Guest Blogger: David, his wife, and their five year old son, B, have lived all around the United States, but are currently stationed in Okinawa where David enjoys producing movies and eating pancakes in his spare time. You can find David’s videos of their Okinawa adventures on YouTube.
New England weather is tricky, and it can get cold very quickly, but fall leaf peeping is truly something to see. I took my wife and then four-year-old to Burlington, Vermont to experience something other than Florida’s seasons, which range from hot to hotter, to extremely hot. We flew into Bradley International Airport in Connecticut, which is a small and relatively inexpensive airport to fly through and, as an added bonus, it is only a short three hour drive up Interstate-91 North to Burlington. The plan was to journey along the back country roads and enjoy the fall leaves, while snaking our way back down to Connecticut for our flight home.
Enjoying fall foliage in Burlington
Where to Stay:
Hotel Vermont Lobby
If you’re coming from a place like New York City where open spaces and grass is a luxury, Vermont will blow you away. We chose to stay at the Hotel Vermont, located smack down in the middle of Burlington and offering a small boutique hotel experience for not a lot of money. The rooms are spacious with views of the lake and they also support the local economy, using only locally made blankets, coffees, food, and soaps. It’s a really comfy modern hotel with a throwback to the luxurious lodges of yesteryear. The hotel also supplied a few toys for kids and really seemed to celebrate our choice to bring our family to stay with them. I can think of no other boutique hotel I have stayed at that offered this much luxury for such little money.
Where to Eat:
Everywhere! If there is a chain restaurant in Burlington, I didn’t find it. In fact, there was a really great culinary scene, all of which take into consideration the smaller guests in town. Vermont is a real “farm-to-table” state, with most restaurants serving local fare and ingredients that are seemingly sourced from the nearest farm. A few notable places we dined at:
Penny Cluse Cafe – The Hotel Vermont has a great restaurant, but we decided to venture out one morning for a more “local breakfast,” and we scored big time! We had to wait a few minutes to be seated at this amazing place, but the Penny Cluse Cafe was definitely a hidden gem among the other eateries located in Burlington’s main drag. Once we were seated, I glanced over the menu, looked at my four year old and said, “buddy, we are lucky to be here.” Gingerbread pancakes were staring me in the face and daring me to order them and boy, they were amazing! My son and I wasted little time scarfing them down. My wife enjoyed the sourdough french toast with strawberry jam, again all made fresh with ingredients from local farms. Although the cafe was a little bit noisy, it had a great busy New England vibe and we enjoyed our experience.
The Farmhouse Tap & Grill – The long wait for a table at Farmhouse Tap & Grill and the dropping temperatures were a bit harsh for our Florida blood, making us wonder whether it was worth the wait. But the aroma that was coming out of this restaurant was like a siren song for us! It smelled delicious! A server saw that we were there, waiting with our young son, and pointed to a slightly hidden side entrance that I had spotted, but just assumed was a shortcut to the restroom or a side alley selling black market moose antlers. It was not! We walked over to the side entrance and ended up in the back of the restaurant, which had an enclosed “Beer & Wine Garden.” Complete with old school games, wooden tables and chairs, sofas, and heat lamps, this was the perfect cozy space for my family to hang out while we waited for a table. My wife and I enjoyed a few local beers, and my son was given farm fresh apple juice. After about 20 minutes, we were seated in a gorgeous dining room where I shared the meatloaf with my son. The food was amazing, and I also enjoyed a local root beer. For dessert, we had pumpkin cheesecake. We walked the two blocks back to the hotel that night, fat and happy.
Whetstone Station Restaurant and Brewery – Our drive back to Bradley airport had us cutting through small new England towns. Along the way, we stopped at the Whetsone, which borders Vermont and New Hampshire. I’m not kidding: the border goes right through the restaurant.
We sat on the Vermont side!
What to Do With Kids:
Admittedly, leaf peeping is probably not the best thing for keeping a toddler entertained, and it was a four hour long drive from Burlington back to the airport in Connecticut, albeit with amazing scenery. Along the way, my wife and I decided to stop at Shelburne Farms, which I like to think of as Disney in Vermont except that instead of rides, you have animals. The brochure describes Shelburne Farms as:
a nonprofit education center for sustainability, 1,400 acres working farm, and National Historic Landmark on the shores of Lake Champlain in Shelburne, Vermont.
