World trip advice needed

Monty

Brilliant...and Canadian
Original Poster
In the Parks
No
When I retire my plan is to do a bucket-list trip and visit all the non-North America parks. I have enough points for a one-way flight around the world in First Class with up to five stops along the way. So, Paris/Shanghai/Hong Kong/Tokyo or the reverse, depending on flight availability.

What I don't know is where to stay, what time of year will give me best weather with lowest crowds across as many of the parks as possible. I'm thinking of letting the AEROPLAN planners have some leeway as to dates by asking for a minimum of four and maximum of eight days' stay at each city. Is four days not enough in any of them? If eight is too much, I'll do other touristy stuff to fill the time if necessary.

Is there anything about park tickets I should know beforehand?

I'm not retiring until Oct '19, so there's lots of time. :cool:
 

amjt660

Premium Member
When I retire my plan is to do a bucket-list trip and visit all the non-North America parks. I have enough points for a one-way flight around the world in First Class with up to five stops along the way. So, Paris/Shanghai/Hong Kong/Tokyo or the reverse, depending on flight availability.

What I don't know is where to stay, what time of year will give me best weather with lowest crowds across as many of the parks as possible. I'm thinking of letting the AEROPLAN planners have some leeway as to dates by asking for a minimum of four and maximum of eight days' stay at each city. Is four days not enough in any of them? If eight is too much, I'll do other touristy stuff to fill the time if necessary.

Is there anything about park tickets I should know beforehand?

I'm not retiring until Oct '19, so there's lots of time. :cool:
Great idea Monty
I finished the set in November with SDL
PM me if you want to talk
From one Canuck to another I love this plan

Max
 

Monty

Brilliant...and Canadian
Original Poster
In the Parks
No
So... I think I've narrowed it down. The best combination of weather, no holidays and all other factors seems to have a sweet spot in 2020 of the last few weeks of March and the first week of April. The only holiday in the mix is "Tomb Sweeping Day" in China. Although it'll be cooler in France than I might otherwise choose, the temps in Japan/China seem much more reasonable.

I still have to work out the precise dates for flights, but my plan is to spend five full days in Paris, two each in Hong Kong and Shanghai and then five full days in Tokyo. Or the reverse, depending on which direction works best for flying on points. The two-day at each Chinese park is based on what I've seen online that neither park warrants any more than two days and allows me to avail myself of their VISA-free short stay. So fly to Paris, five full days, travel day or two, two full days, travel day, two full days, travel day and five full days, then fly home.

Once I've got the flights booked, then I'll have what days to book hotels. I intend to stay at the Disney resort hotels throughout the trip, but I think I've got lots of time before I need to worry about that.
 

Animaniac93-98

Well-Known Member
Although it'll be cooler in France than I might otherwise choose, the temps in Japan/China seem much more reasonable.

I went to DLP last week of March 2017. Weather in the afternoon was quite nice for being outside (Around 15 degrees Celsius).

March weather in France is hit or miss, but I wouldn't let that deter you from going to DLP. Most everything is indoors or covered, so if it's rainy or windy it won't be too much of an issue. March this year has several festivals (Star Wars, Marvel, Pirate & Princess), so that's another benefit to go if it's the same next year.

DLP hotels are cheaper to book if you go between mid-November and end of March vs April-October. There's an early bird promotion that I've been looking at for 2020 on sale now that gives you 25% off + free half-board meal plan if you book by Oct 1st and visit by Apr 1 2020.
 

PiratesMansion

Well-Known Member
So... I think I've narrowed it down. The best combination of weather, no holidays and all other factors seems to have a sweet spot in 2020 of the last few weeks of March and the first week of April. The only holiday in the mix is "Tomb Sweeping Day" in China. Although it'll be cooler in France than I might otherwise choose, the temps in Japan/China seem much more reasonable.

I still have to work out the precise dates for flights, but my plan is to spend five full days in Paris, two each in Hong Kong and Shanghai and then five full days in Tokyo. Or the reverse, depending on which direction works best for flying on points. The two-day at each Chinese park is based on what I've seen online that neither park warrants any more than two days and allows me to avail myself of their VISA-free short stay. So fly to Paris, five full days, travel day or two, two full days, travel day, two full days, travel day and five full days, then fly home.

