Originally Posted By Malin So we have all heard the criticism in the past about how small the park is and why it needs more attractions, but taking a step back for a minute if you look at what this parks does offer Hong Kong locals are in many areas actually recieving a better experience than what can currently be found at other parks and I find it concerning people complain about the size and quantity but don't apreciate the quality. Take for instance the standard found in the special events. Unique offerings like entertainment, decorations, food and merchadise can be found that rivals similar events found at the Tokyo Disney Resort. Unlike at the domestic parks you will not be charged extra to view the Halloween parade, or have to buy expensive Annual Pass tickets like at Tokyo Disney Resort. At this moment in time HKDL is hosting its annual Chinese New Years event which is an exclusive event. Castmembers like those found at Tokyo Disney are very friendly and are always very helpful, plus these Castmembers all speak a number of different langueges to be accomendating to all the different Guest that visit for the day. Food here is of very high quality and at decent prices, also each Restaurant offers something different, and not just the same standard bland fare you can find at all the WDW Fastfood Restaurants. The mixture of western and chinese food is spot on here too. The above are only a few good features I could name about this park, but you get the point I'm trying to make here, that while this tiny park is considered a dissapointment by locals, not everything is doom and gloom and in a lot of key areas Hong Kong Disneyland is putting all the other Disney parks to shame, and I only wished people could see this...
Originally Posted By FerretAfros I completely agree with that. Whenever people ask me what HKDL is like, I say that it's a really nice park. Everything that they have is well done, and they do a great job of taking care of the place. Unfortunately, there isn't all that much stuff there at the moment, but what they do have is very high quality. It's clearly a growing park with a big future ahead of it, but right now they're doing a really good job with what they have. I wasn't able to get to see one of the special events in person, but I would say that the food and entertainment that I did get were at least on par with what I see at Disneyland in California, if not better. It's very nice park. It's not a great park yet, but it will be soon. For now, it's certainly a greally good place to spend the day.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 Totally agree with both posts thus far ... I really enjoyed my visit to HKDL and look forward to returning!
Originally Posted By Anatole69 Just something to consider... the park fee and cost of food is expensive for people in HK, in comparison to what the cost to Japanese people for TKDL, Europeans for DLP or American for WDW and DL. So given the park is small, has a lot of attractions with minimal repeat value, and is extra expensive for locals... I think they have a good point. The best way to silence the critics, IMO, is not to focus on the good aspects that are already there, but to build a few more E tickets and otherwise fill the park out with more things to do and see. - Anatole
Originally Posted By Malin *** Europeans for DLP *** Actually DLRP is very expensive, especially for a Brit at the moment with the UK pound being so low against the Euro. I think the pound is currently at its lowest since 1985. Like myself Hong Kong locals are used to living in a well populated area where the cost of living is high. So I don't see this as being a problem, as its a fact of life. But atleast the food on offer is made of high quality with the portions being a decent size. After just returning from WDW where every counter service Restaurant sold the same slup, the locals should embrace the fact HKDL doesn't just serve any old **** like WDW does to its Guest. SeaWorld which many turn there nose up at, actually serves up mich finer food. Anyway unless prices have shot up since last May, I don't find the prices at the park that bad to what can be found in Hong Kong. And looking at the website I could enjoy a meal at the Crystal Lotus for only HK$98 between now at 31st of March. Also with Annual Passes starting at low prices like HK$650 how can you call ticket prices expensive, especially with all the added events and discounts. New attractions will certainly help to change public opinion, but these guys already have a great little park, and it gives me reason for concern that people do not apreciate this more.
Originally Posted By Anatole69 Dude I know where you are coming from, and there is definitely money for some people in HK, but there is also a lot of poverty. I remember talking to a girl working in a Pacific Coffee and Tea and she asked how I was getting around and I told her I was taking the MTR and before I could say how cheap it was, she said it was so expensive and she could never take it. That really brought home for me the gap in wealth that exists in HK. For a lot of people who live just minutes away from HK Disneyland, it is just a dream to visit on anything more than a really special occassion. More so than any other Disneyland than I can think of. If Disney builds their Shanghai Disneyland, expect it to be the same, but even more so... since the level of wealth is comparitively higher in HK than it is in the mainland. Even though my family was lower income, we could still go to Disneyland every few years. I just don't see it being that easy for a lot of people living in Mongock or the New Territories... which is probably another factor why the park has struggled to meet attendance figures. Why pay for something so expensive, when all of your friends have already told you it won't be worth it? - Anatole
Originally Posted By Mr X ***I find it concerning people complain about the size and quantity but don't appreciate the quality*** I thought the quality sucked too. Sorry.
