Readers' Opinions
I'm standing up and applauding you right now. This is the best thing you've ever written for TPI.
Wow!!
Living part of the year in Florida, and Part of the Year in Japan, I have been lucky to go to this park several times as well as WDW. I LOVE both places. Disney Seas is my preferred park in Japan because of its uniqueness. I like to go to this restaurant right after the fireworks/light show. It does indeed make a great END .
Easily some of your best work, this whole trip. Thanks for sharing it with us!
This James agrees with that James: phenomenal trip reports, Robert, and very much appreciated. It has been a wonderful journey for this vicarious travel companion. Thank you.
Another great report, thanks!
Did you know about the secret dining room? On our visit, I specifically asked for a table there when checking-in at the restaurant.
On one side of the restaurant is a bookcase. Hidden in the decorations of the shelf is a button which opens a secret door (the bookcase slides apart) and you enter a room decorated like a wine cellar. After you enter, the door closes again.
Unfortunately, I only took one picture while we ate there and it doesn't show a lot of the room. Also I forgot to take a video of the secret door.
This is great! And it shows me that one cannot see everything in one day. I only spent one there at DisneySea and I had no idea these things were these! Too cool!
Loved the report, but completely disagree with your philosophy: "... when a trip is over, it's done."
While it seems that most people share your philosophy, I travel and explore until the last minute. If my flight doesn't leave until the afternoon, you better believe I'll be taking in another attraction that morning. I find it actually helps you transition nicely from "vacation mode" to "travel mode". While you realize you are leaving in a few hours, at least you're doing something interesting rather than waiting in the hotel or airport.
Just a thought.
I skipped Fortress Explorations because I only had 6 hours in the park, and I thought it was a childrens play area. I was so wrong. Now, I'm sick because for me this attraction would have been right up there with Indiana Jones and Tower of Terror.
Before the Forbidden Journey was added to IOA, I had DisneySea neck and neck with IOA as the best parks in the world. Had I seen what was in Fortress Explorations, I would have ranked it above IOA. With all of the incredible things Universal is doing with the Harry Potter franchise in Orlando, the point is probably moot.
With a few modifications like finding a different E-ticket to replace Tower of Terror, this park should be added as the fifth gate in Disney World.
Another stellar report! (No pun intended...)
That globe is amazing- as a collector of globes, this would be a dream to see in person.
I can't wait to see the final part!!
Joshua, I agree.
While we always planned the TDR visit to the end of our trip, in order to make the most of our time at the resort, we booked another night before flying home in a nice little ryokan in Narita, where we went to after leaving the park in the evening.
In the morning there was still enough time to walk around in Narita for a while and see a local temple before taking the train to Narita airport around noon.
I think the "trip's done" thing is just my internal clock telling me that I'd best stop pushing it and just get off the road - that I'm too spent to take in any more. It almost never kicks in while I still have specific things planned, though, only toward the end of my trip when I'm in "free time." Which is good, I suppose.
Thanks Robert. Really appreciate the time and effort you spent sharing this travel experience with us.
With a little effort and internet research, I could easily find a review or article about these Asian parks from a travel correspondent. But it would not be half as enjoyable as what you have written. Mainly due to your background as a former cast member and (more importantly) a fellow theme park "fan".
Thanks for keeping this site so fresh and appealing. Best wishes to you and your family for 2012...
Great report Robert. I hope to some day go myself. Until then, I can travel through you.