My personal description is:
Sherburne Farms is the most beautiful farm I have seen, it goes on for-e-ver! My son did not want to leave, and I don’t blame him. They had animals; all kinds that you could pet, play with, feed etc. They had food, and they showed you how that food was made, on their farm! (Except the steaks, c’mon there are kids here).
The Children’s Farmyard is the place to be and you get there from the main entrance via tractor, of course! Just some of the wonderful things to see and do: goat milking, sheep brushing, horse grooming, milking a cow, feeding various animals, and there is even a chicken parade. A. Chicken. Parade. Forget the four year old, I want to see a chicken parade! Admittedly, Shelburne Falls is only really worth visiting between May and mid-October. Once old man winter hits, the animals are tucked away inside weatherproof barns. If you happen to be in the area, definitely take advantage of this farm and visit with your children. I still gaze at the pictures and am amazed at the memories that come flooding back…especially the chicken parade. Note: There is an Inn at Shelburne Falls, so you can stay on property too.
You can’t go wrong visiting Vermont in the fall, just be sure to plan ahead as the Hotel Vermont gets booked up quickly. Also, plan on stopping to take pictures as I did. You never know what you’re going to find, like a gorilla holding a Volkswagen!
A New England native, David feels strongly about leaf peeping and has written previously about fall getaway activities in Connecticut. If you enjoy reading this post, please be sure to check out David’s other posts on WGWK! Fall also happens to be our favorite season here at WGWK, so be sure to check out our more expansive Fall Getaway series.
Guest Blogger: David, his wife, and their five year old son, B, have lived all around the United States, but are currently stationed in Okinawa where David enjoys producing movies and eating pancakes in his spare time. You can find David’s videos of their Okinawa adventures on YouTube.
I am sure that by now, you’ve read my travel posts featuring places in the United States as well as Tokyo. But, I live in Okinawa, you say, so where are the Okinawa posts? Well, fasten your seat belts and secure your tray tables, because today, I’m all about the Okinawa bullfights – cue the Rocky theme song!
Before we start, let’s talk about the bull…err, elephant in the room. I have traveled to Spain and have seen bullfights. Bullfights are a cultural event that also takes place in Mexico and while gory and inhumane to some, in my opinion, it’s a cultural event that people can either choose to embrace or not participate in. I happen to choose the latter because I love animals and typically abstain from bullfights and bullfighting events. But, it turns out the Okinawans feel exactly like I do! They love animals and these giant bulls are like pets to them! The Okinawans house the bulls in elaborate pens, feed them, and walk them down the street on a leash just like you would walk Fido!
My friend, Cody, lives in Okinawa, and suggested that we meet him at the Ishikawa Dome, the only domed bullring in Okinawa, which plays host to some 20 bullfighting events each year, including the All-Island Bullfighting Tournament, the biggest such event on the island. Conveniently, the Ishikawa Dome is located just 15 minutes from my house, so I decided it would be a good opportunity for my wife and my five year old.
Okinawan Bullfighting Rules, In a Nutshell:
Prior to our visit, I did some research about Okinawan bullfighting rules, which turn out to be quite simple. Two bulls walk into the ring, they meet and butt heads. The first bull to run away, be pushed out of the ring area, or not want to re-engage with the other bull is declared the loser. As you can imagine, Okinawan bullfights vary in duration. The first fight we saw lasted 45 minutes. But, we also saw one fight in which both bulls met in the middle, neither wanted to fight, and one ran immediately back to the entry gate. That fight did not even last one full minute.
Our Experience:
Parking at the Ishikawa Dome was a snap – just find a space anywhere and leave your car. Since the main parking area is small, we found a great spot along the back of the dome on a side street.
Admission was approximately $60USD for my family of three and upon entry, we found ourselves walking past various food vendors selling Japanese eats: Yakisoba, Okinawa soba, yakitori (grilled chicken on a stick), and even a small bar with local drinks. There were also vendors selling bullfight hats, t-shirts, and stickers — things you would find at just about any festival! Cody met us at the top of the stairs and led us down close to the ring. As I glanced around, I was amazed at how many families were there. Children were busy eating snacks and running up and down the stairs, and Cody’s neighbor was coaching a bull that was preparing to fight that day. The owner’s son (probably 6 or 7 years old), was running round waving his “team towel” and carrying a small trumpet in anticipation of his bullfight. There was definitely a family friendly atmosphere, which I appreciated. Music was playing in the background and soon the eisa performance (traditional folk dance originating on the island of Okinawa) began as the welcoming entertainment. As people filed into the stadium, we enjoyed a few performance before the bullfighting began.
