Tokyo Plans: Places We Plan To Visit

Welcome back to my blog and another instalment of my Tokyo Planning series. With seven months to go and both my days at Tokyo Disney Sea and Tokyo Disneyland already planned its time to get down to business and plan the remainder of my trip.

Not including the day we arrive and our two days in the Tokyo Disney Resort we have a full seven days in Tokyo and already looking at my list of things we want to do I can see it being a busy seven days and also the longest time I've been away from home.

Over the past few months I've been doing a lot of research in to Tokyo finding out the best places to visit, places to shop, eat and even get amazing snacks. After I had done this I brought a map of Tokyo and started pin pointing all these places in different areas and coloured sticky notes.

You may ask me why I decided to do it this way rather than just use google maps and that's because I find things easier when I can visualise it all in front of me. This will make planning our daily itinerary a lot easier as we will now be able to see where in comparison everything is making sure we do certain things together rather than going here there and everywhere.

Tokyo is somewhere I've wanted to visit for such a long time and now we finally are I want to make sure we see everything that we can and experience the culture that is Tokyo.

Places We Want to Visit
Shrines and Temples
You can't come all the way to Tokyo and not explore the vast amount of Shrines and Temples dotted over the capital. It wasn't until I looked on my map that I realised how many there were to see and realistically we aren't going to see them all so I looked through my Tokyo Top 10 guide and made a note of the some of them as well as taking a look online as well.

• Meiji Jingu Shrine
• Sensoji Shrine
• Tennoji Temple
• Yasukuni Shrine
• Shinjuku Suwa Shrine
• Honganji Temple
• Sengakuji Temple
• Kanda Moyojin Shrine
• Nezu Shrine
• Hie Shrine
• Zojoji Shrine

I really cannot wait to explore all of these Shrines and Temples to gaze at the amazing architecture but also find our more about the culture and experience it first hand. 

Gardens

Japan is known for having some of the most amazing gardens and even though we won't be going during Sakura Season the gardens will be looking all autumnal during the autumn season.

• Imperial Place Gardens
• Koishikawa Korakuen Garden
• Yoyogi Park

Neon Lights

Whenever you google Tokyo you are bound to see a photo of all the buildings and billboards covered in neon lights lighting up the night. I have always loved the photos I've seen and loved this about Tokyo so I am super excited to get there and finally take my own. 

Two places I've been recommend so far are Kabukicho and Shinjuku so these are definitely on my list and before I go I'm planning to do some more research and see if there are anymore places I can check out.

Other Places

Tokyo Tower:
Very similar and based of the Eiffel Tower in Paris so a must see whilst in Tokyo and is one of the 2nd tallest structures in Japan. Below the tower is an area called Foot Town which houses restaurants, shops and museums. Guests are allowed to visit the two observation decks which will give some amazing views of Tokyo and the surrounding area.

Tokyo Sky Tree:
Is the tallest building in Japan and is primarily a television and radio broadcast sight but is open to the public to visit certain observation points on the way up to the main deck which has a restaurant, cafe and a shop. Like with Tokyo Tower is a must do if you want to see the most amazing views of Tokyo and Mount Fuji when she isn't hiding behind the clouds.

Odaiba:
I'm really excited to visit Odaiba for many reasons it has a really fascinating history and is actually a man made Island which now houses a popular shopping and entertainment district. All the buildings on the island are very modern and futuristic looking. I can't wait to come over here and do some shopping and visit the Hello Kitty Cafe and Bakery, there is also a giant Gundam outside one of the centres we are excited to see.

We are hoping to visit in the late afternoon so that on our return it will be dark enough to see the connecting Rainbow Bridge all lite up. 

Shibuya Pedestrain Crossing:
A must do on our list, its one of the busiest crossings in the world and Japan sending people in a variety of different directions. From the videos I've seen it looks really exciting as its so busy and yet people don't seem to bump in to each other. Can't wait to get a video of me walking across for myself.

Hachiko Dog Statue:
I absolutely love the story of Hachiko the dog after watching the movie based on his story and I didn't realise near the station in Shibuya that there was an actual statue of the dog which has been there for many years. This is a popular tourist spot and I cannot wait to go an see it for myself and snap a few photos.

Ueno Zoo:
I absolutely love going to the zoo and its become a thing that on holidays me and Joel will try and visit one if there is one local to where we are visiting. Low and behold there are a few different Zoo's in Tokyo but after doing some research we found out about Ueno Zoo which has Pandas I repeat Pandas which I have always wanted to see so of course this was going on the list.

