It's official...ABD is going to Japan!

I know it isn't an exact comparison, but just to get an idea of pricing, I looked at the Nat Geo Japan trips. They range from $6390 for the family 9 day trip to $9500 for the 11 day Photography trip (with a couple of others in there for 11 days with prices between that). Abercrombie and Kent also has a great itinerary on their small journeys (18 in the group) with some very nice hotels for $9995. So, my guess, is that ABD will be similar. Of course, that's just a random guess with absolutely nothing to base it on. The China ABD (prices as of today's cursory glance) are averaging around $8799-$9399 for a 12 day trip. My guess, is ABD may try to do a 7-9 day trip and try to keep the price around the $8000-$9000 mark.

It will be very interesting to see what the itinerary is like and what the pricing is. I think a lot of people can then decide it planning on your own with some tour guides or going through ABD is *worth* it from their own perspective. I have heard that Japan is really easy to get around on your own because so many people speak English, but it would be nice to have the expert guides with you all along the way and a group to share the experience with. A couple more months to speculate :-)
 
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I have learned Japanese and by doing so I learnt 'face' is most important. Its just that Japanese people. on the whole a just really nice. Many times they stopped and helped us. And that was 12 years ago when we had no Japanese skills.
 
All good points about traveling cheaper. If it were dh and I, or just 1-2 of our kids that would be doable. With 4 kids, 13-18, and grandparents, I need more structure to keep myself sane. I’m the sole travel planner and tour guide for the group. And we need 2 hotel rooms for us and the kids. Grandparents pay for themselves and they don’t necessarily want to bunk with the teens.

I actually dream of traveling a bit more “by the seat of my pants” but we’re not there yet.

See the whole “is ABD worth it thread”. Lol. To let someone else take charge of the whole thing would be delightful, if I could just let loose on my pocket book a little!
 


I know it isn't an exact comparison, but just to get an idea of pricing, I looked at the Nat Geo Japan trips. They range from $6390 for the family 9 day trip to $9500 for the 11 day Photography trip (with a couple of others in there for 11 days with prices between that). Abercrombie and Kent also has a great itinerary on their small journeys (18 in the group) with some very nice hotels for $9995. So, my guess, is that ABD will be similar. Of course, that's just a random guess with absolutely nothing to base it on. The China ABD (prices as of today's cursory glance) are averaging around $8799-$9399 for a 12 day trip. My guess, is ABD may try to do a 7-9 day trip and try to keep the price around the $8000-$9000 mark.

It will be very interesting to see what the itinerary is like and what the pricing is. I think a lot of people can then decide it planning on your own with some tour guides or going through ABD is *worth* it from their own perspective. I have heard that Japan is really easy to get around on your own because so many people speak English, but it would be nice to have the expert guides with you all along the way and a group to share the experience with. A couple more months to speculate :-)

I think Nat Geo's prices are probably a good comparison. Their family trip and A/K's family trip both look great, so I would expect ABD to be in the same ballpark.
 
I think Nat Geo's prices are probably a good comparison. Their family trip and A/K's family trip both look great, so I would expect ABD to be in the same ballpark.

Agreed. One of the main reasons I was waiting for ABD (rather than going with NatGeo or another tour group) was that I assumed ABD would make the parks--with perks--a part of the tour. If they aren't (or if they go add-on route that makes the overall coast unpalatable), I'll be reconsidering NatGeo and adding on my own time at the parks. I wish they'd alluded to the parks in the announcement. It makes me uneasy that they didn't :(
 


One thing that dumbfounded me was that the admission price for a day at DisneySea was significantly less than a day at a park in the USA. I just assumed it would be ten billion dollars so I didn't even want to look it up before the trip since I was going no matter what.

I could go on and on about food in Tokyo, but really all I want to say is you can eat like a king on the cheap without trying. As everywhere, just stay away from the tourist spots - think of your own town, where the tourists go. Why? Can't they eat much better if they just open Yelp? Tokyo is the same.

So true! A buddy of mine just got back from there and that's how he found most of the places he wanted to eat at.
 
One thing that dumbfounded me was that the admission price for a day at DisneySea was significantly less than a day at a park in the USA. I just assumed it would be ten billion dollars so I didn't even want to look it up before the trip since I was going no matter what.



So true! A buddy of mine just got back from there and that's how he found most of the places he wanted to eat at.
You can eat at quintessence for a lot or cheap yakitori
 
Wow, so glad ABD is finally offering this! I actually talked to one of the ABD executives who was on the inaugural Danube river cruise about this. She said they’ve had a lot of requests for Japan, but every time they tried to build a tour the price came out astronomically high. And since Disney does not own the Tokyo resort, they don’t have any leverage to hold rooms or obtain special pricing there. Very curious to see what the pricing will be! I would bet the tour starts in Tokyo at a centrally located hotel, then Shinkansen to Osaka and Kyoto for a few days, then ends at TDR. Maybe Hiroshima also?

