Trip Report Sometimes going halfway is a good thing - Max's Hong Kong Adventure

Hello All and welcome to another Max Trip Report

This one is solo - sans family - as it was a quick stop at a new park for me
Hong Kong Disneyland (HKDL) opened in 2005 and has slowly been growing into itself
Initial feedback on HKDL was too small and not enough to do.
As you will see in this brief stop I had plenty to do (and actually did not accomplish everything I wanted to do)

Who: Max , aka Clarence to those who read my Cali report recently.
What: HKDL for a day and a bit
When: Friday Oct 6and Saturday Oct 7
Why: A Disney park I have not been to AND my company was sending me back to Japan so I detoured at the start of the business trip to catch this gem of a park.

Up next: Intercontinental travel !!

Max

 

[amjt660]

Ooh, Osaka! What’s your plan for there? I recommend going to the Doronburi area at nighttime to see the neon and try all the street food. If you’re going to Universal, by all means get the Express Pass!

I am in Osaka with my BIL & SIL
She is Japanese and they live in Fukuoka
I will add some details on my Osaka weekend to the shanghai report
Spoiler - no universal studios on this weekend
Maybe the next Japan trip if there is one

Max

 

[12in12]

I hope you are having an awesome time! I can't wait to read all about it once you have time to do a TR.

 

[amjt660]

I hope you are having an awesome time! I can't wait to read all about it once you have time to do a TR.

I fly back on Saturday so I hope to do more then.
I will keep trying to keep this one going though...

Max

 

[amjt660]

Day 3
So what do a couple of adults do at Disney next - why , Dumbo of course!!

We then hopped on the railroad and went back to Main Street

We grabbed a Mickey Ice Cream (sorry no pic)
Then went back into Tomorrow Land
BB8 was not longer available to meet because this "walking carpet" was accepting visitors

Chewie was great!

 

[amjt660]

Day 3 cont'd

So that was it for J - she had to head home - it was a great day together.
We said our goodbyes and I headed back toward Mystic Manor
Here are some more pics

 

[amjt660]

More Mystic

Walk around some more and then had a Hero burger

 

[12in12]

The QS next to Mystic Manor had really nice food. Did you not eat there?
Thank you for all the pictures, I keep remembering new things when I see them.

 

[fractal]

Cool that you could meet up with your daughter's friend - halfway around the World!

Can't have enough pics of Mystic Manor.

 

[BDL]

I am all caught up! Not sure this is a park I will ever get to so thanks for sharing your experience. Great photos!!!!

 

[amjt660]

The QS next to Mystic Manor had really nice food. Did you not eat there?
Thank you for all the pictures, I keep remembering new things when I see them.

I did not eat at the QS next to Mystic
Lunch was at Clopins and in 20/20 hindsight I should have tried something else.
Glad you are enjoying the pictures

Cool that you could meet up with your daughter's friend - halfway around the World!

Can't have enough pics of Mystic Manor

It was fun to share it with someone for sure - wish it had been my family but the cost of the airfare and duration of the trip made it tough to justify.

Mystic is an amazing ride!

I am all caught up! Not sure this is a park I will ever get to so thanks for sharing your experience. Great photos!!!!

Never say never - amazing things can help when you just believe!!

Max

 

[amjt660]

Day 3 cont'd
More pictures from the castle area before dinner (a little out of order - my bad)

After dinner I grabbed on spot on Main street for the night time parade
A Villians Night Out - Chapter 2 - (I did not see Chapter 1- maybe it was last year?)

(many pictures - but not the greatest quality)
The lighting in the area kept changing and I did not adjust very well when taking pictures
I was getting tired (hot and humid day had kicked the crap out of me)
Enjoy

 

[amjt660]

The parade only had 3 floats but made up for it with a lot of performers
It was hard to follow the story line - assume it was in Cantonese.
Long portions with the floats stopped with a lot of talking

 

[amjt660]

The evil queen was in front of me for most of the "parade" time.
Seeing Ursala as a face character was new for me!
The last float was Jafar

 

[amjt660]

Some more decorations and window displays

Jack meet and greet (that I did not get to)

And the last shot before leaving

Up next: A quick recap of HKDL and then a few (non Disney) things from Japan

 

[amjt660]

Day 4 and beyond
I will wrap this one up today as it is my last day in Japan (and when I get back I will start my Shanghai report)

Day 4 was a travel day from Hong Kong to Japan.
Early flight to Tokyo (3.5 hour flight + 1 hour time change) followed by a short flight to Nagoya and then a train to Toyota city.
A few pictures from the resort

I know quite a few of my fellow posters are tsum tsum fans so I took this one for you

and airport store

Plane to take me to Japan (not business class this time!!)

A good book my DD gave me to read - I recommend it

My "home" for most of my time in Japan

 

[amjt660]

Weekend # 2 - Golfing in the foothills of the Nagano mountains
This one is for Dylan (@blgauger ) and any other golfers out there

We had a great plan with 16 golfers going almost 2 hours out of the city to a wonderful golf course
Unfortunately Mother Nature did not cooperate and it rained the whole time
Oh well - a rainy day on the golf course is better than a sunny day at work.
Check out our sweet ride - a four seater than drove itself on the cart path!!

 

[amjt660]

Some random pics to finish up
Box of Frosted Flakes in the grocery store

This one is a little lost in translation

Some Disney stuffies in the department store - I picked a few of the small ones for my girls

Conveyor Belt Sushi with my work mates
(yes the plates are delivered to the table on a conveyor belt - you pay based on the number of plates you take off the belt!!)
You can see the conveyor better in the second picture

And then after 2 weeks of "work" I flew home - delayed 4 hours in Tokyo but got home safe and sound
A typhoon came through Japan two days after I left
My colleagues were fine - Japan was well prepared as you would expect.

Next post : Wrap it up!

 

[amjt660]

HKDL Wrap up:

I was very happy with my experience at Hong Kong Disneyland.
Initially I had little interest because the image was of a small park with not a lot to do.
The additions of Mystic Manor, Toy Story and Grizzly have helped fill out the park from its original condition

My only regret is not seeing any shows. I tried twice to see the Mickey show - arriving 30 min before the start each time- but could not get in. Oh well-maybe something to do next time!

Yes this is one park that I would return to if given the opportunity
The CM's are excellent and the park has the DLR look and feel
Overall cleanliness was fine and the other patrons were not rude or pushy.

The hotel was good but next time I might try the Explorers which is similar price point and newer.

And of course if I go back I will spend some time in Hong Kong itself - this trip was completely Disney but next time I will make some time.

New things for me (other than the park itself) were Iron Man, Mystic and Grizzly
They were all great.

The night time fireworks was good but the parade was less impressive to me (chock that one up to me being tired)

I hope you have enjoyed my TR - I enjoyed writing it and remembering the good time I had with J in her hometown.

Next up - Shanghai Disneyland

Thank you for following along

Max

 

[blreinsel]

All caught up! I'll be sure to show Dylan the golf pictures... he will love them! His goal is to golf in every state and as many countries as possible. Very lofty. but I'm sure he'll at least put a dent in it.

Loved reading about your Hong Kong experience... really looking forward to reading about Shanghai!

 

[12in12]

Thanks again for sharing your trip, I really enjoyed reading it. I am just a little bit (translation Super incredibly) jealous that you now have been to all the Asian parks.