Going to HKDL for first time

[BasiltheBatLord]

Hi everyone

Sorry this is a break from all the Shanghai activity in this forum, but I'm going to HKDL in late July for the first time. I've been to both American parks several times and am quite knowledgeable on them, but I know next to nothing about HKDL. Can anybody just give me some info on the resort? Specifically I'm most interested in the attractions, which are most notable and how they differ from the American parks. I'm staying at the Hollywood Hotel.

Thanks a lot.

 

[jaredliu]

Hollywood Hotel is one of the best Disney Hotel I've ever stayed in. It is absolutely superb for its price. You will not be disappointed. I don't know if you could hold your trip for a tad longer, because The Iron Man Experience, an E-ticket attraction, is coming in the latter half of this year, and if you could put this into the current lineup of HKDL, it will greatly help due to the fact that HKDL suffers a little bit from not having too many big rides. Iron Man is definitely the hip one and the big one.

But if you can't, it will still feel the quality of the park is absolutely topnotch. It has very similar feel to DL in terms of overall architecture style and the castle. Everything is super clean and polish. Food are great with the flavor of Asia but nothing adventurous. About attractions, Lion King show is very different from the one in DAK and everything is plused up. It is a must see show. Space Mountain is basically the same to the DL's version. Jungle Cruise is the best version of all Disney versions with the addition of fire and water effects at the finale, it is also very different from other parks' that it circled the big river which in DL is the River of America. Therefore the HKDL version feels grander.

OK, now in terms of the new land that are not found everywhere else. Grizzly Gulch has my favorite ride in the park, the Grizzly Mine Train. It is so good in terms of landscaping, special effects, sound effects, AA, and overall thrill of the ride. Try the night version and do this one at least 2-3 times. It is a combination of EE and Big thunder Mountain but as far as I am concerned it is better than both of them in regards of its execution. The mystic point has the latest version of Haunted Mansion and it has some jaw dropping special effects. You will never find anything in any other disney park to compare with. It is a very unique attraction and certainly worth taking multiple times to absorb all the effects. This ride to me is second to Grizzly Mine Train only because I am not the big fan of the finale as well as that I find the general feel of the ride to be too kid-oriented. But it is still an E-ticket attraction because Mystic Point is such a beautiful mini land. Everything in this land is absolutely beautiful, from restaurant to the floor to the gift shops. This is a land that will transport you to other world.

Other than above, you should also do the Mickey's Philharmagic, which has a more adorable exterior than MK's. I havent' seen the new Mickey and the Wondrous book show but if time is allow you should watch that show too. At night, the Disney Paint the night show is a must see if you haven't seen the DL's version. It is the latest big addition to HKDL.

One final tip, I expect once Shanghai Disneyland open, HKDL will have light crowd. So you could do the three spin rides(dumbo, carousal, and tea cups) when you can't do it due to its long line in other Disney Park. I only experienced these spin rides successfully at HKDL and they still carry the charm of classic Disney. Therefore HKDL is the place to re-joy that simple fun and beauty of Disney Park.

Overall HKDL is a very beautiful park despite its shortlist of big rides. You will not disappointed.

 

[Kiwiduck]

Hi everyone

Sorry this is a break from all the Shanghai activity in this forum, but I'm going to HKDL in late July for the first time. I've been to both American parks several times and am quite knowledgeable on them, but I know next to nothing about HKDL. Can anybody just give me some info on the resort? Specifically I'm most interested in the attractions, which are most notable and how they differ from the American parks. I'm staying at the Hollywood Hotel.

Thanks a lot.

I will be experiencing HKDL and Hollywood hotel for the first time in a few weeks as well. Hopefully I can post some impressions and photos of my trip. It will be my first non US park and I'm also very curious what it will be like.

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

Hi everyone

Sorry this is a break from all the Shanghai activity in this forum, but I'm going to HKDL in late July for the first time. I've been to both American parks several times and am quite knowledgeable on them, but I know next to nothing about HKDL. Can anybody just give me some info on the resort? Specifically I'm most interested in the attractions, which are most notable and how they differ from the American parks. I'm staying at the Hollywood Hotel.

Thanks a lot.

Ride Mystic Manor early on, because you'll want to go on it again and again and again and again.

