HKDL gets new castle, frozen land and marvel land.

[marni1971]

I’d argue Paris has been a destination resort for quite a while now. It’s marketed that way to bring multi day stays to the onsite resorts which have high year round occupancy's. Where Paris scores well (and would also fail without) is the included park tickets with an onsite stay. Does it inflate the hotel price? Slightly. But the perceived value does it no harm. Would the same help Hong Kong? Perhaps.

I’ll be honest, Shanghai doesn’t appeal that much. It’s not a destination resort. The park line up for park fans is relatively poor; the geek in me is only looking forward to PotC. The park has been described to me by someone I trust as new and shiny and state of the art but ultimately hollow and lacklustre and definitely of the era of the current WDC. I’ll hope to give an honest opinion of everything once we’ve been later this year, but for now it’s really a visit to tick the box on our way back to HKDL.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

I’ll be honest, Shanghai doesn’t appeal that much. It’s not a destination resort. The park line up for park fans is relatively poor; the geek in me is only looking forward to PotC.

Having been on TRON at MK, it's one less reason to go for me, but there's still the Pirate area as a whole, the raft ride (one of the last non-IP ride they've built), their version of Peter Pan and more oddities like Voyage to the Crystal Grotto and the castle walk through that would hold my interest for a day.

 

[ParkPeeker]

Oh right (I knew it wasn’t game boy advanced…)

Ya I think structurally the Greater Bay Area never has reacted how they expected it would. Theres been more geopolitical, structural boundaries and physical boundaries that people don’t treat HK as their neighboring suburb. They’ve been trying to overtake that with things like the rail connection and mega bridge… but I don’t think it worked fully and the protests didn’t help.

Japanese 20yo hop on the metro from whenever in Tokyo. Shenzen young adults don’t really have the same experience with Lantau.

Extremely off topic but I want to make clear I’m laughing at the gba thing. That’s exactly where my mind went first lol.

 

[Supersnow84]

I’d argue Paris has been a destination resort for quite a while now. It’s marketed that way to bring multi day stays to the onsite resorts which have high year round occupancy's. Where Paris scores well (and would also fail without) is the included park tickets with an onsite stay. Does it inflate the hotel price? Slightly. But the perceived value does it no harm. Would the same help Hong Kong? Perhaps.

I’ll be honest, Shanghai doesn’t appeal that much. It’s not a destination resort. The park line up for park fans is relatively poor; the geek in me is only looking forward to PotC. The park has been described to me by someone I trust as new and shiny and state of the art but ultimately hollow and lacklustre and definitely of the era of the current WDC. I’ll hope to give an honest opinion of everything once we’ve been later this year, but for now it’s really a visit to tick the box on our way back to HKDL.

Shanghai when I went there felt like a Vegas mogul was given the money to build a Disney “esque” park

There are sections where it feels like Disney- namely treasure cove and adventure island but ALOT of it feels strangely hollow and broad but empty.

For my stateside friends imagine if the entire park was basically that weird corner of new fantasyland around Gaston’s tavern and be our guest; there is………something there but it basically amounts to broad and empty

 

[DarkMetroid567]

I can ~sorta second the Shanghai Disneyland remarks. In general, I had a better time there than I did Disneyland Paris but the left side of the park is super super weak. I do think that the future developments will really flesh out the park, which is already strong for its young age.

The right side and Zootopia are so strong that it makes up for it, but it’s hard to ignore how mid Tomorrowland and TSL are. I also really enjoy Mickey Avenue.

Fantasyland is in-between for me. I’d call it better than TDL Fantasyland (at least the non-BatB section) but I agree, it has that vague theming that New Fantasyland and Fantasy Springs both use. Technically good, but getting a bit boring.

(Also, in general, I did not enjoy Shanghai. Much better places to visit in China, including Beijing, although Universal there has a lot of the same issues SDL has.)

 

[BrianLo]

Vegas comp is apt. One (HK) is Disneyland scaled, the other goes well beyond magic kingdom.

Certainly visually I prefer the needle thread that is Disneyland Paris… but on the whole I like Shanghai second. Above Paris, below HK.

 

[LameBoi]

Since Shanghai and Paris are mentioned, just wanted to remind that Pirate Cove in Shanghai looks suspiciously similar to the Pirates of the Caribbean concept planned for HK before they went with GG, MP, and TSL. The E-ticket would have been a Splash mountain log flume themed to Pirates where you would drop from the mouth of a skull mountain, crashing through a sunken ship.

At D23 last year, a Lion King log flume was announced for Paris WDS, soon to be Disney Adventure World. Pride Rock was actually in initial concept images of HK Adventureland. It is directly left of Tarzan’s Treehouse in the image below. Between Festival of the Lion King and Big Thunder Mountain. Goes to show once again good ideas never truly die at imagineering. Two could’ve been attractions ironically going to the 2 parks that hampered HKDL the most.

