Hong Kong Disneyland.

[expatgaz]

Thinking abt taking the family to Hongkongs Disneyland,any body been there ? If so,what's it like,how do I get there from HK airport and is the disney Hotel any good ? Any other general comments abt the place very welcome.

Thanks.

[think_too_mut]

Thinking abt taking the family to Hongkongs Disneyland,any body been there ? If so,what's it like,how do I get there from HK airport and is the disney Hotel any good ? Any other general comments abt the place very welcome.

Thanks.

We have, what a great place for kids and family.

Disney hotels are better and roomier than most in HKG, stay there 2 days if you can. Free shuttle busses all the time to the action, 10 mins ride.

Food in the hotel restaurant (an innovative buffet) is fresh, delicious and inexpensive (for dinner). Breakfast is also great and included in the room price.

No smoking anywhere.

Bring swimming suites for the kids - there is a pool, very well designed and open until 9pm. For non-swimmers, nice float jackets are available, free.

Get a package from BKK, it's Ok. No rip offs.

I would to exactly what I said, next time. Again.

[Bluebell]

HK Disney quite small compared to other Disneys but still enjoyable for kids. Unless that is your sole purpose for trip you might consider other hotels in more central area so you can visit other attractions like Ocean Park and the Peak. Disney Hotel whilst located next to Disneyland is far from HK and Kowloon. Getting to Disney is easy both from airport and downtown areas as it has it's own MTR station.

Enjoy the trip...HK has a lot more to offer than just Disneyland.

[think_too_mut]

HK Disney quite small compared to other Disneys but still enjoyable for kids. Unless that is your sole purpose for trip you might consider other hotels in more central area so you can visit other attractions like Ocean Park and the Peak. Disney Hotel whilst located next to Disneyland is far from HK and Kowloon. Getting to Disney is easy both from airport and downtown areas as it has it's own MTR station.

Enjoy the trip...HK has a lot more to offer than just Disneyland.

It was Disneyland, I thought.

Just don't know why are you introducing background noise and irrelevant things.

Anyone can go to HKG at a whim, what wonder is that?

[Phil Conners]

I don't know, I'd like to go there with the family, spend maybe 2-3 days in Disney + another 2=3 days on general touristing. What else is there to see and do? Any recommended travel agents here to book through?

[pnustedt]

I like HK Disneyland, but as previously stated, it is not as big as Paris and US. It is close to the airport but quite a distance from downtown HK. It is good for a day but more than that may be stretching things. Also plan what you want to see - there is a system of priority queuing with special tickets which allow you to jump queus. It is particularly worth a visit around Christmas as I think Disney has a special festive feel which is rare in Asia.

[thaigene2]

Thinking abt taking the family to Hongkongs Disneyland,any body been there ? If so,what's it like,how do I get there from HK airport and is the disney Hotel any good ? Any other general comments abt the place very welcome.

Thanks.

I quickly scanned the above posts..

Here's my view. We went last year with a 16 year old - it was lots of fun. Yes it seems smaller than the California one I recall as a kid. But so what - it was fine - good fun. I wouldn't recommend taking kids under around 8 years old. I don't think they would really appreciate it. You notice that Disney never really says what ages are suitable? I reckon around 9 or 10 ++ is perfect.

Anyway a full day should be enjoyable. No you DON'T need to stay there - it is easy to get to from HK Central or Kowloon. But ya know it you think it adds to the fun - then pay the extra to stay there.

You can easily book online from Bangkok - just google for the official website or do a package with Cathay. Depending on age of your kids, we found it more enjoyalble to stay in Kowloon/Central so we could do other thing at night and enjoy restaurants. There is nothing aroung Disney. Hope this helps

Enjoy!

[Bluebell]

Thinking abt taking the family to Hongkongs Disneyland,any body been there ? If so,what's it like,how do I get there from HK airport and is the disney Hotel any good ? Any other general comments abt the place very welcome.

Thanks.

We have, what a great place for kids and family.

