Tokyo experiences?

[happyrebster]

Has anyone here ever used points to visit Tokyo Disney? Just curious. We are pondering a number of vacation ideas and wanted to hear about the experiences of others, good and bad. Thanks!

 

[s2BU]

Visited Tokyo Disney right after it opened so I don't remember it too specifically. What I do remember is that it was pretty similar to Disneyland (and MK).

Visited Disney Sea last year so I do have a better memory with this trip. Well worth it (even though it was a rainy day). They had rides which were not available at any other resorts. There was "Ariel's Grotto" for the little kids which was pretty similar to Toontown...

My suggestion would be to visit Disney Sea for sure and make it into Tokyo Disneyland if you still have time (or spend 1/2 a day to walk through and see if there are any differences.)

The only thing you might be concerned with is that I remember something about requiring to prepurchase your themepark tickets because they limit occupancy (our tickets were prepurchased for us by friends). Just something else to check on beforehand.

 

[ChickieToo]

Was in Japan on business for a month almost 14 years ago (remember it well as it was only three months prior to my wedding). I don't remember a lot, but I do remember a couple of things: you can take a train from the middle of Tokyo directly to Disneyland. It stops right in front of the gate which is very convenient. It was much smaller than WDW more akin to California Disneyland. Wouldn't need more than a day to see it. Also, I don't remember it being very crowded at all. Everyone was very friendly--they were very polite and fascinated with Americans. They called Mickey Mouse "Mickeysan".

I was there during the month of June and that is the rainy season. And they aren't kidding. Rained almost daily, and the days it didn't rain was very overcast. It was also very muggy. Warm enough for shorts, but just really sticky.

I wish I remembered more. I could pull out my photos to see if that jogs my memory. If I recall more, I'll post again.

Joanne

 

[larry_poppins]

My partner and I will be leaving on Wednesday for a trip to Tokyo. It is our second. Our first trip was in 2004. We loved Tokyo Disney and felt the quality of the Disney experience is much better there than here. When we learned we could spend our DVC points to vacation in Tokyo Mira Costa Hotel I felt like Christmas came early. The points for our APril trip were on the low end of the Tokyo point charts and it seemed like a pretty good deal - just my opinion- for a hotel room that costs around $300 to $400. We will be staying there for 5 nights! What bliss! I am very happy to have this option with DVC because the amount Disney has invested in WDW of late has not exactly excited me or got me dreaming of EPCOT the way it used to. Tokyo DisneySea is my favorite park. I can't wait to get back. My next visit, hopefully with points will be to Tokyo for 2008.

Larry

 

[juju]

With the outrageous price of nice Tokyo hotels and how much fun TDL is, it might be worth it to use points.

Larry - have a gyoza sausage bun for me!

 

[momsgoofy]

My partner and I will be leaving on Wednesday for a trip to Tokyo. It is our second. Our first trip was in 2004. We loved Tokyo Disney and felt the quality of the Disney experience is much better there than here. When we learned we could spend our DVC points to vacation in Tokyo Mira Costa Hotel I felt like Christmas came early. The points for our APril trip were on the low end of the Tokyo point charts and it seemed like a pretty good deal - just my opinion- for a hotel room that costs around $300 to $400. We will be staying there for 5 nights! What bliss! I am very happy to have this option with DVC because the amount Disney has invested in WDW of late has not exactly excited me or got me dreaming of EPCOT the way it used to. Tokyo DisneySea is my favorite park. I can't wait to get back. My next visit, hopefully with points will be to Tokyo for 2008.

Larry

Please give us a trip report when you get back???? (Some begging here ) I so want to visit the other Disney parks...maybe I can squeeze in some vicarious traveling if you'd be willing to share the story.

 

[larry_poppins]

I am not very good at trip reports. I will try though. My suggestion is that you check out www.jtcent.com and the Tokyo section on www.mousesavers.com

Both laughingplace.com, mouseinfo.com, and miceage.com have a Tokyo section on their boards. For the life of me I don't understand why there is no section here! They have everything else!

If you can get good airfaire and you can use your DVC points your all set. Admission is cheaper than WDW and so is their food prices. Tokyo and Tokyo Disney was not as expensive as I feared. If you are used to WDW prices you will be presently surprised by the prices and the high quality in Japan.

Larry

 

[happyrebster]

Thanks for all of the wonderful info! I have always wanted to visit Japan, and DVC is now providing a great chance for me to justify it (because some of the hotel costs would be covered). Very cool. Interesting to hear that the park costs aren't as much as I had feared.

 

[d-r]

I was in Tokyo for a while a few years ago. I went to disneyland and disneysea, but I didn't use points or stay on site. The hotel that I stayed in in Akasaka was a "disney good neighbor" sort of parter, so they had a bus everyday. That was as easy as taking the train. There were several hotels in Tokyo like that at the time. The ticket costs didn't seem too high. I bought them at the gate those mornings. But the bus from the hotel was an early one.

Get there early and be prepared for big crowds, big lines. By opening time each day I was there the lines were huge. The only thing I can compare it to is Christmas week at walt disney world. I may have been there at a bad time, I don't know. Get fastpasses early and often. It is a lot of fun. Make sure to see more in Japan than Disney. The train goes both ways. Give yourself enough time to get used to the time change. It is a long flight, by the time you get there give yourself enough time to stay a while. I wonder how available the disney hotel rooms for points will be. If you do have a sausage bun, be prepared to wait in a really long line.

 

[larry_poppins]

Two years ago the middle of April was not too crowded at Tokyo Disney. I am hoping for similar good luck. There are more than one vendor now selling the sausage buns so if you don't have to eat it at Mysterious Island you should be ok!

Larry

 

[PKS44]

I own Stock in the ORIENTAL LAND COMPANY -and twice a year I get two free passes to TOKYO DISNEY for a day--but I have never been able to use them....someday--and now that I could use points...

It is one pass for every 100 shares --given out twice a year.