That is really odd about the Jungle Cruise. You'd think if the skipper could say that one pun they could teach them a few more.
I appreciate all your updates about characters, even if you didn't meet them all. So far you haven't mentioned anyone that can't be met at WDW or DL. Any rare characters coming up?
Mystic Manor looks so awesome, have you heard about the Explorer's Hotel they are building there for 2017?
Yeah, the JC was definitely odd. Like he had a few (sort of) puns so it wasn't like they were playing it straight. And given how many people we encountered that spoke great English you'd think they'd have some that could do the job on the JC. Oh well, definitely was different though
So I didn't really notice any rare characters as being out for meets. In Town Square a lot of the regulars were meeting but in unique outfits. The lines were always really long and they stopped meeting at 5pm so just didn't get it in. If I had know from the start that they didn't open up the lands beyond Main St until 10:30 I think I would have hopped in the line for Mickey and Minnie, but just didn't work otu.
I knew they were building a new hotel but didn't realize it is Explorer's themed - that sounds ridiculously cool!
I've heard some mixed things on their jungle cruise. I think Deb Wills from allears ended up trying all of the languages for the jungle cruise to see the differences on her trip out there. Some of the effects see, cool though.
I'm a huge festival of the lion king fan. From what I see in your pictures I think I would like this version better than what is at AK. I really like how all of the floats come together in the middle and spin in a circle.
The rainy day parade is kind of cool. At WDW they just put character on Main Street vehicles, at least there they have floats.
I can't wait to hear more.
The effects at the end are really cool and something unique to the JC there which is nice. I guess I just love the classic puns and that aspect of that attraction so to not have it threw me off a bit. But I can't imagine riding it when you can't understand the skipper at all though. Oh well - was fun to do once though
There were aspects of the FotLK at Hong Kong that I liked better than the one at AK, but some that I liked better at AK ... both are great though. From a technical standpoint I loved what they did with the floats and that center stage area here though
Yeah, our last trip to WDW the Festival of Fantasy parade got rained out (so we still haven't seen it yet) and they did the Rainy Day Cavalcade which was fun but like you said just had the characters ride the Main St vehicles, nothing special. I appreciated that they had something different for when it rains - made it seem not at bad to have missed the regular parade (though I've heard it's a pretty good parade ... have to say, what I've see so far of Shanghai's doesn't have me too impressed)
Well, it's lovely to see a nice detailed TR on HKDL - kudos! It's a shame they didn't have the parade on - it's a good one! But the Rainy Day Express looked pretty cute, I especially love the characters in their wet weather gear!
We've had mixed experiences on the Jungle Cruise. I think it depends on the CM you get and how good their grasp is of the English language. Obviously the more 'secondary' the language is, the harder it is for them to add humour into it. We've also had mixed experiences with the behaviour of other guests with line cutting and personal space invasion... SDL will be very interesting lol!
I'm not a huge fan of Toy Story Land. It's a cute concept, and parts of it are well themed, but it just doesn't do it for me. Grizzly Gulch and Mystic Point however, are both amazing areas with awesome rides, definitely Disney to perfection! We've never managed to catch the Lion King show - apparently it goes down for maintenance in March every year, and that just happens to be the time of year that we've always visited. One day we'll have to go at a different time of year so we can see it!
Looking forward to reading about the rest of your trip.
and thanks for joining! I was a little bummed to not see the day time parade but did appreciate they had something ready to go that was unique for when it rains.
I was just a little surprised given how much English is spoken in Hong Kong that they wouldn't have a few skippers that can speak English very well. It was still something different to experience and I liked the effects at the end - I just missed the puns!
Toy Story Land definitely isn't as neat or immersive as Mystic Point or Grizzly Gulch. I have higher expectations for what they bring to Hollywood Studios for their Toy Story Land. I really enjoyed the Festival of the Lion King so hopefully you are able to see it one day!
If it weren't for that last section on the HK Jungle Cruise, I would say that this is better experienced in the US. I'm actually one of those that love the corny puns of the JC. It definitely loses a lot in HK.
I would say that this is definitely people from mainland China. We went to Macau and it was all very orderly from our ferry with the HK Chinese at customs/immigration. Everyone queued up, it was friendly and quiet. Another ferry came in about 10 minutes after ours from mainland China. No one queued up, everyone was trying to line cut, it was definitely not friendly nor quiet after their ferry came in.
I believe HKDL had lots of issues with guest behaviour when it opened. It took them a few years to get it under control. I'd love to go to Shanghai Disney....but I'll wait for early reports to come back (*cough* *cough*
@zanzibar138 .... eagerly waiting for your TR!!)
I'd say that was a great reason for you to head back to HK. The normal parade is great!
Overall I did really like Hong Kong
Disneyland and in some ways enjoyed it more than the US parks (though definitely doesn't have the history of the US parks). The JC was just a weird experience, though the effects at the end were cool
It was interesting to see how the different cultures were and will be interesting to follow how things go at Shanghai after it fully opens. From coming from a different place it is hard to see how behavior that we would consider "rude" to be acceptable - but they probably look at us in a similar light
I am bummed I missed the regular parade (seems to be a trend for us as we still haven't seen Festival of Fantasy as it got rained out as well) but I did appreciate that they had the separate, and unique, rainy-day parade
And yes, mainlanders are notorious for line cutting. You have to not be afraid to tell them to go to the back of the line. And I have to say, maybe it's because I'm a sap, but in the Lion King show, I ALWAYS tear up when the white "bird" lady comes out and does the arial/silks routine. It's so beautiful!
This is awesome! 
