Hong Kong no Phooey TR (Apr 2012)! The Yee's have it....TR finish #1101, 07/09

[queenie82]

I love the pic of jump for joy!! Great cannon moment!

I agree. My favourite shot...especially as PIO is normally BEHIND the lens. Which while I appreciate the great shots. I love that you got some photos of you!

I think I'd have had a rather projectile vomiting moment on the teacups if I'd had a dim sum breakfast and that much spinning

 

[kmedina]

Breakfast did look quite delicious. I love the picture of your DS running toward the castle, and the one of your husband in the teacups.

 

[ACDSNY]

Loved the update! I learned long ago never to go with the boys on the teacups.

 

[PrincessInOz]

I'm going to try and put some more into my TR today, hopefully I will get to the fireworks. I was pretty happy with my shots, but they pale in comparison to yours lol!

Just reading about your experiences with the star guest thing... we had no idea about this and accidentally found it on our second last day. I'll add our experiences to my TR in due time, but we scored a couple of stickers.

We scored stickers and cards as well. But we were getting those on Day 1, without the Star Guest pin anyway.

Love the picture of your son running down Main Street!

You are a brave woman to let your husband and son have control of the "spinning wheel".

Brave??? That's one way of looking at it....S-T-O-O-P-I-D is another. But at least I learn fast. NEVER EVER going to happen again.

Oh yeah I forgot to mention how much I love that pic of your DS running towards the castle! Classic

I love the pic of jump for joy!! Great cannon moment!

Oh, What a Feeling!

Very nice update! I love the detail shots on the castle and your bent perspective!

I have never been on the teacups and I don't think I will after that!

I think I would really enjoy all the Asian breakfasts and stuff, those looked really good. I often have Chinese leftovers for breakfast!

I think you would have enjoyed the Asian breakfasts too. They were really good.

I agree. My favourite shot...especially as PIO is normally BEHIND the lens. Which while I appreciate the great shots. I love that you got some photos of you!

I think I'd have had a rather projectile vomiting moment on the teacups if I'd had a dim sum breakfast and that much spinning

I'm not sure how I managed to keep breakfast down; but I did.

Breakfast did look quite delicious. I love the picture of your DS running toward the castle, and the one of your husband in the teacups.

The one of DH in the teacups is another fave of mine.

Loved the update! I learned long ago never to go with the boys on the teacups.

I think I've learnt the same lesson on this trip. In the past, it was fine because DS was younger and I used to put a hand on the wheel as well, pushing in the opposite direction.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Episode IV - Into the Valley of the Dolls



We were in Fantasyland and after having a turn on the spin cycle, all 3 of us headed for one of the iconic attractions of Fantasyland.

It is a short left turn into the Valley of the Dolls and that American Girl Doll Shop. Did you know they had an office right here in Hong Kong?

Hmmm….come to think of it, that shop is more a Chinese Girl Doll Shop.

No surprises here…it looks very similar to every other Doll Shop on the outside.

It was still early in the morning, so we had to contend with more crowd control barriers.

I will say now that there will be lots of pictures of dolls. LOTS! So, if anyone has an issue with that, now is the time to take that Emergency Exit, stage left, and come back at the next attraction.




Pick a boat…..any boat.

As long as we were sitting in the front, none of us cared about the colour.

There would be plenty of colour inside.

Yes, this Doll Shop played the same music as the rest of them and with only one song in their ipod selection list.

You know the words…..

It's a world of laughter
A world of tears
It's a world of hopes
And a world of fears
There's so much that we share
That it's time we're aware
It's a small world after all
It's a small world after all
It's a small world after all
It's a small world after all
It's a small, small world

There is just one moon
And one golden sun
And a smile means
Friendship to every one
Though the mountains divide
And the oceans are wide
It's a small world after all
It's a small world after all
It's a small world after all
It's a small world after all
It's a small, small world




And if anyone has learnt to sing this in Mandarin and Cantonese, please post your youtube clip in this TR.

We headed into the European section.

I was a little concerned heading in here. Afterall, there still is a bit of conflict going on in this region of the world.

I guess I really didn't have anything to worry about.

It was at this point that I got the feeling that I was missing something….

It was at the top of my mind and I just couldn’t quite focus on it….yet.



Heading into the Americas.

Food porn, anyone?

Y’all know how much I love San Francisco, right? Couldn’t resist this shot.

