Tokyo Disney on 2 Weeks’ Notice: Hightower Halloween Costume!

[lurkyloo]

The Disney Store is in the same building as yet another wing of Ikspiari, this one themed like a nighttime entertainment district and called "B'way"…

I love these details!

Another fabulous store, this one selling a nice mix of unusual and familiar items in a faux supermarket setting

Who *doesn't* need one of these?

Across from the theater is a real live radio station—you can look into the booth and watch the DJ, plus they have a video camera on him that feeds a monitor you can watch.

I saw some of the best fake food yet outside Rainforest Café. There are shops in Tokyo that sell high quality (and high-priced) fake food to restaurants (more on that later in the trip), but I have a feeling these dishes all had to be custom-made.

I still had more time to kill, so I rode the monorail around a few times to take pictures. I even got to sit up front… because there's no driver and *anyone* can sit there! If you can beat a pack of little kids to a seat, that is.

There's a whole lot going on out front of Tokyo Disneyland… I'm not sure it's as aesthetically pleasing as the front of the Magic Kingdom or even Disneyland.

The first time we rounded the bend toward Tokyo DisneySea, I decided I wasn't going to look at the park because I wanted to be surprised…

That silliness didn't last long the second time around!

 

[lurkyloo]

*cough*MidwayMania*cough*!

You can see Tokyo DisneySea's ticket booths in this one:

Look at this one and you'd never know you were in Japan!

This covered walkway leads from the monorail station to Hotel MiraCosta.

Cirque du Soleil

I was quite impressed with my first glimpse of the Ambassador Hotel—it really captures the feel of 1930s Southern California!

To kill the remaining hour til my Starlight Passport was valid, I stopped in at the Tokyo Disneyland Hotel to snap some pictures.

There's an exquisitely elegant restaurant on the ground floor called Canna. These pictures aren't so hot—wait til you see the ones Patrick took later.

There's also a sundries shop kinda like the ones at DVC resorts—it even has a cold case of prepared foods. When we later stayed here, we discovered that none of the amenities like these were found at the other two Disney hotels.

A grand staircase leads up to a landing featuring this mosaic and then splits into two staircases to the lobby.

Holy crap, I think this may be THE most gorgeous Disney resort lobby in the world! Not only does it put the Tokyo Disney Official Hotel lobbies to shame, it makes the Grand Floridian look like a Days Inn! Just for you, I took a bazillion million backlit photos…

Even the birdcage elevator is cooler!

Donald for Wazzo

 

[lurkyloo]

These guys got a little woozy looking at that last pic and passed out…

It was about 20 minutes to 3:00 by that time, so I decided to go see if a line was forming at the gate (what am I saying—this is Japan. Of COURSE there was a line!).


I peered longingly through the bars…

Whoa, is that… the Sheriff of Nottingham? I knew they had lesser-known characters over here, but wow!

I got to be second in line!

Up Next: First time at Tokyo Disneyland, and it's literally like one of my nightmares!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

The excitement is building - we are almost through the gate....

 

[torsie24]

Eeeee - AMAZING update Carrie!!!!

I can't wait for you to get in!

I sent Jack the link to this review and he got to the photos of the Disneyland hotel and went "WOW!"

I thought we were all decided to stay at the Miracosta when it's finally our turn to go to TDL but now I think I might be swayed the other way!!!

Thanks so much for doing such a thorough report, I can't wait for more!

 

[meryll83]

Oh I want, I WANT!!!

We're hoping to go to Tokyo in a few years time (if money allows) - I'm actually quite afraid now seeing how complicated everything seems to be!

I forget I'm used to WDW far too much now and venturing elsewhere in the world requires even more preparation when you're not familiar with the location!!

Looking forward to seeing more of DisneySea!

 

[disney_princess_85]

Ok- all I can say is WOW!!!! Seriously, your photos and commentary are amazing. I am so excited to visit one day! Everything is so beautifully detailed. I love the theming of the hotels and the mall, plus the merchandise looks fantastic. SIGH! I'm so jealous of you but so grateful that you are writing such a wonderful report.

Great work Carrie, I'm looking forward to more!

 

[LittleStinkerbelle]

So much photo goodness I don't know where to start!!! Love the tour of the hotels. And the monorail looks so luxe! Interesting that there's a charge to ride. Can't wait to read more!

 

[Disneygrl36]

Loving our first look at Tokyo Disneyland.

The buses & monorail are super cool looking!
Thanks for the hotel tour...I loved the pics of the rooms in the one. The Magic Room looked so cute. And your comment about the black nail polish had me
WOW on the Disneyland Hotel.
Also the have some great fake food over there! Looks almost good enough to eat....ba dump ba.

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Thank you for the amazing pictures and the tour, not sure it made choosing what hotel to stay at any easier, they all look great! The Disneyland Hotel is simply gorgeous, I can't wait to see your pictures of the Miracosta.

 

[Becx N Gav]

Hmmmm, are these frogs family friendly

Will post more later should be working right now - wow amazing photos! Loving this report Carrie

 

[A-T-G]

Oh boy! Almost there! I can't wait! It's like I'm in line, too.

