Hong Kong Disneyland

Hong Kong Disneyland opened in 2005 on reclaimed land at Penny's Bay on Lantau, and it is the smallest of the Disney parks by area, which cuts both ways: less walking and shorter distances, but fewer rides than the larger resorts. It has been extended repeatedly, adding themed lands and, in 2020, replacing the original castle with the taller Castle of Magical Dreams. A dedicated MTR branch runs to it with themed trains and windows. The park sits against green hills with the sea behind, which is unusual among Disney sites. Queues, food and merchandise work as they do everywhere in the chain, and the parades and evening fireworks are the fixed points of the day.

History

Penny's Bay, undeveloped apart from the Cheoy Lee Shipyard opened in the 1960s, was filled in to make land for the park. After the reclamation was finished, more than 400 guests celebrated the groundbreaking on 12 January 2003, and after one of the shortest construction periods of any Disneyland-style park it opened on 12 September 2005, the second Disneyland in Asia after Tokyo Disneyland in 1983 (Wikipedia, Hong Kong Disneyland).

What's there

• The Castle of Magical Dreams - the 2020 replacement for the original castle.
• A hillside and sea setting - green slopes behind the park.
• The themed MTR branch line - Mickey-shaped windows on the way in.
• Parades and evening fireworks - the scheduled set pieces.

When to go

October to April for comfortable weather; avoid Lunar New Year, Easter and Chinese public holidays entirely. A day. Book tickets and dining in advance.

Things to know

It has fewer attractions than the larger Disney resorts and can be covered in a day, which some visitors resent at the price. Queues on holidays are extreme. Summer heat and afternoon rain are punishing. Food and merchandise are expensive.

Nearby

Sunny Bay is the interchange; Tung Chung lies west on Lantau.

Key facts