Christine Knight, Author at Adventure, baby!

Christine Knight

Christine is the editor of Adventure, Baby!

Best Tokyo DisneySea Tips

May 26, 2023 / Asia, Disney Travel, Japan, Tokyo Disney Resort, Travel / 0 comment

Best Tokyo DisneySea Tips

Get Tokyo DisneySea tips to make your trip fun and memorable.

Tokyo DisneySea is located in Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, about an hour from the centre of Tokyo, Japan. It opened on 4 September 2001. Tokyo DisneySea is owned by The Oriental Land Company, with intellectual property licensed from The Walt Disney Company. Tokyo Disneyland and its companion park, Tokyo DisneySea, are the only Disney parks in the world not owned or operated by The Walt Disney Company in any capacity.

As of 2019, Tokyo DisneySea is the fourth-most visited theme park in the world and the second-most visited in Japan behind its sister park Tokyo Disneyland.

Upon opening, Tokyo DisneySea became the ninth park of the twelve worldwide Disney theme parks to open. It has an overall nautical exploration theme.

Getting to Tokyo DisneySea

The park is easily accessed by train. Catch the train to Maihama Station and then the resort monorail to the Tokyo DisneySea Station.

Stay Onsite

One of the biggest reasons for this is because hotel guests get early entry into the parks and their own special entry gates. The early entry was only 15 minutes at time of writing (May 2023) however this combined with a special entrance for hotel guests only meant we were able to get inside the park quickly and ahead of the general crowd and had ridden our first ride before most people were able to pass through the entry gates.

Offical hotel guests receive a special paper pass at check in that grants early access for each subsequent day of their stay (not available on day of check in). You will need to nominate at check in which park you wish to enter each day to be given a pass specific to the park.

We stayed at the Tokyo Disneyland Hotel and loved it. You can read about our stay here. If you stay at the MiraCosta, the hotel is actually inside the park, the closest location you can get to Tokyo DisneySea. Photo above of the hotel from inside DisneySea!

Buy your tickets in advance

The tickets can be tricky to buy from the direct Japanese website, so I suggest if you are struggling to buy them from a third party like Klook (which is what we did). Klook also often has sales and you can purchase the park passes a bit cheaper through them.

At the time of writing (May 2023) single day passes are all that is available to each park, and you must choose which park to visit – no park-hopper tickets are available. The parks can sell out so I highly suggest booking tickets well in advance. If you stay at a Disney hotel, you are guaranteed entry to the parks however even if the parks sell out.

Arrive Early

The reason getting into the park as quickly as possible matters so much at Tokyo DisneySea is the lack of any kind of fastpass system. The only ways to skip queues are either to take the single rider line where offered and ride by yourself, or to purchase Premier Access for the most popular rides where offered. More on Premier Access further into this article!

Photo of our special entry and line above, when the general entry was a good 50 people long at the same time.

So the best way to avoid spending most of your day lining up is to get into the park as quickly as you can and getting to the most popular rides early in the day.

If you do not have early hotel access then I would advise arriving REALLY early like an hour early. If you can’t arrive that early than you’re best off arriving later in the day and just preparing yourself queue for rides and not get on many of them. Even with early entry I advise arriving at the gates about 45 minutes before the park opens.

Visit on a weekday

As the majority of visitors to Tokyo DisneySea are locals, weekends, school holidays and public holidays are the busiest times to attend. If you can visit the parks on a typical weekday, the parks are much less busy.

Make a plan for your day

Research what rides you want to get on in advance, look at the map of the park and plan where you are going to go first and subsequently. I advise knocking out all of the popular rides that you want to do first thing in the morning in an orderly fashion – pick the ride you want to start with and then the next that is closest to it and so on so you are moving around the park in a circle vs trekking back and forth and walking needlessly.

The food places get busy as the day goes on so I advise starting your day early and breaking for an early lunch.

If you wish to dine at a restaurant in the park, bookings open at 10am (JST) one month in advance. You can also try to book at 10am once you are inside the park.

Download the Tokyo Disney Resort App

I highly recommend doing this in advance. The app is useful for its map alone. You can also scan your tickets into the app as soon as you enter the park and then purchase Premier Access to certain attractions and events to reduce your wait time for popular rides and entertainment. See below for more details on Premier Access.

You can also use the app to lock in a time to visit popular shops like the ones that sell Duffy & Friends merch.

Have a ride strategy

If you have been to other Disney parks or plan to do so soon, then I highly recommend prioritising the rides that are unique to Tokyo DisneySea.

The unique rides not to miss are:

Journey To The Center of the Earth (a Jules Verne-inspired attraction that uses a similar ride system to Test Track at Epcot, with guests boarding “steam-powered” mine vehicles before embarking on trip to the planet’s core.)
20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (a submarine ride based on the Jules Verne book)
Sindbad’s Storybook Voyage (a boat ride similar to It’s a Small World, based on the popular Sinbad stories)

We also enjoyed Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull (which is similar to the Anaheim version but themed to the Crystal Skull movie (and entirely in Japanese), the two story carousel in the Arabian area and Sourin’, which is also almost identical to the version in Anaheim except for the entry which has cool projections / animations on the walls and the end of the Sourin’ video which flies over Tokyo.

The most popular rides in the park are:

Toy Story Mania (basically identical to other versions)
Sourin’
Journey to the Center of the Earth

If you have been to the other parks I wouldn’t pay for the Premier Access passes to Sourin’ or Toy Story Mania, nor would I line up for the crazy wait times to ride them. If you must, however, then I suggest heading to these rides early or purchasing them on Premier Access.

Buy Premier Access

Premier Access is currently the only way to skip queues for rides at Tokyo DisneySea. This service, available for a fee, will allow guests to select designated times to be admitted to and enjoy certain experiences. Premier Access best accessed through the Tokyo Disney Resort mobile app, which I highly recommend downloading in advance.

Each park ticket can be used to purchase one Disney Premier Access at a time.
Guests ages 3 and under will be able to access the experience with an accompanying person who has purchased Disney Premier Access.
You will be able to purchase Disney Premier Access for another attraction 60 minutes after purchasing Disney Premier Access, or after the start time of your purchased Disney Premier Access, whichever is earlier.
If you would like to purchase Disney Premier Access for the same attraction again, you may do so after using the Disney Premier Access you have purchased or after the designated time to use your Disney Premier Access has passed.
Disney Premier Access can be purchased by using the Tokyo Disney Resort App.
Only credit cards are accepted as method of payment. Please see here for information about the credit cards accepted.
Guests who do not have the Tokyo Disney Resort App or a credit card will be able to purchase Disney Premier Access at Main Street House (at Tokyo Disneyland) or Guest Relations (at Tokyo DisneySea).
Disney Premier Access is available in limited numbers and may sell out. Please check the Tokyo Disney Resort App in advance for availability.
To make bookings and purchases you must log in with a registered Disney Account. If you do not have a Disney Account, please register from here (user registration on the bookings/purchases page).

Using Premier Access to View a Parade / Show

Guests can select a designated time for admission in advance, and enjoy parades or shows from a designated viewing area.

You will be able to purchase Disney Premier Access for another parade or show 60 minutes after purchasing Disney Premier Access, or after the admission time of your purchased Disney Premier Access (for parades or shows,) whichever is earlier.
For certain parades and shows, the location for viewing performances within the viewing area will be specified in advance. On your day of visit, please view the performance from the specified location with a corresponding number at your feet. (The number indicating your specified location will be displayed on the screen of your device after you have completed your purchase of Disney Premier Access.)

