For an amazing trip, Hong Kong Disneyland: The Complete Guide offers in-depth guidance, a list of must-see attractions, places to eat, and insider knowledge. Regardless of your level of experience with Disney, this book contains all the information you require.
Hong Kong Disneyland: The Complete Guide
Hong Kong Disneyland is the smallest of all the Disney parks, spanning 126 hectares on Lantau Island, but it’s also one of the easiest to get to with a dedicated MTR line. Main Street USA, where the park entrance is located, leads to seven intricately designed areas: Adventureland, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, Grizzly Gulch, Mystic Point, and Toy Story Land. Furthermore, our comprehensive guide to Hong Kong Disneyland covers everything from rides and shows to restaurants and tips on how to save money on tickets, ensuring you make the most of your stay.
The Rides
A few rides stand out as exclusive to Hong Kong among the dozens available. For instance, the thrilling rollercoaster Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars features a heart-stopping backward drop. Additionally, Mystic Manor showcases some of the most captivating special effects created by Disney Imagineers. Moreover, two Marvel-themed attractions, Iron Man Experience, a 3D motion simulator, and Ant-Man & The Wasp: Nano Battle, a laser shooter, add extra excitement to the action.
For more exhilaration, visit Toy Story Land’s “big drop” rides, Toy Soldier Parachute Drop and RC Racer, as well as Tomorrowland’s Hyperspace Mountain, an indoor rollercoaster with a Star Wars motif that zips you through galaxies.
With attractions including Mickey’s Philhar Magic 3D, Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, and It’s A Small World, Fantasyland remains the top choice for kids and kids at heart.
A trip on Adventureland’s Jungle River Cruise might be the ultimate throwback. This attraction, which has been a part of the original Disneyland in Anaheim, California, since its opening day in 1955, includes humorous commentary from your boat’s skipper and a vibrant cast of animatronic animals.
The Entertainment
Disneyland’s live entertainment experiences are a big part of what makes the park so unique; as they have a predetermined timetable, it’s best to arrange your day around them. A 30-minute Broadway-style show called Festival of The Lion King has enormous puppets and aerial acrobatics, while Mickey and the Wondrous Book features song and dance sequences from movies like Frozen, Aladdin, and The Little Mermaid. Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple is an interactive presentation that requires registration at Tomorrowland’s Space Traders shop, but in the meanwhile, fans of Star Wars can master the Force there.
Parades of grandeur featuring beloved Disney and Pixar characters on large, colorful floats are staged daily. The parade route varies depending on the season, so check the park’s schedule ahead of time and arrive early to secure the best views. If it’s happening, don’t miss the Paint the Night Parade, which lights up the night with glistening floats that have over 740,000 lights on them.
The Restaurants
At Hong Kong Disneyland, there is something for everyone, including vegetarian and halal food, from sit-down restaurants to grab-and-go food carts.
Main Street Corner Café serves primarily Western food, while Plaza Inn, a Chinese restaurant owned by the well-known Hong Kong chain Maxim’s, provides dim sum and full table-service meals. For unique pan-Asian fare, including Javanese curries and Japanese bento boxes, visit the counter-service Explorer’s Club Restaurant at Mystic Point. The Lucky Nugget Saloon near Grizzly Gulch is a popular place to grab fish and chips for a quick snack. Another popular spot features Mickey Mouse-shaped ice cream, which is perfect for beating the heat in Hong Kong. You can find these food carts all over the park.
Do you want to avoid the park crowds? Make a reservation at a hotel restaurant at Disneyland. You can order Disney-shaped dim sum in advance at the upscale Chinese restaurant Crystal Lotus, and schedule character dining events at Chef Mickey, Dragon Wind, World of Color, and Enchanted Garden.
The Hotels
There are three hotels near Hong Kong Disneyland if you want to make a day of it; they’re all equipped with restaurants, swimming areas, and entertainment. Extra benefits include reserved seats for the attractions of your choice, priority admission permits, and a convenient park entrance designated exclusively for guests.
The largest of these is the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel, a sophisticated Victorian-style palace featuring a Mickey-shaped topiary maze and a Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique to indulge little princesses. Goofy movie nights and opulent Art Deco-inspired décor are hallmarks of Disney’s Hollywood Hotel. In keeping with its theme of adventurous adventurers, the Explorers Lodge also features themed gardens.
The Expansion Plans
Disneyland has temporarily halted its beloved nightly fireworks show due to renovations on the Sleeping Beauty Castle and the railroad that tours a large portion of the park. The redesigned castle, featuring 13 spires inspired by various Disney princesses, is set to reopen in 2020, promising to be bigger and better than before.
Plans for park expansion don’t end there. There are plans to build two new attractions, themed dining, retail stores, and entertainment in an area with a Frozen theme. There are also plans to expand the current Marvel Hub into a larger themed area. One of the rumored attractions would be a massive rollercoaster with an Avengers motif. The sole drawback? The reveal of everything won’t happen until 2023.
Insider Tips
How to Get There: Taking the MTR to Hong Kong Disneyland is our preferred method of transportation; just board the Disneyland Resort Line at Sunny Bay Station. It truly seems like a part of the experience because the trains are outfitted in full Disney splendor, down to the Mickey Mouse hand grips, and run every few minutes. A number of bus lines will take you straight to Disneyland, and the Star Ferry makes daily trips there from Tsim Sha Tsui.
When to Go: Avoid weekends, public holidays, and school vacations for peak visits to the park. Arrive by 10 a.m. to avoid crowds.
Purchasing Tickets: To save money, buy tickets online in advance, compare Klook deals with Disneyland’s, and get an Annual Pass for frequent visits. For a memorable experience, consider a unique guided tour with dinner reservations and direct access to attractions.
To plan your day: Download the Hong Kong Disneyland app for real-time ride wait times, map, event schedules, and character photo opportunities, or obtain hard copies upon arrival.
Avoid Long Lines: Main Street USA in Hong Kong Disneyland offers themed boutiques, Marvel items, and princess-themed merchandise. It’s recommended to buy souvenirs immediately to avoid disappointment if they don’t return.
Purchasing souvenirs: Main Street USA in Hong Kong Disneyland offers themed boutiques, Marvel items, and princess-themed merchandise. It’s recommended to buy souvenirs immediately to avoid disappointment if they don’t return.
Taking in the Scenic Surroundings: Unknown to the public, Inspiration Lake is a 12-hectare lake with free parking and no hotel or park admission that features a fountain, views of the mountains, an arboretum, boat rentals, and a picnic area.
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