WDWguru
aka tivogirl, keeper of the live WDW webcams at ht
- Joined
- Jun 29, 2001
- Messages
- 2,354
(Excuse the explanations for non-DIS folks - this is pasted from my blog. TONS of pics of both parks at http://www.mcdanieldesk.com/TokyoDisney if you're interested.)
Tokyo Disney Sea - December 20
Today was Tokyo Disney Sea - our first park outside the US. We were up earlier than expected, so grabbed breakfast and headed to the park about an hour before opening. We heard people starting lining up about then, so decided to join in.
There is a bus that goes to the monorail station (really cute with great big Mickey heads on the sides where the doors are) but it wasn't far, so we walked. The monorail requires tickets, even for on-site guests, so we purchased a two-day pass for 600 yen (about $5). The monorail is more like a subway car, but does run above ground on a single rail. It has big Mickey shaped windows and Mickey shaped hangstraps, too! First stop from our hotel was TDS, so we were there quickly.
There were quite a few people already waiting - we were about 10 people deep back from the gates - and it was FREEZING! We brought our lined windbreakers from Disneyland (CA) and were glad we had them. I ended up buying gloves and earmuffs by the end of the day, too. The high was supposed to be around 50 but it was cloudy much of the day and breezy, so it felt cold. There were several girls there in skirts and shorts (all with high heeled boots) and I know they had to be really uncomfortable. It's amazing how many people dress up in heels and tight jeans and skirts for the park here!
When the gates opened, it was a very orderly and quick procession through the turnstiles (no finger scans here), then the sprint began.
Literally.
People full-out RUN toward the ride they want - and right now that's Tower of Terror since it just opened in September. The sound was hilarious as we ran along with the crowd toward Tower - the loud clacking of hundreds of high heels running down the paved streets and over the stone bridge toward the American Waterfront section of the park.
We got there in time to wait outside for a bit, but after about 10 minutes we were through the preshow and into the elevator. Most of you know I HATE falling and though I've been on Tower at the two American parks I normally don't ride them. Well, since this may be the only trip I make here, I had to do it. I was panicked, almost hyperventalated, but I did it! We even bought the picture to prove it. The story on this one is quite different from the American version, since they don't really have the Twilight Zone over here. At TDS, the Tower is the Hotel Hightower, formerly owned by an eccentric American explorer Harrison Hightower. It seems he came back from one of his many adventures with a cursed idol, then disappeared. You're in the hotel to view his treasures, including the idol, when the idol comes alive. It's a very cool story an the idol is hilarious - cute but scary at the same time.
After Tower we headed toward the back of the park and did StormRider - a cross between Star Tours and Honey I Shrunk the Audience in which you ride in a special aircraft into the eye of the storm of the century with a weapon to stop the storm. Of course things go wrong - it was fun and we did this one twice. Then we did the Indiana Jones ride - just like California but Indy speaks Japanese, which was interesting. After that it was the Raging Spirits roller coaster - a lot like Thunder Mountain but with a loop. Then we went to the Mysterious Island section for 20,000 Leagues (like the old ride at WDW but with cooler, roomier but smaller vehicles) and Journey to the Center of the Earth (part dark ride, part roller coaster - REALLy fun ride). That was all the rides we wanted to knock out and we had them in by noon, so we spent the rest of the day shopping (pins are almost non-existent here, but cell phone dangles are huge), snacking and exploring. We caught the Legend of Mythica water show in the afternoon and BraviSEAmo - also on the lagoon - after dark.
We were tired and cold, so headed back to the room and warmed up with a bath. Tomorrow we'll dress warmer and hit Tokyo Disneyland.
Tokyo Disneyland - December 21
We got up early and packed up, checked out, then headed to Tokyo Disneyland. We got there about an hour before the gates opened and again there was a crowd already waiting. Lots more kids today, and still several dressed up people just like at Disney Sea. Again, when the gates opened there was an orderly progression through the turnstiles, then the full-on run into the park. At Tokyo Disneyland, the crowd heads to Fantasyland - specifically Pooh's Hunny Hunt and the Haunted Mansion.
We took some video then joined the sprint to Hunny Hunt. This is really a fantastic ride! It's a dark ride and much like a lot of Fantasyland rides, but uses a unique mechanism with no visible track and independent cars to create a one-of-a-kind experience. We rode it twice and it was definitely a favorite. It's very cool! We also hit Peter Pan (same as WDW), Haunted Mansion (same as WDW but done up with the Nightmare characters like they do a DL) and used our fastpass for Hunny Hunt to ride again. They had a stand with Honey flavored popcorn outside so had to try that - yummm! (Observation: The Japanese aren't really into sweets but there were carts all over both parks with all kinds of flavors of popcorn like sea salt, black pepper, curry, honey, caramel, chocolate and strawberry.)
