Hong Kong Disneyland

Dedication

To all who come to this happy place, welcome. Many years ago, Walt Disney introduced the world to enchanted realms of fantasy and adventure, yesterday and tomorrow, in a magical place called Disneyland. Today that spirit of imagination and discovery comes to life in Hong Kong. Hong Kong Disneyland is dedicated to the young and the young at heart - with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration, and an enduring symbol of the cooperation, friendship and understanding between the people of Hong Kong and the United States of America.

History

Penny's Bay was filled in to provide land for the construction of Hong Kong Disneyland. The bay was previously undeveloped except for the Cheoy Lee Shipyard, which opened in the 1960s.

Chief Executive of Hong Kong Tung Chee Hwa was instrumental in introducing the Disneyland project to Hong Kong. When the SARS epidemic devastated the city's economy in 2003, it was hoped that the new Disneyland would help boost confidence in Hong Kong's tourism industry.

Hong Kong Disneyland had one of the shortest construction periods of any Disneyland-style theme park. On 12 January 2003, more than 400 guests celebrated the groundbreaking of Hong Kong Disneyland after the finishing of land reclamation in Penny's Bay. The audience included Tung Chee Hwa; Michael D. Eisner, former chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company; Bob Iger, president of The Walt Disney Company; and Jay Rasulo, former president of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. On 23 September 2004, a special "castle topping ceremony" was held in the park to commemorate the placing of the tallest turret on Sleeping Beauty Castle. Hong Kong Disneyland was officially grand opening to the public at 13:00 HKT on Monday, 12 September 2005 by then Chief Executive of Hong Kong Donald Tsang, Chief Executive Officer Michael Eisner, President Bob Iger. Beijing declared its significant support by sending Zeng Qinghong as Vice President of the People's Republic of China. In order to help Hong Kong Disneyland grow, Beijing also deliberately slowed down the development of Shanghai Disney Resort, which was first planned for the early 2000s.

Park layout

The park is divided into "lands" (themed areas) and well-concealed backstage areas. On entering a land, a guest is completely immersed in a themed environment and is unable to see or hear any other realm. The idea behind this was to develop theatrical "stages" with seamless passages from one land to the next. The public areas occupy approximately 27.4 hectares (68 acres). When the park initially opened, it consisted of only four classic themed areas instead of the traditional five lands:

On 30 June 2009, Donald Tsang, the then Chief Executive of Hong Kong, announced that the expansion of Hong Kong Disneyland had been approved by the Executive Council. The park received three new themed lands — Grizzly Gulch, Mystic Point and Toy Story Land — all located outside the Disneyland Railroad track, south of the current area.

Throughout the park are 'Hidden Mickeys', or representations of Mickey Mouse heads inserted subtly into the design of attractions and environmental decor.

An elevated berm supports the 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge Hong Kong Disneyland Railroad (built by Severn Lamb) that circumnavigates the park.

Lands of Hong Kong Disneyland

The park currently has seven themed areas hosting various rides, shops, restaurants, and live entertainment.

Main Street, U.S.A.

Inspired by the Main Street, U.S.A. in Disneyland, the buildings of this Main Street are almost identical to those in Anaheim. Like other Disney theme parks, Hong Kong Disneyland's Main Street, U.S.A. serves as the entrance of the park. Plans originally featured a restaurant under the Railroad station, but were scrapped due to budget reasons. The decor is small-town America from the years 1890–1910.

Though being very similar to Anaheim's main street, the theme is heavily influenced by European immigrants. Plaza Inn — which has the identical exterior design as the one in Disneyland — mimics a classical Chinese eatery that was created by a wealthy American couple who were infatuated with Chinese culture. Another restaurant, the Market House Bakery is reminiscent of a bakery founded by a Viennese pastry chef who brought the world's most famous desserts from the Austrian imperial court.

