Travel Movies - Arabian Coast

Most people know of Disneyland, be it in Anaheim, Paris, Hong Kong or Tokyo, or even their American cousins, Walt Disney World and Epcot Centre. Yet strangely, quite a lot will scratch their heads when you mention Disneysea. Disneysea??? really?

Disneysea is Disney's only water-theme park and is located next to Tokyo Disneyland. The park centers around seven Ports of Call, namely Mediterranean Harbor, American Waterfront, Mysterious Island, Mermaid Lagoon, Arabian Coast, Lost River Delta and Port Discovery.

Rides are based on Indiana Jones's adventures, Jules Verne's 10,000 leagues under the sea, and the little mermaid Ariel, amongst others.

Here's a clip on the Arabian Coast.

Taking the mickey out of your guided tour

I have never been on a guided tour.

More precisely, I have never been on a packaged group tour before.

With all the negatives you hear over the years about group packages, I still wonder why people would want to join those.

I guess it could be the worry of being in an unfamiliar place, of not knowing what to do or where to proceed that makes a lot of people join these tours. Then of course, there are those who prefer everything to be arranged for them without the hassle of doing it themselves. Convenience, I guess, is the word. That's the trade off for losing a lot on your tour.

All of my travels have been as a Free and Independent Traveller (FIT), or as we say here, Free & Easy. (Just for your info, the term F&E may not be understood by people outside Singapore)

Being free to plan my own itinerary gives me the freedom to do what I want, when I want it and for how long. As opposed to being with a group tour, where you are constantly herded and sent to places where they want to take you and where they get the best commissions from the retailers.

Let's face it, the tour guides are all part of the same circle in the tour trade. I scratch your back, you scratch my back. Of course, they will take you to those itinerised places as promised, but notice how the focus is a lot on taking you places to make purchases? bargain shopping? You are really left with minimal time to sightsee those places on the itinerary.

For example, a lot of my friends who have been to Disneyland have not stayed there beyond sundown. That's usually because of their tight program, they are rushed to another place, or to check into another hotel for the night, or for dinner, et cetra, etc. Sad to say, places like Disneyland do offer a lot of spectacular events at night, like laser light shows, fireworks and floats, which a lot of group tours may not get to see. You have to follow their schedule, alas.

For those of you who may have had the experience of the above, here's a short clip on Disneyland's night parade called Disney Electrical Parade Dreamlights. If you missed that at Disneyland, I am sure you would have also missed a lot on your guided packaged tour too.

Tokyo Disneyland - A lesson in humility

Having first arrived in Tokyo in 1993, I passed Tokyo Disneyland on numerous occasions, whether on the Keiyo train or being driven along the Shuto Expressway. It had never ever occurred to me that I would ever want to visit that place. Kiddy stuff I thought. For tourists and for kids. In fact, on early occasions, I even thought that it was a love hotel on seeing Cinderella's castle from a distance. Well, you can't be blamed for that as love hotels seem to congregate in that region of Chiba. And if you've seen how gaudy some of these are, who will fault you for mistaking Cinderella's castle for another of those uniquely japanese places.

Having taken and shown so many visitors around Tokyo, it thus became inevitable that someone will ask..."I want to see Disneyland.. Can you take me there?" And so it was in 2002 that I finally had to make my foray into the Magic Kingdom.

What occurred in that initial visit was a mind opening experience, for which I would always berate myself. Was it a kiddy's place?...Yes. Was it kitschsy, tacky, for tourists?..also Yes. Was it enjoyable? absolutely Yes!

TDL is unique as a theme park. It sure changed my perceptions about theme parks. The atmosphere there is one of pure joy and happiness. You really feel away from the 'real' world.

The lesson I learnt from Tokyo Disneyland?....... Don't knock it unless you've tried it!

I been back there 4 times already. hee hee.