Japan for family skiing holiday January 2025 - questions

[QF WP]

Well, after a hiatus of 7 years for international flying, it's finally back on. Decided to bite the bullet and a friend on mine on AFF @rugbyskier is a Thredbo ski instructor (21 years) and he also has international qualifications as well. Saw him last week and finally decided we need to get away. Brought home the idea to Mrs QF WP and she was onboard from "skiing" and "Japan". Phew, that was easier than I thought. It's been 20 years since our last ski holiday (Big White in Canada, the final holiday prior to having kids).

Then broaching the subject with Master QF WP (14 yo) and Miss QF WP (17 year old). She'll have graduated high school and done Schoolies so this will be her holiday before off to Uni. They both love Japanese food so that's a bonus. Daughter wants to ski (well, snowboard); my son is a little less enthused but will probably give it a go.


Tour details:

Total Amount: $7960 (6 nights) [$1000 deposit paid today]

Accommodation Details:

Hotel: Urabandai Lake Resort
Number of Guests: 2 Adults, 2 Children
Room Type: Twin share with private ensuite bathroom (x2)
Date In: 12 January 2025
Date Out: 13 January 2025
No. of Nights 1 night

{this is merely a positioning hotel, as the main ones isn't available until the next night}

Hotel: EN Resort Grandeco Hotel
Number of Guests: 2 Adults, 2 Children
Room Type: Twin share with private ensuite bathroom (x2)
Date In: 13 January 2025
Date Out: 18 January 2025
No. of Nights 5 nights

Transfers/Travel:
12/01/2025 Koriyama or Inawashiro station to Urabandai Lake
13/01/2025 Urabandai Lake Resort to EN Resort Grandeco
18/01/2025 EN Resort Grandeco to Koriyama station

Equipment Hire: TBC To be organised at Resort
Other: 5 day Aizu region lift pass (x4)

Silver Foxes Ski Tours
www.silverfoxesskitours.com
[email protected]

So off to @madrooster to ask him some questions:

Looks like BNE (VA) CNS (ANA) HND is the preferred option, or BNE (VA) SYD (NH) HND. Last option is BNE QF NRT QF BNE, but not my preferred If it’s going to be VA, do I just do the bookings or can you (and charge me a fee)?

The tour dates are Sunday 12th to Saturday 18th January 2025. We'd like to go a few days before to see Toyko, maybe fly out of BNE Thursday 9th (see Disneyland on Friday 10th).

Flying back on Sunday 19th ex-NRT. We'll have made it back to Toyko (Narita or Haneda) on Shinkansen on Saturday afternoon, and have an overnight ready to fly out.

He came back with:

The CNS route is wholly VA operated so it’s VA aircraft the whole way. VA have taken a leaf out of QF’s book where they now apply a mild surcharge on GDS bookings. For the VA routing I get 2070 AUD each, so it’s a little more than the VA website. ANA via SYD is a bit more at 2388 AUD each.

Given the difference I’m inclined to say do VA. Your call as to whether I book it or you do.

So I bit the bullet today and booked the flights:



So a number of initial questions that I thought I would pose to the brains trust (trust me, there'll be more):

1. The only negative I see is flying into Haneda at night (arriving 8pm, so may get through C&I by 10pm) and having to transfer to the hotel where we'll meet @rugbyskier and the other people on our tour (max 10) a couple of days later (still awaiting confirmation of Toyko hotel). We want to go to Toyko Disneyland on Friday which also muddies the water (and makes it imperative to get to the hotel on the night we arrive so we got from there the next day and not schlepping bags everywhere). Is this a fairly good review of the options and if you've done it, which did you take and why?

2. We'll come back to Tokyo on Saturday 18th but we may be best to head to a hotel at/near Haneda so the next day we can check out, store our bags and see some of the sights before the late night departure. Any suggestions about hotels?

 

[Cynicor]

I have to ask how on earth you ended up with grandeco resort for a first time skiing in Japan?! Nothing bad about the choice, just that it's farther out of the norm than usual for first time ski japan trips.

