Ah, I got back from Disneyland Hong Kong early in the week, and I have to say that I had a blast of a time! When you enter the hallowed grounds of any Disneyland park time just stands still. I literally felt all 8 years old again the moment I saw the grinning Mickey Mouse welcoming you as you enter the park 😀
When I was there, it was still Summer (and very very hot!) but it was at the end of September, and the Halloween decorations were already going up, and the place was starting to look festive. I would expect it to be a very fun place to visit in October when the weather cools down somewhat.
I thought I’d share with you 8 tips to make the most of your time at Hong Kong Disneyland and make sure you cover all the good bits. There’s loads of pictures and lots to take in, so settle down, come on and join the virtual visit to Disneyland Hong Kong 😉
1. Breakfast at the Enchanted Garden ~ Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel
If you want to grab a photograph with your favourite Disney characters, I would suggest breakfasting at the Enchanted Garden restaurant at Disneyland Hotel. While you have your breakfast, the main characters – Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Pluto – will be out and about at about 9-10am, mingling and taking photos with you. Doing it this way ensures you don’t have to queue for your turn in the park and also ensures that you get all the photos you want with your favourite character and all the time you need. Go early so you can have your breakfast, then get your photos else you’d be like me and be so distracted by the characters, I barely ate!
Oh and don’t forget the food either! You get a good spread, with Mickey Mouse waffles and pancakes and lots of Asian and Western breakfast grub.
Fill up, and get ready for the day in the park! (If you miss breakfast, there’s tea and dinner too!)
2. Grab a Fastpass and cut the queuing time
This is a shortcut to the queues for 3 attractions at the park :
- Space Mountain – Tomorrowland (my favourite!) : Fast paced roller coaster in the dark!
- The many adventures of Winnie the Pooh – Fantasyland (one for the kiddies) : A 3D ride experience through a Winne the Pooh adventure
- Buzz Lightyear Astro Busters – Tomorrowland : An interactive shooting game, where you sit in a ride and shoot at targets, trying to get a high score
Outside each entrance is a machine where you insert your park ticket and get a voucher for a time about an hour later. Go enjoy other parts of the park, and then come back at the time stated on the voucher and you enter a Fastpass queue, which is very much shorter than the regular queue. This way, you don’t waste too much time and you still get to get on your ride!
3. Don’t miss the Flights of Fantasy parade
Every afternoon at 3.30pm, Main Street comes alive with the Flights of Fantasy parade. This is where floats featuring various Disney cartoons and characters will come rolling down the street, together with street performers and cartoon characters. It is not to be missed! I suggest heading to Main Street at about 3pm to stake out your spot because it will get very crowded. The show time may change daily so do make sure to check when its on when you go so you don’t miss out (link here).
4. Rides not to miss!
Disneyland is a park for adults and children and I was pleased to see that there are very lovely exciting rides now available for this adrenaline junkie! 😀 Here are my favourite rides:
(1) Big Grizzly Mountain Runway Mine Cars (2) RC Racer (3) Two Thumbs up for Space Mountain!
- Space Mountain (Tomorrowland) – a roller coaster in the dark that goes at the speed of light. When I was there, it was approaching Halloween and they had the Ghost Galaxy, with scary ghosts-infested space nebula. I loved it so much, I went on it 3 times! 😀
- Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars (Grizzly Gulch) – Grizzly Gulch is a new land exclusive to Hong Kong Disneyland. Set in the Wild Wild West, the main ride is the Runaway Mine Cars which is a roller coaster that goes forwards, then backwards and then shoots you off at the speed of light, as you ride the gold mines. Watch out for Grizzly bears! 😉
- RC Racer (Toy Story Land) – Another favourite ride! The RC Racer shoots you up almost 90° up one side of a U shaped track, and then backwards to the other side. Heart-stopping action! Love it! 😀
- Toy Soldier Parachute Drop (Toy Story Land) – The Parachute Drop lifts you high up above the park, then drops you before repeating it. I think I left my tummy somewhere up in the sky at some point! Don’t close your eyes though, you get a lovely birds eye view of the whole Disneyland park!
5. Can you ride alone?
6. Catch the shows and performances
I have to say, I was quite blown away by the shows so you MUST watch them all! As you enter the park, you can get a timetable for each show time. Be there early before each show because space is limited, and you don’t want to miss it!
- Festival of the Lion King (Adventureland) : A musical with songs from the Lion King and amazing props and costumes! There’s aerial acrobatics, fire dancers, zebras, antelopes… and of course, Simba, Timon and Pumba! Do not miss this, whatever you do!
- Golden Mickeys (Fantasyland): A broadway style musical with songs from the Disney movies we know and love. Performances were superb and enthralling and you may even find yourself singing along to the songs. You know that we know them all, don’t we? 😉
- Mickey’s Philharmagic (Fantasyland): A 4D musical experiance! Put on your 3D glasses and don’t flinch as you see Donald Duck come flying straight at you, or when you feel water droplets against your skin. I’ve watched 3D movies before, but nothing is better than what I watched in that darkened theatre. Animation and 3D at its best!