I cannot believe how cheap it is to visit the zoo, its 600 yen which £3.90 compared to the costs of £13 in the UK in I couldn't believe it and there is such a wide variety of animals as well.

Day Trip to Mt Fuji:
You can't come all the way to Tokyo and not go visit Mt Fuji especially when there is so many different trips that can be booked making the whole experience a lot better. We have decided to go for a package that has a variety of different things going on.

We start the day travelling to Mt Fuji and driving up to station 5 I believe if the weather permits where at this point we will be able to take in the amazing views, explore the gift shops and enjoy a traditional Japanese lunch. After lunch we make our way back down and across to Lake Ashi where we get to travel across the lake via boat taking in more of the breath taking scenery and once making it to the other side we get travel up Mt Komagatake in the ropeway which is opposite to take a stroll along the top taking in the sites of Mt Fuji if shes not being shy and exploring the shrine at the top.

What I love about this whole trip is that every part is going to be extremely breath taking, we are going to get to explore so many places from different heights and directions and I cannot wait. The fact we get to return to Tokyo on the Bullet Train makes it even more exciting as that will be the only chance we have to ride it. 

So there you have it some of the places we plan to visit on our trip Tokyo. I imagine as the year goes on and I seen more vlogs extra places might make they're way on to our list as its still early days before we actually go. It's actually 200 days till our trip so I think to spread these out the next post will be around the 150 days mark as I only have a couple of posts left before we go.

200 Days To Go!

Tokyo Plans: Tokyo Disneyland

I’ve loved planning my Tokyo Disney Resort days and I’m sad the planning is over for this part of my trip until the new Christmas information is released later in the year. If you want to read all about my plans for Tokyo Disney Sea and an overview, then you can here. As I’m hoping this won’t be as much of a wordy post as the last one … she says!

As mentioned in my other post I will be in the parks for the 35^th Anniversary and the first official day of the Christmas season in the main park which I am so excited about. This post won’t detail any of the parades or Christmas snacks because by the time the information is released it will be too late for me to post this unless it comes out in October when I will do a shorter updated posted.

Like with Tokyo Disney Sea I don’t want to run too much of a schedule as I want to take it all in and enjoy being there rather than running around but the first thing I’m going to do when I get in to the Park is take some photos of the entrances and the covered Main Street before taking a short cut to get a fast pass for Monsters Hide and Go Seek. After this I plan on taking a slow walk back to see the castle and some photos before grabbing some breakfast and then after that its as the day takes me just making sure I see all the shows and parades.

Snacks
Just like Tokyo DisneySea I have my list of snacks I want to try and make my way through and these are completely different which makes it even more exciting.

01. Pizza Spring Roll - After reading the TDR Explores blog and how much he goes on about these they had to be added to my list to try.

02. Mike Melon Bread - I love Monsters Inc so this was on my list from the get go it just looks so adorable.

03. Mickey Cream Bread

04. Scrump Mochi - This trip is going to be very Mochi heavy and you may think why do I need to try everyone? The reason being is they're all different flavours and look different as well.

05. Stromtrooper Mochi

06. Mickey Castella Cake

07. Sparkling Lemon Tapioca Drink

08. Honey Popcorn

09. Chocolate Popcorn

10. Mickey Bread Set - New for the Anniversary

11. Cotton Candy Churro - New for the Anniversary

12. Beef and Rice Cone - New for the Anniversary - This is the weirdest looking snack ever but it has to go on my list!!

Main Meal

Choosing where I wanted to eat in Tokyo Disneyland didn’t take me 30 seconds to decided and this decision was made back in October 2016 when I first started planning my trip and read some amazing reviews.

I absolutely love Alice and Wonderland so when I saw there was a themed restaurant I knew from the get go this was the place I had to eat. The restaurant is called Queen of Hearts Banquet Hall and it is in Fantasyland, the theming is incredible even down to the cute tea pot shaped vending machines outside.

After looking at the menu and seeing all the cute souvenir plates/cups they do I now know I’m getting two desserts, so I can have the cup and the plate as well as the main plate they have now released. Although to my disappointment these are only going to be on sale till the 30th June apparently which is before I go so I may have to see about getting these before then because I'm not sure if they're being replaced with a new style or going completely.

I cannot wait to do my own review when I get back. For my main meal, two desserts, plate and a drink will cost me 4190 yen making that £29 which I don’t actually think is two bad considering all the extra bits I’m getting.