 

[Cynicor]

If I wanted to go to disneyland the day after arriving evening at HND I'd make my hotel Hilton Tokyo Bay or similar of your choice. It's not very far, and customs shouldn't take 2 full hours anyway, so I imagine you'll be in bed by 1030 pm ish.
I'd take a taxi, it will be simple and not a massive amount compared to the hassle it saves. I estimate $80-100.

You fly at 10pm so you can stay anywhere in Toyko. No need to worry about being near the airport etc. If you want to be on a line that goes direct to the airport then staying near Hamamatsucho or Shinagawa stations are your best bets. Conrad Tokyo is $$ but fits the bill for this.

 

[QF WP]

I have to ask how on earth you ended up with grandeco resort for a first time skiing in Japan?! Nothing bad about the choice, just that it's farther out of the norm than usual for first time ski japan trips.

Because that’s the ski field that the tour organizer (@rugbyskier) has chosen to take tours. I’ve no idea why he’s chosen it but will ask. Neither my wife nor I have skiied Japan before, first time for the kids - I’m happy to see the sights of Japan on the Shinkansen (last time for me was 1991) and I’d rather get out to the countryside.

 

[Katie]

Also recommend Hilton Tokyo Bay or any of the hotels nearby for a day at Tokyo Disneyland.
Also, if the kids have been to any other Disneyland, Tokyo Disney Sea is a more interesting park if you only have 1 day, unique theming unlike any other Disney park.
We did just Disney Sea on our first family Tokyo trip in 2017, and then ended up back there 6 months later thanks to a conference at the Hilton Tokyo Bay for me, so took in both parks on that second trip.

We were exhausted after the first day and had to get back to Shinjuku, which meant monorail to Disney transit station > Train to Toky station > walk ~1km to get to whatever line to get to Shinjuku > walk back to hotel. The Teen was 11 then, so a bit younger, but bloody exhausting day out.

 

[Cynicor]

Oh yes; agree with this. Disney sea for kids over 12 or if you have done Disney anywhere else before and only have a day.

 

[Himeno]

1. The only negative I see is flying into Haneda at night (arriving 8pm, so may get through C&I by 10pm) and having to transfer to the hotel where we'll meet @rugbyskier and the other people on our tour (max 10) a couple of days later (still awaiting confirmation of Toyko hotel). We want to go to Toyko Disneyland on Friday which also muddies the water (and makes it imperative to get to the hotel on the night we arrive so we got from there the next day and not schlepping bags everywhere). Is this a fairly good review of the options and if you've done it, which did you take and why?

It shouldn't take long to get through arrival requirements at 8pm. That's after the peak arrivals period (mid-late afternoon for the US arrivals). 8pm is the start of the peak departures period.
You may want to look at a hotel near Disney. There are buses from HND to that area, some direct to selected hotels. The platforms at Tokyo Station for the Keiyō Line (the line that goes past Disney) can be quite hard to find, they are some distance from the rest of the station and the underground passages can be maze like.

2. We'll come back to Tokyo on Saturday 18th but we may be best to head to a hotel at/near Haneda so the next day we can check out, store our bags and see some of the sights before the late night departure. Any suggestions about hotels?

Any hotel in Tokyo will do. You don't need to worry about storing bags at the hotel for a late night departure (although that is an option). Most train stations have luggage lockers (may need to get to them early if it is a peak travel period), the major stations also have storage services, as does the airport (on a few trips, I've put bags into station lockers in the morning, then collected them on the way to the airport at night. Some trips I've also gone to the airport in the morning and put the bags into storage before doing what I'd planned for the day then heading back to the airport and collecting my bags).
There is also the option of shipping your bags to the airport from the hotel (or a major station luggage storage counter) for collection before check in. Though this may require shipping the bags the day before the flight.

 

[Cynicor]

2 days if it’s to an airport, so shipping is out of the question.

 

[elanshin]

One thing, i would highly suggest Disney Sea over Disneyland. Most people I know regretted doing Disneyland over Disneysea as the Disneyland can be very similar to other Disneylands. Disneysea is unique.

