Originally Posted By karlg Well we were able to get booked into Shin-Yokohama for the rest of the stay. At least this avoids moving bags. Shin-Yokohama is on the Shinkansen and with the JR Railpass taking the Shinkansen is about the only way to go (it is very inconvenient by “normal” rail). A good benefit is that the Shinkansen station is comparatively near the Keiyo line (taking the SOUTH exit – you still have do to the tunnels out to the station). The big disadvantage is that the first Shinkansen is at 7:01AM and takes about 28 minutes to Tokyo. BTW, for those with bags, there are a number of large lockers (large enough for large checked luggage) near the Shinkansen station. You have to go down an escalator to the “basement level” (I ask at the information desk for directions, they told be to go along a big red line with arrows, but in the opposite direction of the arrows and then the escalator is on the left). I’m planning on using these lockers on Sunday when I fly out. I plan to take the train in, store the luggage and go to TDS for a few hours, return to Tokyo and then take the Airport Express to my flight. BTW, Hong Kong was better in that I could check my luggage downtown. I had a short day Tuesday and decided to go up to the park. It was a cold rainy night which caused the outdoor shows to be cancelled, but it was great for going on attractions. Being a cold rainy day, I prioritized high capacity attractions early figuring it would thin out later and this strategy worked. I started with Small World and then Splash Mountain and by about 8 PM everything became a walk on. One other strategy, was alternate indoor and outdoor attractions to warm up (Pirates and Country Bears were particularly “enjoyable’ for this reason). At 9:20PM I went on Pooh’s Hunny Hut by with the other 2 cars in a “set” be empty the first time and only one other car with people the second time. I think between arriving at 4PM and leaving at about 9:50 (to make sure I caught the last Shinkansen to the hotel) I did about every major attraction in the park other than the Haunted Mansion (I skipped it on my first time by and didn’t have time to get back to it and Pooh’s Hunny Hut was a higher priority for me). I decided to go on Thunder Mountain as I was already wet (I had a rainproof jacket but there was still some water soaking in). It did seem like the Tokyo version spends more time “indoors” than its US counterparts which was appreciated. But the highlight of my evening was seeing the Mickey Mouse Review one more time. It had been 4 years since I had seen it. The preshow was wild/dated with the 1970’s Disneyworld “D” logo all over it. I was thinking that if they bothered to update this attraction in the last 35 or so years, maybe it wouldn’t have to be replaced. I really liked the main show and I am sorry it is going. I’ve seen Mickey’s Philharmagic several times (as recently as last month in Hong Kong) and personally I like MMR much better. It seems like Disney is doing too many movie/video attractions. I plan on going TDS on Friday but will have to go to a business meeting in the middle of the afternoon. On Saturday I will go back to TDL to do some attractions, see the park in the daylight, and catch the castle show and parades. On Sunday (3rd day on a 3 day pass) I will hit a few attractions on whichever park I feel like going to that morning.
Originally Posted By Mr X ***The big disadvantage is that the first Shinkansen is at 7:01AM and takes about 28 minutes to Tokyo.*** Ouch. ***it is very inconvenient by “normal” rail*** Perhaps not as bad as you fear though. I'm seeing that your shinkansen trip takes 56 minutes to Maihama, given that first train departure time of 7:01am. However, if you take "normal" rail, it will take you 26 minutes longer BUT you could leave (if you wish) nearly 2 hours earlier at 5:09am and arrive at the resort at 6:31am. Far too early lol. BUT, if you give me a time frame for when you want to arrive at the resort, I'd be happy to give you the route. I realize you have a JR pass, so price is irrelevant, but in any case, taking the regular train costs ¥780 and takes around an hour and 20 minutes or so to get there (the Shinkansen really doesn't save you all that much time in this case...if you want to get their earlier than 8 to be first in line you're better off going ghetto here lol). Of course, if you're okay with the "late" departing shinkansen then it really doesn't matter. Let me know, I can map out a route for you easily if you want..and anyway have a great time!
Originally Posted By MagicalNezumi After next May, 5 of the last 6 attractions closed at TDL will have been movie/video/theater type: - Meet the World - Main Street Cinema - Visionarium - Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour - Starcade - Mickey Mouse Revue
Originally Posted By Mr X ***I’m planning on using these lockers on Sunday when I fly out. I plan to take the train in, store the luggage and go to TDS for a few hours, return to Tokyo and then take the Airport Express to my flight.*** I'll sit back and let others comment here, but I have to note that you are very much going backwards (and probably wasting a lot of time!) by doing this bro. Aren't there any lockers at Maihama that are possible to use? The Disney resort is a good bit closer to the airport than downtown is. I find it hard to believe that backtracking into Tokyo is the best idea! (it very well might be, since you can take an express train rather than an airport bus...so, I'll shut up now and see if anyone else chimes in cause I don't want to suggest something that isn't useful for you)
Originally Posted By Mr X Starcade is closed!!!!???? (best Darth Vader impression here) NNnnnnooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!
Originally Posted By MagicalNezumi ^^ Yes, it closed on November 14th, 2007 and in its place is the "Souvenir Medallion" (pressed coin) machines and additional space for "Tomorrowland Terrace" restaurant.
Originally Posted By Mr X I really don't care. BUT, the tommorowland "arcade" connection does sort of have a ring of nostalgia for me... I remember way back in my youth, thinking that the arcade in Tomorrowland Orlando was just the coolest thing since sliced bread, as was the arcade in the Contemporary in which I spent considerable time wasting quarters. Compared to the lame arcades back home, the Disney stuff was Nirvana for me. So, slight *sniff* on that one.
