Current mood:	giddy
Current music:	"Everyday With You Girl" - Classics IV

Wow!
I just flew back from Tokyo about a week and a half ago...

(No... must fight the urge... can't...say..it... )

... and boy are my arms tired! (rimshot)

Sorry, let's try that again. I've been back about a week and a half after visiting Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea. After having seen it for myself, there's only one thing I can say to all you Disney fans out there who are wondering if they should visit there...

Go. Now. All right, not NOW now - save your pennies, ask for some time off from work, and look for some cheap airfares and hotel rates first. But go.

Your friends who have been to the Tokyo parks and the folks on the Disney websites who talk about them aren't exaggerating. They really are that amazing. I had a look of awe on my face so much of the time during my trip that my companion/tour guide nicknamed me O.J. (as in open-jawed, not as in Simpson).  

The parks are beautiful and impeccably maintained. The parks' attractions sport a level of detail and theming that ranks with the best work you've seen from WDI at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Even though I couldn't communicate directly with most of them, the cast members seemed to be really dedicated to their jobs and are really focused on providing the guests the best possible experience.  I could have easily spent several times more than I did on souvenirs, even though the exchange rate made buying almost anything a frightening proposition.  

My traveling companion asked me to find adjectives to describe the Disney theme park experience in Japan. After tossing around several adjectives that didn't quite fit, I settled on a phrase instead: "They get it."  Whoever taught the Japanese "the Disney way" (I think that'd be Jim Cora, but I'm sure there were others as well), but I give him/them credit for teaching it to them so well. A lot of Disney theme park executive could learn a lot from these folks. Bob, is there any room in the budget for a "learn from these people or else" trip to Japan for everyone in the Anaheim and Orlando Team Disney buildings?

I'm so glad I got the chance to make this trip. It really was a dream come true. More thanks than I could ever hope to express go to my friend Eric for giving me the chance to come on this trip and for being my personal tour guide for the trip. Many more thanks to my beloved Blondie for letting me go even though she couldn't. Honey, if you're willing and when we've got the money, we're going so you can see it for yourself -- that's all there is to it. Thanks to my friends Carol and Andy at work for realizing how much this meant to me and for covering for me when I took off at almost the last minute to do this.  Thanks to my bosses for letting me go, too -  I guess you guys really have been impressed by my work! 

One last thing. Our Winnie the Pooh attractions? Truly sad compared compared to theirs, and I like (liked?) Walt Disney World's version. If Spider-Man at IOA's considered the best theme park attraction in the world, Tokyo's Pooh is a very close second, at the very least. Yes, it's that good. But you'll have to see it for yourself.

Okay, back to work...