Shows and Parades
What I love even more about visiting the parks is the shows and parades they put on each and everyday. I have loved experiencing all the ones at Disneyland Paris over the last 4 years and I'm super excited to see what the Tokyo parades are like especially with them being new for the anniversary and I will be avoiding any spoilers so I can experience them first hand.

01. Dreaming Up - This is the new day time parade which will replace the current Happiest is Here parade which I really wish I had chance to see but I'm really excited to see all the new floats especially as it includes Big Hero 6 as you don't get to see much of them around the parks.

02. Brand New Dream - A new fireworks show that will be visible above parks which is pretty cool meaning if I don't see it one night least I can watch it the next.

03. Celebrate Tokyo Disneyland - A brand new castle show to replace the current one for the anniversary in the park. Just like they did with Disneyland Paris replacing Dreams with Illuminations so this will be exciting even though I haven't seen the old one it will still be great as I love the castle shows the parks but on they're so well done and so magical.

Rides

So I've decided to do the same and narrow my ride choices down to just the four again as this will make it easier to hopefully get them all done. There are two rides on this list that you might wonder why I'm doing them because I can go on them in DLP but my reason for doing them is because they are special editions.

01. It’s a Small World - Now this ride has been closed for over a year and is due to open at the start of the anniversary and you may be thinking whats the point but its been updated to include dolls from all the movies including Peter Pan, Cinderella and Rapunzel so I cannot wait to see them.

02. Pooh’s Honey Hut - I've been recommend this ride far to many times by people especially because it is like Ratatouille with it being trackless. From what I've seen this ride is just super cute and I love Pooh Bear!

03. Haunted Mansion - Simple enough answer, when I go its going to be a Nightmare Before Christmas version ... Must Do!

04. Monsters Inc Ride and Go Seek - I'm beyond excited to ride this with being a massive fan of the movie.

Character Meets
Like I said before I love Character meet and greets and are one of my favourite things to do in the parks but when you are limited time and with how different the meet and greets run over there it could be a lot of wasted time so I've narrowed down my choices to a select few and shall see how things work out on the day.

01. Robin Hood - This movie is one of my all time favourites and I have seen that Robin comes out on a few occasions so if its my lucky day then I'm defiantly getting in the circle to try and get a meet and greet.

02. Fairy Godmother - This is a must do the Fairy Godmother in TDR is like nothing else I have seen before. She is so creepy and you ask why? Well this is because she is the only one around all the parks to wear a mask a creepy looking mask. Honestly ... go and google it now!

03. Bianca and Bernard - These two sweet mice are from such an underrated movie and one of my favourites growing up. As soon as I found out they met regularly in Disney Sea they were right on my list as they are so rare in the other parks.

04. Aristocats - These little kittens are favourite, and it is a goal of mine to meet the trio together or at least the other two by they’re selves. I was lucky enough to meet Marie in Disneyland Paris back in 2015 which made me so happy so to finally meet the others would be amazing.

05. Rapunzel - In all my times at trying I have never managed to meet her and if I don't manage to during my October trip then she is remaining on this list as she seems to be out more frequently in TDR so will definitely try my luck.

06. Pocahontas - My favourite movie and Princess of all time who is never out in DLP which really annoys me but over in TDR she is out regularly with and without her animal sidekick Meeko so if shes out the day I'm there then I am jumping in that circle because she is a must do for me!

07. Chip and Dale - Anyone who knows me knows these two cheeky chaps are my favourite and may be on my list but unless they’re in some cute outfit then I probably won’t meet with them sorry boys.

So here are my Tokyo Disneyland plans for my day in the park. I know I won't be able to fulfil everything on my list but I will try and complete as much as I can when it comes to rides, shows and snacks. The character meets are just an added extra depending on who is about. Honestly this is such  dream come true to be visiting here and I cannot wait to share it with you all!

 216 Days To Go!

Tokyo Plans: Tokyo DisneySea and Overview

Planning Disney Days is literally the best thing ever and since the moment Joel agreed we could visit Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea I’ve been constantly researching and making notes on what I want to do while I’m there. Rather than make this a wordy long post I’ve decided to split it in to two for each park day.

I’m going to be visiting the parks during the 35th Anniversary as well as the Christmas season. These posts will detail a variation of things that I want to try and do on my days in the parks, but they won’t include any of the Christmas activities because we go right at the beginning of the season it will be too late for me to post these before I go so I’ll detail all the Christmas festivities in my trip report unless the information is released in October then I may do an updated post.

