First Timer's Trip Report Finished

ExpatDisneyLover · Aug 29, 2014

Hello Everyone!

Well, I am back and had a wonderful trip! So excited to get my pictures uploaded! First of all, I loved the landscape! The Lantau Island area was so beautiful - I loved being there in the Disney bubble. It was a great way to relax for this Beijinger! :good vibes So I will be posting shortly!

ExpatDisneyLover · Aug 29, 2014

I'll start with a brief introduction. My name is Jill, I am a teacher and more recently a Foreign Trainer for Disney English in Beijing. I started this new job a year ago and I love it! This was my on boarding group with Disney a year ago!

I arranged my flight times during normal hours so that I could use public transportation on both sides. I left the house around 8am to get the subway and airport train here in Beijing. It was a short 3 hour flight to Hong Kong.

I flew Hong Kong Airlines - it was super cheap and for the price super value. We even were served a meal and on the way back had in-flight entertainment. It was nice to have a larger sized plane too. It was packed I will say.

I arrived, visited the ATM machine right at arrivals - had to queue a bit but no matter. The octopus card was easy to pick up - very easy to see and I boarded the Airport Express train on my way to HKDL! It was so gorgeous! The view from the train was a lovely introduction to the area.

The Disney Train!! The transfer at Sunny Bay was very easy - just walked across the platform to the Disney train. It did take me close to an hour though on the whole. May be that was because I was new and had to read the signs and figure out where I was going. I did enjoy it and feel comfortable using the MTR now but I think a taxi would have been quick and easy. On the way back I think my taxi took like 15 minutes hotel to the airport!

Finally I arrived at the Disneyland Hotel and it was gorgeous - just what this girl ordered! After a great check-in, I settled into my sea view room. My view!

I was starving - so ordered room service - Indian veggie - it was fabulous! I love the room service - affordable and tasty! I think I ordered room service twice during the short trip. Previous posters were right - the food at the hotel was really good. I also ate at Walt's Cafe for breakfast three days and also for a late lunch one afternoon. All meals were very good.

More room views:

By now it was dark and the pool looked so gorgeous!

Going to work now - to be continued! . . .

CaliBear · Aug 29, 2014

ah, happy memories of HKDL

I wish we had a trip planned this year, but I'm afraid no HK in 2014 for us. Looking forward to more!

ExpatDisneyLover · Aug 29, 2014

CaliBear said:
ah, happy memories of HKDL I wish we had a trip planned this year, but I'm afraid no HK in 2014 for us. Looking forward to more!

Thanks for reading! Hope you can have another trip in the not so distant future -

- 2015 is not so far away -

PrincessInOz · Aug 29, 2014

Yay! Another HKDL TR.

Glad you had a great time and enjoyed the park.
Looking forward to reading more.

TheChanClan · Aug 30, 2014

I'm glad to hear you had a good trip! Looking forward to reading your TR! :thumbsup2

ExpatDisneyLover · Aug 30, 2014

PrincessInOz said:
Yay! Another HKDL TR.

Glad you had a great time and enjoyed the park.
Looking forward to reading more.

TheChanClan said:
I'm glad to hear you had a good trip! Looking forward to reading your TR!

Thanks too for reading - hope to have some more posts up in the next few days. I love HKDL and I am so happy I was able to visit!

maryr1oz · Aug 31, 2014

Glad you had a great trip - can't wait to read more! :cool1:

ExpatDisneyLover · Aug 31, 2014

maryr1oz said:
Glad you had a great trip - can't wait to read more!

Glad you're reading along!

ExpatDisneyLover · Aug 31, 2014

After a great dinner I was ready to go out exploring. It was getting close to the time for the Fireworks so I decided to mosey on over to Disneyland. I walked the promenade to the park - it was soooo gorgeous at night - all lit up with Disney music playing. What a lovely introduction to Hong Kong Disneyland.

When I arrived at the entrance there were very few people going in because of the time. I had to make a stop at guest services to pick up my Cast Member ticket but was soon in the park. The park at night is really lovely! I decided to leave the camera at home and just soak it in but here are a few night shots I took later.

The first stop I make in any Disney park is "Small World" - as this was my favourite ride when I went to Disneyland California as a high school student. Funny too - I have spent my life travelling the world and teaching children.

I made a few stops at Main Street USA, one of them being the popcorn cart. :rolleyes1

Oh my! Let me just say the caramel corn is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G - and I don't even like caramel corn. I tried to order the original but suffered a break down in communication and received the caramel - and it smelled so good I decided to try it. It was hot and delicious - and since I ordered the refillable souvenir bucket - enjoyed two or three more bucketfuls during my stay - :rolleyes1

-

. Wish I had taken a picture of the popcorn now.

The souvenir bucket was around 90 HKD and the refills were 29 HKD if I remember correctly.

I parked myself in a good spot and waited 30-45 minutes for the Fireworks. I loved it - sorry no pictures as I was camera less but it was magical start to a lovely trip! pixie dust:

I passed through the shops on Main Street to scout out merchandise on my way out of the park. It was crowded!

The hot item in the shops on Main Street USA was the Anna dress. Many a little girl was trying this on and I saw many Anna's in the park during my stay. So for those of you who are shopping for Frozen dresses, this was available. I didn't see any Elsa dresses for sale at the time.

