Tokyo Disney planning help

[GrimGrinningGuy]

I tried to compile a VP a couple of times yesterday just to try to get a ballpark price and found it so overwhelming and tedious. (We are DVC with AP'S since 2006 and this Tokyo stuff is just BONKERS!) While in Asia we would also like to visit at least one other of the Asia parks (if not both) if we can figure it all out. The more I think about planning Tokyo the more I think we should skip the VP as it's too stressful and we will have fixed dates.

I did this a few weeks ago also. It took forever to click everything and was super slow, I just wanted to see the total prices to compare. If you want my info I can type it out I printed like 4 pages ha

The new package that stats this week is exactly what I need now though of course. So I haven’t priced that out but I assume it’s the same as the other 3 day one

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

If you think planning is too stressful, wait until you go into the parks without a VP.* Keep practicing, you'll get it. Lesser people have, after all. Good luck!

*Yes, it can be done, but it removes 90% of the anxiety when you have that unlimited (I presume) Priority Pass.

I dunno the anxiety of trying to book a package on their website in the fiercest of competition is pretty high. Honestly, in various threads I've seen a lot of people make other people so anxious about touring Disney in Tokyo without a vacation package that it's kinda sad. It can be stressful because it's a different country and set up for their culture and some things do function differently there but that doesn't mean someone has to get a vacation package. Their website is notorious for not being the easiest for navigation. For some people trying to book the exact time they will eat and the exact time they will ride a certain ride can add stress that they didn't really want to deal with and yes it is a really slow and really clunky process known to have issues actually paying for it with an out of the country credit card.

We toured the parks when getting into Fantasy Springs was highly competitive and were still okay. The rest of the parks were fine in touring...honestly..it's okay not to have a vacation package. It works out well enough for tourists willing to purchase DPA since the Asian population is more okay waiting in line. Touring with a vacation package may be just what someone wants but touring without one is okay too.

 

[mathgeek]

Have any of you guys also done the parks in Hong Kong and / or Shanghai? Are they as difficult to figure out as Tokyo is? I have not started any research on them yet until we decide on a cruise. My head is already exploding over Tokyo.

I did all 3 in one trip, but someone else planned it. But I went back to TDR by myself and booked 4 nights hotel only at Ambassador, which had happy entry at the time (which helped a lot in TDS), but since I had just been there 6 months earlier I was fine not getting on everything I'd done the previous trip. I also booked that only 2 months out b/c I'd changed up a trip so I could go for Duffy's 20th.

This summer I'm doing 5 nights at TDR, hopefully booking hotel only at Ambassador again. Then 3 nights at HKDL staying at Explorers. HKDL is a lot more similar to the US parks, so it's easy to navigate. I may go back to Shanghai someday, but only with a travel buddy bc of anxiety getting in and out of the country.

 

[Anal Annie]

If you think planning is too stressful, wait until you go into the parks without a VP.* Keep practicing, you'll get it. Lesser people have, after all. Good luck!

*Yes, it can be done, but it removes 90% of the anxiety when you have that unlimited (I presume) Priority Pass.

I get that part but I'm also not 100% sure that we can even AFFORD the packages. And I'm a big planner. I don't like that I have to wait until so close to the trip to book. I may just book a hotel offsite anyway to be safe.

 

[Anal Annie]

I did this a few weeks ago also. It took forever to click everything and was super slow, I just wanted to see the total prices to compare. If you want my info I can type it out I printed like 4 pages ha

The new package that stats this week is exactly what I need now though of course. So I haven’t priced that out but I assume it’s the same as the other 3 day one

I didn't print anything yet but I took a lot of screenshots. The prices were a lot higher than I expected. I'm also anxious about having to wait until just before the trip to book. I'm an over planner. I may go ahead and preemptively book the Hilton or Sheraton to be sure we have a hotel for the dates we need. Maybe Hong Kong won't be as hard to book and we can stay onsite there? OY!!

 

[Anal Annie]

I did all 3 in one trip, but someone else planned it. But I went back to TDR by myself and booked 4 nights hotel only at Ambassador, which had happy entry at the time (which helped a lot in TDS), but since I had just been there 6 months earlier I was fine not getting on everything I'd done the previous trip. I also booked that only 2 months out b/c I'd changed up a trip so I could go for Duffy's 20th.

This summer I'm doing 5 nights at TDR, hopefully booking hotel only at Ambassador again. Then 3 nights at HKDL staying at Explorers. HKDL is a lot more similar to the US parks, so it's easy to navigate. I may go back to Shanghai someday, but only with a travel buddy bc of anxiety getting in and out of the country.

How is the planning & booking process at HKDL? Is it easier? I have been seeing things about how the Chinese airlines have canceled all flights to Japan and I read that some cruise lines have diverted stops in China to other places (like Vietnam & Thailand instead). The political unrest over Taiwan between China and Japan seems to be growing worse. Who knows what could happen between now & then. How many nights / days do you recommend for HKDL? I was thinking 3.

