Originally Posted By BrigmanMT 2 Thanks for the info TDLFAN, I guess it makes sense due to the similarity of the esplanades. Remember those crazy rumors about a Frontierland with Its Tough To Be a Bug and the Bugs Land attractions? Now that was a wierd one. I remember hearing about the RnRc with the dinosaurs, and another one that said the Jungle Crusie would be replaced by a raft ride with the dinosaurs. Maybe a new orignal land could be based on time travel. A central building is the headquarters for the technological tempral society. The Dinosaurs could find their way in here, along with a great old west attraction, that wouldn't need a whole frontierland to support it. Invent an orignal Hong Kong scientist character that runs the whole operation. Play up the dinosaur themeing since they orignally seemed to want it so bad. Ancient Egypt would be another great new place to explore in a Disney theme park. An audio animatronic show would be at the center of this pavillion and would feature an Alien Encounter type attraction with an audio animatronic of that main scientist I mentioned, and he would give us a presentation and pull many historical figures from different time periods to lecture to us and show their amazements (I guess this starting to sound a bit like the Timekeeper). Anywho, a fully enclosed land would be kind of neat, if the climate isn't perfect in this region (like the pavillions of EPCOT and the Mermaid Lagoon of TDS).
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< I'm a slave to being pampered so we stayed on HK island this past month at the Conrad at Pacific Place. >>> That's a great location. Did you happen to wander over to the adjacent Island Shangri-La Hotel for the breakfast buffet? It is tremendous. <<< I really can't wait to get back to HK next month and spend a few days doing the stuff we missed >>> I'm getting excited about going back myself. Wow, it's only 2 weeks or so away! <<< It is kinda sad but there have been so few non-Disney vacations in my life over the past 10 years. However HK was never on my list of things to do and HKDL changed that. Now I can say that it is my favourite city bar none. Strange how things work out....... >>> I'd have to say that Hong Kong is my favorite city as well. It's just a wonderful place to visit, isn't it? There's just so much excitement and energy in the air.
Originally Posted By leemac The second park land reclamation project is directly opposite the fountain (the DL/DCA relationship would be copied). DtD is due to be sited away from the fountain on the walkway to the HKDL Hotel. No construction has begun on this yet as far as I am aware. It wouldn't surprise me if it is formally announced on September 12. On the Frontierland front I'd be amazed if it is sited here now. It just doesn't make sense. FrL is so much about the Rivers of America and without that I don't see it having any energy or excitement.
Originally Posted By leemac <<Oh Lee! You *gotta* do Stanley Market on your next trip!! >> Thanks for the tip it will definitely go on my schedule for next month. ) We found so many cool Disney shops too full of neat cheap things. We had a buy a crate to ship them all back. DCP have done a tremendous job creating exclusive HK/Macau licencees. Stores like Giordiano, Wonderland and Trendyland have really expanded this market for them.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN Giordano especially...I think they are responsible for the fact that hundreds of HK locals are wearing some Disney character tees around town and I spotted many of the all over. Also... I noticed that HKDL merchandise does have a holographic stamp on their tags.. Lee, is that Disney's way to legitimaze their merchandise as opposed to the knockoff markets so prevalent in China and other Asian areas?
Originally Posted By WorldDisney <<< It is kinda sad but there have been so few non-Disney vacations in my life over the past 10 years. However HK was never on my list of things to do and HKDL changed that. Now I can say that it is my favourite city bar none. Strange how things work out....... >>> Yeah, although I consider myself a Disney traveller, I'm a traveller first and foremost . Even though I LOVE Disney obviously, I'm always amazed at people who can drop thousands of dollars to go to these places over and over again when there are so many REAL places in the world to see (and at a much, much lower price). I mean, I get ALL kinds of crap from my friends that I go to Disney parks period (I been bragging to them I went to DLR AND TDR in the same week which is a feat for me.....and total pity from all my friends lol. No, they think its all amusing actually. I showed everyone my new Disney AP when I got back to Asia and they all shake their heads and laugh like yeah, "We're not surprised".). Anyway, yeah, I hope that if going to a Disney park is the ONLY way to convince more Americans to buy passports, I'm all for it . Hong Kong is a great city in its own right, so glad you got to see a place Lee I fell in love with already 5 years ago and loved it so much, thought about moving there once . HK is my third favorite city in the world actually, behind Compton (born and raised there, can't forget where it all started ) and Tokyo. I been to many, but yeah, its THAT cool to me.
Originally Posted By leemac ^^ I prefer it to Tokyo. The people are considerably more friendly IMO. And definitely less pushy. The hologram story is a little complicated and long but it is a specially designed security label.
