Hong Kong Disneyland (HKDL) Discussion Thread

Hey everybody!

This thread is simple! Rather than having a million little threads about everything that goes on at Hong Kong Disneyland, this thread is designed to consolidate it all into one user-friendly thread. Feel free to use it to post updates, trip reports, questions, comments, and of course, general discussion. For pictures and videos of the park as well as past updates, see TPR's Park Index Page.

Official Park Website

Below are some links to past updates from the park, you may be interested in. Enjoy!

_____________________________________________________
2005
June 6th, 2005 - Hong Kong Disneyland set to open in 100 days - SEE BELOW!
September 12th, 2005 - Hong Kong Disneyland opens
Septmeber 14th, 2005 - HKDL announces intent to build second park
October 12th, 2005 - Disgruntled ex-employee threatens suicide in park

2006
February 2nd, 2006 - more growing pains, riots occur after park sells out for 8 consecutive days
February 27th, 2006 - Two rides unvieled as part of Phase 2 expansion

2009
Park decides to delay further expansion plans - March 18th, 2009
June 29th, 2009 - Hong Kong government comes to agreement with Disney to expand the park
June 30th, 2009 - Plans for park expansion revealed
November 16th, 2009 - Big Grizzly Mountain Coaster plans announced
November 18th, 2009 - Toy Story Land expansion details revealed

2011
November 17th, 2011 - Toy Story Land opens

2012
January 9th, 2012 - Disney seeks to add four more hotels to HKDL
June 6th, 2012 - Grizzly Gulch grows closer to completion
September 3rd, 2012 - 'Disney's Haunted Halloween' 2012 details announced
October 25th, 2012 - Big Grizzly Mountain POV Video
November 9th, 2012 - HKDL considers adding 3 hotels as it turns 1st profit

2013
February 27th, 2013 - HKDL to add Marvel-themed land as new park expansion!
March 28th, 2013 - Increased ticket prices to fund new parade & new area
April 21th, 2013 - Hong Kong TV video about Mystic Manor!

_____________________________________________________
Original Post:

http://www.chinapost.com.tw/business/de ... 3428&GRP=E

Disney officials kicked off a 100-day countdown to their new Hong Kong theme park's opening on Sept. 12.

"We have felt the excitement growing all over Hong Kong and around the region as our grand opening approaches," said Don Robinson, Hong Kong Disneyland group managing director.

Donning gold and black Mickey Mouse hats and white gloves, hundreds of employees at the Hong Kong park celebrated the countdown on Friday.

The company said it has planned a series of promotions for the park in the next 100 days.

Built on reclaimed land on outlying Lantau Island, the park is a joint venture between the Hong Kong government and The Walt Disney Co.

Hong Kong officials say the park is a key part of the territory's plan to become a prime destination for vacationing families.

[johnroseThis is how Canadians get their rocks off!]

Disney executives say new park in Hong Kong is giant step into China

By William Foreman

HONG KONG (AP) - Hong Kong Disneyland is ``definitely ready'' to open next week, Walt Disney Co. president Robert Iger said Friday, calling it a giant step for the company's plans to break into China's huge market.

Iger spoke to The Associated Press at the theme park while in the background a singer rehearsed songs from the Disney children's movie Mulan and workers nearby brushed green paint on fences ahead of Monday's scheduled opening.

During the last week, Disneyland has given tens of thousands of visitors a sneak peek of the park on outlying Lantau Island, about a 30-minute subway ride from central Hong Kong. The crowds who were allowed to try out the attractions during the ``rehearsal days'' have complained about long lines at the rides and restaurants.

But Disneyland has refused to lower its maximum capacity of 30,000, and Iger said he was pleased with the park's progress.

``The park is definitely ready for its grand opening,'' said Iger, who will become the company's chief executive Oct. 1, replacing Michael Eisner.

Set against lush mountains, Disneyland is expected to draw about 3.6 million visitors within a year and up to 7.4 million annually after 15 years, the company has said. About 40 per cent of the visitors are expected to come from mainland China.

Iger said that the Chinese are less familiar with Disney compared with people in other major markets, and that the Hong Kong park will be key to igniting greater interest in Disney.