Unlike Main Streets from other parks, Main Street at Hong Kong Disneyland is built mainly of wood instead of stone. There are no horse-drawn streetcars, though tracks for another of the Main Street Vehicle can be seen in concept art.

Adventureland

Hong Kong Disneyland's Adventureland is the biggest among all Disney parks. It features a large island area home to Tarzan's Treehouse, which is circled by the Jungle Cruise (Jungle River Cruise) — much like the Rivers of America in most Frontierland theme areas. The Adventureland is also home to the "Festival of the Lion King" show.

Fantasyland

Fantasyland features Sleeping Beauty Castle as its icon. It also has several attractions based on classic Disney movies such as The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, and Cinderella's Carousel. There is also Fantasy Gardens where costumed Disney characters can be met.

Tomorrowland

Tomorrowland at Hong Kong Disneyland features an emphasis on metallic trim, dominated by blue and purple hues. Since the opening of the park, unique attractions have been added into the Hong Kong's Tomorrowland, such as a new Autopia and Stitch Encounter. The first ever Marvel attraction in a Disney theme park, The Iron Man Experience has opened on 11 January 2017, in an area previously envisioned for a Star Tours-type attraction.

On 22 November 2016, it was announced that Tomorrowland would be transformed into a Marvel-themed area, as part of a massive six year expansion plan. This expansion would see the replacement of Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters by an attraction with Marvel Heroes for 2018 and the construction, on the former Autopia site, of a major E-ticket attraction based on the Avengers franchise to be completed by 2022.

Toy Story Land

Opened 18 November 2011, Toy Story Land is the first new themed land since the opening of Hong Kong Disneyland in 2005. It is located to the west side of the park, behind Fantasyland. Toy Story Land is themed using bamboo to act as giant blades of grass surrounding the area. The themed land makes use of characters from the Toy Story movies, such as an enlarged Woody, Rex, an oversized paper plane, and Luxo Jr.

Toy Story Land has been marketed by the park as "Asia exclusive", since its only counterpart, Toy Story Playland, is located at Walt Disney Studios Park in Marne-la-Vallée, France.

Grizzly Gulch

Opened on 14 July 2012, this land is the Hong Kong equivalent of Frontierland and Critter Country. The themed land reminisces an abandoned mining town called "Grizzly Gulch", set amidst mountains and woods. The centrepiece structure is Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars, inspired by Grizzly Peak in Disney California Adventure Park. The town was set to be founded 8 August 1888 — the luckiest day of the luckiest month of the luckiest year — by prospectors looking to discover gold.

Mystic Point

Opened on 17 May 2013, Mystic Point is a new themed land in Hong Kong Disneyland. It is also the final area opened in Hong Kong Disneyland's current expansion. It is set in 1909 at an adventurer's outpost established in 1896 in a dense, uncharted rain forest surrounded by mysterious forces and supernatural events. The site features Mystic Manor, home of Lord Henry Mystic, a world traveler and adventurer and his mischievous monkey, Albert.

Frozen Land

A land behind Fantasyland will host two rides themed to the movie Frozen. Opening in 2020, Frozen Land is set in the fictional Kingdom of Arendelle. The land will feature two rides, a sled style ride, and a Frozen dark ride.

Marvel area

An extension part of Tomorrowland will be added to Hong Kong Disneyland. Opening in phases from as early as 2017 to 2023. The land will feature three rides. The first expansion, which has already opened in January 2017, is the Iron Man Experience. In 2018, will be an Ant Man shooting game, replacing the Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters. In 2023, an Avengers ride will be added. It is unknown what type of ride this will be.

Entertainment and celebrations

The park features a daytime parade "Flights of Fantasy", as well as a nighttime firework show "Disney in the Stars", and the nighttime parade "Paint the Night". Seasonal entertainment, such as "Disney's Haunted Halloween", "A Sparkling Christmas", and "Disney's Chinese New Year", are held in the park to celebrate major holidays.

