Top 10 Tips for Your Trip to Disneyland

The grand opening of Hong Kong Disneyland drew the full attention of China’s media, and so Beijing This Month (BTM) sent in reporter Johnny Chan to offer readers his unique…

Top 10 Tips for Your Trip to Disneyland

1.      Book Ahead

Buy uickets beforehand. On September 12, the first day the Disneyland opened to the public, more than 1,000 visitors were locked out at the main gate without a ticket. The park accommodates 16,000 visitors a day. Book the tickets via www.hongkongdisneyland.com. Beijinger can book via the Chinese language website www.ctrip.com/html/PackageHome/dsl/

2. Take the Train

To get to Disneyland, there are many choices: taxi, bus, coach and ferry. But the Disney Resort Line is most popular as it is the most photogenic A Hong Kong Octopus card saves a lot of time, especially when the long queues form for return tickets at closing time.

3. Arrive Half an Hour Early

Disneyland opens 10 am every day, but it’s best to come early for photos beside the entrance.

4. Eat a Big Breakfast.

Food and most drinks are not allowed at Disneyland. The guards at the entrance check bags. There are eight different restaurants, with the cheapest set meal HK$ 40.

5. Orient Yourself

Main Street USA is the first stop to get a must-read map with important show times. Disneyland has four parks: Main Street USA, Tomorrowland, Fantasyland and Adventureland. At their centre is the square, the best place to witness the parade and fireworks.

6. Water, Water Everywhere

Buy a bottle of drink (HK$10-20) at Main Street and retain the bottle as a water container for the free fountains at every washroom.

7. Skip the Stores

Enjoy the entertainment and amusement first. Hong Kong Disneyland is quite small, so there’s more than enough time for shopping later.

8. Skip to the Front

Five rides offer Fastpass, a chance to skip to the front of the queue. Tourists can find detailed instructions about such passes on the map.

9. Those Hard-to-Find Good Seats

There are at least four shows where visitors must wait for a good seat: the Festival of the Lion King, The Golden Mickeys, Disney on Parade and Disney in the Stars.

10. Your money’s good here

Tourists can pay with Renminbi or Hong Kong dollars, via cash or credit card. A cash exchange service is available at the City Hall, Main Street, USA