``We fully expect this is a giant step in the direction of growing the company and all its Disney brands and businesses in this very populous region,'' Iger said.

``This is the biggest venture that any, certainly any Western media company has ever embarked on in this region _ not just in terms of the scope from a financial perspective, but the commitment it has taken, the detail, the planning, the technology and training,'' he said.

The park is a joint venture deal between Disney and the Hong Kong government signed in 1999. Hong Kong taxpayers are forking over the equivalent of $2.1 billion US, including costs for reclaiming land and supporting infrastructure. The government has also extended a $782 million US loan.

Disney has pitched in $314 million as well as $15.4 million in rent per year.

Iger said Disney is a global brand but it has to become more of a global company.

``Disney has achieved over the years a great brand breadth. We're known throughout the world,'' he said. ``But if you really analyze it, it is mostly breadth and not as much depth as we'd like in certain markets. This (Hong Kong Disneyland) is digging really deep in this market, and it will create great depth for Disney for decades to come.''

Iger said that Disney has been talking to the government in Shanghai _ China's financial centre _ about a possible new park that wouldn't open until at least 2010.

``Those discussions are ongoing,'' he said.

Eisner told the AP he was sure that Hong Kong Disneyland would be a hit because the Chinese have such strong value for families.

The outgoing CEO said he was touched when he saw how thousands of visitors were using digital cameras on their mobile phones to photograph the fireworks show Thursday night at the park's main strip, Main Street, USA.

``Last night I went to Main Street to watch some of the shows and then the fireworks. Seeing 15,000 people lined up on Main Street, with probably 15,000 telephones photographing a fireworks show,'' he said. ``That to me was one of the most amazing things.''

[SteveCDonald Duck...]

Disney executives say new park in Hong Kong is giant step into China

By William Foreman

HONG KONG (AP) - Hong Kong Disneyland is ``definitely ready'' to open next week, Walt Disney Co. president Robert Iger said Friday, calling it a giant step for the company's plans to break into China's huge market. ''

Getting off to a dodgy start it seems.......quoting from the Independent 12/9/05
'The park faces a potential lawsuit from the Hong Kong authorities after hygiene inspectors investigating a case of food poisoning were forced to remove their caps and epaulettes by Disneyland security staff before being admitted.................Having been forced to remove shark's fin soup ( :shock: ) from its menu by outraged environmentalists, Disneylands management is still struggling to counter the bad press generated by a disastrous rehersal day on Sep 4 that saw 29,000 visitors queueing for hours for rides and unable to find space in the park's restauarants....'

Well - by the sounds of things - what with food poisoning scares and obscure menu items - not being able to find a space in a restaurant sounds like a good thing

As for queuing for hours - what's news about that ??

Steve - what happens to the rest of the shark left over from Shark fin soup-C

(maybe Shark Tums has a take on this ??)

[SharkTumsSite Admin]

I'm not an environmentalist or PETA member by any means, but Shark Fin Soup is one of the worst things in the world.

They literally slice the fins off of the shark that is still alive then dump it back in the ocean to die slowly since it can't move.

Not cool!

[johnroseThis is how Canadians get their rocks off!]

Moving World Disney opens its newest theme park in Hong Kong

By Min Lee and William Foreman

HONG KONG (AP) - When Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck landed in Paris in 1992, French officials shunned the opening of Euro Disney, intellectuals decried the invasion of American pop culture and park workers protested the strict dress code.

Disney's latest experience - its new park in Hong Kong - couldn't have been more different.

Hong Kong Disneyland opened Monday with musicians clanging cymbals, Chinese lion dancers prancing precariously on tall poles and fireworks bursting in the sky. Chinese Vice-President Zeng Qinghong joined Disney executives in front of the Sleeping Beauty Castle, declaring the park Hong Kong's ``eternal carnival.''

The ceremony ended with a parade of skipping Disney characters old and new: Mickey, Donald Duck, Mushu the dragon, Lilo and Winnie the Pooh.

Earlier, hundreds of people lined up outside the gate, waiting to get in despite the sweltering heat.

Michael Kuzma, of Celebration, Fla., was first in line. ``For over 50 years, the American people have experienced the happiness of Disney theme parks. I hope the people of China can enjoy the happiness,'' the 36-year-old consultant said.

