Hong Kong Disneyland Trip

[OnMyWay]

I think I will leave most of the personal obstacles we faced (illnesses) for another thread and just comment on the trip itself.  We left on Monday from Clark and returned on Friday.

--  Clark airport park and fly still leaves something to be desired.  Last time, I got the last spot.  This time, they opened a new lot near the security gate and it was almost full.  When I got back, it appeared to be full.  It is a long walk from that lot to the building.  The sign in front said p30 hour, indicating short term parking.  However the guard said it was also long term, p90 a day.

--  As described in another post, they killed me on fees.  Travel tax p6480.  Departure tax p3000.  ECC-B 2880.  Ridiculous.

--  Surprisingly, even though the flight was full, there was no queue at all at Cathay Dragon to check in.  Staff was really great with the kids and took them behind the counter and played with them.

--  We were very happy to have chosen Cathay Dragon over Cebu Pacific.  The crew was great even when the 2 year old was acting up.  The leg room was much better for me.  We were allowed 150 kg of checking luggage of which I used about 80 + a stroller.  I will definitely use them next time.

--  Arrival in Hong Kong was without incident and they are efficient in immigration.

--  We took a taxi to the hotel.  We had to wait a while to get a 5 person taxi.  They are strict and a 4 person taxi only takes 4 persons, even if the 5th is a baby.  We went in a blue taxi because of that and Disney is not normally their area, and the driver spoke very little English.  Even though I repeatedly told him Disney Explorer and the dispatcher told him too, he took us to Disneyland first.  I think the fare was about 10 hkd too high because of this.  The fare with baggage was 182 hkd, about p1236 or usd 23.  Ok by me.  On the way back, from Disney to Regal airport hotel, it was 158 hkd, about usd 20.

--  We stayed at the Disney Explorer's Lodge.  Except for the high prices, we loved the hotel.  The only thing that would improve it is a playground for the kids.  The kid's participated in some activities at the hotel and on the 31st, joined a trick or treat.  It was a bit lame but the kids loved it.  They have a really nice big heated pool but because the kids had been / were sick, we did not use it.  

--  We went to Disneyland on Tuesday and Thursday.  Our original plan was for Tue/Wed, but we were so burned out we decided to have an off day Wednesday.  Then we checked out of Explorer's Thursday morning and they kept our baggage.  When we got back from Disneyland around 6:30 pm, we grabbed the bags and grabbed a taxi to the Regal Airport hotel, for the last night before our flight.

--  The shuttle buses between the hotel and Disneyland were great.  They run constantly so no waiting.

--  One mistake I made was not bringing two strollers.  One of ours is not so great I figured I would rent one, which I did.  However, the walk from the bus dropoff to the stroller rental was very long, and very hot in the morning, and very tired in the evening.  We were missing the second stroller there!

--  With an exception mentioned later, Disneyland was great!  We took it slow.  Our plan was to go back to the hotel mid-day and rest, but that never worked out.  We had any lines to speak of.  I had 4 priority passes from the hotel and only used one.  I talked my 14 year old into joining me on Hyperspace Mountain and she loved it.  Her first coaster!  We used the priority pass to go to the front of the line.

-  The weather was actually great for an amusement park.  Some clouds and some overcast and a breeze to keep it cool.  We had been watching the typhoon and it was still tracking to miss Hong Kong.  So it completely sucked on Thursday when they announced that all outdoor rides were closed due to level 3 warning!  The weather was perfect except for a stronger than normal breeze.  The bay was calm.  Outdoor rides included even the covered carousel.  This did make the indoor rides more crowded but in the end, the closures did not impact us much.

--  So, Thursday night we transferred to the Regal Airport Hotel to make it easier to catch our 1210 flight back on Friday.  The Regal was fine as it was my last stay on my visa run.  I'm having a billing issue but it will get worked out.

--  Overall, we had a good trip despite my wife and I not getting much sleep when the kids were sick in the night.  We lived.

Here are a few pictures...

Sunset the first night at Explorer's.  There is a really nice, beautifully landscaped area along the bay.