Toy Story Mania!
Tower of Terror
Journey to the Center of the Earth
Soaring: Fantastic Flight

	Disney Premier Access Experience	Price
Parade/Show	Believe! Sea of Dreams	2,500 yen per access
Attractions	Soaring: Fantastic Flight	2,000 yen per access
	Toy Story Mania!	2,000 yen per access
	Tower of Terror	1,500 yen per access
	Journey to the Center of the Earth	1,500 yen per access

How to buy Premier Access

Premier Access is available once your tickets have been scanned upon entry into the park. Most tickets need to be printed and presented on arrival for scanning, such as those purchased through third party vendors such as Klook (which is what we did).

Once your paper ticket has been scanned and you are in the park, one person in the party should scan all the tickets into their mobile app and control the Premier Access bookings for the entire party. It’s easy enough to scan the tickets into the app while walking to your first ride, then select from the Premier Access menu which attraction or show you wish to purchase.

Tokyo DisneySea

Visit the Mermaid Lagoon

While this is very much geared towards younger children, I highly suggest checking it out even if you have older kids or no kids. The exterior facade is made to look like the Palace of King Triton, with the inside designed to resemble an underwater world with rides, play areas and places to eat. The detail in this area is incredible and visitors of all ages will enjoy a stroll around the lagoon.

Tokyo DisneySea

Try the popcorn

Popcorn is the most popular snack at Tokyo Disney Resort! Not only is the popcorn unique and available in crazy flavours found nowhere else, but Disney’s popcorn buckets are also pretty special and worth taking home as a souvenir. They are often ‘limited’ and only sold at specific locations within a park, with most buckets not likely be found at other Disney parks.

The buckets are typically pretty pricey, with an average cost of ¥2,600 to ¥3,400. You can buy popcorn without a souvenir bucket for vastly less. Flavours on offer include Honey, Strawberry Milk, Cookies & Cream, Matcha White Chocolate, Curry, Garlic Shrimp.

Eat all the food

While the green mochi Toy Story Aliens are the most instagrammed snack at Tokyo Disney Resort, I highly recommend trying a bit of everything!

We loved the churros, which are also available in a wide variety of exciting flavours, and the celebration drinks, which come with cubes of jelly in them.

We also loved the tropical ice blocks! They are amazing.

When it comes to dining, you can make a reservation at a restaurant or you can play it by ear at a quick service food spot. This is what we chose to do since we don’t like being tied to reservations and we had a fantastic quick service lunch at Zambini Brothers’ Ristorante squeezed in between rides.

Try a vending machine

The Tokyo Disney Resort vending machines are insanely cute! The drinks inside are themed to the parks.

Meet or watch the characters

The characters are typically available in large numbers towards the front of the park rather than being scheduled for short periods allover the park.

It’s possible to see and meet a huge number of characters all in the one area. We were so excited to see characters we’ve never seen at any other park including the entire cast from Pinocchio.

Buy the all Merch

The merch at Tokyo Disneyland is definitely different to the American parks! The Duffy and Friends line is only available at the Asian parks (you will need to use the app to reserve your spot to enter the store inside the park, it is so popular).

The ears are also different and extremely cute (and cheaper than the American ones!) as are the souvenirs like little bento and cutlery boxes. There are also cute pins that are stamped Tokyo Disney Resort so unable to be bought anywhere else.

I also loved the tote bags specific to the park and cute little plushes that are bought to hang off them. You will see locals with their bags covered in these plushies.

Use the Disney photographers

The photographer system works differently in Tokyo. You cannot get a digital copy of a photo unless you have a Japanese mailing address (do not ask me why). The photographers will take a photo on their cameras and give you a paper ticket to collect the print later in the day to purchase if you choose to do so. The photographer will also take photos for you on your own camera.

Watch the parades and shows

Tokyo DisneySea is not just about rides, it’s also about the entertainment. I highly recommend looking at the schedule and seeing at least one parade or show during your time at the park.

The Japanese locals love the shows and parades and get a spot a good 30-60mins before they start, so I highly suggest doing the same if you want to be able to see well. You can also book a time and seat for some entertainment using the app after entering the park.

Get Tokyo Disneyland Tips here.

Get more info on visiting Tokyo Disneyland.

Best Tokyo Disneyland Tips

May 24, 2023 / Asia, Disney Travel, Japan, Tokyo Disney Resort, Travel / 0 comment

Best Tokyo Disneyland Tips

Get Tokyo Disneyland tips to make your trip fun and memorable.

Tokyo Disneyland is located in Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, about an hour from the centre of Tokyo, Japan. It was the first Disney park to be built outside the United States, it opening on April 15, 1983.

Tokyo Disneyland is owned by The Oriental Land Company, which licenses intellectual property from The Walt Disney Company. Tokyo Disneyland and its companion park, Tokyo DisneySea, are the only Disney parks in the world not owned or operated by The Walt Disney Company in any capacity.

The park is known for its extensive open spaces to accommodate the large crowds that visit the park. It is definitely very noticeable how well the park is designed to accommodate people comfortably compared to its American counterparts.

As of 2019, Tokyo Disneyland is the most visited theme park in Japan and the third-most visited theme park in the world behind Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World and Disneyland Park at the Disneyland Resort.

Getting to Tokyo Disneyland

The park is easily accessed by train. Its main gate is directly adjacent to both Maihama Station and Tokyo Disneyland Station.

Stay Onsite

We stayed at the Tokyo Disneyland Hotel and loved it. You can read about our stay here.

Buy your tickets in advance

Arrive Early

The reason getting into the park as quickly as possible matters so much at Tokyo Disneyland is the lack of any kind of fastpass system. The only ways to skip queues are either to take the single rider line where offered and ride by yourself, or to purchase Premier Access for the most popular rides where offered. More on Premier Access further into this article!

So the best way to avoid spending most of your day lining up is to get into the park as quickly as you can and getting to the most popular rides early in the day.

Visit on a weekday

As the majority of visitors to Tokyo Disneyland are locals, weekends, school holidays and public holidays are the busiest times to attend. If you can visit the parks on a typical week day, the parks are much less busy.

Make a plan for your day

The food places get busy as the day goes on so I advise starting your day early and breaking for an early lunch.

If you wish to dine at a restaurant in the park, bookings open at 10am (JST) one month in advance. You can also try to book at 10am once you are inside the park.

Download the Tokyo Disney Resort App

You can also use the app to lock in a time to visit popular shops like the ones that sell Duffy & Friends merch.

Have a ride strategy

I highly recommend prioritising the rides that are unique to Tokyo Disneyland – these are also the most popular rides:

Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast (this ride is next level amazing)The Happy Ride with Baymax (Super cute but not worth lining up for a long time to do)
Pooh’s Honey Hunt (Super cute and gets busy)
Monsters, Inc. Hide & Go Seek (Incredible animatronics and also gets very busy)

We also enjoyed
Space Mountain (Basically identical to the one in Disneyland Anaheim, much less jerky than the version in WDW Florida)
Big Thunder Railroad (Our favourite of the Big Thunders out of Tokyo, Anaheim and WDW.)

Our ride strategy was to purchase Premier Access to the Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast for 12pm since most people head there at park opening, and instead to head to Pooh’s Hunny Hunt which is not available on Premier Access.

After Pooh’s Hunny Hunt we head to The Happy Ride with Baymax, then Monsters, Inc. Hide & Go Seek, Space Mountain and Big Thunder Railroad, knocking out all the main rides by lunch time with a max of 15-20 min queuing per ride. We ate at a quick service restaurant and then head to Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast.

Buy Premier Access

Premier Access is currently the only way to skip queues for rides at Tokyo Disneyland. This service, available for a fee, will allow guests to select designated times to be admitted to and enjoy certain experiences. Premier Access best accessed through the Tokyo Disney Resort mobile app, which I highly recommend downloading in advance.

