Why aren't Australians interested in TDR and HKDLR?

[bswift]

My flight to Hong Kong in April was just shy of $1000. On sale you can get flights to LAX for $1100-1300. I didn't notice a huge difference in the time of the flight, but that's probably because I usually sleep okay on the way to the US. Honestly I would prefer to pay the extra couple hundred dollars to go to the US, as there's just so much more I want to see there. I did love going to HKDL but it was small and didn't really leave me with a strong desire to go back. I'd love to go to TDL one day but I'd want to combine it with some skiing, which makes that trip too expensive for me at the moment.

 

[Sugarglider]

I like WDW cause I can turn it into a 2 week holiday - and just land and relax. But TDL was easily my favourite park and i would go back in a flash if my life was organised that way. I LOVED japan. Admittedly I paid $800/night to stay at the Mira Costa unbeliveable! but it does mean that $300/night at WDW is chicken feed in comparison.
I don't think you see much chat about TDL on the Aussie board because there is a separate TDL sub-board and personally i thought the TDL chat was much better on a completely different site which I probably can't name here.

 

[BecBennett]

personally i thought the TDL chat was much better on a completely different site which I probably can't name here.

I found that too.

 

[Dommiekazommie]

I've been to TDR and have a trip planned to HKDL next year (as a stop over on the way to the Phillapines for a wedding). I've also been to DL once and WDW three times (4 in 45 days, woohoooo). I'm probably in the minority here who just do a Disney holiday most of the time (so when I went to Tokyo I was there for 5 days, the exceptions are DL which was an add on to our mexican honneymoon and HKDL which will be a stop over). I also find WDW to be the cheapest option by far, which is why i've been so often.

To whoever before said America isn't a cheap vacation I beg to differ. I can easily do a week at WDW for just a little more than what most people pay for 2 weeks in Bali. I've done Bali, and while I liked it, I liked mexico more and that was just as cost effective (and offered an opportunity to stop over in DL).

I loved TDR and would go back again in a heart beat, but this time I would like to explore some more of Japan, which is what is stopping me for the immediate future. I find my problem is that when I add on anything outside of Disney in suddenly the trip becomes long and expensive, lol. Unfortunately DH wants to do more than Disney on his holidays, so that looks like it might be the way of the future. Europe is what worries me, by the time we do 4 days at least at DLP and then a few weeks exploring Europe it's a long holiday, lol.

Then again I don't mind the long flight time and am happy to travel for just a week or so

I do agree the Asian parks advertise less to Australians, although HKDL seem to be doing it more. But they still advertise to Australians more than WDW does, I find it's only really DL that is promoted here.

 

[Meemoo]

I love HKDL and I hope to see Tokyo Disneyland as well as the Shanghai Disneyland one day. HKDL was small but still beautiful and the resort area if you stay at the HKDL Hotel is so beautiful, there is nothing at the original Disneyland like it. If Disneyland wasn't in America I would chose HK as a destination itself over America. My husband does come from there, and I do enjoy Asian Dining, not to mention the shopping.

 

[jevs]

I found the poster who said 'go to Bali instead' rude and don't know what warranted the comment Also been there, done that years ago.

My first park was DLP but in those days it was EuroDisney, i was living in the UK at the time. I loved every moment of it but had always wanted to go to the real deal. Now I want to go to WDW and experience that park. I have no desire to visit Disneyland parks in any other country as I would be there to experience different things.

 

[zanzibar138]

To whoever before said America isn't a cheap vacation I beg to differ. I can easily do a week at WDW for just a little more than what most people pay for 2 weeks in Bali. I've done Bali, and while I liked it, I liked mexico more and that was just as cost effective (and offered an opportunity to stop over in DL).

It depends on how you like to holiday. You just can't do the US *as* cheaply as you can do Asia. Example. DH and I are spending just over a week in Thailand for less than $2k, including flights, accommodation and sightseeing. However, we are flying Jetstar and staying in very basic/backpacker style accommodation off the main tourist track (and with a friend for a couple of nights), and getting around using public transport.

