Sorry, things have been alittle crazy with Birthday Ball and getting ready for Christmas. I do have one more gift to get, wrap and ship it off. The good thing about living so far from family, is that you have to get Christmas presents, wrap and ship done early so that you can enjoy the holidays with no stress over last minute shopping
We had a moment of brilliance and got our tickets at the hotel the night before we wanted to go to TDL. Because we got just 2 day tickets, we had to tell them which day we wanted to go to which park.
TDL first
DisneySea second
In hindsight, we should have done it the either way around. We went to DisneySea the day before a Japanese holiday and it was crowded. Or more crowded than TDL was. Don't know if the holiday was a factor in Sea being crowded or if that is standard.
Next time we go, we will not do Sea right before a holiday
After a day, we have or routine down for the trains. DD has the train tickets in her Micky purse and hands them out. DH goes first followed by the kids and than me. All the crazy Yankees go through the same ticket counter, so Mom can make sure her little loveable, crazy Monsters are all there.
DD collects the tickets for the ride hands them back out when we leave the station and collects them again, and repeat as many times as needed.
Sitting on the Disney train, the kids were getting excited.
DS, is this our stop?
DS, is this our stop?
DS, is this our stop?
Okay, maybe not many times. I think from the Hilton, it was 2 stops. But I could be wrong. There are a total of 4 stops on the Disney train.
After spending a year in Okinawa, we have come to go with the flow. We appreciate the fact that we are not in the US and that things here are done catering to the main customer, the Japanese customer. I also appreciate the fact that I am a person from the South/Tropical climate. Winter and I do not get along
As we walked into TDL and walked down Main Street, DD and I felt like we had come home.
It brought a tear to my eye to see the Christmas decorations. I told DD that it was a good thing we came when we did. Cause than when we got home, I would not break the rule and decorate before Thanksgiving. I was in heavan listening to the Christmas music. We grabbed a map, not thinking
Can't read it. Send DD back for one in English. Thank goodness for cell phones. People are lined up for an hour for the parade........
We decide to hit the rides. Space mountain here we come. DD and DH were alittle disappointed. Not the stomach dropping ride that it is at WDW. We should have known something was up, when we heard no one screaming?!?!?!? We make our way around the park and see and do.
Got a Snowman Mickey popcorn bucket. Tried lots of popcorn. Popcorn really. Yes, popcorn....curry, caramel, apple cinnamon, sea salt, strawberry, chocolate, honey. About $30 worth
Not all at TDL some of it was at Sea. We got a Duffy with a Santa hat at Sea.
We rode Pooh and many other rides.
We also did the pressed "pennies". IT is a copper slug. It is great because now I can mount those with the ones from WDW. We figured there were about 45 machines costing about 100Yen, DH said I could not bring back $50 worth of pressed pennies
That is okay, I did not want to carry that many anyway. So, we were alittle picky about the ones we got. We brought back $40
between the 2 parks.
On our last trip my family and I got into finding hidden Micky. So much so, any 3 circles is a hidden Mickey to DS
We did so one of the CMs working the train station the "hidden fist" Mickey. Two people are required. One person uses both fist and makes the Ears and the other person is the Face with one fist. The CM got a kick out of it.
This trip we spent time looking for hidden Mickey. We found some, official ones and some unofficial ones
But it made us appreciate the themeing of the parks more and more.
Somethings that really floored me.
One, the Japanese Ladies love to be stylish with their short skirts/shorts and 4/5in heels. Found out later how they stayed warm(heat pockets that stick on wish I had known that
)
Two, Even though there are lines and crowds...most people were very nice and the lines moved extremely well.
Three, this meant so much to me. While waiting for the Night time Illuminations Parade, the kids were huddled over and cuddled together cold.... this very nice lady behind us put her blanket on the kids.
Four, the whole experience to them is important...the rides, the shows, the parades, the food, you name it.
Five, think outside the box when it comes to your souvenirs.... I knew that but I had to remind myself of that. I was looking for t-shirt but that was not going to work. Got the kids Duffy purses(DisneySea), and unknowingly got them something that said Tokyo Disney. do the pressed pennies because some will say TDL or something else about TDL
Six, look for those Characters you know but don't see at WDW.
I'll post pics, when I can remember how to do it