The HKDL Source

Update for October 8  to October 14 - News and Commentary

 

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News This Week: But it's got a GREAT personality | Weekly Rant on the Future | Top Things

 

It's been a busy news week here at the Source, despite nothing really happening that we can get too excited about. Sorry, did I think that or type that? It's just hard to get enthused from my desk in Sydney about convenience store deals and VoluntEARS with books floating out to sea with a group of unsuspecting children. It sounds kind of seedy when you type it down, doesn't it? Besides, we are exhausted from all the Halloween news of the last two weeks, and welcome the break. Meanwhile my own decision making process on whether to go to my beloved Hollywood Hotel next year, or pony up the extra cash just to say I've stayed at the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel just to say that I have. Or maybe I should just play with my freshly purchased Playstation 3...

 

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But It's Got a GREAT Personality!

 

Is anybody else able to read the daily news without bursting in laughing at the sheer absurdity of it all? Not a day goes by without some 'reading between the lines' that make it painfully obvious that we aren't being told the whole story on important issues. This week, my mirth turned to an article on our beloved Hong Kong Disneyland.

 

In an article from the People's Daily Online, a park official commented that attendance is not the sole indicator of success in the theme park world.

 

Attendance should not be taken as the sole indicator of Hong Kong Disneyland's performance, an official of the theme park has said in an interview with Xinhua. The Hong Kong Disneyland Resort "comprises various operations" and "many are the factors essential to our success," said Wayne Leung, a specialist of the theme park's Publicity Department.

 

In the marketing world, this is what they call "spin". The rest of us know this scenario as the one where you try and fob off your lonely friend to someone that is probably way out of their league by using the line "they've got a great personality". Sure, they aren't that unattractive to look at, in fact they are quite lovely in parts, and they certainly have their good qualities. However, like Hong Kong Disneyland, not enough people have been inside them and you really don't need to spend a lot of time with them to know that you've seen it all. (It gets really distubring when I stretch that analogy to 'You must be at least 42 inches to enter').

 

Which brings me to my next rant...

 

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Weekly Rant About the Future

 

The future is a funny thing, and as time has shown us again and again, the best laid plans of Mice and men often go awry. Since Hong Kong Disneyland opened just  over two years ago, we have seen the results that signifcantly changing plans can have on the success or failure of a park. The world of difference between the 1999 announcement of the park and the end product is signifcant. With the Hong Kong SAR government now in talks with Disney as to their future involvement in the park, the 57% shareholders and Disney are in agreement on one thing: something needs to be done about the park, and quickly. The question is "what"?

 

Any fan will be able to tell you that what the park needs more than anything is more things to do. It really may be as simple as that. Now part of this is also convincing the local market that you are a worthwhile venture, and steeping them in the "Disney culture", but there is also a large need for actual things to do. However, what sorts of things should go there? Should they be brand new and unique attractions not seen in any other park? Or should as many smaller "cookie cutter" rides from the other parks be funnelled into the Hong Kong venture as quickly as possible before the crowds evaporate completely? As the current Halloween promotion has shown, international interest has been garnered by doing something unique to the park. While we really don't know if this has translated into bodies through the gates, we can (as fans) applaud the high quality entertainment that Disney has chosen to pump out this Halloween. It not only shows a commitment to producing excellent set-pieces for a seasonal event, but a growing understanding of what the local market craves.

 

Now it would be relatively easy for Hong Kong Disneyland to install five to ten "cookie cutter" attractions, much like the Winnie the Pooh and Buzz Lightyear rides that got slotted into the park when it first opened. Of course, importing more rides from the US parks could be making the same mistakes that they have already made in misjudging the Chinese market. Fans seem to be contradictory on this point as well. Not a week goes by when I don't hear a cry for a Haunted Mansion or a Pirates of the Caribbean to be transplanted to the Hong Kong park. However, those same people are just as likely to turn around and lament the increasing number of Pirates and Pixar rides invading the park. In a mass of contradictions, perhaps they are all right.

 

When discussing this topic, I can't help but be reminded of an article from the Orlando Sentinel back in August. It read:

 

"A 'cookie cutter' approach in bringing an American attraction over to another country doesn't necessarily work," said Sylvia Matika, a Nashville, Tenn.-based principal in A Different View, a consulting firm that works with international attractions. "Attraction owners who are tuned into cultural differences can tweak American attractions to be successful in other countries. But it takes effort, knowledge and a bit of humility to get it right."

 

The article goes on to use the Haunted Mansion as an example of an attraction that has been tailored to the area it is located in. In California, far from the plantations of the Deep South, it sits in their faux New Orleans Square. Of course, down south in Florida, where they are just over the way from Louisiana, it is modified to be in their "Liberty Square". In Paris in winds up in Frontierland, and in Tokyo it is all part of Fantasyland. If the current (and temporary) Haunted Hotel on Hong Kong's Main Street is any indication, then the Hong Kong Haunted Mansion (if ever built) would be something quite radical and frightening.

 

Of course, this brings me back to the point of the rant. Is the Haunted Mansion really what we want? While Disney is all about storytelling, what really crosses language barriers are the physical thrills and spills of BIG E-tickets. The chief competitor, Hong Kong Ocean Park, is filled with a number of rollercoasters; physical rides and animal attractions. While the theming in no way matches the excellence of Disney, all of their attractions have one thing in common: you don't need to speak a language at all to enjoy them. So while we argue over whether Hong Kong Disneyland needs more US rides or more unique rides tailored to the local market, let us remember that there are some types of fun that are universal.

 

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Top Things

 

The latest and greatest of the Top Things in the park! This week, we take a look at something everybody loves - rollercoasters. We pitch our favourite ones in the park. Ok, here we go. Ready? In reverse chronological order, the top rollercoasters in Hong Kong Disneyland are:

 

1. Space Mountain

 

Thank you. We hope you can join us again next week for a list of top rides.

 

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Current and Forthcoming Closures, Refurbishments and Construction

 

• Space Mountain  - Ghost Galaxy (NOW) and its Halloween features replaces the regular Space Mountain until October 31.
• Taihitian Terrace (Adventureland) restaurant CLOSED October 9 and October 13 (THIS WEEK)
• 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.

 

Events & Important Dates

 

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

 

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.

 

January 2008

• High School Musical: A hybrid version of the bafflingly popular US TV hit will come to HKDL in January 2008.

 

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: 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.

 

Halloween Events/Park Hours/Schedule/Annual Pass Block-out Days

 

Day	Main Street Haunted Hotel	Glow-in-the-Dark Parade
Monday 8 October to Thursday 11 & Sunday 14	1:00 PM - 8:00PM	7:00 PM
Friday 12 to Saturday 13	2:00 PM - 11:00 PM	7:30 PM

 

Note that these don't in any way replace the existing parades and fireworks. Our beloved Disney on Parade returns to the park daily from 3:30 PM. The Fireworks will be on at 8:00 PM most nights, except the Friday and Saturday which will see them launch off at 9:00 PM.

 

Park hours will remain ar 10:00 to 8:00pm all throughout October, except on weekends when park hours will extend to 11:00 PM. October 31 will also extend to the later time, as it is Halloween Night (and the conclusion of the Halloween festivities). All weekends will be Peak Ticket days, as well as Friday October 5 and Friday October 19, and the ticket prices will be reflected accordingly.

 

Value Annual Passholders will have all weekends blocked to them during October, as well as October 19. Deluxe and Premium Annual Passholders get to go crazy, as no dates are blocked to them.

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