Theme Park Review's 2008 Asia Tour!

[SigENeaT]

@Ghost, after spending some (has it been 13 days already?) in Hong Kong, it would probably make an excellent stopover destiation in a holiday itinerary.

ie, allow 4 days in Hong Kong. You could do the Disney park and Ocean Park on your first day, the big Buddha and it's surroundings as well as Victoria Peak the second day, third day spend getting any shopping at the various markets you want to do and then finish up on the fourth day doing whatever you may have missed or wanted to do more of.

 

I'm sitting in the HK airport now waiting for a flight home and thinking back on the time i had here with the missus. There really is not a whole lot to do unless you love shopping or getting your hands dirty in the local culture (there are a bunch of old style towns further out from the main islands).

 

 

Edit: Needed more punctuation =P

[robbalvey]

Here is Day Two of Hong Kong Disneyland...sorry for the delay in updates but once we got to Japan well....it's Japan! We've been out every night! No time for updates Dr. Jones!

There IS a castle down there somewhere. If you squint you might be able to see it!

Did we mention that we took over and entire resort bus?

Tomorrowland has some really big balls.

And did we mention there are fire cannons? Adding fire to anything makes it cool!

Lots of rockets go flying away.

Lots of stuff is set off right on the castle.

The fireworks show is a bit different...it's more ground based pyro than air. Which is cool as it ads a bit of variety.

All the chocolate covered strawberrys you can eat!

At Chef Mickey's there was a chocolate fountain, which I'm pretty sure is almost as good as three hookers coming to your room.

We headed back to our hotel (Hollywood Hotel) which was AWESOME! Top notch Disney resort.

"Hey hot piano playing chick...you can press my keys anytime!"

HA! Alice is taller!

If you like Nightmare Before Christmas then you NEED to get out to Hong Kong Disneyland!

DETAIL SHOT!!!

"Hi Big Mike!"

Since when is eating a competition in the Special Olympics?

Dave and Joey auditioned for the band. They were told never attempt to play a musical instrument again!

"Silence.....of the lambs!!!"

Oh, Pooh!

It takes a small castle to make Jewy feel like a man!

Awww! Now mommy wants in on the hot rodent action.

KidTums is partial to Dale since he looks a bit more drunk than Chip.

Watch it Pooh! Don't go any lower!

OMG! Mickey is cheating on Minnie! With an 18 month old!!!!

Goofy loves little girls!

After our TPR fun, it was time for KidTums to hang out with the furries!

Jewy is licensed to drive in at least one country now.

What a nice view of Space Mountain from the Autopia.

Next up was a take over of the Autopia. We tried "Death Race" rules, but that didn't go over so well at Disneyland!

Thank you to Hong Kong Disneyland from TPR for all the awesome ERT this morning!

TPR members with guns...probably not the best idea!

And if Space Mountain wasn't enough we also had ERT on Buzz Lightyear!

"This is what ERT should be like!"

"That's right! We're all on Space Mountain and YOU'RE NOT...so THERE!"

Our 2nd day once one of our best Disney days ever! We started out with ERT on Space Mountain!

We want to say THANK YOU again to Hong Kong Disneyland for making our time spent here AWESOME!

[Pirouettes907]

In that picture of the girl playing the piano--it looks like the piano's attached to a bicycle-like contraption. If so--does she ride the bike AND play the piano at the same time?

 

Great TR; I know next to nothing about HKDL and it's really neat to see it, especially from a perspective different than typical "brochure-perfect" shots. Looking forward to Japan pics!

[dandaman]

 

If a picture's worth a thousand of 'em, this one describes TPR craziness in a 1000-word essay.

 

Disney around the world = awesomeness.

[PhillyFlash65]

That pic of Main Street is truly awesome! It actually appears to be the Land of Disney, high amongst the hilltops of so and so..!

[robbalvey]

In that picture of the girl playing the piano--it looks like the piano's attached to a bicycle-like contraption. If so--does she ride the bike AND play the piano at the same time?

Yes! She is quite talented!

 

--Robb

[Millennium Force 44]

Wow the park looks beautiful. The setting around main street is absolutely gorgeous.

[televisedconfession]

This update almost bright tears to my eye.

 

Bravo.

[ChrisFL]

In that picture of the girl playing the piano--it looks like the piano's attached to a bicycle-like contraption. If so--does she ride the bike AND play the piano at the same time?

 

I've seen vintage video of WDW's MK that also had a piano player on a bike thing...typically it must have been too dangerous in the US but is fine overseas

[Nrthwnd]

So Disney is starting to kick in some ERT there too, huh?

