10 + 2 Tips on How to Enjoy Hong Kong Disneyland

Hong Kong Disneyland - the Happiest Place on Earth should be enjoyed, right?  

1.  Buy a 2-day pass, especially if you and / or the children are Disney fans.  It makes the discovery less rush and I enjoyed every bit of the 2-day pass.

2.  Weather is ever changing now.  Dress according to the weather.  We were there in November last year which was supposed to be turning slightly chilly.  However, it was still pretty hot during the day.  

3.  There are 2 shows that are must-watch - Festival of the Lion King and The Golden Mickeys Presented in Disney's Storybook Theatre.  Please make time for both of them.

4.  We were there for the whole day on the first day.  Knowing the boys will whine and complain, we rented strollers.  We did not want to spoil our day at Disneyland knowing that they will complain of being tired and neither do we want to carry them.  

5.  If you like taking photos with the Disney characters, I am sure buying the Disney PhotoPass card will be a great investment.  We bought the PhotoPass Plus with all digital downloads in a day for HKD398.  Note that if you are there for 2 days, remember to buy one each day as photos stored in the PhotoPass card is only valid on the day the photo is taken.

We had lots of fun photo-taking with Mickey Mouse and gang!  

6.  Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Pluto, Donald Duck and some others will appear at the Fantasy Gardens all at one time at certain timings.  Thus, if you are a real fan, remember to check the timings and  be there to catch them!

7.  The Disney Characters are a very friendly bunch!  They interact with almost everyone who queued to capture a photo or 2 with them.  So, please be nice.  Do not rush, do not try to jump the queue, do not complain.  You will get your chance too and it will be a pleasant experience for everyone.  

For the kids, this is just so real and just so awesome.  To be able to see their favourite characters come alive and interact with them.  Be it just a couple of minutes.

8.  Spend time in the shops.  Sometimes it's in these places you see one of the happiest faces, whether an item is bought or not.

9.  Did you spot something on E's tee?

If you or your child(ren) like stickers, you will be delighted to know that the cast members in Hong Kong Disneyland hands out stickers when approached.  Everyone holds different characters, some are common, some aren't.  Thus, for outspoken kids out there, go ask for one but be courteous, okay?!  

10.  There are many attractions in the Park.  One of the rides which is all ages friendly and definitely my to go in every Disneyland I have been to is "It's a Small World".  Children will enjoy the ride and everyone will come out humming the song happily.  Try it and tell me if you feel so too.

11.  Food is not cheap in Disneyland.  It is all the same with any theme parks around the world.  The consolation - they are cute.  If you have a Magic Access card, remember to use it as you get discounts!

12.  Parades and fireworks!  There are two parades everyday, I think.  Be there to watch for the atmosphere is really good.  I told B when we were watching that no doubt it's the Happiest Place on Earth.  The songs, the performers' smiles, the dances and the floats - it makes everything all so exciting and simply put, happy.

Personally, I like the Night Parade at 7.45pm.  It is just so magical.  Don't miss it if you can!

This is It!  Just relax, enjoy the time at Hong Kong Disneyland and be like a kid once more.

Read here about our fabulous stay at Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel.
 

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Hong Kong Day 3 - Off to the Happiest Place on Earth

I have taken too long to write this Hong Kong Day 3 post.  With the memory failing fast, I do not wish to forget the good times we had on one of the Happiest Place on Earth.

You guessed it?!  We went to Hong Kong Disneyland!  Please read here and here for Day 1 and Day 2 of our Hong Kong trip last November.

As check-in time is 3.00pm for Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel and we decided not to visit Disneyland on that day, we did a late check-out from our city hotel.  Before that, we had the usual Hong Kong breakfast - Dim Sum and bought the famous Jenny Bakery cookies and nougats.

I was introduced to Jenny Bakery's nougats by a colleague and later found out how famous this Jenny Bakery is.  People queue for hours and there is a limit to how many boxes one may buy.

We went to the Tsim Sha Tsui outlet in the morning, slightly after the doors were open.  Thus, the wait was probably only 5 minutes.  Know what you want to buy as they expect you to give your orders once at the counter.  Any hesitating or discussing is a no no (or risk getting scolded :P).

I find the melt-in-the-mouth butter cookies pretty yummy but the coffee flavored ones are kind of too strong - you can actually smell it from a distance.  However they are all pre-packed in the Teddy Bear tins, which means no choosing of the kind of cookies one wants.

Jenny Bakery Outlets

http://www.jennybakery.com

Tsim Sha Tsui: Shop 24 Ground Floor, Mirador Mansion, 54-64 Nathan Road 

Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon (MTR Exit D2)

Tel: 2311-8070 

Open : 9am - 6:30pm

Sheung Wan: 15 Wing Wo Street, Ground Floor

Sheung Wan MTR Exit E2

(opposite Sincere Department Store,

behind Grand Millenium Plaza)

Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
Tel: 2524-1988

Open : 10am - 7pm

*Stores may close earlier if goods are sold out*

Back to going Hong Kong Disneyland…

We avoided the peak hours when taking the MTR to reach there…  Just so we could take the Disneyland Train!

One of my best investment - a baby / toddler carrier from Boba!

We decided to splurge a little and stayed at the Kingdom Club Room and we totally loved it!

Perks of staying at the Kingdom Club are that we get to enjoy the lounge delicacies - complimentary dining selections throughout the day, personalized service including a separate check-in and check-out area which is at the lounge and last but not least, the Kingdom Club Kids with crafts and bedtime stories.  There is something else that my boys cannot stop talking about and which I believe is exclusive for Kingdom Club guests.  Read on to find out what it is…

All rooms can accommodate up to 4 adults.  If you have a baby, you may also request for a crib.  Do you see a bed guard rail on one of the beds?  The little details - it is already there when we went into the room.

