Tokyo DisneySea: Where Imagination and Adventure Set Sail

July 15, 2012.

Disney changed people’s lives. And age doesn’t matter when you’re heading to a Disney Resort. This time, it’s Tokyo Disney Sea.

Like our 22hr trip back in January 2012, we again travelled all the way from Nagano to Tokyo to visit this one-of-a-kind resort. But this time, we are staying overnight to visit both Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea. Yay! Brace up for another adventure! This is bigger than Tokyo Disneyland!

We arrived at the resort before the park opened so we went straight to Hilton Tokyo Bay to park our things (we can’t check-in yet). My host family also decided to park the car there and take the Disney Monorail from the hotel to the resort for another experience.

At Hilton Tokyo Bay Hotel

Tokyo Disney Resort Monorail:
It’s the same with the HongKong Disneyland Rail – with Mickey windows, Mickey handles, and all the other Disney designs -- but this one is way more expensive.

Look at the ticket prices!

Tokyo Disney Sea Map:

Familiarize yourself with the entire DisneySea resort.  It has 7 main themes: Mediterranean Harbor. Mysterious Island. Mermaid Lagoon. Arabian Coast. Lost River Delta. Port Discovery. American Waterfront. Travel Tip: Make sure to get your map at hand and plan your route inside the park. You may want to take an unconventional route by starting in the 3^rd or 4^th theme. Normally, when people arrived in the park, they just do clockwise or counter-clock wise route. Start in the middle when there are still less people. Make sure to consider live performances as well!

Familiarizing myself with the park

Entrance:

Once you entered the park, you will be welcomed by the DisneySea SquaSphere , showing the model of the earth, helping you realize the body of water that surrounds us.  From this place onwards, seems like everything is a fantasy.

Welcome to Tokyo Disney Sea!

Where's the Philippines?

Family in Korea Day 10: Departure

Sunday Mass / Family's Departure
Sunday, April 15, 2012


This day was like any other day back in the Philippines.  My family had to do early morning rush to catch up for the 10:00am Mass.  This time, it's not in the Philippines, and it's not the usual 5-minute walk from our house to the church, but in Korea and approximately 45-minute travel time (walk-bus-walk). I finally attended mass with my family again after almost a year.

Gimpo Catholic Church

We attended the Mass at Gimpo Catholic Church. Too bad I can't give any information because I deleted it already in my notes.  But one thing for sure, it's very near from the bus stop.  If you have GPS, you can easily detect the place.

Inside Gimpo Catholic Church

Family in Korea Day 9: Cherry Blossom Festival

COEX & Yeouido Park
Saturday, April 14, 2012.


This is just another day in Seoul.  But it's quite special with Cherry Blossoms coming our way.  It will be our first time to see Cherry Blossoms.


We first went to COEX, to see the biggest underground shopping market in Asia, located in the basement of Korea World Trade Center in Gangnam, one of the shopping districts in Korea.  There are hundreds of apparels, gadgets, food and other items you might need there so you don't need to worry about anything.  Also, the signboards are in English, Korean and sometimes Japanese and Chinese so it is very foreigner friendly.  And the concierge can definitely speak English!

Inside the COEX Underground Shopping Mall

Family in Korea Day 8: Separate Ways

Papa&Sisters to Seoul Grand Park; Mama,Aunt&I to Shopping
Friday, April 13, 2012.


Just like what I mentioned in my previous blogs, each person has different interests in traveling.  And we are not an exception to this.  My mother and aunt wants to go shopping, or shall I say, get to see the department stores and other shopping areas of Korea, while my sisters just want to play around and see new things.  If there is a luxury of time, you can accommodate both interests but how about if you don't have enough time?


And this happened to us, so we decided to go on separate ways. My group just went around the city shopping area while my sisters and my heroic father whose interest is the interests of my sisters joined them to Seoul Grand Park. I just taught them on how to go to the park.


How to get there? How much? What is it? Just like my post on Family in Korea Day 7: Everland, I will get into the details of Seoul Grand Park in my next blog.

Family in Korea Day 7: Everland

Everland Resort
Thursday, April 12, 2012


Here comes the Big Day!


When you talk about roller coasters, extreme rides, other thrillers or just theme park, my family (especially my sisters and I) won't let this kind of place just pass away without visiting.  And thanks to our beloved father who would never let a vacation pass without visiting a theme park.

