HKDL gets new castle, frozen land and marvel land.

[LameBoi]

It has been reported by an HKDL fan news channel (@the_hkdg) that during Philharmagic’s closure, it will transition from the original physical film reel to digital.

 

[Robbiem]

My two cents on this were that Hong Kongers were expecting HKDL to be something similar to Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea (which opened 4 years earlier in 2001). Hong Kongers travel to Tokyo a lot, many going for day trips so many have experienced Tokyo Disney Resort. So when HKDL opened with only 4 lands, and a handful of attractions, locals expecting Tokyo quality were greatly turned off and many basically never returned.

I read an article about HK Disneyland being initially pitched to the public with 6 full lands: Main St. USA, Adventureland, Frontierland, Toontown, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland. Attractions would’ve included Jungle Cruise, jungle roller coaster (probably themed to Tarzan), Haunted Mansion, Big Thunder, river raft rapids, Space Mountain, and the usual Fantasyland dark rides, and more (I’m pretty sure either Pirates or Indie was part of the plan also). So being promised a park full of E-tickets and unique attractions to the getting a park with 1 (Space Mountain) is pretty underwhelming.

I remember seeing this as well. The park was going to have splash mountain. indy as well and was going to be DLP in size and scope. There was also going to be a shopping district

 

[Supersnow84]

I remember seeing this as well. The park was going to have splash mountain. indy as well and was going to be DLP in size and scope. There was also going to be a shopping district

It’s amazing there still isn’t a shopping district

I mean unless you are coming from way out near shenzen or up by the tram lines the MTR makes it so easy to get to HKDL

Pop a world of Disney, a Starbucks, and a few speciality stores (make it look sorta like ngong ping village at the stop of the cable car) and then have like one Duffy and friend available to meet for a small upcharge fee that’s also meeting in the park today to avoid cannibalising park guests

It would also incentivise people to staycation at the resorts just from simply having more to do

 

[22031029]

It has been reported by an HKDL fan news channel (@the_hkdg) that during Philharmagic’s closure, it will transition from the original physical film reel to digital.

does that really constitute a 4-month closure? if i remember correctly tokyo upgraded their system in around 2 months. hopefully theyre also updating the actual content itself

 

[PiratesMansion]

does that really constitute a 4-month closure? if i remember correctly tokyo upgraded their system in around 2 months. hopefully theyre also updating the actual content itself

It's almost certainly not just that, though as with any refurb, there's a fair chance that guests won't see 100% of what they'll be doing over the four months.

Presumably they're not closing the attraction for several months during one of their busiest periods of the year (Chinese New Year) just because they feel like it.

 

[LameBoi]

I remember seeing this as well. The park was going to have splash mountain. indy as well and was going to be DLP in size and scope. There was also going to be a shopping district

It was pitched as the Disneyland Paris of Asia. Tony Baxter, Tom K. Morris, Eddie Sotto, Tim Delaney, and team created the most beautiful castle park in Paris and it was pitched that HK’s would be just as architectural beautiful and stunning. Ironically it was Disneyland Paris itself that put the company into a financial hole, causing the company to abandon the theme park business, leading to HKDL to be a copy of only the essentials of OG Disneyland.

In the land zoning of HKDL, the long promenade was designed to be a retail, dining, and entertainment Downtown Disney district instead of the walls of greenery like it is now. In the latest legislatively meeting, HKDL basically gave a non-answer to building it.

 

[LameBoi]

It's almost certainly not just that, though as with any refurb, there's a fair chance that guests won't see 100% of what they'll be doing over the four months.

Presumably they're not closing the attraction for several months during one of their busiest periods of the year (Chinese New Year) just because they feel like it.

4 months for inspections and refurb for a theater is definitely suspicious when you consider that a roller coaster, big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine cars, was only down 1 month for full inspection so there is probably a lot more to it. Maybe they’re going to access the roof to install more equipment or firework launch sites for Momentous? 20th is coming up next year.

 

[Supersnow84]

It was pitched as the Disneyland Paris of Asia. Tony Baxter, Tom K. Morris, Eddie Sotto, Tim Delaney, and team created the most beautiful castle park in Paris and it was pitched that HK’s would be just as architectural beautiful and stunning. Ironically it was Disneyland Paris itself that put the company into a financial hole, causing the company to abandon the theme park business, leading to HKDL to be a copy of only the essentials of OG Disneyland.

In the land zoning of HKDL, the long promenade was designed to be a retail, dining, and entertainment Downtown Disney district instead of the walls of greenery like it is now. In the latest legislatively meeting, HKDL basically gave a non-answer to building it.