I don't know what the average cost of a holiday to Asia is these days, but if the people you know are paying $5-$10k for their trips, I agree that you could definitely have a nice trip to the US for that sort of money. We could quite easily do a budget week for less than $5k.

 

[ssour]

It depends on how you like to holiday. You just can't do the US *as* cheaply as you can do Asia. Example. DH and I are spending just over a week in Thailand for less than $2k, including flights, accommodation and sightseeing. However, we are flying Jetstar and staying in very basic/backpacker style accommodation off the main tourist track (and with a friend for a couple of nights), and getting around using public transport.

I don't know what the average cost of a holiday to Asia is these days, but if the people you know are paying $5-$10k for their trips, I agree that you could definitely have a nice trip to the US for that sort of money. We could quite easily do a budget week for less than $5k.

It's hard to compare Thailand to Hong Kong and Tokyo though. Although Jetstar fly to Tokyo, everything once you get there is pretty expensive and no low-cost carriers fly to Hong Kong, so it all balances out in the end. With over $2000 on flights just to get to Hong Kong, it's easy for a family to get close to $5000 with accommodation and sightseeing. Most families don't opt for backpacker accommodations. I think you get more Disney value for you money from the parks in the States. If you're looking at exploring other parts of Japan and Hong Kong then the Asian parks are a good option, just not really a holiday in and of themselves.

 

[zanzibar138]

It's hard to compare Thailand to Hong Kong and Tokyo though. Although Jetstar fly to Tokyo, everything once you get there is pretty expensive and no low-cost carriers fly to Hong Kong, so it all balances out in the end. With over $2000 on flights just to get to Hong Kong, it's easy for a family to get close to $5000 with accommodation and sightseeing. Most families don't opt for backpacker accommodations. I think you get more Disney value for you money from the parks in the States. If you're looking at exploring other parts of Japan and Hong Kong then the Asian parks are a good option, just not really a holiday in and of themselves.

Sorry I should have pointed out that reply was only in reference to the 'the US is too expensive, you should go to Bali' comment and subsequent debate. I realise that Hong Kong and Tokyo are expensive destinations, not just compared to the rest of Asia, but even compared to the rest of the world. I guess I was agreeing with the PP that holidays to any Disney destination are innately more expensive than holidays have to be. BUT also agreeing with the other PP, that if Disney holidays are what you like, then it doesn't have to be prohibitively expensive

If we're specifically talking about Disney destinations (which I know we were, just kind of got side-tracked ), then I agree that the US parks can be cheaper to visit than the Asian ones (depending on length of time there, type of accommodations, other stuff you're doing etc).

 

[Agent 86]

I'm an Aussie who is fortunate enough to have been to every Disney Theme Park (at least until Shanghai opens) and Tokyo Disneyland remains my favourite. Possibly because it was my "first" Disney Theme Park and also because it is located in my favourite foreign country.

The main reasons I enjoy Tokyo Disneyland in comparison to the other theme parks is the crowds (and resulting atmosphere) and the food. I travel with my partner and sometimes as a childless couple, we feel a little out of place in a lot of the other theme parks. This can be especially evident when we're waiting in line or dining and it seems that we're surrounded by families and their often screaming children (and parents).

But, Tokyo Disneyland appears to attract a lot of adult couples and extended families with people from all generations (babies through to grandparents), so we don't feel like the odd ones out (even though we're clearly not Japanese). Also, all the locals who travel to Tokyo Disneyland seem to do so with the attitude of having a great time whereas in the other parks, we get the distinct impression that many families are only there because it's something they have to do for their children and it can be very clear that not everyone is enjoying themselves. In Tokyo Disneyland, no matter their age, everyone seems to be having a great time.

And out of all the parks, I found the food to be consistently good in Tokyo Disneyland. With a lot of the other parks, I've found the food to be hit or miss, irrespective of the price point. But, in Tokyo Disneyland, the food has always been awesome.

And I love going to Tokyo Disneyland because it means that we also get to see parts of Japan (and South Korea) and I love travelling throughout Japan. In contrast to some of the other comments, we usually book flights when they're on special (for as low as $400 return) and we find that prices in Japan are usually cheaper than in Australia (although we do travel on a pretty tight budget).

