Hong Kong Disneyland (HKDL) Discussion Thread

[COASTER FREAK 11]

It is also getting an Iron Man themed attraction next that is (for now) only going there.

[cfc]

They also have a different version of the Jungle Cruise (with a "bigger" finish, anyway).

[Jew]

Plus the setting with the mountains in the background of the castle is awesome!

[Nrthwnd]

To I305forever... First of all... "NO"? I tried to figure that out but...I got nothing of it.

 

There's Mystic Manor, and that's certainly unique to the "haunted mansion" collection.

And there's the other stuff, others have mentioned, above.

 

And - give them time! Disneyland opened with nearly 1/3 of the property undeveloped,

in 1955. Same happened for most Disney parks incl. WDW. And HKDL was a nice welcome change

when we visited in 2012. Lots of space to move around, and plenty of space available for

future development. Which will include Iron Man Experience, opening in 2017.

 

And I read that it looks like (rumor) they're already working on the idea of building a

second park, in the next several years, opposite the HK Magic Kingdom.

 

[COASTER FREAK 11]

^LOL, so where did you hear that rumor Bill? Just curious.

[Nrthwnd]

Second Theme Park - Long Term Plan - (2/13/15)

 

I'm told that Hong Kong Disneyland is hoping to push ahead with plans to build a second theme park across from the first one. This was always part of the total masterplan for the site itself, but one of our readers just returned from the park this morning where they spotted a group of height check balloons hovering over the site for the future second park early in the morning, across from the main plaza between the park entrance and fountain. Visually, the two-park set-up here would be almost identical to how Disneyland and California Adventure are set up across from each other.

 

Meanwhile the Disney & More Facebook page mentioned back on Feb. 9th that the Hong Kong Tourism Commission is now asking the Walt Disney Company to begin looking into plans for a second park as well now that the first park seems to be off and running well at last.

 

^ This was the quote from Screamscape Chris, but I did say it "looks like (rumor)", etc.

I'm sure you probably have much better sources than I do for something like this.

[COASTER FREAK 11]

Got ya, haha.

 

And that's why I was curious how you found out. I do think the next Disney park announcement will be for the second Hong Kong park, when ever that happens to be.

[cfc]

^Disney Hong Kong Adventure!

[Nrthwnd]

^ LOL, it does make me wonder what kind of theme they would come up with, for an entirely new park?

I mean, Marvel is already showing up in the Magic Kingdom (Iron Man Experience). So I wouldn't

think it would be a Marvel themed park, etc.

 

Oooo maybe they'll give Ocean Park a run for the money, and create a marine/ocean themed park?

A "wet" version of Animal Kingdom!

 

Time will tell.

EDIT to add the Balloon Check photo from Screamscape, in my previous post.

Edited April 9, 2015 by Nrthwnd

[thrillrider]

I wonder how a park like Epcot would work in Hong Kong?

[Bag_O_Laughs]

Hello! I'm so happy because currently i'm planning on visiting HKD in early October 2016 If anyone's got any tips I'd love to hear them.

 

We're going to stay 4 nights in Hong Kong its self and then 3 nights in the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel and We'll probably do 2 day in the park.

 

If anyone's been during this time, is the pool still open and is it hot enough that I'll want to go swimming?

 

I'm so excited but its still 1 1/2 away but I waited 2 years for Tokyo Disneyland so a 1 1/2 won't seem too long.

 

After this trip all i'll have to do is visit California and I'll have been to all the disney parks. Then I'll have to start thinking about how i'll get to Shanghai!

[Garet]

Hello! I'm so happy because currently i'm planning on visiting HKD in early October 2016 If anyone's got any tips I'd love to hear them.

 

We're going to stay 4 nights in Hong Kong its self and then 3 nights in the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel and We'll probably do 2 day in the park.

 

If anyone's been during this time, is the pool still open and is it hot enough that I'll want to go swimming?

 

I'm so excited but its still 1 1/2 away but I waited 2 years for Tokyo Disneyland so a 1 1/2 won't seem too long.

 

After this trip all i'll have to do is visit California and I'll have been to all the disney parks. Then I'll have to start thinking about how i'll get to Shanghai!

 

We usually go out around that time during Korean Thanksgiving and it's still pretty hot, I wouldn't know about the pool though since we've never stayed in the hotel sorry. You can pretty much do Hong Kong in a day including shows and parades and some re-rides with a bit of a rush but two days give you plenty of time to enjoy things. Hong Kong is pretty quiet which is why it's my wife's favorite park, though she admits Tokyo is much much better, she loves the fact on nearly all our visits, nearly all the lines were tiny and if you spot a princess or a character you can have a photo within 10-15 minutes. Heck even the parades and fireworks shows we got there about 10 minutes before it started and got really good views.

