Trip Report *COMPLETED* I've climbed the mountain, I've crossed the river, and I'm almost there!

Introduction

We've only been back from Japan since Saturday night but I am just itching to get started on this report! We had an absolutely AMAZING trip and I'm not ready to let it go, and writing my TR is one way for me to delay the inevitable return back to "the real world." This was the longest vacation I've ever taken, and like any long trip-or any new experience, for that matter-there were ups and downs, good moments and not-so-good moments. There were mistakes, mishaps, mountains, and monkeys. Yes, monkeys! There were surprises and there was DRAMMA!* There were things we will do differently next time we visit Japan, and believe me, we knew less than halfway through the trip that there WILL be a next time someday!

In case you missed the PTR, here it is: Bee's Big Birthday! There you can read about the cast, the general plans, and the reasons for planning this particular trip.

Now about the title: It's a reference to this song from The Princess and the Frog:

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I have been kind of obsessed with this song lately and I found myself singing it in my head repeatedly during the trip. You'll see why soon!

So, if you're ready for a journey halfway around the world, thousands of photos, and Double Disney bookends, keep reading!

EDIT: The Tokyo Disney stuff starts here.

*I've mentioned it in previous TRs, but I like to spell "dramma" the Italian way because I'm an opera singer and what's more DRAMMAtic than Italian opera?? So please don't think I'm an idiot (for that reason anyway )!

 

[MinnieM123]

@bee , best of luck with your new opera.

Nice to read about your continuing TR, and there's no rush to finish. We'll all be here!

P.S.: LOTS of people in those pictures above!

 

[bee]

I do not like the wait times at WDW. I guess I shouldn't hurry up and go to Tokyo, huh? Yikes.

I'm not going to tell you what to do, but I'm not going to NOT tell you what to do...

Tokyo Disneyland on Jan 3 you say ?

View attachment 368792


Max

Yeeeeeaaaaaaaaahhhh...

@bee , best of luck with your new opera.

Nice to read about your continuing TR, and there's no rush to finish. We'll all be here!

P.S.: LOTS of people in those pictures above!

Thanks, @MinnieM123! We got two really great reviews!

 

[bee]

Day 18, cont.

I found Center Street Coffeehouse, and though there was still a significant line, it was moving much faster than the one at the Waffle Company.

Only in TDR: Wait times for QS restaurants!

I texted M to come meet me, and she got us a table outside while I picked up some pastries.

Everything looked so good that I couldn't choose just one or two things! I also figured I'd better get lots of food now in case the lines were super long all day!

After we enjoyed some treats and packed away the rest for later, we headed to Space Mountain to get FPs for later.

Alas, the machines were down!!

So, we made our way to Fantasyland!

The view back to World Bazaar:

Up next: More Fantasyland!

 

[bee]

Day 18, cont.

If you have read my reports, you may know that I am a HUGE fan of the Teacups in any incarnation in any park. Luckily the posted wait wasn't too crazy so we got on line!

View from the queue:

PS LOOK HOW SUNNY IT IS

We had a great time as always!

Up next: BEES??

 

[bee]

Day 18, cont.

After the teacups, we sought a restroom.

And found one.

Small World was down, but looking SO DARN CUTE!!!

We stopped in here for a bit:

One thing we kept noticing was that, unlike in the US parks, very few ride exits lead to a gift shop. I'm not sure if this is a crowd control thing, or a cultural thing, or both, or neither. This was one of a few exceptions.

Up next: A lucky break!

 

[dizfan917]

I LOVE that Pooh quote over the door! Always BEE PROUD!!

 

[krisri18]

I LOVE that Pooh quote over the door! Always BEE PROUD!!

Me too! E loves that song!

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

Day 18, cont.

If you have read my reports, you may know that I am a HUGE fan of the Teacups in any incarnation in any park. Luckily the posted wait wasn't too crazy so we got on line!

View from the queue:

PS LOOK HOW SUNNY IT IS

We had a great time as always!

Up next: BEES??