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[PrincessInOz]

(Continued from Previous Post)


The key differentiator of this attraction is the Asian Doll section. It is just astonishing how many more Asian dolls there are…and how wonderful the costumes are.

Best I can figure it, I think this is Hong Kong harbour with the Star Ferry.

Then it was time for Oceania.

I have been accused in the past of skippy-ing out of the Australian picture. So I hope this goes some way towards making amends.

But these are just so wrong…it’s the eyes!

Look at how they’ve made a rain forest!

Another turn and we were in the Ice Cream Candy Cane section of the Shop. I did look for the Cafe; but I must have missed it.

Time to say goodbye. As always in this shop, I still couldn’t see the check-out! I still want to get me some dolls and I don't know how to complete my purchase. I'm going to have to figure it out one of these days.

 




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[PrincessInOz]

(Continued from Previous Post)


The Yee’s Have it – Episode V – The Dolls Strike Back


DH and I were keen to go back on that shop again. Yes, again! The Yee's definitely have it again.
DS….not so much. But this is one time he got overruled and back in we went. This time, I went in for a more detailed look at the merchandise. Some of them are absolutely breathtaking in their colour and detail.

Given how many more dolls there were in the Asian section, it should come as no surprise that the bulk of my shots are of them.

I’ve always had a thing for clowns.

 



C'mon everyone....sing it with me....

It's a world of laughter
A world of tears
It's a world of hopes
And a world of fears
There's so much that we share
That it's time we're aware
It's a small world after all
It's a small world after all
It's a small world after all
It's a small world after all
It's a small, small world

There is just one moon
And one golden sun
And a smile means
Friendship to every one
Though the mountains divide
And the oceans are wide
It's a small world after all
It's a small world after all
It's a small world after all
It's a small world after all
It's a small, small world


You have to admit....the dolls are very striking!



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[PrincessInOz]

Episode VI - Return of the Disney Dolls


Remember I said that there was something that I thought I had missed, at the top of my mind and just out of focus? Well….I knew what it was half way into the first ride.

I’d half-forgotten that IaSM had been refreshed with a Disney overlay. Looks like the refresh extended into Hong Kong.

The second time round that we went on this ride was really so that I could try and capture as many of those Disney Dolls as possible. I know I missed some…but these are what I got.

Looks like a scene from Alice. I missed the characters here.

Cinderella and her prince.

I think that’s Marie.

Wendy…

…and Peter Pan.

Pinocchio, just hanging around as normal.

This could be Miss Bianca…COULD be...although the chances are it’s not.

Aladdin and Jasmine on the magic carpet ride.

Abu, well, he was up to his old tricks near the lantern.

Mowgli and Baloo.

Happy Feet!

Wait….wrong studio!




Donald, as part of the 3 Cabelleros.

Simba and friends.

Woody and Jessie.

Ariel…

…and Flounder.

And Lilo and Stitch.

Definitely time to say Goodbye for real!

I had been keen to go through this a 3rd time; but got outvoted by both boys. In retrospect, I’m not sure that I would have survived that song a 3rd time anyway.

So, if anyone is singing that song for the next couple of days, don't look at me. Blame it on the single track American...Chinese Girl Doll Shop!

 

[kmedina]

There’s nothing like learning you’ve been singing the wrong lyric forever. I always thought the song said, through the mountains we ride. Finding out it says though the mountains divide makes more sense. Hahahaha. Yes, the eyes on the koalas look off. That is the case with a lot of eyes on things at Disney properties, including the green on the Mickey bush there where the white should be. I love the Disney dolls. You got a lot I do not remember seeing at MK recently. Xander wanted to ride it a second time last trip at WDW. That was a good time to nurse Xander, so I volunteered my DH to take him. Once is enough each trip for me. Your DS and DH were nice to ride it with you a second time.

 

[franandaj]

Y’all know how much I love San Francisco, right? Couldn’t resist this shot.

So tell me....when did the statue of Liberty move to San Francisco?

I wondered if the Disney characters were added here....looks like about the same ones as at DL in Anaheim if I remember correctly!

 

[ehsmum]

I've been dying to get on and see how your trip was! We are in Singapore, flying home tonight. I have lots of comments but will have to wait until we get home and settle a bit. In short, I loved HKDL despite a few disappointments. 1) DH got food poisoning at Chef Mickeys and was really sick , 2) it rained. And I mean rained. It was typhoon weather! And 3) the Golden Mickeys show wasn't playing . Overall it was great though and the kids had a blast! I'm loving your recap and pics as its all so fresh for me (we only left ther 3 days ago ).

