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Hong Kong Disneyland Review

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Hong Kong Disneyland

Fodor's Review:

If you're expecting an Asian take on the Magic Kingdom, think again—this park on Lantau Island is aimed at mainland Chinese hungry for apple-pie Americana. Still, it's as gleaming and polished as all the other Disneys, and it has one big advantage: few visitors, which means short lines. You can go on every ride at least once and see all the attractions in a day. If your kids are theme park-savvy, the incredibly tame rides here won't win their respect. That said, there are loads for little kids. Space Mountain is the only attraction with a height restriction, so there's no ride-exclusion angst for them. Hong Kong Disneyland operates a Fastpass system, which lets you jump the lines at the most popular attractions. Stick your entry ticket into the Fastpass machines at each ride, and you'll be given a time to come back (usually within an hour). You can only have one ride "Fastpass activated" at a time.

You enter right into Main St., USA, an area paying tribute to early-20th-century small-town America. Shops—cute though they are—outnumber attractions here, so save lingering for the 3:30 PM parade, which winds up in the Town Square. Sleeping Beauty's castle, with its trademark turrets, is the gateway to faux-medieval Fantasyland. Choose from two spin-cycles—the Mad-Hatter's Teacups or Cinderella's Carousel—while you wait for your Winnie-the-Pooh Fastpass time.

Throbbing drums let you know you've hit Adventureland, on the park's south side. Landscapers have really run amok at attractions like Tarzan's Treehouse, on an island only accessible by rafts and the Jungle River Cruise. Inspired by the Bogart-Hepburn film The African Queen, this canopied boat ride takes you past "ancient" ruins, headhunters, and a volcano. Animated beasties—crocs, snakes, hippos, elephants, partying gorillas—will try to scare or squirt you, egged on by the boat's quipping skipper.

In Tomorrowland attractions look more like the Jetsons than the future. It's home to rollercoaster-in-the-dark Space Mountain, a humbled version of the original. While you're waiting for your Fastpass time, help Buzz Lightyear blast the daylights out of the evil Zurg, or spin out the wait on the Orbitron's flying saucers. Shade is limited so take the lead from locals and make an umbrella your No. 1 accessory—use it as a parasol if the sun blazes down or the traditional way if it pours.

If you do one show, make it the Festival of the Lion King. Give your feet a rest but get your toes tapping with this energetic live performance of the animated film. The one place where Disney meets the East is at ye olde Corner Café. It may seem surreal, but run with it: the congee, curry, sushi, dim sum, stir fries, and kebabs are excellent, as theme-park food goes. If your kids are suspicious of far-flung fare, the Starliner Diner in Tomorrowland does burgers and fries.

The MTR is the quickest way here: take the Tung Chung line to Sunny Bay Station, then change to the Disneyland Resort Line, whose special trains have royal-blue plush seating and Mickey-shape windows.

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