As the Christmas season begins on the 8th November it works out that we would have to miss one of the parks Christmas events, so I opted to do Tokyo DisneySea first on the 7th as I really want to see all the parades in the main park. We could have moved the Disney Days to the 8th and 9th but looking at the crowd calendar it worked more in our favour to do the 7th and 8th plus Joel really wants to get these done out of the way (boo hoo) but in a way works better for me because it means I don't have to hold on to lots of spending money for later in the trip.

Overview:

Me being me I love to plan everything, and I have pretty much done so with my day at Tokyo DisneySea when it comes down to the snacks I want to eat and what rides I want to try and do but other than that I’m not going to do it in any particular order.

With Tokyo DisneySea being such a unique park and there being nothing else like it in the Disney world I want to take in each area of the park, take photos, try all the snacks without feeling like I’m running here there and everywhere. There are a few rides I would definitely like to do and some characters I would love to meet if they’re out, but it is literally going to be however the day takes me.

Snacks:

From the moment I saw my friends Toy Story alien Mochi was the moment I knew Tokyo Disneyland were going to have some amazing snacks on offer to try. After watching so many vlogs of people trying snacks and reading peoples blogs I have come up with a list of my own that I want to try. Some of them may not be on offer when I go due to there being a Christmas version out but for now here are the ones I’d like to try;

01. Alien Mochi

02. Ukiwah Shrimp Bun

03. Gyoza Sausage Bun

04.Happy Friends Cakes - Not sure if this is available still but when I made the notes it looked amazing

05. Chandu Tail

06. DeepSea Pineapple Drink – Not sure if this is available still but when I made the notes it looked amazing

07. Tiramisu Ice Cream Bar – To be eaten in either Tokyo Disney Sea or Disneyland

08. Mickey Ice Bar – To be eaten in either Tokyo Disney Sea or Disneyland

09. Minnie Ice Bar – To be eaten in either Tokyo Disney Sea or Disneyland

10. Blueberry Popcorn
11. Green Apple Soft Drink - New for the Anniversary
12. Grapefruit and Lemon Jelly Cocktail - New for the Anniversary
13. Souvenir Minnie's Chocolate Sweet Case - New for the Anniversary

I’ve worked out that trying most of these will cost me 3610 yen which is about £25 which isn’t too bad considering how many are on my list. I said to Joel I would pay for all the snacks and we can share them together as I don’t expect him to pay for these only his main meal and breakfast.

I plan on trying to do a vlog of all the snacks I try in the parks which will be something completely new to me as I’ve never done a vlog before but its something I would like to try and do. I will still be taking photos and writing them up on my blog but that it is even if I post the footage anyways.

Main Meal:

With both days in the parks being so snack heavy I think I’ll only end up having one main meal a day whether Joel decides to have lunch and tea that’s totally up to him, but I definitely won’t be with all the snacks I plan on making my way through.

Where we eat on the day will be a complete surprise to me but rather than us get there and spend so much time fathing about trying to choose somewhere I have chosen a few restaurants in advance which I will show to Joel before we go.

01. Cape Cod Cook Off – Duffy/Friends restaurant that sells burgers and fries – Set Menu 1300 Yen

02. New York Deli – Ranges of sandwiches with sides – Set Menu 1300 Yen

03. Miguels El Doado – Mexican food – Set Menu 1180 Yen

04. Kasbuba Food Court – Indian Food – Set Menu 800 to 900 Yen

I’ve tried to go for restaurants that offer a set menu making food at the parks cheaper but a range of options depending on what we feel like on the day. For breakfast I plan on just popping to the bakery to pick up a pastry as they have a range of ones that are different to anything in the UK.

Rides:

I absolutely love rides so finally coming to a new park and being able to experience something new is going to be amazing. Until we get to the parks on the actual day I’m not 100% sure how busy its going to be and how this could affect the rides. But I have narrowed my choices down to four that I would like to try and then any others would be a bonus.

My choices have been based on rides that are unique to the park, as in my own opinion there is no point going somewhere and riding something that I can ride in Disneyland Paris especially when I have limited time in the parks. Out of the four rides the main one I want to do first and make sure I do is they’re version of Tower of Terror because it’s my favourite ride but also it has a different story to all the other ones in the Disney Parks.

01. Tower of Terror

02. Toy Story Mania

03. Journey to the Centre of the Earth

04. Nemo and Friends Sea Rider

Funnily enough three out of the four rides are the most popular ones in the whole park and require fast passes so the plan is I’m getting my fast pass for Tower of Terror and hope that when I’m able to get my next one some of the other rides have some left as its meant to be a quiet day but who knows what I’ll get on and what I won’t.