Tell me, how not to love this place?

As we checked in around 3pm, we decided to explore the place.  Not before we have some cookies and beverages at the club lounge.

Maze-ing around...

There are 2 pools in Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel.  Due to the weather getting slightly chilly in November in the evenings, we had fun in the indoor pool instead of the outdoor pool.  Life vests and towels are available should one require.

How cute are these boys...

Happiest Place on Earth - Snacking while watching Disney cartoons.  Another indulgent.

At the club lounge during the sunset hours of 6pm to 8pm, there is a selection of appetizers with complimentary beer and wine among other beverages.  I cannot remember how many servings of that xiao long bao the boys had.

Having had some appetizers at the club lounge, we had our dinner proper at Walt's Cafe - a cafe within the hotel.

The kid's meal, Macaroni and Cheese with fruits.  Everything is Mickey Mouse, my son exclaims!

The little kid in B and I - we just can't resist fries.  :)

Back to the club lounge before 8pm for our wine to end the day, while the kids wait for the surprise.

Ta-Dah!  Mickey in pyjamas!!!  We were very lucky that it was Mickey as it could be other Disney characters.  Them in pyjamas is the highlight of this trip and why we stayed in the Kingdom Club.

A good night sleep before we embark on the Disney journey on Day 4!

E decided to bunk with his brother and we asked for another bed guard which they promptly sent to our room.  Now, that's good customer service.  :)

If you ask me if it is worth the extra buck staying in the Kingdom Club, I would say, if you have time to make use of the facilities and enjoy the extra perks, then yes!  Some people visit Disneyland in a haste, to explore Disneyland in the shortest time possible but for this trip, we made a point to relax for at least half a day just so we could enjoy the perks.  Especially the dining selections, wine and beer.  

Many people do not know that Hong Kong Disneyland has a Magic Access program.  It is like an annual pass for which the member gets to enjoy different benefits depending on the membership tier signed up.

We signed up a Silver Magic Access for D as the membership for child is cheaper.  With the membership, we are given discounts for hotels, merchandise and f&b.  He can access Disneyland for free on certain days which are mostly weekdays but that did not bother us as we went on weekdays.  Depending on the period of trip, the different tiers offer different discounts, most significant for hotel stays thus do your homework and decide which one is the most worth it.  Drop them an email with the dates of travel and the cast member is always helpful in providing the best combination.  Well, they were very helpful with my queries.

Apart from booking via their websites, 3rd party websites and travel agents, you know how else to make a stay at Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel slightly more affordable.  Especially so if you visit more than once a year.

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Hong Kong Day 2

How has your Chinese New Year been?  I think I have grown many kilograms fatter *oops*.  

It's so fast that after all the hustle and bustle, Chinese New Year is coming to an end soon.  And we will start missing pineapple tarts, kueh bangkit till the next Chinese New Year……

Back to our Hong Kong trip in November 2014, the trip was planned mostly for the boys, with the occasional shopping (not for me!).  Day 2 was Ocean Park day.  The last time I stepped foot in Ocean Park was almost 20 years ago and I wondered how much have changed since then…..

Before the "lots-of-walking" day at Ocean Park, we headed to the famous Australian Dairy Company for breakfast.  Maybe we were early or maybe it was a Sunday as the queue was not that horrendous as what people always say.  We, a total of 8 pax, were seated within minutes.  Now, note that most Hong Kong Cafes aka Cha Chaan Teng are not exactly kids-friendly - no high chairs, no strollers allowed inside, no kids utensils.  Place is crowded with little walking spaces.

The forced-to-wake-up-early look of D, but hey, he loved this Macaroni Soup with Ham and finished every bit of it.

The Steamed Egg White and Milk Custard which I like….  because I heard it is supposed to give a better skin complexion (believe it or not!  haha)

Please remember to bring your Krisflyer card if you have any as there is a 12% discount on admission tickets (till December 2015 as at this point of time) for Ocean Park.

What's this place?  Where shall we go first?  I want to see this…..

 A welfie in the Cable Car - a way to travel to access the attractions between the two different sides of a mountain, the Waterfront and Summit.  

After the Ocean Wonders show of dophins and sea lions, we took the Ocean Express back down to the Waterfront area.

Visiting the Giant Pandas - the red panda and giant pandas:

Fooling around before we got some souvenirs and left Ocean Park for the day.  

The rides in Ocean Park are not really suitable for the boys as what I saw are mostly roller-coasters and those with a certain height requirement.  However, it is quite interesting as we get to experience a cable car ride, view different ocean and sea animals and even caught the pandas in actions.  All at one place.

As Ocean Park is located on Hong Kong Island, we took the opportunity to have dinner at Yung Kee Restaurant for their speciality Roast Goose and Century Eggs.

I just need to buy these macarons from Pierre Hermé at IFC although they aren't cheap  (you can easily buy a plate of chicken rice for 1 piece).  I am happy yet unhappy they are not available in Singapore for now.

Look at that!  Going crazy over those little things…..and see that little hand tugging at me, telling me to start feeding them.  Yes, my boys know how to enjoy macarons.  :P

Ending the night with a walk around the Ocean Terminal, enjoying the lights-up for Christmas.  As it was near to Christmas, many malls had Christmas decorations and they make picture perfect backdrops.

The sleeping E in my Boba carrier, one that travelled places and which we had for years.  Definitely one of my best investments.