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Journey to Japan


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This Thanksgiving, I went with my school to Japan (to stay with host families in Orlando's sister city, Urayasu [home to Tokyo Disneyland]). I was able to experience two of Japan's parks and more of the cool and wacky that is Japan. My pictures will basically explain it all, considering that there are over 100 to load-so this might take a while! I'll have any left over reports added after all of the photos are uploaded.

 

(Edit: I forgot to add a thank you to Robb and Elissa for doing a segment on La Qua. I wouldn't have known about it without you guys!)

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Next, we decided to ride Big O, the world's only hubless ferris wheel...

 

The car actually have mp3 players built in (along with heated seats).

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Needless to say, they like it...alot!

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In thanks for my families graciousness in taking me to La Qua (and in a desperate attempt to wait out the storm so I could ride the outdoor rides), I decided to take my host family to Bubba Gump's. This was my sixth location around the world that I had be

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Walking through the parking garage, I found my first exotic soda machine. This one serves you your drink in a plastic cup with ice. I was really amazed!

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Unfortunately, due to rain, all of the outdoor rides including Thunder Dolphin (but excluding Big O) were closed.

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My first day to explore Japan, my host family was willing to take suggestions, so I asked about La Qua and they worked to get me there.

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Here are all of the attractions at La Qua.

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Still lamenting the fact that I can't ride Thunder Dolphin...

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Here is an exclusive "in-the-rain mechanics" shot of Big O...

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No Thunder Dolphin'y goodness!

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La Qua...In the rain!

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The cars were extremely comfortable.

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But to no avail... it rained... and rained... and rained... and then the deluge!

 

(Those of you that remember the original Living Seas will get my reference...)

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It was a really smooth ride. Both relaxing and time consuming...

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So, my first credit of the day was the Spinning Coaster. It was actually pretty fun!

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^Thanks! I have plenty more to share, it is just going to take a while so...

 

Here are the second half of my La Qua photos.

 

Tomorrow comes DisneySea!

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The bullet trains should be considered credits (they are powered and they reach speeds of up to 150 mph)...

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The next day, we took the bullet train to Kyoto. Here I am eating my breakfast that my host mother made me, rice balls and Mitsuya Cider!

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Next, we hit the fun house... Not bad for my first fun house in 10 years... So that was basically my day at La Qua.

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It was a fun coaster with interesting light effects, creepy cage restraints and a bang-your-head-around ride that all I really remember is feeling like my ears were about to fall off.

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The ride's placement is great, but with compact looks comes compact feel...

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Next, we walked down to Geopolis to ride Geo Panic.

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I guess the green color it has means that it is really good, because I went back for four more cups over the rest of the trip!

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More of the soda machine goodness. Today I tried Melon Fanta!

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Is there something wrong with this picture?

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Here are Adam and I (I am also Adam) on the bullet train. Of course, we were watching Eurotrip on the ride-it is only the best travel movie ever!

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My first sign of DisneySea that I saw at the bullet train station. Those photos are in the next update!

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Again... what?!?

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What!?!

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Pocari Sweat anyone?

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I miss Japan...

 

Can't wait to see the rest of your photos. Don't worry about missing Thunder Dolphin...it's not that great anyways!

 

One of the things I've noticed about Japan is that it takes several visits sometimes to get all your credits. It took us 3 visits to La Qua to get Linear Gale!

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I miss Japan...

 

Can't wait to see the rest of your photos. Don't worry about missing Thunder Dolphin...it's not that great anyways!

 

One of the things I've noticed about Japan is that it takes several visits sometimes to get all your credits. It took us 3 visits to La Qua to get Linear Gale!

 

Well I am set to go back in two years. And, my host family has promised to take me to Fuji-Q Highland when I come. Plus, they will be coming to Orlando in a few years so I will get to give them a tour of the city.

 

On this trip, I only got four credits- Raging Spirits, (The little mermaid themed roller scooter in Mermaid Lagoon-forgot its name), Geo Panic and Spinning Coaster.

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Woa! We were just at LaQua last week! I have to say, Geopanic suprised me. It was raining the day I went too, but it cleared up,a dn I got to ride Thunder Dolphin! Which in my opinion, was ALOT better than what people say! And I got a Melon Fanta out of that vending machine with the cups, next to Linear Gale!

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geez just one question comes to my mind: How much does a trip to japan costs????

 

Well, with the school discounts (plus all of the things that ended up being paid for by the city of Urayasu and our host families for us) it totaled out to about $2,200. But we got alot for our money. That price is the reason that I am not going on a TPR trip this Summer. But, this coming year I get to save up for the TPR Mainland Europe tour in 08.

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Here are the first of (many of) my Tokyo DisneySea photos. You can probably tell how excited I was to be there!

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Amazing theming in Mysterious Island-one of my favorite lands in the park...

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20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was alot better than what I remember from our crappy [extinct] version in Orlando!

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Adam really loved Journey to the Center of the Earth-and so did I. He rode it three times (the third was while I was on Tower of Terror) and I rode it twice.

