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Exploring the Jungle River Cruise at Hong Kong Disneyland

• J. Jeff Kober
• August 5, 2019
• Uncategorized

I’m a big fan of the Jungle Cruise, and no less here than at Hong Kong Disneyland. This is the most unique Jungle Cruise among Disneyland, Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, and Tokyo Disneyland. I talk about it in an accompanying post to this one at DisneyatWork.com and in our podcast which can be can be found  here on Podbean  and  here at iTunes .

What sets it off differently from the start is that it’s not heading off down some narrow river, but rather a wide river typical of what Rivers of America looks like in other parks. Here, as it sails away, it passes by Tarzan’s Treehouse, where guests board river rafts to explore this jungle home.

Further on, the river narrows, and this is where the Jungle River cruise looks more familiar to most fans of this attraction.

Many of the same elements stand out, such as menacing hippos, an African savannah, and a lost group of explorers up a tree.

But what makes this tour unique is that here in Hong Kong you can create a jungle that really feels like a jungle. There isn’t a greener, more lush version of Adventureland than you find at Hong Kong Disneyland. It really does feel like you’re in a very tropical place–partly supported by the oppressive heat and humidity that one finds much of the year.

Further beyond, you meet up with the natives. But rather than the traditional surprise attack, these individuals are blowing arrows toward you from behind their shields. The effect is similar to what you experience in the Indiana Jones Adventure. But it’s more impressive here because of the distances involved.

Those elements combined set this river cruise apart from the others. But what they do as a finale is really quite over the top. The boat seems to be heading toward the port, when a large gusher erupts in the middle of the river diverting the boat over to a narrow lane of rocks and caves.

From here the boat is blasted at with water, steam and fire. It’s a very cool ending most guests are not expecting. It’s something you don’t want to miss, especially at night.

Soon you are returning to the dock and going back on shore. Then it’s off to other attractions to include the new Moana: A Homecoming Celebration and a very unique version of Festival of the Lion King .

In creating a video of the Jungle River Cruise, I ended up on the attraction twice in one morning. That video is below, and you’ll want to check it out. But I also had a chance to observe the queuing system for the attraction, and I’ve written about my experience at DisneyatWork.com. Definitely check out this article, which I have titled, “ The Hardest Working Cast Member at Disney .” It offers some thoughts about individuals whose job it is to keep repeating the same experience again and again and again. Check it out!

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Sandflies Horror on the Jungle River... - Hong Kong Disneyland

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• Hong Kong Disneyland

Sandflies Horror on the Jungle River Cruise

We booked the Park Guided Tour twice and with the same guide (Fion), the experience was good however during the Jungle River Cruise, my legs and hands were bitten by swarms of sandflies while i was sitting in the boat. i came back to the hotel with lots of bites all over. After a week back in Singapore, I had to see the GP because the bites became infected. Overall, it’s a terrifying experience for me

Crowded with no food options. Rides in Cantonese language. Crappy vibe. Not happy at all. Internet connection terrible. Staff not smiling. The worst Disney land ever. Loud blasting music

It doesn’t matter how young or old you are this is a place for everyone, alright it’s not the biggest Disney park around but it’s still great fun and although there’s going to be plenty of people around the wait times are not that bad we had a max of around 30 mins there is something for everyone here rides shows food and goodies to take home.

1 day was not enough to explore Disneyland. Be there before they open the rides and we were there around 10:10am. They have great performances/ show that you won't like to miss. I do recomend you to download the disney app, waiting time from each rides will be shown in the app. The newly opened "Frozen" rides and show is a must try! take note that everything has timings not all rides operates till evening. Foods inside is a bit expensive, but in our situation that day, we don't have time to eat because we're trying to ride everything and watch all performances/ show that they have but unfortunately in the end of the day, i guess we only missed 2 rides. Fireworks in the evening is worth waiting for! It will start at 8:30PM so you have to look for a good spot!

