Hong Kong Disneyland

[Frances999]

Hong Kong Disneyland has just opened its resort reservations centre.

Rates for the truly luxurious "Disneyland Hotel" start at a sensational £110 per night including park admission tickets!

The hotel is said to be even more luxurious than the Grand Floridian and rooms boast "spectacular ocean or theme park views" Furthermore, every guest room "Offers the latest in modern amenities including flat-screen LCD television, high-speed internet access, in-room safes and complimentary mini-bars. The opulence! The splendor! Your wish is our command."

WOW WOW WOW! The rates are amazing and the plans/drawings of the resort look stunning. I wonder how the resort would appeal to English Disney fans? The £110 per night including tickets certainly appeals to me!!

 

[Miffy2003]

Frances - it certainly appeals to me! The airfare could be a little offputting however

It does look amazing and I definitely would like to go one day. How far is the journey exactly?

My DVC magazine said that the Hong Kong CMs-to-be are currently training / working in WDW in order to prepare for the "Disney" way of looking after their guests when Honk Kong Disneyland opens.

 

[Frances999]

Apparently the flight from LHR - Hong Kong is around 11 hours. Expedia is showing a fare of about £650 to £700/adult for the middle of August this year (direct flight).

My DVC magazine said that the Hong Kong CMs-to-be are currently training / working in WDW in order to prepare for the "Disney" way of looking after their guests when Honk Kong Disneyland opens.

Sounds great. What a life travelling from Disney to Disney....I think I may become a Cast Member "one day" Sounds like a 365-day vacation to me

 

[Frances999]

There is also the "Disney's Hollywood Hotel" where rates start at £70/night including tickets.

 

[squitty]

I would love to go there one day.

Funilly enough we were just looking in a TA's window where they have the 'specials' the other day and there was a flight from NCL to Hong Kong for £450.

 

[Mrs Dazzle]

We will (hopefully) be going for the opening next year My brother has been one of the architects, specifically for the Disney train station and Main Street. It has been really cool watching the drawings, then photos of the construction come together. I know where all the hidden Mickey's are

It will be a spectacular park - right in the valley of some mountains, only a train ride away from the airport and downtown Hong Kong.

I love Hong Kong and with a Disney park, makes it even more worth while a visit.

 

[Frances999]

We will (hopefully) be going for the opening next year My brother has been one of the architects, specifically for the Disney train station and Main Street. It has been really cool watching the drawings, then photos of the construction come together. I know where all the hidden Mickey's are

It will be a spectacular park - right in the valley of some mountains, only a train ride away from the airport and downtown Hong Kong.

I love Hong Kong and with a Disney park, makes it even more worth while a visit.

Wow, Annie, it sounds great. Have you been to Hong Kong before? How did you find it? How are the people and how is the food? Is it easy for an English family to have a good holiday in such a different culture? What else is there to see?

Thank you!

btw, I just read online that the resorts reservation centre has "made 10,000 reservations in just three days"

 

[Miffy2003]

Frances - thanks for that! That is less than our tickets to Florida are costing (flying in mid August too). It's appealing even more now

Annie - how fantastic! That will be an amazing experience. I would also love to hear what you think of Hong Kong - is there much there for children aged say 8 & 11??


Michelle - that is a great price!

 

[Frances999]

I agree, that's a great price you got Michelle

I think I am allowed to post the link to the website, but moderators can of course remove it if it is not allowed

You can find out more at http://www.hongkongdisneyland.com/eng/index.html

The resort opens in September this year

 

[KayleeUK]

Frances - fab link

The hotels and prices look great

 

[Mrs Dazzle]

Frances and Karen

When my brother first went to live and work out in Hong Kong, I wasn't interested in the slightest about going to visit. However, after my mum died, we clubbed together and sent my dad out there for six weeks. He had such a great time (as well as another two weeks over in Oz visiting his best old buddie), that we decided we would get over there one day.

So four years ago, to coincide with my nephews first birthday, we took our first trip out to Hong Kong. It was the most dynamic place I've ever seen. But still peaceful in places at the same time. Given we flew exactly two weeks after 9/11, on arrival at HK Intl airport, the place was deserted and was rather eery, but things soon picked up.

