HydroGuy's Tokyo Disney Trip Report

[HydroGuy]

Yeah it would be Mythica in TDS. I was under the impression that it ran during the day and night.

We saw Mythica during the afternoon. It only showed once a day while we were there. In the evening we did see the "Harborside Christmas" Show at TDS.

 

[rentayenta]

I just found this and started reading!!!

 

[Timchat2]

As for California Screamin, it is at my home resort but I am in the minority around here in that I think it is one of the worst Disney coasters. That does not mean it is a bad coaster. I like Screamin'. But it is just Six Flags/Cedar Point fare. Theming is almost non-existent. I like Disney rides more than Six Flags/Cedar Point because they tell a story. Like Space Mtn, BTMRR, EE and RnR. They are immersive stories. Screamin is not.

I completely agree. The story and setting of Disney coasters set them apart from the rest (which have their own merits as thrill rides).

This might be slightly off-topic, but have you visited Cedar Point? Having grown up visiting the park for several decades along with five summers working on their steam locomotives I'm always interested in hearing an "outsider" perspective on the park, particularly from a frequent Disney park visitor. Cedar Point and the Disney parks feature fairly different products, pure thrills and immersive experiences respectively, so it would be interesting to hear if Disney park enthusiasts enjoy that difference or find it somewhat unappealing. Or perhaps it's just a matter of different tastes for different people.

 

[HydroGuy]

This might be slightly off-topic, but have you visited Cedar Point? Having grown up visiting the park for several decades along with five summers working on their steam locomotives I'm always interested in hearing an "outsider" perspective on the park, particularly from a frequent Disney park visitor. Cedar Point and the Disney parks feature fairly different products, pure thrills and immersive experiences respectively, so it would be interesting to hear if Disney park enthusiasts enjoy that difference or find it somewhat unappealing. Or perhaps it's just a matter of different tastes for different people.

We did in fact spend two days there in June 2008. It is the kind of place I would have loved 30 years ago!

With four teenage boys you can guess the opinion in my family. CP rocks! I did ride all the coasters once. Millenium Force twice, Maverick twice and Topthrill Dragster twice. Dragster was quite a ride. Wow. And Millenium I almost blacked out on. My field of vision narrowed down to a small circle but I made it.

To my sons' credit, they love CP but understand the storytelling, immersion aspect of Disney coasters. So they like Disney a lot as well. Adrenaline vs. imagination! At my age I do not care to ever go to CP again. But my kids want to go back.

 

[Timchat2]

I'm glad you and your family had a good trip. Cedar Point is our "home" park so it has to fill our amusement park needs in between visits to the Disney parks. Since Cedar Point has its own hotels, a truly unique location surrounded by water/beaches and more table service restaurants than the typical amusement park we can kind of live the Disney life vicariously. Of course it's never quite the same...

I have to agree with the changing tastes as one grows older. When I was younger I loved the park for its major thrill rides. Now as I've gotten older I tend for the nuance, atmosphere, and imagination of the Disney parks (which can be found to a degree in parks like Dollywood and Busch Gardens Williamsburg). Not to mention the Disney parks are so much quieter (as in noise level) than Cedar Point with its roaring coasters and often-loud park music. That contrast always strikes me when I visit the Disney parks.

 

[skiingfast]

I know this is getting off topic from Hydroguy's trip report.

I agree the immersive feel of Disney Parks set it apart. Most amusment parks are loud and disorganized, and remind me a lot of a commercial street in a city. Disney parks tent to be calmer and have a better flow from one buidling to the next. The biggest thing though is the CMs. I always encounter a few that are over the top good at their job. Where if I encountered this at a great america or sea world I would be shocked.

More on topic.

I'm surprised that Hyrdoguy found there to be a lack of English. I've never heard this before to such an extent. It makes me think it is because of the contrast Hyrdoguy experienced in DLP to TDL.

 

[Judy from Boise]

I was lucky enough to spend a day at TDS, and I did not encounter many profecient english speakers either. Certainly enough to make a purchase, but not enough to ask directions or converse. That was the opening year.

 

[skiingfast]

How many non Japanese do you think are in the parks there?

Did you see many Aussies or Kiwis?

 

[HydroGuy]

How many non Japanese do you think are in the parks there?

Did you see many Aussies or Kiwis?