HK Disneyland may be the smallest of the six Disneyland resorts in the world, but it is still unsurpassable compared to other amusement parks when it comes to entertainment, joyful rides, colorful parades, and spectacular shows. We visited the place on a weekend and on a holiday and the place was simply jam packed! The queues were very long, but we still managed to try our favorite rides and watch our favorite shows. We just failed to take photos with some of the Disney characters. At any rate, we were able to explore practically the whole resort and stayed on to watch the amazing "Momentous Nighttime Spectacular". The way back home was quite challenging, with almost everybody taking the Disney train to MRT Sunny Bay station. But we managed to make our way back to our hotel just the same.

The trip to Hong Kong Disneyland was enjoyable overall, but it's best to steer clear of weekends due to the heavy crowds. Additionally, I found that investing in fast track tickets didn't provide much added value.

Disney Park Nerds

The Ultimate Hong Kong Disneyland Guide

Hong Kong Disneyland Guide: Established in 2005, this compact park combines classic Disney magic with unique attractions like Mystic Manor. Experience traditional Disney with a Hong Kong twist. Ideal for all travelers.

( The Ultimate Guide to Hong Kong Disneyland )

Introduction to Our Hong Kong Disneyland Guide

The hard part is over.

You decided to venture halfway around the world and visit Disney’s first Chinese theme park; its fifth “castle” park in the world.

And now some nerves settle in.

You begin to wonder what it will be like to arrive in China.

How to get around, where to stay, how to communicate. Well fret not – Disneyland Hong Kong is an easy place to visit even for occasional traveler.

Built in 2005, Hong Kong Disneyland is the smallest of the Disney “castle” parks and it also sports the smallest castle in the Disney arsenal.

Much of this is due to change with the recently announced $1B+ investment to refurbish the park….but more on this later.

As it stands today, Hong Kong Disneyland is worth a visit.

Its a world-class theme park with state-of-the-art attractions including several exclusive to this property.

An introduction to Hong Kong Disneyland

Hong kong disneyland has beautiful surroundings.

As the plane descended into Hong Kong International Airport (HKG), the Disney Park Nerds were struck by how much of an island Hong Kong really is (technically it’s comprised of 263 islands with the biggest being Landau where the airport and Hong Kong Disneyland are located) and the unbelievably lush green landscape.

The flight was long including the first 12+ hour leg from LA (LAX) to Shanghai (PVG), a two hour layover and finally another three flight from Shanghai to Hong Kong.

The great news is that airline and airport employees spoke communicative English and were able to help point us in the right direction.

English is the second official language of Hong Kong, owed to the 150 years of British rule, and communication is not much of an issue.

Airport Arrival and Transfer

Our destination was the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel .

The Nerd had done some homework and exchanged several emails to the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort Reservation Center ([email protected]) to identify the best options for first-time visitors.

The Hong Kong Disneyland Resort’s recommended option is to take a taxi from the airport to the hotel; a 15-20 minute drive a cost of HK$150 (about $20) for up to four passengers.

The other option is to book a private car at a cost of HK$1150 (about $148). This is the way to go if you are at all nervous about arriving in Hong Kong and have the, “I just spent 15 hours getting here, I’m incredibly jet-lagged, I’m nervous because I do not speak Chinese, etc” feeling in your stomach.

This option is not only a stress reliever, it is a true VIP experience as you will be greeted by an English-speaking airport employee holding a sign with your name as soon as you deplane.

This person will walk you through the airport to Immigration, ensure you have the right forms and direct you to the proper line.

Once you’ve gone through Immigration, they will be waiting for you with a baggage cart and guide you to the proper baggage carousel where they will load your luggage and lead you to a Mercedes Benz, trunk open and waiting, parked directly outside the airport.

Your bags will be loaded while you climb in the spacious back seat for the drive to the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort.

We arrived on a Sunday in mid-November around 11:30am to find the airport nearly deserted and the roads wide open.

Hong Kong Disneyland Resort Property

The drive is lush green and only intensifies as the car enters the Hong Kong Disneyland property.

Seriously, it’s like you were dropped into Isla Nubar from Jurassic Park .

