Japan trip questions

[N'at Man]

Before I ask my questions, I'll point out to all of the readers that the TPR Japan Guide allowed me to plan a trip to Japan with my friend Greg that will start at the end of next week. I was initally interested in the ECC/ACE trip but after seeing the TPR guide and not being fully convinced the club trip was for me, I had enough info (and guts) to plan my own trip. With the guide it took about half the time it would have taken me to do it all on my own. So thanks to Robb & Elissa for putting the guide together and getting me started. There are definitely pros and cons for going in late August compared to other times, including the club trip timeframe which is immediately after our trip, but we'll see how our adventure goes.

 

Now on to the questions:

 

1) Most of the information I have on buses to parks like Summerland, Nagashima Spaland, Parque Espana and Nara Dreamland (we'll talk Fuji-Q in a minute) is very basic. Are the buses to the park from the train stations (or nearby bus stations) so obvious and well marked that no further detail is needed? I do have some of the bus numbers but the buses just seem like the biggest unknowns to me and something that could cause the most confusion. Is it easy to pay the bus fares? The info on Japan Guide makes it seem a bit intimidating

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2015.html

 

2) Specifically for Summerland, I found that the bus ride from Akigawa Station is supposed to be only 5 minutes compared to the 30 minute ride from Hachioji Station as mentioned in the TPR guide. I'd like to take a shorter bus ride and possibly walk to the park if it is simpler. Does anyone know if the Akigawa route will work well? I do know it involves an extra train connection from Shinjuku.

 

3) I saw the bus reservation info for Fuji-Q. But is it possible to make the reservations at the Shinjuku bus station office a couple days ahead of time? They seem to have some kind of bus/park offer called a Q-pack. Either way, do you still have to pay at the bus station office before boarding the bus? I know you need reservations for the trip to the park but do you also have to specify the return time?

 

4) I'm expecting the worst when I go to Fuji-Q. I see that while you arrived at Fuji-Q first thing you had to wait an hour to get on Fujiyama. Is there a mad dash or something where you had one hours worth of people in front of you or did you try to check out Dodonpa and it was closed? I would guess that going to Dodonpa first would be the best move if it has a chance of opening on time. Does that make sense or should I hit Fujiyama? Or just get the hamster coaster or mouse in since they'll probably have long lines?

 

Thanks in advance for your responses.

[SharkTums]

Before I ask my questions, I'll point out to all of the readers that the TPR Japan Guide allowed me to plan a trip to Japan with my friend Greg that will start at the end of next week. I was initally interested in the ECC/ACE trip but after seeing the TPR guide and not being fully convinced the club trip was for me, I had enough info (and guts) to plan my own trip. With the guide it took about half the time it would have taken me to do it all on my own. So thanks to Robb & Elissa for putting the guide together and getting me started. There are definitely pros and cons for going in late August compared to other times, including the club trip timeframe which is immediately after our trip, but we'll see how our adventure goes.

 

Thanks!

 

 

 

1) Most of the information I have on buses to parks like Summerland, Nagashima Spaland, Parque Espana and Nara Dreamland (we'll talk Fuji-Q in a minute) is very basic. Are the buses to the park from the train stations (or nearby bus stations) so obvious and well marked that no further detail is needed? I do have some of the bus numbers but the buses just seem like the biggest unknowns to me and something that could cause the most confusion. Is it easy to pay the bus fares? The info on Japan Guide makes it seem a bit intimidating

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2015.html

 

We actually decided to take a Taxi from the train stations to Nagashima and Nara. The buses to Summerland and Parque Espana were very clearly marked, but to be sure we always had something printed out and would just show it to the driver and they would either nod in agreement or not. Everyone tries to scare you away from taxis...but that's mainly in Tokyo. The Nara and Nagashima ones were like under $30 and so fast! The other hint is to look at the people getting on the bus. The Summerland bus was simple because we saw a bunch of kids in bathing suits getting on it!

 

2) Specifically for Summerland, I found that the bus ride from Akigawa Station is supposed to be only 5 minutes compared to the 30 minute ride from Hachioji Station as mentioned in the TPR guide. I'd like to take a shorter bus ride and possibly walk to the park if it is simpler. Does anyone know if the Akigawa route will work well? I do know it involves an extra train connection from Shinjuku.

 

Like I just said, go for the longer bus ride, it was easy and worked well. I was very intimidated as well, but it was marked well which was the correct bus.

 

3) I saw the bus reservation info for Fuji-Q. But is it possible to make the reservations at the Shinjuku bus station office a couple days ahead of time? They seem to have some kind of bus/park offer called a Q-pack. Either way, do you still have to pay at the bus station office before boarding the bus? I know you need reservations for the trip to the park but do you also have to specify the return time?

