HKDL gets new castle, frozen land and marvel land.

[J4546]

frozen land brings a beautiful immersive environment with 2 rides, a theater, and a bunch of shops/food. Gonna def take the park up a notch. While FEA might not be considered a mega e ticket by most, its still a good ride and the first and only water ride in the park. Plus the new cutting edge animatronics looks great and def take this above the Epcot version

 

[PiratesMansion]

Hong Kong’s issue is a aggressive mediocrity throughout.

Toy Story Land is mediocre, inferior to Shanghai’s. Space Mountain is nothing comparable to Tron, vastly inferior. Iron Man is vastly inferior to Star Tours. Ant Man is vastly inferior to Buzz (which many people complain is sterile).

Fantasyland and a lot of the park just feels small and cheap. Adventureland is interesting. Their jungle cruise is interesting, but I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s better or worse.

Shanghai feels expansive and grand, Hong Kong feels small and choked. Disneyland feels quaint and intimate.

To me, especially after Frozen, the park is mostly fine, but is still dying for a true headliner attraction.

Animal Kingdom has FoP. Hollywood Studios has Rise. Epcot has Guardians. DCA has RSR. Disneyland park has Rise and Indy. Shanghai has Pirates. DisneySea has Journey. Tokyo Disneyland has BatB.

Hong Kong needs a mega E-ticket + attraction. Give something for people to awe at for years and talk about.

I love Mystic Manor, I think it’s a perfectly executed E-ticket, but at the end of the day, it’s still only an E-ticket. It’s scale just doesn’t push it into the realm of headliner.

I’m not sure how good the Avengers E-ticket would’ve been, but sounded like it at least had the potential to fill Hong Kong’s most needed hole.

I agree that it needs more true headliners, but I don't feel like the park is that badly off other than that.

Ant-Man aside (which I will grant is garbage), I don't think there's anything there that's truly terrible. The additions have generally been positive. Very little of value has been lost (I do miss the Autopia and Stitch Encounter, but they weren't good enough to feel like big losses either). I feel like overall Hong Kong has had the best trajectory of any Disney park worldwide over the past decade.

Perhaps I'm granting the park a pass because it's so easy to experience compared to anywhere else, but I'd honestly rather be at HKDL than Magic Kingdom.

 

[Rush]

frozen land brings a beautiful immersive environment with 2 rides, a theater, and a bunch of shops/food. Gonna def take the park up a notch. While FEA might not be considered a mega e ticket by most, its still a good ride and the first and only water ride in the park. Plus the new cutting edge animatronics looks great and def take this above the Epcot version

Does the new land actually have a theater? Also, FEA is going to be the third water ride after Jungle River Cruise and It's a Small World.

 

[J4546]

Does the new land actually have a theater? Also, FEA is going to be the third water ride after Jungle River Cruise and It's a Small World.

im sorry your right, i always forget about those as water rides, I just think theyre boring, I meant water rides with drops and fun elements

And I thought someone showed blueprints that had a theater

 

[Supersnow84]

The theatre is underneath WOSS, blueprints show there is a theatre sized space that is going to be open to the public under there (this is seperate to the meet and greet space)

 

[Supersnow84]

Hong Kong’s issue is a aggressive mediocrity throughout.

Toy Story Land is mediocre, inferior to Shanghai’s. Space Mountain is nothing comparable to Tron, vastly inferior. Iron Man is vastly inferior to Star Tours. Ant Man is vastly inferior to Buzz (which many people complain is sterile).

Fantasyland and a lot of the park just feels small and cheap. Adventureland is interesting. Their jungle cruise is interesting, but I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s better or worse.

Shanghai feels expansive and grand, Hong Kong feels small and choked. Disneyland feels quaint and intimate.

To me, especially after Frozen, the park is mostly fine, but is still dying for a true headliner attraction.

Animal Kingdom has FoP. Hollywood Studios has Rise. Epcot has Guardians. DCA has RSR. Disneyland park has Rise and Indy. Shanghai has Pirates. DisneySea has Journey. Tokyo Disneyland has BatB.

Hong Kong needs a mega E-ticket + attraction. Give something for people to awe at for years and talk about.

I love Mystic Manor, I think it’s a perfectly executed E-ticket, but at the end of the day, it’s still only an E-ticket. It’s scale just doesn’t push it into the realm of headliner.

I’m not sure how good the Avengers E-ticket would’ve been, but sounded like it at least had the potential to fill Hong Kong’s most needed hole.

Interesting on that comparison to Shanghai because I (and a lot of people I know) don’t find Shanghai expensive and grand, we find it overly large and tacky.

Mickey avenue was a horrible idea, the park has way too much empty space and half the lands even with that much space are still only barely decently themed. The only thing Shanghai got right on opening is it’s launch day attraction lineup

 

[Rush]

The theatre is underneath WOSS, blueprints show there is a theatre sized space that is going to be open to the public under there (this is seperate to the meet and greet space)

The structure right under the coaster will house an elaborate meet and greet (Playhouse in the Woods) + restrooms.

