Starring Mickey and Minnie, and Hsieh June as the supporting character.

There really wasn’t much to shout about Hong Kong Disneyland. Perhaps it wouldn’t be fair for me to comment since I’ve already visited other parks prior to the opening of Hong Kong Disneyland. Perhaps age is catching up and I’ve lost that naivety to believe in fairy god mothers and magical kingdoms and princesses who live happily ever after. Perhaps, I was just ‘weirded out’ by Cantonese-speaking Sleeping Beauty.

Undeniable bubbly and boisterous, the ambience inside the park was chock-a-block with excited children, lovey-dovey couples and noisy tourists who were all ready to rock the park in their Disney headbands, gears, badges and collar pins, and armed with autograph books and Disney pens that come with those annoyingly bubbly characters on top.

Hong Kong Disneyland is divided into four thematic parks – Mainstreet USA, Adventureland, Fantasyland and Tommorowland. I think Hong Kong Disneyland is perhaps the smallest Disneyland park in the world. Nonetheless, a boat ride at Adventureland was quite a thrill and not to be missed. The rest of the rides were uneventful and unmemorable. It was lacking in excitement for grown up kids like me.

I was more exited about our accommodation. We stayed at Disney’s Hollywood Hotel. It was a fantastic deal compared to the city hotels. Rooms at Disney’s Hollywood Hotel are much more spacious as they are designed to cater to families of four, with two double beds in each room . It would cost more if you decide to take a room with an ocean view. It also has a large compound with a piano-shaped outdoor swimming pool and themed gardens that replicate the details of old Hollywood glamour. I really like all things retro and vintage, and the 1930’s interior designs and art deco monuments brought about an atmosphere of glitz and glamour of a bygone era.

We did not have our breakfast at the hotel though as we decided to take the MTR to Tung Chung for a hearty breakfast of dim sum. For those who have children, a breakfast experience at the hotel would be wonderful as they sometimes have Disney characters wandering around to greet guests in the morning. After breakfast, we took a walk along the boardwalk overlooking the Lantau mountains.

Anyway, back at the park, we managed to catch quite a handful of Disney personalities. From Sleeping Beauty to Buzz Lightyear, Ariel of The little Mermaid to Pluto and Goofy. As colourful as it was, the joy was incomplete without my brother. Really wished you were here with us.

Try not to be tempted to buy the souvenirs from the shops. I think photos and pictures make the best souvenirs and mementos. I remember buying a Monster Inc soft toy from Disneyland Paris some years ago and it is now stashed away in the storeroom, collecting dust in one of my cardboard boxes.

The highlight of Hong Kong Disneyland is their daily fireworks! Awesome display of pyrotechnics, fireworks and musical accompaniment that left us gushing in Ooo’s… and Aww’s.. I’d suggest for all visitors to stay on till evening to catch this spectacular showcase.

I think the best time to visit Hong Kong Disneyland is during the spring season. Summer can be a bit hot and rainy. We were there in winter and we thoroughly enjoyed the cold weather, the only setback was the thick jackets that we had to remove each time we went indoor.