Welcoming Tulips at Everland Entrance

Everland is like the Disneyland of Korea.  But of course, without the "dream come true" experience and the "magic" that Mickey Mouse and the rest of his friends are giving us.  Count of me, a person would never get tired of coming back to Disneyland even if he has visited the place thousand times.

Family in Korea Day 6: Seoul Downtown & Namsan Tower

Myeongdong, Namdaemun & Seoul Tower
Wednesday, April 11, 2012.


Back to Seoul. Another day in Seoul.  But this day is just light because we are preparing for a big day the following day at Everland theme park.  And from the apartment we stayed, it is almost 3hours by subway and bus. Yes, it is even farther than by traveling from Seoul to Daejeon via KTX or even just the ordinary Mugunghwa train. ahaha!


So what did we do on this day?  We left house, like I said in my previous post, late. ahaha!  We can't just leave the house early because we are a gang of 8 with kids that we cannot really control.  When tantrums start at the middle of the day, it's more difficult.  So better fully charged than battery empty in the middle of the day!

Myeongdong

Our first stop was in Myeongdong (명동), a very famous shopping area for foreigners.  Some would even say, in terms of places to visit, "you haven't been to Korea if you haven't bump yourself in Myeongdong."  You would see all kinds of boutiques in that place, from apparels to cosmetics to accessories (both cellphone and hair), to food to cultural centers to grocery areas to movie houses, name it! And it's just a walk away.


By the way, I'm quite familiar with Myeongdong because it was my home for 2months. I worked as an intern in Korean National Commission for UNESCO and their office is in the heart of Myeongdong. Literally, in the middle of the shopping area!

Family in Korea Day 5: EXPO Bridge

EXPO Bridge
Tuesday, April 10, 2012.


It's Tuesday. Still a school day but I only have 1 class for the day at 3:30pm 'til 6:00pm.  So, we are scheduled to see more of my lovely city.  Next question: Where will we go? What are we going to see?


EXPO Bridge! Before I went to Korea, I researched about the places to visit in Korea and especially in Daejeon and one of the famous places here in EXPO Bridge.  Hence, I immediately visited the place when I arrived here (barely 5days after I arrived. maybe?).  And honestly, I haven't returned to this place until today! 

Government Complex Daejeon

Here we go.  We went to EXPO Bridge via bus 605 (the only bus in my place. good thing it passes near the bridge).  It was around 40minutes by bus going to Government Complex bus stop.  My family has recharged from a very good rest the day before. So up for another long walk.  When we arrive the station, we walked going to the bridge for about 30minutes (considering our very slow pacing).  But they enjoyed a lot because of the beautiful scenery.  However, it was drizzling while going around the place so we were quite paralyzed due to umbrella sharing.  Not to mention the weather! It was also cold. 

Rested at the EXPO grounds after the long walk

My family enjoyed so much in the beautiful scenery and took a lot of photos.  By the way, we were all hungry because we didn't have breakfast before going here. But they didn't feel it until we were going back for another 30min walk in the rain and 20min subway ride going to Daejeon station. Thanks to the perfect landscape around EXPO. Travel Tip: When traveling, please don't forget to have a sumptuous breakfast for a very long day. 

Family in Korea Day 4: Daejeon University / King's Meal

Campus Tour / Hanjeongsik
Monday, April 9, 2012.


Back in Daejeon. Back to my home. This is where I lived for most of my stay and one of the five big cities in Korea.  Now why are we here? I had class the entire day of Monday and my family wants to visit my school as well.  After all, the reason why they went to Korea is to see me and my life here rather than go around the country.  Sightseeing just comes to the second spot.


As I mentioned, I have 3 classes for the day: 
Korean Class: 9am -11:30am
Comparative Analysis of ASEAN Economics: 12:30pm - 3:00pm
Research Class: 3:30pm - 6:00pm

At Student Union's Cafeteria

I had full monday schedule so I cannot tour them around the city during the day.  What did we do? In the morning, they just rested and charged themselves after 3days of walking and walking and walking. haha. Then we ate lunch together at our cafeteria (at least the best cafeteria in school).  I ordered all of our meals, Bibimbap (비빔밥), Fried Rice (뽁음밥), Kimchi Stew (김치 찌개) and Ramyeon (라면). Why Ramyeon? It's for my sisters. haha!  They liked the food with one old and the same complain. "It's very spicy" What else can I do? I can't do anything but for them to eat it. Anyway, it's just during this trip! haha. When they go back to the Philippines, they will eat our delicious filipino food again :)

Family in Korea Day 3: Gastronomic Lunch and Strenuous Walk

Self Bar, Cheonggyecheon, Go to Daejeon
Easter Sunday, April 8, 2012.


