Potential bad news in Japan

I should point out that part of the problem is that air travel has become such a hassle in the past year (and slow bag searches, and reported stolen items from those searches on the rise despite the lower number of people flying) and the well publicized airline troubles and you have teh current atmosphere where tourist attractions are being hurt hard.

The security measures make it unappealing to fly if you don't have to (along with the lower economy) so it stands to reason this will hurt the smaller park that rely on tourists. I know I'm not planning on flying if I can help it, and this is coming from someone who decided to go to Orlando the December in 2001 and who went to Ohio for last year's Coaster Celebration and BuzzCon last year.

I'd love to go and help out those small parks and try rides I've never been on, but being treated like dirt and like a criminal won't help me to enjoy it.

Lord Gonchar, I'd fly into Tokyo. The parks mentioned in the post ebfore mine are all within 2 hours or so of Tokyo, depending where you are in the city. Nagashima and others are a different story. From Tokyo, it was a three day trip to hit Nagashima. A day at the park, and a full day of travel to and from :(

If planning a trip to Japan, budget what you would think an american trip to a park would cost in travel, hotel, food, tickets, etc. Then.....multiply by 10!

Seriously, check this out. I had free lodging the entire time, many free meals, and a free plane ticket. Admission to 4 parks, travel to them, food, and a few modest souvineers, etc. cost me about $1500 Heck, it cost my friend and I $45 to drive from Tokyo to Tokyo Disneyland in tolls! :(

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- "I used to be in the audio/visual club, but I was kicked out because of my views on Vietnam........and I was stealing projectors" - Homer Simpson

Yes, "security" at airports is still a joke, but now it's one that inconveniences you even more. Still, if you plan accordingly and pack light, it's not too bad -- I cruise right through most airport checkpoints, and that's with diabetes supplies and electronic gadgets out the wazoo... The whole "get to the airport at least 90 minutes before your flight' thing kinda sucks -- it certainly makes driving an appealing option for short trips, where now 6 hours in the car gets you there in the same amount of time AND saves money to boot.

Still, I'm doing a lot of flying this year (5 itineraries booked and counting, 4 of them transcons, which given my non-travel career track is a lot of personal time in the air). To make the wait a bit easier, I joined the USAirways Club, which also gets me access to the United Red Carpet Club when on a United ticket. Japan is calling me... Lord Gonchar, 2004 you say? :)

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--Greg, aka Oat Boy
My page
"I can't believe I just left a nuclear weapon in an elevator." -- Farscape

I can't wait to ride Pyrenees at Robland, since I came *this* close to riding it. :)

Thanks for the info guys. Sounds like it's not unrealistic to start planning for 2004.

Not sure if we'd do it or not, but Japan sounds like a lot of fun. I might have to start *seriously* considering it.

Not to go off topic, but how do the costs compare for visiting European parks? I'm assuming it'd be a bit less expensive.

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www.coasterimage.com

Again, I implore you to contact me directly, if you are seriously considering a trip to the Orient. I have some cool insider info. :) In regards to parks, yes, Tokyo has a larger selection of the A class parks... Yomiuriland, Korakuen, Fujikyu, and the Disney parks, among others. The Kansai area (Osaka/Kyoto/Nagoya) has Nagashima Spaland, Nara Dreamland, Expoland, Festivalgate, Suzuka Curcuit, Parque Espana, and a ton of "little" parks. Granted, virtually the entire country has a park somewhere in a 25 mile radius... it's pretty impressive, but these are also the parks that are suffering the most financially.

As far as tix go, I live in Seattle, and I have never paid more that $535 dollars for a round trip ticket, and that includes flying directly into Osaka. Perhaps it helps to buy tickets through a Japanese company like I sometimes do. In those situations, you don't typically need to speak Nihongo, but it helps. :) I suggest IACE for help on that. Click here for their website.

Good luck.
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I don't take offense to idiots. I am an idiot. Hear me roar.

Just did a search on the website for Seattle to Osaka roundtrip in September. 68,500 Yen... translates roughly into about 450 dollars. :) See?
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I don't take offense to idiots. I am an idiot. Hear me roar.

Suddenly, *I* am feeling a yen to travel to Japan....:)

bill, proud idiot since 1967...

Hmmm, USAirways, PIT-SEA, $198. Then SEA-Osaka for ~$450... That becomes mighty tempting.

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--Greg, aka Oat Boy
My page
"I can't believe I just left a nuclear weapon in an elevator." -- Farscape

See? It can happen. Give IACE a call or email them. They are very helpful, and will hook you up. Granted, on occasion, you might have to take a flight through Hawaii, but heck, it's only a 6 hour diversion.... you can handle it.

