HKDL Source Photo and Construction Update

[Loomis]

Our Chief Spy took advantage of a break in the recently turbulent weather in Hong Kong and took a trip over to the park we love to love. She gives us a peek at what is happening with the Adventureland construction, as well as sharing the fun of her day. We also plug our new galleries, including one dedicated to the Chief Spy!

http://news.hkdlsource.com/story/299















Plenty more photos where they came from. If you want them, you know what to do...

[calisota]

It's a Small World is open?

Greg

[KeithS]

It's a Small World is open?

Opened in late April.

[calisota]

I was there in early March.

Greg

[KeithS]

I was there in early March.

Missed it - by that much (in my best Maxwell Smart voice!)

[churros]

What are they building?

[KeithS]

What are they building?

Ahhh - the thousand dollar question. And the answer - no one knows...for sure...

However, when we were in Tokyo, we were honoured to have lunch with Joe Lanzicero, head of Walt Disney Imagineering for Japan & Hong Kong. Joe is the big-cheese. Joe is the man. Joe knows all...

...and he was quite willing to share a lot of that knowledge with us. He mainly talked about the growth and future plans for Tokyo Disneyland and Disneysea, but we were able to ask him about Hong Kong too.

Now - he could not give any specifics about what was to be built there, but the following question was asked of him "Joe, Hong Kong Disneyland is 3 years old now, what will it look like in 22 years time? i.e. It's 25th Anniversary..."

Joe's response was, "I don't know what it will look like in 22 years time, but I do know what it will look like in 5 years time. In 5 years, it will have 30% more attractions, new lands, and the new rides will be totally unique to Hong Kong - they are not featured at any other Disney park in the world."

That is his quote from our lunch. Now I'm guessing that Joe's quote (either to us, or to other media or groups) is what has spurred the news story that appeared in the Chinese/Hong Kong papers this last week about Hong Kong DL expansion. (See http://disneyandmore.blogspot.com/2008/ ... n-and.html)

That news story wasn't attributed to Mr Lanzicero, but it was exactly the same figures that he quoted us - 30% bigger in 5 years.

The only thing is, we don't know when it will start or who will pay - Disney or the Hong Kong Government? And he wouldn't tell us any details of these new rides or lands (unlike Tokyo - where he told us a whole bunch of things including the addition of Turtle Talk into the SS Colombia and the building of a new Disneysea ride based on Toy Story Mania technology).

So yes, the are building under the railway and into the expansion pads outside of Adventureland - what it is at this stage is not known. There is a rumour that there will be a small maze constructed back there for Halloween - but there is no doubt that the permanent bridge they are putting under the railway will one day lead to new and exciting adventures for Hong Kong Disneyland.