice.

We have used a touring plan and want to see some of the historical Japanese countryside and temples whilst enjoying Disneyland Tokyo, the Studio Ghibli Museum, Sega Joyopolis, Pokemon Museum as well as riding the Bullet Train.

It feels slightly scary (like going to Florida for the first time) doing something unknown - but I believe it will be an amazing trip.

Has anyone else visited Tokyo? Would love any thoughts/tips.

 

[dixonsontour]

Sounds fantastic, happy planning.

 

[Sencybil]

Yes, I have visited Japan twice, though it was a few years ago. I think you will have an amazing trip! It is such a different culture to immerse yourself in, but at the same time very clean and safe, which most other 'culture shock' experiences aren't!

You'll find getting around pretty easy as there is English on the Japan Rail and subway systems, and people are very willing to help and practice their English. Everytime we paused to look at our map and looked a bit confused someone would come up and offer to help.

I’d recommend staying in Japanese style hotels as much as possible rather than western style, and eating Japanese style too. Except breakfast, couldn’t manage that, it was Dunkin Donuts rather than pickles, soup and rice for us.

Japanese people tend to not like surprises, so for everything there is lots of information available. Like eating – so many cafes and restaurants have plastic models of food – because the locals want to know in advance exactly what they are going to get on their plate. Makes it very easy for foreigners, just choose what you like the look of and use the number to order without needing to know lots of Japanese culinary terms.

I’d recommend visiting either Hiroshima or Nagasaki. Hiroshima is easier to take in ‘on the way’ to somewhere else, although Nagasaki more interesting because when Japan was a closed country that was the one port that had some foreign influences, so interesting history.

For Tokyo, just do what the guide books advise. Its all a bit of a blur to me now.....

Happy Planning!

(And happy to help with any questions....when I get back from Florida)

Sencybil xx

 

[Chilly]

Here's a great TR you could read:

http://disneytravelbabble.com/trip-reports/tokyo-disney/

 

[janeyb]

Great idea!

We too are thinking along the same lines. Our eldest two daughters are now 7 & 9 and I feel that we need to start to show them more of the world. I have travelled a great deal all over the world and feel that it has really made me into what I am today. However, I did it after I left home and it often meant a great deal of saving and hastle with career breaks, renting out my home for periods of time etc etc.

I would like to give my children the opportunity of seeing some of the world whilst living with us, and also from a purely selfish point of view, I would love to share their experiences of new countries and continents with them.

Each year our trips to Florida are getting more and more expensive. This is not only due to our children getting older, travelling in school holidays, having to pay more airfares, park tickets etc but also from our tastes getting more expensive - adding cruises, deluxe hotels, 3 weeks instead of 2 etc etc

For the same cost we could take them to Australia, Hawaii, China, South Africa, road trips around Europe etc Obvioulsy not staying 5 * all the way but certainly experience a good standard. I want to open their minds to more cultural experiences also.

We were talking last night and have said that we will probably try and alternate our holidays from now on, one year Florida, one year somewhere new.

It is so easy to book holidays to Florida as we know we will always have a great time and that the children will be happy, it always feels so familiar. It's been an easy habit to fall into, after al,l as we know; happy children make happy adults and the idea of spending such a large amount of hard earned money on trying somewhere new also scares me, especially with a young baby in our family as well now.

Your trip sounds amazing and adding Disney is a fantastic idea, I can't wait to read more about your plans and hopefully a blog along the way! Happy Planning!

 

[BudgieMama]

Japanese people tend to not like surprises, so for everything there is lots of information available. Like eating – so many cafes and restaurants have plastic models of food – because the locals want to know in advance exactly what they are going to get on their plate. Makes it very easy for foreigners, just choose what you like the look of and use the number to order without needing to know lots of Japanese culinary terms.

Oh my word, I need to live in Japan! That sounds like heaven!!

OP, your trip sounds amazing! Happy planning!

 

[Kath2003]

After much debate in the Zippy house we have decided to give Orlando a miss next year.

That's what I said...

Just wound up with two holidays instead....

 

[wilma-bride]

Zoe, we are very disappointed to know that we won't get the opportunity to meet up again next October - but your plans sound amazing, can't wait to hear all about them

 

[Disneynutinlondon]

I was inspired by Isabel's (Disneynutinlondon) Safari trip that we should try something different as we won't have many more holidays with the kids as kids.

WOW ! Zoe I'm honoured to have been an inspiration

I'm also totally jealous by the sound of your trip ...... although having said that as I work for a Japanese bank I'm sure I'll end going there some day.

We've got tentative plans for going to China in the summer of 2015 which will mean we'd have taken the boys to 5 out of 7 continents before either of them have gone to university

Then of course we'll have to go back to WDW after that