[Question] February 2013 trip questions

[tomoyo]

We are going to Tokyo in mid-February 2013. We are looking at going either Monday to Wednesday (11th to 13th) or Tuesday to Thursday (12th to 14th). This will be the fourth visit for both of us but we've never been there at this time of year and it's been a few years since our last visit.

1) Is there anything special on Valentine's Day? I recall reading about a special v-day event that you had to pre-register for last year, but maybe I'm mistaken.

2) Will the Duffy Sweet Love event be returning?

3) This is more a WWYD type question. Sinbad is going down so we'd have to go on Sunday to catch it. We have an event on Sunday we'd like to attend, which is just a few stops from Maihama, but we still wouldn't get to TDS until 6:00 PM. Is it worth the $55 extra for the two of us to get a 4 day pass (which locks us into Mon-Wed choice)? I like Chandu a lot, which is basically why I'm considering it. xD But my fiancee balks at the price tag for me to watch an animatronic tiger, even one as cute as Chandu, especially when we've already been on the ride many times previously. I expect we probably won't be going back to Japan again for another trip after this until 2016 at the earliest.

If we don't go into TDS, we'll probably still use the time to explore the Disney hotels and Ikispiari, which is something we haven't had time to do in the past. If we do this, it brings us back to the first debate...

4) Monday to Wednesday or Tuesday to Thursday? We were going to go to Shibuya Disney Store when we landed on Friday to buy our tickets, but perhaps it's too early to decide, until the weather forecast is more accurate? Oh, and also dependent on question number 1, too.

Thanks for your thoughts.

[aimster]

Re: February 2013 trip questions

Sweet Duffy will be back at TDS. The event will run January 14 through March 14.

[Roger55]

Re: February 2013 trip questions

I'd just wait to see what the weather will be for that week. If its not a good weather day on Sunday, I wouldn't pay the extra money for a four day pass to just use one of those days on a few hours in bad weather.

There is always the Starlight Pass option for Sunday. It will cost more to buy a Starlight and three day passport, but you'll at least have the flexibility to better pick which three days will be best based on the weather.

(TDR booster w/no helpful advice)(^_−)

[Fukai]

Re: February 2013 trip questions

The difference in price between a three and four day pass is not much: It's 160 bucks plus for a 4-day passport and well worth it. I say go for it. Not sure what closing time is, but you'll have at least two hours to enjoy what will probably be an empty park.

[Roger55]

Re: February 2013 trip questions

It's 160 bucks plus for a 4-day passport and well worth it.

Using this week's exchange rate of ~84 yen/USD

4-Day Passport = $190
3-Day Passport = $164
2-Day Passport = $127
1-Day passport = $74
After 6 Passport = $39 (Mon-Fri)
Startlight Passport = $58 (Sat-Sun after 6PM)

The last time 100 yen = 1 USD was for a very short period back in spring 2009, almost four years ago. It really hasn't consistently been above 100 yen per dollar since 2008. Since September 2010 the yen/dollar has been in the 76-85 yen range.

If you don't mind locking in the 4 consecutive days you will go to the parks, by all means buy a 4-Day passport. Buying a Starlight Passport for your Sunday night and a 3-Day passport for later during the week will cost you an additional $32.

So the question comes down to if you are willing to pay the extra $32 in order to possibly have 3 good days of weather instead of 3 days with possible bad weather days. Of course if the whole week is bad weather this converation becomes a moot point.

[tomoyo]

Re: February 2013 trip questions

FYI, I'm being conservative and using 80 yen : 1 USD to calculate costs.

I'm kind of amused that you all are pushing for the 4 days when he asked me last night why we're even going 3 days, since we already know what we like and will do. xD While he enjoys himself when we're there, my fiancee is the type to be content with going to a Disney park once every 10 years.

I realize it's not *that* much in the grand scheme of things, but I'd be going on Sunday specifically just for a couple rides on Sinbad, so it feels like a waste when that extra 4000 yen could be better spent on something like having a table service meal for the first time, ya know? Sure I'd go on other rides while I'm there, too, but I'd probably have just as much enjoyment seeing all the details in the hotels we've never quite found time to look at.

Oh gosh, I really hope the weather isn't bad the whole week! We've already experienced being rained on in Disneysea in May, I can't imagine how cold it'll be being wet in February.

[Fukai]

Re: February 2013 trip questions

Dress warmly, drink coffee, tea, or hot cocoa, or hot soup. Does your boyfriend like roller coasters? Do as many as possible to keep him happy. You can't do everything at both parks in three days, and pretty much everything except their version of Autopia is worth doing.