It was a much warmer welcome than in France, where officials skipped the opening ceremony and critics complained that Euro Disney was an assault on French culture.

A government agency filed a complaint contending Euro Disney's ban on beards, mustaches and coloured hosiery may have violated France's work code. And President Francois Mitterrand dismissed the park as ``not exactly my cup of tea.''

Hong Kong's government, however, is the biggest investor in the new $3.5 billion US park, believing the attraction will help turn this global financial capital into Asia's best family holiday spot. Disneyland says it employs 5,000 people and will draw 5.6 million visitors in its first year.

Hong Kong and Disney struck a deal to build the park in 1999 - just two years after the former British colony returned to Chinese rule. The city had been battered by the Asian financial crisis, and desperately needed a new project to boost its spirits and troubled economy.

Hong Kong's embrace of Disneyland is also the product of a westernized, ruthlessly capitalistic and non-ideological mind-set that's short on cultural roots. The territory was ruled by Britain for more than 150 years, and it's still governed separately.

``A relatively more acute awareness of practical gains and losses, a more worldly mentality and a relatively weaker nationalism are part of Hong Kong culture,'' said political scientist James Sung at the City University of Hong Kong.

Ordinary Hong Kongers don't see Mickey and Donald as a cultural threat.

``Hong Kong is used to customs from all over the world,'' said Thomas Choi, a 45-year-old clerk.

Even so Disney deferred to Hong Kong custom, tweaking the park design after consulting masters of feng shui, the Chinese belief of improving fortunes by adjusting the layout of objects and keeping various elements in harmony.

Disney hopes the park - the 11th in its global empire - will be a magnet for increasingly wealthy Chinese tourists, who have a reputation for being big spenders.

The attraction and its two resort hotels are surrounded by mountains on lush Lantau Island, just 30 minutes away by subway from bustling central Hong Kong. It looks much like the first Disneyland in California, with a Space Mountain thrill ride, a classic Cinderella Carousel and the Sleeping Beauty Castle.

Robert Iger, president of the Walt Disney Co., also hopes the Hong Kong park will expand the company's reach into China, where generations have grown up with little or no familiarity with Mickey Mouse. Iger expects the park to ignite interest in Disney films, TV shows and other products. Hong Kong-based Phoenix Television broadcast the Disneyland opening live to viewers across China.

Michael Eisner, Disney's chief executive officer, said China and Disneyland will be a perfect match because they both value families.

``You go to the park and you see mothers, daughters and kids and grandparents. The family unit in China is unbelievably strong. It's not just Hong Kong, it's mainland China,'' Eisner said.

Hong Kong Disneyland hasn't been all smooth sailing. The park has drawn criticism from environmentalists for wanting to serve shark's fin, an item eventually dropped from the menu, and letting stray dogs at the site be rounded up and put to death.

An hour before the opening ceremony, activists gathered outside, chanting ``No Conscience'' and ``Evil Mickey.'' They were protesting alleged labour abuses at factories making Disney products in China. Disney has said it's investigating the claims.

Disney could face a tougher sell in mainland China, where it is speculated to build a Disneyland in the financial capital of Shanghai.

The Communist Chinese government, despite moving toward capitalism and opening up the country to foreign investment, is still wary of foreign culture overtaking traditional values, political scientist Sung said.

[johnroseThis is how Canadians get their rocks off!]

Hong Kong Disneyland

By William Foreman

HONG KONG (AP) - Hong Kong Disneyland held its opening ceremony on Monday, marking Mickey Mouse's biggest push into China _ a market the U.S. company hopes will flood the theme park with splurging tourists from the world's most populous nation.

Chinese Vice-President Zeng Qinghong, Hong Kong leader Donald Tsang and top Disney executives Michael Eisner and Robert Iger officiated at the park's opening, celebrated with drums, cymbals and a lion dance in front of its pink Sleeping Beauty Castle.

Zeng offered his blessing, calling the park ``Hong Kongers' eternal carnival.''

``Its completion added a new tourist spot full of charisma for Hong Kong citizens and tourists,'' Zeng said. ``It also provided a new growth point for Hong Kong's economic prosperity.''

Flanked by Mickey and Minnie, the four men cut a red ribbon to officially open the park.

