Hong Kong Disneyland Review

Written by Olivia Richardson: 05-August-2010

advertisement ^

Hong Kong Disneyland is great for girly trips or with kids as it’s the closest (the others and are in Paris, Tokyo, California and Florida), but is the tiniest of them all. And don’t freak about having to know Cantonese – all the attractions, signs and shows are in English!

There are 4 themed ‘lands’: Fantasyland (princess-y kind of stuff), Tomorrowland (futuristic, space-y, science-fiction attractions), Adventure Land (jungle, Lion King vibe), and Main Street USA (American 1890s-1910s-style street setting with Disneyland souvenir shops, restaurants and admin buildings).

Rides

The rides at Disneyland Hong Kong are cute and some are suitable for children as young as 2 I’d say (accompanied with an adult on the ride).

For little ones, think: Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Mad Hatter Tea Cups, It’s a Small World (placid, indoor boat ride), Cinderella Carousel, and Hong Kong Disneyland Railroad. Stitch Encounter and Mickey’s PhilharMagic 4D interactive shows are fantastic too (for teens and adults too).

The Mickey’s PhilharMagic show was one of my favourites. The 3D graphics come out at you and it’s so realistic that most people reach to touch the jewels and things sprinkling from the screen. For the 4D effects, you feel wind and cold for some scenes and something in the cinema shoots out scents too, so you can smell that raspberry dessert popping out at you.

The more teen/adult-ish attractions include rollercoaster Space Mountain, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (fun, bouncy ride in a ‘honeypot’), Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters (zap targets with a laser blaster as you move along the room in a carriage), and Festival of the Lion King live show (I’m not a Lion King fan though so was bored. It lasts for about 20 minutes, so you really want to make sure you and the kids like The Lion King, and live shows in general. Also, the volume was too loud for me).

Everyone will love the 20-minute fireworks-to-music display at the Sleeping Beauty Castle every night at closing time (9pm).

Find the full list of Hong Kong Disneyland attractions here.

Could be better…

It could be bigger. I’ve been to Tokyo Disneyland and the Hong Kong one seems about 3 times smaller in terms of attractions. I think one day is enough to cover the whole park (it was raining most of the day when I went, so there was hardly any waiting time. I did what I wanted to do at the park in 5 hours, as a solo adult).

Most of the merchandise stores sold the same or similar things. Seen 2 shops, seen them all kind of thing. It would be great to have more diversity.

Consider the extreme weather in Hong Kong too – it can get pretty humid, typhoon-y or rain hard (although it’s usually always warm still, and you can buy thick, rain ponchos at the Park). Check out the best times to go here.

Prices

Children (aged 3-11): HK$250
Adults: HK$350
Seniors (aged 65 and over): HK$170
See current exchange rates here.

Opening times

Generally 10am – 9pm. Check the website for any changes. www.hongkongdisneyland.com

Location

Hong Kong Disneyland is on Lantau Island. It suits it perfectly – it’s a ‘world of its own’, as there’s not much else on the island really except for the airport. Think lush, green, mountainous gorgeousness. A total contrast to the hustle-bustle of mainland Hong Kong.

Getting to Disneyland from Hong Kong Intenational Airport

The easiest and fastest way is to take the Airport Express MTR (mass transit railway) train to Sunny Bay Station, then hop on to the next train (comes every 4 – 10 minutes) straight to Disneyland Resort Station. The whole trip takes about 23 minutes.

You can also take a bus to Sunny Bay Station, but it’s more fiddly and I actually got a little lost and confused. More info and travel options here.

Accommodation

If you can, prolong the magic by staying a night at one of the Disneyland hotels (this Disneyland and its hotels were opened in September 2005, and everything still looks new. No daggy, ‘needs a makeover’ looks here).

Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel is my favourite and is 5-star; while Disney’s Hollywood Hotel is 4 star and maybe more suited for young children with its more fun feel. The restaurants at both hotels are A-MAZ-ING (go the buffets – lush, attractive and delicious food).

Mum-friendly features

1. The Baby Care Centre in Main Street USA has everything you need to prepare baby formula, heat bottles, breastfeed in private, and change nappies. You can also buy nappies and baby food there. 

1. You can rent prams and wheelchairs from ‘Disneyland Fire Department’ building next to City Hall in Main Street USA.
2. Guests with small children can take turns experiencing attractions with a ‘parent/guardian switch’. See a cast member at the attraction or inquire at Guest Relations inside City Hall in Town Square at Main Street, U.S.A. for this.
3. There are free shuttle buses (15 minutes waiting time max.) going  from the Park to Disneyland hotels. They have ample luggage space underneath – the luggage doors open automatically at each stop.
4. Smoking is only allowed in designated areas.

More

www.hongkongdisneyland.com
Official Hong Kong Travel Guide website