December 14-16, 2008. Hong Kong Disneyland family trip.
After getting married, my wife and I used to travel abroad almost every year. It was a way to release a whole year's worth of work pressure, or, you could say, to recharge.
That is why the English word for this kind of fun is Recreation~~
There were two exception years in between: the years after Lisa and Belle were born. This year Belle finally turned one, so we could plan a small family trip again.
To thank my wife for all her hard work, I had to plan a happy trip for her...(actually, I just love going out myself...ha...)
With two little ones along, one four years old and one about a year and a half, we could not go too far or stay too many days. We had been to Japan several times in recent years, so...Hong Kong looked like the best choice.
It was Christmas season, and Hong Kong Disneyland happened to have a promotion: stay at the hotel inside the resort and one park ticket could be used for two consecutive days.
And that is how our Hong Kong Disneyland family trip came together~
Day One: Leaving From Taoyuan Airport
Our first flight was at 10:00 in the morning. Before we even boarded, the kids were already in Disney mode.
Lisa: While waiting for the flight at Taoyuan Airport, I saw Mickey and Minnie...so happy...
Before reaching the boarding lounge, there was a small play area for kids...so thoughtful...
The flight from Taipei to Hong Kong is actually very quick. The timetable says two hours, but from takeoff to landing it only takes about 50 minutes, roughly the same as flying from Taipei to Kinmen.
Maybe international flights use larger planes that fly higher and faster~~
We arrived in Hong Kong around 12:00, cleared immigration around 13:00, then got into a taxi and headed straight for Disneyland.
Checking Into The Disneyland Hotel
The first feeling after arriving at the hotel was simple: yes, we had really entered the Disney world.
The beautiful Disneyland Hotel...
Maybe because the price was higher, we did not see large tour groups from mainland China. The hotel felt quieter, and the decor was more dreamlike. For a family with kids, that feeling of still being inside the story even after returning to the hotel was a real bonus.
Even all the bathroom amenities came in boxes decorated with cartoon characters...
As soon as we entered the park, we happened to catch the 3:00 parade. From there, our day and a half of a "magical journey" began...why magical?
The Kids' Disneyland Rhythm
Lisa's favorites were Dumbo and the carousel. Over the two days, we rode them three times and five times. I was so dizzy I almost threw up @.@'"
Lisa was only three and a half, so many things still were not suitable for her. For example, the things my wife and I most wanted to see, the Lion King stage show and the Disney musical, were out because she was still too young to sit through them >,<
Luckily, we still watched a 3D movie and the beautiful fireworks.
At this point, did you notice that it seemed like someone was missing?
Belle was still small. The lights and sound effects were too stimulating for her, so...every hour or two, she needed to sleep again.
Look...sleeping so soundly...
Oops...we laughed too loudly and she noticed...ha...
The park closed at 9:00 at night. After the fireworks ended at 8:00, everyone was about ready to leave. Staying at the Disneyland Hotel really was convenient. We did not need to take a long MTR ride back to the hotel just to rest.
Day Two: No Character Breakfast, But Still More Fun
This trip was decided a bit last-minute. We were leaving on December 14, but only finished all the reservations on December 8.
So, unfortunately, we could not book the character breakfast for the second morning.
Well...then we just took some photos in the beautiful lobby~
We did not get to eat breakfast with the characters, but there were still plenty of princes and young gentlemen around the park...ha...
Cool Buzz Lightyear. Lisa had just watched Toy Story before the trip, so at least she knew who he was...ha...
Belle had her own rhythm that day too. One moment she looked very pleased with herself, and not long after that she fell asleep again...ha...
After all that playing, time for a rest...
Then we found the lovely Mulan too.
At noon, there was also a grand royal ball in the plaza in front of the castle. In the afternoon, we went on the fun Jungle Cruise.
After that, Lisa was completely worn out. While waiting in line for photos, she was so tired she could not even smile...
This...probably counts as forcing a smile...ha...
The Missed Symphony Of Lights
The original plan for the second day was to play until about 4:00 in the afternoon, then head into the city and check in at the Holiday Inn Golden Mile.
After that, we would go to the Serenade Chinese Restaurant at the Tsim Sha Tsui Cultural Centre for dinner, finish around 8:00, and come out just in time to watch "A Symphony of Lights."