Each park ticket can be used to purchase one Disney Premier Access at a time.
Guests ages 3 and under will be able to access the experience with an accompanying person who has purchased Disney Premier Access.
You will be able to purchase Disney Premier Access for another attraction 60 minutes after purchasing Disney Premier Access, or after the start time of your purchased Disney Premier Access, whichever is earlier.
If you would like to purchase Disney Premier Access for the same attraction again, you may do so after using the Disney Premier Access you have purchased or after the designated time to use your Disney Premier Access has passed.
Disney Premier Access can be purchased by using the Tokyo Disney Resort App.
Only credit cards are accepted as method of payment. Please see here for information about the credit cards accepted.
Guests who do not have the Tokyo Disney Resort App or a credit card will be able to purchase Disney Premier Access at Main Street House (at Tokyo Disneyland) or Guest Relations (at Tokyo DisneySea).
Disney Premier Access is available in limited numbers and may sell out. Please check the Tokyo Disney Resort App in advance for availability.
To make bookings and purchases you must log in with a registered Disney Account. If you do not have a Disney Account, please register from here (user registration on the bookings/purchases page).

Disney Premier Access Experience	Price
Parade/Show	Disney Harmony in Color	2,500 yen per access
Parade/Show	Tokyo Disneyland Electrical Parade Dreamlights	2,500 yen per access
Attractions	Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast	2,000 yen per access
	The Happy Ride with Baymax	1,500 yen per access
	Splash Mountain	1,500 yen per access

Using Premier Access to View a Parade / Show

Guests can select a designated time for admission in advance, and enjoy parades or shows from a designated viewing area.

You will be able to purchase Disney Premier Access for another parade or show 60 minutes after purchasing Disney Premier Access, or after the admission time of your purchased Disney Premier Access (for parades or shows,) whichever is earlier.
For certain parades and shows, the location for viewing performances within the viewing area will be specified in advance. On your day of visit, please view the performance from the specified location with a corresponding number at your feet. (The number indicating your specified location will be displayed on the screen of your device after you have completed your purchase of Disney Premier Access.)

Tokyo Disneyland

How to buy Premier Access

Try the popcorn

Popcorn is the most popular snack at Tokyo Disney Resort! Not only is the popcorn unique and available in crazy flavours found nowhere else, but Disney’s popcorn buckets are also pretty special and worth taking home as a souvenir.

They are often ‘limited’ and only sold at specific locations within a park, with most buckets not likely be found at other Disney parks.

Eat all the food

While the green mochi Toy Story Aliens are the most instagrammed snack at Tokyo Disney Resort, I highly recommend trying a bit of everything!

We loved the churros, which are also available in a wide variety of exciting flavours, and the celebration drinks, which come with cubes of jelly in them.

We also loved the tropical ice blocks! They are amazing.

Try a vending machine

The Tokyo Disney Resort vending machines are insanely cute! The drinks inside are themed to the parks.

Meet or watch the characters

The characters are typically available in large numbers towards the front of the park rather than being scheduled for short periods allover the park.

It’s possible to see and meet a huge number of characters all in the one area. We were so excited to see characters we’ve never seen at any other park including Marie.

Watch the glass blowers

Inside the Cinderella Castle is a shop where you can purchase glass souvenirs.

What is even more special is that the glass blower works inside the shop so you can watch him while you’re browsing.

I highly recommend taking home a glass souvenir if you have the luggage space.

Buy the all Merch

The ears are also different and extremely cute (and cheaper than the American ones!) as are the souverniers like little bento and cutlery boxes.

There are also cute pins that are stamped Tokyo Disney Resort so unable to be bought anywhere else.

I also loved the tote bags specific to the park and cute little plushes that are bought to hang off them. You will see locals with their bags covered in these plushies.

Use the Disney photographers

Get more tips on visiting Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea.

6 Reasons To Stay at the Tokyo Disneyland Hotel

May 8, 2023 / Asia, Japan / 0 comment

6 Reasons To Stay at the Tokyo Disneyland Hotel

When we travel to a Disney park we love to stay at the official Disney hotels where possible. The added benefits of staying at a Disney hotel plus being in the Disney “bubble” for our entire stay makes every trip that big more magical.

There are different perks to staying at each Disney resort around the world: here is why you should stay at the Tokyo Disneyland Hotel on your next trip to Japan (if your budget allows).

The closest hotel to Tokyo Disneyland

Tokyo Disneyland Hotel is the closest hotel to the entrance of Tokyo Disneyland. The ease of walking out of the doors and straight through security and then the entrance gate, and then also how fast and easy it is to get back to the hotel again at the end of a day at the park is a huge perk that can’t be underestimated in my opinion. To us, this alone makes it worth the stay.

It’s also very easy to get to Tokyo DisneySea. The monorail is a few steps from the door and takes you directly to DisneySea in 7 minutes.

Adorably Themed Rooms

While the standard room is Victorian-themed in-line with the theming of the Tokyo Disneyland Hotel, there are ultra adorable themed rooms as well. Choose from Tinker Bell, Alice in Wonderland, Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella.

We chose the Alice in Wonderland room for our stay. While it did cost significantly more for a themed room, we had no regrets.

Our room was filled with Alice in Wonderland-themed furniture and motifs of the Queen of Hearts, the Card Soldiers, the White Rabbit and the Cheshire Cat. In addition to two regular beds, this room has a trundle bed that can be pulled out.

Free room amenities to take home

I looooove the free hotel-themed take home items! Each day these items were replenished as well so we had plenty to take home as souvenirs and gifts.

Toothbrush
Room slippers
Amenity kit (cotton swabs, cotton balls, hair elastic)
Re-usable hotel-themed shopping bag
Complimentary Mineral Water
Children’s slippers
Children’s toothbrush
Children’s mug

You can use the complimentary pyjamas (for adults) in the room and request children’s sizes, however these must stay at the hotel.

Disney Hotels Exclusives

Special products are available for purchase to Guests staying at a Deluxe Type Disney Hotel (Tokyo Disneyland Hotel, Disney Ambassador Hotel, Tokyo DisneySea Hotel MiraCosta). I bought one of these tote bags and clip on toys as a special momento of our stay.

Guaranteed admission to the Parks

One major benefit if you visit in peak season is that guests of the hotel are guaranteed admission to Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea, even when admission is being restricted due to high attendance.

“Happy Entry” Early Park Entry

Guests staying at a Disney hotel are be eligible for “Happy Entry,” a Disney hotel benefit that allows Guests to enter Tokyo Disneyland or Tokyo DisneySea through a Special Entrance for Disney hotel guests 15 minutes earlier than other Guests.

When checking into the hotel you will be asked what days you have purchased park tickets for and be given a little paper slip per person per day for 15 minute early admission to the parks. Note that not every park is available for early entry each day and the schedule is not published anywhere that we were able to find, and also that this benefit is not available on the day of check-in but is available on the day of check-out.

Park admission time for Guests staying at a Disney hotel is shown on the Special Entrance Pass.

Good to know before you go

How to book a Tokyo Disneyland Resort hotel

Bookings are open from 11am (JST) three months in advance through the Tokyo Disney Resort Online Reservations & Tickets website. Up to five consecutive nights and three rooms can be booked per booking.

Go here to reserve your room.

A helpful guide to booking your room is here.

Hotel information

Check-in: 3pm Checkout: 12pm. You will not be able to check in early so there is no point in asking.

The hotel features restaurants which need to be booked in advance of your stay for optimal days and times. It is difficult to book on arrival as the restaurants are busy and book up well in advance.

There is a small convenience store with very basic food items and necessities however the prices are high. There is a 7-Eleven a 15 min walk from the hotel that is well stocked and reasonably-priced.

You can purchase quick meals from the convenience store and ask the staff to heat them up for you at the counter after payment.

Room categories

All 706 guest rooms feature designs of the Disney Characters. Guest rooms are divided into four categories. Rooms with a view of Tokyo Disneyland are categorized as Park View, and the ones with a frontal view of Tokyo Disneyland as Park Grand View.
Concierge Rooms and Suites come with breakfast, and also include access to an exclusive lounge offering check-in/checkout and beverage services.