I wouldn't travel to Hong Kong Disneyland as often because there isn't quite as much to see and do in Hong Kong, without also journeying to mainland China (at least until Shanghai Disneyland opens). And while I enjoyed the park, it just didn't have the same appeal as Tokyo Disneyland.

I also enjoyed the US parks, but due to the flight times and costs, I feel as though I need to take at least four weeks leave to travel to the US whereas I think two weeks is sufficient to travel to Japan. I feel the same about Paris Disneyland, as I'd really only visit there as part of a much longer, European holiday.

 

[Dommiekazommie]

It depends on how you like to holiday. You just can't do the US *as* cheaply as you can do Asia. Example. DH and I are spending just over a week in Thailand for less than $2k, including flights, accommodation and sightseeing. However, we are flying Jetstar and staying in very basic/backpacker style accommodation off the main tourist track (and with a friend for a couple of nights), and getting around using public transport.

I don't know what the average cost of a holiday to Asia is these days, but if the people you know are paying $5-$10k for their trips, I agree that you could definitely have a nice trip to the US for that sort of money. We could quite easily do a budget week for less than $5k.

That's true, but I think you could still do a week at DLR for around $3k, if you get cheap enough flights and stay in backpackers and visit just DL.

I'd normally budget around $4k for a 2 week bali / thailand, for me and DH including flights and a 4 star resort (If i'm going to do that asian resort route I want to be staying on the beach and drowning myself in cocktails), and can easily do 7 days in WDW for around that if not a tiny bit more ($3k between us for flights, free dining and 7 days in a value). Just saying I think the state side Disney resorts offer incredible value for money. They're not super expensive at all!

what I don't understand (and please don't flame me people), is why people feel the nee to do longer holidays if they're going to the states? I guess I'm just more of an X is my budget, let's squeeze as much as I can in kind of girl

For instance (slightly off the Disney path a little), we ended up honneymooning in mexico because it was cheaper than Vanuatu. (excluding the DL stopover... but if you're going through LAX you may as well, heheheh )

 

[zanzibar138]

That's true, but I think you could still do a week at DLR for around $3k, if you get cheap enough flights and stay in backpackers and visit just DL.

I'd normally budget around $4k for a 2 week bali / thailand, for me and DH including flights and a 4 star resort (If i'm going to do that asian resort route I want to be staying on the beach and drowning myself in cocktails), and can easily do 7 days in WDW for around that if not a tiny bit more ($3k between us for flights, free dining and 7 days in a value). Just saying I think the state side Disney resorts offer incredible value for money. They're not super expensive at all!

what I don't understand (and please don't flame me people), is why people feel the nee to do longer holidays if they're going to the states? I guess I'm just more of an X is my budget, let's squeeze as much as I can in kind of girl

For instance (slightly off the Disney path a little), we ended up honneymooning in mexico because it was cheaper than Vanuatu. (excluding the DL stopover... but if you're going through LAX you may as well, heheheh )

We're not beach people, and when we go to Asia, it is for the same style of holiday as we do in the US (and anywhere else for that matter). And that is an active sight-seeing holiday where we really only use the hotel for sleeping and showering. We did factor in a couple of nights for relaxing at an 'expensive' resort on our last trip, and got bored to tears so we've decided not to bother anymore. Most of the time we do go for 3 star accommodation though.

I think I would struggle to get me and DH a week at DLR for $3k. It's very rare to find flights to LA for $1000 or less, and to buy a DLR ticket for 5 days I believe is now over $300. That only leaves $400 for accommodation, food and airport transfers for 2. The cheapest accommodation I could find within walking distance to DLR was the Motel 6 at about $70 a night for the cheapest room. You could go further away, but then you would either need to hire a car or factor in the ART cost and time wise. I could definitely do it for under $5k though.

I can see why people feel the need to string out their US holidays for as long as possible, simply for the time and money invested in the flight. People who think that a trip to the US is expensive compared to a trip to Asia are probably unwilling to go all that way for a short time and have priced up longer stays, which is obviously going to get more expensive.