So here is my trip report for my Hong Kong Disneyland trip. Any questions, don’t hesitate to ask.
I stayed in town because it was both cheaper than a Disneyland Hotel and because it was closer to the things that I would be doing on the other 2 days I was there. It’s not really too much of an issue getting a train out to the Park so all I was really missing out on was the total Disney immersion experience.
Hong Kong immigration is really efficient and they have a new system since the last time I was there. Now, instead of a stamp in your passport, you get a little slip with your details and how long you are allowed in the country. It says that you should not lose it and that you need to hand it back to immigration when you leave. I tucked it carefully into my passport.
Next was getting a train ticket into town. Right before you walk out of the “arrivals gate” was a counter for the airport express train. I’d done the research before I got there and had figured that the “2 express trip, 3 day unlimited” ticket was the go. That got me into town, back to the airport and anywhere else I wanted to go for 3 days without the hassle of buying individual tickets for each trip.
Next was a sim card. There was a shop next to the gate selling tourist sims so I had one setup and working in a matter of minutes. Strangely I didn’t have to show any form of ID to get it. I was happy with the sim and had solid, fast internet access everywhere I went. This one can also be used in Macau and mainland China apparently.
I had left Chiang Mai at 6am and arrived in Hong Kong at 8.30am (local time). One advantage of the airport express is not having to battle peak hour traffic into the city. It was a quick and comfortable trip. However arriving at Kowloon station has always confused the hell out of me, and I’ve done it a few times. There is just something I find really difficult about finding my way out of that station and onto the street. It doesn’t help that there is a lot of roadworks around there adding temporary pedestrian access all over the place. Google maps is a big help though so I eventually found my way out and to my hotel.
I spent the rest of that day just wandering around on the Kowloon side, sitting and staring out at the harbour and eating in little “hole in the wall” restaurants. There is no lack of food in Hong Kong. It was an early night for me though. I’d been awake since 3am and wanted to make an early start the next day. Disneyland!
Up early the next morning I was on the road at 7am. I was only a 10 minute walk from a train station and was heading in the opposite direction to most people coming in for work so it was an easy trip. I had a couple of changes of train but whoever is responsible for the timing of the trains is a mastermind because I had a 2 minute wait for one and only had to walk across the platform to the waiting train for the other one. I walked out of my room at 7 and walked off the train at Disneyland at about 7.50.
Most of the people on the train at that time seemed to be staff and after they had ducked into the staff entrance there was only a couple of us still walking towards the Park entrance. I walked right past the entrance and on to my rendezvous with the buffet at Chef Mickey’s.
The path around to the hotels was as well maintained as ever although they hadn’t fired up the soundtrack yet and the water features weren’t running. I kept walking past the Disneyland Hotel, which had been pretty much the end of the trail every other time I’d been there, on past the Explorers Lodge and on to the Hollywood Hotel.
The Hollywood Hotel has an art deco design but, despite that, it seemed really familiar. It took a minute or two but then I realised that it was almost identical in basic layout to the Disneyland Hotel only smaller. It was as if someone had taken the plans for the Disneyland Hotel, removed a few things to make it a bit smaller, slapped some art deco over it and called it a new hotel. It’s a bit hard to describe but if you visit I’m sure you’ll know what I’m talking about.
Chef Mickey’s was open so I sat down for a leisurely breakfast. At the door they gave me a ticket I could use to get my photo taken with Mickey but I politely declined, saying that I probably would have if it had been the duck instead of the mouse. The buffet breakfast at the Disneyland Hotel always had a variety of characters wandering around so only having Mickey and having to queue up seemed a bit disappointing. If you want more character interaction it may be worth paying more for the Disneyland hotel buffet.
The buffet was okay. At first sight it seemed to be a bit short on things but in reality there were just smaller amounts on display and they were being constantly replaced by fresh stuff, which was good. Not much of a crowd when I got there and while it started to fill up a bit it never really got close to full by the time I left. A decent variety of food but not as good as the Disneyland Hotel buffet but I guess since it’s cheaper you are getting what you pay for. I’m pretty sure I managed to eat my money’s worth in smoked salmon though. One thing that did impress me however was the warm water in the gents for washing your hands.
After finishing I went for a wander through the public part of the hotel and the grounds. It really did seem like the other hotel with just a different skin though.
Leaving this hotel I walked back towards the Park and ducked into the Explorers Lodge. This place grabbed me straight away. It was more what you expect from Disney, with a definite theme and lots of little touches to find. The gardens were a little underwhelming but the inside made up for it. I’m determined to stay there at some point.