Themed rooms are located at the back of the hotel and do not have a view of the park. Ours had a view of this beautiful garden.

Cancellation fees and booking changes

This was confusing to us so it’s worth mentioning. If you want to start your stay earlier than dates you have already booked, you must cancel your existing booking and book a new room from scratch. You cannot add dates onto the start of your booking.

You may cancel your booking and have your deposit refunded as per these conditions:

・If a cancellation is made prior to the following dates when a cancellation fee will be charged, the full amount of the deposit paid will be refunded.
・If a cancellation is made after the following dates when a cancellation fee will be charged, the deposit minus the cancellation fee will be refunded in accordance with the conditions of accommodation contract of each hotel.

Tokyo Disneyland Hotel
Disney Ambassador Hotel
Tokyo DisneySea Hotel MiraCosta
-14 to 8 days before your stay: 10,000 yen per room
-7 to 2 days before your stay: 20,000 yen per room
-Day before, on the day of your stay, or no-show: 30,000 yen per room

Tokyo Disney Resort Toy Story Hotel
Tokyo Disney Celebration Hotel
-14 to 8 days before your stay: 5,000 yen per room
-7 to 2 days before your stay: 10,000 yen per room
-Day before, on the day of your stay, or no-show: 15,000 yen per room

https://www.tokyodisneyresort.jp/en/hotel/tdh.html

The Best Easter High Tea in Sydney

March 23, 2023 / Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

Where to find the Best Easter High Tea in Sydney

Dive into delicate savouries and sweets at a beautifully-themed Easter high tea in Sydney.

Shangri-La Sydney Alice in Wonderland High Tea Buffet

All the little (and big!) Kings and Queens of Hearts will weave through a labyrinth of delicious desserts such as white rabbit clock macarons, playing card cookies and Alice’s favourite scones.

Of course, the Mad Hatter has ensured there will be plenty of ‘Drink Me’ potion, with an array of tea, juices, hot chocolate and coffee. Plus, scrumptious gourmet bites such as Humpty Dumpty sandwiches to appease even the Cheshire Cat’s appetite.

You don’t want to be late for this very important date! Alice in Wonderland High Tea Buffet will take place in the Grand Ballroom, Shangri-La Sydney from 14 April – 16 April and 21 April – 23 April inclusive from 10 AM – 12 PM and 1 PM – 3 PM.

Tickets must be purchased in advance via the link HERE at AUD 59 per child and AUD 79 per adult (age 12 and above). For additional information, call 9250 6000 or e-mail dine.slsn@shangri-la.com.

Langham, Sydney Easter Afternoon Tea

Dessert Queen Anna Polyviou works her magic with an extra special Easter afternoon tea 🐰🐣 from 1st – 10th April only.

Feast on delicate treats including;
🎂Hide N Seek (Vanilla Mascarpone Crème, Raspberry Rice Bubbles, Berried Compot
🐰Triple Choc Brownie (Triple Choc Brownie, Pop-Corn Crunch, Chocolate Chantilly Crème)
🥕Carrot Garden (Roasted Milk Chocolate, Apricot Gel, Carrot & Apple Cake)
Plus hot cross bun scones and more…

Book in advance and get more details HERE.

Crown Plaza Hawksbury Lindt Easter High Tea

Our Lindt Hight Tea is back! Featuring our very own Berry Lindt Chocolate Mousse

and White Lindt Chocolate Red Velvet Sphere

, we’ve partnered with Lindt Chocolatiers to bring you an unforgettable high tea experience this Easter!

What’s Included:

Complimentary glass of sparkling on arrival

Specially made Lindt chocolate dessert plate

Assortment of soft handmade finger sandwiches

Fresh scones with jam and cream

Selection of hot canapes

Delicious range of boutique tea’s and coffee

Plus all your Lindt chocolate favourites

Available: Wednesday to Sunday during Easter School Holidays, starting Saturday 8th April

Time: 12pm – 2pm

Price: $65 adults $35 under 12’s

Book online

https://www.cphawkesburyvalley.com.au/hot…/lindt-high-tea/

Floris Tea

𝗚𝗘𝗧 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗬 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗔𝗡 𝗘𝗫𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗔𝗗𝗩𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘 𝗔𝗧 𝗙𝗟𝗢𝗥𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗔!

JOIN US for a delightful Easter Eggs Hunt High Tea (extended throughout the school holidays), where kids can let their inner bunnies hop around in our newly added play area

𝗘𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗘𝗴𝗴𝘀 𝗛𝘂𝗻𝘁 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗧𝗲𝗮

Dates: Saturday, 1 April 2023 – Sunday, 23 April 23

Time: 10am – 4pm

Location: FlorisTea, St Clair

Length: 90 mins (each booking)

It’s going to be an egg-stra special celebration filled with fun, laughter, and sweet memories!

𝗔𝗗𝗨𝗟𝗧𝗦 𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗨:

Homemade Scone with Jam & Cream

Mini French Croissant

Smoked Salmon Sandwich

Chicken Sandwich

Egg Tart

A select of our fresh cakes and sweets

𝗗𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗸𝘀:Choice of Tea, Coffee, or Hot Chocolate

𝗞𝗜𝗗𝗦 𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗨:

Homemade Scone with Jam & Cream

Chicken Nugget Burger

A selection of our fresh cakes and sweets

Chicken Popcorn

Choice of Hot Chocolate, or Juice

𝗗𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗸𝘀: Hot Chocolate, or Juice

𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀:

Kid Easter Cookie Decor

Kid Creative Corner Colouring

Easter Eggs Hunt

𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲:

Kids $29.99

Adult $39.99

Additional: $5 for Bonnet Hat Decor, and $20 for Easter ShowBag

𝗟𝗨𝗖𝗞𝗬 𝗗𝗥𝗔𝗪: One Winner of the Large Cubby House (decor your own)

Book your magical experience Today, for a cracking good time!

𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚, 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗖𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝟵𝟲𝟳𝟬 𝟯𝟭𝟭𝟬.

Two Deers Cafe

EASTER HIGHTEA FOR 2 ($90)

Tea or Coffee for 2

Petit Four

Macarons

Chocolate Bunny & Egg

Mango Vanilla Egg

Seafood Basket

Seasonal Fruit

Club Sandwiches

EASTER HIGHTEA FOR 4 ($180)

Tea or Coffee for 4

Petit Four x2

Macarons x2

Chocolate Bunny & Eggs

Mango Vanilla Egg x2

Seafood Basket

Seasonal Fruit

Smoked Salmon Bites

Grilled Garlic Balmain Bugs

Prawn Avocado Salad

Club Sandwiches

Bookings are compulsory for group more than 4 people, please book online https://www.twodeerscafe.com

Kiosk 32-37 Level 2 Westfield Shopping (Infront of David Jones)

Sunday – Friday | 8:30am – 5pm

Saturday | 8:30am – 5:30pm

QTea Sydney

Sink into sugar-coated abandon at Easter QTea. Enter our sweet sanctuary where the master of ganache, patissier Adriano Zumbo has entered his Easter era with edible sensations exclusive to QTea.

Let the Luv Sum Bunny cake hop onto your plate with its caramelised white chocolate, pecan, raspberry and orange decadence. Making her golden entrance is the Miss Chicky cake, bursting with bright flavours of lemon yuzu, white chocolate and mango, before devouring the main event, the Great Egg Hunt tart, filled with hazelnut praline, salted caramel and chocolate.

Get the full menu here.

Booking period: Now – 8 Apr 2023
Easter QTea
$99pp
$110pp with glass of Mumm Sparkling
$50per child (aged 6 – 12)
$8 Parisian style hot-chocolate served with cream
Book online.

