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We're all fired up this week, as we throw down The Gauntlet for the second week in a row. What could cause this kind of madness? We also get political and fight for workers rights; open up our deep and lovely mailbag; do a bit of site maintenance and countdown our infamous Top Things yet again. All this and Disney too!

Update for October 22 to October 28 - News and Commentary

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

News This Week: Laying Down the Gauntlet - Part 2 | Fight For Your Rights | Mailbag | Top Things | Site Stuff

It's been a bit of a crazy week, with our exclusive preview of the "it's a small world" night lights garnering a fair number of hits for us this week. It's proof that the little HKDL park can do it well when given the chance. This just may be our most successful month ever, and we've proudly been able to say that every month this year. We've gone from strength to strength, and we have you - our loyal readers - to thank for it. Part of the reason for starting this site was to focus the Disney online community attention on Hong Kong Disneyland, and create our own little community of Hong Kogn Disneyland fans. To date, we remain the only website in English completely dedicated to HKDL. We guess we are just battlers for the little guy!

Laying Down the Gauntlet - Part 2

Like a big pink elephant sitting in your loungeroom and eating all of your delicious snacks, it is hard to ignore so we'll just come out and say it: Disney's California Adventure (DCA) is getting a makeover. A BILLION dollar (US) makeover.  Although we've all known about it for some time, especially given that Al Lutz from Mice Age revealed it earlier this year, but DCA is getting a massive makeover. The official announcement lists a brand new 12-acre Cars Land (based on the shit movie Cars); a brand-new 1920s entrance area; a made-over Paradise Pier with Toy Story Mania ride; a Little Mermaid attraction; a new nighttime spectacular with a viewing area for 9000; as well as many more facade and dining changes to the park. In other words, in the next few years, DCA will look completely different and substantially bigger.

The key part of the press release, at least for us HKDL fans was this: "The expansion is part of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts’ overall growth strategy of continuing to invest in its core business of existing parks and resorts around the world, while exploring new opportunities to capture more of the growing family vacation market". Coupled with the huge financial investment in the new Pixar World DCA, it is essentially an admission on Disney's part that they dropped the ball with DCA, and after six years, things are going to start to change. This is encouraging for those of us that continue to worry that Disney may not want to throw 'good money after bad' into parks that are perceived as failures. Of course, this adds the additional concern for HKDL fans that all this money is merely going to the US parks, and not the overseas ones.

So for the second week in a row, I throw down the gauntlet! It is possible it is going to get very banged up at this stage, but the gauntlet must be thrown. DCA fans now have a firm commitment from Disney as to what their future holds. When will HKDL fans be done the same courtesy? If we, like Disney, are to invest in the long-term future of the park, we need to know what is being done to further "the core business of existing parks". As we spoke about last week, Hong Kong's competitor Ocean Park has already committed to a USD800 million upgrade to their already popular facility, something that Hong Kong Disneyland has made no indication of matching.

It is all well and good to throw about figures and sums. However, if you tell the average Hong Kong, Chinese, American or Australian citizen that a billion dollars is being spent on a theme park, and you will probably get one of four questions: "Yeah? And? So? What?" What does get attention, however, is a firm release of exactly what is being done to improve the park. The reason that Disney parks consistently prove to be winners around the world is not simply the price tag that they put on the park. If the consumer was interested in the expense of the park alone, then only one theme park would win out every time, and that would be the most expensive theme park created. However, good marketing is more about creating value in the minds of the customer. The reason Disney fans are Disney fans is not simply because we get the most value for money, but because Disney has created a firm reason in most of our minds as to why we should play with them. My belief that the only way to do so in Hong Kong Disneyland is to invest in the long-term future of the park, publically and loudly. Have they got more attractions coming? What are they? We want to know about it! "Phased rollouts" are all well and good, and Disney has already stated to us in the past that they will not reveal certain information when they are on a timetable. Fair enough, but what is going to stop people from wandering off to another theme park in the meantime. "Oh, you guys do what you are doing and we'll be back when you're done". This year's seasonal events are a good start, but we need to see what the future holds, in a tangible and meaningful way. Only then will the casual Hong Kong Disneyland fan become a true believer.

Fight For Your Rights

Now for a subject I enjoy returning to, that of worker's rights in Hong Kong Disneyland. The Union International Network reports:

We'll continue to keep you updated on this. I'm sure every Disney fan around the world only wants to see the best for the Cast Members, who make our tourist visits all the more 'magic'.

Mailbag

Cracking open the mailbag this week, we have a few really good questions and comments. First up, we have this one from Toni, one of our own down here in Australia.

Well, unfortunately Toni, there isn't any official online source for buying merchandise that we are aware of. We know that websites such as Laughing Place offer a service by which they resell park-exclusive merchandise for their park coverage. At the moment, we simply don't have enough demand to offer this kind of service, but we may be able to work something out with our local contacts if there is a really special item you are keen to find. Keep an eye on your inbox, Toni - we may be in contact with you about this.

Top Things

Oh, it's everyone's favourite countdown! This week, we take a look at a list of the top Disney Mountains in Hong Kong Disneyland:

1. Space Mountain

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

Site Stuff

Alex, our resident tech guy, despite being on the last leg of his US holiday, wanted to remind folk that there are a few problems with the site registration system for members at the moment, and it will be rectified when he returns. We thank you for your patience.

Standard Sign Out Section

Remember, as always, if you have any news, photos, trip reports or just a question, feel free to contact us.  We like to think of ourselves as the people's site.

Also, don't forget that you can now subscribe to The HKDL Source Newsfeed via the links below:

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If you have any trouble using the feed, or have spotted some pesky bugs, please feel free to Contact Us and we'll try and sort it out.

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 22 through October 25 (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 23 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. A new parade is in the works as well, we're told.
• 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

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 at 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, and the ticket prices will be reflected accordingly.

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

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