Japan 2017 Trip Report - Part One

Aloha Insights and Sounds readers! This is a voice from the past...coming back to regale you with tales of triumphs, tragedies, and heroic endeavors! Okay, not really...it's just me (Len) with a long overdue trip report of my visit to the land of the rising sun. Being as how this blog slants towards things Disney, this article consists mainly of my adventures at the Tokyo Disney resorts, followed by a brief stop in Kyoto and my final stop at Universal Studios in Osaka. This will be a multi part series with many trivial comments and meandering thoughts so be sure to have a large pot of coffee brewing before delving into any of these posts!

A little background first...this was my 3rd time visiting the Tokyo parks. My first trip was in 2001, the year Disneysea opened. While the parks look pretty much the same, there has been some major and subtle additions / subtractions over the years which I'll cover as we move along. Suffice to say, one of the biggest changes has been the generalization and an overall sameness to much of the merchandise. During my first two trips, I was constantly amazed at the variety and creative designs of park products. I remember picking up an Uncle Scrooge type PEZ dispenser which contained candy resembling silver dollar pieces. Or a Magical Aladdin Genie Bank that gave the illusion of your money disappearing as you dropped it into a slot. The package designs for food products were unbelievable! Specially commissioned artwork that saw a life span of 2-3 months before being rotated out for new designs were common and expected. Alas, all good things come to an end and the imaginative spark of creativity that was a hallmark of Tokyo merchandise has succumb to a plethora of Duffy toys and a more generic vanilla approach found at the USA parks.

Sad to say too that like the American parks, Tokyo is closing down or moving away from original unique attractions (ex: StormRider - one of the coolest attractions at DS replaced by Nemo & Friends SeaRider) to make room for rides that tie into Pixar/Marvel movies.

But all is not doom and gloom. Disneysea still remains the pinnacle of Disney imagineering at its finest. The parks still maintain high levels of customer service, quality food, and cleanliness. So sit back, relax, and come along with me as I relive my journey to Japan!

I arrived a little after 10:00 pm at Haneda Airport, so transportation already became a slight issue due to the late hour. Disney bus service ends at 8:00 pm so I was forced to take a private van to the Disney Celebration Hotel. It cost me $110.00 for a one way trip...pricey, but worth it since I didn't want to hassle with the trains after an 8 1/2 hour flight. My driver was waiting for me at the baggage carousel and kindly helped take my bags to a Mercedes Benz van. As I was the only passenger, we quickly departed the airport and made our way to the hotel. Even with little to no traffic, the ride took approximately 50 minutes. 

Big caveat here if you're thinking of staying at the Disney Celebration. While an official Disney hotel, it is NOT located on or near park premises! Had I know this before booking (and done a little more research),  I would not have stayed here. My initial logic for booking was my interest in checking out Tokyo Disney's newest resort and also saving a little money (since it's their only designated "value" resort). Turns out the savings wasn't substantial (maybe $40.00 less than the Disney Ambassador, once a value hotel, but upgraded to "deluxe" status upon the debut of Celebration). I would much rather pay a little less to stay at one of the "good neighbor" hotels like the Hilton or Sheraton and be much closer to the parks. I will concede that transportation service from Celebration to the parks are excellent, and they have buses leaving every 10 minutes. However, it's almost a half hour ride and should definitely be considered if booking here.

Celebration is comprised of two separate buildings with specific theming...Wishes and Discovery. I chose Discovery as it has more of a western frontier aspect. From the outside, the hotel is rather unimpressive with a "cookie cutter" look to it. You do know it's a Disney hotel the moment you enter the lobby, but like Paradise Pier, it comes across as major plussing rather than a hotel organically designed from the ground up (ala Hotel Miracosta). 

Being such a late arrival, I walked up to the front desk with no one in front or behind me. Besides the frontiersman Mickey statue, and a large couch designed as a canoe, not much else gave me a feel of discovery.  There were display cases with maquette of various Disney attractions and the obligatory Christmas tree or two. 

Christmas decorations at both the hotels and parks are very conservative and subtle (especially when compared with the USA parks). I wonder if part of it is the Japanese not really understanding the true meaning behind Christmas. Not that decorated trees and lights symbolize the birth of Christ, but it's an understanding that really makes this holiday more important than the others (to me at least). After checking in and taking a few photos, I headed up to my room. I was impressed with the colorful artwork covering the interior elevator doors...each elevator showcasing a different area of the parks. 

The room itself was clean and comfortable. The large wall diorama adds a lot to give the room a "Disney" feel, although like the overall hotel, it still feels tacked on. 

