The HKDL Source

Update for September 10  to September 16 - News and Commentary

 

Skip To: Current Closures, Refurbishment and Construction |  Events & Important Dates | Current Discounts/Promotions | Park Hours/Schedule/Annual Pass Blockout Days | Comments

 

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News This Week: Happy 2nd Birthday, Hong Kong Disneyland! | External Plugging | Eyewitness Report - IASW

 

It's not a good week to be on an anti-cake break. There is always one person who turns up to a party and refuses to eat anything fun, and I fear it is me this week. However, party we shall for it is a celebratory week - Hong Kong Disneyland's second anniversary. Despite the fact that the Pirate Land decorations have now been taken down, and the Summer Blast is fading into the festivities of Autumn (or Fall for our American friends), we still have plenty to look forward to. So let's don our party hats and break this big ol' week down.

 

Happy 2nd Birthday, Hong Kong Disneyland

 

As already mentioned in my rambling introduction, our favourite Far Eastern Disney park enters its Terrible Twos on September 12 this week. While those two years have had their ups and downs - and some may argue that there has been more downs than ups in the popular press - we hope that choose to join us in raising your glass and toasting two years of magic happenings.

 

While Disney Publicity confirmed with us on Friday that they are "not planning for any celebration or events on the 2nd anniversary", we weren't really expecting it either. Traditionally, these things only get marked every five years, so we probably won't be seeing any major birthday celebrations until 2010 (and at this rate, we won't be seeing any major new attractions either - but positive, it's all about the positive today...). However, there in an unofficial fan meet in the park this Wednesday, organized by HKDLR (fan club) and HongKongThemeParks. We wish these groups the best, and hope at least one of you will be in contact with us with a report of the day's events. We always love sharing your views of the park with the world through this site.

 

Rather than dwell on the negative, let's accentuate the positive. Some highlights of the last year have included:

• Tom's visit to Hong Kong Disneyland in February 2007
• Exclusively revealing the Pirates Takeover Overlay for Adventureland
• Launching the new-look HKDL Source in April
• Being invited by Disney to join them in launching Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End in the park
• Watching Mickey's Summer Blast 2007 kick off this week and all those lovely photos we received!
• The announcement of the Halloween "Dark World" kicking off in just a few weeks!

 

Casting our gaze ahead to what Year 3 has in store, and it looks to be a big one. Hong Kong Disneyland has already announced their Halloween 2007 plans, and they promise to be one of the best Halloweens in any Disney Park. Featuring a Haunted Hotel on Main Street; a re-themed Space Mountain and a glow-in-the-dark parade, we can only imagine how cool Christmas is going to be. We hope this sets a standard for the unique things that Hong Kong Disneyland has to offer over the coming years. We've then got New Year, Chinese New Year in Feburary, Easter in March and in April, the launch of Hong Kong Disneyland's biggest attraction since opening (pun fully intended), it's a small world. Not long after, I'll be visiting the park, and we get the feeling that there will be parades and ice-creams in celebration. If not, I'll have plenty of photos for you. That's all before we hit Summer 2008. It's going to be big, that third year!

 

For now, it's enough to simply say HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HONG KONG DISNEYLAND. We wish for many happy returns.

 

External Plugging

 

As mentioned earlier in the week, Hong Kong Disneyland publicity opened up a New Stitch Ticket Booth at The Peak. The interactive area is designed to promote the park, by allowing guests to interact with Stitch through a virtual park, as well as give them the ability to purchase tickets to the park and special events.

 

It sounds like a wonderful idea to us. One of the chief problems that Hong Kong Disneyland has had to overcome has been one of publicity. More to the point, it has been one of the public perception of the park, and a lack of knowledge as to what it has to offer. To a large extent, this tourist attraction at The Peak - a tourist attraction itself - will bring a whole new group of people to the park. The flip side of this is that the Peak display will become an attraction in itself, and people will not bother with the park after seeing the game. However, this seems less of a possibility...

 

What we'd really like to see is have this concept expanded not just around Hong Kong and Asia, but around the rest of the world. Australia, perhaps? (HINT, HINT) It would be a really good way of promoting the little park to the rest of the world.

 

NB: The original version of this column was lost in strange circumstances. I reckon I did a good job of re-typing from memory.

 

Eyewitness Reports

 

A reader has written into us about some interesting activity going on around the it's a small world (IASW) construction site. Muhammad Hassan reports:

 

I went to Hong Kong Disneyland today, I am an Annual Pass holder so i go there every Saturday...I was crossing the Golden Mickeys which is next to the IASW construction site. A Cast Member ran in front of me, towards the IASW construction site, and I saw him open a door on the big purple wall type things they have to cover the construction. I followed him, but only to the door, as he had left the door open. I just took a peek at IASW and I saw big boats which were going in and out of the IASW building. I think they were testing the ride because they had traffic lights going green to red. As I saw more, on the left hand side of the IASW building, there was another building being constructed, it was identical to the Winnie the Pooh building and it was near completion. There was a big shining golden star on top of the building...[T]here was more construction going on, it sort of looked like a fantasy village because there were a lot of Winnie the Pooh type looking buildings and on the IASW building, there was the logo of the ride.