Most everything in the park is a clone. Notable exceptions are Grizzly Gulch, Jungle Cruise, Mystic Manor and Toy Story land. The only thing about Toy Story land is that it sucks, so it's up to you whether you want to see the rides. Space Mountain will be using DL's Hyperspace Mountain overlay when you arrive.

Eat at Main Street Corner Cafe for the afternoon tea set. They usually have a special dinner set as well and it's all delightful.

 

[BrianLo]

This ride to me is second to Grizzly Mine Train only because I am not the big fan of the finale as well as that I find the general feel of the ride to be too kid-oriented.

 

[Pikapop]

I've been to both American parks several times and am quite knowledgeable on them, but I know next to nothing about HKDL. Can anybody just give me some info on the resort? Specifically I'm most interested in the attractions, which are most notable and how they differ from the American parks.

I'm on my way back from HKDL right now. I have a lot of thoughts which I'll hopefully be able to compile in the next couple days. Like you, I've been to the American parks and found little info on HKDL prior to going, so I'm attempting to write a blog post about my experience and see if it helps others. We didn't stay at the resort hotel however.

 

[MickeyHKP]

Hi! I just came back from HKDL myself! Had a superb time (with the exception of the insufferable heat)

I would recommend everything already mentioned above, with the addition of Its a Small World and Fairy Tale Forest!

It's a Small World in HKDL is, in my opinion, the best one among the ones I've had the chance to see (I've seen both Tokyo's and Disneyland's as well)! It's the most vibrant, most colorful, and it features more countries than the rest (I think)! It also has its own little area in Fantasyland, complete with the best ice cream stand in the park! It's one of the 4 attractions that HKDL has that is either the best or unique to HKDL (the others being Mystic Manor, Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars, and Jungle River Cruise)

Fairy Tale Forest, on the other hand, is the best walkthrough at any Disney Park! Think of it as Storybookland Canal Boats but you walk through it and you can interact with the scenes. It's a beautiful area that is best experienced at dusk.

 

[BasiltheBatLord]

Thanks for everyone who replied. I just got back to the hotel from the park and I thought I'd write some brief ride impressions/reviews if maybe it can help anyone else who will be going to HKDL.

Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh - Exactly the same as WDW, except for a weirdly placed ride photo in the Heffalump room. (I was amazed that the Toad references were still present.)

Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters - Exactly the same as DL.

Space Mountain - I couldn't discern any major differences between this and DL. HK's seemed to have a lot more consecutive turns though. This was also my first time experiencing Hyperspace Mountain and honestly I thought it was kind of lame. Just screen projections and lighting effects, nothing too interesting.

Grizzly Mountain Mine Car - Great ride. Basically BTMRR but with a different theme, show scenes w/ AAs and a backwards section. (This is kind of nitpicky, but I thought the queue could use some additional theming. The load room doesn't have anything on the walls at all and it kind of looks like a Six Flags queue or something.)

Mystic Manor - I was very impressed with this ride. Really nothing else like it in a Disney Park that I've seen.

Philharmagic - Exactly the same as WDW, although the queue is a bit more themed I guess. Even still I think the WDW queue makes a bit more sense for the actual attraction.

It's a Small World - My memory of the two American rides and the differences between them are a little foggy, but if I'm remembering right most of this ride was the same as DL. There are some differences like Hong Kong having it's own diorama, some minor additions to the U.S. scene and of course the final scene alternating between Cantonese and English. This also felt to be much longer than the other Small World's to me but maybe I'm just not remembering the others right. Also the facade was under renovation/cleaning and was completely covered by tarps.

Jungle Cruise - Unique. I'm not sure if I would call it the best version of JC, I like the temple ruins in DL (even if nothing really happens there.) Skipper was very hard to understand in English, although I don't particularly care for the skippers anyway.

Mickey and the Wondrous Book - This was pretty cool, essentially a bigger, expanded version of Magical Map in DL.

Paint the Night was exactly the same as DL from what I could tell (aside from singing alternating with Cantonese of course). Flights of Fantasy wasn't bad but there wasn't much notable about it imo.

Toy Story Land really had nothing at all going for it. Just a bunch of carnival rides. Also was disappointed that Stitch Encounter was replaced with a meet n' greet.