Tokyo Disneyland
Topic: Needing a reason

#	Author	Message
31	Roger55 Wed 6/18/2008 2:54p	<<My guess is that it only seems like 1% because the majority of their foreign guests are other Asians.>> LOL...So you saying all us Asians look alike??? Applying that logic here at the US parks, I guess I should be be assuming that 99.9% of the Guests at the park are forigners from Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia. I rarely if ever see what appears to be "real" native americans while I am there. trekkeruss, I have read enough of your contributions to know you meant no harm with your statement. It just amuses me that there are still people who think all Asians are the same, and all hispanics are Mexican, etc. <<sigh>>
32	Spirit of 74 Wed 6/18/2008 3:08p	Boy, TDR sure seems to be taking a beating here. I feel like I owe it to a certain former poster to stand up for it! As a Florida resident (and part time SoCal resident as well) and longtime APer at both resorts, who also had until this year a DLP AP, I can not wait to visit TDR later this year. Maybe it's the fact I've never been there. Or been to Japan period. Maybe it's just that I still value things like cleanliness, quality and show (things that quite often aren't taken seriously in Orlando anymore) but I'll take the place no matter how good (or bad) the 25th celebration really is. After all, WDW has ignored its 30th and 35th anniversaries in favor of marketing sham campaigns. And its 25th was nothing memorable except for the theme song that plays in my head like some people says Small World does. And as I sit here just about 185 miles due SE of WDW in a violent thunderstorm, the thoughts of an earthquake really don't worry me. Disasters occur everywhere as the poor folks flooded out in Iowa will tell you. I can't ever imagine not traveling to a place just because it is more seismically active. I'll take my chance with the lava monster! (Sh&%, that lightning strike was awfully close!!!)
33	X-san Wed 6/18/2008 4:25p	***///a mere 4% of TDR's guests are from outside Japan/// Is that a fact? I would have thought at most 1%.*** As Russ mentioned, most of the foreign visitors are from China or other Asian countries. You almost never see any Caucasians, and when you do it seems to fall into either category a) military folks and their families, or b) your occasional intrepid backpacker type. That's the vibe I got anyway, as a guy who spent nearly 8 years in the parks almost daily. As far as Roger's comment, I would say that Russ made an accurate statement, since even though people from different countries DO vary, that would be a hard thing to notice while strolling through hyper-busy TDL. Do you walk through going "Japanese" "Japanese" "Chinese" "Japanese" "Korean" "Japanese"...?? I sure don't, and wouldn't notice who was Vietnamese and who was from Japan strolling by at a distance, even though I might note subconsciously that they are both Asian (probably not though, since I live here...but you get the point). Anyway, that 4% poll is hardly scientific in any case, since you don't need to produce I.D. in order to buy a Disney ticket so how would they really know? Calculations based on polls, perhaps. Could be 6% really, could be 3%, anyway it's a small chunk of the customer count at TDR that's for sure.
34	barboy Wed 6/18/2008 5:02p	Believe it or not one strong reason why we do not see a more significant number of East Asians tapping TDR is that places like China and Korea are still hung over from 1930's(and even earlier) Japanese imperialism/expansionism. Those wounds still run deep--- deeper than many of us are willing to admit. Now, the Philippinos will show up in Japan, even though they took a full scale savage beating, because of sheer economics being much poorer than the average Korean, Chinese or Singaporean. They go up there to be entertainers("Japayukis"), house help and prostitutes.
35	Roger55 Wed 6/18/2008 5:06p	Actually I do notice the non-Japanese Asians as I walk through the park, wait in queues, eat at restaurants, shop in the stores, wait for a parade, etc. Without hearing them speak, I can't be 100% sure where they are from, but I am for the most part able to spot who the Asian foriegners are. And for the record I didn't dispute the accuracy of terkkeruss' statement at all. Merely pointing out that vast and inacurate generalizations still exits.
36	X-san Wed 6/18/2008 5:23p	That's interesting Roger, considering that my 100% Japanese wife is often mistakenly taken for a Chinese person (before speaking) by other Japanese folks. Perhaps your assumed radar ain't as impressive as you may thinks. ;) But anyway, back to the comment, it does make sense to me that someone would guess the foreigner count to be 1% or less since you see such an incredibly small about of black and Caucasian people. If that 4% or so were largely from America, Africa and Europe, I do believe it would appear as though there were a lot more non-Japanese in the park...just on the face of it.
37	Roger55 Wed 6/18/2008 5:42p	<<Perhaps your assumed radar ain't as impressive as you may thinks. ;)>> Or maybe I do have a more highly tuned and accurate radar than most others??? :P I have been mistaken for being Japanese, Firupin, Hawaiian, hispanic, etc. So of course I know people, including myself, make mistakes at times. Some more than others. ;) I was once almost scolded for getting into the foriegners passport line at Narita by an immigration worker who was absolutely sure I was Japanese. I finally had to flash him my US passport before he let me get into the foriegners line. He was trying to do me a favor, so I appreciated his effort, but I had to laugh at the fact he was so adamant on "who" he thought I was. LOL!
38	X-san Wed 6/18/2008 5:45p	Too bad you didn't take him up on that offer...the foreigners line at Narita is horrible! ;) <---loves being "regular Japanese" these days, immigration is a breeze.
39	Roger55 Wed 6/18/2008 5:59p	For those of you familiar with Japanese, let me re-create how it went... Me walking towards the foriegners line Immigration worker - "hai kotchi" as he pointes to re-direct me to the Japanese citizens line Me - Slight nod of my head as I wave my hand slightly side to side to indicate "no" Immigration worker - "kotchi desu!" as he indicates with his arms the direction I should head Me - "iiye" as I point at the foriegners line I heading towards Immigration worker - Moves to block the entrance to the foriegners line and use his body to direct me to the Japanese citizen line Me - Holds up my US passport and waves it at him Immigration worker - Moves to the side letting me in We both then do the customary polite head bow as I walk by him. Only in Japan! ROFL!
40	X-san Wed 6/18/2008 6:03p	lol. Sounds about right. ***Me - "iiye" as I point at the foriegners line I heading towards*** I'd have though he'd figure you for gaijin when you said that. I have never, to this day, ever heard a Japanese person utter that word. It's just so antithema to Japanese culture to use an abrupt "no" in any conversation. "Chiigau" ("different") is what one would use in general. Or "gaijin desu" works good too. :p

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