 

Not sure if all these tips are relevant but this is how we usually spend our two days:

 

On the first day we usually get there just before opening (about 30 minutes before) enjoy the atmosphere and music and watch the opening ceremony up close (again we might have just been lucky but on all our weekday trips even when it is nice and sunny, we've never seen a huge opening crowd when the gates open). We have always eaten at least once at the corner street cafe so we reserve that (see TR) and then grab a fast-pass for Winnie The pooh on the off chance it will be busy (there's not much choice for fastpasses anyway)

 

After that we make a choice, in case you are interested in trying every single ride, two of the busiest rides are Autopia and Parachute Drop... even when the roller-coasters and Mystic Manor are practically walk-on, we've seen lines up to an hour at these. Tomorrowland isn't too far so it can build up a crowd but Toy Story Land in the morning has always been completely empty. As I said grab one of those two rides on the first day and aim for the other on the second day. After that just work your way around the park, the roller-coasters aren't overly busy but if they are there are single rider lines.

 

We also usually catch the parade somewhere near the entrance to the Golden Mickeys show that way as soon as you've seen the parade you can jump in line for the show and grab seats easily, the night parade wasn't there last time we went but probably the same, try and catch it at the top of main street so you can go get a good spot to sit for the fireworks, the show isn't anything overly special but again i'm just assuming you want to see everything.

 

2nd day: We usually make for the other ride that we didn't go to on the 1st day (Autopia or Parachute Drop) and grab things we missed on the first day due to time such as the English version of Stitch or the Lion King show etc (although one viewing was enough for us, we've never gone back since and my wife really likes that movie) If you caught the parades on the first day when the parades are on is a perfect time to go on the roller-coasters, the trains were cycling practically empty on Grizzly on one of our trips it was so empty. Honestly we just spend most of the second day grabbing re-rides, shopping and trying the snacks (my wife loves dark rides and small flats but won't do coasters)

 

Some other general tips: If you like popcorn flavors there's honey mustard in the Grizzly Gulch area. Also due to the hot temperatures some of the random meet and greet times can be tiny so ask a cast-member and make sure you are there at that time. The permanent ones and the princesses haven't been too bad when we went and even Stitch had a shady spot so was out for a while but the ones that show up on Main Street can pick up a line so fast that they close within minutes. Last year my wife wanted a picture with Chip and Dale and we showed up to find the line closed. We asked for the next time and was told 11:20. We got there 11:23-24 and found the line had just been shut off because there were already enough people to fill up that 30 minutes, luckily the cast-member recognized us from asking earlier and took pity and let us be the final members of that line.

 

Oh and the train always seems busy at Main Street, it was one of the bigger lines of the park, if you want to ride it maybe grab the train from Fantasy Land station during a parade, but again compared to most Disney Parks the lines are tiny.

 

Here's my TR from when we went out 2 years ago: http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=66857

[Bag_O_Laughs]

Thank you so much for all that fantastic information!

 

I'm glad Stitch has a covered area, I love stitch! I'm so excited I can't even handle it but I know its still a long time to wait. I will definitely use the advise you've written here.

 

I know the park is tiny but I'm still super excited about Mystic Manor and visiting Hong Kong its self!

[Garet]

I'm glad Stitch has a covered area, I love stitch! I'm so excited I can't even handle it but I know its still a long time to wait. I will definitely use the advise you've written here.

 

It wasn't a covered area but a random encounter under the trees outside tomorrowland, I meant that some of the meet and greets that were out in the sun and interchange with other characters such as the ones around main street cut-off very quickly. There's a nice mixture that I believe change so it's worth checking the website a few days before you go, the hong kong website lists characters you can meet in which areas, for the following week. I think maybe there might be some more that aren't listed that could show up around the park but it gives you a rough idea of what to expect and then you can ask around for times in the area. The fantasy garden characters (Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald & Pooh) each have their own area in the shade and have always been there pretty much all day on our visits.

[Bag_O_Laughs]

Ah Ok, Thinking about it... is there Wifi in the park do you or anyone else know? It would be nice if there was, the website says there is wifi in the hotel but i'm not sure about the park.

[Nrthwnd]

^ Sorry, don't know about that.

 

But - just found this in the Disney Hong Kong Gazette...

