TDR Now

Tokyo Disneyland has stepped up its snack game! There's new Beauty and the Beast snacks made by a famous Japanese Chef Patissier, Sadaharu Aoki. In this episode, we talk all about these delicious snacks!

We're doing something different in this episode! We're taking a look back at past shows at Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea in our new segment called "Retro Tokyo Disneyland." Where we'll go over shows that are nothing but a memory. We're starting off with one of Trish's favourites, Rock Around the Mouse . A 1950s diner-themed castle show from 2005 and lasted for less than a year !

Universal Studios Japan is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2021 with its "NO LIMIT" anniversary event. If you've seen out Twitter lately, you'd have seen some of the food is quite, well, phallic . We'll discuss all the hilarious and strange food for the anniversary along with all the awesome-looking merchandise .

In our previous two episodes on Super Nintendo World, we covered the rides and food . Now, in our final part, we're discussing the accessory you'll need to enjoy the new land to its fullest, the Power-Up Band. We'll also dive into all the different merchandise too! For more on Super Nintendo World check out all our other content on the merchandise , photos of the land , and of course Mario Kart: K...

In our previous episode we spoke about Mario Kart, Yoshi's Adventure, and our overall thoughts about Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan. In this episode, we talk for an hour about all the different Nintendo-themed food you're able to enjoy! From Kinopio's Cafe to Yoshi's Snack Island and even popcorn . We cover it all. Don't listen to this on an empty stomach! For more on Super Ninten...

We talk everything about Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan in part one of our multi-part podcast episodes. We'll go over the rides , the land itself , interactivity, food , and of course the merchandise ! There's so much to cover that we had to split it over multiple episodes for you to enjoy!

The entertainment is one of the main reasons to visit Tokyo Disney Resort. The parades are unmatched and the stage shows are over-the-top. In this episode of the podcast, we talk about the "Golden Age" of entertainment at Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea. Looking back at all the different shows that have since ended like the Bonfire Dance, Mysterious Masquerade, The Legend of Mythica, and many...

Tokyo Disneyland has gone through a number of changes this past year. One is the introduction of the Standby Pass for specific attractions at Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea. In this episode, we go through the specifics of how to use the Standby Pass through the official Tokyo Disney Resort app . Check out the official Tokyo Disney Resort website for more about the Standby Pass .

Japan still has its travel ban in place for international tourism. Meaning, unless you're a resident of Japan, you're unable to enter the country. We discuss when we think travel could resume to Japan in 2021, if at all. Also what to do for those who already have trips booked and whether or not you should book that cheap airfare you find. For updates on what's happening with the border restriction...

We're split on what we think about the new Castle of Magical Dreams at Hong Kong Disneyland. Trish and I dive into what we both think about Hong Kong Disneyland's new Castle that opened only a few months ago. Hear what we think and argue why we like/dislike the castle in episode 213 of the TDR Now Podcast!

The Fantasyland Expansion at Tokyo Disneyland has been opened since September 2020, after being delayed since April. In our last episode of 2020, we go in-depth on Beauty and the Beast, Baymax, and Minnie Mouse at Tokyo Disneyland. We discuss Enchanted Tales of Beauty and the Beast and the new Gaston restaurant plus everything else. Even talking about what we think about the new lottery system use...

Are there any Kingdom Hearts fans out there? Right now until March 2021, there are a few Kingdom Hearts pop-up cafes in Tokyo and Osaka! We headed to the cafe in Shibuya, Tokyo, to give it a try. Listen to our experience of eating the cute food and the merchandise. We'll also talk about how you can book these types of themed cafes when you're travelling to Japan. Watch our video on YouTube to see...

Want to see a different part of Japan that's not talked about much? In our continued side-trip series of podcast episodes, we venture down to the southern island of Kyushu! We venture out of the theme parks into a different part of Japan. Especially, if you're a fan of the massively popular anime, Attack on Titan. The author of the original manga, Hajime Isayama, is from Oita, Japan, in Kyushu (so...