Once I've got the flights booked, then I'll have what days to book hotels. I intend to stay at the Disney resort hotels throughout the trip, but I think I've got lots of time before I need to worry about that.

Regarding Paris...are all five of those days going to be in the parks? I would say most people could do DLP satisfactorily in 3 days, 4 if you really want to soak up every detail and do everything multiple times. For while DLP is very detail-dense, WDS is...less interesting and detailed than most Six Flags parks. Seriously.

This may be me reading too much into your post, but Hong Kong doesn't require a Visa or factor in to the Visa-exemption situation of Shanghai. Even though they're technically part of China, they run on a completely different system.
 

Monty

Brilliant...and Canadian
Original Poster
In the Parks
No
Regarding Paris...are all five of those days going to be in the parks? I would say most people could do DLP satisfactorily in 3 days, 4 if you really want to soak up every detail and do everything multiple times. For while DLP is very detail-dense, WDS is...less interesting and detailed than most Six Flags parks. Seriously.

This may be me reading too much into your post, but Hong Kong doesn't require a Visa or factor in to the Visa-exemption situation of Shanghai. Even though they're technically part of China, they run on a completely different system.
I actually found that out about HK and visas shortly after posting that. :bored:

I may adjust and stay longer in both. 🆒

I planned on a day or two “touristing” in Paris and Tokyo, which may now expand to Shanghai and HK thanks to your info. As I move forward I’m discovering that specific details are spread all over the Internet and not always easy to find. Good thing I’ve got over a year to flesh out the details.
 

616.1314

Well-Known Member
Greetings from Hong Kong :)

If you prefer staying at a Disney resort hotel, I'd recommend Explorers' Lodge. It's the newest hotel in the resort and the exotic theming is nicely done.

You are advised to avoid visiting HKDL during Chinese New Year to avoid the crowds. I wouldn't encourage you to visit our park in summer as well because summers in HK are tough af. As long as you are visiting on a normal weekday then the attendance should be quite low. Need not to worry about the wait times.

Well, we do have a few other attractions other than Disneyland, so yea you are welcomed to tour around our entire city instead of just HKDL.

Feel free to ask if you got any other questions regarding HK and HKDL. All the best to your trip :)
 

cosmicgirl

Well-Known Member
Greetings from Hong Kong :)

If you prefer staying at a Disney resort hotel, I'd recommend Explorers' Lodge. It's the newest hotel in the resort and the exotic theming is nicely done.

You are advised to avoid visiting HKDL during Chinese New Year to avoid the crowds. I wouldn't encourage you to visit our park in summer as well because summers in HK are tough af. As long as you are visiting on a normal weekday then the attendance should be quite low. Need not to worry about the wait times.

Well, we do have a few other attractions other than Disneyland, so yea you are welcomed to tour around our entire city instead of just HKDL.

Feel free to ask if you got any other questions regarding HK and HKDL. All the best to your trip :)
Sorry to hijack OP's thread but how are the wait times in HKDL on the weekends? Over the past few days an opportunity to go to HKDL and SDL mid-June has presented itself but avoiding the weekend in SDL would put me in HKDL over the weekend. Are the wait times still reasonable or should I really try to avoid it?
 

616.1314

Well-Known Member
Sorry to hijack OP's thread but how are the wait times in HKDL on the weekends? Over the past few days an opportunity to go to HKDL and SDL mid-June has presented itself but avoiding the weekend in SDL would put me in HKDL over the weekend. Are the wait times still reasonable or should I really try to avoid it?
Should be under 60 min as long as there isn't any special public holidays in that weekend.
 

Monty

Brilliant...and Canadian
Original Poster
In the Parks
No
Well, flights are booked! :)

I’m leaving on 8 March, arriving Tokyo on the 9th. Then Tokyo - Hong Kong on the 15th, Hong Kong - Shanghai on the 22nd, Shanghai - Paris on the 28th and home on 6 April 2020.

Now I just need hotels and park tickets.
 

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