Disney hotels are better and roomier than most in HKG, stay there 2 days if you can. Free shuttle busses all the time to the action, 10 mins ride.

Food in the hotel restaurant (an innovative buffet) is fresh, delicious and inexpensive (for dinner). Breakfast is also great and included in the room price.

No smoking anywhere.

Bring swimming suites for the kids - there is a pool, very well designed and open until 9pm. For non-swimmers, nice float jackets are available, free.

Get a package from BKK, it's Ok. No rip offs.

I would to exactly what I said, next time. Again.

Agree with all you've said...great if the OP only wants to go to Disney. I would also stay at Disney Hotel if only there for couple of days with sole purpose of spending the time at Disney.......but if OP also wanted to do more, just pointing out options.

[think_too_mut]

I would also stay at Disney Hotel if only there for couple of days with sole purpose of spending the time at Disney.......but if OP also wanted to do more, just pointing out options.

Package that we took came with 2 nights at the Disney Hollywood hotel and 2 night at some Kowloon hotel.

Many people who have never been to any Disneyland say HKG one is smaller than in Paris or Los Angeles.

It was big enough for me.

Hotel room

Reclaiming land

Free strollers - no need to bring one.

[ProThaiExpat]

Another Disneyland "like" experience is the Jet Ski boat to Macau and a visit to the Venitian hotel, the largest hotel in the world at the moment and a excellent replica of Venice, even with singing gondoliers and gondola rides. Food is good Italian for Asia and something for adults as well. Larger than the one in Vegas and educational in some respects if you want your kids to get a taste of European architecture as well.

[Phil Conners]

I think someone mentioned a better way to get to HK was through Macao ... maybe fly into Macao, then sail to HK, spend a few days seeing HK Disney and HK, then spend a day or two in the Venetian before heading back. Any flaws in this plan?

Edit: Was trying to find some pictures of The Venetian on the internet but all I find is promotional material and press releases; is it so new that there are no user photos available yet?

Edited October 7, 2007 by Phil Conners

[think_too_mut]

I think someone mentioned a better way to get to HK was through Macao ... maybe fly into Macao, then sail to HK, spend a few days seeing HK Disney and HK, then spend a day or two in the Venetian before heading back. Any flaws in this plan?

Anyone can do that, book low cost airline to Macau, book online hotel in Disneyland and Hong Kong, get a ferry to HKG.

The biggest diff would be the airfare, other things are same. The hole is - with kids in tow it may be tiring doing it all yourself.

For 3 of us it was 57K baht package, Emirates was the airline, departure tax, transfers, Disney pass for 3 (it's about 1000B each) and city tour (8 hours) included. HKG hotel gave no breakfast.

That same package with Thai was 15K (!!!) more expensive and 7:30am flight would require 4am wake up.

Each day at Disneyland finishes with spectacular fireworks at 7pm. Plan to be there that time.

City tour: if you are taking it (worthwhile, IMO) don't opt for lunch. They will ask you to pay (8-9US$) and the trick is - the lunch comes only after you have endured 1 hour at goldshops (a deal similar to what they do to tourists in BKK) in the middle of nowhere and you can't escape.

[Phil Conners]

Thanks for the thoughts, think_too_mut

Our kid is 10 and we're all experienced travelers so I don't think we'll have problems with the trip. B57K sounds reasonable, how many days did that include? Can you recommend a travel agency for this - presumably the one you used was ok?

[think_too_mut]

Thanks for the thoughts, think_too_mut

Our kid is 10 and we're all experienced travelers so I don't think we'll have problems with the trip. B57K sounds reasonable, how many days did that include? Can you recommend a travel agency for this - presumably the one you used was ok?

