Originally Posted By TDLFAN Yours truly hit HKDL last Aug. 19th to check out the new offerings for the summer season at HKDL. I found the park to be quite busy with what I believe is the biggest crowd I have seen since Opening weekend. At the entrance to the park, lots of AP banners advertizing the virtues of being an APer are in place to lure guests into purchasing the AP. They have also set up a photo spot for that new chinese character movie (the name escapes me now) and a new poster advertising it as well is up. Inside the park, I enjoyed the new Animation Academy show, and other guests seemed to enjoy the chance to get into the act and learn to paint some of Disney's most recognizable characters. I gave it a hand and enjoyed this as well. The Academy theater is well done, like an animation studio, and I loved the Mickey chairs!! The lines for photos with the Mice at the canopy on town Square were LONG! and so were the lines for Jungle Cruise, The Railroad and several other attarctions in the park. It was nice to see a little crowd at the park, and most guests seemed to be having an enjoyable time, as they should. The most memorable aspect of the day of course, was "Mickey's WaterWorks Parade", presented by Bonaqua Mineral water (clever, eh?) This is a truly inspired and FUN parade, designed to get guests wet, and offer some relief from the summer heat in the region. The parade is basically a rolling garden, with some very odd, but colorful and animated watering machines to add to the fun. I give this parade 5***** out of five, and it's the type of stuff that should be presented at WDW, and this parade is certainly TDL quality as well. I was happy with it. As an added storyline... the parade comes to a close with colorful clouds and rainbows, just like a summer shower would end.. It was truly a treat! GO SEE IT! It puts WDW's 6 yrs old parade to bloody shame. The not so cool things... this being summer, the chinese guests are out in full force with parasols and umbrellas all over the park. While waiting for the parade and in some lines, I got pocked a few times with them, posing a safety hazard to some of us guests. Needless to say, I gave quite a few nasty looks back to other guests and push several umbrellas out of my way. I hate being rude, but heck... I had to do it so I could come back home with both of my eyes intact! I wish they institute some safety policy about this... since I find the excessive use of umbrellas (especially during shows and parades where guests are crammed) to be quite unsafe. Personally I felt the whole thing was quite obnoxious... and my feelings are, if you do not like being in the heat and outdoors under the Sun, then stay home. China must have a very low melanoma rate I tell you! During my day at the park, I took the HKDL Railroad around the park. I am pleased to report that the train's round-trip service has been restored. From the train now, you get a closer look at the construction area of "It's a Small World" out in the back of Fantasyland. You also get to see the fully completed walkway that leads into the future IASW attraction, and the newly built train bridge, with columns that simulate the IASW Mary Blair facade... a simple touch but effective. So for those of you who were wondering... NO, the train does NOT travel by the IASW building facade the way it does at DL and at DLP. I could also NOT tell if the queue and boarding platform will be outside the building as is the case in DLP and DL as well... But I can tell you this much.. Mary Blair's facade at HKDL will be more colorful than DL's white original scheme. I am very much looking forward to the opening of this ride next april 08. Finally.. one of my most enjoyable moments at the park is taking the Promenade walk to the hotels... as it is very relaxing. Photos from that are here as well... Plus, my other enjoyable aspect of the park is going shopping... especially for those especial souvenirs only found here. HKDL celebrates it's 2nd anniversary on sept 12th, 2007, but we the shoppers are already being treated to a very exclusive line of 2nd anniversary merchandise that is quite wonderful and unique. The merchandise motif pays tribute to Main Street USA and features Mickey as a train conductor and some of the other characters, like Goofy, Minnie etc... There are teeshirts, pens, pins, cushions, folders, mugs, plushes... you name it! I spent a pretty penny on that stuff...as it is the type of collector items I truly love. Which brings me to the obligatory "SHAME ON WDW!!" moment.. they in FL celebrated the 30th and 35th anniversaries with hardly any noise or merchandise, and here you have HKDL, a park that is having severe attendance problems, going all out to celebrate that milestone in style... and don't even get me started about the nice merchandise coming to TDR for TDS' 6th anniversary in early sept as well. So SHAME WDW!! SHAME!! There, I feel better now. So, am I to assume that HKDL's 3rd anniversary merchandise in 2008 will feature another land in the park? That would be neat, and made for great merchandise continuity, like TDS' 1st thru 5th anniversary merchandise was! KUDOS HKDL! As always.. it was a magical day at HKDL... a park that I have come to dearly love for it's simplicity and style, and I am pleased to share with you my personal photo album from my day at HKDL, so enjoy the 300+ photos that made the final cut. It was over 550 photos overall... so no complains from you Spirit of 74. Enjoy the photos and some of the captions with them!! <a href="http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=4334673&a=32575741&f=" target="_blank">http://albums.photo.epson.com/ j/AlbumIndex?u=4334673&a=32575741&f=</a>