Shows and Parades:
So there are usually a lot of different shows and parades going on at the both of the Disney Parks but because we are limited with time I won't be able to explore them all.

01. Happiest Celebration on the Sea - This is new for the 35th Anniversary and will replace the current show being performed on the Mediterranean Harbour. It will feature a variety of characters in cute new outfits sailing on water in the harbour. I'm super excited to see one of these shows because from what I've seen of previous shows it looks amazing.

02. Brand New Dream - Another new show for the 35th Anniversary but this one is Fireworks and that's all I really know at the moment but Disney sure do know how to put on a show.

03. Fantasmic - This show has been at Tokyo DisneySea for as long as I can remember and from the short clips I've seen it looks incredible. Its a show that is done on the harbour water with lights, characters, fireworks and different clips from Disney Movies making it even more magical. Hopefully this will still be on during the 35th Anniversary but I'm not 100% sure at the moment if it will be.

Character Meets:

I adore character meets and they are so much fun if you put the effort in to interact with the characters but in Tokyo Disney Resort they do there meet and greets slightly different, they don’t actually line up and wait like you do in most parks you actually surround the character in a circle and the CM will choose whether you are lucky enough to join them for a photo. Some of the meets do have waiting lines but most of the time its pot luck.

Therefore, I’ve chosen characters that are rarer to the other parks around the world and I will only go and join the circles for that reason. There is one or two characters that I haven’t met in Disneyland Paris yet or are my favourites who I wouldn’t mind trying to meet but I won’t be wasting too much time character meeting with the limited time in the parks and the choosing system being so different.

01. Bianca and Bernard – These two sweet mice are from such an underrated movie and one of my favourites growing up. As soon as I found out they met regularly in Disney Sea they were right on my list as they are so rare in the other parks.

02. Minnie Mouse - I really want to meet Minnie in Tokyo Disney Sea because she has the cutest outfit that is unique to the parks and so kawaii.

03. Chip and Dale – Anyone who knows me knows these two cheeky chaps are my favourite and may be on my list but unless they’re in some cute outfit then I probably won’t meet with them sorry boys.

04. Duffy or Friends – I love Duffy and his friends, and I love the fact that they’re always adding to his gang. It would be amazing to meet them especially as I missed the chance at Disneyland Paris and now they are being withdrawn from the parks to be more focused on only the Asian parks.

05. Aristocats – These little kittens are favourite, and it is a goal of mine to meet the trio together or at least the other two by they’re selves. I was lucky enough to meet Marie in Disneyland Paris back in 2015 which made me so happy so to finally meet the others would be amazing.

So, there you have it my plans for my day at Tokyo DisneySea and a brief overview. I’m so excited to finally get there and visit the parks its been a dream for so long. Have you been to the parks before? And have any tips? Then I’d love to speak with you so please feel to comment, tweet me or head over to my Instagram!

 222 Days To Go!

It's Official ... I'm Going Back to Disneyland Paris

I've been dying to go back to Disneyland Paris since my last trip with Emma back in September 2017 and with the unexpected curve ball of my landlord selling the flat and our holiday to Tokyo it just wasn't going to happen but I have some good news we no longer have to move as the flat is being brought by an investor and we get to stay.

What does this mean for me? Well the extra money I was planning to save to move can now be used to fund a trip, a trip I've been dying to do for so long. I'm so glad we can stay in the flat until we are ready to move as it saves us rushing around looking for money and some where new.

We're going on the 7th October arriving in the evening and coming back on the evening of the 10th October meaning we will get 2 and half days in the park which is plenty during non peak time. We have decided to stay off site for two reasons one being the costs is so much cheaper and secondly after staying in the budget Disney hotels I haven't been impressed.

We are staying in Hi Park by Adagio which is located just a 5 minuet walk from the Val D'Europe metro station and shopping centre. The reason we have chosen to stay here is because for 3 nights it was very cheap and had been recommend by my best friend Martha who stayed there back in February. What is great about this hotel is they offer a free shuttle to and from the parks and its actually only a 15 minuet walk as well which means we have a few options of getting there.

We booked our 3 day park tickets from Attraction Tickets Direct as they were offering these for a reduced rate meaning we saved £60 which is great as every little helps. I haven't used them before but speaking to a lot of people who have said they are great and easy to redeem the tickets when you get to the parks.

All in all the holiday cost us £288 each which in my eyes is a bargain as to stay on site in one of the budget hotels it would have set us back £503 each meaning we saved £215 staying off site meaning I have extra money for spending now.

