A (2019) HalloXmas trip to Asia - Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tokyo! - COMPLETED 5/1!!!

[Lesley Wake]

I used to love this ride back in the day at MK when I was really little!!

I never rode it in MK, but do remember a couple times before it became Nemo in Disneyland. This one was different, because you boarded a "pod" rather than a submarine. So you didn't have to go down stairs. Instead, there were three benches (2 people each bench) with a large window at each one. there also may not be any water involved at all! I don't remember the exact storyline, but it definitely was more steampunk-esque, if that makes sense!

Happy New Year, Lesley!!!! I'm glad you came back to this report!

You're certainly making the most of the rainy day so far, it seems!! You continue to impress me with all the snacks and rides and research you did to be so prepared and make the most of your days!

I just love those little plates and cups and souvenir items that come as parts of meals there. I would totally be suckered into buying SO many of those! I also LOVE the Duffy gloves in the pic you posted from that store. I just might have to look for one of those resellers because I must have them.

Thanks! I'm nothing if not research oriented, lol!

So awesome that you've visited every park!

Sounds like a really fun time at DisneySea so far that day!

Yeah, it was fun, despite the rain!

 

[Lesley Wake]

Part 4 – Big Band Beat and American Waterfront

It was getting close to time for Big Band Beat, so I headed across the park to the American Waterfront.

On the way I admired the leaf characters! Can you recognize them?

And into the theatre! If you don’t win the lottery you can attempt standby, though I’m not sure where they seat/stand you!

I wasn’t sure about photos in the lobby so I tried to snap some quickly. It definitely felt like a real theatre lobby though!

I ended up with the perfect seat – 4th row, dead-center!

Unfortunately absolutely no photos allowed inside! Here are some random photos I found online. But this show was SO COOL! Just so much talent, with real musicians, singers, dancers! I really was blown away!

Obviously, not my photos or videos, but it gives you an idea:

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[Lesley Wake]

Afterwards I took some photos of the Halloween decorations in the area. This was the only spot really decorated for Halloween and was pretty minimal at that. Nothing like TDL!

The ladies have to get their representation!

And some posters under the train tracks. I appreciated how the flowers at the top matched the poster!

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[Lesley Wake]

I must have wandered into some shops. These blanket/hats were very popular, except I was a bit too sensitive to the texture so I didn’t get one. (I’m weird and really hate the feeling of fleece)

Fun socks, especially the princesses at the bottom! (I could tell they would be too small for me though)

And over to McDuck’s, where they sell more Duffy merch. And have the cutest window displays! One featured the newly released naptime collection and one was for the Autumn collection.

Some random merch in there and also décor. I think I took more photos another day.

And a fall picnic

I decided to check out the Disneysea Electric Railway, which is one-way either to or from Port Discovery.

A fun ride with unique views of the park!

Arrival in Port Discovery

Coming up: Nighttime in a rainy TDS​

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

(I’m weird and really hate the feeling of fleece)

Oh, Gwen can no longer be your friend.... She would live in fleece if she could!

How cute is that owl costume!!!!

 

[KEK1]

Great update. Did you Have to pay for the train in TDS like the monorail ?

 

[lvcourtneyy]

Disneysea is definitely the overseas park I want to see most. Looks amazing!

 

[missjackiemcg]

So, I thought I was quoting while I was reading....but it appears I was wrong

The rainy version of that "parade" is so incredible; the real deal must be completely out of this world! The pictures of the Band Beat show sure do look like a totally legit theater show! I wish they would take it on the road...and that we could actually go to the theater anytime soon...because I would most definitely pay to see it!

Love all the Duffy and Shellie Mae merch. So totally adorable. I kind of want that rug for my bedroom. Think Rob would be up for it?

 

[KathyM2]

The Duffy merch is adorable!! One again I think I'd have a hard time controlling myself!! Love the views from the railroad!!

 

[Lesley Wake]

Oh, Gwen can no longer be your friend.... She would live in fleece if she could!


How cute is that owl costume!!!!

It was so cute! I actually bought that outfit for my Gelatoni!

Great update. Did you Have to pay for the train in TDS like the monorail ?

No, because it's just a one-way journey. I think if it went there, you could get off or stay on, and then back, that would mean it would fall under the Japanese rule and you'd have to pay for it. So, things like the electric railway and boats in TDS are just one-leg journeys. If you want to take it back, you have to get off and back in line and back on again. There is a railway in DL, but it's like the boats around Rivers of America, just a single loop.

Disneysea is definitely the overseas park I want to see most. Looks amazing!

It's definitely different than everywhere else!

So, I thought I was quoting while I was reading....but it appears I was wrong

The rainy version of that "parade" is so incredible; the real deal must be completely out of this world! The pictures of the Band Beat show sure do look like a totally legit theater show! I wish they would take it on the road...and that we could actually go to the theater anytime soon...because I would most definitely pay to see it!

Love all the Duffy and Shellie Mae merch. So totally adorable. I kind of want that rug for my bedroom. Think Rob would be up for it?

I really was bummed to miss the full Halloween show! And yeah, Big Band Beat is amazing! A real show and everyone sings and dances live.