Originally Posted By Malin *** I remember talking to a girl working in a Pacific Coffee and Tea and she asked how I was getting around and I told her I was taking the MTR and before I could say how cheap it was, she said it was so expensive and she could never take it. *** Disney employees who are often paid the minimal wage have to use the MTR everyday, to get from Hong Kong, Kowloon and the New Territories over to Lantau Island. I see your point but I have personally never read or witnessed any behaviour to say locals find Hong Kong Disneyland to be expensive. From all accounts Guest spending on merchadise at the park is only second to the Tokyo Disney Resort, and it also doesn't seem to stop the full boats of locals heading to Macau on the Weekend to gamble and shop. *** I thought the quality sucked too. Sorry. *** I'd be interested to know where you felt let down by the quality. I seem to recall you saying Mr X you visited just after the park opened, so perhaps things have changed.
Originally Posted By Anatole69 Tell you what I am going to do Malin, I have a blog on Xanga with over 1,000 subscribers, most of whom live in Hong Kong. I will send out a PM today to my friends and subscribers on Xanga asking if they have been to HK Disneyland, how many times, if not why not, is it expensive or not expensive, lots to do or not to do... etc. This won't be a scientific survey, obviously, but I am curious to see what kind of reaction and information I get from this. - Anatole
Originally Posted By Mr X ***I'd be interested to know where you felt let down by the quality. I seem to recall you saying Mr X you visited just after the park opened, so perhaps things have changed.*** I'm not sure how much has changed (I know they added Small World, but I haven't heard much more). Yes I did visit a year or two after the park first opened. I thought the quality of design and imagination was lacking entirely. The whole place (save Main Street) was a very dumbed down, cartoonized and sanitized version of a Magic Kingdom with no special "extra" parts like you find in the various other incarnations. I thought, frankly, that this was an utterly uninspired, cheaped out copy of what a Magic Kingdom should be. AND, there were no rides. Just my humble opinion, of course. On the plus side, the employees were very good (second only to TDR and maybe not even that...), and the Chinese food was quite tasty though I felt the variety was sorely lacking in that department (it was weird to eat Chinese food in Tomorrowland, for example). Even the quality of the entertainment was pretty pathetic. Some groups of street performers who excel in Florida, California and Tokyo were "farmed out" to Chinese or other regional performers who had no idea how to perform their shows properly. All in all, I found the place to be a bizarre caricature of what I've always felt a Magic Kingdom was all about (again, save for Main Street which is a carbon copy of California but works well). As Jonvn has often said, a lot of what makes Disneyland special is what is "REAL" about it. Hong Kong Disneyland felt, to me, like one giant Toontown.
Originally Posted By Mr X ***it was weird to eat Chinese food in Tomorrowland, for example*** I should clarify...it was weird that Chinese food was the only OPTION not only in Tomorrowland but throughout most of the park. I have no problem with interesting options all around (like, if there were several restaurants to choose from in Tomorrowland, OR if the one and only restaurant had an interesting menu INCLUDING Chinese options). For the record, I'm not sure if Tomorrowland has more than one restaurant. If so, I didn't see it. This bizarre description of what they were aiming for sums it up for me. "Hong Kong Disneyland’s food and beverage team has carefully designed the Park’s menus to feature popular dishes from different parts of Asia – from the Northwest, the Jiangnan region and Guangdong province in Mainland China, to Southeast Asia and Japan. Different kitchens in the Park’s various restaurants will feature different styles of cooking, such as Steam Kitchens, which will serve dim sum and steamed dishes, Wok Kitchens, which will serve stir fries, as well as Curry, Noodle, and BBQ Kitchens." <a href="http://www.asiatraveltips.com/travelnews04/2211-Disneyland.shtml" target="_blank">http://www.asiatraveltips.com/...nd.shtml</a> Personally, when I think "Disneyland" I like to think they aim a bit further afield than Southeast Asia on the food offerings. TDL certainly does (and before the big argument, you can make the SAME argument that Japanese folks are picky about their food...but that didn't stop TDL from going beyond serving rotten soybeans, sushi and octopus balls exclusively as you might find in any OTHER Japanese amusement park ;P).