We took trips on buses, taxis to all over the island. My brother - who was frantically working on said HK Disney plans at the time - could not spend our first few days showing us around and my SIL was busy packing for our trip on to the Philippines, we were more than happy to spend the time getting about on our own. Like my brother said, it is one of THE safest places on earth.

We found Hong Kong to be a great contrast. We visited hustling bustling Stanley Market - OMG the bargains there - but on coming out the other side of the market, we stepped into a view which was not dissimilar to anything you'd find down in the south of France. Little Bistros and bars lined a road with the most beautiful beach.

There's a Sea World type place there - fantastic. We visited a hundreds of years old temple, which has now been surrounded by skyrise almost tennament type buildings - very odd, but the peace and tranquility in the temple and its gardens was wonderful.

We had dinner up on the Peak - watching all the buildings come to life after sundown was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. There's the Peak train which takes you up and down the mountain.

We took the Star Ferry over to Kowloon and had tea in the Peninsular hotel . . . . oh there's just so much to do.

I think its a shame that most people's impression of Hong Kong are from a one or two night stoppover to Oz/NZ, there's so much more to it than that.

The locals were all friendly and we never felt unsafe. We then had two weeks at my DB's house in the Philippines (his wife comes from there) which really was a culture shock. Their house is like something out of House Beautiful (well, he is an architect!), but the grounds are surrounded by the village - most of which consist of "shacks" made from corrugated iron, boxes and banana leaves. No running water, but they all have electricity. Well, they have to to run their 28" Nicam stereo TVs - Karaoke is HUGE in the Philippines, it's amazing

Everyone in the Philippines, seeing Westerners, thought we were Americans, so they love you - The US liberated the Philippines from the Japanese in WW2, so they still remember. Very happy - but incredibly poor people. It is a third world country. The only place I've ever seen roadside shacks selling cigarettes by the one. But everyone had a job on that island, they are all happy and the children are so proud of their school uniforms, Brownies, Guides etc. Lovely people and what a beautiful island we were on, like something out of the Bounty advert

We really did have such a great time, even DD Katie (who would then have been 9).

 

[Miffy2003]

Thanks Annie - what a lovely review. I am definitely tempted and no doubt!

 

[Frances999]

Thank you from me too, Annie. That was a wonderful review and Hong Kong sounds amazing.

I have talked it over with DH and a trip is hopefully coming our way in late 2006 or early 2007! I need to get started with the planning already! Do you know what time of year is best for weather and crowds? We thought we would combine the trip with other areas nearby, just haven't decided where yet. Know, if only there will be a "Brits' Guide to Hong Kong Disneyland"

 

[Mrs Dazzle]

Thank you from me too, Annie. That was a wonderful review and Hong Kong sounds amazing.

I have talked it over with DH and a trip is hopefully coming our way in late 2006 or early 2007! I need to get started with the planning already! Do you know what time of year is best for weather and crowds? We thought we would combine the trip with other areas nearby, just haven't decided where yet. Know, if only there will be a "Brits' Guide to Hong Kong Disneyland"

The best time to go? Hmmm, well, we've been in late September, and October and that seems a good time. The weather is still averaging about 80, most days higher, a nice 'dry' heat compared to Florida humididity You have to be careful any later than mid-October can sometimes be very smoggy - this mist comes over from mainland china (something to do with all the pollution from the industrial chimneys there ), and you really don't get very good views. Early Spring is also a reasonable time to go.

We didn't find the crowds a particular problem at all. If you want quiet, then the obvious time to go is around a main holiday since most of the expats get out of HK

I forgot to mention yesterday about the diversity of the culture and wealth out there. One minute you can be in real oppulence. The next minute you don't want to be looking down into the drainage system because there's something looking at you with a very long tail

Oh - and McDonalds HK are one of the cheapest in the world Go figure!!

Happy planning.

 

[Frances999]

Thanks, Annie. I have been searching the internet like mad and there is so much to do in and around the Hong Kong area, I never would have imagined the diversity of tourist attractions.

This will be one fun trip to plan (even if it is a long way off)!

Thanks again