In the end, because the kids were having such a good time, my wife could not bear to leave early. We stayed until 8:00 before leaving, and my "A Symphony of Lights" plan was gone @.@'"
Fortunately, the Holiday Inn Golden Mile was right at the Tsim Sha Tsui MTR exit, so we did not have to drag our luggage very far. The location was unbelievably convenient.
But...the room really was old. We had just stayed at the super-luxurious Disneyland Hotel the night before. After getting upstairs exhausted and seeing this old room, the contrast was huge.
When we entered the room, I was already half-dead tired. I saw a bottle of mineral water sitting on top of the TV, and without thinking, I opened it and drank it.
Then I went to the bathroom...huh...why are there also two bottles of water here??
I looked more closely. The one I had just drunk was evian...what...one bottle was HKD 65 = TWD 300...ugh...I got angry on the spot. How can they do that...
But I had already drunk it, so what could I do? Go downstairs to 7-Eleven and buy one to put back?
Good idea, except this one was one liter, and 7-Eleven only had 500cc and 1.5-liter bottles.
What is this? Are they working together? Even more annoying...all my old and new grudges about traveling in Hong Kong came rushing back...
As for that old grudge...I will explain it next time when I write "Hong Kong Business Trip Notes"...
Day Three: A Slow Finish
Although the Holiday Inn Golden Mile room really was old, its strengths were the super-convenient location and the rare two-large-bed setup in the city center.
For a family traveling with kids, it was still a decent choice.
On the third day, we slept until we woke up naturally. Then we crossed the road to the well-known Macau Restaurant at 25-27 Lock Road in Tsim Sha Tsui for brunch.
Their pork chop bun...really was good ^.^
After eating, we were still tired...ugh...traveling with kids is really tiring...so we just wandered around nearby.
Taking the ferry...
Walking around Harbour City...
And that was how the third day ended, rather casually, before we returned to our sweet home in Taipei.
After-Trip Thoughts
- Disneyland is actually not far from the airport, but somehow there is no direct shuttle bus. That is unbelievable. After searching online for a long time, I found roughly three workable options:
A. Take the S1 bus from the airport to Tung Chung MTR station (HKD$3.5, about 15 minutes), then take the MTR to Sunny Bay and transfer to the Disneyland Resort Line. This is the cheapest option.
B. Take the Airport Express from the airport to Tsing Yi, transfer to the Tung Chung Line toward Sunny Bay, then transfer at Sunny Bay to the Disneyland Resort Line. It costs HK$60 per person.
C. Take a taxi. You do not even need to wave one down. There is a dedicated taxi stand for Disneyland. It costs about HKD 120 and takes around 15 minutes.
With two kids and two suitcases, choosing A would be torture, and choosing B would make us tired while costing even more money. So only C made sense.
- Before going, I often heard people say Hong Kong Disneyland was small, not fun, and so on. After actually visiting, I realized that actually...being small is good!!
It has what it should have, and the themed areas are not too far apart. For families traveling with small children, that is a major advantage.
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Hong Kong Disneyland is small, but because it is new, many of the attractions use newer technology, and the lighting and sound effects leave a strong impression. The site has limits, but the rhythm of the rides is well handled. Personally, I thought it was quite fun. If I have the chance, I would probably come again.
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In the park, the sound for many attractions and outdoor shows is turned up a bit ridiculously loud. Kids may feel uncomfortable. Because of that, there were many shows we skipped ~.~
Trip Suggestions
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When traveling with kids, do not force yourself to leave too early. If the kids did not sleep enough and keep fussing along the way, the fun drops fast...
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If it is a three-day, two-night itinerary, next time I would put the city area and "A Symphony of Lights" on the first afternoon and evening, then spend the second and third days focused on Disneyland. That way, we would not lose part of the original itinerary just because we were too tired~
That is all for the trip notes~ thanks for watching~
Related reading:
Hong Kong travel notes - 2010 Hong Kong Disneyland Family Guide, Detailed With Photos
Hong Kong travel notes - 2012 Hong Kong Ocean Park Half-Day Visit
France travel notes - Disneyland Paris
Japan travel notes - Tokyo Disneyland
Japan travel notes - Universal Studios Osaka
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