There were a total of nine fights, each of which were exciting and unique! Prior to a number of the fights, a group of supporters enter, wave colorful flags, and throw salt on the dirt arena floor for good luck. Each bull has its own team of supporters, managers, and owners, all of whom come out to wish the bull luck and to watch. The bulls then square off, pushing and trying to gain traction on one another in order to win. While the event is technically called a bull “fight,” it is really more of a bull sumo match, with team members taking turns shouting encouragement at the bull. One funny thing we noticed was that as a team member got tired of shouting, another would take over and begin yelling. The original, “tired” team member would then retire to a corner, where he would drink water from a metal ladle, to refresh himself, before returning at some point to continue shouting encouragement at the bull. This might seem crazy, but of course, the craziest thing is that these team members were each within inches of sharp horns and positioned such that they could theoretically get trampled!
As I mentioned before, the Okinawans love their animals and many of the trainers even sleep in the pen with their bulls the night before the big day. Although the bulls are technically fighting, if one bull gets cut or wounded, the fighting stops immediately. This makes sense because if your pet got hurt, wouldn’t you stop doing what you were doing immediately? On the day we attended, one bull was cut above the shoulder from another horn, and the fighting stopped immediately. When I told people we attended a bullfight, many commented saying they would not ever attend a bullfight, having seen one in Spain. I can assure you, an Okinawan bullfight is nothing like that.
Once the fighting is over and a winner is declared, the losing bull leaves the ring and the winner is draped with a glorious banner. The children of the team members then get to climb the bull and wave to the crowd! It was truly amazing to see how gentle and still the bulls were while this was happening. Indeed, the last match featured the largest bull, weighing in at 2000 pounds. As I made my way down towards the winning bull, Cody told me to grab my son B and get a photo! I was initially hesitant, but B was all for it and the locals held the bull as B smiled and perched on the biggest bull of the day!
On our way out of the area, we visited the area behind the ring where the bulls are kept, rather lavishly, if I may say so! After each fight, the bulls get fed and bathed. They are checked for any wounds and the owners and team members pet the bull, thanking him for a great day of fighting. The bull is then loaded onto the family’s truck, where each bull has a single open-aired truck that is used for that bull only! It’s like a bull limo or bull party bus…no bull! The bulls and team members will even continue to pose for photos with visitors, who are still in awe from what they saw earlier.
If you happen to find yourself in Okinawa, be sure to check out a bullfight. These gentle giants really know how to put on a show, while getting pampered like rock stars in the process!
Could it be that Okinawans have such high life expectancy because of their love for bulls? Who knows?! If you loved David’s review of bullfighting in Okinawa as much as we do, be sure to check out his other posts on WGWK!
Every so often, we encounter a place that is so fabulous for those traveling with kids that it is worthy of being featured on its own. For more fabulous locations, please check out our other Spotlight features!
Guest Blogger: David, his wife, and their five year old son, B, have lived all around the United States, but are currently stationed in Okinawa where David enjoys producing movies and eating pancakes in his spare time. You can find David’s videos of their Okinawa adventures on YouTube.
Some say that the best thing to see in Connecticut is either New York City or Boston. Having grown up in Hartford, Connecticut, I can tell you they are wrong – sort of. As a child, fall in New England meant raking up leaves and slipping on those said leaves – not fun. Although the foliage was always bright and colorful, I just never paid much attention to it, taking it for granted as just part of regular life. After eight years living in Tampa, however, I started getting homesick. Palm trees are nice and all, but it’s just way too green all the time. Green and hot.
A few years ago, after having lived in Florida for many years, I decided to take my Miami born and raised son “leaf peeping” and join the annual pilgrimage of thousands of people who visit New England every year for a glimpse of its magnificent fall foliage. I booked my family on a flight to Bradley International Airport in Hartford, Connecticut, which is centrally located to everything in New England and also, conveniently, close to my family.
Having fun at the New England Air Museum
Where to Stay:
I will get some grief for this, but the Hartford area is full of outdated hotels, or absurdly expensive hotels. There is no need to sacrifice your wallet for a lame place to hang your hat. I always choose the Hyatt House in Windsor, which is only a short drive from the airport, recently built, and quiet. The location is great for exploring the state with your family, the rooms are big and clean, and they offer free breakfast in their cafeteria style eating area. Windsor is Connecticut’s first town, with many small shops and a fountain on the town green.