 

[usnuzuloose]

I defitnatly see a pattern here, they really have a way with the eyes dont they? As the teacups, I would get on with your DS and DH , I love those kinds of rides and dont get sick. I like the attention to the detail in all the dolls!

 

[queenie82]

Yay!!!
IT'S A SMALLLLLLLL WORLD AFFFFFTER ALLLLLLLLL


Love the doll shoppe

I wish you could find the checkout to go buy some dolls.
Alice in Wonderland should have been there somewhere...pity you missed her...
But I do appreciate the great shots as it is really hard to snap them all....

I think I must have filmed it so should do some screen capture if I find Alice.
Why film??

YOU GET THE SONG!!!!


IT'S A SMALLLLLLLL WORLD AFFFFFTER ALLLLLLLLL

 

[skier_pete]

Neat FL - it's funny the pictures make it look like the rides are very far apart. Like, you don't see anything else when spinning around Dumbo. And same thing IaSW (Our family calls it "babies" from when DD was little.) looks like it's the only house on a dead-end street. Strange.

The "Disney" characters is IaSW have not migrated to Florida yet, they are only in California. There was a fairly lengthy refurb in 2010 when they switched the entrance and exit queue, and they could've done it then, and didn't. (My mom actually saw the original version at the 1964 World's Fair.)

I'm surprise that so far there seems to not be anything "original" at HKDL. I know they have the new ToyStoryLand, but is everything else a drop-in from the home base?

 

[PrincessInOz]

There’s nothing like learning you’ve been singing the wrong lyric forever. I always thought the song said, through the mountains we ride. Finding out it says though the mountains divide makes more sense. Hahahaha. Yes, the eyes on the koalas look off. That is the case with a lot of eyes on things at Disney properties, including the green on the Mickey bush there where the white should be. I love the Disney dolls. You got a lot I do not remember seeing at MK recently. Xander wanted to ride it a second time last trip at WDW. That was a good time to nurse Xander, so I volunteered my DH to take him. Once is enough each trip for me. Your DS and DH were nice to ride it with you a second time.

It's always a good day when I do some community service.

So tell me....when did the statue of Liberty move to San Francisco?

I wondered if the Disney characters were added here....looks like about the same ones as at DL in Anaheim if I remember correctly!

Obviously, when Disney decided to move it there.

I've been dying to get on and see how your trip was! We are in Singapore, flying home tonight. I have lots of comments but will have to wait until we get home and settle a bit. In short, I loved HKDL despite a few disappointments. 1) DH got food poisoning at Chef Mickeys and was really sick , 2) it rained. And I mean rained. It was typhoon weather! And 3) the Golden Mickeys show wasn't playing . Overall it was great though and the kids had a blast! I'm loving your recap and pics as its all so fresh for me (we only left ther 3 days ago ).

Welcome back! I hope that despite 1, 2 and 3....you had a good holiday. I can't wait to find out about your trip and to see if the Chi Residence worked out for you. You were staying at the one in Jordan, right? I think I saw it one night. Hope you had a room on a HIGH floor.


And thanks for segue into my next posts.

I defitnatly see a pattern here, they really have a way with the eyes dont they? As the teacups, I would get on with your DS and DH , I love those kinds of rides and dont get sick. I like the attention to the detail in all the dolls!

Next time we're at Disney, you can go on the teacups with them. I'll be in the next teacup taking pictures.

Yay!!!
IT'S A SMALLLLLLLL WORLD AFFFFFTER ALLLLLLLLL


Love the doll shoppe

I wish you could find the checkout to go buy some dolls.
Alice in Wonderland should have been there somewhere...pity you missed her...
But I do appreciate the great shots as it is really hard to snap them all....

I think I must have filmed it so should do some screen capture if I find Alice.
Why film??

YOU GET THE SONG!!!!


IT'S A SMALLLLLLLL WORLD AFFFFFTER ALLLLLLLLL

*Suppressed groan*....can you imagine it? Neverending repeat of the video, audio only.

Neat FL - it's funny the pictures make it look like the rides are very far apart. Like, you don't see anything else when spinning around Dumbo. And same thing IaSW (Our family calls it "babies" from when DD was little.) looks like it's the only house on a dead-end street. Strange.

The "Disney" characters is IaSW have not migrated to Florida yet, they are only in California. There was a fairly lengthy refurb in 2010 when they switched the entrance and exit queue, and they could've done it then, and didn't. (My mom actually saw the original version at the 1964 World's Fair.)