The amenities were of the usual high standards I associate with the Tokyo resorts. In fact, unlike the move towards generalized merchandise, the hotel toiletries are still hotel specific. And this is the only hotel that had Mickey Mouse house slippers available (a generous amount of four pairs in cello wrap were mine for the taking, but I showed some restraint and packed just two!).

I headed to bed a little after one, but found myself tossing and turning...first night before entering the park jitters. I got up early and decided to have breakfast since I knew it was going to be a two hour wait for park entry. In Japan, everything is vending machines! In order to participate in the morning buffet, you need to buy a ticket from a machine right outside the restaurant's entrance (the cost comes to roughly $13.00 an adult) You hand it to the cashier and you're off to find a table (since tipping is not allowed in Japan, there are no cash transactions inside the restaurant). Since it was early, the place was nearly empty so I had my choice of seating. Once at the buffet station, I marveled at the selection and quality of food. Japan's dining sensibilities are a little different from America, so seeing pasta as a main entree surprised me not the least. Croissants, and pastries in general, are a lot lighter and not as sweet or sugary.

I enjoyed the fare so much that I made a repeat appearance the following morning! Heartily satisfied, I left the dining
area to catch the bus for my first day at Disneysea!

To be continued...

All photos copyright 2018 by Len Yokoyama

No Man's Land for Locals

Waikiki is one of the first destinations for most visitors and tourists. And understandably so. Its mythical allure was reinforced by Hollywood in movies and tv shows. Postcards and advertising also added to its status as a destination spot.

The reality is a bit different for local residents. While the city and county has done much to improve the area in the last 20 years, parking is still tight and costs a small fortune. Stores and restaurants are resort level prices, making it a poor value for a night out with the family. Even in my earlier years, the only time I would head into this tourist zone was to watch a movie (this was before multiplexes popped up on every corner).

But there is a lot to love about Waikiki, it's where Duke Kahanamoku rode the waves on his surfboard and the pink majesty of the Royal Hawaiian still sits elegantly on the edge of the shoreline. It's with this in mind that I decided to break my own rule and get out there to take some photos.

Hope everyone is having a blessed weekend!

              (Photographs Copyright 2017 Len Yokoyama)

Bungled at the Polynesian

I've said it many ways in the past, and let me say it again: When the Disney suits screw up, they go and do it big. 

The latest fiasco is the transformation of their once charming Polynesian Village Resort into a more generic Disney Vacation Club location. The suits began with the lobby, and now that it is open, everyone can see what a huge mistake the first step is. Gone is the warmth and charm that once characterized the area. Now, bland and generic and oh so ordinary describe it. (Photos are on the WDWMagic site.) Now, it seems the gorgeous waterfront will be ruined by bungalows. They may have been going for Papeete, but they have missed the mark. Again.

I remember seeing it for the first time in 1975 when it was fairly new and affordable, and I was absolutely in love with the place- the huge waterfall / grotto / garden at the lobby entrance. The lush mix of music, architecture, and greenery. The nightly luau. Not to mention the view of the Magic Kingdom from the shores of the beach. Or the Electrical Water Pageant.  It's been a destination every trip since.

is it just me or is a reimagined Trader Sams just not enough?

It's pretty popular to criticize Robert Iger and company for the way things are run. And for a large part, the fan complaints regarding Walt Disney World are 100% on the money. Sure, investments into the property are there or are coming. But it seems to fall short. The New Fantasyland looks beautiful but seems to lack substance. Certainly it lacks a groundbreaking attraction. 

Perhaps Harry Potter's success at Universal / Islands of Adventure will change the tide. But, if you look at the once premier resort on the Florida property, it looks as if the boat has sailed.

Once the leader, now the follower. Settling for the mediocre, with "good enough" being the Florida resort company mantra- and a slew of guests too foolish to realize they've been taken for a ride- and not in an E Ticket sort of way.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Proposed DVC Expansion for Disneyland Resort?

With the smashing success of California Adventure 2.0 and Cars Land, it's no surprise that the Disneyland Resort is one hot property- and the Walt Disney Company is, once again,  finally realizing the resort's potential for future growth and profitability.

Prior to the remodel of Anaheim's second Disney park, it was well known in the company that Downtown Disney was the unqualified success of the expansion. Retail space is tight compared to that available in Florida, and so is space for additional hotels and Disney Vacation Club rooms.

What would additional construction look like? Well, here's a few renderings designed by one architect, Alex McCann. Has his firm been put to work by Disney? Probably not. Is he a fan of the resort, desiring to put his stamp on a cultural landmark. Probably. But take a glance at his detailed proposal here. It's worth a look!

(Art copyright Alex McCann.)