Thursday, September 01, 2011

Hong Kong Disneyland

Going to Hong Kong Disneyland is easy because you can employ the services of MTR, bus, taxis and ferry (coming soon!). Still, the easiest way to get there is via the MTR Disneyland Resort Line.



It's about five minutes walk from the Disney train to the main gate (where you can purchase tickets, if you haven't already).




near the ticket counters


Better to study the map first and check the time of the shows/ parades so you can plan your day. A lot of Disney characters will be available for photo opps at different parts of the park.


photo opps with Tinkerbell was happening just outside Mickey's Philharmagic show at the same time that the Flights of Fantasy Parade was going on along Main Street





Lines at the Philharmagic show and It's A Small World (two must-see attractions) are manageable. Mickey's Philharmagic Show is a must-see because your little ones will get a feel of riding a roller coaster (or a flying carpet) without the danger, and you will get to relive all the magical moments of the Disney movies you love/grew with.

It's A Small World is nice because of all the dolls/puppets you'll see while on a boat (good for 8-12 people).





Lines at the Pooh ride and the Disney train tend to be really long, as well as the Space Mountain ride.

Another nice show to catch is Festival of the Lion King at Tomorrowland.





You can sneak in some snacks (they sequestered my SIL's McDonalds burger but not the breads they had in another bag nor the biscuits/crackers we had) and just avail of Disneyland's 3-in-1 Meal Offering (regular price: HKD150; special coupon price: HKD125) that entitles you to:
1 Lunch^ ( enjoy before 4:00pm on your visit date)
1 Dinner^ (enjoy after 5:30pm until fireworks start on your visit date)
1 Drink or Popcorn
* Lunch & Dinner Coupons do not include drinks
** meals can only be gotten from specific restaurants (Starliner Diner, Comet Cafe, Clopins Festival of Foods)
*** the popcorn was really good!

lunch meals we got from the 3-in-1 meal offering

chicken dish


peking duck dish


pork ham dish

lunch meals our relatives ordered from Royal Banquet Hall, costs HKD95 (came with mushroom soup)




Starliner Diner chicken and fries meal

chicken pieces (2 per meal) were big so this lot was enough to snack on by our big group


Told you, portions were big... but I didn't hear any "delicious!" comments from our table... and I really didn't like what I ate (the pork ham dish). It wasn't bad, just also not good either. Bland and oily, mostly. The fried chicken was okay.

If you're not getting the 3-in-1 Meal Offering, prepare to shell out between HKD60-100 per meal at any of the restaurants. Water cost HKD20 while softdrinks cost HKD22.

I would suggest to get a heavy breakfast/brunch before going to Disneyland and to just snack there all day, then have a delicious dinner somewhere else after.

There is a water fountain/refilling station just outside Royal Banquet Hall (Fantasyland) and Tahitian Terrace (Adventureland) and maybe others more in places near rest rooms so feel free to just refill your water bottles.

The food is somewhere between so-so and good but the servings are huge. I would also recommend not to order separate meals for little ones unless necessary since they are also not likely to eat that much from all the excitement.

Rental of strollers for a day costs HKD60 with a HKD100 bond for stroller (and if thunderstorms were predicted for the day, another HKD100 deposit for the stroller rain coat). Just proceed to City Hall to rent either wheelchair or stroller. And yes, the rain protector will come in handy when it rains because it will really keep your child dry inside the stroller.

Their strollers can accommodate babies that can already sit up to toddlers up to 15 kgs. in weight.

Strollers will also come in handy when you're saving a space along Main Street for the Flights of Fantasy Parade because you can park it sideways and have your kiddos sit at the curb. The strollers will protect your kids from other people who may end up pushing for a better look at the Disney characters.



The finale of the experience is the fireworks show happening after Tinkerbell scatters magic dust on Sleeping Beauty's castle. Make sure to find a good spot already around 8 PM. Tinkerbell scatters the magic dust at 8:30 PM and the fireworks show start at 9:00 PM.







Lastly, Disneyland seemed like a hotter place (during the day) than Ocean Park (maybe because it's flatter and had less trees) but it's also a lot smaller (think Enchanted Kingdom size) so walking around isn't that hard (compared to Ocean Park).

===========

For an idea of other things you might buy at Disneyland:
HKD45 for Disney raincoat (adult size; we bought two when it rained)
HKD20 for cotton candy on a glow stick
HKD110 for kiddie caps like this.
HKD95 for a Mickey and Minnie key ring set (his and hers).
HKD110 (or was it 210) for a Princess doll set with detachable parts

And around HKD320 for this Buzz and Woody action figures set (a LOT cheaper compared to buying the same here in the Philippines).



Check out Hong Kong Disneyland's website:
http://park.hongkongdisneyland.com

~ Additional note:
Strollers may be rented and meal coupons may be bought at the City Hall building, in Main Street, to the left of the Hong Kong Disneyland Railroad.

Please note that we travelled as a caravan of 8 adults, 3 preschoolers and 1 infant and were in Hong Kong between August 22-27, 2011, the height of summer (and summer sale) there.

7 comments:

Unknown said...

Hello,

Where can I buy the 3-in-1 Meal Coupon in Disneyland?

Jenggai said...

Hi! New follower here! I also experience the hot weather in HK. My friends and I were there last August 20-22. We all had sunburn from Disneyland lol.

jarevaloiii said...

You can buy the 3-in-1 meal voucher at the ticket counter before you enter the park or at the "City Hall" once you have entered the park.

macky said...

Can we purchase the Hong Kong Disneyland Ticket + 3-in-1 Dining Coupon @ CTS? I think that is way cheaper?

Mec said...

macky... what they offer at CTS is Disneyland entrance tickets and Disneyland entrance tickets + 3-in-1 meals... and that one IS a lot cheaper :)

at disneyland, they won't offer discounted entrance tickets

PangMel said...

hi, about 3in1 meal coupon with HK 125, we can enjoy all these three choices: lunch, dinner and popcorn with only HK125?or we must choose 1 of the choice only? if i choose to have lunch with the coupon, then i cannot enjoy my dinner with that coupon? i am going to HK with my family with 4 yr old and 1 yr old kids this 17 Nov, so must have well prepared for the trip. Was disney park crowded with long Q?

Mec said...

PangMel

Like what I said in my post... the 3-in-1 meal coupon means 3 meals in 1 purchase (of HKD125)... you get lunch and dinner and snack (choice of softdrinks or popcorn)

If your 4 year old eats a lot... then maybe you should get him his own 3-in-1 coupon but the meals (lunch and dinner) are big servings so you can just get coupons for you and your spouse and just feed your kids from your meals. Then, give them the popcorn :) We bought our son his own 3-in-1 ticket but he really didn't eat properly while at Disneyland... so we just shared his dinner of chicken with our other family members.

Disneyland is always crowded, expecially on holidays and weekends. Dress comfortably (but it might be rainy in HK too so make sure to bring extra clothes for the kids as well as umbrellas/raincoats)

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