I'm surprise that so far there seems to not be anything "original" at HKDL. I know they have the new ToyStoryLand, but is everything else a drop-in from the home base?

Perfect segue into my next set of posts!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Fantasyland with One Difference


There are significantly less rides in Fantasyland than in WDW and definitely even less rides in DLR. Fantasyland in DLR is just amazing because of the number of classical Disney attractions crammed into a relatively small space. Plus with the older attractions like Snow White, Pinocchio and Peter Pan, the crowd control barriers are actual works of art, in my opinion. I love touching the woodwork, well-polished from millions of visitor’s hands moving over them as they move towards the loading areas.

Fantasyland in WDW also has more attractions than HKDL and with the expansion due to be completed by the end of this year, it may well be a land that will be even more crowded than before. The sheer size of the Sleeping Beauty castle at WDW alone puts HKDL fantasyland into a lesser shadow.

I was missing Peter Pan, Snow White, Alice and Pinocchio; and the Toontown attractions. With TeaCups, IaSM, the Carousel, Mickey’s Philharmagic, Winnie the Pooh and one other attraction available, the Fantasyland in HKDL would have been sub-par to adequate on anyone’s comparison scale.


However, that one other attraction is, at this point in time, the difference between adequate and acceptable in my view. That attraction is the Golden Mickey’s show.


For those of you that cruise the high seas with Disney, you will find that the Golden Mickey’s show here is really a Mini-Me or a Mini-Mickey of the show done on the Wonder and the Magic. I believe that the cruise line version goes for about an hour or so. The HKDL version goes for about 30 minutes.
I get seasick…it’s the only form of travel that I do get sick on; therefore it is highly unlikely that I will ever see the long version of Golden Mickeys.


I also love live theatre and stage musical productions. So for me, the Golden Mickey show was something that was different and if done well…was going to make or break Fantasyland HKDL for me.



I loved the show. My tears told me so.



Thus far, I have cried happy tears every time I stepped on to a Disney property except for HKDL.

Yes, it was wonderful to be back on Disney property but I was amazed that there were no happy tears when I walked through the Disney gates on Day 1; nor on Day 2. I’d put it down to the fact that this was Hong Kong and that it was just a little ‘bent’.

Not so in the Golden Mickey’s theatre. Tears, and lots of them, flowed freely. It was there that I felt…..home.







The Golden Mickeys is a musical revue-style stage show presented in the style of an awards ceremony with characters from Disney films being nominated for awards including heroism, symphony, villains, friendship, and romance.

A mini-me version of the show is performed at the Storybook Theatre in Fantasyland. The show is narrated in Cantonese, with simplified Chinese and English subtitles. All of the songs are performed in English.

I got us tickets….

Naturally, I got us some pictures as well.



I will say that Zanzibar and I had a little discussion about whether pictures were allowed in the shows like the Golden Mickeys on her TR. I can only say that on this day, there were any numbers of fruit products and fruit alternatives on offer taking pictures of the Golden Mickeys. Neither I, nor the fruit products and alternatives, were hailed by a CM to stop taking pictures. As always, flash photography was and is prohibited.



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[PrincessInOz]

(Continued from Previous Post)


The Golden Mickeys, with a Difference



Disclaimers
1. The OP will not entertain any correspondence regarding creating nightmares or making them cry for reader’s children as this story is rated PG.

2. The OP acknowledges that the original show was narrated in Cantonese. The OP cannot be held responsible for anything “lost in translation”.

3. Any resemblance to a Disney story is purely coincidental. This story is purely out of the imagination of the OP and is a bona fide genuine imitation picture story.

4. Any resemblance of this story to any real life person or character is also purely coincidental.

5. The OP will appreciate any offers for sharing popcorn or drinks of any kind during this story.

6. Whilst correspondence of any sort might be ignored, should there be a Mod or a WebMaster or a Tag Fairy lurking that feels that this story isn’t strictly adhering to the DIS rules, I would appreciate a friendly message, instead of *poof* or a ban. I promise to change……the storyline a little.













Here's a Story....about a Lovely Lady....



Once upon a time, there was a girl named Bebe….

Bebe was on the look-out for a prince of her own. Despite the fact that she was a girl spoilt for choice…..

…and despite the fact that there were any number of men willing to jump…hoops or not…

Bebe was really after something larger than life.