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<As always.. it was a magical day at HKDL... a park that I have come to dearly love for it's simplicity and style, and I am pleased to share with you my personal photo album from my day at HKDL, so enjoy the 300+ photos that made the final cut. It was over 550 photos overall... so no complains from you Spirit of 74.>> I gotta get me DSL here ... I don't have an extra six hours! But I'll look just the same. Sounds like the park keeps heading in the right direction, which is most important.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 Just some random thoughts after checking out this HUGE photo report. It goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway, that no one covers the overseas Disney parks and WDW like TDLFAN does ... I just need to get him out to the WDW resorts to do some pictorials of the good, bad and ugly! First, thanks for the picture of Marie (I still don't get why she is a major character over in Asia ... must be the Hello Kitty effect.) The park just looks beautiful. No one can sanely say the park has even half as many attractions as it should. But at least, unlike DCA and DSP, everything there looks well done. The Disney Details (like adding those murals along the train tracks) can be seen all over. That chicken stuff you ate looks quite ... well, nasty. Kind of looks like mushed baby food. When I see those mature trees in Town Square and down Main Street (not to mention the lush trail to the resorts), I'm reminded how in Florida's MK almost every old shade tree has been removed and replaced by a sapling, twig or bushes. If a two-year-old park can have mature trees, what really is the MK's excuse? With a tree farm on property yet? Oh yeah, they just don't give a damn. The Animation Academy doesn't do anything for me, but I'm glad it was added ... especially in an area where many folks may not be familiar with many Disney characters, it's a fun interactive way to learn. The Waterworks Parade just looks like a blast ... of H20 and fun! It also looks like it oozes with quality. Why in the world can't they do something like this in Florida? Oh yeah, they don't give a damn. The floats and costumes just look like dumb, cool Disney fun. It also looks a lot more like a signicant addition than just a minor summer diversion. Just a question, does this take the place of the regular parade or are there two parades daily? The second anniversary merchandise looks cool. Not stuff I'd love, but different. And lots of stuff. Why can HKDL offer this for a second anniversary of an underperforming park, yet the No.1 theme park in the world just turned 35 and except for a few pins and one lame postcard set, nothing ... why? Oh yeah, they don't give a damn in Orlando. Small World really looks like it's coming along. Hopefully, it'll be in at least soft openings for my visit. Of course, it should have been there at park opening along with the other half of the park they budgeteered right out. While it isn't a fave of mine, it is a Disney classic and I'll be interested to see this unique interpretation. Agree with you on those games. Very tacky. Look like stuff at a high school fund raiser. Why are they doing something like this? Anyway, as usual your pics are well worth the time to get a bit of a taste for Disney's far flung resorts that most fans won't ever experience ... the one thing this place has going for it would be the inherent quality and master planning. But they really need to get moving. Announce the PoC themed expansion zone of ADventureland with a truly unique 21st century attraction, add a few minor ones and the Fantasmic area ... then add 1-2 dark rides to Fantasyland (like the Peter Pan and Little Mermaid ones that were axed from the plans) ... and then start thinking about a Haunted Mansion, either in Adventureland or Main Street with again, a unique take. Then, that park would be beyond good. And certainly not the sadly lacking place it is now. All this seasonal stuff, like the just announced Halloween festivities, are another step in the right direction. I can't wait to see the place myself.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>That chicken stuff you ate looks quite ... well, nasty. Kind of looks like mushed baby food.<< It's curry. It's tasty and spicy...and very good. >>does this take the place of the regular parade or are there two parades daily?<< Both regular and water parades play daily, in addition to their fireworks show. >>Agree with you on those games. Very tacky. Look like stuff at a high school fund raiser. Why are they doing something like this? << Emulating Ocean Park I guess? But they have no place at any DL park. Not a good idea.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros Thanks for the great update, as always. Each time I see pictures like this from the park, it makes me really miss it. While it may not be enough to have for a full day, I would kill to have a place like that to just go spend some time every few weeks. I walked to the hotels, like you, and I really enjoyed that walk. I don't think we saw any other people the whole time we were walking, which was a great way to escape from the city so close and so full of people. The grounds of the Hollywood Hotel are alwo outstanding. All that they really need to do is add some more stuff to do in the park, and flesh it out. What's there is great, and it looks like they doing great additions (except for the games in FL).