Flights of Fantasy Parade

The parade premiered on 18 January 2011 as part of "Celebration in the Air", celebrating the 5th anniversary of the Hong Kong Disneyland. The parade replaced Disney on Parade, which had been running since the park's opening. Steve Davison, producer of World of Color in Disney California Adventure Park, said that he was working on a parade for the 5th anniversary celebration.

Disney in the Stars

Disney in the Stars is a nightly fireworks show based on Fantasy in the Sky at other Disney parks. Fireworks and pyrotechnics are coordinated to orchestrated classic Disney musics such as "A Whole New World". The show premiered on 12 September 2005 at the park's inaugural ceremony. On 12 September 2015, in honour to celebrate 10th anniversary, the park has launched an enhanced Disney in the Stars Fireworks as they add a street-to-sky projection to the castle during the show. The enhanced version of Disney in the Stars officially launched on 16 November 2015 with the opening of the 10th anniversary "Happily Ever After" Celebration.

Disney Paint the Night

Disney Paint the Night parade debuted in September 2014. It is a successor of the Main Street Electrical Parade and the first fully-LED parade Disney has ever created. It features seven original floats containing over 740,000 individual lights. According to David Lightbody, Director of Entertainment and Costuming of the resort, the creative team spent over 2 years and developed over 1,000 scenic and lighting designs to ensure the parade.

Park celebrations

Hong Kong Disneyland has organised entertainment and a number of shows as part of the festive celebrations to attract more visitors, especially young adults.

One of the events is the world's exclusive Disney's Haunted Halloween, which is the only Magic Kingdom-themed park in the world to celebrate the Halloween season with frightening walk-through attractions. Even though the attractions are full of living haunts and spectres that appear around corners, Disney tradition is preserved and gory scenes are excluded.

The Grand Opening Celebration Album

Hong Kong Disneyland: The Grand Opening Celebration Album was the soundtrack for the grand opening ceremony of Hong Kong Disneyland at Hong Kong Disneyland Resort. Much of the album are Cantonese or Mandarin cover of theme songs of animated Disney films. The package contains a DVD featuring music videos. The album does not contain any music used in the park.

Track listing

1. Jacky Cheung – "Let the Wonder Soar" (讓奇妙飛翔) (Cantonese)
2. Twins – "it's a small world"
3. Eason Chan – "A Whole New World" (from Aladdin)
4. Karen Mok – "When You Wish upon a Star" (from Pinocchio)
5. Twins – "Mickey Mouse Theme"
6. Jolin Tsai – "Under the Sea" (from The Little Mermaid)
7. Kelly Chen & Kellyjackie – "On a Date With Him to Disneyland" (他約我去迪士尼)
8. Nicholas Tse – "Bare Necessities" (from The Jungle Book)
9. CoCo Lee – "Colors of the Wind" (from Pocahontas)
10. Joey Yung – "Undying True Love" (from Beauty and the Beast)
11. Kelly Chen – "Reflection" (from Mulan)
12. Harlem Yu – "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" (from The Lion King)
13. Jacky Cheung – "Let the Wonder Soar" (讓奇妙飛翔) (Mandarin)

DVD

1. "Let the Wonder Soar" (讓奇妙飛翔) music video – Jacky Cheung
2. "On a Date With Him to Disneyland" (他約我去迪士尼) music video – Kelly Chen & Kellyjackie
3. Cars trailer
4. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe trailer
5. Chicken Little trailer
6. Sky High trailer

Mass Transit Railway (MTR)

The park is accessible via the purpose-built Disneyland Resort Line, which runs modified Metro Cammell M-Trains on the 3.5 kilometre route. The trains have been converted to run fully automatically without drivers. The trains run non-stop between Sunny Bay Station and Disneyland Resort Station.

At Sunny Bay passengers can transfer to the Tung Chung Line, providing access to Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, or Tung Chung.