 

If you go out the west gate of Shinjuku Station you'll see the bus station right there. Just go in and make your reservations for the bus. You have to pay there ahead of time, but you do not have to do the return. I would, just in case it sells out, but then once at Fuji Q you can try and change your ticket if you're either on track to get done faster or slower. For example we made our reservations before we even left for Japan. Then when we realized it was possible to do Fuji Q in a day trip we changed our plans but the 1st bus was already sold out. This meant we would not be at the park for opening, we were really bummed out but took it. The day before we went to the bus station to see if anything opened up and it did! So we got on the early bus. We were scheduled to return at 8pm (just in case we wanted to get in line for something at park close at 6pm). By 2pm it was quite obvious that we would be done quickly (due to getting on everything and the weather closing everything done). We went out to the bus station and had our tickets changed.

 

4) I'm expecting the worst when I go to Fuji-Q. I see that while you arrived at Fuji-Q first thing you had to wait an hour to get on Fujiyama. Is there a mad dash or something where you had one hours worth of people in front of you or did you try to check out Dodonpa and it was closed? I would guess that going to Dodonpa first would be the best move if it has a chance of opening on time. Does that make sense or should I hit Fujiyama? Or just get the hamster coaster or mouse in since they'll probably have long lines?

 

Don't expect the worst. We had a bad day but that was mostly due to the weather and crowds. The kids area is adorable, and while the rides aren't that amazing, they are all really messed up!!! There was a very crazy mad dash. Remember that first you have to purchase your tickets, then go get your picture taken! We ran to Dodonpa first and it was closed. With my limited Japanese I deciphered that it was due to the light rain. So we went to Fujiyama which was now an hour line about 10 minutes after park opening! About 20 minutes away from boarding we saw Dodonpa test, 10 minutes later we saw people on it. 15 minutes later we were in a 90 minute line for it. Dodonpa, the mouse, and kiddie all close in light rain. Fujiyama, scary loop thing, indoor, and hamster close in heavier rain. Dodonpa and Fujiyama are about 2 minutes from each other and both are up front so hit those first. Then it's all about what you want to do!

 

 

I hope this helps! I love when people ask DETAILED questions like this, so if you have any more feel free to post!

[N'at Man]

Great answers but I knew I would forget something. One more question about Fuji-Q. I've heard that you can't take anything with you on Dodonpa. Is it a situation where you can leave your bags or articles in the station or do they not allow any loose articles to enter the line with you? Are there lockers? I don't think I'll have a problem leaving things in the coaster stations in Japan (unlike here in the US) but I don't want to leave anything unattended while I wait in a long line.

[robbalvey]

^ They basically "frisk" you when you get on the coaster! Seriously! EVERYTHING had to be taken out of your pockets, wallet, Elissa's Blistex, EVERYTHING.

 

There is a compartment area in the station and you can bring your stuff in line with you.

 

--Robb "It was the weirdest thing getting felt up before going on a coaster!" Alvey :shock:

[SharkTums]

Yeah, and I'm always scared about leaving stuff, but there were a lot of ride ops on the platform and the country is so safe don't worry about leaving the stuff in the cubbies.

[gregleg]

Hmmm, I wonder if they're going to give me any grief about the ol' insulin pump. That puppy doesn't come off...

[SharkTums]

I would learn how to explain the pump in Japanese. Dan, our Diabetic, learned a few words to help explain the syringes and stuff.

 

Better to be safe than sorry. But thinking about it, for Dodonpa, I would try to hide it as best you can, because with all the restrictions on the ride they might not let you ride if they find out what it is!

[gregleg]

Hiding it is something I do fairly well, although I've never been FRISKED for it before

 

Actually, when I say "it doesn't come off", that's not QUITE true -- the infusion sets allow for disconnecting for showers and other activities. So I guess I COULD make sure the needle is in me in a place I can reach publicly and disconnect, I just HATE the idea of leaving my pancreas unattended for even a few minutes

[N'at Man]

Follow up question on Fuji-Q. What time did Fuji-Q open when you guys went last year and was the posted time the same time the gates/rides opened? What I'm seeing posted is that the park opens at 8 AM when we are going, not 9 AM when you went. The bus is still supposed to leave at 7:10 which would not make opening. I called the reservation number and they had a Japanesse only menu so I couldn't get to anyone to speak English.

 

I do know of some train options but we may also still check on the bus to see what is available when we arrive in Japan. In either case I think we won't be able to get to Fuji-Q at opening if the posted opening times are when the rides actually open.

[robbalvey]

^ I am 99% sure that the park and gates opened at 9am when we went. Elissa might have a better memory of that. It would not surprise me in the least that the park might be opening at 8am, especially this time of year. We went during a quieter time and the park was still packed!

 

Perhaps an option to look into might be getting to the park the night before and spending a night in a hotel nearby so you can be there for opening?

 

--Robb

[dubaidave]

When I was there in April it opened at 9. The bus got me there at about 830 and there was already a huge line. The problem comes when they start letting poeple in. You have to q for the ticket desks first then q for the photo machines then q for the rides.

great park though. You MUST do the haunded hospital walkthrough. It costs extra but is well worth the money, even wth no Japanese it was the best themeing I have ever seen, and genuinly scary, especially as I was on my own so they send you through in your groups. e is walked it alone.