Both Tokyo Disney Resort and Universal Studios Japan are offering a trimmed-down version of their Christmas events, which we're dubbing as "Christmas Lite." In this week's episode of the TDR Now Podcast, we let you know what both of these major theme parks in Japan are doing for the holidays. Tokyo Disney Resort isn't offering their typical Christmas event this year , since all events for the fisc...

Over on Awaji Island in Japan is a brand new Godzilla Zipline that's inside the Nijigen no Mori (anime park) . In this episode, Chris shares his experience getting to Awaji Island (near Kobe and Osaka in Kansai) and how not to miss your bus stop cause that'll ruin your day. This is the perfect day trip if you're spending time in the Kansai area including Universal Studios Japan! We're trying a new...

Recently, the Japanese government has mentioned plans to reopen the borders to the country in spring 2021. While this is only a trial basis, this week in the podcast we discuss what this means for you and your potential trip in 2021. For details check out our blog post .

Universal Studios Japan surprised everyone with the announcement of a new Mario cafe and shop. While the Super Nintendo World at the Park doesn't open, now, until spring 2021 . I headed on over to Universal Studios Japan to try all new Mario-themed goodies in the cafe. Trish and I discuss everything you need to know about wanting to experience this at Universal Studios Japan in this week's episode...

Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea reopened the parks on July 1, 2020. Since then there have been so many changes in how things work in the Parks. It's dizzying, confusing, and frankly overwhelming. Trish and I discuss all these changes and help make sense of them. "Entry Request" system for Beauty and the Beast Standby Pass Less entertainment and more photo ops Reservations for restaurants and...

Japan is currently boosting domestic travel with their Go To Travel campaign . I take advantage of the discounts and travelled from Chiba to Osaka to visit Universal Studios Japan, Kyoto, Nara, Kobe, and Himeji Castle! We talk about how to get these deals and how cheap I got the hotel rooms. Along with a discussion of how Universal Studios Japan is doing since its reopening in June. If you live in...

Visit any of the Disney Parks in Tokyo, Hong Kong, or Shanghai, and you'll see Duffy and his friends dominating the Parks. From his fumbled beginnings in Walt Disney World to have a presence in every Park in Asia. Duffy and his furry, and now reptile, friends are here to stay. In this week's episode, we ask the question "Why are Duffy and friends so popular?" Join us as we tackle this question hea...

It's no secret that the year 2020 has been, well, I don't think it needs any more rehashing. We know how the year has gone. Over at Tokyo Disney Resort, there's a lot of confusion with how the merchandise is working now. Some items are only at Tokyo DisneySea, Tokyo Disneyland, or even only at Bon Voyage (which you need a reservation for). Trish and I clear the confusion and discuss what this year...

An extension of our 200th episode where we dive deep into Tokyo Disney Resort. Trish and I discuss the changes we've personally experienced over the past 10 years at Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea. Epic Halloween shows that are a thing of the past to the increase in English within the Parks. Come and join us and learn more about Tokyo Disney Resort!

We're celebrating 200 episodes of the TDR Now Podcast! We started the podcast over 5 years ago and we cannot thank you all enough for joining us on this journey. To celebrate, we go over our favourite moments from Tokyo Disney, Hong Kong Disneyland, Shanghai Disneyland, Universal Studios Japan, and other theme parks over the past 5 years. You can listen to all our past episodes right on our websit...

Tokyo Disney Resort reopened both Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea on July 1, 2020 . Trish and I talk about how the Parks work now with the new health and safety measures as Japan navigates the COVID-19 pandemic. We were so close to having this as our 200th episode! Make sure you stay tuned for our upcoming 200th episode in a few weeks.

Talk about the worst timing for our newest podcast episode. Hong Kong Disneyland announced that the park is reclosing temporarily starting July 15, 2020 , after only reopening in June. Well, we do record our episodes in advance, so there's no way for us to take into account sudden changes. We discuss how Hong Kong Disneyland is operating now with its reopening (when it's open).