December 2010. Hong Kong Disneyland family trip: itinerary planning.
Canon EOS 500D 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 + Speedlite YN468
After being busy for a while, I suddenly realized there was an opening in early December...so we made a last-minute decision to take the kids to Hong Kong Disneyland again.
Although we had already been to Hong Kong Disneyland at the end of 2008, Lisa was only three and a half at the time, and Belle was only one.
Basically, aside from the carousel and Dumbo...they did not really remember what they had played there @.@'"
After years of self-planned travel experience, plus what we learned from the last Hong Kong trip, planning this itinerary felt especially smooth this time.
First, we had to settle the hotel and flights.
I browsed through the free-and-easy packages from several travel agencies and found that Cathay Pacific was currently running a buy-three-get-one-free promotion.
But the promotion was already near its end, and rooms were completely unavailable. So we took the next-best option and asked a travel agency to book the hotel separately.
Yushan Ticketing makes it easy to sort and compare ticket prices from Taiwan to destinations around the world.
After getting a rough idea of the current price range, I went to the EVA Air website to see what member discounts were available.
In the end, after using EVA member miles for the discount, tickets for two adults and two children were still about NT$1,500 cheaper than Yushan Ticketing, so we booked directly with EVA.
As for the Hong Kong entry permit, do not ask a travel agency to handle the kind that charges NT$500 or NT$600 per person. Look around on online auctions, and you can find one for NT$290.
Then I called the Citibank credit card center to arrange airport transfer service. It was no longer free, but NT$588 one way was still a good deal.
Next, I kept an eye on the local weather (Hong Kong Observatory) and started preparing the luggage.
Besides packing clothes according to the weather forecast, my wife also prepared the children's everyday medicines and supplies:
bandages, iodine, masks, Mentholatum, cotton swabs, an ear thermometer...
fever medicine, allergy syrup, eye drops, Wu Ta San, nasal congestion ointment, and insect-bite itch relief ointment...
So many types, so complete...it was almost enough to open a pediatric clinic ~.~
Also, do not forget to bring the stroller. This thing is incredibly useful.
When folded up...it can work like a folding stool as a self-defense weapon.
When opened...it can win sympathy from immigration officers, and maybe even get you a little extra courtesy when clearing customs.
It really is a good companion at home and an essential item when going out ^.^
As for the itinerary itself, that depends on the purpose of this trip.
Because we were taking two kids to play and also needed to make room for my wife's shopping needs, the plan was:
Day One:
Take the 12:40 noon flight.
Walk around Nathan Road in the afternoon.
Have dinner in the evening at Serenade Chinese Restaurant upstairs in the Cultural Centre.
At 8:00 p.m., watch the "A Symphony of Lights" laser light show from the Star Ferry Pier area.
Day Two and Day Three:
We would spend the time soaking in Disneyland with the kids~~~
As for...a Disneyland touring strategy...
Honestly, before the trip I Googled a few articles, but almost all of them were written for adults and were completely unsuitable for young kids.
For example:
Arrive at the park entrance at 9:30 to take photos, wait until it opens at 10:00, then rush inside. When you see Mickey and Minnie, pull everyone over to grab photos.
Then take the park train to get a FastPass for Winnie the Pooh, and go line up for Buzz Lightyear first...and so on.
Then they finish the park in less than a day, go back and write a blog post saying Hong Kong Disneyland is really small and can be finished in no time @.@'"
Do not make yourself that tired. Arrange a weekday holiday to visit, and you really do not need to obsess over strategy.
Spend a day and a half taking the kids around slowly and comfortably.
And do not complain that Hong Kong Disneyland is small. Actually, it has what it should have, and for now it is still the newest park, with fun themes throughout.
If you are interested, follow along with me and take a virtual trip through Hong Kong Disneyland~~~
Hong Kong Disneyland family trip: itinerary planning
Hong Kong Disneyland family trip - Day 1 Hong Kong Night View and A Symphony of Lights
Hong Kong Disneyland family trip - Day 2 Hong Kong Disneyland Family Guide, Detailed With Photos Part 1
Hong Kong Disneyland family trip - Day 3 Hong Kong Disneyland Family Guide, Detailed With Photos Part 2
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