7. Get into the Disney spirit!
When you are in Disneyland, leave your inhibitions at the door and get into the spirit of fun! I have always wanted a pair of Mickey Mouse ears since I was a little tyke and weaned on the Mickey Mouse Club. If you can’t sing the Mickey Mouse Club song along with me, I don’t want to know 😛
So this time, I made sure I got my ears. They only had them for Minnie Mouse but what the heck, they’d do 😀 Wore them all around the park and who cares, that I wasn’t 8. I felt like I was! 😀 Or maybe I was feeling a little Goofy too 😉
8. Say goodnight with Disney in the Stars fireworks
Before you leave, stay a while. Disneyland fireworks are more than just pyrotechnics. Its a work of art! Find a good location at Main Street, in front of the Sleeping Beauty castle, and settle down for a wait. The fireworks start when it gets dark, at about 7.30pm and there will be announcements so you have time to get there. The fireworks are set to the music of Disney films and it is all quite breathtaking. I was left with a tear in my eye and a song in my heart. Perfect! 😀
Needless to say, I had a great time and I realised that there were bits I might have missed, so I guess I will have to go back at some point! Maybe next year, for Christmas. I hear its lovely around that time of year 😉
I hope you’ve enjoyed the tips and virtual visit around the Park. Disneyland isn’t just a theme park, or a place for kids. It is a place for anyone who wants to feel like a kid, and who is a Disney fan. It really is one of the happiest places on earth 😉
Paris B
YAY!!! OMG looks like so much fun!! Someday I’d love to visit this Disney Park! It looks great! I’m going back to Disneyland in November to see parts of the new California Adventure Park like Cars Land. I haven’t seen them yet!
Great tips Paris!
Eee Tracy, share pictures when you get back! My dream is to visit Disneyland in CA or even Disney World in FL. I think I’d go nuts! 😛 Although in your case, you may find the one in HK a little small. Its quite fast to cover.
Looks like someone had a great time! 😀
Someone did! 😀
wow so much fun compare to the last few year…feel like revisiting again..i luv the mickey waffle…
Yeah, I think now that the park is bigger, its even more fun. They’re building a new ride too – Mystic Point which is also a Disneyland HK exclusive, ready next year so maybe go back then? 😉
Three words: Mickey. Mouse. Waffles!!! 😀
Thanks for this! Love reading travel posts now, hopefully someday I can go! Haven’t been to HK in a loong time but really love it there. (I feel like it’s Singapore x100 haha)
x Renee
I love reading travel posts too, Renee! Read about your recent Phuket trip – congrats on the fragrance deal! I enjoy going to HK too – its fun! Time for you to plan a trip there 😉
“who’s the leader of the club that’s made for you and me?” 😉 the last time I went to Disneyland was…OMG the ‘first’ time we met! (took me a while to think!) high time to make another trip! 😀
M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E!!! 😀 Haha its time for you to plan a trip, maybe to LA! 😉
I love love love Disney since i was a kid! Went to Disney World when i was 19 and yes act like i was 8 too. But its really the happiest place on earth!
It is so much fun isn’t it? I love it there. Now I need to go to the other ones! 😉
Hey PB! Looks like a blast! I know what you mean about channeling your inner kid–I would love to bring Grace there simply so I can enjoy myself too-haha!
Have you been to Disneyland or DisneyWorld? Am wondering how it compares? And is everything in English? I always wondered if it was weird if some stuff was in Cantonese?
It is loads of fun, Monstro! Maybe take Grace when she’s a little bigger. I think kids of about 3-4 enjoy it better because they can understand whats going on and they don’t get so tired else you’d be carrying her everywhere LOL! I haven’t been to Disneyland or Disney World (but I’d love to) and my only other Disney experience was in Paris. It was brand new then and very small. This one is a fair size and 2 days is more relaxing. Signages etc are in English and so are songs and announcements are made in English, Mandarin and Cantonese. The stage performers speak in Cantonese though, but there are English subtitles on the side. Doesn’t spoil the experience. When I was in France, it was all in French! LOL
Hi Paris – This is a nice post! We were there when our son was 3 years old – wished I knew about the “Fast Pass” because we missed out on some of the rides due to the long queues 😛
By the way, I’d advise parents to go when the kid is at least 4-5 years old because my son had NO recollection of that trip hahaha.
Good advice, Kit. I think 4-5 is a good age too because I saw how exhausted parents and kids were who were younger, and who weren’t quite aware of what was happening. Now you know about the fast pass, and to jog jr’s memory, its erm… time to go back? 😉
You look adorable in the pictures with Minnie ears! :] The Mickey breakfast must make the meal extra special; I sometimes do mickey ears with my pancakes too. The show looks amazing and I’m glad you had such a blast.
