Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
AMUSEMENT PARK
HONG KONG DISNEYLAND
10am-8pm Mon-Fri, to 9pm Sat & Sun; ; Disney Resort Station)
Ever since it claimed Hong Kong in 2005, Disneyland has served as a rite of passage for the
flocks of Asian tourists who come daily to steal a glimpse of one of America's most famous
cultural exports. It's divided into seven areas - Main Street USA, Tomorrowland, Fantasy-
land, Adventureland, Toy Story Land, Mystic Point, and Grizzly Gulch - but it's still quite
tiny compared to the US version, and most of the attractions are geared to families with
small children.
Most of the rides are appropriate for all but the smallest kids. Highlights include the
goofy-scary tour through the Mystic Manor, and classics like 'It's a Small World' and the
Mad Hatter teacups. Adrenalin junkies have only a few true thrills - the whipping-through-
utter-darkness Space Mountain roller coaster in Tomorrowland, the Big Grizzly Mountain
coaster in Grizzly Gulch, and the stomach-dropping RC Racer half-pipe coaster in Toy Story
Land. The Iron Man Experience 3D motion simulator is slated to open in 2016.
While most of Hong Kong Disney is essentially a scaled-down version of the American
Disneyland, there are a number of nods to Chinese culture. Disney consulted a feng shui
master when building the park, and ended up moving the entrance 12 degrees to avoid
chi
slipping into the ocean. The lucky number eight is repeated throughout the park (the
Western mining town of Grizzly Gulch was said to be founded on 8 August 1888), and
Canto-pop singer Jacky Cheung is the park's official spokesperson.
The hungry will never be far from a snack or a sit-down meal, whether Eastern (dried
squid, fish balls on a stick, dim sum) or Western (burgers, cotton candy, muffins). And you'll
certainly never be far from a souvenir shop.
