Everytime I go to Disneyland, it's MAGIC. Besides, it's Halloween so there're special costumes for the characters ... Mickey is handsome as ever, and Minnie coquettish. Unfortunately, we didn't get to take pictures with all the characters :( - only with Mickey and Minnie cuz there's simply no time! Even when the park's the tiniest in the world ... sigh. To think we actually had a 2-day pass ... but only spent 1 day at Disneyland cuz we wanted to see more of HK (my sisters and mom were on their first trip there).
Sitting here on a Sunday night, on the threshold of another work week, I wish I was back in the magical world of Disney.
The magic really begins with the train ride into Disneyland. The special train comes with plush seats and Mickey windows and wrist rings for standing passengers (though this is quite redundant cuz the train's empty all the time we were there ... maybe during peak seasons like school holidays or the Chinese hols, then it'll be packed)
I was really there for the shows. Didn't care much for the rides although this is the first time in Disneyland where we don't have to queue up to 30 minutes for any ride. Although they have Fastpass for a few attractions, I dun think it needs to be exercised except for maybe during major holidays like X'mas or CNY.
The 3D and live musical stage shows were superb. I'm convinced only Disney can pull this off. The experience is all encompassing - sound, visual, tactility - u name it ... e.g. when they bring us into the 3D underwater world of Ariel the mermaid, they spray just the right amount of water on us and then sea bubbles and Flounder float before our eyes, just within reach. You really feel like u r part of that world!
The park may be the smallest but there're interesting things all the way, unlike at the Movieworld at Gold Coast, I was bored by noontime. Good thing is, the HK Disneyland is still expanding. They are building new attractions so eventually it may reach the size of the other parks.
Also, within their own constraints, they manage to pull off a magical finale. The regular finale for the American Disneylands is a spectacular performance of Fantasia followed by fireworks. In HK, it's just pure 20 minutes of fireworks display, played to Disney's animated features' soundtrack from Beauty & the Beast, etc. There're also projected images from the cartoons on the walls of the Sleeping Beauty castle ... I never thought fireworks can be displayed in so many different configurations! It's a pretty awesome show in its own right. The fireworks show is probably even grander than the American ones (maybe cuz it's cheap in China ... but really, it's not doing any good to HK's hazy skies)
The disappointing bit is the famous Disney On Parade - it's so short and unimpressive. Also, the food is so lousy and overpriced I wish we had brought our own sandwich. And the cast members (staff) are not as friendly and enthusiastic as the Americans who seem to really enjoy their jobs. Here in HK, it seems like just another job dealing with some stupid irritating customers ... there are some nice ones though but most are just plain bo chap. Worst of all, the park closes at 8 PM!!!! The American ones open till midnight.
The Disneyland Hollywood Hotel where we stayed ... nothing special. Just a regular hotel but with Mickey ears plastered on everything - bathroom slippers, shower foam bottles ... the cutest is the way they fold the hand towel into Dumbo. Have taken some pictures ... will upload later - damn, Imagestation is closing down ... need to migrate my albums :( and update my links here!
Oh well, anyway, here's the link to those pictures :)