A First-timer’s Guide to Visiting Disneyland California

March 16, 2023 / Disney Travel, Disneyland, Travel / 0 comment

First time visiting Disneyland California? This Disneyland guide has everything you need to plan a successful trip to the happiest place on Earth.

Disneyland is located in Anaheim, California. It actually consists of two parks, Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park. The two parks are only a few metres away from each other so it’s very easy to visit both parks on the same day and to stay in a hotel that is close to both park entrances.

Disneyland opened in 1955 and was the first theme park opened by The Walt Disney Company. It is the only park that was designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney himself. While there are now parks in Orlando, Paris, Shanghai, Toyko and Hong Kong, California’s Disneyland is the true original park and is referred to by many as having the most “Disney magic”.

A First-timer’s Guide to Visiting Disneyland California

What age is best for Disneyland?

Honestly, any age! Disneyland caters to all ages from 0-100 as long as you love Disney. I’ve been as an adult without kids, with a 2 year old, 4-year-old, 7-year-old, 9-year-old and most recently 11-year-old. Each time is different but equally enjoyable.

What time of year should we go?

Disneyland is gorgeous to visit all-year round. They have special seasonal events around Halloween and Christmas in particular, making these two times of year a really special time to visit. Check out the crowds at the time of year you’re considering visiting at this website – if you can visit during a slower time, I would suggest doing so. We have visited twice in June or July and both times it has been very hot and very busy.

Where should we stay?

There are so many choices! Disneyland have their own hotels that are on the park grounds and give you special benefits – the biggest two being early entry into the parks every day (30 minutes before general admission) and a special entry to Disney California Adventure Park through Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa so you’ll never have to line up. There is also now an entrance straight into Disney California Adventure Park from Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel.

While the Disneyland hotels also offer other great features that carry the Disney magic to all areas of your stay, they are also the pricey accomodation option – so if you’re on a budget you’ll want to consider staying at a “good neighbor” hotel instead.

All the benefits of staying at a Disneyland hotel

We have stayed at the Grand Californian Hotel and loved it. You can read our review of the Grand Californian Hotel & Spa here.

We have stayed at three different “good neighbor” hotels, the Howard Johnson Hotel and Water Park, the Carousel Inn and Suites and the Grand Legacy at the Park. All three were half the price of the Disneyland hotels and had excellent locations – directly across the road from Disneyland, making our commute each morning a mere 5 minutes walk.

You can read our review of the Howard Johnson Hotel and Water Park here and of the Grand Legacy at the Park here.

How long should we stay for?

We have stayed for three days twice and four days once (with the Halloween party taking up one day). We spent one day each at Disneyland and California Adventure park, and one day hopping between the two. Ideally I would suggest going for five days as we always feel like there’s never enough time to fit in everything.

What’s “early entry”?

Guests of the Disney hotels can enter either Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park 30 minutes early every day. Not all areas of the parks are open however at this time so plan your ride strategy accordingly. The big headliner rides are NOT open for early morning entry. See what is currently available here before your trip.

What is “rope drop”

If you talk to any regular Disney park goers and you will hear them talk about “rope drop”. This is the time when visitors in the park are allowed to enter and speedily make their way to their first ride of the day at park opening. Disneyland cast members usually have an actual rope up to hold crowds back and drop it, hence “rope drop”. A major strategy to get on rides that otherwise have a long line is to “rope drop” it, AKA line up as early as you can before the park opens, and then when the rope drops, get to the big popular ride quickly so you can ride it without lining up or paying extra.

What tickets should we get?

You have a choice between single park passes, which allow you entry into one park per day, or “park hoppers” which let you go back and forth between the parks. If you buy multi day passes (which is the cheapest way to buy tickets), you will have to choose between the two types, you can’t mix and match. With older kids, I’d recommend park hoppers, particularly if you will be there three days. I found a full day at each park was perfect, plus that extra day to jump between the two and finish up a few things we missed or wanted to do again.

I always advise buying tickets at least a few days in advance. While the queues have always been short to buy tickets when we’ve arrived, it just cuts out one extra step to get into the park. When you buy a ticket online you can choose an eTicket which you then present on your phone (or printed out) at the gates for entry.

More info on ticket types and prices

Park Reservations

Since Covid, park reservations have been required to enter the park on the day, even after a ticket has been purchased. Once you have bought your tickets, link them to your Disneyland account and select which park you want to start at for each day of your trip. You can change the park reservation up till the night before so don’t worry if you initially book one park but then change your mind before your trip. Just cancel the reservation and book the other park.

You must have a park reservation to enter on the day and parks do reach capacity during busy times, so book your reservations as soon as you book your tickets if possible and then change them alter if needs be.

Get all the info you need on the park ticket booking and reservation system.

What time of day should I arrive?

The parks open at different times throughout the year – anywhere between 8am and 10am. My best advice on getting the most out of a Disneyland day is to arrive well before the park opens. At least 30 minutes. It can take quite a while to get through security, and also through the gates. When you use your tickets for the first time, you will have a photo taken and linked online to your pass, and you will need to sign the tickets they give you – all making the entry process that much longer.

We enjoyed the early mornings the most as there were the fewest people in the park, so lines were shorter.

Check the Disneyland calendar here to find out what time the park opens for your visit.

How do I plan a day at Disneyland?

My best advice is to plan to do all the rides first thing in the morning. As soon as the gates open, go straight to the rides you want to do the most that are the most popular rides, and either do the rides immediately, or book a Lightening Lane (see more below) to return and do the ride later without having to line up to do so.

We typically spend the first three hours just doing all of the rides, then take a break for lunch and spend the afternoons watching shows, meeting characters, shopping, eating ice cream, and watching the parades.

Find out the height requirement for rides in advance and plan accordingly!

This site gives you the average wait time for each ride, so you can see which ones are the most popular.

Skip the queues with Genie+

Genie+ is a fee-based add-on to the standard Disney Genie in-app planning tool which is built into the Disneyland mobile app. We don’t find Disney Genie at all useful so we only use the app for the Genie+ service. Disney genie is supposed to help visitors curate their day by giving custom recommendations based on their preferences, however we prefer to just look at the ride wait time screen on the app and base our decisions on that. If you want to give the free Disney Genie planning tool a go however, instructions on how to use it are here.

In a nutshell, Genie+ lets you skip the general stand by line for certain popular attractions. It has replaced the old FASTPASS and MAXPASS systems.

Genie+ is a paid addition to your Disneyland ticket. You can buy it at the same time as you buy your park tickets or each day ad hok. Genie+ at writing costs $25USD per ticket per day. For this cost you will be able to skip the general stand by queue and instead use a special Lightening Lane entrance on certain rides at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park. You can also download your PhotoPass and ride photos at no extra cost.

How to use Genie+

Purchase Genie+ at the same time as your park tickets in advance or from midnight the day you want to enter the park. You will be able to book your first Disney Genie+ Lightning Lane attraction on the Dinseyland app after you scan into the park and the park officially opens.

Once you’ve redeemed your initial selection (or the arrival window has passed), you can use the Disney Genie service Tip Board or My Day itinerary to see when you’re eligible to make another selection. You can make selections, one at a time, all day up to regular park closing, subject to availability and limited to one Lightning Lane selection per attraction per day.

Lightening Lane ride selections are not available for a few big headliner rides at each park – these must be bought separately as an Individual Lightening Lane for an additional per person fee.

What is Individual Lightening Lane (ILL)

For the headliner rides that aren’t included in Genie+, guests may purchase and select the next available arrival window for up to two attractions per day, for an additional individual fee. All guests with valid theme park admission and park reservations can purchase the Individual Lightening Lane (ILL) rides —with or without Disney Genie+ service.

Pricing for individual purchase of Lightning Lane entrance arrival windows will vary by date and attraction, and purchase is subject to limited availability. Be sure to check the Disneyland app on the day of your visit for current prices and attraction availability.