LegCo was very “directionless” I guess is the best word in the last meeting

I guess it was maybe Disney hyping up the loss being a rounding error but LegCo just didn’t look like they cared at all despite Disney rocketing upwards and ocean park collapsing after Covid

You’d think they would have pressed Disney a little harder about what their next moves were considering that we didn’t know that TOT was in the works when the last LegCo meeting was called

 

[LameBoi]

LegCo was very “directionless” I guess is the best word in the last meeting

I guess it was maybe Disney hyping up the loss being a rounding error but LegCo just didn’t look like they cared at all despite Disney rocketing upwards and ocean park collapsing after Covid

You’d think they would have pressed Disney a little harder about what their next moves were considering that we didn’t know that TOT was in the works when the last LegCo meeting was called

I think with the current situation in HK right now, LegCo is more reliant on Disney more than ever as it is a current economic driver for the city bringing in PAYING tourists. Interestingly in that LegCo meeting, Michael Moriarty also teased a returning attraction along with the full reimagining and “Marvel” one (ToT). Could the returning attraction be the Paint the Night Parade coming back to its birthplace?

I haven't been to Ocean Park in over 10 years so I can’t comment on their state but from what I remembered, it was an amusement park with a couple sea animals in it. As a tourist myself, I personally would rather go to an immersive theme park like Disney on vacation than a regular amusement park with off the shelf stock rides, which I can find at home, like Ocean Park.

 

[LameBoi]

A short youtube interview with Michael Moriarty was released. Something that got my attention was the last 30 seconds when he teased some “stuff” between now and Stark Expo completion.

 

[Supersnow84]

I’m assuming they are referencing the reimagining that is coming

We knew one was coming and I can’t imagine they will fit an entire different land between now and the drop tower especially since a drop tower is not a hard ride to build

 

[LameBoi]

I too am assuming he was referencing the reimagined attraction, but “stuff” is a plural. If this park can get more attractions, I’ll be happy.

 

[IMDREW]

New parade coming as well

 

[DonniePeverley]

Spent the weekend at Hong Kong Disneyland. Very impressed.

First time i went was around 10 years ago, and the park was a disgrace. Small, lacking attractions, pitiful castle.

They've really udpated it, to it now being a full day park. It was a pleasure to walk around it. Modern, new, shiny.

Only point when i was bemused was the pitful 20 second coaster over at Frozen, what on earth was that about? They need to mothball that as it's giving such a bad vibe.

 

[infloencer]

Only point when i was bemused was the pitful 20 second coaster over at Frozen, what on earth was that about? They need to mothball that as it's giving such a bad vibe.

It’s not supposed to be some show stopping spectacular coaster, it’s a supporting ride to FEA and functions more as a barnstormer kind of coaster for small children. We should be grateful that Disney did such a good job theming a kiddie coaster instead of just putting it there like barnstormer or gadgets go coaster.

 

[Supersnow84]

It’s also worth noting that originally that ride was wandering oaks dancing sleighs not sliding sleighs which was basically just a slightly rethemed luigis rockin roadsters

The coaster is infinitely better than that plan and makes the land more balanced than Tokyo’s frozen land which leans far too heavily on Anna and Elsa’s frozen journey

 

[DonniePeverley]

It’s not supposed to be some show stopping spectacular coaster, it’s a supporting ride to FEA and functions more as a barnstormer kind of coaster for small children. We should be grateful that Disney did such a good job theming a kiddie coaster instead of just putting it there like barnstormer or gadgets go coaster.

Utter nonsense.

Any sort of coaster in Frozen Land was not going to get the vibe of a 'barnstormer' filler pass coaster. It was going to be a major attraction (even if they did not intend it to be - they still used it in promos). The attraction could easily have been enhanced with a little more length, but the cost cutting at a vital stage is moronic. I've never known a coaster that short, and literally everyone coming off it bemused.

And since when do Disney get a pass pass for 'time pass filler coasters'? No one likes 'Barnstormer' - and the guise it's for 'kids' is a disgraceful excuse.

 

[LameBoi]

New parade coming as well

Hopefully Paint the Night returns to go along with the new parade. The new parade’s score is produced by the same composer to that of Tokyo’s nighttime spectacle, Reach for the Stars.

 

[TTA94]

Hopefully Paint the Night returns to go along with the new parade. The new parade’s score is produced by the same composer to that of Tokyo’s nighttime spectacle, Reach for the Stars.

Is there a time frame for the new parade?

 

[LameBoi]

Is there a time frame for the new parade?

HKDL is not the best at announcing events in advance. My guess would be during the 20th Anniversary celebration, probably starting in the summer. Since Disneyland’s 70th celebration is starting 2 months and 1 day before its birthday in May, HK’s 20th could do the same and start on July 11 in theory. But I’m just guessing, international parks tend to do their own thing so I am hopeful that the celebration starts earlier, maybe directly after Duffy and Friends Play Day.