 

[momo123]

I don't think Grizzly is as bad as being made out to be few people ever complain about it I do agree the ride tries to do to many thing and it really starts of as a terrible kiddy coaster but is way way better overall compared to SDMT in Shanghai but isn't a complete package as Tron but torn is super short is it like a minute? but that's a awesome minute.

I do agree mystic even though a brilliant ride (probably one of Disney's best dark ride) isn't a natural headliner for the park for that sadly you need a IP f ticket ride today. Which I don't think is coming. I expect the current budget to be split around the park or just a wait and see approach from Disney. Lets wait and see I'm expecting frozen to move the needle for the park my most recent visit was quite a positive it was busy previously before covid rarely ever so locals at the park now id say close to 50% was locals which is a massive positive.

But I think if anyone is expecting HK to do big numbers in attendance or profit it will never do that simply the market for it doesn't exist & therefore a second gate seems something that will never happen I think HK could have let Disney do a water park instead of Ocean park to be honest. I think the government probably won't want a downtown Disney right now either with 11 Skies just around the corner from opening.

 

[Supersnow84]

The structure right under the coaster will house an elaborate meet and greet (Playhouse in the Woods) + restrooms.

It says meet and greet and events, the space is almost the size of the entire WOSS so it’ll do more than just a meet and greet

 

[Supersnow84]

I don't think Grizzly is as bad as being made out to be few people ever complain about it I do agree the ride tries to do to many thing and it really starts of as a terrible kiddy coaster but is way way better overall compared to SDMT in Shanghai but isn't a complete package as Tron but torn is super short is it like a minute? but that's a awesome minute.

I do agree mystic even though a brilliant ride (probably one of Disney's best dark ride) isn't a natural headliner for the park for that sadly you need a IP f ticket ride today. Which I don't think is coming. I expect the current budget to be split around the park or just a wait and see approach from Disney. Lets wait and see I'm expecting frozen to move the needle for the park my most recent visit was quite a positive it was busy previously before covid rarely ever so locals at the park now id say close to 50% was locals which is a massive positive.

But I think if anyone is expecting HK to do big numbers in attendance or profit it will never do that simply the market for it doesn't exist & therefore a second gate seems something that will never happen I think HK could have let Disney do a water park instead of Ocean park to be honest. I think the government probably won't want a downtown Disney right now either with 11 Skies just around the corner from opening.

That just comes back around to what I was saying before, how did Disney not predict this, why even build a park in HK if they didn’t expect to ever earn a solid profit off it because the HK population is just too small alone to support it when it’s difficult for GBA to get across the border to go

 

[Rush]

It says meet and greet and events, the space is almost the size of the entire WOSS so it’ll do more than just a meet and greet

If it's a theater, I don't see any reason why they wouldn't announce that like they've announced everything that's coming with the land. And the description of Playhouse in the Woods indicates an elaborate M&G. There's nothing pointing at it being a theater show.

 

[Supersnow84]

If it's a theater, I don't see any reason why they wouldn't announce that like they've announced everything that's coming with the land. And the description of Playhouse in the Woods indicates an elaborate M&G. There's nothing pointing at it being a theater show.

Oh they never announced a show, just that there was a space with the capacity of a theatre they might change later on

 

[momo123]

That just comes back around to what I was saying before, how did Disney not predict this, why even build a park in HK if they didn’t expect to ever earn a solid profit off it because the HK population is just too small alone to support it when it’s difficult for GBA to get across the border to go

Think they were desperate to get some foothold in the china market and HK was keen so yea maybe from Disney's perspective at the time it made sense (I do believe there was a great opportunity early on to give HK a world class park and rake in money before Shanghai opened which was wasted) Also HK long term might be seen as the park for SEA & SA more than just for Southern China? I feel many companies come to HK first to test the waters before directly entering China consider this a very expensive version of that.

Anyway I think HK does desperately need a headliner land or F attraction (and the balance budget is enough to do just that). I think one way to tell is where Avatar is built whether HK or Shanghai (maybe neither but that would be a huge lost opportunity).

 

[Supersnow84]

Think they were desperate to get some foothold in the china market and HK was keen so yea maybe from Disney's perspective at the time it made sense (I do believe there was a great opportunity early on to give HK a world class park and rake in money before Shanghai opened which was wasted) Also HK long term might be seen as the park for SEA & SA more than just for Southern China? I feel many companies come to HK first to test the waters before directly entering China consider this a very expensive version of that.

Anyway I think HK does desperately need a headliner land or F attraction (and the balance budget is enough to do just that). I think one way to tell is where Avatar is built whether HK or Shanghai (maybe neither but that would be a huge lost opportunity).