Hundreds of visitors queued outside the park's gate, braving the heat with fans as they waited to get in.

The attraction and its two resort hotels are surrounded by mountains on lush Lantau Island, just 30 minutes away by subway from bustling central Hong Kong.

It looks much like the first Disneyland in California, with a Space Mountain thrill ride, a classic Cinderella Carousel and Sleeping Beauty Castle _ which Disney predicts will be one of the most photographed buildings in Asia.

Hong Kong's government _ the biggest investor in the $3.5 billion US park _ says the attraction will help turn this global financial capital into Asia's best family holiday spot.

Disney hopes the park _ the 11th in its global empire _ will be a magnet for increasingly wealthy Chinese tourists, who have a reputation for being big-spenders.

Earlier, Iger, president of Walt Disney Co., said the Hong Kong park is a ``first big step'' in expanding the company's reach into China, where generations have grown up with little or no familiarity with Mickey Mouse.

Iger said the park would create a media buzz and word-of-mouth excitement that would ignite interest in Disney films, TV shows and other products. He said that state-owned China Central Television was doing a special about the park.

``It's going to be seen by, I'm told, as many as a billion people, which is tremendous,'' Iger told The Associated Press.

Eisner, Disney's chief executive officer, said China and Disneyland will be a perfect match because they both value families.

``You go to the park and you see mothers, daughters and kids and grandparents. The family unit in China is unbelievably strong. It's not just Hong Kong, it's mainland China,'' Eisner said.

An hour before Monday's opening ceremony, a small crowd of labour, human rights and anti-Disney activists gathered outside the park's front gate, chanting ``No Conscience'' and ``Evil Mickey.'' They were protesting alleged labour abuses at factories making Disney products in China. Disney has said it's investigating the claims.

Hong Kong and Disney struck a deal to build the park in 1999 _ just two years after the former British colony returned to Chinese rule. The city had been battered by the Asian financial crisis, and desperately needed a new project to boost its spirits and troubled economy.

Disneyland says it employs 5,000 people and will draw 5.6 million visitors in its first year.

The public has generally embraced the park, which began construction in 2003. But environmentalists protested the park's now-aborted plan to serve shark-fin soup at banquets. Neighbours have complained about the noise and smoke from nightly fireworks shows. And social critics have been worried about the influence of American culture.

But the biggest complaint among some of the thousands who got a sneak peak at the park during a soft opening period in the past month has been that Hong Kong Disneyland is too small. It's Disney's smallest park at 40 hectares.

The entire attraction _ including the two hotels _ is 121 hectares _ and there's room to expand to 200 hectares.

When asked what he didn't like about the park, Chinese tourist Zhang Wei said, ``It's way too small.''

But Zhang predicted it would be a big hit with the mainland Chinese.

``Disney has a big name and it will definitely attract people and be a success,'' said the 38-year-old businessman from Beijing as he finished watching the daily parade of floats carrying a waving Little Mermaid, Alice in Wonderland and Buzz Lightyear.

Hong Kongers have a reputation for being brusque and unsmiling, but the Disneyland staff _ including cleaners and guards _ have been trying to master the Disney tradition of giving guests a warm smile and friendly ``Hello!'' or ``Nei hou!'' in Cantonese or ``Ni Hao!'' in the mainland's Mandarin.

The greetings were Hong Kong visitor Evie Chan's favourite thing
about the park. ``The staff here is very friendly,'' said Chan, an
employee of a marketing firm in her late 20s. ``It's like we've
known each other for a long time.''

[ImhotepA zonkey is a cross between a zebra and a donkey.]

They literally slice the fins off of the shark that is still alive then dump it back in the ocean to die slowly since it can't move.

^wow I didnt know that. Throwing them back?? Thats horrible!!!

[TeddymonsterBanned]

Ay, Elissa is correct. I am not a PETA member either, but people need to have some respect for another living thing (funny how I have more respect for animals than most humans...probably cause they can't speak). It may just be a little inevitable culture-shock on our part.

[Sir ClinksalotBitch Please!]

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=62379

Hope that link works. The preview feature isn't being particularly friendly today.

[DenDenFabulously FIERCE!]

LMAO!!!!! Good find!