Hong Kong Disneyland, Hong Kong

HONG KONG DISNEY LAND - June 2007

This theme park opened in 2005 so it is fairly new and is 126 Hectares. It has four lands which are Fantasyland, Adventure Land, Tommorowland and Main Street USA, which all have there own theme and different rides!
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TRANSPORT
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We got a taxi reasonably cheap there and back from our hotel in Kowloon and it was very easy as we didnt have to wait in any queues for buses or trains. You need to be careful of taxi drivers as they will try to charge you double the toll price. Check with your hotel how much this is before getting a taxi. We had been previously warned and our taxi driver was trying to charge us twice the toll amount and we asked him why this was and he backed down and played dumb. in the end we didn't have to pay twice the toll.
Another way to get to the park is by the MTR at new futuristic Sunny Bay State on Tung Chung line it will bring you straight up to the entrance of the park.

Once you have paid before going into the park your bag will be inspected and searched. This was reassuring and it didn't take too long so I didn't mind.

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FANTASYLAND
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This is based on the happily ever after Disney stories. For example Sleeping Beauty and Snow White. Its magical and fairy tale like. Some of the attractions are: -

**Mickey's PhilharMagic (Show)**
This is a 3D show which Donald Duck is up to mischief and touches Mickey's orchestra when he is told not to and it takes you through the show with him getting into trouble and meeting different Disney Characters along the way. It was based a lot on the orchestra so there is some good music. The 3D effects was brilliant and you felt you could reach out for the instruments at times. At some stages you were squirted with water as well which gives you a shock! It was very worthwhile going to see.

**The Golden Mickeys at Disney's Storybook Theater (Show)**
I thought all the shows were all great and you should definately take the time to see them however 'The Golden Mikeys' is in Chinese and you have to read subtitles which can be annoying. This show is like an Hollywood awards show where awards are given. The presenter then is transported into different adventures where she meets Mulan, Lilo and Stich, characters from toy story, and the little mermaid. Each adventure there is a show with songs and dancing!

**Fantasy Gardens**
In the gardens you can get your photograph taken with a Disney character and they will give you there autograph if you want it! I think the characters are constantly changing. When I was there you could have gotten your photo taken with Mikey Mouse, Minne Mouse, Donald, Pluto and Donald Duck. There are queues you have to join which did seem quite long.

**The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh**
This is a ride which you go through different moving scenes in Hundred-Acre Wood. The carriage you get into is a honey pot. It tells the classic story of the blustery day, you meet tigger and encounter the flood with piglet. It is a very slow moving ride and would be great for young children.

**Sleeping Beauty Castle**
This is the castle of Aurora and to be honest I was quite disappointed by it. It was a lot smaller than I imagined and is considerably smaller than the Paris one.

**Mad Hatter Tea Cups**
This is a ride which you sit in a tea cup and you can spin it round and round as the ride is spun around. You can spin as slowly or as quickly as you want. To be honest even thinking of this ride makes me feel sick lol! I would say that some kids would enjoy this ride.

**Dumbo the Flying Elephant**
The carriage of this ride is an elephant and it spins around. You can make Dumbo fly by moving the carriage up and down as you spin around. I would recommend this ride to young children as it can be quite dull and boring!

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TOMMOROWLAND
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This land is based on the future and you are exploring other planets and the gallaxy. Everything has a space feel to it! Some of the attractions for this land are:-

**Space Mountain**
This is the only thrill ride in Disney Hong Kong. It is an indoor roller-coaster which has sharp quick turns and dips. It makes you feel like you are shooting through the stars you are going that quick. You are advised before you go on the ride that if you have neck or back problems not to go on it and this definitely needs to be listened to, as during all the ride you are jerked and shook about as you go through the darkness. After I got off this ride I had a very light head and once was enough for me!

**Buzz lightyear Asto Blasters**
This was my favorite ride, you got to shoot targets with hand-held laser cannons as you went around in a Star Cruiser (carriage) which you can move around 360 degrees. It was a great interactive experience, there is a lot happening on it with moving targets and flashing lights! You can compare scores with the person beside you which will definitely bring some competition to your game! Me and my boyfriend went on it again and again to see if we could beat each other.

**Stitch Encounter**
The Stitch show was good but if you're shy do be warned he talks to people in the audience and will point out specific people to talk to.

**Autopia**
This was the only attraction I had to wait for ages in the queue and it was really not worth my one hour wait! It is a car and it goes around a track and you have to press a pedal for it to move like the bumper cars only you cant move off the track. The queues are super long and wait time was about an hour and the ride is soo boring. I think even children would find it pointless! The minimum height for a driver is 137cm and for a passenger is 81cm but to be honest I think its worth a miss!

**Orbitron**
This is another spinning ride like the Dumbo ride however it is in the theme of Space and has a rocket as the carriage.

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ADVENTURELAND
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This land is based on adventures into the jungle and discovering new things. Some of the attractions are the following:-

**Festival of the Lion King (Show)**
The lion king show is great for children and adults. It's a musical show with a carnival like feel with floats. There are great songs, bright lights and its very colourful. On floats are Timone and Pumba and Simba which will talk to the audience throughout the show. It tells the story of the Lion King with short sketches and song. I thought it was great as there was always something to look at so you never got bored!

**Jungle River Cruise**
This was basically a river cruise which took you to see some electronic animals like elephants, cobras, orangutans and crocodiles. There was live commentary onboard which was fun and you got splashed by some of the animals along the way.

**Tarzan Island **
This is a tree house which you can climb to see Tarzans home.

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MAINSTREET USA
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This is where you first arrive after entering into the park and it is based on a typical american town in the 1900s with marching bands parading every so often. Here is where most of the shops are. There are clothes and sweet shops. Some of the attractions here are as follows:-

**Hong Kong Disneyland Railroad**
The Train State starts here which you can hop on and hop off. It looks like an antique train and will transport you around the different areas of the park.

**Opera House**
In the Opera House it tells you the story of the life of Walt Disney and the birth of Disneyland. It has a short video playing for you to watch.

**Main Street City Hall**
This is the information desk where you can get your guide maps and any queries on show times can be answered.

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CARNIVAL
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The carnival runs through Main Street USA and has a host of Disney Characters and floats with people dancing and street performers. It had a great atmosphere with colourful floats. The only problem is that there are pushy people here so keep your ground if you get a good spot to view the parade. People will be pushing in and shoving umbrellas in to get in front of other people.

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FIREWORKS DISPLAY
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The fireworks ended the night perfectly. They made you feel like you were in Disney and had that magical touch about them. While the fireworks were being set off different Disney songs where played I thought the display was fantastic!

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PRICES
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For a day pass into Disney land it costs for an Adult $295 and for a Child $210. This price includes all rides, shows and the firework display. Opening hours are 10am-9pm Apr-Oct and 10am-7pm Nov-March.

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OVERALL
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In my opinion Hong Kong Disney Land is a lot smaller than Paris one. Its not very busy however at times you still have crowds of people pushing into you, but at all theme parks this happens. I felt you didn't have to wait in overly long queues, however there is one car ride which is an exception to this called Autopia (as mentioned before). The park is a disappointment for people wanting exciting/thrill rides. The only one is Space Mountain which is a rollercoaster which is really fast and is in the dark. In general it's not really a park for older people or even teenagers. I am glad I seen this park while I was in Hong Kong however I would never go back. I was able to get around the whole park in one day and didn't feel like I had missed out on anything. If you want to feel the 'Disney Experience' I would advise you to go to another Disney park.