 

[LameBoi]

Shanghai had massive hype because it had 2 brand new advanced unique attractions on opening day, Pirates and Tron. Just those 2 rides basically gained it its current following.

Hong Kong opened with no original rides and it didn’t even open with the rides that guests expected. For example, Disney promised Peter Pan would have an attraction. Guests expected Peter Pan’s flight, but what they got instead was Philharmagic with a Peter Pan scene.The most original attraction the park had in its early years was the electric Autopia, and even that didn’t open with the park. These, along with other choices, coupled with local media also hammering the park mercilessly way before it even opened destroyed HKDL’s reputation. It’s easy to lose face, but very hard to regain it.

 

[Supersnow84]

Did we get confirmation when that report was actually coming out

Edit the translation of the post linked also said “sharp decline in local guests reflecting the current economic situation like ‘consumption in the north’”

Can anyone who knows more ago it wider HK than I explain what that’s trying to translate

 

[no.swatz]

Did we get confirmation when that report was actually coming out

Edit the translation of the post linked also said “sharp decline in local guests reflecting the current economic situation like ‘consumption in the north’”

Can anyone who knows more ago it wider HK than I explain what that’s trying to translate

What?

 

[Supersnow84]

What?

Basically what I said, the translation of the article linked in the last page said that “the sharp decline in local guests can be attributed to current economic conditions like ‘consumption in the north”

 

[ThemeParkTraveller]

Did we get confirmation when that report was actually coming out

Edit the translation of the post linked also said “sharp decline in local guests reflecting the current economic situation like ‘consumption in the north’”

Can anyone who knows more ago it wider HK than I explain what that’s trying to translate

I believe that line is referring to the trend of Hong Kong residents spending more time and money in mainland China now. Chimelong Ocean Kingdom being dominant in the area (~13 million guests in 2023) probably has some effect on HKDL now as well.

Hong Kong experienced a recovery from the pandemic-era downturn compared to other advanced economies. The border reopening in late 2022 promised a return to retail and service trade not seen since 2019. In reality, the recovery in tourist arrivals proved to be short‑lived and their spending was more cautious. By contrast, Hong Kong residents have opted to spend their holidays across the border in mainland China and foreign countries on the back of “revenge tourism”. Retail sales have remained below 2018 levels as at November 2023.

Hong Kong residents’ increased spending in mainland China—particularly Shenzhen—will probably be a long-term trend. Immigration figures show that more than 80% of Hong Kong residents’ departures were destined for mainland China.

 

[Supersnow84]

I believe that line is referring to the trend of Hong Kong residents spending more time and money in mainland China now. Chimelong Ocean Kingdom being dominant in the area (~13 million guests in 2023) probably has some effect on HKDL now as well.

Ah that makes sense. Thank you

 

[no.swatz]

I believe that line is referring to the trend of Hong Kong residents spending more time and money in mainland China now. Chimelong Ocean Kingdom being dominant in the area (~13 million guests in 2023) probably has some effect on HKDL now as well.

HK people mainly going to ShenZhen instead of spending time in HK..

 

[McMickeyWorld]

They've probably already seen it on other social media, but I'm posting it anyway in case someone hasn't

It gives me vibes of the old spring events at DisneySea

 

[etc98]

They've probably already seen it on other social media, but I'm posting it anyway in case someone hasn't

It gives me vibes of the old spring events at DisneySea

Live musicians? I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Disney parade with live musicians before. That’ll be interesting

 

[TTA94]

Live musicians? I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Disney parade with live musicians before. That’ll be interesting

Soundsational had drummers and Mickey playing the drums.

 

[SweetDuffy101]

Live musicians? I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Disney parade with live musicians before. That’ll be interesting

probably the Disneyland Band being part of the parade.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Live musicians? I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Disney parade with live musicians before. That’ll be interesting

Once Upon a Christmas Time used to have toy soldiers actually playing the horns.

 

[PiratesMansion]

Once Upon a Christmas Time used to have toy soldiers actually playing the horns.

That still appeared to be the case this winter at Disneyland in their Christmas parade.

And the drummers in Soundsational were most definitely NOT members of the Disneyland Band.

RE: Shanghai Disneyland, it's definitely very different from the others, but I do think it works better in person than some might expect. Pirates is a very strong attraction and the stage shows were spectacular (RIP Tarzan), the in-park food was excellent, and I thought it was interesting to see a modern Disney take on a castle park. Some of the modernization efforts (or "modernization" if you'd prefer) worked quite well, while others were just odd. I'd almost certainly go back to HKDL first, but I'm happy I got to experience SDL at least once.