 

That's great AND amazing at the same time. Good for TPR!

 

Great look at the (still) newest Disney park. Looking forward to seeing it again (and maybe touring, then!) when the Pirates finally arrive there in Adventureland.

 

And now, it's ending in Japan, huh?

Busy busy weeks, you guys have had.

Have fun for your final tour weekend - and hope you didn't par-tay toooooo har-day thru it all, heh heh.

 

[MrMorgan]

Holy Sheisse!

 

Space Mountain ERT? Is that a first? I mean, I don't ever remember hearing about any other clubs getting ERT at any Disneypark.

[Ibztone]

In that picture of the girl playing the piano--it looks like the piano's attached to a bicycle-like contraption. If so--does she ride the bike AND play the piano at the same time?

 

I've seen vintage video of WDW's MK that also had a piano player on a bike thing...typically it must have been too dangerous in the US but is fine overseas

 

They have a piano player on a bike down by the Boardwalk resort in Orlando.

[OldJJman]

Space Mountain ERT? Is that a first?

 

Not a first, maybe a second.

 

Robb managed to get us ERT on Big Thunder at Disneyland Paris this past June on the Europe trip!

 

 

 

JJ

[TheRapidsNerd]

1. Great Temple of Doom reference.

2. Pooh and KT pic was really cute.

3. Alice was quite fetching.

 

Yup, another great update! What else can you say?

[Speeddeamon128]

Awesome update! Looks like the China trip was a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to seeing the Japan updates.

[Chadley]

 

If a picture's worth a thousand of 'em, this one describes TPR craziness in a 1000-word essay.

 

Disney around the world = awesomeness.

 

I believe the girl sitting behind Robb also does a pretty good job of describing the situation too!

[spacemtfan]

Wait, Disney does ERT? I never knew that Disney offered ERT on their rides. ERT on Space Mountain sounds like a dream come true to me!

 

Hong Kong Disneyland looks so cool! "Death Race on Autopia" LOL XD!

[dandaman]

^^That's what I meant... Robb acting crazy (normal?) while the public looks on with confused disgust.

[redfoot12]

At first I couldn't tell if KT was miserable with the Furries or elated. She obviously loved them and she's quite Little Miss Adorable.

[bobafett]

So the company I work for, UPS, has put their mark on something else? That is sacrilegious! Stay outta my parks UPS, you make me insane!

[davidcornell]

I did not have any hamburgers on the whole trip. My mouth is open because the squirrel mashed my teeth together on the first inversion. UGH. However, I did have some White Castle cheeseburgers when I got home. Great food in China, but I will stay away from Chinese for a while.

[denning]

Getting a little worried about Tropical Storm Sinlaku ruining the rest of teh trip.

Don't you think we know how to plan around bad weather?

 

--Robb "You should be more worried about spelling the word 'the'' Alvey

 

Never doubted that you did, but certainly doubted that we did!

 

Shortly after posting this, we had to scramble to change all of our hotels to avoid the storm. Not the most fun way to start off a honeymoon at the airport.

 

After seeing you guys at disneysea on thursday, we did not try to get to Fuji-Q until mid-afternoon on Tuesday.

 

We had a 2.5 hour window on a weekday post-summer and with the pay-per-ride structure, we thought we would easily have a chance to get in at least two of the big three. Wrong.

 

I think this picture speaks for itself.

Further proof that Fuji-Q is run by the wrong Japanese railroad company

[SigENeaT]

I'm just sorting through some of my pictures and thought i might share a different angle of this image taken of Robb:

 

Its a pretty strange image if you dont know why Robb is making such an angry face. Good for a giggle i guess?

 

Mine below...

Bonus points if you can spot the mail-man tan.

[robbalvey]

Next stop...KOREA! Next park...LOTTE WORLD!

 

We had just visited South Korea in 2008, but with T-Express just opened and we were not that far away, how could we not make at very least a quick trip? That we did! We figured we would also visit (and stay on property) at Lotte World, which, IMO, is one of the nicest parks in the world, especially for an indoor park.

 

Lotte World is one of those parks where I can spend a couple of hours just walking around the place in amazement that it's all contained within the walls of a shopping mall for the indoor portion and over/under ground for the outdoor portion.

 

We also worked out a film shoot on Atlantis Adventure so we could get some great footage and lots of rides! Last year we waited almost 90 minutes for our one ride, this year we rode the crap out of it for over an hour!

 

I'm not sure where exactly I'd place Atlantis Adventure but it's truly "up there" as one of the most unique, most fun coasters in the world. Top 20 or 25 for me, and from someone that's been on well over 1,000 coasters, that's saying a lot!