In any case, DH and I will be going to Tokyo Disney Resort in about 6 weeks! April is prime cherry blossom season and it will be the start of TDR’s 35th anniversary celebration. We are staying 3 nights at Tokyo Disneyland Hotel, 2 nights at Hotel Miracosta, and then at the Park Hyatt in Shinjuku in Tokyo. And yes the hotel prices are INSANE but we are flying there for free so I figured may as well splurge! I will definitely report back with a video trip report!
 
Wow, so glad ABD is finally offering this! I actually talked to one of the ABD executives who was on the inaugural Danube river cruise about this. She said they’ve had a lot of requests for Japan, but every time they tried to build a tour the price came out astronomically high. And since Disney does not own the Tokyo resort, they don’t have any leverage to hold rooms or obtain special pricing there. Very curious to see what the pricing will be! I would bet the tour starts in Tokyo at a centrally located hotel, then Shinkansen to Osaka and Kyoto for a few days, then ends at TDR. Maybe Hiroshima also?

In any case, DH and I will be going to Tokyo Disney Resort in about 6 weeks! April is prime cherry blossom season and it will be the start of TDR’s 35th anniversary celebration. We are staying 3 nights at Tokyo Disneyland Hotel, 2 nights at Hotel Miracosta, and then at the Park Hyatt in Shinjuku in Tokyo. And yes the hotel prices are INSANE but we are flying there for free so I figured may as well splurge! I will definitely report back with a video trip report!
I can't wait to hear! Park Hyatt and the Disney hotels are on my list, too. I hope ABD meets my expectations with the hotels/itinerary. I don't want to be disappointed after waiting so long!!!
 
I am worried about the dates for the Japan trip. With my niece getting married on June 15th, we won't be able to do an early June departure like I had planned. If they have a June 17th departure (how slim are the chances?) then that would get us back in time for dd to start a summer course by the beginning of July. Otherwise the only time we will have is early August.

I did start to look at private trips (with a company by the name of Kensington Tours that came highly recommended -- they plan private trips all over the world apparently), just in case. Japan is our travel destination next year, so we are going to do it, if not with ABD, then either with either A&K Family or on our own. Disney Tokyo is a must for us -- min. one night, two days. Dd is into anime and wants to go to the Pokemon place as well Nintendo (I would think we would need at least a half day for these), which I am hoping ABD will do, but I am doubtful.

I am looking forward to seeing the dates and itineraries!
 
I am worried about the dates for the Japan trip. With my niece getting married on June 15th, we won't be able to do an early June departure like I had planned. If they have a June 17th departure (how slim are the chances?) then that would get us back in time for dd to start a summer course by the beginning of July. Otherwise the only time we will have is early August.

I did start to look at private trips (with a company by the name of Kensington Tours that came highly recommended -- they plan private trips all over the world apparently), just in case. Japan is our travel destination next year, so we are going to do it, if not with ABD, then either with either A&K Family or on our own. Disney Tokyo is a must for us -- min. one night, two days. Dd is into anime and wants to go to the Pokemon place as well Nintendo (I would think we would need at least a half day for these), which I am hoping ABD will do, but I am doubtful.

I am looking forward to seeing the dates and itineraries!

If you haven't already, look at the itinerary for Thomson Family Adventures. We are going this June and adding 2 days in the front to climb Mt. Fuji (weather permitting), doing the tour, then adding 3 days in Tokyo at the end as the itinerary seems a little light on Tokyo (taking a train from Kyoto back to Tokyo). Obviously, it doesn't have the Disney Tokyo component, but that could be added. As I've researched what to do in Tokyo on our own, there is so much that seem to be must do's. Our 15 y/o even wants to get up around 3 am and go to the tuna auction.
 
Wow, so glad ABD is finally offering this! I actually talked to one of the ABD executives who was on the inaugural Danube river cruise about this. She said they’ve had a lot of requests for Japan, but every time they tried to build a tour the price came out astronomically high. And since Disney does not own the Tokyo resort, they don’t have any leverage to hold rooms or obtain special pricing there. Very curious to see what the pricing will be! I would bet the tour starts in Tokyo at a centrally located hotel, then Shinkansen to Osaka and Kyoto for a few days, then ends at TDR. Maybe Hiroshima also?

