From Disney Magic to Waikiki Sunsets: The Ultimate Family Holiday in Japan and Hawaii
Ask most families to describe their dream holiday and you’ll hear the same wish list: theme parks for the kids, something a little more meaningful for the grown-ups, and a proper beach break so everyone comes home relaxed. Our Japan and Hawaii twin-centre ticks every box in one 13-night trip.
Start with two days of Disney magic
Your holiday begins with a direct British Airways flight to Tokyo and three nights at the Grand Nikko Tokyo Bay Maihama, an Official Hotel of Tokyo Disney Resort. A free shuttle connects you to the Disney Resort Line monorail, so you’re never more than a few minutes from the parks, and breakfast is included each morning to fuel those busy days.
Tokyo Disneyland will feel familiar in the best way, with classic rides, beloved characters and spectacular parades. Tokyo DisneySea is the real showstopper, though. Found nowhere else in the world, it’s built around beautifully themed ports, from a Mediterranean harbour to a mysterious volcano, and many visitors call it the most impressive Disney park on the planet. With a 1-day ticket for each park included for the whole family, you’ll experience both.
Bullet trains and bowing deer
Next comes a moment every child remembers: boarding the shinkansen, Japan’s famous bullet train. Watch the countryside rush past and, on a clear day, look out for Mount Fuji from your window.
In Kyoto, you’ll stay three nights at THE BLOSSOM KYOTO, a stylish hotel one subway stop from Kyoto Station, with a quad room so everyone stays together. Kids love racing through the endless red gates of Fushimi Inari Shrine and spotting the towering bamboo at Arashiyama, while parents will enjoy the hotel’s relaxing Japanese-style public bath after a day of sightseeing.
A guided half-day tour to Nara, with lunch included, is often the highlight for younger travellers. Hundreds of friendly deer roam freely through Nara Park, and some have even learned to bow politely in exchange for a deer cracker. Nearby, the enormous bronze Buddha inside Todai-ji Temple is guaranteed to impress.
Then, a week to unwind on Waikiki
After the excitement of Japan, a direct flight whisks you across the Pacific to Oahu for seven nights at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort. Spread across 22 acres on Waikiki Beach, it’s a resort designed for families, with five pools, water slides, a kids’ pool and a saltwater lagoon perfect for paddling and snorkelling.
Days can be as lazy or as active as you like. Join hula lessons and lei making at the resort, catch the Friday night fireworks over the beach, or venture out to hike Diamond Head, snorkel at Hanauma Bay or visit Pearl Harbor.
Why this order works so well
The beauty of this itinerary is its pacing. You tackle the busiest, most exciting part of the trip first, while everyone’s energy is high, and finish with a full week of sunshine and slow mornings. By the time you fly home, jet lag is a distant memory and the whole family is properly rested.
Start planning your family adventure
Every Charter Travel holiday is tailor-made, so we can add extra nights, upgrade hotels or include Universal Studios Japan in Osaka. Call our team on 01635 551011 or enquire online to start planning your Japan and Hawaii adventure.