I vote you just buy it and then put it there; see how long it takes for him to notice, lol!

The Duffy merch is adorable!! One again I think I'd have a hard time controlling myself!! Love the views from the railroad!!

It is all so adorable! They need to bring Duffy and friends back to the US parks!

 

[Lesley Wake]

Part 5 – Port Discovery and end of night

Since I was in Port Discovery, I stopped for dinner at Horizon Bay Restaurant, a buffeteria style. (I also wanted somewhere dry as I was pretty soggy)

I got the Halloween set, Grilled Beef and vegetables (basically thin steak), Purple Potato Cream Soup, Chocolate cake with mint cream. The beef was good, basic thin steak and vegetables were yummy, especially the squash! I really loved the soup and wish I could have gotten more of it! The cake was a basic chocolate cake; I skipped the mint cream as it looked too much like toothpaste!

There were lots of people just sitting or resting in the restaurant. And I thought more about what I wanted to do. The park was open for a little while longer, but I really was cold and, while not miserable, was pretty tired. So I decided to start heading back to the hotel.

(Something I did seriously consider was buying another day ticket for Disneyland. When it rains they have a special nighttime rainy parade (Nightfall Glow). I sort of wish I had seen this, but also knew I was tired and it would have cost a lot of money, so ultimately I didn’t.)

Some projections under the railtrack

One thing I did stop for was one of Tokyo’s infamous popcorn carts! They often have such a long line that it wouldn’t be worth it to me. But tonight there was no wait at one of the ones nearby which had a bucket and flavor I wanted! So I got the honey popcorn in the Woody Toybox bucket!

Unfortunately I only got a couple of bites before stopping briefly in the bathroom, where I proceeded to drop it and spill popcorn everywhere! (I found a CM to help clean it up.) And the popcorn wasn’t too amazing anyways. A bit too chemically for me! I fixed the bucket later too.

Admiring the empty atmosphere by the fort.

And kinetic energy! (I timed it for the flashes at Tower of Terror too)

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[Lesley Wake]

Some more photos on my way out

And some more merch shots – I really wanted these toilet brushes and door stop!

Cutie socks – but I knew they wouldn’t fit!

Time to leave

So, Tokyo DisneySea. Did I love it. Not exactly; I liked it, but love, not quite. It was a weird first day. None of the harbor shows (day or night) could go on. And the wait times weren’t too bad. But I couldn’t really enjoy the atmosphere because it was wet and cold. I would need to reserve judgement until I returned with hopefully better weather!

I went back to the hotel and packed up all my stuff. The next day I would be heading out and onto my next adventure!


Step count: 18,206

Coming up – Heading to another area of Japan
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[KEK1]

*sigh* I really wish we had a local Disney park.
Pity about the honey popcorn after the raving I've heard. The bucket is ridiculously cute though. And surely those socks are for kids- they look TINY!

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

Sad when you drop popcorn... Sounded kind of like a meh day. I feel like every trip has one.

 

[missjackiemcg]

I got the Halloween set, Grilled Beef and vegetables (basically thin steak), Purple Potato Cream Soup, Chocolate cake with mint cream.

Is Asia obsessed with purple potatoes or what!? I feel like it's something that has popped up often in this TR, and it keeps surprising me. I LOVE potato soup. Does it taste "purple," LOL, or just potatoey?

I absolutely adore this popcorn bucket!

 

[Lesley Wake]

*sigh* I really wish we had a local Disney park.
Pity about the honey popcorn after the raving I've heard. The bucket is ridiculously cute though. And surely those socks are for kids- they look TINY!

It is nice having a local park (I live about 1 hr from Disneyland), but right now it's just depressing, lol!

Maybe other people like the Honey stuff? I just thought it tasted too much of fake chemicals. But that could just be me...I have weird tastes!

Sad when you drop popcorn... Sounded kind of like a meh day. I feel like every trip has one.

It was an interesting day. One of those that would have been great if I was a local and could go on all the rides without long waits, but not so great as the first day in the park!

It also feels like the longer I'm away from home, the more likely to get iffy days.

Is Asia obsessed with purple potatoes or what!? I feel like it's something that has popped up often in this TR, and it keeps surprising me. I LOVE potato soup. Does it taste "purple," LOL, or just potatoey?


I absolutely adore this popcorn bucket!

I don't know, but I love purple potatoes, so I'm good with it! I think it just tastes like normal potatoes, maybe a bit creamier?

And yeah, I had been eyeing a bunch of buckets, but I knew with space constraints it would be tough to bring them all back. But this one was definitely a must-get, especially when there was no line!

 

[Lesley Wake]

Day 11 – Kyoto
October 30, 2019

Part 1 - Bullet train and Bamboo

Today I was off to my next adventure, Kyoto. I took Disney Tourist Blog’s advice on adding a couple days there while I was in Japan. (Kyoto is also pretty close to Osaka, which is where Universal Studios Japan is, so a lot of people add that on as a trip, but I wasn't as interested... maybe one day?)