Lady's name was Rak:

TOUR & HOTEL RSVN

Express International Travel / S.S. Travel Service

Tel: (+66) 02-2350557

Fax: (+66) 02-2367186

[email protected]

Package:

Rate : Adult @ 21,250 Baht / person

Child No Bed @ 11,200 Baht / person

Seaview Type at Disneyland Hollywood Hotel

Include:

3 nights accommodation

Round trip airport to Disney's Hollywood hotel > City Hotel > Airport transfer

Round trip ticket + Fuel surcharge and Thai Departure taxes by EK

Disneyland one day pass (No meals) (on 2nd day)

Half day HKG city tour: Repulse Bay, Aberdeen fishing village and Victoria Peak (on 3rd day)

Payment : by Visa card charge 3.1%

It's easy to work out their web site from their email address.

A month or so ago someone posted Cathay Pacific's site for packages like that, it was not available back in May.

[Phil Conners]

Excellent, easy to take from here, thanks!

[onethailand]

If you have no plan to visit Macau, don't transit through there - it is a major PITA to go through immigration twice. One of my daughter's teachers proposed this and I immediately nixed it.

Having said that, the Venetian may well be worth a look (don't bother with the other casinos, definitely nothing for kids).

If you want to fly cheaper to HK, there are plenty of other good options (Gulf Air, for example).

[Phil Conners]

Thanks for that input! It wasn't to fly cheaper and we're not really interested in gambling, just the opportunity to see what seems to be re reasonable good Venice knockoff

So it's a lot of hassle getting between HK and Macao?

[toptuan]

If the previous poster went through immigration twice, then he missed the shortcut. There is a procedure where you only have to do it once. Check it out on the Macau-HK transportation websites.

Getting between Macau and HK is a breeze. Take a $5 taxi from the airport to the ferry dock. There, you can catch a high-speed ferry (about 1 to 1.5 hours) to HK for about $25. (USD quoted). Frequent service, and good signage everywhere.

Also, I did the trip last year, including Disneyland (for one day). The whole trip (including transportation) for two adults: 55,000 baht. The BIG difference, was I went for TEN days. You always lose money going through a travel agent, in my opinion. The best deals are always those you put together yourself. A fair amount of research required. By the way, I stayed for 10 days at the Ramada Kowloon, on a 1-week+ 3 days special package they offer.

Good luck, and have a good time if you go!

[thaimate]

took our boy on a 4 day package to h/k with trips to disneyland included .smaller than l/a disney but a great day out in one day also saw all the shows ,our boy and his cousin thought it was fabulous much better than when we took him to alton towers

but stay in town more things to see .

[hilly]

Dont want to put a damper on your plans but we just got back last Thursday. I took my Thai girlfriend for 4 nights and we stayed in THe Disneyland Hotel in a Club Room. Pricey at 12,000 Baht a night and you get 2 small double beds as you do in all rooms I think. Have to say that the beds were uncomfortable and both of us did not sleep well the entire trip but normally we are sound sleepers. The rooms are so packed with furniture they are claustrophobic.

Breakfast was a disaster every day with no free tables and having to wait ages to be seated. I am a smoker and the entire place is a smoke free zone except the swimming pool bar. Fair enough it's my bad habit and never expected to be able to smoke inside but balconies and outside areas are also not smoker friendly. Looked at the other Disney hotel (Holywood) and it is not even to the standard of Disneyland Hotel.

On the up side the internet free connection in the rooms was showing 100 Meg speeds and instant on my laptop. The Encharted Garden Restaurant buffet was also very good with big imported Snow Crab legs every night a rare treat but again not cheap at 3500 Baht a night for 2 with one or two drinks. My girl found plenty she liked to eat but she is pretty westernised on the food front. The place is beautifully manicured and next to the sea but no beaches and a high fence so you can only look at it from a distance.The shower in the room was the best I have ever had anywhere in any hotel with a huge deluge of water.

The first day (Monday) was a bank holiday and we decided to go to Shenzhen in China for the day. Getting the visa was a bloody nightmare in 100 degrees of un-airconditioned office. Charge for me as a Brit was 450 Hong Kong Dollars (2000 Baht) and for Lat 150 (675 Baht). Forget it if you are from the US as you canot get a visa on demand at all and some US couples ahead of us were turned away as were other people for no apparent reason.

