8 days in the East - Trip Report

[Aussie Wendy]

Part 11

Walking along the promenade between the Disneyland Hotel and Disneyland. This was very pretty with topiary and fountains and was totally empty!



I love Mishu as I am calling this dragon!





Details











We had hoped to have noodles for dinner at Clopins tonight but it was closed, so was everywhere it seemed. The Royal Banqueting House was open but was too heavily seafood orientated for us so we ended up back at Starliner for burgers-boring.



A very expensive with exchange rates and small serve burger!

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Part 12

Before we ate though we rode It’s A Small World – loved the inclusion of Disney characters though I know a lot of people aren’t keen on this. It was fun trying to spot them.





An internet version of the blurry picture of Marie we took



Cinderella and her prince



Scotland



Pinocchio



Holland



Middle East



Aladdin and Jasmine

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Part 13

Africa



Simba and Pumba and friends



South America



Pocahontas



Woody and Jessie



Mowgli











Mulan

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Part 14





Ariel and some characters from Nemo as well



Lilo and Stitch



Australia



New Zealand



Hawaii



and other Pacific islands

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Part 15






Mad Hatter teacups at night (too spinny for us)




The Carousel (more my style!)




After eating and before the fireworks we hit the shops









Western and Chinese wedding options



Tsum Tsums

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Part 16

One for those with little girls



Time for the fireworks. Waiting with everyone else.



Fireworks amalgam from both nights. The full moon was shining brightly.

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Part 17

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Part 18

You’ll be pleased to know I came home with a mini Shellie Mai to keep my Duffy from Tokyo Disney company, and DD bought Albert (though I was tempted by him too). Also bought some HK pins and a few other bits and bobs. I’d post a pic but like so many of our photos it isn’t on the computer where it should so is temporarily mislaid – sitting still on a camera somewhere no doubt. (I’ll have a winge now- DH hides connector leads and cameras away instead of regularly transferring pics to the computer then tells me “we’ve already copied that surely” when I finally get my hands on them and have to do a 6 month audit of shots finding all manner of things. I sometimes wonder why we bother taking photos in the first place.)

End of the night emptying street





This one must have been after our promenade walk - oops.



Fountain at night. A group of teens let me photograph their Baymax.











Highlights of today: Flights of Fantasy Parade; caramel popcorn; Tarzan's Treehouse; IASW; sunset by the sea; fireworks.
Downsides: DH not feeling the best with a cold coming on; Bye bye Disney for a couple of years at least - Shanghai hopefully will be next. Steps walked: 20,020, approx 13.6 km.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Catching up!

Great pics, Wendy. Love them all. Looks like you covered a lot of ground and attractions in your time at HKDL.
Love that last pic of you and DD.
Shame that DH got sick. I guess it just shows how overworked he was/is when he goes on vacay.

 

[zanzibar138]

View attachment 145611

This is an awesome shot of you and DD

I think I will have to copy DD and get an Albert too! Or maybe a Shellie May... Decisions, decisions.

I always wondered why that path between HKDL Hotel and the park was so quiet. I assume everyone just catches the bus, but I really preferred the walk when we stayed at HKDL Hotel. It's not like it's a long way or anything (not much further than the bus stop really ).

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Day 8 “There’s a great big hunk of world down there with no fence around it”

Well sometimes there is a literal fence-lol!

Tuesday started slowly which was lovely. We caught the bus over to the Disneyland Hotel for our breakfast a Walts. DH wasn’t feeling too bad which was good (he saved it up for when he came home, no doubt after the flight it hit him a lot worse).

Hotel foyer





We arrived around 8.20 for our reservation and were seated near the windows overlooking the maze. Breakfast was absolutely delicious. Walts had serve yourself juices, yoghurts, fruits, pastries, breads etc and a choice of one main meal. I got the Eggs Benedict for mine., DD the omelette and DH scrambled eggs and sausages. These dishes came with a side dressing of hash browns, asparagus and warm cherry tomato (except to DD’s chagrin they left them off hers!) The fruit from the buffet was particularly good, lots of fresh raspberries, strawberries ad blueberries as well as melons and pineapple. The coffee wasn’t that good but the pastries were. Service was also very slow but we enjoyed the relaxed meal.

DH wasn't allowed to serve himself tomato sauce - this is why



DH sausage & eggs



DD's mushroom omelette



My Eggs Benedict



Showing our views



Buffet area behind us



Great fruit

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Part 2

When we were finally done we played in the maze for a bit. Girls in the maze.



Waving to DH from the middle



Taking a photo of the photographer



Lost in the maze





Pretty gardens



Then we started strolling along the Esplanade in the direction of the Hollywood Hotel (partly just to see how far it would be normally). It was actually further than we anticipated. You got good views of all the construction work on the new hotel though. DH decided that surely we could get back into the Hollywood Hotel grounds, perhaps beyond the hotel, from the Esplanade so we continued walking. I was stepping up onto the parapet edge to take a pic when DD starts screaming “snake” Mum snake!!!” as apparently I step closer towards biting/stepping on range instead of away! I finally register the snake, the snake as snakes do took off in the opposite direction and DD was most cranky she was so busy alerting me she didn’t get a decent pic!

On the Esplanade, Discovery Bay in the distance



"Snake - Mum!!"