You could say that she was really split down the middle between real vs larger than life.

Bebe weighed up some of her larger than life options.

Her eye fell on one particular mouse.

Wa-a-it one minute Bebe. He might actually be taken already. Minnie – watch out. Bebe might be trying to get between you and the Big Cheese.

Bebe denied the whole thing. She only had one thing on her mind....FRIENDSHIP.

But Minnie knew better.

She always knew when someone was just spinning her a line.

Mickey might be dressed like a country hick….

….and despite this, she had seen how Bebe had moved in on Mickey.

So she pointedly told Bebe to keep away.

She told Bebe to take a look at some more real life options.

Take the hunchback, for example. He might be a little dark, but the spotlight does shine on him, occasionally.

And Tarzan….

He really knows how to swing….his….long….rope.

Li Shang could also be a worthy real life candidate.

Hmmm…..Minnie might have forgotten about Mulan.

Whilst Mulan fights like a girl,

…she really likes being on top.

Bebe considered her choices carefully. Afterall, with a Golden Mickey still in her clutches, she could afford time to look about some more.

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[PrincessInOz]

(Continued from Previous Post)



Bebe felt she needed to take a little vacation away to consider her options. So, she packed her bag and made sure that she brought along the necessary diversions she needed. Afterall, she really didn’t want to be too bored on her vacay. Just a little goofyness would do the trick!

She was heading for a Pacific Island holiday….somewhere where the waters would shimmer like the sky above.

Where she could take in and experience a little local culture.

And get to know some of the locals….

….swinging their balls around.

She even thought she would make friends with some of the locals.

Bebe tried her best to blend in with the local scene. She even dressed the part. Afterall, looks are everything.

She did wonder if she would ever be on top of this little Experiment. But there always seem to be a local girl hanging around.

Bebe worked out that the local girl was always going to be around.

And then she found some more locals willing to provide her with a…large…..helping…..hand….er….appendage.

Appendages seem to be plentiful at the moment.

Finally, Bebe decide that it was time to head home. She needed to have a girl-to-girl talk with Minnie and set thing straight.

Minnie told Bebe that she needed to stop thinking about aiming for larger than life characters…

Who would come along and sweep her off her feet…

…and dance the night away.

Only to then be magically changed into a Prince…

…dancing the night away.

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[PrincessInOz]

(Continued from Previous Post)


Minnie told Bebe that she needed to live life in reality and not expect to be magically changed into a princess. That only happened in fairy tales. She also told Bebe that she needed to dress up more, rather than appearing so fl-e-shy. Afterall, looks are everything!

Bebe considered what Minnie had said carefully. And decided that if she couldn’t be magically changed into a princess, the least she could do was dress like one. Afterall, looks are everything!

She asked Mickey whether he preferred HER dress or Minnie’s.

I guess there really isn’t any use telling some people not to get in the middle of things where they don’t belong!

All Mickey could say was that if a change in outfit was good enough for Bebe, it would be good enough for him too. Afterall, looks are everything.

Even Minnie felt the same as she, too, dressed up. Afterall, looks are everything.

Minnie gave Bebe one last word of advice.

Minnie told Bebe to take another good look at her options…

…those that occasionally made it into the spotlight….

…and those that stood out from time to time, with over extended hands…..appendages...

So, Bebe looked them all over carefully. Even the other larger than life characters, who all wanted their golden moment too.

As it turns out, Mickey was a true prince. He knew that Minnie was his gal of choice.

And as he hugged Bebe and wished her well, all Bebe could do was consider her other options. One in particular, caught her eye as she, too, hugged Mickey back.

And with that, Bebe pondered her choice between that real life swinger with the monkey; and considering another larger than life character.

But that….is another tale.

The End.









I enjoyed the Golden Mickey’s show and I am absolutely positive that my translation of the show on stage to what I’m reporting here is completely misrepresented. But then….I AM bent, AND I’m drawn that way.

And I never said that my Cantonese was good.




 

 

[ehsmum]

I'm glad you got to see the Golden Mickeys. I was so disappointed when we arrived and found out the theatre was being refurbished but my next thought was "I wonder if PIO got to see it"!
The photos are great, it looks like a fabulous show.

CHI worked out really well, thanks again for the recommendation . It was on Nathan Rd, near the Jordan train station. It was fairly small for an apartment but we really didn't spend much time in the room so it was okay for us. Staff were very friendly and helpful, and the area was fantastic. Will definitely stay there again if we ever return to HK .