Large overgrown trees, plants with enormous green leaves (and some gigantic lizards and spiders as you walk the outskirts of the property during your visit….thankfully none were spotted near the hotel and park!) line the colored cement and paver streets as the car makes its way to Disney’s Hollywood Hotel or the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel; the property’s two bayside hotels with a third on the way (Disney Explorer Lodge is set for an early 2017 opening).

The property is gorgeous having more in common with Disney World in Florida owing to the heat, humidity and greenery with the one major difference…everything still feels new (the park opened in 2005) and immaculately kept up.

The Hong Kong Disneyland Resort borrowed heavily from the parks that preceded it.

Disney’s Hollywood Hotel is a dead-ringer for the Disney Ambassador Hotel at the Tokyo Disney Resort while the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel is a scaled down replica of Disney World’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, both heavily influenced by San Diego’s famous Hotel del Coronado (this is wild ironic to us as the Nerds live in San Diego and flew halfway around the world to seemingly end up where we started).

Both hotels opened September 12, 2005 along with Hong Kong Disneyland.

Whereas Disney’s Hollywood Hotel is art-deco, the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel is ensconced in a Victorian theme; a throwback to a Disneyland that never was.

Timing is Everything

The Disney Park Nerds and Nerdlings subscribe to one cardinal rule when visiting theme parks: avoid crowds.

And the one universal Disney rule that applies over all others is “children in school = good time to visit”.

We read up on Hong Kong Disneyland and settled on the Fall between mid-September through November (with the exception of dates near national holidays on 9.16, 10.1 and 10.10) and ultimately selected November to make use of the Thanksgiving holiday.

It took us all of 20 minutes to realize we had made an excellent choice! Our first afternoon was focused on relaxing and exploring the resort area.

Once we unpacked, we suited up for the pool where we found one other person.

And he appeared to be simply be sitting poolside to work in the shade.

The sprawling outdoor pool and waterslide and the nearby indoor pool had more lifeguards (at least 6) than patrons as we increased their numbers 300% upon arrival.

It was something out of a Disney dream. 82 degrees, humid, sunny and hot and not a single person (except me) in the pool!

The lifeguards looked bored out of their minds and I was enjoying watching one nod-off and do the “head bob” several times.

Apparently, there is a law in Hong Kong requiring all pools – even private pools – to have a minimum of two lifeguards on duty while in use.

All this being said, google pictures of Hong Kong Disneyland crowds around national holidays like Chinese New Year and you’ll see the park bursting at the seams with people… you’d be wise to plan around these times, avoid the summer and its hot and sticky weather and make use of other US holidays that do not overlap with Chinese and Hong Kong holidays.

From here, we decided to beat jet-lag by going for a walk around the resort. Be sure to grab a jogging map at check-in!

It is possible to walk the entire Hong Kong Disneyland Resort in a 2.5 mile circle (3.5 miles if you elect to do a full lap around Inspiration Lake)…more daunting than it sounds in a hot and humid environment while staving off jet-lag!

The only real sign of people – and there were a lot of folks here – were those at Inspiration Lake where many Hongkongers seemed to be enjoying an afternoon with family and some picnicking.

We made a lap around the property and stopped by the ticket booth to collect our tickets for the next couple of days and we noticed several things that made us realize we are not in Kansas anymore.

First, people were leaving the park in a steady stream at 6pm despite the park opening at 10am and closing at 8pm.

Second, we were struck by the small size of the entrance plaza (more on this later).

Third, as we made our way back to the hotel – a .4 mile / 700 meter path we would follow more than a dozen times during our stay – we passed by fewer than 5 people.

We had giant paved pathways to ourselves.

Areas in Anaheim or Florida that would be crawling with tourists were deserted.

As instrumental Disney music blared over the speakers, it was an eerie feeling to be so utterly alone in an areas designed to accommodate large crowds….and at 6pm on a weekend!

We would continue to find that even the few people staying at the resort hotels would walk the 300 meters to the bus stop in order to return to their hotel vs. walking 700 meters in the opposite direction to arrive at the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel.

We knew we were in for a treat!

A Little Studying Goes a Long Way

In the weeks leading up to the trip, the Nerds did some nerdy things as we were bound and determined to make the very most of our two days to explore Hong Kong Disneyland!

