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Hong Kong Disneyland is the most underrated Disney park in the world. There, I said it.
It’s the smallest Disney park by a mile. Not just in size, but the number of attractions, shops, restaurants and so on. And unlike the other parks, it’s only got the one park. There’s no DisneySea, Hollywood Studios, or California Adventure. Hong Kong Disneyland offers 1-day tickets and 2-day tickets, park hoppers be-damned.
And that’s why I love it.
Remember when you were young? That summer you went to Disneyland and somehow, magically, there were barely any lines? That’s what Hong Kong Disneyland is. It’s a throwback to a Disneyland experience that doesn’t exist anywhere else. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t tips and tricks to making your trip a magical one.
So here it is. Every trick and tip we know so you can get the most out of your HKD experience.
Price
One day tickets cost 639 HKD (~81 USD) which makes it cheaper than Anaheim, Florida and Paris. Buy your tickets at the hotel and you’ll get front of the line passes. Or… buy them online for cheaper, and ask for front of the line passes at the front desk (for 2 rides). Like we did!
KLOOK always has some good deals. And, if you’ll be exploring Hong Kong properly, they have deals on other activities as well.
How to get there
As the park is in Hong Kong, first… you need to get to Hong Kong. Hong Kong Disneyland is located on Lantau Island which is easily accessible by subway and public transport.
If you stay at any of the official hotels, there is a constant shuttle service that runs to the park. I wouldn’t recommend walking.
How many days should I visit?
Hong Kong Disneyland is the smallest Disney park in the world. There is no secondary park and it is quite possible to ride all the rides and see some of the shows and parades in one day. But, if you want to take it easy, eat at your choice restaurants and hit Mystic Manor often enough to see all its secrets, we recommend 2 days.
Where to stay
There are several Disney hotels. The most affordable is the Hollywood Hotel (KLOOK) which does feel a bit older than the others (it is). It does have that classic Hollywood flair and in the warmer months, it has a beautiful pool worth checking out.
The more expensive options are the Explorer’s Lodge (KLOOK) and the Disneyland Hotel (KLOOK). The Explorer’s Lodge is the newest one of the bunch, but the Disneyland Hotel is absolutely gorgeous.
What To Do
First, there’s the castle. Unlike the other Disney castles, Hong Kong Disneyland features an amalgamated castle that represents all the Disney princesses. I won’t spoil it here, it’s worth seeing in person.
HKD features two exclusive rides along with multiple classics. The Iron Man Experience is a Star Tours type ride with 3-D glasses that takes place in Hong Kong. The ride is in English and Chinese, but well-balanced enough that you know what’s going on at all times.
But you’re more interested in Mystic Manor, aren’t you? A completely different take on the traditional Haunted Mansion ride, Mystic Manor is a trackless ride that has animatronics, projection mapping and a bevy of other special-effects to make for an amazing ride. It also fills in a corner of the Explorer’s Club mystique that is available at every park.
Currently, the Frozen Arendelle area is under construction. But it is currently the first and only one of its kind with the exception of EPCOT’s Arendelle area. And even then, this one is a proper new “land”. It is set to open on November 20, 2023. So we’ll have to wait until then to see what it really looks like.
What to buy
HKD often has exclusive merch as well as early-releases before other parks get them. These were the park exclusive ears that Lexi got when we visited. But she also picked up a Millenium Falcon popcorn bucket in December. It wasn’t released in Anaheim and Florida until January.
If you have the time, I recommend hitting the World of Disney outside the park first. They have a wider range of merch which includes HKD exclusives for Mystic Manor along with out of season stock and discounted merch. They had some fun Christmas ornaments on one of our trips, but they had a lot of Lunar New Year merch as well.
Tips
- The park opens “officially” at 10:30 AM. But, rumor was that Main Street actually opened at 10:00 AM. And the rumors were true(!). That gives you 30 minutes to browse the shops and order snacks before the rest of the park opens!
- Just like Shanghai, staff at Hong Kong Disneyland give away stickers if you ask. Each attraction and shop has different stickers, so get a few. Or more than a few. Get a lot. Then share them.
- If you’re going to make last minute purchases at the end of the night, expect long lines. Unless…(!) you use the cashier at the Victorian Collection store which always has a shorter line.
- If you’re not a hardcore fan, the entire park can be explored in a day. If you are a fan (or are married to one), two days gives you the chance to take all the photos you want, ride everything multiple times (Mystic Manor), catch the shows and watch the parades.
- The best way to experience the park is front to back. Start in Main Street and work your way around the park to Mystic Manor. But if you want to skip lines, start at Mystic Manor and work your way forward. It sounds too simple to work, but it works incredibly well.
- The star restaurant of HKD isn’t in the park. It’s at the Disneyland Hotel and it’s called the Crystal Lotus. They serve Hong Kong dishes with a Disney flair that you won’t see in any of the other parks. For more information, check out our Crystal Lotus blog.
- Do I have to tell you to install the app? Probably not… but install the app.
For more information, photos or maybe just to see how we did, check out our blogs from past trips to Hong Kong Disneyland.