How to Purchase Individual Lightening Lane

Upon entering a theme park, you can make individual purchases within the Disney Genie Service Tip Board or My Day itinerary in the Disneyland app, (subject to availability). You can purchase individual selections for up to 2 different attractions per day. Note: Lightning Lane entry for these attractions will only be available to purchase individually and are not included with Disney Genie+ service.

At time of writing, rides that needed an ILL to skip the queue included Rise of the Resistance, Radiator Spring Racers and Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Rollercoaster. You can still line up for these rides however and not pay an additional fee, you will just need to include this in your rides strategy and run straight to these rides to line up when the park opens.

What are some tips for watching the parades?

The parades are incredibly popular, with people staking out their front row spots over 45 minutes before the parade begins. If you watch carefully around the park from an hour before the parades start, Disneyland staff will begin marking out the areas for crowd control. Grab a spot on a bench or on the gutter edge and either all sit with some snacks and wait, or leave one adult there while the rest of the family entertain themselves in other ways while you’re waiting.

The parades wind their way from the back of the park to the front, so if the start time is 4:30pm, it will reach around the front of the park around 4:45-4:50pm.

Can we take food and drink into the park?

Yes you can. Take a large refillable water bottle – you can refill with water at any drink station through out the parks. You can also ask for cups of ice water at any restaurant/fast food outlet. You are allowed to take whatever food and snacks you like into the park, which is a great way to cut down on costs.

We didn’t take many snacks with us as we were staying at a very basic hotel with nowhere to keep food, however we did take in little bags of nuts and things like that to keep us going.

Food inside the parks

If you’re like us and travel to get to the Disney parks, you’re likely to not have much in the way of food to take in and will be buying your food all day. The food outlets are a mix of sit down and quick service (takeaway) and there is not a really good amount of food for people who have allergies plus plant-based vegan options.

I highly recommend eating outside popular meal times to avoid lining up and struggling to find a seat, ordering using the mobile app for the same reason, or booking a sit-down meal.

Our all -time favourite quick meal at the parks is the grilled cheese and tomato soup at Jolly Holliday in Disneyland. It’s delicious!

Should I take a stroller?

If your child fits in one, absolutely yes. Many hours of walking will tired even older children. There is stroller parking at every ride, and every restaurant/facility is stroller-accessible. I also like having a stroller to put our stuff in, like water bottles and snacks, and the canopy provides much needed shade during the heat.

Effective May 1, 2019, strollers that are greater than 31” in width and 52” in length will be prohibited. Stroller wagons will also be prohibited.

Read about Disneyland’s stroller restrictions here.

Should I use the Disneyland photographers?

Personally, I always utilise the Disneyland photography service, called PhotoPass. For an additional fee you can download all of the images taken by the Disneyland photographers. The photographers are scattered around both parks all throughout the day and take some really great quality photos – with the entire family in them! I love that I can get out whole family in the same shot with zero effort, and I also like to leave my giant SLR camera at home and just take my point and shoot with me, knowing the Disneyland photographers will have their excellent cameras to snap portraits for me that save me lugging around my behemoth for the day.

Having said that, the PhotoPass photos are very much hit or miss and I do tend to get a lot of photos back that are out of focus, so I would suggest asking the photographer to take a photo on your phone as well as using their camera.

At time of editing (March 2023), purchasing Genie+ for $25 per person, per day also gives you the PhotoPass images.

When getting your photo taken, you can either download the Disneyland app to your phone and present the app to the photographer and add the photos to your account, or the photographer will give you a small card with a bar code that you can then add into your account yourself later on.

You can take the cards to a Disneyland PhotoPass store to buy the images at the park, or log into the Disneyland PhotoPass website later to buy and download them.

How do I keep on top of what’s happening during the day?

I love the excellent (free) Disneyland app. It allowed me to see the wait times on every ride, has a map with a compass so you know where you are, and also shows what characters are where for meet and greets, where food outlets and bathrooms are, and times for entertainment such as shows and parades.

How do I meet characters at Disneyland?

Characters roam around the parks all day. Some have designated spots and times that you can find either on the app or by asking at Guest Services inside the park. The core characters such as Minnie, Mickey and friends and the princesses have designated places where they can be found.

Others simply roam and you have to be lucky to spot them, such as Alice in Wonderland and the Mad Hatter, and Mary Poppins. If you want an easy way to meet lots of the characters all together, book in for a character Breakfast or dinner.

What are the character dining options?

There are five character dining options at Disneyland. One is inside the park: Minnie & Friends at the Plaza Inn, which is available for breakfast/brunch. This character dining experience requires a park ticket to attend.

Minnie & Friends is our top pick as it has the most variety and volume of characters. We met Minnie Mouse, plus core Disney faves like Donald Duck, Hook and Chip & Dale, Winnie the Pooh and Eeyore. Peter Pan, Rafiki and other lesser characters also feature.

Review of Minnie & Friends at the Plaza Inn

Outside the park there are three options:

Goofy’s Kitchen at the Disneyland Hotel, which is open for breakfast and dinner. This is the only character dining experience which is open for dinner. We met Mickey, Minnie, Chip, Dale, Pluto and Goofy.

Review of Goofy’s Kitchen at the Disneyland Hotel

Mickey’s Tales of Adventures at the Grand Californian. This is a fun buffet experience with Mickey, Minnie, Chip, Dale and Pluto. Breakfast/brunch only.

Review of Mickey’s Tales of Adventure at the Grand Californian

Donald Duck’s Seaside Breakfast and Brunch at Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel. Daisy and Stitch are at this dining experience.

More info on Donald Duck’s Seaside Breakfast and Brunch here.

Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures at the Napa Rose, Grand Californian. This is the only princess-themed dining experience. It’s a pricey meal with plenty of interactions and take-home gifts.

More info the Princess Breakfast here.

Book in for a character Breakfast or dinner here.

How do I meet the Disney princesses?

You can meet three princesses at any time of day at the Fantasy Faire inside Fantasyland, Disneyland. The princesses change regularly so you won’t know which ones will be there until you go inside.

The princesses are in seperate rooms and you walk around to meet them one at a time. You can also happen upon princesses outside Cinderella’s Castle – we found Aurora this way. As of Jan 2018, this is the only way to meet multiple princesses at the same venue.

Princesses also roam around the park. Check the app to see where they will appear and when.

You can also book in for the Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures at the Napa Rose, Grand Californian. This is the only princess-themed dining experience. It’s a pricey meal with plenty of interactions and take-home gifts.

More info the Princess Breakfast here.

What about Anna and Elsa?

The sisters are located inside the Animation Academy in California Adventure Park, and are the only princesses you meet together. We really enjoyed meeting Anna and Elsa – they have a great repartee together, making the sisters a really fun duo to chat with.

What is the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique?

This is a must (but pricey) experience for little girls who want a princess makeover. You can read about our experience and more info on the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique here.

I want to visit Star Wars Land

Star Wars land is located in Disneyland. Get all the info you need about Star Wars land rides and attractions here.

Where to go for a break from the crowds

The crowds can be incredibly overwhelming in both parks. My favourite spots to escape the crowds are Tom Sawyer’s Island in Disneyland Park (and island reached by a raft with tunnels to explore), the The Redwood Creek Challenge Trail (a forest-themed play area) and the Animation Academy (where you can learn to draw Disney characters and visit the Beast’s library) at Disney California Adventure.

What services does Disneyland offer for disabilities?

Disneyland has a range of services and guide for people living with disabilities. The service most people are interested in is the Disability Access Pass (DAS) which allows people unable to queue for the rides the ability to wait elsewhere for their ride and return at a designated time and use the Lightening Lane queue to board the ride. You can pre-register for this service in advance through a video interview or in person on arrival at Disneyland.