 

[wanderlust7]

Have any of you guys also done the parks in Hong Kong and / or Shanghai?

I thought Shanghai was easier (haven't been to HK yet). Outside of peak times like Chinese New Year, I don't think Premier Pass sells out. We went in June and just bought it after we were in the park. It's not a narrow return window like the other parks, but from start time to park close. For Tron we got an immediate start time. Zootopia was a little later.

It was about $25 each, so similar to US pricing, maybe a little bit more. Cost of living is lower there, so I think locals would find it very expensive.

The Premier Pass packages took a little figuring out. You can save money if you actually need/want all the passes. But some rides included don't actually have long wait times. In the end, I decided it didn't make sense for us.

 

[Anal Annie]

I thought Shanghai was easier (haven't been to HK yet). Outside of peak times like Chinese New Year, I don't think Premier Pass sells out. We went in June and just bought it after we were in the park. It's not a narrow return window like the other parks, but from start time to park close. For Tron we got an immediate start time. Zootopia was a little later.

It was about $25 each, so similar to US pricing, maybe a little bit more. Cost of living is lower there, so I think locals would find it very expensive.

The Premier Pass packages took a little figuring out. You can save money if you actually need/want all the passes. But some rides included don't actually have long wait times. In the end, I decided it didn't make sense for us.

How many days would you say is needed for Shanghai? Is it possible to do it in one day? (I have no idea what the proximity to the port is.) One of the itineraries I'm looking at has an overnight there (arrives at 8:00 am one day & departs at 6:00 pm the next day) so we'd in theory I think be able to go to Disney on that first day with park tix only. Then we could just do some basic exploring in Shanghai on the 2nd day. I wasn't sure if we'd feel satisfied with 1 day for the park tho?

 

[mathgeek]

How is the planning & booking process at HKDL? Is it easier? I have been seeing things about how the Chinese airlines have canceled all flights to Japan and I read that some cruise lines have diverted stops in China to other places (like Vietnam & Thailand instead). The political unrest over Taiwan between China and Japan seems to be growing worse. Who knows what could happen between now & then. How many nights / days do you recommend for HKDL? I was thinking 3.

Booking hotel for HKDL was as easy as booking WDW online. I'm booked for 3 nights, which is the same as what I did last time I was there. You don't really need more than two days in the park, but I hesitate to just do one day.
I'll keep an eye on the travel between Japan and HK, but I was able to book a flight between them, and HK runs somewhat independent of mainland China in any case.

 

[nono]

because I am trying to formulate a realistic budget and trying to figure how long this trip will need to be.

I tried to compile a VP a couple of times yesterday just to try to get a ballpark price and found it so overwhelming and tedious. (We are DVC with AP'S since 2006 and this Tokyo stuff is just BONKERS!)

My recommendation for budgeting is to figure a yen to a penny. (100 yen to $1.00). Why? Because in two+ years, they may be closer to parity than they are today. And if the exchange rate is still as it is today, your actual spend will be under your budget.

Tokyo Disney isn't built for foreigners. Full stop. It's a locals' park. It's owned and run by a company that doesn't have the same ways or values as the Walt Disney Company. Some of us think that's great. It drives some of us nuts trying to apply WDW logic to a foreign country's version of Disney. It really is hard if you are trying to build a "once in a lifetime" type trip and keep a sane budget. Go easy on yourself and don't lose any sleep over it. It'll come together for you, I promise.

 

[wanderlust7]

How many days would you say is needed for Shanghai? Is it possible to do it in one day? (I have no idea what the proximity to the port is.) One of the itineraries I'm looking at has an overnight there (arrives at 8:00 am one day & departs at 6:00 pm the next day) so we'd in theory I think be able to go to Disney on that first day with park tix only. Then we could just do some basic exploring in Shanghai on the 2nd day. I wasn't sure if we'd feel satisfied with 1 day for the park tho?

We did 2 days because we like a slower pace and don't like to get up early. Ended up leaving early the second day because it was raining (didn't have waterproof shoes). Only regret missing the castle show (should have done it the first day).

I think it's entirely possible to do it in 1 day if you focus on the rides that are unique. Pirates was my favorite (different from all the other Pirates). We went on that multiple times. Wait was usually under 30 min.

 

[GrimGrinningGuy]

I didn't print anything yet but I took a lot of screenshots. The prices were a lot higher than I expected. I'm also anxious about having to wait until just before the trip to book. I'm an over planner. I may go ahead and preemptively book the Hilton or Sheraton to be sure we have a hotel for the dates we need. Maybe Hong Kong won't be as hard to book and we can stay onsite there? OY!!

I know same here. 4ish months on avg before the trip is so close it stresses me out
I wish I could book a year out. Just to know I have it secured, paid off and no credit card issues.
I may do the same as you and book a room only Tokyo Hilton Bay to hold those dates just as a backup

Edit: to Be fair though every time I checked I had no issues fake booking a park view room at Tokyo Disney hotel , which is what I’ll probably go for.