Cheaper tickets COMING SOON

[CaptainAmerica]

It absolutely can be, have you done it?

You made a definitive statement. You said "Even factoring airfare, it would be cheaper than going deluxe every year in Orlando."

Yes, it CAN be. But that's not what you said.

Also, it sounds to me like you don't have children and you're just discounting the logistics of the whole operation of getting to and navigating around Asia, which is a lot different than Florida or even Europe.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I mean, 20 years ago it was a great deal. Now, it only is if you’d be staying at deluxe resorts anyway. They're not trying to compete with people staying at more affordable hotels. At least for me, I spend little to no time in hotel rooms when I'm at theme parks compared to say a beach vacation where much of the experience is the hotel/condo/resort you're at.

Lots of people instead use DVC points on DCL, but that's a horribly inefficient way to use points.

It just doesn't appeal to me because in the unlikely chance I'm staying at a deluxe resort anyway, it's generally for a weekend trip rather than for the parks themselves, but those visits are few and far between compared to me just visiting family in Orlando or staying at a more affordable place like the Shades of Green or off-property.

But again, for people that routinely stay at expensive on-property resorts it can still be a solid option, but you trade with it flexibility, and I love me some international travel to theme parks and random countries like Greece or Vietnam.

You seem to be under the impression that most DVC owners only ever go to Walt Disney World. For some that's certainly true, but we take 3 or 4 vacations per year and, at most, one of them is DVC.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Americans have this strange fear of international travel to really any place but the Caribbean and Europe. It's nowhere near as cost-prohibitive as people act like.

You're obsessed with the cost. *Even if it were free,* most people don't want to spend 14 hours on an airplane (or, more likely, 20 hours on multiple airplanes) unless there's a really compelling reason to do so.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Most people I know who are DVC are not taking 3 to 4 large vacations per year. It’s almost always a DVC points vacation (usually at WDW) alongside a family Thanksgiving visit or short beach trip.

That is an exceedingly dense and silly reason not to travel. Extremely.

I can see if you have small kids—though, I know two different people who have taken toddlers to Fantasy Springs from the States since it has opened—and they’ve had nothing but overwhelmingly positive things to say to the point that they’ll be returning later this decade. Of course the flight isn’t fun, but neither are long car rides.

At the end of the day, it’s a big deal if you choose to make it one.

I’m curious, have you been to TDR? I’d say it’s worth a 48-hour flight honestly. It’s that good. That’s besides the fact Japan is one of the most impressive countries on the planet.

Any legitimate theme park fan that can afford it should absolutely make the trek over, but it’ll spoil you for what theme parks should be, so maybe you shouldn’t.

My 4 year old was born at the start of a global pandemic and he's been to Hawaii twice, Alaska, Greece, Italy, the UK, and Florida at least half a dozen times.

The Hawaii flight from Boston is 11 hours and we've done it with 3 kids in masks. My kids have traveled more than most adults and the oldest is under 10. We're not afraid of flying.

I have *zero* interest in going to Japan, ever.

 

[King Panda 77]

Lmao not for a family of 5 it wouldn't be. Not to mention that the flight is 14 hours so you need to deduct at least three days worth of salary for the extra vacation time it takes to get to and from.

Need to renegotiate you employment contract if you are losing money for holidays.

 

[DisneyHead123]

Random note going back to the notorious ball pit - I read on another Disney board that they probably meant a GaGa ball pit. If so it speaks to a lapse in judgement from the marketing team (who should use more clear language,) but at least reassurance that the DCL Imagineers have not actually cracked under the pressure and lost their collective minds, lol.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I have *zero* interest in going to Japan, ever.

Understood. Not sure why you are so upset that someone is comparing prices to Tokyo though.

 

[DisneyHead123]

Americans have this strange fear of international travel to really any place but the Caribbean and Europe. It's nowhere near as cost-prohibitive as people act like.

Can’t speak for all Americans, but I find traveling in new cultures intimidating as I’m always worried about making a faux pas or not understanding the culture correctly. Yes you can read about cultural norms online but something as subtle as that is often hard to describe on a blog. I also struggle with phrases in new languages as I forget everything when I’m nervous, lol. Those who grow up in places like Europe where new languages and cultures are as close as neighboring states are here probably develop more adeptness with this early on.

 

[JoeCamel]

Random note going back to the notorious ball pit - I read on another Disney board that they probably meant a GaGa ball pit. If so it speaks to a lapse in judgement from the marketing team (who should use more clear language,) but at least reassurance that the DCL Imagineers have not actually cracked under the pressure and lost their collective minds, lol.

OK I watched a video of GaGa play and don't get the attraction

 

[DisneyHead123]

OK I watched a video of GaGa play and don't get the attraction

I don’t either and it’s certainly a downgrade from a pool, but kids that age do seem to love it. I hear lots of talk from my nephew about who was champion of the GaGa pit on a given day.

 

[bwr827]

Yeah…there are directives all over the state about this…it’s made some local headlines

The parties over on vacation weeks. The inevitable backlash from the shutdown era.