I'm super excited for this trip because it means I can cross off another special event at the park as we will be there during the Halloween Season which is something I have wanted to do for a long time. I can't wait to see all the extra shows that will be on when we are there but also meeting some different characters who have special meet and greets during the season as lots of Villains will be out but also Marie who is a favourite and hoping for the Cheshire Cat to be out again which would be a dream come true. My main goal is to meet Rapunzel this trip as I have been super unlucky on previous occasions so here is hoping.

(Image from http://www.disneylandparis.co.uk)

As we are only there for a short number of days we plan on eating in the counter service restaurants on two occasions and then having a sit down meal one night. This is just to keep things cheap plus two of the places we really want to eat at happened to be counter service.

The counter service restaurants we have gone for are Casey's Corner because Kirsty loves this place over in Florida and I have actually never been so I'm excited to try the ever so popular Casey's Hot Dog. We have also gone for Cafe Hyperion because If I'm going back then I am having a Jedi Burger and Yoda Cupcake so I really hope they don't take it off the menu before we go because its one of my favourites.

For our only sit down meal of the whole trip we have decided to go for the all you can eat buffet at Billy Bobs. I've been here a few times before and each time I have enjoyed it as there is a lot of variety and choice for everyone plus its a really good price and even includes a drink. The dessert section is the best!

What to expect before I go:
1. What I'm Packing - Outfit Plans
2. What's In My Parks Bag
3. Trip Plans - Things We Plan To Do

What to expect when I return:

1. Trip Reports
2. Disneyland Paris Haul

As we near the end of March it feels like October is ages away but when you look at it in days 200 doesn't feel that long. I already know what I am planning to wear on the days I am there so it's literally just getting my spending money up together now and saving for Tokyo to which is in 229 days. 

Exciting times ahead!

Day Trip to London

Just before Christmas me and my best friend Kirsty met up for a pre Christmas meet up and planned our day trip to London. She offered to drive which was amazing as she knew a car park in which you could park for £2 all day and then just hop on the underground station in to the centre of London.

We went on the 27th January as we both wanted to go after payday with the long drag after the December pay which made total sense so we both actually had money. We were originally just going to take our cameras to have a play with but after chatting about previous trips we decided to take a sneaky trip to Madame Tussuads as we hadn't been there since 2012 plus I could get us some cheap tickets for £24 rather than £40 which saved a lot of money.

As Kirsty was driving and we wanted to make the most of the day we set of at 06:30am for the long drive to London. We actually arrived in London at 09:30 and made our way to Baker Street so I could take a few photos being a Sherlock fan but due to the museum being open that day I couldn't get a photo of myself knocking on the door but I did still get a photo outside.

With our ticket being set for 11:15 and making good time we decided to go for a walk around Regents Park which I had never been to before, it was absolutely beautiful and full of a variety of birds and ducks even though we were screaming if they came to close haha. After messing about near the fountains with our cameras we decided to take a walk back to Madame Tussuads so we could get in line to go inside.

It was so busy for a Saturday which we didn't let ruin our day and to be honest we actually managed to get around the whole place in just over an hour because there were a few sections we weren't massively bothered about. The only section I wasn't to pleased about but I was most excited for was the Star Wars area as it was so poorly managed and people were just so rude pushing and shoving and jumping in on peoples photos and spaces.

After this we grabbed a sandwich for lunch and had a well deserved sit down before wondering down the Southbank and across to the Shrek Shop. Its a shame that Big Ben is going to be covered up for so long and she is beautiful in all her glory. We took a very long stroll around the area and by the ITV building before we realised we were walking the wrong way to the underground ... whoops. By now it had started to rain which was a shame.

Kirsty had told me about this amazing Coffee shop called The Theatre Cafe which I know a lot of people who love musicals and shows rave about so please don't hate me when I admit I wasn't all that impressed. The staff messed up our order meaning I didn't actually get a drink as it was busy I couldn't be bothered to wait, it was untidy and no clean tables along with the music that should be playing wasn't.

Don't get me wrong though the decor of the place was amazing, all the memorabilia from all the different shows was amazing and maybe if I went on another day not during the weekend then maybe I may have a different opinion of the place.

After hiding from the rain and having a well deserved sit down we took a stroll around China Town but I didn't take any photos as at this point it was still raining. We then ventured to a few shops and of course the Disney Store before grabbing some food.

We actually went to somewhere my dad had gone the previous weekend called Angus Steak House as there happened to be a branch down Oxford Street which was handy as neither of us felt much like walking. The restaurant it's self was lovely it was just shame about the service and funny how a meal that is exactly the same can be so different.