Bus

Long Win Bus operates 3 routes to Disneyland. As well, the R8 Disneyland Shuttle is jointly operated by Long Win Bus and Citybus. These are the bus routes to Disneyland:

R8 Disneyland <>Lantau Link Toll plaza (Circular) Lantau Link Toll plaza can be accessed by riding any of the routes beginning by A e.g. A11 or E e.g. E32. It is the always first stop after crossing the Tsing Ma Bridge.

The following two routes operate on mornings and after the fireworks display.

R33 Tuen Mun Railway Station <> Disneyland

R42 Tai Wai Railway Station <> Disneyland

Future construction

In January 2012, Hong Kong Disneyland has been in the progress of negotiating with the Government of Hong Kong to invest its HK$5 billion profit for new attractions. Further details of the expansion would be announced within a 12-month period from January 2012. A shopping complex and new hotels would be taken into consideration for the new expansion plan.

In Hong Kong financial secretary John Tsang's 2013–14 budget speech, he announced that a new night time parade: "Disney Paint The Night Parade", as well as a themed area featuring characters from the Marvel Universe, will be built in Hong Kong Disneyland. On 8 October 2013 then Walt Disney Parks and Resorts chairman Thomas O. Staggs confirmed the development of the Iron Man Experience.

On 17 February 2014, Hong Kong Disneyland announced its 2012–13 financial results as well as a plan for the third hotel at the resort. The third hotel will be the largest hotel at the resort, it will feature 750 rooms with an adventure and exotic theme and will cost HK$4.26 billion to build. It is scheduled to open in 2017. The name of the third hotel will be the Disney Explorers Lodge.

Hong Kong Disneyland was also built with the space for a second park directly across from the entrance to the current park. Disney has not yet announced that the second park is in development. Land is also available for additional hotels other than the two current and one being built, but the common thought is that the second park will be built before a fourth hotel.

On 22 November 2016, the Walt Disney Company and the Hong Kong Government announced plans for a multi-year, HK$10.9 billion expansion of Hong Kong Disneyland. The proposed expansion includes a Frozen-themed area, a Marvel-themed area, a redesigned Sleeping Beauty Castle, multiple new attractions, and live entertainment.

Overcrowding problems

Just before the grand opening, the park was criticised for underestimating the daily capacity. The problem became apparent on the charity preview day on 4 September 2005, when 30,000 locals visited the park. The event turned out to be a disappointment, as there were too many guests. Wait times at fast food outlets were at least 45 minutes, and wait times at rides went up to 2 hours.

Although the park's shareholders and the Hong Kong Government set pressure upon the park to lower the capacity, the park insisted on keeping the limit, only agreeing to relieve the capacity problem by extending the opening time by one hour and introducing more discounts during weekdays. However, the park stated that local visitors tend to stay in the park for more than nine hours per visit, implying that the mentioned practices would do little to solve the problem.

During Chinese New Year 2006, many visitors arrived at the park in the morning bearing valid tickets, but were refused entry, because the park was already at full capacity. Some disgruntled visitors, mainly tourists, attempted to force their way into the park and climbing over the barrier gates. Disneyland management was forced to revise their ticketing policy and designated future periods close to Chinese public holidays as 'special days' during which admission would only be allowed through a date-specific ticket. Ticket prices during the week were changed to reflect cheaper prices. Meanwhile, weekend prices were raised. The prices were changed in an attempt to crowd-control so the crowds would be more even throughout the week and therefore the lines would not be as bad on weekends.

Public relations

Disney initially refused to release the attendance figures after media reports surfaced saying the park's attendance numbers might be lower than expected. Disney finally declared on 24 November 2005, that Disney had over 1 million guests during its first two months of operation.

In response to negative publicity locally and to boost visitor numbers, Hong Kong Disneyland offered $50 discounts for admission tickets to holders of Hong Kong I.D. cards in the period before 2005 Christmas. Also, from March to June 2006, the park offered Hong Kong I.D. card holders the opportunity to purchase a two-day admission ticket for the price of a single day ticket.

Park ambassador