And since we arrive home very late, we started another day late (actually we almost started everyday late, maybe except the Everland trip?) haha.

Christmas Day Filipino Lunch with friends
L-R: ME, Valerie (Filipino), Jie Qu (Chinese),
Susie (Chinese), Toshiki (Japanese)

So we are scheduled to have lunch with my mom's friend, Ate Joan, and "my home" in Korea where I visited them 3times (Christmas Day, January and February) to have a Filipino meal! Some of the filipino meals I had were pancit, lechon manok, dinuguan, pato, chicken curry, nilagang baka, daing na bangus, fruit salad, cake, and many more (if you want to know more about those foods, just google it).  I just realized I visited them every month. And now, they are not here in Korea anymore :( Since her husband is a US Military official, they don't have permanent address. And right now, her husband is back in USA already after 2years of working in Korea.

We will eat in Self Bar (쎌빠), a very famous unlimited Samgyeopsal (삼셥살)  restaurant (Korean food famous for foreigners) and very famous for students because it has reasonable price.  To know more about the restaurant, check the link, though it will be in Korean: http://www.selfbar.kr/

Family in Korea Day 2: Seoul City Tour / Easter Mass

Seoul City Tour / Easter Mass at Myeongdong Cathedral

Black Saturday, April 7, 2012.

Since we were very the day before (arrived in the apartment around 11:40pm and slept almost 2am), we started the day around 8:30am.  This means we get up, snooze, wash up, eat breakfast, and all the early morning rituals and innate laziness we all have every morning. HAHA!


We are scheduled for just the City Tour taking the Seoul City Tour Bus from Gwanghamun Station Line 5 (Purple Line).  And attend the 8:00pm Easter Sunday Vigil Mass at Myengdong Cathedral celebrated by His Excellency Bishop Lazaro, Archdiocese of Seoul.


But before I will rant about the City Tour, I will talk about our daily trip from Gocheon Area to Seoul Downtown.  Everyday, we travel for around 1hr and 30minutes from home going to downtown area (not considering the specific places) since we live near the Gimpo Airport and as we all know international airports are usually far from the center (except maybe for the Philippines? HAHA).  But thanks for the efficient Airport Railroad (AREX Line), it made our trip easier than you think!


Okay. Back to Seoul City Tour. So we went to Gwanghamun Station, where the famous statue of King Sejong and Admiral Yi is located.  We had sightseeing in the vicinity and took some photos around.  We didn't let the common saying "let's go around first and take photos later" because it usually don't happen anymore.  Just grab all the chances! We also got the opportunity to wear the King's robe for free and took photo together.

King and Queen's robe at Gwanghamun

Family in Korea Day 1: Arrival in Korea

Arrival at Incheon International Airport.
Good Friday, April  6, 2012.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY MOTHER!

What a night to finish her Birthday Celebration than seeing her only son in Seoul, South Korea! HAHA. Yes, I met my family and some of my relatives in Korea for their 9day spring vacation here.

Since it was a Friday, in fact Good Friday, and Holy Week is not holiday in Korea, I still have to attend classes in the morning. So my day started with a Future of Asia class at 9am 'til 12nn.  Afterwards, I had my last minute preparation like changing some dollars into Korean Won, packing some clothes for a 2day stay in Seoul (since I leave in Daejeon, 1hr by KTX train from Seoul), and some jackets for my family because it was abnormally cold weather (5ºc ~ 14ºc) on a spring season. 

After all the preparations, I still went to Panam-dong Catholic Church for the Good Friday services (Way of the Cross).  I stayed there and prayed for a successful and safe trip for my family while waiting for the time before I go to Daejeon station.

I took the 6pm Mugunghwa (ordinary) train and arrive in Seoul around 8pm.  Then, I went directly to Incheon International Airport via the Airport Railroad (AREX Train).  If you go to the Gimpo/Incheon Airport with less baggage, I suggest to take the AREX train since its very convenient and very cheap.  It's just 3700won using TMoney (Korean Transportation Card) vs the Limousine bus from Seoul downtown to Incheon Airport at 10,000-15,000won.


You can check the blog below for more details and comparisons of transportation between the airport and Seoul downtown: bit.ly/IG7T7G