Where to Eat:
There are two places near the Hyatt that are great options for a quick bite to eat. For breakfast or lunch, Dom’s Broad Street Eatery, located in the heart of Windsor, has wonderful food, huge portions, and is where the locals like to eat. Wilson Pizza Palace, is another place I would recommend and is located at the north end of the town of Windsor. The state of Connecticut has wonderful pizza and while New Haven gets the southern Connecticut glory, I think Greek owned Wilson Pizza Palace holds its own in representing the northern part of the state. Grab a meatball grinder or a large Wilson Special Pizza to go! The Hyatt House has a kitchen, dinnerware, and flatware in every room, so you can lounge in the comfort of your pajamas while eating the most memorable pizza of your life. Wilson is cash only and resides in an old McDonald’s. When you visit, tell them the Cuban sent you – it will make them smile and give you Wilson Pizza Palace street cred.
The Connecticut Trolley Museum is just a 15 minute drive from the Hyatt (see Connecticut IS small) and is the oldest incorporated museum dedicated to electric railroading in the United States, founded in 1940. My five year old loves trains and riding on trains, so this was a must visit for us. In the fall, the Museum has offers a pumpkin patch and also an after dark spooky ride called “Rails to the Dark Side,” which is rated PG-13 and not recommended for young children. Just be sure to bundle up as it does get cold and have your cameras ready as the rides offer nice scenery and foliage views.
New England Air Museum:
The New England Air Museum has over 100 aircrafts located in a huge heated warehouse. There are numerous cool exhibits, including opportunities for your kids to sit in the cockpit of an actual fighter jet or an old helicopter. There is plenty of room for the kids to run around and explore, while learning a little bit of history and science. My son loved getting in and out of helicopters and jets and also exploring the toys in the gift shop. Volunteers are friendly and helpful and this is just an all out wonderful destination especially on a rainy day.
In a town made famous in the 1980s by Julia Robert’s performance in the movie Mystic Pizza (yes, Mystic Pizza really does exist although the pizza is meh), Mystic Seaport or the Museum of America and The Sea is one of the nation’s oldest maritime museums and has a lot to offer. Per the website,
The Museum’s grounds cover 19 acres on the Mystic River in Mystic, CT and include a recreated New England coastal village, a working shipyard, formal exhibit halls, and state-of-the-art artifact storage facilities. The Museum is home to more than 500 historic watercraft, including four National Historic Landmark vessels, most notably the 1841 whaleship Charles W. Morgan, America’s oldest commercial ship still in existence.
Full disclosure: I hate this place. Growing up in Connecticut meant dozens of field trips here to learn about how the early settlers churned butter – just what a teenager with raging hormones want to spend the day seeing. Although I am jaded, I can now appreciate what Mystic Seaport has to offer. In addition to the old New England exhibits, recent more modern exhibits have also been added. And, Mystic Aquarium is also just down the street. You can pre-purchase tickets to both the Seaport and the Aquarium online and save yourself the hassle of waiting in line.
The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum is a 30 minute drive from the Hyatt. Although technically located in Massachusetts, this museum is not to be missed if you grew up reading Dr. Seuss books or if your kids adore them. The Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden is a small park outside with sculptures of his most famous characters and is a must visit, no matter what the weather is. The museum has been recently renovated so make sure to check the website for hours and tickets, which can also be purchased online.
While in Springfield visiting the Dr. Seuss museum, pop over to the Basketball Hall of Fame, where children under four are free. Basketball fans will enjoy the interactive exhibits and enjoy the court for shooting hoops. The museum is conveniently located in an area that houses some amazing restaurants, including Plan B Burger Bar and Max’s Tavern.
Brown’s Harvest:
Brown’s Harvest in Windsor is a special place for me, as this is where my parents took me as a child for our pumpkins and Christmas trees. Back then, it was just a stand, but Brown’s Harvest has evolved and now boasts a corn maze, haunted hay ride, and a small shop where you can buy cider and apple doughnuts. Apple doughnuts! If you have not tried them, book your trip now! Brown’s Harvest is only a 10 minute drive from the Hyatt and is located on the northern end of Windsor, headed towards the airport. I was thrilled to share the experience with my son, who had a blast running around the pumpkin patch and washing down apple doughnuts with hot apple cider.