 

This week the focus is inseparable nature "Magic Access" members enjoy spring Limited shopping discount tickets. Get carried out by between May 1, 2015 to May 10 date. Members of valid membership card holders, in the park, two resort hotels shops and outdoor kiosks, to buy most of the products enjoy discount tickets.

 

I just love how other languages translate into english, lol.

I especially love the part where you "Get carried out by..."

Hurry, only two more days (PST) till it ends! (o;

[window]

Disneyland to begin testing FastPass+ this Summer and Hong Kong Disneyland to launch it in 2016 with the opening of the Iron Man Experience.

 

http://wdwnt.com/blog/2015/05/breaking-disneyland-will-test-fastpass-system-this-summer-hong-kong-launching-in-2016/

[window]

Hello! I'm so happy because currently i'm planning on visiting HKD in early October 2016 If anyone's got any tips I'd love to hear them.

 

We're going to stay 4 nights in Hong Kong its self and then 3 nights in the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel and We'll probably do 2 day in the park.

 

If anyone's been during this time, is the pool still open and is it hot enough that I'll want to go swimming?

 

I'm so excited but its still 1 1/2 away but I waited 2 years for Tokyo Disneyland so a 1 1/2 won't seem too long.

 

After this trip all i'll have to do is visit California and I'll have been to all the disney parks. Then I'll have to start thinking about how i'll get to Shanghai!

 

I'm planning something similar for October(ish) next year as well, just waiting for Disney to confirm the Iron Man opening date. My plan is to do Hong Kong and Shanghai on the same trip. You can now fly direct from Manchester to Hong Kong with Cathay Pacific which is great. Have you looked at visa requirements? If you have a British passport you don't need a visa to enter Hong Kong, but you do need a 'Visa K' to enter China.

 

My early plan looks something like this:

 

Fly Manchester to Hong Kong

4 nights in Hong Kong sightseeing

Catamaran to Macau

1 night in Macau sightseeing

Fly to Shanghai

4 nights in Shanghai sightseeing

3 nights / 2 full days at Shanghai Disneyland

Bullet train to Beijing

4 nights in Beijing sightseeing, with 1 day at the Great Wall

Fly to Hong Kong

3 nights / 2 full days at Hong Kong Disneyland

Fly Hong Kong to Manchester

 

I've got the trip starting and ending in Hong Kong because you can't fly direct to Shanghai or Beijing from Manchester.

 

I look forward to following how your plans progress!

[Nrthwnd]

Starting a bit early, eventually coming up to it's opening date, September 12...

[Nrthwnd]

Just found this, in the online Hong Kong Standard...

 

Page is set for New Magical Mickey Show

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

 

After 10 years and 19,000 performances, Hong Kong Disneyland's most popular show is ending.

 

The curtain comes down on The Golden Mickeys - which has been viewed by 16 million visitors - on July 26.

 

But park visitors need not feel disenchanted.

 

It will be replaced by an exclusive stage show, Mickey and the Wondrous Book. The new show, with a cast featuring 17 different nationalities, includes several beloved stories like Mulan, Toy Story, The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast.

 

It follows the adventures of Mickey, Goofy and Olaf the fluffy guy from Frozen as they journey through an enchanted book.

 

The magic begins in November.

 

 

But - "...the fluffy guy from Frozen" ?

And a new logo was posted for the 10th Anniversary of the park.

Soon to close, end of July. (TPR 2012 China Tour)

[larrygator]

The Golden Mickey's was a horrendous show.

[Nrthwnd]

^ I didn't think it was horrendous - just...dull. And I thought/felt

The Lion King Show was the most popular show at HKDL. Not this.

We're all here for The Golden Mickeys. Ready for our morning nap. (o; (TPR 2012 China Tour)

[Garet]

My wife really liked the golden mickey's just for listening to the various disney music being performed even if the bits between songs were nonsense so we've seen it a few times. She got pretty bored with the Lion King though and it became a one and done show for us.

 

Here's a photo from when google kept performing "auto-awesome" on my photos of anything involving lights or fireworks....

 

[Nrthwnd]

^Well, definitely something for everybody in the Disney parks.

 

With variety for all. Just not for myself, after one viewing.

 

And if and when I ever get back there, I would definitely take in the new show, for sure.

[COASTER FREAK 11]

Though I have not seen the Golden Mickey's, I have seen the show they are copying from Disneyland, called Mickey and the Magical Map. The show in Disneyland is not very good, and the cheeped out on the tech for the show. But, the overall concept isnt bad, just the Disneyland execution. So I hope that Hong Kong can fix all the terrible mistakes that the current show has.