I took the leisurely stroll on the promenade back to the hotel, had a lovely hot shower with the provided H2O spa toiletries (love these), and cuddled into the comfy bed. A magical day! pixiedust:

M&Mmum · Sep 1, 2014

So excited to read your TR. We are making our first visit to HKDL later this month!

ExpatDisneyLover · Sep 2, 2014

M&Mmum said:
So excited to read your TR. We are making our first visit to HKDL later this month!

Have a wonderful trip!

I loved HKDL! Having also been to Paris, I so enjoy seeing what Disney does each time they create a new park. Each one is all Disney and all its' own. HKDL is just as beautiful and unique in my mind. I loved the promenade from the hotels to the park, and all the attention to detail. There are definitely fewer attractions of course but it is only 9 years old! I am a self confessed total fan now - not everyone is as nutty as I am about Disney parks but there you are.

The location just cannot be beat - very beautiful having the sea so near IMO! :cloud9:

Hope you enjoy your visit! pixiedust:

ExpatDisneyLover · Sep 2, 2014

I awoke to this beautiful view!

I decided to have breakfast at Walt's Cafe so wandered down the hallway to the elevator with this view out the window.

I was very early and they gave me a table with a great view of the maze. First the maze from the lobby.

Then from my table.

Breakfast!

This is just the continental part. I also had an omelette with this! The price was around 200 HKD.

A few more pictures of the hotel on the way out.

I took a leisurely stroll along the promenade to the park. It was a lovely start.

And then I arrived at the entrance to HKDL - a few more people about -

helenk · Sep 2, 2014

I made a few stops at Main Street USA, one of them being the popcorn cart. Oh my! Let me just say the caramel corn is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G - and I don't even like caramel corn. I tried to order the original but suffered a break down in communication and received the caramel - and it smelled so good I decided to try it. It was hot and delicious - and since I ordered the refillable souvenir bucket - enjoyed two or three more bucketfuls during my stay - - . Wish I had taken a picture of the popcorn now.

My daughter and I had that caramel popcorn and I agree it was the best I have ever had, it was so tasty and crunchy. :cloud9:

ExpatDisneyLover · Sep 3, 2014

helenk said:
My daughter and I had that caramel popcorn and I agree it was the best I have ever had, it was so tasty and crunchy.

Oh my goodness isn't it??!!! :rotfl:

I brought half a bag home with me and we were raving about it at work - even two days old it was still fabulous. :lovestruc

ExpatDisneyLover · Sep 3, 2014

I headed for Grizzly Gulch as I wanted to ride the Mine Train coaster! It was still early and not so hot. My first impressions of this coaster were sort of "meh". I am a true lover of EE at Animal Kingdom in WDW. However I will say I rode it again in the evening and it was super fun! This is a great coaster to ride at night - the effects are even more noticeable and the cooler temperatures made it really enjoyable. I even ran into one of my students on the way over to ride it - which made it even nicer.

After Grizzly Gulch I was already feeling the heat in spite of my spf 50 "sunbrella" so I wandered over to Mystic Manor. Here is a note - if you are hot - head over to Mystic Manor as they have a great air conditioned queue. I took some pictures but they really didn't turn out - photography is not my strong suit. It is an enjoyable ride - and innovative on the creativity/technology side but I found myself riding it when I wanted to cool down more than anything else.

I did find the gift shop very nice though and had a bracelet made with my Chinese name on it - which was a unique gift.

During my park days I tried to leave by 2 pm - it was just too hot for me to enjoy staying outside in the heat of the day- but this was an R and R trip where I spent more time at the hotel enjoying the amenities. The park at night was gorgeous!

I had a great meal at the Corner Cafe (Coca Cola) on Main Street before heading back to the hotel. After seeing the photos here on the Dis I decided to order the Reuben sandwich with a ginger coke. It was lovely!

Thanks for the tip!

More general park photos. A little Buzz and Lion King!

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maryr1oz · Sep 3, 2014

How funny - we ordered the exact same meal at Corner Cafe! A ginger coke and the Reuben... the ginger syrup in the coke was a bit too much for me :goodvibes

ExpatDisneyLover · Sep 3, 2014

maryr1oz said:
How funny - we ordered the exact same meal at Corner Cafe! A ginger coke and the Reuben... the ginger syrup in the coke was a bit too much for me

LOL! I think it was your photo that inspired me to try it! I am glad I did. They no longer have the ginger coke on the menu but they specially made it for me. I wouldn't have even known about it if I hadn't seen your TR. It was perfect for me at the time - it was getting hot and I think I was a bit nauseous and the ginger helped. It was super sweet though. :thumbsup2

ExpatDisneyLover · Sep 9, 2014

I had a nice rest at the hotel with a swim in the indoor pool. It was lovely.

I happen to catch Snow White at the hotel. I think she was going to the Storybook Playhouse to see the kids.

After hovering a little awkwardly trying to take a few photos, a Cast Member came over and told me to go ahead and get my picture with her. I don't often take the time to get my pictures with characters but really wanted this one. My classroom is called Snow White's Castle and I knew my learners would be really happy if I got to meet Snow White in person. They were very happy to hear that I met her. They were even happier to hear that Snow White was overjoyed when she heard about them! :cloud9:

Perfect!