The patterns were just as you might suspect based on what you’ve read so far: crowds were extremely light at opening and closing and only slight to moderate waits were seen during the day.

This helped decide how to approach our visit and made it clear that we needed to be at the park for opening and closing and that a mid-day rest (okay, okay, nap!) would enhance our trip and not cause us to miss out on any of the action.

There are very few English-language guidebooks for Hong Kong Disneyland.

A quick search on Amazon yields only one book specific to the resort publish in 2015.

Books by Fodor’s, Frommer’s, Eyewitness and Lonely Planet will provide a good overview on Hong kong overall, but dedicate little more than a paragraph on Hong Kong Disneyland.

However, the most important studying can be done from the comfort of your catch on a smart phone.

Making the most of your time at Hong Kong Disneyland includes avoiding crowds.

Download the official Hong Kong Disneyland app in the weeks ahead of your trip.

Simply logging on the app when the park opens and a few sporadic time during the park’s operating day will yield some very obvious patterns on when wait times are at their longest.

Looking at the app on the two Tuesdays and Wednesdays preceding our trip, we were able to see some very basic crowd patterns and plan our day accordingly.

Notably, the longest waits were consistently at Dumbo, Orbitron, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and Toy Soldier Parachute Drop by mid-day while Mystic Manor (amazing!!) and Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars typically saw their longest waits in the two hours before closing.

The Jungle River Cruise had the most consistently long wait all day long, though we quickly uncovered this is because the “cruise” is given in three languages (English, Cantonese, and Mandarin) so the actual wait is often much shorter than posted.

Using the information we uncovered in less than 30 minutes of homework allowed us to plot out our day and during our mid-November trip.

The result?

We did not wait more than 5 minutes for a single attraction and walked directly on the vast majority of them!

In Hong Kong, the Early Bird Still Gets the Worm

If you have traveled to Disneyland in Anaheim and the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Florida, then you know how critical it is to be at the park at “rope drop”.

The bloodshot eyes of those around you, the parents nursing their coffee and feeding granola bars on the go to their children is a mainstay of Disney park visits.

Here’s some great news about Hong Kong Disneyland…during slower times of the year, the park does not open until 10am or 10:30am and the crowds present at rope drop are practically non-existent.

Even after more than 11 years, Hongkongers do not rush the gates of the Magic Kingdom like they do in the rest of the world.

So those who stroll through the gates around 10:15am, grab a waffle or hot dog or corn on the cob at the food cart along Main Street (you cannot even get a pretzel or churro at the original Disneyland this time of day), peruse the shops and amble straight up to the rope with 75 of your closest friends for the official opening time will relish this wonderful cultural difference!

Small Crowds and Big Fun

The joy that is Hong Kong Disneyland owes a huge debt to the lack of crowds at the slower times of the year.

Those Gen Xers and Baby Boomers who vaguely remember a time when Disneyland was void of crowds in the “off months” like September and October will find those memories flooding back on a leisurely trip through Hong one Disneyland.

On top of this, there are three one-of-a-kind attractions and two one-of-a-kind lands anchored by Grizzly Gulch’s Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars – a cross between Disneyland classic Big Thunder Mountain and Animal Kingdom’s Expedition Everest with the smooth as silk ride system Seven Dwarf’s Mine Train, Mystic Point’s Mystic Manor – Hong Kong’s fantastical answer to the Haunted Mansion using the trackless technology from Tokyo Disneyland’s Pooh’s Hunny Hunt, and Tomorrowland’s Iron Man Experience debuting in early 2017.

Additionally, there are true gems to be found throughout Hong Kong Disneyland with none more pleasantly surprising than Fairy Tale Forest complete with interactive dioramas featuring many Disney classics.

Is it Worth a Visit? You Betcha’

The Case for Hong Kong Disneyland is a strong one.

The resort is beautiful and lush, the rooms are less expensive than any other Disney property (except for Shanghai), the crowds are non-existent if you time your visit properly, and Disney ingenuity is at its best with several of the park’s attractions.