Visually NZ or Ozzies will appear like Westerners of course. And as I noted on our first TDS day we saw 2 "westerners". All day. At TDL there were a few more. But not many. Obviously I cannot comment on the rest of the year, but our experience was that anyone who spoke English proficiently was rare. In fact I woud say we never met a proficient English speaker in Japan. No knock on the Japanese. I do not expect them to speak English. It is just an observation for everyone's general info who might visit TDR. They had signs and menus in English and with the limited English of many TDR CMs we were fine.

Now DLRP is different. Most folks there spoke English and many rides were completely in English. They cater to a more general audience. I speak some Spanish and when I was at DLRP I had just spent a week in Spain - with Spaniards. I met several tri-lingual CMs at DLRP (French/English/Spanish) and I spoke to most of them in Spanish - just to practice.

 

[skiingfast]

It sounds like more people from Japan go to DL or WDW than from English speaking countries to TDL. I guess it just shows you can't beat the classic.

 

[skiingfast]

I came across the name of the night show at TDL. Braviseamo. I watched it on Youtube it's ok. Not much of a story. Does use colored fountains nothing as vibrant as the photo used on the front of the thread. Oh well word is it is being changed into Fantasmic there.

The other funny thing was the comments on the video were about English speakers. The comments were pretty evenly split, some said it was fine in the parks. The other said the English in the parks is terrible but in tokyo and pretty much everywhere else in Japan easy to find.

 

[HydroGuy]

I came across the name of the night show at TDL. Braviseamo. I watched it on Youtube it's ok. Not much of a story. Does use colored fountains nothing as vibrant as the photo used on the front of the thread. Oh well word is it is being changed into Fantasmic there.

The other funny thing was the comments on the video were about English speakers. The comments were pretty evenly split, some said it was fine in the parks. The other said the English in the parks is terrible but in tokyo and pretty much everywhere else in Japan easy to find.

I believe Braviseamo was down while we were there because they did the Harborside Christmas show in the lagoon there at night.

 

[brenda1966]

Just saw this thread. I guess I need to start reading the community section!

I really enjoyed reading about your adventure. Do you think age 13 was a good age to appreciate the trip? I'd love to take DD to Tokyo Disney when she's that age. We have friends in Thailand that we'd also go visit. Did you do any other sight seeing in Tokyo?

 

[HydroGuy]

Just saw this thread. I guess I need to start reading the community section!

I really enjoyed reading about your adventure. Do you think age 13 was a good age to appreciate the trip? I'd love to take DD to Tokyo Disney when she's that age. We have friends in Thailand that we'd also go visit. Did you do any other sight seeing in Tokyo?

Age 13 was great. We only did site seeing in China and had only three days for Tokyo so we could make it home for Thanksgiving! So we saw nothing else in Japan. Frankly, Japan does not interest me that much so I was fine with skipping seeing the country.

 

[greenkai3000]

Excellent report on TDR HydroGuy. I must admit that I'm jealous you got to go there. Have you had the chance to go back since you wrote this?

Not sure if you've ever watched Tokyo DisneySea Revealed" on the Travel Channel. I have been obsessed with DisneySea ver since I first saw the show. Anyway, they talk a bit about food...did you try the gyoza that everyone is obsessed with?


I truly, truyly wish we could get a DisneySea park here in the States. I want to ride JTCOT and 20,000 LUTS !

 

[HydroGuy]

Excellent report on TDR HydroGuy. I must admit that I'm jealous you got to go there. Have you had the chance to go back since you wrote this?

Not sure if you've ever watched Tokyo DisneySea Revealed" on the Travel Channel. I have been obsessed with DisneySea ver since I first saw the show. Anyway, they talk a bit about food...did you try the gyoza that everyone is obsessed with?


I truly, truyly wish we could get a DisneySea park here in the States. I want to ride JTCOT and 20,000 LUTS !

I have not had a chance to go to TDR since I went in 2009. I am going to Asia in November again this year and taking my whole family for part of it. My DS20 asked if we could do TDR but we don't have time as the family has limited time because of school obligations. We will be in Thailand and India together, and I myself will be in China again. I may go back in a few years to Asia...

A DisneySea type park in Anaheim would be really popular...

 

[WDWJonasGirl]

That sounds cool. I've never been to Tokyo Disney before.