The crowds were starting to build, so we headed around the park and found Thunder Mountain was 101 (down in Disney speak), so we did Pirates. It's EXACTLY like the Disneyland version, but pre-political-correctness. The pirates still chase the wenches! It was awesome! It hasn't had the movie makeover (yet?) either, so it was truly the original. Since it was cold again, we skipped Splash (which is the same as the others), checked back at Thunder and it was back up, so we did it. It is slightly different than the other versions and a little longer - really liked it. We skipped over to Tomorrowland and caught MicroAdventure - aka Honey I Shrunk the Audience from Epcot. This was the same - though dubbed in Japanese and with a different pre-show (not sponsored by Kodak). We waited in a 30-minute standby for Buzz after that - this was great and very similar to WDW but the guns are removable and the points system is based on different shaped targets. Also, you can't hold down the trigger, so it's a bit tough on the finger, but the gun lights up when you hit a target. Thumbs up! Finally, we did Star Tours, which is exactly the same except for dubbing and the pre-show instruction video has a different woman who speaks Japanese (but she's American).
After Tomorrowland we made our way up to the World Bazaar - a covered area that's Tokyo's version of Main Street USA. We had lunch at a nice Japanese sit-down restaurant and did some shopping. We mailed off some postcards from the Disneyland mailbox! It was only 4, but we were done and tired, so went back to the monorail and headed over to Ikspiari. This is basically a Downtown Disney style area with shopping and restaurants but it's a HUGE multi-level mall. We wandered some, went to the big Disney store there, then finally just crashed. Grabbed the monorail back to our hotel, where we had a Starbucks (yes, there was one in the lobby) and hung out in comfy chairs long enough for most of Tokyo's rush hour to be done. Then we got our bags and grabbed a cab to move to the Palace Hotel in the city.
I'm typing this from there now. We have a beautiful corner room with a great view of the Palace grounds (which we can't see because it's dark) and some of the city. The hotel is very nice and the bellman spoke the best English we've heard so far on the trip! We even have free broadband internet!
Right now I'm taking all my pics off my cards and will try to add some to my reports later tonight or tomorrow. We have to get up early again for our half-day bus tour that picks us up at 8 am. We'll see several sights and be dropped in Ginza, where we'll explore on our own, so will have lots to report then!
Some final observations about Disney and the Japanese:
* These people are VERY clean. Despite about 1/4 the trashcans in the park, they were absolutely spotless.
* They follow directions very well, which makes for a very pleasant experience. There are tons of cast members directing traffic everywhere but very few ropes or barracades. People just do what they are told. There is no jockeying for position - if you show up late for the parade, you stand in the back with the rest of the latecomers and don't shove up to a spot on the curb.
* There are almost NO strollers, wheelchairs or scooters anywhere. People just manage to get around without them.
* When there are strollers, they are not left willy-nilly. There is stroller parking, marked and lined, and people use it!
* They should run every Disney park, everywhere. It's great!
Tokyo Disney Sea - December 20
Today was Tokyo Disney Sea - our first park outside the US. We were up earlier than expected, so grabbed breakfast and headed to the park about an hour before opening. We heard people starting lining up about then, so decided to join in.
There is a bus that goes to the monorail station (really cute with great big Mickey heads on the sides where the doors are) but it wasn't far, so we walked. The monorail requires tickets, even for on-site guests, so we purchased a two-day pass for 600 yen (about $5). The monorail is more like a subway car, but does run above ground on a single rail. It has big Mickey shaped windows and Mickey shaped hangstraps, too! First stop from our hotel was TDS, so we were there quickly.
There were quite a few people already waiting - we were about 10 people deep back from the gates - and it was FREEZING! We brought our lined windbreakers from Disneyland (CA) and were glad we had them. I ended up buying gloves and earmuffs by the end of the day, too. The high was supposed to be around 50 but it was cloudy much of the day and breezy, so it felt cold. There were several girls there in skirts and shorts (all with high heeled boots) and I know they had to be really uncomfortable. It's amazing how many people dress up in heels and tight jeans and skirts for the park here!
When the gates opened, it was a very orderly and quick procession through the turnstiles (no finger scans here), then the sprint began.
Literally.
People full-out RUN toward the ride they want - and right now that's Tower of Terror since it just opened in September. The sound was hilarious as we ran along with the crowd toward Tower - the loud clacking of hundreds of high heels running down the paved streets and over the stone bridge toward the American Waterfront section of the park.
We got there in time to wait outside for a bit, but after about 10 minutes we were through the preshow and into the elevator. Most of you know I HATE falling and though I've been on Tower at the two American parks I normally don't ride them. Well, since this may be the only trip I make here, I had to do it. I was panicked, almost hyperventalated, but I did it! We even bought the picture to prove it. The story on this one is quite different from the American version, since they don't really have the Twilight Zone over here. At TDS, the Tower is the Hotel Hightower, formerly owned by an eccentric American explorer Harrison Hightower. It seems he came back from one of his many adventures with a cursed idol, then disappeared. You're in the hotel to view his treasures, including the idol, when the idol comes alive. It's a very cool story an the idol is hilarious - cute but scary at the same time.