There is even more on the horizon with the recently announced overhaul to Hong Kong Disneyland including an area dedicated to Frozen’s Arendelle, one focused on Marvel characters and a larger castle is on the way (it’s a bit ironic that in a city where appearances often matter more than reality, they will be taking the smallest of the Disney castles and reimagining it to compete with the Shanghai Disneyland’s largest).

Hong Kong Disneyland is Disneyland made easy.

It’s a fun, world-class park offering exclusive attractions in a beautiful setting and it is absolutely worth the adventure!

Hong Kong Disneyland is an intimate, fanciful and wonderful Disney park meant to be experienced in the off-season (an absolute must) when crowds are sparse and its size enhances the experience.

What you’ll find in Hong Kong Disneyland

Hong Kong Disneyland opened with Main Street, U.S.A., Tomorrowland, Fantasyland and Adventureland and given the relatively few attractions – and very limited differences to the original Disneyland, a trip in the early years may have been disappointing.

Now, with the 2011 opening of Toy Story Land, 2012 launch of Grizzly Peak and 2013 addition of Mystic Point, the park is not only 25% larger than opening day, it feels like a full-scale Disney park.

The size and scale of the park are the first things any first-time visitor will notice (our Nerds sure did!). It’s small, but quaintly so.

The entrance area feels more like a small regional kids’ theme park located in a larger city park – the type of park with a carousel that can be seen just over the fence and a few kiddie rides and playgrounds to explore. The ticket booth area consists of four buildings, all close together with a relatively narrow walking path in between.

The entrance gates are obscured by the ticket booths and appear even smaller than they are since you cannot see the full scale of the turnstiles from a distance.

The Mickey flowerbed and train station directly beyond the turnstiles are scaled-down from the original Disneyland in Anaheim and dwarfed by the entrance plazas of the two foreign parks that preceded it – Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Paris – while it would be swallowed up entirely by the mammoth beast that is Shanghai Disneyland.

And yet, it feels incredibly special…like a secret park to explore on your own (at least during the off season).

1. Main Street, U.S.A.

Main Street at Hong Kong Disneyland is shorter than its Disneyland sister with a brick street, long low curbs and no interference from railroad tracks.

The area is flanked by shops – fewer than others – a food stand with waffles, hot dogs and corn on the cob for hungry visitors awaiting its mid-morning “rope drop”.

That’s right…mid-morning!

Each day of our visit, the park opened at 10:30am and the Disney Park Nerds were split on this….at first.

Once we’d established that crowds would be light, the idea of a casual morning and long un-rushed breakfasts only added to our enjoyment!

Guests can explore Main Street 30 minutes prior to the official opening time and are corralled here until the music officially announces the park is open.

From here, you and 150 of your closest friends – because it’s just dead (in a great way!) during the off-season – quickly walk or stroll or meander to some of the first attractions of the day.

2. Tomorrowland

Did we mention it is small?

Orbitron is the centerpiece with flying saucers spinning around a cadre of planets.

Buzz Lightyear (which never seems to have a wait longer than 5 minutes) is a near clone of the Anaheim original.

Autopia was recently shut down for the new Iron Man Experience; a re-themed Star Tours-like attraction starring the Marvel superhero.

Space Mountain – whose curves and track layout are very similar to Anaheim – is here and is one of only two attractions that offer Fastpass in the entire park.

This particular Space Mountain saw the birth of Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy during the Fall of 2007; now a crowd favorite at Disneyland.

Other “attractions” include Star Wars: Command Post.

3. Fantasyland

Hong Kong Disneyland’s Fantasyland is home to just one dark ride – the one other Fastpass attraction The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (a clone of the Shanghai and Magic Kingdom versions) plus the familiar Mickey’s PhilharMagic, “it’s a small world”, Mad Hatter Tea Cups, Cinderella Carousel and Dumbo.

There is also a Disney’s Storybook Theater presenting the live-acton Mickey and the Wondrous Book asa well as, a character and Princess greeting areas. The Hong Kong Disneyland Railroad makes a stop here and, the park map lists Sleeping Beauty Castle as an attraction despite there not being anything that would justify this designation like an interactive walk-through, gallery or show.