Those tea cups are super cute! Were they easy to spin? Just wondering if they were easy spinner like at WDW or tough to spin like Disneyland. I can never get my cup to spin fast enough in Disneyland.

 

[bee]

I LOVE that Pooh quote over the door! Always BEE PROUD!!

Me too! E loves that song!

Those tea cups are super cute! Were they easy to spin? Just wondering if they were easy spinner like at WDW or tough to spin like Disneyland. I can never get my cup to spin fast enough in Disneyland.

I seem to remember they were easier to spin. I'm a fast spinner, like you!

 

[bee]

Day 18, cont.

Outside the Pooh store:

As we exited we noticed that the line for iasw had JUST reopened!

Inside:

Choo choo!

Up next: On the ride

 

[bee]

Day 18, cont.

One of the few times we saw any Mulan representation in the parks

And she's in her soldier gear!!

Up next: More iasw

 

[krisri18]

Day 18, cont.

One of the few times we saw any Mulan representation in the parks

And she's in her soldier gear!!

Up next: More iasw

That's the cutest Small World ride I've ever seen!!

 

[bee]

Day 18, cont.

More iasw...

How friggin' cute is the Tokyo iasw????

Up next: What's this Monster hype about??

 

[Darstarr]

Day 18, cont.

More iasw...

How friggin' cute is the Tokyo iasw????

Up next: What's this Monster hype about??

Is the IASW song sung in Japanese or English? And if it is in Japanese (assuming it is) does it still get stuck in your head???

 

[bee]

Is the IASW song sung in Japanese or English? And if it is in Japanese (assuming it is) does it still get stuck in your head???

It's multilingual!



And yes, it got stuck in my head!

 

[bee]

Day 18, cont.

Our FP for Monsters, Inc. Ride & Go Seek was approaching, so we headed toward Tomorrowland via the castle.

Construction for the new BatB ride

Inside Monsters:

Ride vehicle:

So, you sit in the vehicle, and it whisks you around to various scenes, and you shine your flashlight on various characters and objects. It's kind of like the Buzz rides but you don't get points or anything. At one point a ride photo is taken but you can't actually buy it. This was another interesting thing we noticed: at the American parks there are SO many ride photos (including some rather unnecessary or oddly placed ones like Pirates or Frozen) but I think this one was the only one we saw here, and it wasn't even for sale.

Up next: Food!

 

[bee]

Day 18, cont.

Since we were in Tomorrowland we went to Plazma Ray's for one of the few veggie options in the park. It was quite busy and crowded but I managed to score a table while M ordered. Twenty minutes later, she arrived at the table with two of these:

Veggie curry (with Mickey egg!)

This was different enough from the veggie curry in DisneySea and was light and tasty.

We had acquired a FP earlier and our ride window was near, so we went back to Fantasyland through the castle.

That's right, Haunted Mansion is in FANTASYLAND!!! It was soooooo weird!!!

This HM had the same NBC overlay as in Disneyland, and was all in Japanese, which didn't make it any less enjoyable!

Up next: Back to the front of the park

 

[bee]

Day 18, cont.

We decided it was time for a break back at the hotel, so we walked back to the front of the park via Westernland (Tokyo's Frontierland).

Tokyo Disneyland Hotel

Up next: Monorail!

 

[bee]

Day 18, cont.

Views from the monorail platform:

THE CUTEST

As usual, the monorail arrived within minutes! We decided to sit in the front this time and stay on for a complete loop around the monorail line.

Behind us:

Since we were at the front I took videos of the whole loop:







I'm sure I've already said it, but the Tokyo Disney monorail wins over every other monorail, ever!

Some views from the monorail:

After our loop, we got off at Bayside Station to find that a Resort Cruiser (aka Mickey bus) was waiting for us!

#ShirleyStatus!

Bye bye!

Okay, remember when I said TDR wins at monorail? What I actually should have said is they win at ALL TRANSPORTATION!!!

Up next: Back in the room!

 

[NessNewt]

That Mickey egg!!! Oh man!

And the buses. Love the details.