I managed to time my walk back to the Park entrance to arrive just as it opened. A short queue bag check and an even shorter queue to buy my ticket (with R2D2 on it) and I was lined up to get into the Park. Given that it had just opened there weren’t many people there, for a Disney Park. The weather was perfect, the Park was quiet and I had the whole day. This was going to be good.
They had maps available but no showtimes guide. Is this to encourage people to use the app instead? I had the app on my phone and the only time I used it was to check show and parade times.
Once inside the Park I bypassed the line to get a photo with Mickey and Minnie (still don’t see the attraction) and headed towards Tomorrowland to confirm with my own eyes that Buzz Lightyear wasn’t there anymore. To my great disappoint it wasn’t there. As I was walking through I met Captain Phasma and a couple of Stormtroopers marching in the opposite direction so I followed them to see what they were up to. Being a foot taller than most of the people around you is a bad way of being inconspicuous and I ended up being pulled out of the crowd for a bit of interaction. They asked me who’s side I was on, asked for my ID and so on. The whole time I was looking at them and really wanting to say “aren’t you a little short to be a Stormtrooper”. I don’t have any photos to show you but there is a heap of other tourists who do.
Doing a big loop I walked through Fantasyland, noting that the Golden Mickey’s show has been replaced by “Mickey and the Wondrous Book”. I headed through Toy Story Land, which had nothing new since the last time I was there, and ended up at Mystic Manor. I was keen to see it because that and the Star Wars/Iron Man re-theme were the only new attraction for me.
Mystic manor was a walk on, which is both a good and a bad thing. It means that I didn’t have to queue up for ages but it meant that I didn’t really get to appreciate the queue theming and details as much as I probably should have. If you don’t want to know anything about the ride then stop reading now…
First up is an introduction like the ones in other Haunted Mansions with the setup of an English explorer and his monkey companion who travel the world collecting mysterious artefacts and bringing them back to display in his home, Mystic Manor. The queue decorations explain that he is one of several explorers and adventurers in the club and it includes photos of his, and his monkey’s, exploits. I was expecting the floor to start sinking or something but a door just opens and you continue down a corridor to the loading area. This is a standard area, say how many you are, get directed to a gate and wait for the vehicle.
I really want to know how the vehicles work. Things have come a long way from a jerky little car on a rail. There didn’t seem to be any track or other way to control their direction which gave a great feeling of being cast loose.
From here you travel through a variety of rooms that are displaying various artefacts. The artefacts have been brought to life by the monkey having opened a magical music box in the first room. Some of the effects are cool and the vehicle movements are really intricate and smooth but I found myself a little underwhelmed and wondering if it could have been a bit better. I did enjoy it and went on it again later in day though.
The other new attraction for me was the Iron Man Experience. Again this was essentially a walk on so I didn’t get to enjoy the queue fully. As for the ride, it is basically Star Tours with an Iron Man theme. The mechanics of the ride are the same but it has the nice touch of being set in Hong Kong. If you’re a local or have already been into the city then it’s cool to spot the landmarks and feel like you are there as you battle giant robots and manage narrow escapes from disaster.
I also went into the Iron Man showcase without knowing what it was and ended up in a room having my photo taken with Iron Man.
There is also a Jedi Temple show with cast members trying to train a bunch of small kids in how to use a light sabre before a battle with Darth Vader and Darth Vader’s sister (!?). I couldn’t help thinking that the whole thing was akin to trying to herd cats.
I also saw the “Festival of the Lion King”, which is probably the best live show there. I saw “Mickey and the Wondrous Book” which was also a good live show even if I did get “Let it go” stuck in my head for hours afterwards.
Other than that it was all pretty much as I remembered it from the other times I’ve been there. It is certainly a one day park, even with the new attractions. I kind of get the impression that Hong Kong is not getting as much love as it could. The new attractions are good but maybe lacking something compared to other parks.
A few observations.
This was a perfect time to visit. Between Christmas and Chinese New Year. The weather was perfect, sunny and warm during the day but cool without being cold at night. Small crowds as well.
The Jungle Cruise guide seemed like he was late for lunch, it was the fastest trip through I’ve ever had.
Crowds were very well behaved, a noticeable difference from Shanghai, although it could be due to the difference in crowd size and the lack of queues.
Mickey’s PhilharMagic is still the best attraction in the Park. It’s good to see the duck get a starring role.
Merchandise really seems to be lacking what I would call serious and collectible stuff. I only bought a Star Wars t-shirt and a fridge magnet.
I saw both parades. The day-time one seemed really similar to Shanghai. The night-time one was good.
There was still construction in various spots, I’ll post photos and (if I can figure out how) a map showing where it’s happening. The castle didn’t have any outward sign of construction apart from the door into it being closed.
It really is a small castle compared to all the others.
Greg