We both went for the same ribs but with different sides and when the ribs came out mine were perfect so juicy and the meat fell right of the bone but for Kirsty's they were dry, rock hard and had barely any meat on them. The waiter was so rude about the situation blaming her cutting when it was clearly the ribs luckily the serving boy defused the situation and went and got her some more which were perfect the next time. Just a shame the waiter then went and moaned to his manager in ear shot, I won't be visiting this branch again but maybe ill try the other branch next as the ribs were incredible.

By this point the day was talking its toll a little bit on us both, knackered from the long drive and day we decided to call it a day and head home around 8pm. We managed to get back in to Bristol for 10:30pm. I had such an amazing day out and I can't wait for more of our adventures.

Lets Talk ... Tokyo

It feels like forever since I said me and Joel were planning a trip to Tokyo back in 2016, finally now in 2018 it's safe to say the holiday is officially booked and we are going! Even though I've been super excited and secretly planning the whole trip since that point it feels more real now we have the trip booked and paid for.

After taking a hiatus from my blog for a while I've had a few people over on my Instagram ask me if I was going to be writing up my travel plans and I have to be honest I wasn't 100% sure if I was going to or not but here we are and here I am trying to get my mojo back.

So... whats the deal?

We are off to Tokyo for Joel's 30th Birthday which is in November so during the winter season in Japan which isn't an issue for us as we would rather be cold and wrap up warm then be boiling plus looking at previous weather forecasts its still actually been pretty mild during the weeks we are planning to go.

The weeks we have chosen to go have been set really since we decided to go away with Joel's birthday falling directly in the middle which is perfect. We fly on Monday 5th from our local Airport which is 45 minuets from our house which is GREAT and I'm so glad we found out we could fly from there as its saved us hotel and travel costs going from Birmingham or London ... thank you KLM. We arrive bright and early on the 6th which is going to be the only issue as we have to wait until 3pm to check in to our hotel whoops but at lease we can go and leave our luggage and explore the area probably taking that day a little easier after the long haul flight and crazy time difference.

I've never done a flight longer than 6 and half hours before so I am very nervous about the 14 hour flight but I know it will be worth it in the end. We then have 10 full days in Tokyo from when we arrive to explore leaving on the 16th. We have opted to just stay in Tokyo on this trip as its completely out of our comfort zones and money is tight at the moment. 

We originally had an apartment booked for the trip but after noticing that the hotel we wanted to stay in was reduced to half price for the full duration of our stay so we decided to change saving us £200 which was handy with paying more for the flights so we could fly locally. The hotel is located right by Tokyo Disneyland meaning we can make the most of the free shuttles they run to and from the parks or we could actually walk which I wouldn't mind doing.

As mentioned in a previous post Joel has indeed agreed that I could have two days in Disney which happen to fall at the start of the trip due to the crowd calendar for the parks meaning they will be the best days to go but it also means I won't have to worry about holding money back for during the trip I can just spend what I like right away as I have a feeling that's where most of my money will be going.

We were going to do the Ghibli museum as well but its actually closed the two weeks we are there which is gutting but just another reason to go back.

So with the basics of my trip covered I don't want to drone on too much and make this a very lengthy post so, I plan to split these up in to a series for you to read over the course of the next 9 months before we go as I have plenty of stuff planned already and notes written.

What to expect before I go:
1. Tokyo DisneySea Plans
2. Tokyo Disneyland Plans
3. Places we plan to Visit
4. Shopping
5. Food
6. What's in my Bag

What to expect when I return:
1. Various Trip Reports
2. Tokyo Disney Haul
3. Tokyo Haul
4. Useful Tips - I've already found these so useful so hopeful I can provide some of my own

So with only 266 days to go and time already flying by let the planning commence!

Disneyland Paris September 2017: Day 4

With it being our final day of our trip we needed to make sure we watched all the castle stage shows and the parade as due to poor planning or bad weather Thursday was the only day that worked well for us. After having another lie in again we headed straight for the studios to ride Crush Coaster and Tower of Terror one more time.

After the long wait for Crush and short wait for TOT we made our way back over to the main park for a few final photos and to grab a spot for the Castle shows as it made sense to do the two that were directly after each other meaning we could save time and keep our spot which was amazing. This was the first time I had chance to try out the continuous shooting mode on my camera during the shows and it took some amazing photos and the shows themselves were amazing each were full of my favourite characters and catch songs.

Time for lunch and we couldn't not have one last Jedi Burger and Yoda Cupcake which I have been craving ever since I was in Disney last February and I still am now wishing I was going this month also.

