(Day 4) Shin-do-bado

So on this blog over the past year, there’s been lots of Disney. Like, I’ve been to Disney a total of seven days – that’s nearly 2 percent of my year. Here’s 15 percent of that 2 percent – a day at DisneySEA. And ps, we are still in Japan. And pps, it’s still like 500 percent humidity and hot. What awesome conditions for Disney riiiiite?



The fun starts (not really) when you get to board the resort liner at the resort gate, Ikspiari (which I pronounce “ICK-spee-ahri” but should be “EX-Peer-ee”), and you get to battle with families with strollers and teenagers who clearly should be in school.




Soggy sisters alive!



So as you can see, our ticket was a two-day passport – meaning I’ll have to make the long journey again tomorrow to enjoy the other park. Oh but the worst part of the day (so far) occurred before we even got here – Tokyo station has this unbelievably long underground passage to the Keiyo line…which it would appear is heated with no air movement. Sweat…but we’ll try to avoid that on the ride over tomorrow. But anyway! We are here and Disney is waiting.











So while it was raining, it wasn’t anything too untolerable – though I desperately hoped it would quit, clear up, and that everyone else would have stayed away because they thought it would be bad weather. I was wrong on every possible account. It didn’t quit, it didn’t clear up, and everyone still arrived in droves, outfitted in ponchos. What are we in for here?

First order of the day was strategizing – how to get max ride time and make the best use of our Fast Passes? Sis headed to wait in line at the first ride and Janelle and I ran over to grab some passes to the Tower of Terror.







We rode 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and then waited in line at Journey to the Center of the Earth. Then we wandered and ate some gyoza buns and generally tried to avoid getting soaked. Rain, rain, go away!











We headed into the Arabian Coast for lunch time and ate at their Casbah Food Court. Curry and Naan!! And some kid peed on bench behind me. I was traumatized.







Yeah, so apparently it doesn’t take too much to get me traumatized. It’s just…the kid was standing on the bench, suddenly grabbed her crotch (parents nowhere to be found) and then danced like a maniac for about five seconds and then stopped moving all together. Then she faced the wall and peed herself and all over the bench. Isn’t that disturbing? At least now I’m not suffering alone!! I guess it’s normal for kids…? I’m going to leave this topic alone now.

So the rain really began pouring now and so we ducked into the nearest ride for some shelter. Thankfully the line-up was only about 20 seconds long so we got to enjoy ‘Sindbad’s Storybook Voyage”…I know of Sinbad, but I haven’t heard of Sindbad (or as the ride called him, “Shin-do-bado”)…maybe he’s his brother?

















Again, the creepy-ass monkeys I encountered on my first visit to DisneySEA have arrived to haunt my dreams again. Oh shindobado!







Classic Disney anamatronics!! I give it five Sindbads out of five. It was so nice we rode it twice (also because it was pouring kittens and cats outside.)

Speaking of kittens and cats pouring:


You see this? There is no people and rain. That should indicate exactly how bad it was outside. Like, we had on these crappy ponchos that did nothing at all and we were outside for about 3 minutes and were soaked, from head to toe – actually below my toes and into my shoes, which were ridiculously uncomfortable for the REST OF MY DAY. Ugh…Erin and Disney don’t play well together. We tried to take cover in the Horizon Bay Restaurant and sat there in our sloshy mess for about an hour. B is sad.



After watching the rain pour down hour after hour, we eventually pulled up our big-girl pants and headed back outdoors to explore the American Waterfront…as best as we could. Oh yeah, ps – did I mention that this storm was confirmed as a typhoon by the workers? Um, THIRD typhoon experience in as many trips to Japan…and second at Disney! Worst.











Eventually the long-awaited moments arrived for us to use our Fast Passes on the Tower of Terror. I love this rideeeeee! It’s also funner because the story in the ride in Japan is different than the one in the US – we get to meet Shiriki Utundu:


(Photo not mine.) Isn’t he cute? He’ll probably try to kill us.









Now, I know this might come as a surprise, but I got a bit impatient waiting for this ride. Fast passes doesn’t actually mean fast, apparently. The line-up was huge and they only were using ONE elevator but there were fully four elevators apparent. Ugh. But when we did ride, it was kracie.


There we are, top-right corner – plus a big crew of Japanese people. It makes sense.

YOU MUST OBEY SHIRIKI UTUNDU.

When we popped out of the ride, it was a miracle – the typhoon had passed and not a drop of rain was found. And…the HUMIDITY WAS GONE. I just stood outside while the cool breeze blew and smiled. Ahhhhhh…







We even ate dinner on a patio in the Italian quarter.


Huzzah! The salmon-potato pizza makes its triumphant return!








Sis and her friends.

At the end of the day, the park cleared out and we got to ride the Indiana Jones ride twice in a row. Gosh I love this ride too. Jeeps and screaming!


And sleeping, apparently. I rule.

As the park closed, we stumbled towards the exit, my feet now feeling shrivelled inside my squishy canvas sneaks. Worst…I’d better make it home. But…how am I going to make through another day of this tomorrow. Eccchhh…Tokyo Disney Resort better be worth it – please please please don’t let me have another badditude tomorrow…