Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Hong Kong Series: Hong Kong Disneyland!

Is there such a thing as too old for Disneyland? 

I hope not! Celebrating my 23rd in Disneyland Hong Kong

I celebrated my 23rd birthday on the themed streets of Disneyland Hong Kong. I do not know if it had something o do with my birthday, but albeit smaller, I found Disneyland Hong Kong no less magical than its Western counterparts.

The ride to Disneyland was a Mickey Mouse-inspired train. Like any other teaser, it was tastefully made to excite you for what's to come. From the classic Mickey-shaped windows and handrails to the plush, velvet sofas, the ride was an integral part of the Disney experience that one should not miss.


It was my first time to celebrate my birthday away from home, and I kind of felt sad sentimental at first. Once I got to the resort however, I totally forgot about being a total cheeseball. It wasn't my first time to visit a Disney themed park, but all three occasions still felt like a first. 


Disneyland is divided into four themed lands: Main Street USA, AdventureLand, TomorrowLand and Fantasyland. At the entrance, the boyfriend and I grabbed a copy of the park map and sat on a nearby bench to plan the day so as to accommodate ALL shows and attractions. Yes, I was  that relentless! The park is really small and missing something is close to sinning against yourself for hard earned money not well spent.


These tickets are 350 HKD each, but I got them cheaper!

Our first stop was the futuristic Tomorrow Land, home of the Buzz LightYear Astro Blasters and Space Mountain. These are two of the very few attractions in Disneyland that adults are likely to enjoy!


Welcome to TomorrowLand!
Space mountain, an indoor roller coaster.
I didn't get to capture the scores, but y'all know who won between the two of us!

TomorrowLand also houses Stitch Encounter, a fun interactive show where the mischievous Stitch  insults entertains the audience. The show comes in both English and Chinese, so you might want to see the show schedule found at the entrance for show times in English.

So here is someone as crazy as Stitch.

Autopia was not a thrilling ride, but it was a nice to pretend that I was driving around a really cool neighborhood. I decided to skip Orbitron and UFO zone because I did not want to get wet.


Do I have the makings of a race car driver?


From the future, we went back to a time where castles and princes were the shiznit. Hello, FantasyLand!



FantasyLand houses the beautiful Sleeping Beauty Castle and the Fantasy Gardens, where you can have your picture taken with your favorite Disney characters. We skipped the Fantasy Gardens though, as I am too impatient for long lines.



There weren't any rides meant for teens and adults in this area, but the kid in me enjoyed the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (literally a story book adventure that would delight kids!) and It's a Small world (cute dolls in different national costumes), nevertheless. I wasn't able to take a good photo of the Filipino dolls, though.

Cute dolls inside the It's A Small World Ride!


Here are a few things you must not miss in FantasyLand: The Golden Mickeys, Mickey's Philharmagic and eating at the Banquet Hall!


Inside the theater to watch the Golden Mickeys!
The Royal Banquet Hall

Inside the Royal Banquet Hall
Goodbye, Fantasyland!


From dainty and pink, we went to brass and daring. Hello, AdventureLand!


Tree House!


I have very fond memories of my mom in Tarzan's Tree House from a couple of years back, but I felt too tired from walking (it was already my fourth day in Hong Kong!), so I opted to take the Jungle River Cruise instead. Of course, the boyfriend did not contest, it was my birthday after all.


Look, an elephant!


What you should not miss in this area: the very well produced Festival of the Lion King Show!


Hakuna Matata! I love worry-free philosophies!


Three themed lands later, I was already tired and quite nauseous despite the fairly cooperative weather. The boyfriend and I decided to skip the other attractions and just look around the souvenir shops in Main Street, USA. We also watched the Disney Waterworks Parade. I did not get into the wet zone though, as I had no spare clothes.


The Waterworks Parade!
Main Street, USA Shops


While waiting for the fireworks, the boyfriend and I had a very American dinner in AdventureLand.


With a Disney cup!
So-so burger.


The Disney in Stars fireworks wasn't anything like Fantasmic in Disneyland, California, but it was still a great treat to end my birthday with.


The castle looks more awesome at night, yes?


So! Want to go to Disneyland Hong Kong via the MTR? Just follow these directions!


MTR (from either TST/JORDAN/MONGKOK) -> Lai King (interchange to Tung Chung Line) -> Sunny Bay (interchange to Disney Resort Line) -> Disney Resort.


What about you, how did you spend your birthday this year?

2 comments:

  1. Hey, cheeseball! So what are we gonna do on your birthday this year? Must beat the Hong Kong birthday experience, but with less gastos! Haha.

    ReplyDelete

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