Teehee… thanks Janessa! I love my Mickey ears 😀 The breakfast is one not to miss for sure – saves a lot of time for phototaking in the park! 😉
I loved it when I went to HK Disneyland. I ACTUALLY was so happy that I teared up :’) I really want to go to HK to actually ENJOY the place as I as dead sick when I was there..
Being sick on holiday is no fun, Hanny! I hope you get the chance to go back and visit soon when you’re all nice and well 😀 Disneyland is so magical, isn’t it?
Wow. I love reading your blog post about HK and I writing all the things to do while in a HK Trip . This is surely a big help on me considering I will go to HK February next year ????????????
Hi Marian, I’m glad you enjoyed the post 🙂 HK is a fun place and I hope you enjoy your trip there!
Hi, thanks for the useful tips as I’m going to HK on december! 😀 any tips for beauty shopping in HK? 😀
Woohoo! HK in December is fun coz its lovely and cool so you can play dress up! 😀 I did a post on shopping for beauty stuff in HK a while ago (link here) Little has changed – much will depend on what you want to buy 🙂
Now you make me feel like I should go back to Disneyland again PB! I think I shall wait for that Mystic Point ride and start planning for 2014! (If the world doesn’t end with the Mayan calendar. Hahaha)
Awesome tips but the funnest part for me was seeing you have fun! 😉
Aww thanks Rinnah and it was SO.MUCH.FUN! 😛 I was told that Mystic Point is a bit like the Winnie the Pooh ride so I think its less exciting for us adrenaline junkies 😉 Would be more fun to go somewhere else like Tokyo Disneyland maybe? 😉
Aaaaaah it looks so funnnn!!! When I went to HK, the guidebooks and other people said Oceanpark/Oceanworld? (Can’t remember now) was better, but it looks like I missed out on a lot!! 🙁 The rides look way more interesting!!
I haven’t been to Ocean Park but I think its the Disney magic that makes it so much fun. Its different from other theme parks because its a whole experience – an excuse to go back, maybe? 😉
Oh wow. I have never been to any Disneylands (only ever been past the Tokyo one). Looks so fun!
It is, Sam especially if you love Disney 😀 Plan one – or maybe after your Legoland trip? 😉
i wish i could have read this earlier 🙁 didn’t know what to expect, had the whole day there and it wasn’t as fun as yours! didn’t get to watch any shows, didn’t get to do any rides… all because it was packed with people! only got to meet the characters, played buzz lightyear game and got sunburnt =.= but i don’t think i’ll ever reject a second round of Disneyland if there’s an opportunity 😛 awesome post!
Aww Sorry to hear your experience wasn’t as fun, Ee Von 🙁 I got tanned from the sun too – so hot! But next time you go, you know what to expect right? 😀
I must take myself to Disneyland. The 2 little toddlers can tag along. LOL! Ah, so Hong Kong is the place to go… my next holiday destination. Sounds like a place to re-visit many times 🙂
It most definitely is! 😉 I love going to HK and the only really prohibitive thing is the hotels that are super expensive. Otherwise, its really fun. If your kids are Disney fans, they’d have a great time but I saw some really bored kids too, whose parents were more excited than they were about meeting Mickey Mouse. It made me feel sort of sad.
Gah!!! I love Disneyland! 😀 I’ve been to the one in HK, California and Florida. And I’m still not sick of it. LOL. And I always make it a point to go during the colder months, cause I’m not much of a sun+heat person. 😛
I want to go to the USA ones some day! That’s like the mothership! 😀 Next time I go, it has to be in a cooler month – can’t handle this sort of heat anymore 😛
Awww you look so cute and HAPPY in all those pics, Paris! I really want to go to Disneyland now 🙁 I haven’t been in years and years! Looks like you really savored every moment and wow, you got a LOT done that day! 😛
I was there over 2 days, Becca which I think is just right 😀 The HK Park isn’t as large as the one in California. I would imagine that I’d need a much longer time to really cover the one there! I love Disneyland – its time for you to visit and be a kid again! 😀
Wow Paris!! You looked adorable with your Minnie ears!! 😀
Glad you had a blast! 😀
teehee, thanks AnT! 😀 A dream achieved! 😀
I was at HK Disneyland a week earlier than you, Paris…I love it and will definitely re-visit the place (a palce that definitely worth re-visiting) ..hmm maybe during cooler time. I got tanned a lot under the hot & sunny day but it’s fun. Oh, this is my first Disneyland trip. 😉
Also, love the fire works that wrapped up the day at Disneyland HK, it’s wonderful with the disney music at the background!
Yay Jesz! Glad you had as much fun as I did and like you, I got tanned too! Way too hot to visit in Summer eh? 😀