Originally Posted By FerretAfros There are two restuarants in Tomorrowland. One is on the right side, between the main entrance and Buzz Lightyear (I believe it's called Starliner Diner). The other is on the left side, between the main entrance and the Stitch show on the side of Space Mountain (Cosmic Cafe??). I believe one of them serves Chinese food, while the other serves burgers and the like. The Festival of Foods was closed when we were there, so I don't know what it had, but the Royal Banquet Hall seemed to focus on Chinese food, but there was also a selection of more Western offerings as well. I think Tahitian Terrace was more Chinese food, but I don't really remember what it had. There are other options in the park, but it make take some hunting to find. In my eyes, that's no different than trying to find anything other than a burger at WDW or trying to find some Asian food in DLR (which currently has none in the parks, but apparently the Lucky Fortune Cookery may reopen soon in a new location).
Originally Posted By Mr X ***In my eyes, that's no different than trying to find anything other than a burger at WDW*** Well, it's different to me in the sense that I WANT to find a burger (or Western fare in general, anyway) at Disneyland. No matter where it's located. But, if it suits the tastes of the majority of visitors, who am I to question it right? Just seems a little funny to me is all (particularly since TDR is so Westernized in a country which is really anything but overall.
Originally Posted By Malin *** I should clarify...it was weird that Chinese food was the only OPTION not only in Tomorrowland but throughout most of the park. I have no problem with interesting options all around (like, if there were several restaurants to choose from in Tomorrowland, OR if the one and only restaurant had an interesting menu INCLUDING Chinese options). For the record, I'm not sure if Tomorrowland has more than one restaurant. If so, I didn't see it. *** I feel you obviously didn't look far enough on the food selection because I found lots of western food available inside this park. Tomorrowland has like FerretAfros points out two restaurants which one of them serves western style cuisine like bugers and fried chicken. THe Royal Banquet Hall has four kitchens opened, including one that actually serves western style food. On the menu you will find such fare as Fish and Chips, Burgers and other western style dishes. All meals are available with a very tasty mushroom soup. Another place where western food is available is on Main Street at the Main Street Corner Café which has available three differnt menu's including a western one that includes pasta dishes like spaghetti bolognese and HotDogs. Plus the park if full of stands and other snack venues serving all sorts of tasty treats like Chicken Pies and Hot Dogs. I feel for what is to be considered a one day attraction Hong Kong Disneyland has a huge selection of choice on offer to cater to all taste buds. The Hotels which are available for lunch and dinner also include a lot of western food including buffets. *** In my eyes, that's no different than trying to find anything other than a burger at WDW or trying to find some Asian food in DLR (which currently has none in the parks, but apparently the Lucky Fortune Cookery may reopen soon in a new location). *** WDW Menu's are the worst, each Restarant offers the same crap, and none of it is of high standard. I'm a fan of western food no doubt, but even I was sick of being offered the same 6 items in every Restaurant at the Resort. Even Sea World down the road offers its Guest a much better meal in terms of quality and variety.
Originally Posted By Malin *** Tell you what I am going to do Malin, I have a blog on Xanga with over 1,000 subscribers, most of whom live in Hong Kong. I will send out a PM today to my friends and subscribers on Xanga asking if they have been to HK Disneyland, how many times, if not why not, is it expensive or not expensive, lots to do or not to do... etc. *** Update???
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< I feel you obviously didn't look far enough on the food selection because I found lots of western food available inside this park. Tomorrowland has like FerretAfros points out two restaurants which one of them serves western style cuisine like bugers and fried chicken. >>> This is especially odd when you consider that Tomorrowland is so small, you can basically stand in one spot, turn all the way around, and see everything there is. How could you miss the other eatery?
Originally Posted By Anatole69 Hey Malin - I have received 15-20 replies to my PM on Xanga. I will post up the results in a seperate thread in the next day or two. - Anatole
Originally Posted By Malin *** I have received 15-20 replies to my PM on Xanga. I will post up the results in a seperate thread in the next day or two. *** Sounds good Anatole look forward to reading more...
Originally Posted By Anatole69 Ok Malin - I posted the results of my poll in this thread: <a href="http://mb.laughingplace.com/MsgBoard-T-103672-P-1.asp" target="_blank">http://mb.laughingplace.com/Ms...-P-1.asp</a> - Anatole