If they always had plans for Shanghai and they invested about as much as Shanghai cost to build into HK then HK would have needed to pull magic kingdom numbers to make even close to its investment back before Shanghai opened following the same timeline

I can see them wanting a foothold in China but the Chinese government never really opposed them so it’s not like they couldn’t just go straight to Shanghai, if they wanted to “test the waters” something like that Disney wharf they touted for Sydney before deciding the Australian population was too small might have been a better idea than a full park they would have to maintain and grow

But I agree they might be able to draw back south Asian and oceanic tourists if the park had a true f ticket (even a duplicated one from stateside like FOP) because right now they are competing and losing to the mammoth Tokyo down the road which is about to crush both Chinese parks with fantasy springs

It’s strange they are taking a wait and see approach here when the money to make this f ticket has already been allocated, it’s not like they are waiting for funding

 

[momo123]

If they always had plans for Shanghai and they invested about as much as Shanghai cost to build into HK then HK would have needed to pull magic kingdom numbers to make even close to its investment back before Shanghai opened following the same timeline

I can see them wanting a foothold in China but the Chinese government never really opposed them so it’s not like they couldn’t just go straight to Shanghai, if they wanted to “test the waters” something like that Disney wharf they touted for Sydney before deciding the Australian population was too small might have been a better idea than a full park they would have to maintain and grow

But I agree they might be able to draw back south Asian and oceanic tourists if the park had a true f ticket (even a duplicated one from stateside like FOP) because right now they are competing and losing to the mammoth Tokyo down the road which is about to crush both Chinese parks with fantasy springs

It’s strange they are taking a wait and see approach here when the money to make this f ticket has already been allocated, it’s not like they are waiting for funding

I think the reason they're waiting is one of two one they don't actually know what to build (possible?) second they also need to cough up half the money and don't want to currently cough that up probably now understanding that its not possible or very difficult to get the park into profitability. Finally it could be a combo of the two where they understand they need a F ticket (headliner) for the park but still working in the background with a proposal to show the government.

 

[Supersnow84]

I think the reason they're waiting is one of two one they don't actually know what to build (possible?) second they also need to cough up half the money and don't want to currently cough that up probably now understanding that its not possible or very difficult to get the park into profitability. Finally it could be a combo of the two where they understand they need a F ticket (headliner) for the park but still working in the background with a proposal to show the government.

They have already coughed up the money, the 5 billion (2.5 billion from each party) is sitting there waiting to be spent and has been allocated to HK

I could see them being stuck having expected the push from DCA and DLP to get the quinjet design off the ground then they could just clone it to HK and now being forced to build the ride from the ground up (whatever they build) they have no idea what to actually do with it but I doubt the government will let them sit on investment money much longer especially since inflation is becoming a problem for the value of that money

 

[momo123]

I mean allocated doesn't mean it's sitting in HK Disneys account just when its needed it is available I assume? not sure on the financial side of things but looking at how cheap building 3 rides, a retheme of buzz, a stage show moana & entire 5 acre land theme im surprised they don't have enough for one F ticket including the quinjet attraction I think the issue is the ride doesn't work and the system was simplified for DCA & probably Paris but I don't think it works for hk as iron man next door or again the clone just won't cut it anymore realisation.

Issue is they have cornered themselves into marvel and probably trying to figure out something I'm sure it isn't easy. Imagine going back to the government and saying remember we tore down that ride and prepped the land and all well now we don't know what to do with it so we will just move on and give you something different for a different area.

 

[Rush]

Hong Kong is not at all a bad location for a Disney park considering it's a global hub. There's a reason they placed the park near the airport. HK is the most connected city in the entirety of Asia after all. It's location serves mainland China and SEA which are both giant markets. The truth of the matter is that the park was always dreamt up as a single day destination. Tourists with connecting flights in HK were even among the main targetdemographics. It's always been known that Disney wanted to build a park in mainland China eventually. I also believe they wanted a park in one of the 4 Tigers of Asia, and HK was naturally the best pick. HK's government was aware of Disney's plans of wanting to build a mainland park and thus wanted reassurance. Disney gave them that in the form of massive expansion plans and a promise to not build another Chinese park in the next how many years. And here's the thing, I genuinely don't believe that Disney's owns plans had the resort expanding beyond a single park. Everything that was said by Eisner and the company during the development of the park simply didn't go with that.

 

[momo123]

Also if I'm not mistaken 5b HKD is over 600m USD that's a lot for one attraction I think that would make it the most expensive attraction ever?

 

[Supersnow84]

I mean allocated doesn't mean it's sitting in HK Disneys account just when its needed it is available I assume? not sure on the financial side of things but looking at how cheap building 3 rides, a retheme of buzz, a stage show moana & entire 5 acre land theme im surprised they don't have enough for one F ticket including the quinjet attraction I think the issue is the ride doesn't work and the system was simplified for DCA & probably Paris but I don't think it works for hk as iron man next door or again the clone just won't cut it anymore realisation.

Issue is they have cornered themselves into marvel and probably trying to figure out something I'm sure it isn't easy. Imagine going back to the government and saying remember we tore down that ride and prepped the land and all well now we don't know what to do with it so we will just move on and give you something different for a different area.

I’m assuming allocated money means they can draw it whenever they want when they are ready to build which I’d assume they should be moving towards soon

I think you are right, either quinjet doesn’t work, the marvel brand is failing or both and they don’t know what to do because they have boxes themselves into the plot with iron man courtyard being the only access point to the old autopia plot so at an absolute minimum the ride has to be Tomorrowland themed, unless they just abandoned the autopia plot in the short term and built the f ticket near grizzly gulch but for that they would need LegCo permission