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Tower of Terror...We will be seeing you a bit later...(saving the best for last I guess).

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There it is! Mysterious Island...Here we come!

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I really like the entrance facade with the water and the globe.

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I'm liking this park already!

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This is the face of a major Disney fan waiting to get into his dream park but secretly holding back his anger at the long lines by smiling oddly.

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Urgh...Long opening lines!

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This wasn't first on my park priority list...

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My first DisneySea ticket ever!

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Disney logos galore!

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Awesome monorail!

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Tower of Terror in all of its beautiful glory!

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Even the toll entrance looks cool!

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^I will see. If I were to give some away, where would I put the up for download?

 

Here is the next batch of my Tokyo DisneySea photos!

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It wasn't that great during the day...but it was good enough to come back to later that night-but I'll get to that later!

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Aquatopia had a ten minute wait (thats nothing compared to the average wait time at the Tomorrowland Speedway in Orlando...)

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"The dam's sprung a leak!"

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Journey to the Center of the Earth is visible from all parts of the park- which is a great thing!

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The quality put into this park is just astounding!

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I wasn't that impressed, mainly because the story didn't make much sense, but the show/ride had its moments.

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Stormrider was next on our list...

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If anyone was wondering what the back stage area of Port Discovery looked like- look no further!

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The Japanese and their popcorn...

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Next, we went to Port Discovery, the next best land in the park.

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People in Japan are so kind!

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I love this queue!

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Journey to the Center of the Earth's brake run outside.

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The park was celebrating its 5th anniversary when I was there (I missed it to the date by two days-Thanksgiving).

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Even more amazing theming in Mysterious Island!

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Some more DisneySea photos...

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My only grudge with Aquatopia is that you couldn't drive (and that the water is only about 2 feet deep).

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More 5th Anniversary decorations.

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Suprised us all. George Lucas is all over Disney afterall!

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Moving on to the Lost River Delta, we found a plane from Indiana Jones...but what we found on its wing...

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Port Discovery had a Goofy statue set up celebrating the park's 5th anniversary. Ironically, when standing by it, I realized that the park play's Epcot's Future World music loop in Port Discovery.

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Man! I wish we could get this land in Orlando!

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Some Mermaid action going on between her and that rock!

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On to Mermaid Lagoon, we found the infamous smoking fish!

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Friend Monkey Balls???

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We moved onto the Arabian Coast to find its only worthwhile attraction closed...Sinbad-hopefully I get to experience you in two years...

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I am a Disney fan ready for some more credits! (By the way, that is a friend's Mickey hat...)

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Of course, I rode in back, because you know what I say, "You get more air in the back!"

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Raging Spirits had a 50 minute wait. But for another credit, I would do almost anything!

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Here is the hidden Mickey in the food!

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Indiana Jones was great...even better than its California partner-but this version has a better snake!

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This next bunch is all from Mermaid Lagoon...

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The inside of Mermaid Lagoon is so sweet!

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Its odd that this statue happened to be underwater...

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Nukes on a boat...Lovely huh?

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I have a feeling that Kidtums will definitely be a Disney baby...

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Here are some fish and Flounder hacking up some big ones...

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This makes a little more sense to be shown in a Little Mermaid themed land...

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What are these?!?

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Not more Finding Nemo! There is NO escape!!!

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I actually liked this store!

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I skipped these as one of our group members wasn't feeling too well.

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I didn't love it...

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Next, we saw the Under the Sea show which was basically two songs and a Japanese alteration of the movies storyline. It was weird how after Ursula was supposed to give Ariel legs and left, Ariel still had fins and started singing Under the Sea with lots a

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Way too much detail!

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These teacups were pretty lame, being that they didn't spin...but it was cool how they switched platforms like that!

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Too much detail for my Orlando-based eyes to handle!!!

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^Thanks everyone!

 

More from around DisneySea as day turns to night...

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I loved the ride's Tiki God so much, I named him Geoffrey Shankberg.

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Tower of Terror's queue was amazing and its story was too. The ride itself was lacking our cool exit-shaft movement and it only had a few drops (I got 7 drops on ours before I left for Japan). I am jealous of the story though...

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That guy with the pointed chin...That's not our dino!

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Tower of Terror (minus the Twilight Zone theme)!

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Such an awesome railway!

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For the 5th Anniversary Celebration, even the steamship has a decoration.

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We approach the American Waterfront on foot. The irony is just ringing in!

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The park's elevated railway looked cool, but we planned on waiting until night to get a ride.

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Journey to the Center of the Earth truly is the coolest attraction in the park!

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More inside of the Mermaid simple maze.

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Goofy in Port Discovery at night.

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A night shot of Journey to the Center of the Earth.

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The American Waterfront's mainstreet is more nitty gritty, but I like it better than Mainstreet U.S.A. It has a pretty relaxing atmosphere-and a Kosher deli!

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Me and Scrooge McDuck!

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Don't make fun of Geoffrey and I. Guy has Kim. Elissa had Mugsy and she now has her tomato. Robb has Ryan. I now have my own coaster pal!

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