 

Anyway on to some photos and just for you all a bonus VIDEO!!! Enjoy!

Random furry mascots!

And yes, the ride on pandas can also be found here too!

Except for the Vekoma death machine...that's the only amount of suckiness at the indoor section.

And inside looking equally as cool.

Looking awesome...

Here is the outside...

Waffle slush? Koreans eat some funky stuff!

BLARRGGGHHHHH!!! BLEEGGGHHH!!! BLEECCCHHH!!!

"Caught it with my teeth! I practice with my donkey at home."

"Oh, I really hope squashed bugs come out of there!"

Lotte World also has a "shitting donkey"

Hooray for boobies!

"Here we are...still in the queue!"

The queue is also equally well themed...(yeah, this is the queue!)

HISS!!! HISSY HISS HISS!!! HISS!!!

Too late!

Oh, no! Don't look into the eyes! You will start rapid aging!!!

This absolutely is the best "Indy rip-off" ever...in fact, in some ways it's BETTER than the actual Indy ride!

From the interiour of the park, you can see the entrance to the rides, but the actual show building is set back even further beyond the walls of the park, or in some cases underground!

Yeah, that's right, this is all INDOORS!!!

The indoor part of the park is just amazing looking....

"I think the pink one turns him into a bridge!"

OMG! I just died and went to meat-on-stick heaven!

"Hmmm...I wonder which of those beans turns the blob into a ladder?"

This ride was more acid trip than the Moody Blues dark ride!

Now it's time for the creepy giant teeth monster dark ride.

What can we say? The park is part Korea, part German, mostly Oktoberfest...what's wrong with that?

"I'm so hungry...I can make love to a fish!"

"You BASTARD!!!!"

"Look, I gave my life for you...please whatever you do...do NOT feed me to an old leathery man!"

When you get old...you require at least 26 plates in order to eat lunch.

Carousel Credit!

That's right....ride the bizarr-o underground spinning coaster where you get swallowed by a giant monster...no, I'm NOT making this up!!!

And of course after riding the Aqua Trax for an hour there was really only one thing to do.

The theming is impressive too. When you walk up to the ride, you can't see most of it! It's inside the giant castle/mountain/whatever it is.

"GRRRR! I'm angry plant monster! GIMME SOME KIMCHEE!"

The ride is awesome....you can see how compact it is.

After the wave is created Rich's face goes back to normal and the passenger behind him looks like he just had a golden shower with an elephant. (And the only thing that would turn Jeff on even more is if that elephant was crushing bugs.)

It creates a massive wave, and oddly enough a fatter looking version of Rich's face.

Here's how it's done....if you're in the last 2 rows you can stick your hand out of the car and reach the water below...

We learned the hard way last year that the Korean's make a sport out of soaking passengers on the ride.

Here you can see the "aqua" portion of the ride.

Here is a bunch of coaster enthusaists on the first launch. Sexy? NO!

Here is the first launch on the ride. Sexy, no?

Atlantis Adventure is currently the world's only Intamin "Aqua Trax"...unless of course you count Maverick at Cedar Point as well!

Of course we were here for Atlantis Adventure...so that's what we did!

atlantis2008.wmv

Here is a new POV of Atlantis Adventure for all of you! Enjoy! (There's a higher res version for download at the end of the photos)

Oh, good...the bus brought us to Lotte World instead of Nara Dreamland...but what do those two parks have in common? That's right! They both have a castle bigger than Disneyland's!

"What? We are going to tour Nara Dreamland?!?! Oh no!!!"

On the plane to Korea...crashed out...we got very little sleep on the trip, but we managed to get caught up on the flights!

[robbalvey]

More...

KidTums says "I'm cute dammit! Send me stuff!!!"

 

Next up...Everland and...OMG...T-Express!!!

"That's right bitches! We finished them all!!!"

Who are we kidding? Joey was trashed after a 1/2 of glass!

Here's to Lotte World, Atlantis Adventure, and....um....ELEVEN BEERS!

After a full day at Lotte World what else do you do except drink ELEVEN beers! (Miles, Steve...where are you? We NEED you!!!)

Translation... "Hello...I am the terrorist cookie...just try to take me through airport security...I DARE you!!! BWHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!"

Ack! Cannibalism is allowed in Korea!

If you find a good Indiana Jones movie, please return me to my home!

Suddenly....Joey gets nervous!

YUMMY!!!

atlantis2008_640.zip

Higher resolution Atlantis Adventure Video for you to download!