Hong Kong Disneyland

Come say "Ni Hao"
to Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and the Gang!

Hong Kong Disneyland is the fifth Disney Theme Park location to open, the second in Asia.

After the original Disneyland Park in Anaheim California came Walt Disney World in Orlando.

Then Disney took the show on the road and went international with Tokyo Disneyland, followed by Disneyland Paris.

It was a tough act to follow for Disneyland Hong Kong, but after a rocky start in 2005, the Park seems to have turned the corner and it is a place where we can certainly say "the magic is still very much alive" which is what the Disney experience is all about!

Hong Kong Disneyland is tiny in comparison with its older cousins, the selection of rides and attractions is very limited (although growing) and prices as expected are "Disney prices", but all in all, still a very magical, enthralling, and wonderful experience.

The small size of the park and family-friendly set up makes it a perfect place to spend the day with small children.

Exploring Hong Kong Disneyland

Hong Kong Disneyland is small and still missing a lot of the high caliber rides that are so popular in the other parks, but what it lacks in thrilling rides, it more than makes up with the magical atmosphere, the perky little details tucked here and there throughout the park, the outstanding and well landscaped grounds, they all combine beautifully to give you plenty of magical moments and memories.

It is divided into five "Lands", it is very easy to find your way around but make sure to pick up a Guidemap at the entrance. I would say the park caters to the very young (and young at heart!).

Main Street USA Leads you from the Park Entrance to the Castle with a turn of the 20th century atmosphere	Fantasyland The magical land of fairies, flying elephants, spinning cups and Sleeping Beauty castle, the Disney trademark	Adventureland Welcome to the jungle, climb Tarzan's treehouse, go wild at the Lion King extravaganza
Tomorrowland Exploring the universe at the speed of light, don't miss these thrilling rides	Toy Story Land Come play with Woody, Buzz and friends at Andy's backyard where three new rides await	Coming soon: Grizzly Gulch and Mystic Point coming in 2012 and 2013 respectively

Particularly for toddlers and children under 10, the park will be a very magical experience, whether it is your first time at a Disney park or a repeat visitor.

It is probably more challenging to keep teenagers amused as the number of rides and attractions for this age group is limited. There isn't much outside of Space Mountain in Tomorrowland and the new rides in Toy Story Land at the moment to keep them busy.

A more suitable option when it comes to amusement parks in Hong Kong for the older kids is Ocean Park, which has a great assortment of rides and rollercoasters as well as marine exhibits and other attractions that will keep them entertained.

But all is not lost, teenagers can still have a great time at the park, our boys (then 12 and 14) still enjoyed it very much, they enjoyed the parades and were happy to spend time with their younger cousins.

More Fun Stuff at Hong Kong Disneyland

Getting There The Disney Experience begins before you even get to the park!	Meeting your favourite Characters Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, Donald... they all make an appearance, just know where to look!	The Parade Best time to see all your favourite Disney characters sing, dance and march at the Flight of Fantasy Parade
The Fireworks Spectacular Every night, a state-of-the-art fireworks display lits up the sky with the favourite Disney tunes in the background	Special Events and Celebrations Halloween, Christmas, and Chinese New Year are great times to visit the park	Disneyland Hotel Hong Kong A stay at one of the Disney resorts will round up your Disney Experience!

If you are familiar with other Disney parks, Hong Kong Disneyland is quite similar in the layout and how it operates. You will also notice some very unique Asian twists, here and there:

For starters, you will find that all shows and performances are offered in Mandarin and Cantonese in addition to English. This is important to note if there is a particular performance you are interested in, i.e. Stitch Encounter, check the times to make sure you don't miss it in the language of your preference.

When it comes to food, you will also find that the menus offer a wide selection of Asian fare in addition to Western, so beware of that hamburger which might be a soy burger rather than the usual beef burger you might be accostumed to.

Chinese culture is evermost present throughout the park and the resorts. With the number four being the "unlucky" number for Chinese, much like the number thirteen in Western culture, you will see no number 4 on the elevators. Other not so noticeable details are the direction the main gate faces, which was positioned for optimal feng shui or good luck, among the mountains and the sea.

Coming Soon to Disneyland Hong Kong

Two more sections or "lands" are planned for the near future: Grizzly Gulch is an old Wild West town in the style of "Frontierland", complete with mining mountain where prospectors will be looking for gold... Grizzly Gulch is scheduled to open in 2012, possibly by the end of July or early August.

Mystic Point is a unique concept to HK Disney. It will be a combination of haunted house, mysterious rain forest, and supernatural happenings... scheduled to arrive in early 2013, hopefully to coincide with the Chinese New Year.

Here is a video on the progress of the construction as of May 2012: