Disneyland Tokyo: Bronte’s First Birthday
Bronte turned one year old!
Japan seemed like the perfect adventure to celebrate our first year together, and on Bronte’s actual day, we went to Disneyland Tokyo.
The day before we arrived at Tokyo Disneyland Hotel, taking the train from a morning wandering around Tsukiji Fish Market. We had a great experience at the market, getting iced coffee from Yonemoto Coffee Shop, buying matcha from vendors, splurging on Wagyu beef skewers, and for Jamie - sushi, sushi, sushi! From there we took a train to Disneyland, and I could feel the energy shift. We were leaving Japan culture, and entering the magical world of Mickey - it was a world I was more familiar with! At the hotel we stayed at the Tinker Bell Room, but the hotel itself was a beautiful display of elegant Cinderella-esque furnishings and Belle’s chandeliers. But the greatest part was that you walked right outside of the hotel and through the gate to the park. It was ease and convenience, which was refreshing after spending a week figuring out Tokyo travel with a toddler in tow.
The morning of Bronte’s found us entering the park at 8:30am, and we bee-lined straight to the Winnie-the-Pooh ride. We were SO impressed with how different this ride was from the other Disneylands. It combined Japanese technical advances and the fun color / theatrics. Getting in line for Beauty and the Beast ride, we were on a high from the incredibly different experience we already had. During this ride we were giddy watching Bronte in a tea cup, twirling around the signing silverware and then the majestic ballroom.
Bronte took two naps that day, and we were just itching for her to wake up so we could keep riding rides and playing. But while she slept, we ate at the Queen of Hearts Banquet Hall, and ventured to find the perfect birthday “cake” / desert for our perfect birthday girl. And what did we find? Alien Mochi.
When Bronte woke from her second nap, she found herself in line to see Mickey. THE mouse. She also decided to be cranky and hungry at that time, so the moment we got to see Mickey, who we knew she would love, she started crying. After that we let her bounce around Toon Town and eat her birthday mochi - which was hilarious, because she just mashed it against her face. We don’t know how much of it she actually ate. At night, we pushed her bedtime and hung out in the castle and watched fireworks, before heading back to our room. The next day we would enjoy our hotel, send our luggage off to Kyoto, and board the bullet train heading South.