I highly recommend pre-registering as you will then be able to select two rides per day to pre-book for your party to enjoy. Once you are in the park and using the DAS, you can select one ride at a time similar to the Genie+ booking system. One differences is that once you book a DAS ride selection, you can use it at any time that day once your booking window commences. Genie+ ride selections expire after an hour if they’re not used.

Do I need Genie+ and DAS?

With both tools you will be on and off rides all day with pretty much minimal wait times, however the DAS operates so similarly to the Genie+ that I don’t think it’s a necessary additional purchase myself.

What is the World of Colour nighttime spectacular?

World of Color is an evening show inside Disney California Adventure Park, which is generally on either once or twice per night. Jets of water shoot into the air, with lasers shooting colors and video montages from classic Disney movies onto the water “movie screen”. It’s a magnificent production well worth watching.

In order to enter the reserved viewing areas, Guests must present one of the following:

A valid virtual queue selection for World of Color (one per Guest)
A valid voucher from a World of Color dining package or World of Color Dessert Party (one per Guest). We highly enjoyed the World of Color Dessert Party (read our review here).

Do you have any questions about how to plan the perfect Disneyland holiday? What else do you want to see in a Disneyland guide?

More Disneyland tips

Tips on the best things to do at Disneyland with little kids

How to survive (and enjoy!) Disneyland with a toddler

Get ready for your Disney trip with these packing tips

Celebrating the holidays at Disneyland

Celebrating Halloween at Disneyland

A guide to the best desserts at Disneyland

The Best NYC Observation Deck

March 9, 2023 / New York, New York Life / 0 comment

The Best NYC Observation Deck

New York City is best seen from above! Each NYC observation deck offers spectacular views over the city plus some bonus immersive experiences.

SUMMIT One Vanderbilt

More than just an observation deck, SUMMIT One Vanderbilt is an immersive, multi-sensory art experience with breathtaking views over Manhattan. The newest viewing platform at time of writing, SUMMIT opened in October 21, 2021, and has the best and closest views of the Chrysler Building and Empire State Building compared to any other observation deck in the city.

With mirrored walls reflecting the skyline, an installation by Yayoi Kusama, a floating orb ball room, a glass box that juts over the edge of the building and the world’s largest external glass bottomed elevator, SUMMIT has well and truly upped the game for observation decks in NYC by giving visitors endless unique photo ops as well. No binoculars.

Read more about visiting SUMMIT One Vanderbilt here.

Top of the Rock Observatory

Top of the Rock Observatory sits at the top of the Rockefeller Center in the heart of New York City. From this incredible location, the Observatory offers breathtaking views of the city including the Empire State Building and Central Park.

Top of the Rock offers outdoor viewing areas with and without glass. It’s the only NYC observation deck with an outdoor area and no glass or mesh to capture reflection and barrier-free photo ops. Binoculars are coin operated.

Read more about visiting Top of the Rock Observatory here.

Empire State Building

The Empire State Building in Midtown Manhattan, is an Art Deco masterpiece. Built in 1931, the skyscraper is 102-stories tall and features the highest open-air observatory in New York City.

The 86th Floor Observatory offers 360-degree views of New York and beyond. On a clear day you can see views of Central Park, The Hudson River and East River, The Brooklyn Bridge, Times Square and even the tiny The Statue of Liberty, way off in the distance.

Empire State Building has outside and inside NYC viewing platforms. Their outside observation deck has a metal grid surrounding it. Head upstairs to the next level for indoor glassed viewing area. Binoculars are free!

Read more about visiting the Empire State Building here.

One World Observatory

Climb to the top of the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, the One World Trade Center, in New York City. The One World Observatory is located on the 100-102 floors with breathtaking views, restaurants and exhibits on offer.

The One World Trade Center is located in Downtown Manhattan, near where the original Twin Towers in the World Trade Center complex used to stand. After the Twin Towers collapsed during the 2001 terrorist attack, the new One World Trade Center was build near to where the old towers used to stand. The footprints of the old Twin Towers have been turned into 9/11 Memorial Pool outside the new building.

There is no outside area at the Observatory, however the floor to ceiling glass windows offer are spectacular view. No Binoculars.

Read more about visiting One World Observatory here.

Read about more things to do in NYC with or without kids.

Get more tips on visiting New York City.

Best NYC Observation Deck: SUMMIT One Vanderbilt

March 8, 2023 / Indoor Play, Museums & Galleries, New York, New York Life / 0 comment

Best NYC Observation Deck: SUMMIT One Vanderbilt

More than just an observation deck, SUMMIT One Vanderbilt is an immersive, multi-sensory art experience with breathtaking views over Manhattan.

Located on the top four floors of the new One Vanderbilt skyscraper next to Grand Central Station, the over 6,000 square meter (65,000 square foot) space, which opened October 21, 2021, has the best and closest views of the Chrysler Building and Empire State Building compared to any other observation deck in the city. The Empire State Building, which is only 8 blocks away from Summit One Vanderbilt, so the view and photo opportunities are incredible.

The SUMMIT journey starts on the ground.Underground actually, as the entrance is a level below the footpath. Instructions on how to find the entrance are here.

It’s quite a process lining up (even for timed tickets), going through security, putting on the special booties over shoes and scanning your face to connect with your wrist band for photo opportunities.

The elevator up to the 91st floor is cramped, but full of digital effects to start the immersive experience.

The 91st floor opens to Air, designed by Kenzo Digital, and the first within the installation, called Transcendence, a large mirrored space where visitors can enjoy being part of the skyline views in the mirrors surrounding them on all sides. New York is infinite in this space.

It’s hard to visit this space and get great photos with the mirrors due to the large number of people inside the space at all times. We booked the first time slot of the day and it was still completely packed and impossible to get a photo without a zillion other New Yorkers in it.

The best and easiest photos to get without your neighbour in them are by the windows overlooking the city. We visited on a dreary rainy day which wasn’t ideal for the view, however still managed to get some decent photos with the city’s famous landmarks in them.

Transcendence is continued on the next floor, where balconies overlook this space.

The next installation is Clouds (2019) by Yayoi Kusama, the artist behind the famous mirrored infinity rooms. The stainless-steel “clouds” fill the floor and encourage visitors to see new reflections and angles, meant to reinforce the feeling of infinity and perpetuity.

The most popular room follows, filled with floating silver orbs. The room is like a giant, shiny adult ball pit. The walls and floor are mirrored which can be fun to create effects in photos, but also makes it hard to get a shot without one of the many other visitors in them. For your best shot with no one else in the frame, try to head to a corner and angle the camera so as to avoid reflections from the wall that include the rest of the room.

We missed the instructions to scan our wristbands at the Unity section and didn’t realize our faces would merge with the clouds on the screen if we did. There was a lack of information and signage about this section, we just thought it was a pretty digital screen and nothing more.

Back to the view outside, a unique way to see the skyline is in Ascent, advertised as the world’s largest external glass-bottomed elevator that goes up to 1,200 feet above ground level on the outside of the building. It’s an extra $20 to go for a ride in the elevator.

Après lounge and café is at this end stage of the experience, featuring drinks and light snacks.

The final experience is Levitation, two all-glass sky boxes extend outside the building 1,063 feet over the bustling Madison Avenue. Visitors have a very limited amount of time in in the skyboxes which helpfully makes the line go fast but also makes it quite full of pressure to snap the perfect shot vs enjoy the experience of jutting out over the edge of the building.

There is a mounted camera that will take photos of your group that you can download for an additional fee. You can take your own photos however, just be quick about it before your time runs out.

Tips for visiting SUMMIT: One Vanderbilt:

Bring sunglasses. The reflective materials used throughout SUMMIT create a bright environment, especially at times of full sunlight. We visited on a very dreary day and didn’t need them, however if it was sunny I think they would be a necessity.

Dress wisely. SUMMIT features many reflective floors and recommend pants, shorts, or tights. If you wear a dress or skirt, make sure to wear shorts underneath.

