Originally Posted By jlghk I have visited some major & popular mainland china websites to see how the mainland chinese respond to the recent HKDL chaos. About 26 people, who had bought HKDL tickets via. `ctrip.com¡¦, each of them got RMB500 (a mainland china currency) from `ctrip.com¡¦ in compensation for not able to get into HKDL during chinese new year holiday. Ctrip.com is a china based online airticket/hotel booking company which is also a listed company at NASDAQ in the US. Ctrip.com and other mainland china travel agencies in turn are going to make claims from HKDL . On the other hand, from the mainland china websites, I find that they love to come to HK for traveling very much (not because of HKDL at the moment). I believe the mainland Chinese guests would forget about the HKDL chaotic incident very soon. They will come back to HKDL in 3 or 6 months¡¦ time again.
Originally Posted By jlghk I have read some trip reports written by mainland chinese in other websites. Some of them got their refund immediately from the ticket booth at the HKDL main entrance once they heard that the park was full. Then they switched to HK Ocean Park instead on the same day to continue their holiday.
Originally Posted By WorldDisney Well, based on those reports, doesn't sound TOO bad. Although HKDL is new and the first Disney park there, I would assume just like someone at the other parks who probably had an awful experience outside of their control once would probably go back again anyway in the future (versus never again) will probably happen here. But, its just bad advertising and puts a bad tastes in peoples mouths (once again lol) about this park, but they will most likely come back after all the dust has settled. (What will make them say, "never again", is when they realize there is nothing much in the park once they are in ;D)
Originally Posted By HongKongDisneyLand with 1.3 billion population...it will take a long long long time for all of them to realize it and say "never again"...
Originally Posted By jlghk For those mainland chinese guests who could get into the park(because they arrived very early at there), from their trip reports it seems to me that they rather enjoyed the attractions. Their adverse comments on the park are :- 1. From their point of view, the majority of `Festival of Lion King' was performed in English because the performers were Westerners. So they did not understand what was going on and especially some elderly guests fell asleep during the show. 2. The show `Micky Golden theatre' was the same to them. They could hardly understand the show due to the language barrier. 3. It was too crowdy in the park and there were too many lines at all attractions. They could not try each attraction in one single day.
Originally Posted By Mr X >>>It was too crowdy in the park and there were too many lines at all attractions. They could not try each attraction in one single day.<<< Obviously, they were not trying hard enough. With a couple of fastpasses in hand, no matter HOW crowded that park is, it's quite EASY to see all the attractions (sadly). Perhaps they were just not WILLING to wait in line? Remember the days when we ALL used to wait in line for Space Mountain, Jungle Cruise, and the rest for up to an hour as a matter of course (before fastpass, I mean). Come on, now. There are guidebooks that instruct you how to experience most everything in the MAGIC KINGDOM on a busy day (which has what, three times as many attractions!?)...how hard could Hong Kong be? And speaking of English, I wonder why one of the premiere attractions at HKDL (Philharmagic) is offered only in English!?
Originally Posted By jlghk <<<And speaking of English, I wonder why one of the premiere attractions at HKDL (Philharmagic) is offered only in English!?>>> The `Micky Golden theatre' is a bilingual show i.e. both in English and Cantonese.(All the songs are in english). Hong Kong residents speak Cantonese, in mainland china people speak Mandarin. Both Mandarin and Cantonese are of Chinese languages. Some mainland chinese don't speak either English nor Cantonese. I remember there is only the Jungle Cruise that offers English, Cantonese, and Mandarin.
Originally Posted By Mr X I know all that, I was just wondering why PHILHARMAGIC is offered in English only...
Originally Posted By SuperDry ^^^ I'd be willing to place a wager in Maacau that it's the same reason that Soarin' at EPCOT uses the California-specific film from DCA even though it ostensibly is not a California-themed attraction, and the same reason that two of DCA's major film-based attractions use the same film as was used in other parks.
Originally Posted By SuperDry Only it's a little more obvious with Philharmagic at HKDL due to the language issue.
Originally Posted By leemac <<I know all that, I was just wondering why PHILHARMAGIC is offered in English only...>> Because PhilharMagic isn't a dialogue-heavy show. The beauty of the animation and the English-language songs drive the performance. There wasn't any point tinkering with it,
Originally Posted By Mr X Well, yeah. I can KINDA see that. BUT, on the other hand, I can understand how frustrating it is to miss even a LITTLE bit of dialogue in Japanese shows (as an English speaker), and it surprised me that they wouldn't at LEAST offer some kind of nifty translator glasses in Chinese for those (majority) of people who didn't speak English at HKDL. BUT, if guest satisfaction is fine on that, I suppose it doesn't matter much. Just seemed weird is all (nice for me though, as an English speaker). Not dialogue heavy, true...but I loved the opening stuff with Mickey, Donald, Minnie and Goofy...really cute, and I felt like me and WD were the only ones in the place laughing (wouldn't be the first time though lol).
Originally Posted By leemac The language issue was described as a "can of worms" to me. The problem is if you decide on one Chinese language you have to offer the other plus English. Stitch Encounter is going to trial with all three to start with but is going to be a work-in-progress.
Originally Posted By Mr X Sorry for my ignorance here Lee, but just out of curiousity WHICH language (Mandarin = Hong Kong, Cantonese = Mainland right?) have I heard so often outside Space Mountain at TDL (in their "safety speil", which repeats in English, Japanese and ??)? Do you know? Or, more generally, which of those languages (are they TOTALLY separate languages, or extreme dialects? I'm really ignorant about this!) are most often heard outside of China (like, in Japan...where I hear what I assume is a "Chinese" speil of some sort often...)?
Originally Posted By Mr X As far as the "work in progress" thing...as much as I appreciated the three options of language for Jungle Cruise...it seemed to lead to a rather slow moving line and a lot of frustration the day I was there. AND, we ended up with a guide who's English wasn't so hot anyway lol. BUT, he was enthusiastic at least. However, if I could have just boarded quickly and listened to the Cantonese version (kinda like I do in Japan), that would have been fine with me!
Originally Posted By leemac X, it is the other way around. Cantonese is the main language of Hong Kong (being it is in the old Canton region). I must admit I don't recall what they say at SM at TDL. I would guess it is more likely to be Mandarin. However there are more Korean visitors to TDL than Chinese at present so maybe it is even that (although I guess it wouldn't be the most politically correct choice!). In short, I don't know. I'm sure Joe probably has a better idea than I do.
Originally Posted By Mr X Thank you for clarifying that Lee. I kinda DOUBT that the Space Mountain safety speil is in Korean...but you could be right (SOUNDED like "Chinese" to me but what do *I* know right!? Obviously). So, was I right in assuming that we are talking about two completely different languages here? Just wondering...
Originally Posted By Mr X >>>X, it is the other way around. Cantonese is the main language of Hong Kong<<< Maybe THAT'S why all those double decker bus drivers hated me!!??
Originally Posted By manicfringe In reply to an earlier comment - based on my experience with FastPass at HKDL - it is vrey unlikely to ride all attractions in a single day if there are so many people. Some rides are completely out of fastpass times rather quickly...
Originally Posted By Mr X I completely disagree. It's quite easy (as I said). Those who can't just do not know how to plan an entire day in a theme park (something of a necessity for those of us who patronize the far busier and far more attraction filled Tokyo parks). Completely out of fastpass "rather quickly" means what exactly? Like within an hour or two of opening? Not unlikely at all, nor even terribly difficult.