Drive!:
One of the best things about Connecticut is that it is a small state. A drive through the lower Connecticut River Valley has a lot to offer. I always recommend that people consider taking the Ultimate Foliage Tour of Central Connecticut. I’ve done it and it was amazing. The foliage is constantly changing and varies depending on where you are. Make sure to consult the foliage tracker and remember to explore and drive as much as you can. There are numerous small towns off the beaten path, some great history to be experienced, and pumpkin patches galore!
Final Thoughts:
As you can see, there’s plenty to do in Connecticut! If you absolutely must, New York City and Boston are easy day trips and are each only about a two hour drive in opposite directions from Windsor.
We hope you enjoyed David’s thorough review of things to do in and around Hartford, Connecticut!If you find yourself inspired to visit New England, be sure to visit Catherine’s Fall Getaway: New England for more ideas. Fall also happens to be our favorite season here at WGWK, so be sure to check out our more expansive Fall Getaway series.
Guest Blogger: David, his wife, and their five year old son, B, have lived all around the United States, but are currently stationed in Okinawa where David enjoys producing movies and eating pancakes in his spare time. You can find David’s videos of their Okinawa adventures on YouTube.
Tokyo Disney Resort is a theme park and vacation resort located just east of Tokyo, Japan. My family and I currently live in Okinawa and when winter break rolled around, we decided to plan a trip to Tokyo Disney. Although it is a short 2 hour domestic flight from Okinawa to Tokyo, I’m assuming most of you won’t be starting off in Okinawa and will instead be making your own personal journey half way around the world. Spoiler alert: it’s worth it.
We planned our trip to take place over four days, three nights from Monday – Thursday, so we could take advantage of shorter lines. In reality, this left us with 2.5 days to actually spend at the parks, which was sufficient considering our focus was not to go on “grown up rides,” but to make our five year old son happy, while stuffing our faces with Disney treats along the way.
Day 1: Arrival in Tokyo
There are plenty of options in terms of places to stay in and around the park, from Disney owned hotels on property to lesser ones just blocks away. We chose the Disney Ambassador Hotel, which was described as a “budget” option outside the park, but it would not be classified as a budget hotel based on our experiences in the USA! When I think of budget hotels, I think of run down, bare bones accommodations, with rooms out of a really bad Quentin Tarantino movie (cue seedy police or gunmen outside your motel room door!). The Disney Ambassador Hotel could not be further from what I had in mind.
From the moment we stepped off the airport shuttle bus, we were greeted by smiling Japanese staff, willing to help us with every step of the check in process until we reached our room. Smiles abound and the staff was always ready to pose with you for photos, or hand your child a hotel sticker featuring Mickey Mouse. The lobby was palatial with a large sitting area, a walk down cafe with coffee and desserts, and a lounge complete with televisions playing Disney classics (in Japanese) on a loop. This was a genius component to keeping the kids entertained so the parents could complete the check in process!
Pricing and Accommodations:
We booked a standard room at the Disney Ambassador Hotel, but were upgraded to a superior room. We did not ask for the upgrade and, in fact, the regular rooms seemed more Mickey themed with Mickey comforters and such, but we took the upgrade because, well, upgrade. Although I am not a hotel snob by any means, I could be after this stay. The room was very spacious, with two slightly smaller than full sized beds. The bathroom came with a tub and a separate shower area. The water pressure was phenomenal – I could have power washed my home with the shower head, so that was a big plus in my book. There’s also a separate room for the toilet, complete with numerous buttons and options for your use and entertainment. Although we did not use any of the options, the seat was heated and stayed heated, which was a nice bonus.
The rooms also came with small refrigerators, a safe, and included Disney themed pajamas for the adult guests. Yes! Free Pajamas! And I wore them! Because, Free Pajamas!
The Disney Ambassador Hotel offers a lot for its money, if you’re willing to explore a bit. The hotel has the usual Disney gift shop, small mini Japanese grocery store and restaurants, but the biggest advantage is the location – just an 8 minute shuttle bus ride from the hotel to the parks. The hidden gem of the hotel is that it is connected to the Ikspiari Town Mall, which is a must see if you stay here. The mall has everything: a full grocery store, over 35 restaurants, a movie theater, a Disney store (of course), and many shops that are local only to Japan.