And this is New Jersey…who practically invented both being Disney nuts and pulling kids for vacations

Why does Jersey specifically have a thing with Disney?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Why does Jersey specifically have a thing with Disney?

Nobody really knows.

But it had the highest per capita dvc percentage for years…probably still does.

 

[Nubs70]

Can’t speak for all Americans, but I find traveling in new cultures intimidating as I’m always worried about making a faux pas or not understanding the culture correctly. Yes you can read about cultural norms online but something as subtle as that is often hard to describe on a blog. I also struggle with phrases in new languages as I forget everything when I’m nervous, lol. Those who grow up in places like Europe where new languages and cultures are as close as neighboring states are here probably develop more adeptness with this early on.

No need to be intimidated. Making the attempt to speak the native language is often enough. Often the natives may speak better English than yourself. Biggest thing is to be gracious and not be loud. Most restaurants have menus in native language and English for a reason.

 

[DCLcruiser]

Why does Jersey specifically have a thing with Disney?

They have a lot of money, but DVC is cheaper than buying a shore house.

Nobody really knows.

But it had the highest per capita dvc percentage for years…probably still does.

Would you want to stay there?

 

[Jrb1979]

Nobody really knows.

But it had the highest per capita dvc percentage for years…probably still does.

I will say I see a lot of Jersey liscense plates all summer up here in Niagara Falls

 

[DCLcruiser]

Hi. This last part of your statement sort of confirms Henry's point that Americans are willing to fly to Europe and to Hawaii but not to Asia.

I'm curious as to why You, with clearly an extensive travel history, are a hard pass on ever going to Japan? Ever! Just curious.

I would love to go to Japan and China, but I'd prefer to go with someone who speaks the language fluently. I've been very successful throughout Europe w/ enough French, Italian and English to be fine, but for Asia I'd like a guide.

 

[Disone]

I would love to go to Japan and China, but I'd prefer to go with someone who speaks the language fluently. I can stumble through Europe w/ enough French, Italian and English to be fine, but for Asia I'd like a guide.

Heard. On the flight to Japan when I went to Tokyo Disney, I was reading about how Japan is the least English-speaking country in the world. I had a mild panic attack.

Turned out it really wasn't that scary. They might not speak a lot of English but honestly I don't know that it's the least speaking English country in the world. I found plenty that spoke broken English. Could ask very basic questions like put a tone of question in your voice and say" restroom?' And they point you to the closest one. Especially at Tokyo Disney they're actually pretty good about speaking English. In Tokyo proper it was less English but again they were just so friendly they were willing to help.

 

[Disone]

My 4 year old was born at the start of a global pandemic and he's been to Hawaii twice, Alaska, Greece, Italy, the UK, and Florida at least half a dozen times.

The Hawaii flight from Boston is 11 hours and we've done it with 3 kids in masks. My kids have traveled more than most adults and the oldest is under 10. We're not afraid of flying.

I have *zero* interest in going to Japan, ever.

That makes so little sense other than Americans being dense.

Ekkkkk. I wouldn't call him or anyone else dense for not wanting to go. I'm not attacking. Just genuinely wondering why to him Tokyo is a hard pass when clearly he's willing to go through extensive travels to other parts of the world. It's a genuine curiosity question and I mean nothing more than that.

 

[JoeCamel]

Heard. On the flight to Japan when I went to Tokyo Disney, I was reading about how Japan is the least English-speaking country in the world. I had a mild panic attack.

Turned out it really wasn't that scary. They might not speak a lot of English but honestly I don't know that it's the least speaking English country in the world. I found plenty that spoke broken English. Could ask very basic questions like put a tone of question in your voice and say" restroom?' And they point you to the closest one. Especially at Tokyo Disney they're actually pretty good about speaking English. In Tokyo proper it was less English but again they were just so friendly they were willing to help.

I use a rule that if I'm going to be somewhere non english speaking or even not as a native language to learn the basics like facilities, food, meal, drink, beer, hotel etc. to get by. A few words can show you at least tried to locals and it really only takes minutes to learn

 

[Tha Realest]

The only difference is that people in Asia aren’t white.

Language has never been an issue anywhere for me. International cities like Paris are obviously going to have a lot more English speakers than a small French town where no one does, but it’s really not that hard to use Google Translate or pointing your fingers to what you want for menus or Google Maps for directions.

Japan, South Korea, China, etc. are even safer than Europe for tourists in terms of crime which is already much safer than America. Perception is reality for people, as pre-existing beliefs is what people generally filter new information through rather than using evidence to inform their beliefs.

It would change a lot of people’s perception of the world if people actually experienced more of it.

I think that’s an unfair attack.

First, it is a far longer distance to travel to Japan than any of those places they’ve mentioned.

Second, there are both much larger language and cultural barriers to overcome. Those European countries they listed speak Latin-based languages (if not predominately Engish speaking) so there’s bound to be an easier time with that. In addition, generally speaking, the US has more culturally in common with, say, the UK, Italy, and Greece than Japan or other Asian countries.