Dont bother going there though. The place was full of Touts grabbing at your arms to try and drag you into their shops or even worse take you to some obscure place they were promoting. It is suposed to be cheap shopping but they start at around 5 times what they will settle for and I mean 5 times as everything we bought came down by about that amount and hagling was tough.

Went to Disney on the Tuesday and the place was packed. As said here it is maybe the smallest one in the world and not that user friendly. Waits of up to 1 hour on the more popular rides like Space Mountain but you can get a ticket with a time to come back which we did a couple of times and then the wait time was less than 10 minutes. Having been to both Disneys in the US this one is not a patch on them. If it rains as it did then there is very little shelter in the park. Personally we did not really enjoy it much even though we are both up for fun days out.

Went shopping to Harbour Mall (The biggest one) on Wednesday. This is one ######ed up place. It has hundreds of small shops that are all mostly designer named places. You just will not find ordinary non name brands and the prices are sky high. Thailand shopping in the same sort of stores in Bangkok is much cheaper for the same things. We walked miles that day and my girl did find some clothes and other things she liked but the fasion this year is a bit Mary Poppins she said and she does not like the look at all. Neither do I.

Getting there is easy but do not use the limo service inside the airport which is a rip off at 1800 Baht for the 15 minute journey to Disney hotels. The metered Taxi's outside are a quarter the price.

Getting anywhere from Disney is also pretty easy as there is a train station linked to the main MTR that goes everywhere on 4 different lines that also link up easily at the stations. You can even go to China using this as we did but the trains were packed with standing room only.

Basically it will be a long time before I ever go back if I ever do that is. I have not been for 10 years and then it was IMHO much better than it is now. The Indian touts seem to have taken over the streets and they are a bloody nuisance. Prices were sky high for everything. Lunch in Hard Rock Cafe. 1 small burger and a beer for me + one salad and a coke for Lat. Price 422 HKD (close on 2000 Baht). I am not a mean guy nor do I mind spending money (out on Thai Business class and back 1st class) but I do resent paying good money for things I can buy in LOS for a fraction of the price. I also find it odd that every shop there seems to have a sale on even though they have just put their winter tack on the shelves. Some were as much as 80% off selected items which had been well marked up to give the illusion of discount only.

Up side was a small Thai restaurant we found 100 yards up from Harbour Mall down a long coridoor off from the Ferry port. Great staff and great Thai food. I could smoke and they had a great selection of beers. Lat got her noodles and the prices were only 3 times higher than here.

Spell checker gone wrong and no time to look so apologies for any typo's/

Edited October 8, 2007 by hilly

[think_too_mut]

Dont want to put a damper on your plans but we just got back last Thursday. I took my Thai girlfriend for 4 nights and we stayed in THe Disneyland Hotel in a Club Room. Pricey at 12,000 Baht a night and you get 2 small double beds as you do in all rooms I think. Have to say that the beds were uncomfortable and both of us did not sleep well the entire trip but normally we are sound sleepers. The rooms are so packed with furniture they are claustrophobic.

Breakfast was a disaster every day with no free tables and having to wait ages to be seated. I am a smoker and the entire place is a smoke free zone except the swimming pool bar. Fair enough it's my bad habit and never expected to be able to smoke inside but balconies and outside areas are also not smoker friendly. Looked at the other Disney hotel (Holywood) and it is not even to the standard of Disneyland Hotel.

A room with 2 double beds is small? It was 3 times the size our Kowloon room. Every detail in the room was well thought, well designed and perfectly functional. I'm repeating the picture.

When we were there, just behind the hills, 1.3 billion Chinese were having their Golden Week holiday and the place was as packed as it can get. Waiting times were long, that's why everybody says take 2 days (the pass is valid for 2 days).

Totally uninterested in shopping or seeing 3 countries in 3 days we did not expose ourselves to tortures like Shenzhen or shopping malls.

It was Hong Kong Disneyland holiday + Hong Kong city itself + Ocean Park for a day (that is arguably more interesting and fun than Disneyland).