After Tower we headed toward the back of the park and did StormRider - a cross between Star Tours and Honey I Shrunk the Audience in which you ride in a special aircraft into the eye of the storm of the century with a weapon to stop the storm. Of course things go wrong - it was fun and we did this one twice. Then we did the Indiana Jones ride - just like California but Indy speaks Japanese, which was interesting. After that it was the Raging Spirits roller coaster - a lot like Thunder Mountain but with a loop. Then we went to the Mysterious Island section for 20,000 Leagues (like the old ride at WDW but with cooler, roomier but smaller vehicles) and Journey to the Center of the Earth (part dark ride, part roller coaster - REALLy fun ride). That was all the rides we wanted to knock out and we had them in by noon, so we spent the rest of the day shopping (pins are almost non-existent here, but cell phone dangles are huge), snacking and exploring. We caught the Legend of Mythica water show in the afternoon and BraviSEAmo - also on the lagoon - after dark.
We were tired and cold, so headed back to the room and warmed up with a bath. Tomorrow we'll dress warmer and hit Tokyo Disneyland.
Tokyo Disneyland - December 21
We got up early and packed up, checked out, then headed to Tokyo Disneyland. We got there about an hour before the gates opened and again there was a crowd already waiting. Lots more kids today, and still several dressed up people just like at Disney Sea. Again, when the gates opened there was an orderly progression through the turnstiles, then the full-on run into the park. At Tokyo Disneyland, the crowd heads to Fantasyland - specifically Pooh's Hunny Hunt and the Haunted Mansion.
We took some video then joined the sprint to Hunny Hunt. This is really a fantastic ride! It's a dark ride and much like a lot of Fantasyland rides, but uses a unique mechanism with no visible track and independent cars to create a one-of-a-kind experience. We rode it twice and it was definitely a favorite. It's very cool! We also hit Peter Pan (same as WDW), Haunted Mansion (same as WDW but done up with the Nightmare characters like they do a DL) and used our fastpass for Hunny Hunt to ride again. They had a stand with Honey flavored popcorn outside so had to try that - yummm! (Observation: The Japanese aren't really into sweets but there were carts all over both parks with all kinds of flavors of popcorn like sea salt, black pepper, curry, honey, caramel, chocolate and strawberry.)
The crowds were starting to build, so we headed around the park and found Thunder Mountain was 101 (down in Disney speak), so we did Pirates. It's EXACTLY like the Disneyland version, but pre-political-correctness. The pirates still chase the wenches! It was awesome! It hasn't had the movie makeover (yet?) either, so it was truly the original. Since it was cold again, we skipped Splash (which is the same as the others), checked back at Thunder and it was back up, so we did it. It is slightly different than the other versions and a little longer - really liked it. We skipped over to Tomorrowland and caught MicroAdventure - aka Honey I Shrunk the Audience from Epcot. This was the same - though dubbed in Japanese and with a different pre-show (not sponsored by Kodak). We waited in a 30-minute standby for Buzz after that - this was great and very similar to WDW but the guns are removable and the points system is based on different shaped targets. Also, you can't hold down the trigger, so it's a bit tough on the finger, but the gun lights up when you hit a target. Thumbs up! Finally, we did Star Tours, which is exactly the same except for dubbing and the pre-show instruction video has a different woman who speaks Japanese (but she's American).
After Tomorrowland we made our way up to the World Bazaar - a covered area that's Tokyo's version of Main Street USA. We had lunch at a nice Japanese sit-down restaurant and did some shopping. We mailed off some postcards from the Disneyland mailbox! It was only 4, but we were done and tired, so went back to the monorail and headed over to Ikspiari. This is basically a Downtown Disney style area with shopping and restaurants but it's a HUGE multi-level mall. We wandered some, went to the big Disney store there, then finally just crashed. Grabbed the monorail back to our hotel, where we had a Starbucks (yes, there was one in the lobby) and hung out in comfy chairs long enough for most of Tokyo's rush hour to be done. Then we got our bags and grabbed a cab to move to the Palace Hotel in the city.
I'm typing this from there now. We have a beautiful corner room with a great view of the Palace grounds (which we can't see because it's dark) and some of the city. The hotel is very nice and the bellman spoke the best English we've heard so far on the trip! We even have free broadband internet!
Right now I'm taking all my pics off my cards and will try to add some to my reports later tonight or tomorrow. We have to get up early again for our half-day bus tour that picks us up at 8 am. We'll see several sights and be dropped in Ginza, where we'll explore on our own, so will have lots to report then!
Some final observations about Disney and the Japanese:
* These people are VERY clean. Despite about 1/4 the trashcans in the park, they were absolutely spotless.
* They follow directions very well, which makes for a very pleasant experience. There are tons of cast members directing traffic everywhere but very few ropes or barracades. People just do what they are told. There is no jockeying for position - if you show up late for the parade, you stand in the back with the rest of the latecomers and don't shove up to a spot on the curb.
* There are almost NO strollers, wheelchairs or scooters anywhere. People just manage to get around without them.
* When there are strollers, they are not left willy-nilly. There is stroller parking, marked and lined, and people use it!
* They should run every Disney park, everywhere. It's great!
Since you're a DVC member, did you look into using points to stay on property?
