Disneyland Tokyo

That's right! Last weekend we made a day trip to Tokyo! One of the things I had been talking about doing while we are in Japan is going to Tokyo Disneyland. I LOVE Disneyland in California, so I think the trip was more for me than anyone else in my family. Remembering that Disneyland is the "happiest place  on earth," I wouldn't say that was the description of our day. But, it WAS a memory, that's for sure. We started the day by getting half way to the train station and having to send Matt back for the second camera battery (we realized on the way that the one we had was almost dead).  When we finally got on the train, we got to officially experience "PUSHING" for the first time. One of the biggest cultural differences I have noticed is the concept of "personal space." Now, I come from a very touchy feely huggy family, but this is intense. So, we are all crammed in the train. It is too full to find a seat, so we put the breaks on the stroller and hold on to the handles hanging from the ceiling. We got on what looked like an already full train. I use to think that more people couldn't fit but after spending 3 months here, I know differently. One after the other, more people squeeze in. When it looks like there is no more room, you are WRONG! The train workers push and lean into the person they are trying to make room for. One, after the other, more people fit in the small space. It was hot, my legs were smashed up against the stroller, and it was only about 3 minutes before Lily wanted to be held. So then, you try to hold onto a swirmy toddler and the handles at the same time. It is also challenging to keep a toddler from grabbing other people's cell phones that are within her reach, or to keep her busy feet from accidently kicking the gentlemen in sensitve areas LOL. I wish I could get the pushing on video camera, but at that point you are trying to survive, let alone record. So, watch this you tube video I found to get an idea of the "pushing" in Tokyo. It wasn't as bad as the video:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33qxTMA9XTA


CRAZY ISN'T IT?!!?!?!? You are hot, smashed, and can't move. Thankfully we got to change trains after 25 minutes or so, and there was a little more room on the next one. To add to our interesting day, Matt "forgot" the directions. I say "forgot" in quotations because we found them on the way home in his pocket! Hahaa this is how real life goes. Anyways, We managed to get to Disneyland. Thankfully, both Matt and I had studied the map prior to leaving so together we were able to remember the stops and transfers between trains to make it there (with a little added help from above).


Here we are! Just off the train and ready to finally head into TOKYO DISNEYLAND!

The weather was another factor of our day. The forecast the last time I checked said "zero chance of rain and 60 degrees!" How absolutely wrong that prediction was..........


Lily was excited to enter Disneyland!

After our long journey there, we just wanted to find a restaurant to sit down at and have lunch, and to warm up after walking around a bit. It turned into 2 hours of wandering around the park trying to find a restaurant to get into without a 2 hour wait line! You would think on a rainy cold day, the park would be less busy? Not in Tokyo!!!

Yummm yummm PB& J

We finally managed to find little restaurant called "Coffeehouse" by the entrance.

This is how we felt most of the day! :-(

 After lunch we noticed a small line for Small World. We went for it! This was our only ride of the day. Two hour wait lines were also unappealing.

But just as we got to the front of the line, Lily was asleep. I tried to wake her up, but she slept through the whole entire ride.

She did enjoy the parade though! Cinderella even blew her a kiss! This was Sully from Monsters Inc. It reminded us of our Golden Retriever Sully back home.

Ice cream makes everything better!

When we had finally had enough and decided to go home, the sun began to come out and warm us up.

We got to say hello to Japedo on our way out!

So, it wasn't our best experience at Disneyland, but I got to spend the day with the two people I love most in the world. We will try again in warm and sunny California!!!