[Spaniel]

Thanks for that input! It wasn't to fly cheaper and we're not really interested in gambling, just the opportunity to see what seems to be re reasonable good Venice knockoff

So it's a lot of hassle getting between HK and Macao?

I guess it depends. Last year we (me/wife/16 yo son) took Air Asia r/t to Macao for B999 + tax etc. We spent the first night in Macao then the next day caught the hydrafoil to HK where we spent 3 nights. Return trip when we got to Macao we went directly to the airport from the hydrafoil and caught the Air Asia flight back to Bangkok. It involves some standing in line, immigration etc but we didn't think it was to bad. Flying direct Bkk/HK is certainly easier but the hydrafoil was fun and something different for wife and son and seeing Macao was nice too.

[think_too_mut]

Dont want to put a damper on your plans but we just got back last Thursday. I took my Thai girlfriend for 4 nights and we stayed in THe Disneyland Hotel in a Club Room.

.

.

.

Went to Disney on the Tuesday and the place was packed. As said here it is maybe the smallest one in the world and not that user friendly. Waits of up to 1 hour on the more popular rides like Space Mountain but you can get a ticket with a time to come back which we did a couple of times and then the wait time was less than 10 minutes. Having been to both Disneys in the US this one is not a patch on them. If it rains as it did then there is very little shelter in the park.

Just found an article that says Air China ferried more than half a million people on September 30, for 1 week long holiday.

Chinese airlines carried a record number of people on a single day over the just ended week-long National Day holiday - more than half a million passengers.

The record of 540,000 was set on September 30, the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China said today in a statement on its website.

That Sunday was the day most people headed off for the holidays that began on October 1.

Total passenger numbers during the period - one of China's three golden week holidays - climbed a quarter on the year-earlier period to 3.75 million people, though the number of flights operated rose just six per cent, it said.

You hit the same rush as I did first week of May, hence the crowd and long waiting times.

[totlanh]

Hi,

Me and my family are going back to live in Vietnam in January.I have always wanted to go to HK and we can get a nice cheap flight with Oasis. and stay there a few days.The problem though is getting cheap travel from HK to Vnam.I think the best way is probably an Airasia flight to BKK then onto Hanoi but i reckon this will cost a minumum of $1000. for the 3 of us.Any other sugestions of how we could do this cheaper?BTW has anyone flown with Oasis if so would you recommend them?

Thanks

Edited October 9, 2007 by totlanh

[onethailand]

If the previous poster went through immigration twice, then he missed the shortcut. There is a procedure where you only have to do it once. Check it out on the Macau-HK transportation websites.

Getting between Macau and HK is a breeze. Take a $5 taxi from the airport to the ferry dock. There, you can catch a high-speed ferry (about 1 to 1.5 hours) to HK for about $25. (USD quoted). Frequent service, and good signage everywhere.

Also, I did the trip last year, including Disneyland (for one day). The whole trip (including transportation) for two adults: 55,000 baht. The BIG difference, was I went for TEN days. You always lose money going through a travel agent, in my opinion. The best deals are always those you put together yourself. A fair amount of research required. By the way, I stayed for 10 days at the Ramada Kowloon, on a 1-week+ 3 days special package they offer.

Good luck, and have a good time if you go!

The procedure essentially involves being in "bonded" transport to the ferry pier from the airport. You are still subject to their schedules - it's called Express Link. Then you have to go through Customs and Immigration in HK - *with* your bags in tow. The Customs area is tiny, probably manned by no more then 3-4 staff - so it could take quite some time to pass through.

Your cost will be approximately $30-40 more in Express Link and ferry charges.

Basically, if you fly into HK, you can be in your hotel in Central in 30 minutes from the time you get on the train. If you fly into Macau, you are talking as much as 3 hours longer, not to mention all the additional hassles.

Then - you have to do it all over again, in the opposite direction, at another cost of $30-40. So that's $60-80 added on to the cost of your air ticket (but you'd pay about $12 each way on the Airport Express, so subtract $24).

