Originally Posted By TDLFAN Yours truly landed at HKDL on December 21st and had a blast. Not only because I love this little park, but because at the moment, it's the nicest looking of the parks, even better than TDL at times. Their Xmas offerings are minimal, but what is there is fun to see. The Xmas tree, with a musical theme to it, it's lovely and sparkles in strobe lights at night. The Xmas merchandise is cute. The Lighting ceremony was a lot of fun to watch, and featured something I have never seen done at any other DL park.. when the big moment comes, the regular lighting on the buildings on Main Street join in the show with a syncronized light dance, and not just all lights going on and off, but every building doing it's own separate thing! Think Dancing Osborne Light on a much smaller scale... yet very effective way to enhance the show. Then the snowy surprise.. When the lights come on... there is snow coming down. The *gasp* from the unsuspecting guests was worth the price of admission. KUDOS to HKDL. Of course... I must also offer some critique. It would have been nice to have garlands over Main Street like the ones at the MK, TDL, and DL. There were a lots of poinsettas all over the gardens, more than at WDW's MK right now... but having seen how nice the Halloween decor was at this park, the Xmas decor was a bit flat. Still, what was done was cute enough but needed more. The park still looks great in most areas and the Cms were very friendly. Only Space Mountain shows terrible signs of deterioration, but they are currently working on that. One petpeeve... this particular day, my value AP was blocked off from use. I had to buy a 1-day pass to enjoy the park... Yet, the park was very uncrowded. What gives? The longest I waited was 5 mins to ride Jungle Cruise, which I did at night and loved it! The lighting on the ride is fab! Ride at night if you will. But still, why block off APers from the park when the crowds are non-existant??? Speaking of lighting, this park has got to have the best night time lighting of any of the parks. Everywhere you go, there is some interesting use of lighting to enhance the experience. Only TDS compares to this effort and HKDL designers did a great job here. KUDOS. The recurrent Light show on the castle is also worth sitting for to watch. I love what the strobes on the castle are capable of doing... like the lighting-style stroke it paints every so often... KUDOS! Also, the lush surroundings make this park look mature and full in most areas. Apparently, the warm weather dose help with this aspect of the park. Only the immediate area around the Castle looks a bit bare, but All in all, the park just looks wonderful, especially their Adventureland area and sections around the hub and main entrance, and the promenade leading from both the hotels and the MTR station. The Hotels also get into the act with decor for Xmas. HKDL Hotel features a lovely 25 ft. tree and ginger village. Check it out. All in all... HKDL continues to deliver against the odds.. Not sure how attendance will do in the next few years and this park deserves allof the guests and more, but still lacks severely in attractions. I just hope they continue to treat it and maintain it with the same love and attention I have seen so far. If only they had an electrical parade at night, the park would feel one step closer from being realized. A seasonal Xmas parade would not hurt either at this time of the year. Here are the photos from my afternoon visit to the resort. Hope you enjoy them! <a href="http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=4334673&a=32406226&f=" target="_blank">http://albums.photo.epson.com/ j/AlbumIndex?u=4334673&a=32406226&f=</a>
Originally Posted By FerretAfros I just read something in another thread about your photos, and I was confused about it, but I'm glad to see them. It's nice that, although they may not have a ton of stuff, what they do have seems like it is done very well. Just like the rest of the park, it seems like an excellent start and hopefully it will grow to a really grand experience in the next few years.
Originally Posted By fredddy Thanks for the pics. I never saw a parade in a Disney park with so few people. Il went to DLP early december during a week day and even if it was not busy, during the parade, Main STreet was filled with people waiting for the parade. here, in HK, it just seems completaly empty ! It really looks like this park is a major flop, it is impossible to deny it...
Originally Posted By TDLFAN Let's go back to the first winter season at DLP in 1992, when the parade route around Town Square seemed deserted as well.. same as here. On that particular photo, the parade ends here at Town Square, and there just doesn't seem to be too many people in that area early in the afternoon. However, go farther up Main Street and towards the castle and fantasyland's parade corridor and they DO have a crowd lining up the route. They also play this parade TWICE daily so that may have to do with some performances being a bit less crowded than others? Maybe??