  

                                                                                                   Leila on the Merry-go-round

  

Watching the 5D movie, highly recommended!                  Leila puffing some bubbles!

    

Trick or treat at the hotel!  Katy made a new BFF, the little Chinese girl, Summer.

  

  

The kids loved meeting Moana!

 

 

 

[Gary D]

We visited a few years ago and it was a good day out. The only thing I struggled with was all the chinese faces on the Disney princesses.

[JJReyes]

Nice photos. The children look like they are having lots of fun. It's the parents you worry about. Can they survive the trip and all the excitement while preparing for it. Worse, the incessant question after, "When are we going back?"

[hk blues]

My son was born in Hong Kong, we left when he was about 2 1/2,  We didn't take him to HK Disneyland as we though he'd be too young to enjoy much.  He has no memory of anything from that time so probably was a good call.  

[Jack Peterson]

10 minutes ago, hk blues said:

He has no memory of anything from that time so probably was a good call.  

 Yep! Until he learns to read over your shoulder and sees these things. 

[OnMyWay]

51 minutes ago, hk blues said:

My son was born in Hong Kong, we left when he was about 2 1/2,  We didn't take him to HK Disneyland as we though he'd be too young to enjoy much.  He has no memory of anything from that time so probably was a good call.  

It depends on the child.  Our youngest went to Disney California when she was one, and of course that is too young to enjoy it.  Now at almost 2.5, she was knew Mickey Mouse from cartoons and was ready to enjoy, and she did.

[hk blues]

1 hour ago, OnMyWay said:

It depends on the child.  Our youngest went to Disney California when she was one, and of course that is too young to enjoy it.  Now at almost 2.5, she was knew Mickey Mouse from cartoons and was ready to enjoy, and she did.

I guess I really meant enjoy the experience in the sense of remembering rather than enjoying the moment - I'm sure most 2+ kids will enjoy it at the time. 

[earthdome]

We spent a week in HK in early Oct. with one day at Disneyland HK. Our daughter at 8 months old won't remember it and was really to young to enjoy it much. She would have enjoyed the "Its a small world" ride except that she slept through it. Regardless the adults still enjoyed the visit. Took my FIL on the Space Mountain roller coaster. He had never been on a roller coaster and enjoyed it. The afternoon was very hot. Might be better to schedule this trip for winter months so it is a bit cooler.

[Dave Hounddriver]

I was watching Philippine TV (well Lynne was and I had one eye on it) and it seems the Philippine Celebrities take their kids to Japan Disneyland rather than Hong Kong Disneyland.  Is the one in Japan that much better?  Or is it just another one of these status things where the richer you are the more you want to spend on your vacation?

[OnMyWay]

5 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

I was watching Philippine TV (well Lynne was and I had one eye on it) and it seems the Philippine Celebrities take their kids to Japan Disneyland rather than Hong Kong Disneyland.  Is the one in Japan that much better?  Or is it just another one of these status things where the richer you are the more you want to spend on your vacation?

You got me curious and here is one guy's opinion:

https://www.disneytouristblog.com/disney-parks-power-rankings-2018/

I didn't know there are two Disney parks in Tokyo now, and they are ranked 1 and 2!  Our neighbors are going there at Christmas.

You reminded me that I made a huge omission from my trip report!  While at HKG Disney, I passed a group that had professional looking photographers / videographers with them, and I made a slight stroller detour so I would not get in the way of their shots.  I got a bit ahead of my wife and 14 yo daughter, and stopped to wait.  The 14 yo runs up, very excited, and said "Did you see who that was!!".  No, I didn't notice.  "It was Vice Ganda!!!".  That was her highlight of the trip, seeing Vice Ganda!

Me, not so thrilled.  I don't pay much attention to any celebrities, and certainly not that one.  Maybe if it would have been Megan Young giving out free kisses?  I would have needed to get permission!

Hing Kong Disney was full of Filipinos, and it is a fairly expensive trip, so obviously there are quite a few Filipinos with expendable cash.  We know another Filipino couple going at Christmas when it will be even more expensive than now.

Edited November 18, 2018 by OnMyWay