Rob - proud Bill is an idiot ;)
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I don't take offense to idiots. I am an idiot. Hear me roar.

Man, it's too bad I won't be going to Nagoya until May 2004. I'm sure to be missing a lot, but then again, half the coasters I probably couldn't ride anyway due to my size. SD2K is probably the only one I'll get to try.

BTW, if there are any sites with cheaper fare listings, I'd love to know about them. Currently, the lowest price I can find is $850 round trip from Cincy to Nagoya (I hate living in a hub town.... lol), and the surrounding city airports (Dayton, Louisville,etc.) aren't any better....

-Chris

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GregLeg said:
Hmmm, USAirways, PIT-SEA, $198. Then SEA-Osaka for ~$450... That becomes mighty tempting.

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Yeah, but I also saw PIT to Tokyo on there for $450 if departing before June 15. Keep it simple, Greg. (I'd also fly out of PIT if we decided to leave the kids at Grandma's :) )

I threw some of these numbers out to the wife and while it was agreed that it's probably too late for this season, it's a serious consideration for 2004. Hope I'm not too late to help! :)

Kudos to Nasai for the killer info. Definitely seems like the guy to get hold of when we decide to go through with the trip.

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www.coasterimage.com

Forget asking me for info.......... Bring me along!!!! ;)
I am intending on a trip later this year, and maybe even two, so if anything cool is in the works, I will throw a bone out..... Maybe one of you freaks would join me? You could catch Ethyl in concert as well, while you are there. :)
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I don't take offense to idiots. I am an idiot. Hear me roar.

If the Big Boom coaster becomes available for sale HW should look into buying it with its 75 degree first drop.

PIT to NRT for $450? What airline? Geeze is that tempting...

(Whoops, before that confuses anyone -- I've fallen into the habit of referring to airports by their 3-letter codes. NRT is the code for Tokyo Narita Airport.)
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--Greg, aka Oat Boy
My page
"I can't believe I just left a nuclear weapon in an elevator." -- Farscape

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nasai said:
Granted, on occasion, you might have to take a flight through Hawaii, but heck, it's only a 6 hour diversion.... you can handle it.

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The miles whore in me looks at that and says "What's the problem with that anyway?" :)

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--Greg, aka Oat Boy
My page
"I can't believe I just left a nuclear weapon in an elevator." -- Farscape

Not sure which airline it was, Greg, but I found it on the IACE site that Nasai turned us all on to.

Now I have to warn my kids about people trying to push travel agencies on them...sigh.

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www.coasterimage.com

The Big Boom coaster looks marvelous! Man, is that one heck of a drop. Imagine the neg-Gs on that puppy! ;)
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I don't take offense to idiots.I am an idiot. Hear me roar.

Six Flags can take most coasters, undoubtably, but what about Orochi? Why would they buy the coaster, knowing that Cedar Point started with the original, which in essence, is having Six Flags *COPY* off of them, to some people, I think either a small park, or a not francised park should buy it..

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Shaun Rajewski
CoasterLine
http://www.coasterline.com

Another tip for anyone seriously considering this...

get a JapanRail pass BEFORE you leave the US.

http://www.japanrailpass.net/eng/en01.shtml

You'll get a voucher for the pass which you exchange once you get in the country (but make sure you get a sighteeing/temporary visitor entry stamp or they won't let you have the pass, even if you've got the voucher)

For (about) $230 you get a 7 day pass which lets you use almost every rail line in the country as much as you want, including the Shinkansen/Bullet trains. Most of the parks are accessible by some combination of rail and bus, and it can save a ton of time. Sadly, I didn't know about this before I went so ended up paying over $200 just for my shinkansen tickets to Nagashima. If I'd had the pass I could've afforded to go to Fujikyu as well.

Plus, it makes it possible to do more. You'll see above people paying $45 in tolls to get to Tokyo Disneyland or Peabody's 3 day journey to Nagashima. The JR line stops literally at the edge of the TDL resort, and to go to Nagashima I was able to leave my hotel in the morning (around 3:00), take the train down into Tokyo from Maihama (the town TDL resort is in), Shinkansen to Nagoya (which took us past Fuji-san at Sunrise, a sight to behold), another train to the town Nagashima is in and then a Bus to the park. We were at the gates before opening, and we were back in Maihama that night for bed.

Korakuen, Hanayashiki, Toshimaen, Space World, Sega Joypolis, and anything else in Tokyo is accessible by subway (not included in the rail pass). I believe Tobu Zoo is accessible by JR line train, and you can get to Fujikyu by a combination of train & bus (I think)

And, oh yeah, don't forget there's other things in Japan besides coasters. Don't fill your schedule so full with parks you never do anything else.