Ideas on cost for 1 week stay in TDL?

[Maximus]

We are trying to plan a trip to the TDL. We are wanting to stay on the property and will be flying from SFO. What kind of a dollar amount would I be looking at. Just a general idea would be helpful. My wife is a little skeptical about doing this, but I am all for it regardless of the cost. Any ideas?

[Iceman]

Keep in mind, these are BALLPARK figures. You can do better by running a quick check at Expedia or something to get current airfares and hotel rates.

Roundtrip SFO-NRT: $1,000 per person
On-property hotel: $250 per night
Meals: $100 per day per person
Souvenirs/miscellaneous: up to you, but let's say $100 per day

So for a seven day, six night trip to TDR for you and your wife we're talking AROUND $5,700. You could do it for more by flying first class, staying in a suite, and eating all 5-star meals. You could do it for less by going at a non-peak time, staying off-property, and avoiding the shops. But that should give you a good first cut estimate.

[Kuzcotopia]

I would agree with all of that except the prices for food. Iceman quoted you prices that are closer to the prices to eat in the hotel. If you eat in the park, the prices are like eating in the parks here. Hamburger: $10 Personal pizza $12, things like that.

Also missing is ticket prices. A four day multi-day passport is 17,200 yen a person, which is about $150.

[Iceman]

Thanks for pointing out those oversights, Kuzco! I can't belive I left out the park passes. And as you mentioned, I tend to eat in the hotels or in pricier sit-down places so that was an assumption with my meal prices. To be honest, I scaled that part DOWN from my cost estimate for my upcoming trip. My wife and I are budgeting $300 a day for food!

[blugenie]

You could get a lot cheaper air if you went thru a consolidator.

it also depends on when
for jun i see fares of $600 per person
for jul $920 per person
for aug $ 850 per person

hotels are expensive in japan

[Marty]

Iceman, Maximus, I hope you both have a great time on your trips. I also hope you plan to spend some time outside of Disneyland. Tokyo is a fascinating place. May I suggest a morning at Tsukiji Fish Market (get there very early), an afternoon at Asukusa Temple and an evening at Kabikicho in Shinjuku. Also, the Edo Tokyo Museum at Ryogoku Train Station is very much worth some time (try to find some Sumo Stables in area before you go and get your picture taken with one of the resident behemoths.) And if you are going to be there over a Sunday, do try to get a glimpse of pop culture at Harajuku.

In any case, food prices could be significantly less than $100 per person per day if you this is what you want. Go to one of the ubiquitous revolving sushi places - at a dollar a plate, 12 bucks or so makes a pretty filling meal. Noodle stands also make a quick tasty lunch for nor more than 5 or 6 dollars. Of course Japan is full of places that will charge you $100 for a tiny appetizer, but these kind of places are a little difficult to find as a tourist.

[Kuzcotopia]

All of those places are wonderful to visit. The Edo-Tokyo Museum was one of the highlights of my visit. Too bad I didn't see any sumo, though I had my eye out for them! I wouldn't have known it wasn't rude to ask for a picture with them until I left Tokyo and had japanese people asking for pictures with me!

I agree about food prices. People have an impression of $20 Big Macs and things like that that just aren't true. I spent the same, exactly the same on food there as I do eating out at home, and got larger portions most of the time!

Eating in the hotel is the exception, and can be very expensive -- don't do it!

I wouldn't recommend anyone eat anywhere that doesn't post their prices out front. Most places do that, and you'll be surprised how affordable 9 out of 10 places are. And the food isn't just sushi and noodles. Italian food is a big favorite, and there's a Kentucky Fried Chicken on almost every block!

The truth is Japanese are just as broad (perhaps more) in their tastes for different types of cuisine as Americans are.

My wife and I had a fancy italian lunch, at a restaurant next door to the Kabukiza in the Ginza (the Rodeo Drive of Tokyo). We had an elaborate lunch with many courses and a bottle of San Pellegrino water at the table. It turned out to be about $20 a person! Very reasonable, and not at all what we were led to fear about Japan.

People think a visit to Japan is expensive. I liken it to a trip to New York.


Another site for animation fans to visit in Tokyo, the Studio Ghibli Museum in Mitaka. IF you can get tickets, that is.

This is a museum dedicated to the works of Hayao Miyazaki, the Walt Disney of Japan.

[Maximus]

Everyone thank you for your imput on this. I was a little surprised to find that you don't get a park hopper pass when you stay at the hotel on property. Oh, well, what can you do.

I also think all the suggestions for outside of the Disney area were wonderful. So many things to see and do in Japan. We will be doing quite a bit of research to find out what will be best for us to enjoy when we go.:)

[AVP]

I found a United e-Fare for SFO to NRT for $434 per person. (This was two weeks ago, who knows what it is now)

AVP

[AVP]

Current United e-Fares to Tokyo (NRT):

From:

Atlanta (ATL) $663.00
Baltimore (BWI) $591.00
Boston (BOS) $591.00
Chicago (ORD) $591.00
Dallas/Ft. Worth (DFW) $706.00
Denver (DEN) $706.00
Houston (IAH) $706.00
Las Vegas (LAS) $561.00
Los Angeles (LAX) $561.00
Miami (MIA) $638.00
Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP) $591.00
New York City (JFK) $561.00
Newark (EWR) $561.00
Orange County (SNA) $561.00
Philadelphia (PHL) $591.00
Phoenix (PHX) $638.00
Portland (PDX) $561.00
Sacramento (SMF) $561.00
Salt Lake City (SLC) $697.00
San Diego (SAN) $561.00
San Francisco (SFO) $561.00
Seattle (SEA) $519.00
Washigton, D.C. (IAD) $591.00

AVP