Dining:
The Ambassador Hotel has a Chef Mickey character restaurant where you can have breakfast, lunch, or dinner with Chef Mickey. We had breakfast there on the second day of our stay. The buffet breakfast is divided into two sections: (1) traditional American breakfast of pancakes, toast, eggs, etc and (2) Japanese style breakfast area. I never ventured into the Japanese style breakfast area because the traditional American breakfast of pancakes comes in Mickey shapes! Chef Mickey is a character restaurant so the prices were high, costing the three of us about $80 USD for breakfast. But, the food was delicious, and Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Daisy came to our table and were happy and willing to take as many photos as we wanted. The staff also helped us take family photos, so no one was left out. Unlike the character breakfast in Orlando at Walt Disney World where I felt rushed, the food was terrible, and the characters did not engage, the Chef Mickey experience at the Ambassador Hotel is a must do if you have children (and in particular, if you want to erase any previously horrible character breakfast meal experiences).
A Happy Chef Mickey Experience!
Pro Tip: Check into your room and, if time allows, visit the Ikspiari Town Mall and stock up on needed supplies. Just eating dinner at the Ikspiari will save you money from the higher priced Disney hotel/resort options. I spotted three restaurants in the Hotel (Hana Hana, The Grill, Tick Tock Diner), which all looked appetizing, but the Ikspiari Town Mall was not only cheaper but allowed us to sample local cuisine at a much more reasonable price.
Pro Tip 2: We have been told that tipping is not necessary or expected in Japan, so we have not tipped. Feel free to google and determine whether you’re comfortable with not tipping, but our experience is that it is not expected.
Day #2: Full Day at Tokyo Disneyland
Tokyo Disneyland is one of two parks that make up the Tokyo Disney Resort. Disneyland opened in 1983 and was the first Disney park to be build outside the United States.
Since we were staying at a Disney resort, we were allowed to enter Disneyland 15 minutes prior to the general public. The Park opened at 8 AM, so we woke up bright and early to take advantage of the early entry. After our Chef Mickey breakfast buffet, we boarded the hotel provided shuttle bus to the Park. The shuttle bus was very retro, but way modern with wonderful hidden Mickeys from the outside taillights to the handrails on the inside. The ride to the Park took only 8 minutes and although Tokyo Disneyland is an extremely popular vacation destination for the Japanese, you won’t find people pushing or cutting in line to enter. Everyone is extremely polite and courteous, but I would still plan on arriving at least 30 minutes prior to opening, depending on where you are staying to avoid the rush and also to grab fast passes.
Here are a few things we did to maximize our time at the Park:
Breakfast at the Park its terrible. Eat before you go, because otherwise, you won’t find anything other than coffee and pastries. Most food options open at 10AM, and we found ourselves freezing outside a coffee and pastry shop across from the Monster’s Inc ride, after discovering there was no indoor seating.
Stop dragging around all the stuff you brought into the Park and make use of the lockers! This came in handy as we stored our heavy winter jackets during the daytime hours and came back for them towards the evening when the temperatures dropped. This also came in handy for storing purchases.
Once you get past the security checkpoints, hang a right just before the Magic Castle and grab a fast pass for Pooh’s Honey Hut Ride. The ride fills up quickly and fast passes run out fast, so get them early on to ensure the opportunity to ride. Once you get the fast passes, circle back to the Monster’s Inc Ride, which should still be short.
We enjoyed great shows which had the added bonus of giving our feet a break, but make sure you check in advance which ones are Japanese only or you will end up sitting through a show without understanding anything that is going on.
Tokyo Disney has some amazing snacks, and the best one is popcorn. Buy the souvenir popcorn container (there are many themed varieties, including Star Wars and Cars 3!), because then you can get the container refilled throughout the day at a discount. Flavors we sampled include: curry, tomato basil, and honey. Flavors we did not get to sample include: blueberry, chocolate, caramel, and plain old salt and butter.
The Electric Parade lives on at Tokyo Disney, complete with original soundtrack! Be sure to bring a blanket, though. We noticed empty blankets along the parade route about 30 minutes prior to the start. The blankets turned out to be people staking out their spot of land to watch the parade. The staff will make you sit so others behind you can see, so don’t expect to put your kids on your shoulders either. Bring a blanket to reserve your spot and also to keep your bum protected from the freezing cold sidewalk!
Shockingly, we found the prices to be extremely reasonable – not a mortgage for snacks and water! Definitely try the Tokyo Disney snacks offered throughout the Park!
Food at the Park is plentiful, and one nice thing is that people tend to eat and leave, instead of lingering for a long time. The staff only let you order your food when there is a free table, which means that you will have a place to sit once you get your food! This is such a great system that I wish Orlando had something similar.