In any case, DH and I will be going to Tokyo Disney Resort in about 6 weeks! April is prime cherry blossom season and it will be the start of TDR’s 35th anniversary celebration. We are staying 3 nights at Tokyo Disneyland Hotel, 2 nights at Hotel Miracosta, and then at the Park Hyatt in Shinjuku in Tokyo. And yes the hotel prices are INSANE but we are flying there for free so I figured may as well splurge! I will definitely report back with a video trip report!

Hmm... maybe. Hiroshima's Peace Memorial museum was pretty intense - I'm not sure I'd want to take kids there. We were in TDR last April - it was a GREAT time to go! We ended up liking the DLH more than Miracosta... I'm interested in what your take will be as well. :)

I am worried about the dates for the Japan trip. With my niece getting married on June 15th, we won't be able to do an early June departure like I had planned. If they have a June 17th departure (how slim are the chances?) then that would get us back in time for dd to start a summer course by the beginning of July. Otherwise the only time we will have is early August.

I did start to look at private trips (with a company by the name of Kensington Tours that came highly recommended -- they plan private trips all over the world apparently), just in case. Japan is our travel destination next year, so we are going to do it, if not with ABD, then either with either A&K Family or on our own. Disney Tokyo is a must for us -- min. one night, two days. Dd is into anime and wants to go to the Pokemon place as well Nintendo (I would think we would need at least a half day for these), which I am hoping ABD will do, but I am doubtful.

I am looking forward to seeing the dates and itineraries!

I'm also really interested in how traveling in June goes..! Ive heard it can be rainy (but Im from the PacNW where we get that too anyway). I definitely think two full days at least... we needed more than one day per park in the end and just didn't have it sadly. Next time I'll stay longer!
 
Anyone who has been to Japan -- any thoughts on the Ryokans? I have been reading about them and I am not sure if I would enjoy them. Sleeping on a futon on the floor? I am not sure if I'd be able to walk the next day! And bathing in an onsen sounded lovely -- until I read a bit more about the, ahem, clothing (or lack thereof) one wears in them. Definitely not for me.

I think if ABD stays at a Ryokan I might just do a private trip or go with A&K. The dates and whether or not ABD visits the parks will also be a deciding factor. With dates being a huge deciding factor. Parks are an absolute must for us whoever we end up going with.
 
Ryokans are nice. The futon mattresses are very thick. You do have to be able to get down and up off the floor though. As for the onsen, no one is making you go. If you don't wish to, that's your choice. I doubt anyone would think differently of you.

I lived in Japan, and I understand that many Americans are not comfortable being naked in front of others. For me, it just illustrated that no one looks good naked. In the local baths, you see everyone from young girls to ancient old ladies, to everyone in between. And everyone is saggy somewhere. LOL It's easier to be less self conscious when you realize no one else looks like a supermodel either.
 
I really enjoy ryokans. It's such a uniquely Japanese experience. We've stayed in 3 different ones and have not had any issues with bedding comfort. As PP mentioned, the futons are thick and maybe the tatame flooring help too.

Some ryokans have private onsens you can reserve. The one we stayed at in Hakone did. It was outdoors, facing a river in the mountains - a very memorable experience.
 
Ryokans are nice. The futon mattresses are very thick. You do have to be able to get down and up off the floor though. As for the onsen, no one is making you go. If you don't wish to, that's your choice. I doubt anyone would think differently of you.

I lived in Japan, and I understand that many Americans are not comfortable being naked in front of others. For me, it just illustrated that no one looks good naked. In the local baths, you see everyone from young girls to ancient old ladies, to everyone in between. And everyone is saggy somewhere. LOL It's easier to be less self conscious when you realize no one else looks like a supermodel either.

Getting up off the floor would be an issue. Years and years of being a runner have destroyed my knees. And I'm too young for knee replacements. So I am not too keen on a trip that includes a Ryokan.

I like your point about onsens. I just don't think I could do it. And I'm also not sure that's how I would want to spend my time in Japan -- I tend to want to see and do as much as possible while I'm traveling. I can relax when I get home. Though they do sound lovely.
 
Getting up off the floor would be an issue. Years and years of being a runner have destroyed my knees. And I'm too young for knee replacements. So I am not too keen on a trip that includes a Ryokan.
I'd have a pretty hard time getting up off the floor, too! This poor old back just ain't what it used to be! While the Ryokan sounds kind of cool, I'd be surprised if ABD did something like that that would be physically prohibitive for a lot of folks. I guess we'll find out!

Sayhello
 
True ryokans are usually relatively small. ABD might have to book the entire thing, which I suppose is possible.

There are newer ones, built ryokan style, that are actually luxury hotels. That could be an option.
 

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