Wear comfortable, non-marking shoes. Stiletto heels, work boots, cleats and certain other footwear that can damage flooring are not permitted.

Book well in advance. The experience is very popular and books out particularly in busy holiday seasons.

SUMMIT One Vanderbilt
45 E 42nd St, New York, NY 10017
Entrance located on the Main Concourse of Grand Central Terminal
Hours: Wed-Mon 9am-12am. Tuesday closed.
summitov.com

Find the best things to do in NYC with kids.

Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella & the Power of Choosing Kindness

December 5, 2022 / Sydney, Sydney Life, Theatre / 0 comment

Immerse yourself in the magic of Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Tony® Award-winning Broadway musical Cinderella at the Lyric Theatre Sydney until the end of January 2023.

Rodgers + Hammerstein’s production of Cinderella was written for television, debuting in 1957 starring Julie Andrews. Premiering in Australia as a collaboration between Lyndon Terracini for Opera Australia and John Frost for Crossroads Live Australia, Cinderella is a stunning production filled with beautiful orchestrations, magnificent costumes and sets, jaw-dropping costume transformations and an extraordinarily talented cast.

Australian audiences will be delighted with the fresh take on the beloved story of “Ella”, a young woman who is transformed from a maid into a princess. The classic moments are all there: the glass slippers, pumpkin, a beautiful masked ball and a fairy godmother – however the story holds some surprising twists.

Our Cinderella is a spirited young lady, a woman with modern ideals living in a fairytale setting. She not only fights for her own dreams, but forces the prince to open his eyes to the world around him and realise his dreams too. This Cinderella isn’t a damsel in distress who needs saving, she is the one who brings change to the world through her courage and kindness.

The moral at the heart of Cinderella has always been the power of choosing kindness. Our heroine, Ella, is a role model for young girls and boys to practice compassion and forgiveness, to believe in themselves and chase their dreams.

Sydney Lyric Theatre, The Star
Season To 29 January 2023
Performance Times Tues-Sat 7.30pm, Wed 1pm, Sat 2pm, Sun 1pm & 6pm (Performance times vary weekly)
Prices: From $69.00 (Transaction fees apply)
Bookings: ticketmaster.com.au or 136 100
https://cinderellamusical.com.au/

Diamond Head Crater Hike, Hawaii

November 4, 2022 / Hawaii, Travel, USA / 0 comment

Diamond Head Crater Hike

Enjoy panoramic views of the Waikiki shoreline on the Diamond Head Crater Hike. Follow the rugged trail up to the top of an extinct volcano.

The Diamond Head Summit Trail or Diamond Head Crater Hike is a short trail in Diamond Head State Monument.

From the parking lot on the crater floor, the trail to the summit is 0.8 mile (1.3 km) one way and climbs 560 feet (171 m) in elevation.

There is a paved concrete walkway for a distance of 0.2 miles at the start of the hike. After this, the the trail becomes uneven and steep, requiring caution and appropriate footwear.

There are steep stairways on the trail and one section of the trail goes through a long, narrow tunnel (which is lighted).

The trail length is 1.6 miles (round trip). Estimated time to complete the trail is 2 hours.

The walk is classed as “moderate” in difficulty. There are some very steep sections.

The Diamond Head Crater Hike was built in 1908 as part of Oʻahu’s coastal defense system. At the summit of Leʻahi (Hawaiian name for Diamond Head Crater), you’ll find bunkers on the crater rim and a navigational lighthouse built in 1917 along the coast outside the crater. You may catch a glimpse of passing humpback whales.

Directions
The trailhead is adjacent to the parking lot within Diamond Head State Monument. The entrance is off Diamond Head Road between Makapu’u Avenue and 18th Avenue, Honolulu. Fees apply for parking.

Due to the popularity of the Diamond Head hike, bookings are required. Book here.

Additional Information
No bikes
No dogs
Stay on the trail
Restrooms available in carpark
Picnic tables
Concession stand

More things to do in Hawaii

Visit Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa.
Read what to expect when visiting Aualni, a Disney Resort and Spa.
Tips for visiting the Polynesian Cultural Center on Oahu.
Hike to the top of an extinct volcano on the Diamond Head Crater Trail.
Enjoy a fancy afternoon tea at the Moana Surfrider.
See where the Jurassic park movies were filmed on an ATV tour at Kualoa Ranch.

Read about the best things to do on Maui.
Visit the Surfing Goat Dairy on Maui.
Check out turtles at the Maui Ocean Center.
Drive to the summit of Haleakala on Maui.

Find the best things to do in Hilo, Hawaii
Visit Coconut Island, Hilo
Enjoy Liluokalani Gardens in Hilo
See the Captain Cook Monument and Kealakula Bay
Get a glimpse of the past at the Waikoloa Petroglyphs
Get the best things to do on the Big Island of Hawaii
See a volcano up close at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Visit Rainbow Falls, Hilo
See a majestic waterfall at Akaka State Park, Hilo Hawaii
See turtles on Punaluu Black Sand Beach, Hawaii
Swim with giants on a manta ray night snorkel, Hawaii
See lava and land at the foot of a waterfall on a helicopter tour
Hold a seahorse at Ocean Rider Seahorse Farm Kona Hawaii

Kualoa Ranch ATV Raptor Tour Review

November 3, 2022 / Hawaii, Travel, USA / 0 comment

Kualoa Ranch 2 Hour UTV Raptor Tour

Explore the scenic 4,000-acre Kualoa Ranch on an ATV Raptor tour. See behind the scenes of movies and TV shows.

Kualoa is a 4,000-acre private nature reserve and working cattle ranch on the windward side of Oʻahu in Hawaiʻi. Located around 24 miles from Honolulu, and 32 miles from Haleiwa, it is a popular tourist attraction and filming location.

There are lots of tour options at Kualoa Ranch which take in the scenery, history and behind-the-scenes movie magic. Every tour takes you somewhere different on the ranch so you can’t really go wrong with any of them – I would actually recommend doing several tours if time allows because the ranch is fascinating and also spectacularly beautiful.

On this trip we did the Kualoa Ranch 2 Hour UTV Raptor Tour. The tour takes place in multi-passenger UTV vehicles. It’s a guided tour with the guide up front leading the chain of UTVs through valleys and along dirt roads into remote areas. Each raptor holds between 2 and 6 people (depending how many kids are in your party). The tour stops frequently to point out places of interest and to take photos.

We particularly enjoyed the many stops to see Jurassic Park / World filming locations.

Note from Kualoa Ranch:

Get ready for a DUSTY & DIRTY adventure ! Tours go out rain or shine, so we recommend checking the weather and bringing a change of clothes if necessary.
Minimum driver age is 21 years old. Minimum rider age is 5 years old.
Drivers must have a valid driver’s license and may be liable for any damages to the Raptors if damage is caused by negligence or recklessness.
A liability waiver must be signed by all guests prior to departing on the tour.
When reserving online, one vehicle is reserved for every 6 guests included in the reservation.
We suggest wearing appropriate clothing, footwear and bringing sunglasses.
Advanced reservations are recommended as tours may sell out.
2-hour tour time includes training and safety briefing

My tips:
Tours do sell out in advance so be sure to book as soon as you know your dates. If your plans change you will be able to change to another tour without a fee as long as the tour you want to switch to is available.

Arrive early as the check in spot for all the tours is the one queue and can take a while.
Go to the bathroom before your tour as there are no restrooms along the way.

Bring your own face mask or gator to protect your mouth and nose from dust (some guests on tours are provided with a complimentary gator however we were not).

Wear your own sunglasses or the goggle provided to protect your eyes from the dust.

As soon as you’ve checked in for your tour, head to the desk for your tour to mark your name off and secure your place in the queue for your tour. First come first in the UTV line – and the further you are down the back of the line, the most dust will get kicked up onto your UTV.