As for my Paris TR, I'll do it but, I won't do you proud. DH and I both had very crappy photo days on that particular day. The photos we took of that day were crap! And mostly of menus and prices for a pal (who could that be, I wonder....). Still, I'll get to crackin'!

 

[lurkyloo]

The excitement is building - we are almost through the gate....

Sorry it's taking so long—I just have so dang many photos, there's no way to do an entire day in one go anymore!

I thought we were all decided to stay at the Miracosta when it's finally our turn to go to TDL but now I think I might be swayed the other way!!!!

That's exactly what happened to me. I think part of the problem was the order we stayed in them: Newest (Disneyland Hotel), older (MiraCosta), oldest (Ambassador). Even though Mira Costa is AMAZING, it's lacking some of the amenities we'd gotten used to at the Disneyland Hotel. A big one for me was guest laundry, because I am a nut and like to clean my clothes on vacation.

Oh I want, I WANT!!!

We're hoping to go to Tokyo in a few years time (if money allows) - I'm actually quite afraid now seeing how complicated everything seems to be!

Oh no! I was hoping this report would do the opposite and make a Tokyo trip seem *less* complicated! Well, the PassPorter on Tokyo Disney should be out by the time you go, so hopefully that will make it seem less overwhelming to you!

Ok- all I can say is WOW!!!! Seriously, your photos and commentary are amazing. I am so excited to visit one day! Everything is so beautifully detailed. I love the theming of the hotels and the mall, plus the merchandise looks fantastic. SIGH! I'm so jealous of you but so grateful that you are writing such a wonderful report.

Great work Carrie, I'm looking forward to more!

Wow! Thanks for you kind words! I'm glad to hear you're enjoying the report.

So much photo goodness I don't know where to start!!! Love the tour of the hotels. And the monorail looks so luxe! Interesting that there's a charge to ride. Can't wait to read more!

It was kind of a lot of photo goodness, wasn't it? I don't think I've ever needed NINE posts for an installment before—stoopid DIS photo limit!

Loving our first look at Tokyo Disneyland.

The buses & monorail are super cool looking!
Thanks for the hotel tour...I loved the pics of the rooms in the one. The Magic Room looked so cute.
WOW on the Disneyland Hotel.

Yes! I'd love to see photos of an actual Magic Room and see if it's as cute in person.

Thank you for the amazing pictures and the tour, not sure it made choosing what hotel to stay at any easier, they all look great! The Disneyland Hotel is simply gorgeous, I can't wait to see your pictures of the Miracosta.

I can't wait to share them! Also, I think you may be pleasantly surprised by the Ambassador pix too—it's much more interestingly themed than you get a sense of on the website.

Hmmmm, are these frogs family friendly

I know! I just saw that after I'd posted the pic. I wonder if some wiseguy tourist did that or if it was intentional....

Oh boy! Almost there! I can't wait! It's like I'm in line, too.

As for my Paris TR, I'll do it but, I won't do you proud. DH and I both had very crappy photo days on that particular day. The photos we took of that day were crap! And mostly of menus and prices for a pal (who could that be, I wonder....). Still, I'll get to crackin'!

Hooray! As long as the menus and prices are readable, who cares what they look like? Thanks so much for doing that!

 

[Bibbidi]

Carrie- all your photos are so great. I'm sure you've previously posted somewhere what type of camera you were using...can you tell me again?

 

[A-T-G]

Okay! I started it!

 

[Lorelei528]

Just one word...







Excellent job so far!!! Tokyo Disney is a bit overwhelming!!! I agree with Meryll! I'm a bit..... about the whole experience! I hope by the time we get to go one day, there will be more info about it. The monorail info alone was making me dizzy!

Can't wait for more!

 

[ChrisFL]

wow...amazing!!

Everything is just so pristine!! I didn't get to see a lot of that stuff while I was there, just saw the parks.

 

[Goldeelox9]

How did you not BUY IT ALL?!?! I would have thrown out my dirty clothes and came home with suitcases full of stuff!!!!

 

[lurkyloo]

Carrie- all your photos are so great. I'm sure you've previously posted somewhere what type of camera you were using...can you tell me again?

Sure thing! It's a Sony Cybershot DSC-HX1. I got it for him for his birthday last year, so they prolly have a newer, flashier model by now. But he LOVES it!

Okay! I started it!

Hooray! I love it already!

Julming!!! I agree with Meryll! I'm a bit..... about the whole experience! I hope by the time we get to go one day, there will be more info about it. The monorail info alone was making me dizzy!

Can't wait for more!

Oh no! I'm trying to make this place seem *less* overwhelming! OK, all you need to know about the monorail is it costs money unless you're a Disney guest. But it's very easy to buy tickets, or you can use your rechargeable fare card for the Tokyo subway system.

wow...amazing!!

Everything is just so pristine!! I didn't get to see a lot of that stuff while I was there, just saw the parks.

Yeah, I guess that was one benefit of not being able to get into the parks til 3 - I got to really explore all the free things to do outside the parks!

How did you not BUY IT ALL?!?! I would have thrown out my dirty clothes and came home with suitcases full of stuff!!!!

It was very tempting.... We were fortunate to have taken the advice of a few people who told us to pack an extra duffel bag in our luggage, and it worked out great!

 

[Bethmsu]

I am in love with your report, detailed and engaging! Thanks for taking the time!