Originally Posted By leemac <<I'll sit back and let others comment here, but I have to note that you are very much going backwards (and probably wasting a lot of time!) by doing this bro.>> I guess that is true but I know a lot of people that prefer it. I try and avoid Tokyo station at all costs (especially when needing to transit to the NEX line from the Keiyo) but it is probably marginally quicker. Most of my colleagues take the Friendly Limo Bus service from the hotels direct to NRT T1 and T2. I do take it occasionally but I'm a bad traveler as a passenger in buses so my preferred route is the local train service. It means three different trains from Maihama but the connection times are usually minimal and I'm a better traveler on the trains. The Friendly bus is definitely the best option for most though - especially from the official hotels. I also like the trains because after a period away from home with colleagues I sometimes need some "me" quiet time.
Originally Posted By Mr X ***I guess that is true but I know a lot of people that prefer it.*** Nuff said. I'm probably commenting on marginal stuff here, so it's really not important advice (my personal feeling is that going into Tokyo from TDL feels like going in the wrong direction if I'm trying to catch a plane...so that's just me lol). My personal preferred method for getting to Narita from Disney timewise and costwise (and having a chance to get rid of the luggage under a bus bay as well) would be to take the Keiyo line rapid bound for Soga to Kaihin-Makuhari station and board an airport shuttle from there. It's probably the fastest and cheapest way, but likely not the simplest nor the most convenient (you have to check bus departure times). So, I'll shut up now. (happy to provide those train times though, karl, if you wish...in case you want to arrive at TDL earlier on Saturday)
Originally Posted By leemac <<would be to take the Keiyo line rapid bound for Soga to Kaihin-Makuhari station and board an airport shuttle from there.>> There is an airport shuttle from Kaihimmakuhari? I didn't think that was connected to the airport line. I'm sure in the past I've changed at Nishi-Funabashi for Chiba and then changed at Chiba. I can't ever remember being able to take just two trains. Although I'm always on auto-pilot when heading to NRT.
Originally Posted By Mr X Limousine bus. Sorry I wasn't clear on that. We do that (rather than bus from Urayasu) because it cuts the cost of the trip in half. Probably not the best idea for someone on vacation or not otherwise concerned with budget (it adds up for a family though).
Originally Posted By karlg X, thanks for the input. I’m pretty familiar with the trains now. For those that don’t know, there is a great web sight call hyperdia-timetable that will plot a trip between any to train stations around Japan. To X, I’m more or less burning the candle at both ends so if I have to get up at 5AM on Saturday to get to the park by 7AM, then I will be beat. Then on Sunday I will have a suitcase, rollaboard, and laptop case to schlep around. Since I already did a bunch of attractions on Wednesday, I’m thinking that I better just take the 7:01 Shinkansen to Tokyo which gets to Tokyo at 7:20AM, then get a 7:32AM train to Maihama which gets in at 7:47. For those that don’t know the Japan Railroad trip planner is at: <a href="http://grace.hyperdia.com/cgi-english/hyperWeb.cgi" target="_blank">http://grace.hyperdia.com/cgi-...rWeb.cgi</a> It gives not only times, but the fares you will need to pay. With a JR Rail Pass, you still have to pay for non-JR Rail trains and subways. The conversation got me to checking timetables. I thought my flight was at 2:35, but just came to find it is at 2:15PM which puts a tighter squeeze on my time. I also just figured out that the Narita Express only runs at :03 past the hour at mid day Sunday and I was planning on catching one at 11:33 (which does not run on Sunday), so I will have to leave the park before 10:30 to make the 11:03 NEX. The problem with the direct busses is that they run at long intervals between busses and they don’t run “late” if you call 5PM “late” at night (in the past, the last bus leaves before I normally get through customs). It turns out in this case that there is one leaves TDS at 10:35AM or DL at 10:55AM and will get me to Narita in less time than the trains before my flight, but I would still have to leave at about the same time. The next bus is 1.5 Hours later. On days where the NEX runs every half hour, it is simply a lot more convenient due to the granularity of the times in which they leave. The advantage of storing the bag at Tokyo is that A) I don’t have mess with it on the train to TDL and B) I have never found a place to store a suitcase at TDL (I know there are small lockers there). IS there as place to store a regular suitcase at TDL (what takes a 500 Yen locker at Tokyo)? I certainly have never found it. And before anyone else says it, it probably isn’t worth the trouble to go to TDS for less than 2 hours on Sunday (I was hoping to have more like 3 hours). But it is a "fun" way to kill some time while waiting for my flight.
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< Most of my colleagues take the Friendly Limo Bus service from the hotels direct to NRT T1 and T2. I do take it occasionally but I'm a bad traveler as a passenger in buses so my preferred route is the local train service. It means three different trains from Maihama but the connection times are usually minimal and I'm a better traveler on the trains. The Friendly bus is definitely the best option for most though - especially from the official hotels. >>> I normally would take the local trains as described above, or if I'm traveling with people with lots of bags that can't wrangle them themselves very well, the limousine bus. I personally don't like busses, so before figuring out the local train route between the airport and the resort, I used to do the N'EX via Tokyo Station to and from the resort. In your situation, karlg, with your bags, I don't think the N'EX is a bad option. Even if there was an option to store large bags at the resort, you'd have to manage the 3 local trains to get from there to the airport. With the N'EX, you get dedicated luggage storage areas at the end of the cars, plus restrooms and snacks on the train. Leaving the bags at Tokyo Station sounds like a good plan to me.
