Falling in love again with (HK)Disneyland - Part 1
(or: how Hong Kong Disneyland reminded me of why I fell in love with the mouse)
Dear friends,
Today I would like to talk to you about something different, or at least about the newest Disney themepark (Hong Kong Disneyland) in a different way; from the point of view of someone who, during a visit to this little charming themepark, realised once again why he fell in love with the mouse when he was young !
This might be seen as a personal trip report by some, but for me it is an “F – File” with the “F” standing for “feelings this time! As it is a mixed bag of feelings, trip reports and emotions I am editing it here in the blog, into a few separate pieces….
Hope you enjoy it !
Part 1; from Australia to Hong Kong (Disneyland)
Or – you cannot go half way around the globe for work without finding an excuse to visit a Disney themepark 
It all started on a Sunday morning at 5 am after having landed at the Hong Kong airport (a 9 hour night flight from Sydney- Australia- where I was for a business trip) I took a taxi to Hong Kong Disneyland where I was to stay in the Hong Kong Disneyland hotel for the Sunday night before heading into Hong Kong city on the Monday night for business meetings.
Imagine the surreal atmosphere of having just landed from Australia, finding yourself in Hong Kong and having a taxi driver, who doesn’t speak a word of English, driving you at 05:30 in the morning in a car of the 1970’s to a brand new Disneyland park! Nobody was on the road, and it took him less than 15 minutes to get to the resort.
From the sunny bay highway interchange the signs of the Disney presence on Lantau island started becoming intensive; mickey shaped heads on the interchange, fluorescent lights, and incredibly well kept trees and plants made me feel “back at home”, even so far away from any other Disney themepark.
The reception stuff was exquisite; guess they had never seen a western tourist enter into there hotel at 05:30 who, whilst they where registering me and finding a room so I could immediately check in, was frantically taking pictures (like a Japanese ) of all the paintings and decorations behind the reception!
And so I was in…at precisely 05:40 I entered my Hong Kong Disneyland hotel room and immediately realised that this place was a charmer; no expenses where spared in fitting the hotel room with all the best furnishing (boieserie, silk and fine details all other the room, 32” Plasma screen in the room, free beverages etc), details like the Disneyland castle silhouette in the hotels bed rest or snow white and the seven dwarfs gracing the toilet mirror where all other the place.
All in all I was already hooked by this hotel, and it’s location, whilst I closed my eyes for a 4 hour rest before my alarm would have waken me up at 10 am (park opening time) to explorer Disney’s Chinese adventure….
Then came the Sunday morning; like any true Disney fan I was well awake before my alarm clock started playing my wake up song “There’s a great big beautiful tomorrow”, I rushed out of the hotel and started walking down the park promenade.
The long promenade is filled on the sides with banners representing the Disney characters, topiaries and grass berms flank on the sides the (long) walk which goes from the hotels to the park. Fountains and music give that definite “Disney theme” to the area.
Most of all a “world travelling Disney fan” immediately realises that all this walk is set to receive in the not so distant future a “Downtown Disney” district. The area feels just like California’s Downtown Disney district (only without the buildings yet).
Walking up to the park I was mesmerised by the fountain which sits there at the entrance of the park!
Sure it might not be a “heart pumping” entrance like the seven seas lagoon at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, nor is it a “majestic” entrance like the Disneyland Paris Fantasia garden set up, yet it feels just good for the place! As if the proportions and set up of the place where exactly centred around this quaintness and charm which is found in all aspects of the resort!