I did wake up to an interesting alert on my phone and some very foggy weather (I could barely see the Hilton a block away)! Thankfully it cleared up by the time I was really getting going!

When I was coming back to Tokyo Disney I was again staying at the Sheraton, so I had cleared it with the hotel that I could store my big suitcases at the hotel and travel light with my carry-on sized suitcase and backpack. Definitely more convenient!

A view of the construction for Fantasy Springs from the monorail platform

I did have to negotiate Tokyo metro with a suitcase, but it wasn’t too hard (I think it was a straight shot from Maihama to Tokyo Station), and at least it wasn’t totally rush hour!

The fastest way to get down to Kyoto was via bullet train.

There are three types of trains, with different speeds, but they leave every 10 minutes or so. You can book ahead of time but I wasn’t totally sure of my schedule so I decided to wait until I got to the station, which didn’t end up being an issue (though I was a solo passenger, so that made it easier to be flexible). I also had downloaded the train app on my phone ahead of time, which made it easier to book and pay for my ticket there, but then print out the ticket from the machine using a confirmation code. (You can prob just do everything from the machine, but I was getting so confused I just did it this way.)

On the train, there are three types of tickets: normal (cheapest), reserved seat (same type of car but you know where you are sitting), and green car (upper class). I did a lot of research before arriving in Japan and decided to go ahead with the Green Car, as the cost difference wasn’t too significant. It also meant a more comfortable chair and more leg room!

And we’re off! (Oh I booked the Shinkansen, which was the fastest option)

I made sure to get a window seat on the side facing Mount Fuji, so I was able to check it out at the beginning of the trip!

About 2 hrs later, the train arrived in Kyoto. I did love the speed of it all! The distance is about 227 miles, and the train can go up to 199 mph! I really hope they build these in the US like they keep talking about. (FYI, the driving time via car is about 5.5 hrs)​

 

[Lesley Wake]

Arriving in Kyoto I knew it would still be too early to check into my lodging (it was around 12:30), so I first stashed my suitcase in one of the lockers at the station. I needed food too (I don’t have any photos of other food so I assume I hadn’t really eaten anything), so I ended up finding a casual restaurant in the station. The Mont-blanc French toast/pancakes and other desserts were tempting!

I ended up getting the Pork Katsu sandwich, which is a staple in Japanese restaurants. It’s basically a pork cutlet, breaded and deep fried, in between bread with some tonkatsu sauce. I think sometimes it may have mustard too, but I must have ordered it without! Overall, it was interesting. Not something I needed to repeat, but still edible. I didn’t end up having room for one of the desserts though!

A map of the city pointing out relevant spots for today.

I hopped onto the Kyoto metro for a trip across the city. Funny thing – I boarded the car and noticed all the seats were faced in the wrong direction (as Kyoto Station was the end of the line). So I was a bit confused but went ahead and sat in the back row, which was in the right way. Then suddenly all the other passengers starting grabbing the handles of the empty benches and flipping the backs to the other side! I made an audible “oohhh” and a little Japanese granny chuckled at me!

Off to Arashiyama station, which had a lovely garden in front.

There were food booths all along the streets in that neighborhood. Also, SO MANY KIMONOS! Most of them were probably rentals, and there was advertisements everywhere for kimono rental.

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[Lesley Wake]

And my destination – the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove. This is a natural forest of bamboo and is really gorgeous. I’m not the best at describing places, so I’m providing the guides from Travel Caffeine. This is the same couple from Disney Tourist Blog, Tom Bricker and Sarah Bricker, who just absolutely love Kyoto, so I consulted their advice closely during my planning!

https://www.travelcaffeine.com/kyoto-bamboo-grove-photos-tips/
There’s one main tourist path (uphill) through the forest, while there were some other paths to the side for people who actually had a reason to be there! The forest is one of the main destinations in Kyoto, so had plenty of people, but it wasn’t too stifling crowd-wise.

There are a couple of temples or gardens in the area, but I decided not to do those, and instead followed the trail up the hill and got some lovely views!

Also…saw this warning which I translated via Google Translate. Don’t deal with monkeys. Don’t make eye contact with monkeys. (I never saw any though)

I ended up taking a different trail back down the hill, seeing some other monuments or points of interest

The pathway ended up spitting me out over by the river, which was also lovely to see! If I was to cross to the other side, this is where you would find the Iwatayama Monkey Park, which is where you can walk around the monkeys and even feed them from a fenced enclosure. I had wanted to do this, but realized it was a 2-hour hike and I just knew physically that wasn’t going to happen! Plus it would have taken too much time!

You can also see the start of the fall colors coming in. In a couple weeks this would be full of Autumn colors (but also full of insane crowds).​

 

[Lesley Wake]

On my way back to the train station, I passed by this Miffy Sakura Bakery. I still don’t know why I didn’t get anything, because it was all sooo cute! I think I was just pretty exhausted from the “hike” I did end up doing!

I also checked out the Kimono Forest, definitely a popular spot for Instagram! Basically poles with lots of different kimono fabrics, which was pretty to see.

A nice day so far with some beautiful sights.

Coming up – Torii torii torii!​