We continued, much more alert for snakes now. Peng Chau island I believe



More views of Discovery Bay in the haze.

 

[zanzibar138]

Hmm good thing you mentioned the snake. I would never have thought to look out for them in HK... I seem to sub-consciously think they're just an Aussie thing.

Lovely relaxed morning so far. DH spent many hours just sitting in the lobby at the HKDL Hotel, reading or enjoying the musicians.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Breakfast at Walt's looks great.
Love that maze.

I never even thought about snakes in HK. Wow!
Yes, that walk seems longer than you'd think. I actually think it's longer along the sea than on the road.

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Part 3

These were lots of dragonflies buzzing about



New hotel construction







When we reached the Hollywood Hotel area we could see a second set of hoarding closed the area off with bull dozers in the inbetween zone – no getting through anywhere there then. Kept walking. We soon ran out of Esplanade at a barred gate but that was easy to climb around on the rocks making up the sea wall. Unfortunately this just landed us in another security/loading zone/storage area so we just strolled through, past the gatehouse and onto the street! No sidewalks of course so we walked along the edge dodging the odd van that came past, expecting to be accosted “tourists not allowed here”! Not too far and we turned in at the gates to Hollywood and home safe but note, there is NO access to the Esplanade from the Hollywood Hotel at the moment – lol! No pics of our unorthodox exit from the Esplanade sorry.

Over breakfast I had abandoned early plans of maybe doing a hike today as DH wasn’t really up to a long walk and I was content to have a lazy last day of the hol. So, after checking out and having our bags held, we headed to the Hollywood pool area for a couple of hours with our books and to listen to the jazz they play from the 1940’s and Elvis and co from the 1950’s. DD and I attempted a go on the waterslidebut apparently we were too big-it’s only for the under 100cms. I missed seeing the signs and couldn’t understand the CM in charge so got one slide in before realised my error-oops! The pool was practically empty.



After a couple of hours when we were sick of listening to the jazz and had dried off, we caught the bus over to the Disneyland Hotel. I had thought maybe the Sunset pool bar or something might have been open for a lunch poolside since the Hollywood Hotel equivalent looks to be permanently shut, but no such luck. DD and I decided we didn’t feel like another swim.

DLH pool



We explored the hotel and its grounds a little more and found the last available seat in the foyer which was packed with departing families, to do some interneting. Then, because I figured the pool showers and change rooms would be nicer over here, DD and I investigated – we were right. We had ourselves an amazing shower, lots of hot water, complimentary shampoo, conditioner, body soap, even a hair dryer. It was great. When we got back DH who was saving our seats went to the men’s and took his turn.

Some more views of DLH foyer





Pretty foyer conveniences



Painting, typical of many dotted about

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Part 4

Exploring downstairs in the hotel. Gym and indoor pool





Downstairs mural along one wall



Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique







Pool showers



More paintings that demonstrate the different styles between Disneyland and art deco Hollywood hotels

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Part 5

Realised earlier today after our swim we didn't catch the bus to the Disneyland Hotel, we caught it to Disneyland and walked the promenade from there to the hotel to show DH. It was still empty!

Topiary



DD with her fave character



Less seen duo



My fave persons



More topiary

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Part 6

Caught the bus back to the Hollywood and grabbed a very late but simple lunch from Hollywood & Dine just before they closed, changed into travelling clothes and had the bellhop call us a cab for the airport. He quoted a set fee that was the standard I had read of HK$130. It was an uneventful ride though longer than I had thought it would be.

At the airport I am hazy now as managed to neglect finishing my trip diary, but I know we checked our bags in and had a couple of hours wait for our Hong Kong flight to Singapore. I think we had some dinner here before boarding. The plane we were on was a brand new B777 with touch screen controls and an option of showing the flight info continuously on the handset.





Views of Hong Kong





Our flight got in to Singapore with only an hour or so to spare, enough time to use the loos, buy water etc. I know this artwork made out of tins of tuna amused me!



It was a pleasant overnight flight back home taken up watching more movies and TV shows. Either on the flight over or the flight back I saw Inside Out which DD had watched and highly recommended. I think on the Hong Kong to Singapore Leg I caught up on Minions Despicable Me which I had never seen and on the Brisbane leg the Second Best Marigold Hotel and Jurassic World –it’s all a bit hazy now. Collected our car from airport parking and home safely.

A piccie of our 'loot' (very restrained)



Highlights of today: Breakfast at Walts, being lazy swimming and exploring the hotels and environs. Downsides: Not being allowed to slide on the waterslides, no direct access to the esplanade from the Hollywood Hotel, overnight rather than daytime flights. Steps walked 8,801

 

[zanzibar138]

No adults allowed on waterslides? Where's the fun in that?

DD and I share a favourite I'm just disappointed they don't seem to have Mulan out for meet and greets at HKDL anymore. Surely they will have her out as a regular in Shanghai!

Nice relaxing kind of day before your flight home.

 

[Aussie Wendy]

I know - no adults on waterslides??? I have stayed in several hotels where you can. Not sure what the regulations re slides in the US Disney pools are, but one I have a hankering for, I think its the Beach House because of their pool slide! Yes no Mulan At least we got some great pics with Mulan and Mishu in 2008. But hope Shanghai, surely they will have them appearing.