Hong Kong Disneyland

[Richboy]

On these message boards, Hong Kong Disneyland has been criticized for its size and quality. I need to defend Hong Kong Disneyland for its being blamed for just being built at the wrong time. The Disney Company is in turmoil and change is occuring in the heirarchy of the company. The poor performance of Disney's last international park, Disneyland Paris, has not been forgotton. The Disney Company does not want to repeat what happened in Paris. But, the company shouldn't be worried abou a repeat of Paris because the story concerning Hong Kong is completley different. In Paris, the culture did not want a Disney park. They wanted a French park. Also, DL Paris's debts in its early years had nothing to do with the actual park, but because of the six large hotels built in DL Paris that were not being booked. In Hong Kong, similar to Tokyo, they want what Americans have been talking about. They want a taste of the American Disney experience. Also, only two hotels have been built on the property, which should lessen the chance of any empty hotels. Many people have criticized HK Disneyland because they say it has no quality and is being built "on the cheap." Unlike the Disney Studios in Paris and California Adventure, HK Disneyland is filled with theming and detail and landscape. Park visiters prefer "quality over quantity" Which has been proved already. Disney's California Adventure is choke full of cheap rides and poor shows, and averages 5 million visiters a year. Disney's Animal Kingdom park has a small attraction roster, but all the attractions (save Dino-Rama) are filled with intricate detail and theming. Animal Kingdom averages close to 8 million visiters a year, 3 million more than California Adventure. Hong Kong Disneyland's story isn't like California Adventure or Disney Studios, but more of Animal Kingdom's. Animal Kingdom is a great park, but a small park. The park has great potential, if given the chance (or money) to grow. Hong Kong Disneyland will have 14 attractions on opening day. While its a small amount, the park has time to grow. Plans are already being discussed concerning HK Disneyland's Phase II projects, which will see openings of rides such as Autopia, and re-invented versions of the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean. Below is the attraction roster for the Magic Kingdom when it opened in 1971:

The Magic Kingdom

Attractions Open On Opening Day October 1st, 1971

Main Street U.S.A:
Walt Disney World Railroad

Fantasyland:
20, 000 Leagues Under The Sea
Cinderella’s Carrousel
Dumbo the Flying Elephant
It’s A Small World
Mad Tea Party
Mickey Mouse Revue
Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride
Snow White’s Adventures
Peter Pan’s Flight
Skyway To Tomorrowland

Frontierland:
Country Bear Jamboree
Davy Crockett’s Explorer Canoes
Mike Fink Keel Boats

Liberty Square:
Hall of Presidents
Haunted Mansion
Liberty Square Riverboat

Adventureland:
The Enchanted Tiki Birds
Jungle Cruise
Swiss Family Treehouse

Tomorrowland:
America the Beautiful
Grand Prix Raceway
Skyway to Fantasyland

It opened with 22 attractions, eight more than HK Disneyland. HK Disneyland's absence of Frontierland and Liberty Square is the reason for this gap.

Below is the attraction roster for Disneyland when it opened in 1955:
Attractions Open On Opening Day, July 17th, 1955

Main Street U.S.A:
The Santa Fe Railroad

Fantasyland:
King Arthur Carrousel
Peter Pan’s Flight
Snow White’s Scary Adventures
Mad Tea Party
Canal Boats of the World
Mr. Toads Wild Ride

Frontierland:
The Mark Twain Steamboat
The Golden Horseshoe Review
Mule Pack

Tomorrowland:
Space Station X-1
Autopia
Circarama

Adventureland:
Jungle Cruise

That's 14 attractions, even with HK Disneyland. Given, Disneyland opened 50 years ago and many of the classic Disney rides were yet to be built, but Disneyland's small opening day proves that parks with potential will grow.
Disney fans don't despair, HK Disneyland will not dissapoint.

 

[DisneyFan 2000]

DL was new. It wowed people in its own right (being themed was something unthinkable). HKDL will just be DL, scaled down. I doubt it will impress many.

 

[jrriddle]

DL was new. It wowed people in its own right (being themed was something unthinkable). HKDL will just be DL, scaled down. I doubt it will impress many.

Especially not the people who have made the trip to Japan to see their parks.
Yes the pictures so far show some great themeing. But with nothing to do there is only so long that you can look at the cool statues in Adventureland.
And I'm a big fan of detailed themeing. I love DLP & TDS!
I'm sure Phase 2 will go a long way to making this a good park.

 

[wdwswan&dolphin]

I believe that Hong Kong Disneyland will be a great resort, just like TDLR and WDW. I don't care if it has only one park, fourteen attractions--it's better that it starts small and then expands gradually along with the public's tastes, gives the people what they want. I just hope they have a golf course for me to practice my putts, or at least mini-golf, at one of the resorts (I might be going to HKDR in February '06!)
P.S. I love the idea of a hedge maze at the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel, just like the UK at Epcot in WDW has.

 

[DisneyRoxMySox]

Where can I find the latest pictures?

 

[jrriddle]

Where can I find the latest pictures?

Scream Scape has some.
Or just do a thread search here.
I have posted quite a few picture links in the past, as has CherryNegra.