Be ready and prepare, it's true that bringing kids overseas are tiring and certain degree of personal sacrifice needed. Adding 2 more elderly level up the challenge.
*Start with the right mindset on what you want to achieve during this trip*
For us...we just want to make sure the kids have fun and our parent to experience a new culture and sightseeing...
*Sticking to Budget*
Worked in a travel agency and airline before, so sourcing for the airticket and acommodation are not diffcult for me. We are working on a tight budget so we will need to sacrifice taking airlines with good timing for kids.
Best flight time for kids are usually night flights because they get to sleep better.
So for cheaper flight - we looked at Delta Airline and United Airline both fly early morning.
Usually airlines themselves will be able to offer you the best fares under their own promotion, but if you can't seem to see any on their site, u can surf some travel agencies website to compare, at times they have some tie up with airlines on some fares. I recommend this 3 wholesale travel agencies, so far I feel they are their fares are pretty good -
http://www.airfares.com.sg/
http://www.newshan.com.sg/
http://www.muhibbah.com.sg/
Hotel - We decided to stay in the same hotel when we were there 6 years back.
Sunshine City Prince Hotel, Ikebukuro.
Why this hotel again and not in Shinjuku...Simple reason because shopping mall is connected to this hotel :) so if we are tired and do not want to venture far, we just shop and eat there.
If you have friends in Japan, you can get them to check out hotel rates for you, think they offered better promo rates for their residents.
I booked my hotel through a japanese website recommended by my friend. You need to have a japanese contact address and word processor for registering. This website doesn't provide me a peace of mind because you are not sure if the actual hotel get the confirmation. I still go ahead with it because I do not want to pay in advance for the room first so I can play with my travel fund.
While planning accomodation, you may want to check their access information to plan how you can get to the hotel.
You can go to japanican.com as well, they have some special promo from time to time.
Or alternatively you can look for hotels in these following website, they do have some joint promotion with hotels.
http://www.priceline.com.sg/
http://www.zuji.com.sg/
Please bear in mind, hotel in Japan charge per person per room per night.
Initially, we booked just for 4D3N and settled with Delta Airline Natas Offer S$599 inclusive of tax and paid about S$200 per room per night for our hotel. Total per pax was S$899, child no airfare discount S$599, infant airfare S$75.
Later we realised it's too short for the trip, so we amended the ticket @ S$150 each (Thanks, bro for sponsoring) Making the trip worth S$1149 per pax, S$749 per child.
Personally comparing the above amount I paid with F&E travel packages offered by agencies, I think we are still paying much lesser :) I believe if you go during low season in Japan, under S$1000 for travel expense can be achieved.
Other Expense to consider
-Airport Limo Bus inclusive of 2days Tokyo Metro Pass - 6000yen (S$90) per adult
*Check out their website for bus schedule and route - http://www.limousinebus.co.jp/en/
Chose limo bus because of kids and elders, limo bus is slower and costly but it brings us straight to our hotel.
-Disneyland Ticket 5800 yen per adult, 3900 yen per kids 4 and above, 5100 yen per senior
*Make reservation early for disney tickets - http://www.tokyodisneyresort.co.jp/vm/en/
-JR and tokyo subways around 150yen-330yen per trip.
*Use this site to check out the distance, cost and how to get to places of interest in Tokyo via their rail and subways - http://www.hyperdia.com/
Or this for iphone user, you can purchase this app for US$4.99, I find this good if you get lost or try to orientate yourself in their big rail station. http://www.enfour.com/iphone/apps/gm/findtokyo.html
*Packing *
I am not so much of a fashionista so I packed for comfort. In fact after my winter experience in Seoul, I realised I do not need much clothes cos I never really sweat. So both me and hubby wearing just need 1 pair of jeans throughout and a thick jackets and about 2 long sleeves and some T-shirts as innerwear. Aim to bring just 1 luggage and 2 backpacks.
For the kids, we need to bring more change though. Here are some of the packing scene at home :)
Boots, gloves and knitted hats definitely necessary
Thick clothing and long sleeves..
The baby backpack completes with wet wipe, nappy cream, diapers, tissues, ru yi oil, thermal flask, milk bottle...
Some winter fashion in hot hot Singapore
To-Be-Continue...
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