Originally Posted By TDLFAN Yes it is. I was quite pleased and delighted by it, and I hate getting wet!!
Originally Posted By TDLFAN For those of you who have not checked out this album... time is running out. New HKDL pics from sept 7th may be forthcoming soon... Last call!
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA Great album, TDLFAN. I've not seen may pictures of the HKDL, and it does look very beautiful. Noticed that Main Street has no tracks in the street, so obviously no horse drawn trolleys. Also didn't see a fire truck or cars -- do those drive around? The trees and plantings look amazing. Especially the Promenade area -- really nice. And the HKDL Hotel bears a stricking resemblance to The Grand Floridian. Is it a direct copy?
Originally Posted By TDR_Fan <<And the HKDL Hotel bears a stricking resemblance to The Grand Floridian. Is it a direct copy?>> No. There are quite a few differences. For one, it's a smaller hotel. I also feel that the decor and design of the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel is more Disneyfied than the Grand Floridian.
Originally Posted By Loomis It's a bit like the Hollywood Hotel in Hong Kong versus the Ambassador in Tokyo. The former is far more Disneyfied Deco.
Originally Posted By TDR_Fan <<It's a bit like the Hollywood Hotel in Hong Kong versus the Ambassador in Tokyo. The former is far more Disneyfied Deco. >> That is what I was just about to mention. The Grand Flordian and Ambassador Hotel are more classy and elegant, while the two hotels at Hong Kong Disneyland are more Disneyfied.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN I disagree with TDR_Fan. The HKDL Hotel is actually more elegantly designed over the Grand Floridian, which I concider to be at best.. "pretty". Indoors, the HKDL boosts some really awesome decor and ambiance, which I find missing at the Grand FL. Great gifts come in small packages and that applies to the HKDL very much. >>Noticed that Main Street has no tracks in the street, so obviously no horse drawn trolleys. Also didn't see a fire truck or cars -- do those drive around?<< Jim dear, you really do not know much about HKDL, do you? as that info has been covered in just about every report from HKDL ever made since sept 2005. NO, there is no horse-drawn trolly at HKDL, and YES, they do have a double decker bus and police truck carrying guests. No fire truck. And their Dapper Dans? Much younger, prettier and in much better physical shape that their counterparts at WDW's MK.
Originally Posted By TDR_Fan I still think the Grand Floridian looks grander. Not necessarily better, but grander. I do admit that I like the interior of the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel better, especially all the inlaid marble. But I suppose you're right. If I were to have explored the whole hotel like you, I guess I would have different opinions. But from what I've seen of the Hollywood Hotel and my personal experiences exploring the Ambassador Hotel, I still stand by my original statement that the Ambassador is classier and more elegant.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN But in some areas, the Ambassador is also quite bland... like in the restaurant row area.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN ..and now, with that HORRIBLE Cirque Du Soleil Theater in front of it... it's even worst!
Originally Posted By TDR_Fan <<But in some areas, the Ambassador is also quite bland... like in the restaurant row area.>> You can make that argument for the Hollywood Hotel too. There are some parts in the lobby that were rather bland too. Certainly more bland spots than the Ambassador. <<and now, with that HORRIBLE Cirque Du Soleil Theater in front of it... it's even worst!>> I think it's too early to judge it. Perhaps they make the entrance and surrounding area of the theatre quite lovely. Even though I don't like it blocking the hotel, it might be a better view than looking at the parking lot.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN The Cirque theater is ill located, You can no longer appreciate the Ambassador building in one look. It's a shame, and I naturally disagree with you on the Hallowood being bland.
Originally Posted By TDR_Fan I didn't say the Hollywood Hotel was bland. I was simply, like you, saying that there are parts of the hotel that feel bland.