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Thanks for sharing TDLFAN, great as always. HKDL does sound like a lovely little park. I think we'll get across in another few years after IASW and a few other attractions open.
Originally Posted By fredddy "They also play this parade TWICE daily" Maybe they should play it only once a day and put MSEP as the second parade... But I dream
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 Wonderful pics, my friend. My only complaint is there's too many! This little park truly looks charming, but I understand why the crowds are so sparse. People aren't stupid, even if they've never experienced a Disney park before. There just isn't enough there. And adding Small World, Animation Academy and a new small-scale parade aren't going to change that. Add another two full scale E-Tix (like say Pirates and Mansion, two more C-Ticket/dark ride attractions and a nighttime parade and then the park will be well on its way. At least they didn't screw up the master plan from the start or not have a realistic one for growth (like DCA, Disney-MGM or DSP). This park truly can be a great destination ... in 5-6 years.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>My only complaint is there's too many!<< I actually deleted 63% of the ones in the entire album.
Originally Posted By pitapan16 This park looks absolutely stunning! I am blown away about 60ft from these pics! HKDL looks awesome! I'd love to see more of the park...I WILL visit this park within for th e first time within a short period. The location is beyond belief! The park may lack attractions but I agree that the format and what the park currently has is TOPS..Give the park a litle time and it will grow into something even more amazing than it looks now!
Originally Posted By xrayvision Great pictures TDLFAN! I really liked the pics of Fastasyland Gardens and lush areas around the Hub. All the park's greenery is growing SOOO fast. Hong Kong weather must be great for DL's horticulture. I was surprised to see the Space Mtn had weatered so quickly. What's good for the plants is obviously not so good for Spacy or the other buildings. Maybe HKDL's Space Mountain should go metallic like DLP to reduce maintainence issues.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo "At least they didn't screw up the master plan from the start or not have a realistic one for growth (like DCA, Disney-MGM or DSP). This park truly can be a great destination ... in 5-6 years." I have to correct you here Spirit. WDS is only 1/3 it's potential size. There is enough planning, space and permits for WDS to grow to be about the size of DLP.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros Where exactly is the small world building? I thought it was going to be across the path from Philharmagic, across the tracks from the big green field. From what I can tell in these pictures, it looks like it might be behind Fantasy Gardens. Although this may help cover the building a little more, I have no idea where the entrance for the attraction would be.
Originally Posted By fredddy This is the "charm" of this park: all the new rides will be behind the bern and you will have to go under du train track to go to those rides. This is really a very strangepark...
Originally Posted By FerretAfros Yup, it's just like the original DL, where most of the expansion happened outside of the tracks, or required moving the track. I just don't understand where the building is. I thought it would be on the Adventureland side of Fantasyland, but all the pictures I've seen make it look closer to Tomorrowland, next to the Storybook Theater.
Originally Posted By HongKongDisneyLand Don't know why it wasn't crowded on 21 Dec. But it was packed with people on 18th, 19th, 22nd. Less people on 25th though.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>Where exactly is the small world building? I thought it was going to be across the path from Philharmagic, across the tracks from the big green field. From what I can tell in these pictures, it looks like it might be behind Fantasy Gardens. Although this may help cover the building a little more, I have no idea where the entrance for the attraction would be.<< The IASW building is going up just behind the Tea Cups and next door to the Golden Mickey's Theater. It is NOT across from Philharmagic. Hope that works for you FerreT.. >>all the new rides will be behind the bern and you will have to go under du train track to go to those rides. This is really a very strangepark...<< My understanding is the train tracks can be removed and moved further out as the park grows, if the needs be. I personally have no problems with expansion plans that require going pass the train tracks. As of now.. this park basically has two berns as of now.. the one alongside the train track, and the one that is further out alongside the resort's Magic Way (road to the hotels and recreation lake.)
Originally Posted By FerretAfros Where will the entrance for the ride be if it is being built along the tracks that already have stuff on the other side? I could see them having the whole thing indoors due to weather concerns, but they will still need a nice facade and a clear path to the building.
Originally Posted By GrumpysWife Your pictures are GREAT!! This park looks very wide-open and beautiful Thanks for sharing...