DisneySea is the companion park to Tokyo Disneyland and was opened in September 2001. DisneySea and Disneyland are the only two Disney parks that are not wholly owned and managed by the Walt Disney Company (although Disney does have creative control).
I had no idea what to expect from DisneySea, although we did know that it is more geared towards adults than kids. However, there are many hidden gems for young kids, and we were amazed by how much was squeezed into a relatively small piece of real estate.
First, I must mention the Toy Story Mania ride, which locals go crazy for. Upon entering the park, there is literally a stampede to the Toy Story Ride. It’s so crazy that there are staff members with “please walk” signs, again with a smile! Although many blogs that I read prior to our trip suggested skipping this ride, I personally had just as much fun as my son did.
To maximize time at DisneySea, I recommend:
Snag a fast pass when you enter the park, or else you will end up waiting to ride at 10pm!
Once you get your fast pass, head over to Mysterious Island, where there are short lines for numerous rides, including 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Journey to the Center of the Earth. Note that Journey to the Center of the Earth is not appropriate for children, “expectant mothers,” or “persons of advanced age.”
After Mysterious Island, walk over to Port Discovery, where you can ride the Nemo & Friends ride, which was one of our favorite rides there – a cross between the old Star Wars ride and Soarin. The line was short enough that we got to ride it twice. Port Discovery also has bumper boats and the line was so short that we also rode it twice.
A friend recommended that we dine at Vulcania in Mysterious Island, saying the food was amazing. We dined there for lunch, and it was great. The food was counter cafeteria style, but because they only let us in once a table was open, we had no trouble getting our food and sampling the delicious local fare, along with some American style options. If you brought your popcorn souvenir tub, now is a good time to get some popcorn!
When we visited in December, temperatures hovered in the mid-40’s during the daytime. It got breezy and we wanted a break, so we stumbled into Mermaid Lagoon. Mermaid Lagoon is all indoors so it is a perfect place to relax whether it’s warm or cold outside! A true hidden gem away from the outside world with rides that kids ages 4-10 will enjoy. There was also soft carpeting, pirate rope bridges to cross, and tons of seating for tired parents to relax and sleep (yep! We saw that!). This is the place to go when the outdoors is too much or your kids need to burn off energy while you relax. There are also shops, as well as a counter service cafeteria style restaurant.
Although we did not stay at the Disney Miracosta Hotel ($$$$), which is located onsite at DisneySea, we did enjoy the dining area and walked the lobbies. It is beautiful and I really recommend you do it. The hotel has been called the most beautiful Disney property in the world and if you can afford it, you should consider staying there.
Since DisneySea is geared towards adults, shows fill up quickly so if you want to see a show, make it a priority and check out times in advance.
Day #4: Half Day at Disneyland
On our final day, we had only a half-day to spend, which we choose to spend at Disneyland. We went back to buy gifts and ride Pooh’s Honey Hut (which was out of fast passes on our first day). We got our fast passes at 8AM that morning and rode it at 10AM – definitely worthwhile. Then we went back to the Ambassador Hotel, where our luggage was being held, and started our journey back to Okinawa.
Although your trip will undoubtedly differ from ours, I recommend that you stick to the weekdays, avoiding weekends and festivals. Your kids will have a great time and so will you, especially if you keep an open mind and try out some of the local dishes! I promise you they are delicious!
Our family of three had a great trip to Tokyo Disney and will be back to visit again. But, I must admit, that after spending four days in 40 degree weather, we were thrilled to land in Okinawa where it is 65 and sunny all the time!
We can’t wait to make our own trip to Tokyo Disney and experience that amazing water pressure and stuff our faces!
Where to Stay:
The Children’s Farmyard is the place to be and you get there from the main entrance via tractor, of course! Just some of the wonderful things to see and do: goat milking, sheep brushing, horse grooming, milking a cow, feeding various animals, and there is even a chicken parade. A. Chicken. Parade. Forget the four year old, I want to see a chicken parade! Admittedly, Shelburne Falls is only really worth visiting between May and mid-October. Once old man winter hits, the animals are tucked away inside weatherproof barns. If you happen to be in the area, definitely take advantage of this farm and visit with your children. I still gaze at the pictures and am amazed at the memories that come flooding back…especially the chicken parade. Note: There is an Inn at Shelburne Falls, so you can stay on property too.