 

[Himeno]

2 days if it’s to an airport, so shipping is out of the question.

hmmm... 2155. maybe.
When I shipped my bags to HND from the luggage place at Sakuragichō Station in Yokohama, they accepted it because the departure time was at 0005 04NOV19. I dropped the bag off mid afternoon 02NOV19.
They were hesitant to take it until they saw the flight was after midnight (even though collection would have been the same time if the flight was at 2200 03NOV or 0005 04NOV)

The baggage delivery services do same day airport to hotel (if dropped off at the airport counter in the morning) and hotel to hotel (time required depends on distance of shipment)

 

[Cynicor]

hmmm... 2155. maybe.
When I shipped my bags to HND from the luggage place at Sakuragichō Station in Yokohama, they accepted it because the departure time was at 0005 04NOV19. I dropped the bag off mid afternoon 02NOV19.
They were hesitant to take it until they saw the flight was after midnight (even though collection would have been the same time if the flight was at 2200 03NOV or 0005 04NOV)

The baggage delivery services do same day airport to hotel (if dropped off at the airport counter in the morning) and hotel to hotel (time required depends on distance of shipment)

Just for the benefit of others reading here:
while that’s the usual timeframe they don’t offer it as same day, and they can be pretty insistent on the 2 days for airports.

If you go to them and say you need bags at your hotel same day they will refuse to take them 9 times out of 10. But if you say 2 days they will be there same day 9 times out of 10, too…

 

[QF WP]

Also recommend Hilton Tokyo Bay or any of the hotels nearby for a day at Tokyo Disneyland.
Also, if the kids have been to any other Disneyland, Tokyo Disney Sea is a more interesting park if you only have 1 day, unique theming unlike any other Disney park.
We did just Disney Sea on our first family Tokyo trip in 2017, and then ended up back there 6 months later thanks to a conference at the Hilton Tokyo Bay for me, so took in both parks on that second trip.

We were exhausted after the first day and had to get back to Shinjuku, which meant monorail to Disney transit station > Train to Toky station > walk ~1km to get to whatever line to get to Shinjuku > walk back to hotel. The Teen was 11 then, so a bit younger, but bloody exhausting day out.

Oh yes; agree with this. Disney sea for kids over 12 or if you have done Disney anywhere else before and only have a day.

One thing, i would highly suggest Disney Sea over Disneyland. Most people I know regretted doing Disneyland over Disneysea as the Disneyland can be very similar to other Disneylands. Disneysea is unique.

That's why I love AFF - people so willing to give information. Hilton Toyko Bay is the go then upon arrival - 2 or 3 nights will stretch the budget but it's there to create memories. We have Friday and Saturday full days, so wondering whether we do both parks. Daughter (17) has been to both Paris and LA Disneyland. Son is 14 and has only done LA Disneyland (was only 18 months old when wife and daughter did Paris - I was looking after him and not really a massive Disney fan). They are both up to the walking. Great for the step count that week!

 

[Katie]

That's why I love AFF - people so willing to give information. Hilton Toyko Bay is the go then upon arrival - 2 or 3 nights will stretch the budget but it's there to create memories. We have Friday and Saturday full days, so wondering whether we do both parks. Daughter (17) has been to both Paris and LA Disneyland. Son is 14 and has only done LA Disneyland (was only 18 months old when wife and daughter did Paris - I was looking after him and not really a massive Disney fan). They are both up to the walking. Great for the step count that week!

In 2018, we had a family room with two bunks (or maybe even 3 extra beds, with bunks and another single??), certainly more accommodating for a family than most Tokyo hotels.

 

[Cynicor]

With 2 days then do a full day in each. They are great. Not cheap, but worth it.
That Hilton is at least the cheapest in TYO, and the rooms are larger. I haven’t stayed myself there, though.

 

[HirafuHeartAttack]

That's why I love AFF - people so willing to give information. Hilton Toyko Bay is the go then upon arrival - 2 or 3 nights will stretch the budget but it's there to create memories. We have Friday and Saturday full days, so wondering whether we do both parks. Daughter (17) has been to both Paris and LA Disneyland. Son is 14 and has only done LA Disneyland (was only 18 months old when wife and daughter did Paris - I was looking after him and not really a massive Disney fan). They are both up to the walking. Great for the step count that week!