 

Muhammad goes on to suggest that the building he described was about the right size for something of the Peter Pan's Flight variety. However, we also think it could just as easily be a IASW operations building or operator hut. Still, with the rumoured expansion of the area around Fantasyland, we look forward to seeing where this development takes us.

 

Thanks to Muhammad for the info.

 

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Current and Forthcoming Closures, Refurbishments and Construction

 

• Fantasyland: No closures in Fantasyland, but there is constant construction going on ‘beyond the berm’ for the forthcoming it’s a small world attraction (Coming April 2008).
• Land appears to be cleared and built upon behind Adventureland and the Promenade for as-yet-undisclosed project. While some contend that this land has always been in this state, we have reports that some construction was seen to be going on in this area. Others still say that this is prep-work for a Downtown Disney style area and the Pirates extension to Adventureland. The HK Building Department reports this as a 'Dangerous Goods Storage Area'. We now have an indication that a hotel will be going up in the area. Time will tell.
• Construction work is being carried out near the main gates, allegedly for some new toilets and Cast Member break room.
• Some work is being done next to the Plaza Inn on Main Street, for the Haunted House walkthrough to begin assembly here at some stage in the near future. It's due to open September 25.
• Space Mountain closes September 18 to 22 for installation of Space Mountain - Ghost Galaxy Halloween features

 

Events & Important Dates

 

If you know of any events that should be listed here, please let us know. 

September

• Hong Kong Disneyland’s Birthday (September 12): Hong Kong Disneyland turns two. No official celebrations, but HKDLR and HongKongThemeParks are hosting a fan meet. Merchandise, including pins, T-shirts and biscuits, is already out in the shops.
• Character Auditions (September 30): Want to be a part of the Hong Kong Disneyland magic? You can audition for one of the character roles this month on Sunday 30 September 2007. Full details can be found of Disney's Careers Website.

 

October

• Halloween: (September 25 to October 31) Grim grinning ghosts come out to socialise all through September and October, as Hong Kong Disneyland celebrates its second official Halloween. Look for the decorations to go up late September, and then segue into the Christmas/New Year celebrations in November. This year will see the debut of a Haunted Hotel on Main Street; Space Mountain - Ghost Galaxy; a glow-in-the-dark parade and a host of other spooky surprises. You can read about the full line-up here.

 

November/December

• Christmas: From mid-November until New Year's Eve (December 31), Hong Kong Disneyland's Main Street will become a Winter Wonderland, with a tree lighting ceremony; musical events; special meals and the big man himself, Santa.
• Magical New Year and Countdown: Concluding the Christmas festivities, this big event will be a dance party for some; some old-school shindigging for others and an excuse to have fun for all. Count down to midnight in the park, and then go back and drain the hotels of all alcohol.

 

April 2008

• it’s a small world (April 2008): RTHK News reports that the attraction is set to open in April 2008, which is consistent with Disney’s official line of ‘early 2008’. You can follow the progress in our Construction Photo Gallery .

 

May 2008

• Richard  visits Hong Kong Disneyland late in the month. Prepare the fortifications!

 

Current Discounts/Promotions

• Annual Passholders: From July 1 to August 31, Passholders will receive an exclusive deals. Full details can be found here. September to December Passholder deals can be found here. Discounts for early renewals are also available.
• Bring a Friend Free: Annual Passholders can bring a friend to the park for free between September 1 and September 23! Details can be found here.
• Interest Free Installment when Purchasing Annual Passes: Purchase Annual Pass now with a Standard Chartered VISA Card or MANHATTAN VISA Card to enjoy a 12-month interest free installment. Offer Period: 1 December, 2006 – 31 December, 2007. See here for details. 
• Stay and Play for 2 Days: Book a hotel stay and enjoy an extra day at Hong Kong Disneyland when you purchase a one-day ticket! The offer has been extended until September 2008!
• Dining Deal: Book breakfast in advance and receive 30% off. Conditions apply.

 

Park Hours/Schedule/Annual Pass Block-out Days

 

Park hours will return to 10:00 to 8:00pm all throughout September, except for the weekend of Friday 28th/Saturday 29th, where the park will remain open until 11:00 PM for the Halloween festivities. September 26 will be a Peak Ticket day, and the ticket prices will be reflected accordingly.

 

Value Annual Passholders will have all weekends blocked to them during August and September, as well as September 26. Deluxe and Premium Annual Passholders get to go crazy, as no dates are blocked to them.

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