After lunch we decided to ride Star Tours and Hyper Space Mountain one last time before lining up and waiting an hour or so for the parade to get the best spot ever. Although this didn't go to plan we got on the ride as planned and as it started me and Emma was singing the theme tune as normal before we were slammed to a halt after completing the first loop. After being stuck in the dark for what felt forever we had noticed we had indeed broken down which was actual quite fun in the end seeing the ride in the day light and how they fit so much in to such a small area.

By this time it has started to rain but fear not we still had an hour until the parade was due to start so we grabbed our spot and waited and kid me not during the whole hour it rained on and off 5 times but by the time the parade started it was bright blue skies and the weather was on our side for once.

So my honest opinion about the parade, I avoided all videos and sneak peaks so that I didn't spoil the experience for myself and I have to admit its no Magic On Parade but that's not saying I didn't enjoy it because I did really enjoy the new song after worrying I wouldn't and the new floats were great and colourful but the only thing that disappointed me was that two of the floats were missing and some of the characters that were meant to be on them in they're new outfits were just walking behind in they're normal attire which was a little sad.

So happy with the photos my new Sony Alpha 6000 took during this trip, they're so clear and vibrant. The continuous shooting mode is just incredible for catching the most amazing photos during the shows and parades, can't wait to try this out in Tokyo Disneyland and Disney Sea.

With the rain starting again and an hour until our reservation at Billy Bobs we made our way for our final ride on Hyper Space and yes we did go it again after it broke down because we just had to with it being one of our favourites. With us being super tired and wet by this point Billy Bobs was just a quick affair but it was still as good as I remembered even though I wasn't really in the mood by this point.

I just wish I had stayed and seen Illuminations one final time before we left but never mind I'll be back Disneyland Paris and hopefully with an annual pass this time so I can do multiple trips with a few people.

Until next time....

Disneyland Paris September 2017: Day 3

Now day 3 of our trip had to be the worst day ever for the weather it rained non stop all day BUT I didn't let it ruin my day as it was my 25th Birthday the main reason we were actually there.

On the way back to the hotel the previous night we had decided we would lie in today because all the wait times were so quiet we managed to get on all the rides and see all the characters during the early magic hours so the aim today was to get to the Studios and wait in line to meet Moana.

We managed to get to the parks at a great time and get ahead of the queue before the doors opened. Moana was actually my first ever face character during all the times I've visited Disneyland Paris and it was AMAZING. When I came back from handing my camera to the CM Moana and Emma both wished me a Happy Birthday before we ended up having a super long chat with her which was really easy and super comfortable as I was worried it would be awkward.

After Moana we headed over to Rock N Rollercoaster to ride this one more time, because this was another favourite of mine and Emma's but right after we got off the rain came in and never left so we headed over to the main park to do all the rides we could which were inside as we didn't really want to get soaked before my Birthday meal with the Princesses.

Of course during this time we rode Star Tours again and got a different story along with Hyper Space, Buzz Laser Blast and the Pinocchio and Snow White story rides. By the time it was lunch we were a little damp but took shelter just outside Auberge De Cendrillon and combed our hair before heading inside. We were both hoping for Rapunzel and Belle but neither of these were in todays lunch sitting but we managed to meet Snow White, Ariel, Cinderella, Aurora and the two mice.

Even though the two we wanted to meet weren't there we had an amazing time and great interactions with the characters. Especially Ariel who we chatted to for ages and she even used our forks to brush her hair which was classic. I think because we ended up at the last sitting of the day we got to spend more time interacting with them and even had extra photos and danced.

The food here was ok, the best bit had to be the fillet of beef and yes I had beef again no shame as it was just as amazing as Chez Remy. I wasn't really there for the food to be honest it was more for the character dinning experience. I also had a birthday cake brought out to me which was brilliant but there was far to much dessert going on so I only had a little bit, if it wasn't raining I would have taken it back to the hotel.

Still raining though once we had left we ended up just taking a stroll around the park trying to make up our mind on what to do when we stumbled across a 5 minuet wait for Big Thunder Mountain which NEVER happens, we thought the wait time would be at least 45 minuets as its all undercover. Riding BTM in the rain was amazing and such a laugh but when we got off we were DRENCHED to the bone. Still laughing and still wet we opted for one more ride on Space Mountain before heading to Starbucks and getting an early night.

I had the most amazing day in Disneyland for my Birthday even if it did end up raining the whole day but it was still a lot of fun and got to meet 5 princesses in one day. By this point we still hadn't seen any of the castle shows or the parades so that was our final goal for the trip!