Forgive me if you are Disney tragics but wouldn't it be more of a cultural experience to Disney Sea (generally described as the better and more unique park) and then explore Tokyo the next day? I understand you have some time at the end but given how remote the ski resort you're staying at is, it might be prudent to do some proper cultural immersion to acclimatise before heading to central Fukushima. (Master QF WP may also appreciate a disneyless day as well).

Also my 2c worth would be taking the limousine bus from HND to Hilton Tokyo Bay if thats where you end up. I think its about 1300yen pp, right from T3 HND to the door of your hotel and luggage isn't an issue.

 

[elanshin]

That's why I love AFF - people so willing to give information. Hilton Toyko Bay is the go then upon arrival - 2 or 3 nights will stretch the budget but it's there to create memories. We have Friday and Saturday full days, so wondering whether we do both parks. Daughter (17) has been to both Paris and LA Disneyland. Son is 14 and has only done LA Disneyland (was only 18 months old when wife and daughter did Paris - I was looking after him and not really a massive Disney fan). They are both up to the walking. Great for the step count that week!

With the spare time, I'd suggest going into Tokyo proper. There's always something to look at wandering around. Perhaps your kids are big Pokemon fans, perhaps everyone likes gawking at weird things. Teamlabs is also a fun experience, or maybe Shibuya as well.

Perhaps check with the kids what they want to do.

It's also completely possible to have them split from you guys for half day if you think they're capable enough. It's highly likely they may want to explore things without parents for half a day if they can. Japan is quite safe, gmaps will get you around easily.

 

[Himeno]

That's why I love AFF - people so willing to give information. Hilton Tokyo Bay is the go then upon arrival - 2 or 3 nights will stretch the budget but it's there to create memories.

The Hilton Tokyo Bay is one of the hotels with buses from the airport. The current timetable has afternoon/evening departures from T3 (international) or from T2/T1 every 10-20 mins from 11am.

https://www.airport-bus-alliance.com/limousinebus/result-t.html?airport=%E7%BE%BD%E7%94%B0%E7%A9%BA%E6%B8%AF&area=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC%E3%83%87%E3%82%A3%E3%82%BA%E3%83%8B%E3%83%BC%E3%83%AA%E3%82%BE%E3%83%BC%E3%83%88%E3%82%A8%E3%83%AA%E3%82%A2&lang=en&frto=1

 

[Quickstatus]

but we may be best to head to a hotel at/near Haneda so the next day we can check out, store our bags and see some of the sights before the late night departure.

On arrival day before exiting HND and departure date from ski resort, I would "Tak-U-Bin' your luggage via a courier service like Yamato Black Cat from HND to ski resort and from ski resort to HND. Carry a small bag for a day of clothing etc.

You dont need to pre book this service. They have a counter landside at HND. Also your ski resort hotel front desk can organise for this service very easily direct to HND and even hold for you for several days if you prefer.
As you are only going to Fukushima prefecture, the luggage will transfer within 24hrs but check with them first. The costs are cheap cheap cheap and very safe. I even had a passport couriered by Yamato from Tokyo hotel to Madarao one time.

+ 1 for Disney Sea. We were unimpressed with Tokyo Disneyland having been to the one in California, Florida, Paris. Its merely a smaller facsimile.

grandeco resort for a first time skiing in Japan

For first timers ( or just coming to japan for first time) a smaller resort like Grandeco is actually better for overall japan vibe.
Any resorts anywhere in the world with lots of Aussies =

 

[Himeno]

With the spare time, I'd suggest going into Tokyo proper. There's always something to look at wandering around. Perhaps your kids are big Pokemon fans, perhaps everyone likes gawking at weird things. Teamlabs is also a fun experience, or maybe Shibuya as well.

and you haven't been to Tokyo until you get lost in Shinjuku Station (the busiest train station in the world with 3 million pax/day)

 

[Quickstatus]

Shinjuku Station

I got lost in Tokyo station before i got lost in Shinjuku.

I got rescued by station workers at both. I dont know what else to call them but they were helping various tourists and could speak very good English.