Originally Posted By WorldDisney ^^^Are you kidding me??? HK has some of the highest level of pollutions I have seen anywhere. I should know, I live in Asia and was born in L.A. . Go over to Kowloon for awhile and just FILL the dirt on you lol. The fact that it is humid basically all year with the dirt and fumes kicking up from those busses and cars doesn't help matters either. Its far from the worst polluted place in the region, that honor still goes to Bangkok, Beijing and Kuala Lampour, but it's UP there. Meanwhile in Tokyo, the streets are cleaner than I seen ANYWHERE, it has some of the most environment friendly laws in a city and you have to take a gaijin course on just how to throw your trash away . BUT I STILL GOT LOVE FOR YOU HK!!!!!
Originally Posted By leemac ^^ Ah the pollution I can understand but not the street dirt. HK Island is spotless. I tend to stay in Shinjuku when I'm in Tokyo and it is far from clean. The underground walkway out to the Met buildings is filthy and full of tramps. But I've stayed at TDR before and opened my curtains in the morning and seen virtually nothing for the smog. HK was the same for sure. It reminded me of LA in the '80s and '90s coming into land at LAX and not being able to see the ground until you virtually hit the runway! Gross. Kowloon was definitely different though I'd agree there.
Originally Posted By WorldDisney <<I tend to stay in Shinjuku when I'm in Tokyo and it is far from clean. The underground walkway out to the Met buildings is filthy and full of tramps.>> Oh yeah, Shinjuku is the WORST. But, it makes sense though. It is the financial and commuter hub of Tokyo, with most people transiting there more than any other area in the city, so yeah, its going to get a little dirty . But most parts of the city is immaculately clean. It's amazing to me with a city that size. Only Sydney in Australia is that clean, but only about 4 million people live there versus 12 million in Tokyo. I actually remember when I lived there with my girlfriend and we came to Hong Kong on a stopover to the Philippines once and it really did feel night and day to us in terms of air quality and just basic hygiene. Like I said though, I don't consider Hong Kong 'dirty' like I do other major cities in Asia, ESPECIALLY Korea where I'm taking residence now.....talk about garbage EVERYWHERE, yuk!!!
Originally Posted By leemac Thankfully they have just opened a new Conrad at the Shiodome so I'll be staying there in future. Much nicer area. Shinjuku is good for shopping and bars etc. but I find the area just a little too unsavory for my liking!! Seoul is definitely not one of the cleanest places on earth that is for sure.
Originally Posted By trekkeruss <<Shinjuku is good for shopping and bars etc. but I find the area just a little too unsavory for my liking!!>> Isn't it funny how different Shinjuku is on either side of the station? The west side is so business-like, with the Tokyo city government towers, and the east side is crazy! As "unsavory" as the Kabuki-cho area may be, I think it's interesting to at least walk through the it. It's rather like the Japanese version of Amsterdam's red-light district, minus the prostitutes (at least the obvious ones... there are no women sitting in picture-windowed rooms waiting for the next customer.) As far as I know, Shinjuku station is the busiest railway station in the world, with more than 2,000,000 people transiting through it everyday... so it's hard to keep spotless, as you could imagine.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros When is Autopia opening, again? I just found out that I might get to go to HK one of the first weeks in June, and it would be totally awsome if a fresh new Autopia was awaiting my arrival.
Originally Posted By WorldDisney <<Isn't it funny how different Shinjuku is on either side of the station? The west side is so business-like, with the Tokyo city government towers, and the east side is crazy!>> LOL Dude, you just described downtown L.A. . The west side is really pretty, clean and where all the tourists stay while the east side looks like Mexico circa 1960's.
Originally Posted By WorldDisney Oh yeah, you're right, Shinjuku is the the busiest railway station in the entire world. That's what I was referring to earlier in my post when I mentioned all the transits and commuters that goes through there. I still remember the first time I went there and was trying to find a friend. It took about 40 minutes and 3 calls on the pay phone to her cell phone to finally find each other in the place . I remembered when I first moved there a few years later. One of the first things I did was go to the station and litterally spent half the day orientating myself to the place (since I knew I would be seeing it OFTEN ). Trying to figure where all the trains was, where the many exits led you to and etc. The place is like its only little city with so many people, shops, restaurants and etc. Its a littl funny now that I know how to get around it fine now. It only took 3 years lol. When I take my friends through it who see it for the first time, they can't believe I know my around so easily it since it seems incredibly big and chaotic to anyone first time they go.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>Shinjuku is good for shopping and bars etc. but I find the area just a little too unsavory for my liking!!<< I agree. Why people stay in that area is beyond me. I have never cared for that part of Tokyo. Shiodome is a better area by far.
Originally Posted By leemac ^^ Well two of the best hotels in the city are there, so I guess that is why. Between the Hyatt and the Hilton.