The cheapest ticket I found on AirAsia for a flight in late October was nearly 6000 baht all in. Flights to HK can sometimes be quite cheap, you can usually find a fare for 8-9K (for example, China airlines).

Therefore, saving $50 (if that) is not worth the hassle.

On the other hand, if you want to spend a day in Macau, then this is definitely a viable option.

Edited October 9, 2007 by onethailand

[Phil Conners]

Sorry for hijacking your thread expatgaz.

onethailand: That was exactly my idea: visiting both Venice Macao and Hong Kong Disney in one trip. So in that case, what do you reckon is the best option (define best as you like): Fly to HK then ferry to Macao and back, or fly to Macao and ferry to HK and back?

[onethailand]

Sorry for hijacking your thread expatgaz.

onethailand: That was exactly my idea: visiting both Venice Macao and Hong Kong Disney in one trip. So in that case, what do you reckon is the best option (define best as you like): Fly to HK then ferry to Macao and back, or fly to Macao and ferry to HK and back?

Depends on how many people are going, and how many days you plan to stay in each location - and what prices you get for the period you are booking your trip.

I'm assuming that you want to spend more time in HK than Macau - frankly, I would book a place in HK, do Disneyland, then one day just take a day trip to Macau (without your bags - much easier that way).

[Old Man River]

Sorry for hijacking your thread expatgaz.

onethailand: That was exactly my idea: visiting both Venice Macao and Hong Kong Disney in one trip. So in that case, what do you reckon is the best option (define best as you like): Fly to HK then ferry to Macao and back, or fly to Macao and ferry to HK and back?

Depends on how many people are going, and how many days you plan to stay in each location - and what prices you get for the period you are booking your trip.

I'm assuming that you want to spend more time in HK than Macau - frankly, I would book a place in HK, do Disneyland, then one day just take a day trip to Macau (without your bags - much easier that way).

I am also planning on a similar trip, hence, your advice and that of the others is very helpful.

Thanks.

[onethailand]

I'm due to go there (Macau) myself sometime this month. It's such a small place that it doesn't take long to figure out how everything works - although with the opening of the Venetian and the Cotai Strip, Macau is about to double in size

In my mind, the only good reason to fly to Macau instead of HK is if you plan to spend more time in Macau (like a gambler would) than HK (like everyone else would). Macau is still growing, there's not that much to see now, but in a couple of years Macau will be like a new city, or maybe better described as a new Las Vegas.

THEN I might consider spending a few days there for something other than business or gambling. Definitely not a family type of place yet. Very much a man's world still, though the Sands, Wynn and now Venetian (and soon to be MGM and plenty of others) are going to make Macau a ladies' paradise as well with all of their designer boutiques.

HK was also my home for 15 years, so I can tell you plenty about that place as well, though having been in Thailand for the last 15 years, some of those things in HK have changed.

[Old Man River]

I'm due to go there (Macau) myself sometime this month. It's such a small place that it doesn't take long to figure out how everything works - although with the opening of the Venetian and the Cotai Strip, Macau is about to double in size

In my mind, the only good reason to fly to Macau instead of HK is if you plan to spend more time in Macau (like a gambler would) than HK (like everyone else would). Macau is still growing, there's not that much to see now, but in a couple of years Macau will be like a new city, or maybe better described as a new Las Vegas.

THEN I might consider spending a few days there for something other than business or gambling. Definitely not a family type of place yet. Very much a man's world still, though the Sands, Wynn and now Venetian (and soon to be MGM and plenty of others) are going to make Macau a ladies' paradise as well with all of their designer boutiques.

HK was also my home for 15 years, so I can tell you plenty about that place as well, though having been in Thailand for the last 15 years, some of those things in HK have changed.

Again, thanks for the heads up on Macau. We will be traveling to HK and Disneyland primarily, but in all of our years in Asia, the wife and I have never been in Macau, hence, our interest. From your description, it is best to fly to HK and make Macau a short trip.

All the best.