Fairy Tale Forest is the unsung hero of Hong Kong Disneyland’s Fantasyland. This quaint and unobtrusive garden-like setting is home to charming self-triggered dioramas and effects in a selfie-haven for Disney stories.

Guests are encouraged to engage, watch, snap and enjoy numerous Disney Classics including Tangled, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella and The Little Mermaid as they make their way through the Fairy Tale Forest.

Fairies are said to inhabit this enchanted forest and a meet and greet with Tinkerbell is an option for those who are interested.

4. Adventureland

Hong Kong Disneyland’s Adventureland is the largest such land in the Disney arsenal.

It’s home to the Festival of the Lion King show as well as Tarzan’s Treehouse and accompanying rafts to Tarzan’s Treehouse (the treehouse is a knock-off from Anaheim with the “twist” that guests have to wait to take a raft to and from the treehouse).

Another “attraction” is the Liki Tikis…tiki statues that spray water and is more of an interactive decoration. Hong Kong Disneyland’s Jungle River Cruise is a bit unique in the Disney canon.

First, the waterways for the attraction are wider and more expansive, if less intimate than other Disney park settings.

Guests cruise around the island upon which Tarzan’s Treehouse resides. 

Hong Kong Disneyland’s version does add some pep to this Disney classic with shooting and rushing water and fire effects.

The Jungle Cruise has long been loved for the captain’s witty banter, though in Hong Kong it falls a bit flat in English.

The great news is this attraction allows guests in line up in one of three queues: English, Mandarin or Cantonese.

The latter two versions are delivered with more enthusiasm (though nowhere near the delightfully enjoyable manic delivery at Tokyo Disneyland) and the skippers often try to accommodate their English-speaking passengers with some Chinese/English variations.

This makes the trip aboard Jungle River Cruise more interesting and a unique Hong Kong Disneyland experience!

5. Toy Story Land

While the 2011 opening of Toy Story Land saw the only existing land focused on Pixar’s Toy Story franchise, the attractions are clones of Disneyland Paris’ RC Racer and Slinky Dog Zigzag.

Disney Park Nerds and Nerdlings always enjoy RC Racer!

The Toy Soldier Parachute Drop is fun if you ride it early before the slow loading and minimal capacity can cause 30+ minute waits even in the offseason (meanwhile the e-ticket attractions hover below 10 minutes).

Parachute Drop is most similar to Jumpin’ Jellyfish at Disney California Adventure and Tokyo DisneySea.

Overall, this land is weakest in Hong Kong in both theming and attractions. Building a land with toy blocks and tinker toys is cute, but lacks the charm of the rest of the park.

6. Mystic Point

Yes, please!

Hong Kong Disneyland’s Mystic Point debuted in 2013 and along with it the amazing, sensational, magical, and fun Mystic Manor!

This first-and-only-of-its-kind attraction is Hong Kong Disneyland’s answer to the Haunted Mansion.

This wonderful ride combines top-notch show elements with the state-of-the-art trackless ride technology of Tokyo Disneyland’s Pooh’s Hunny Hunt to wow guests.

Mystic Manor is Disney at its very best!

The rest of Mystic Point’s “attractions” include Gardens of Wonder and Mystic Point Freight Depot; two areas to take photos and explore some optical illusions.

While mildly interesting, these are both minor distractions and certainly not full-fledged “attractions”.

7. Grizzly Gulch

Like Mystic Point and Adventureland, two of the distraction “attractions” in this land include Wild West Photo Fun (photo ops) and a chance to get wet at Geyser Gulch.

The headliner here is Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars!

Debuting in 2012 and combining the smooth-as-silk track technology used in the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train along with the surprise backwards element of Animal Kingdom’s Expedition Everest, Hong Kong Disneyland’s coaster is a lot of fun.

Short waits in the off-season mean you will get to experience this attraction over and over to your heart’s desire!

What to expect from the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotels

Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel

Hong Kong Disneyland’s flagship hotel debuted alongside the park in 2005.

Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel is ensconced in a Victorian theme; a throwback to a Disneyland that never was.

The hotel is elegant and charming and is a scaled down replica of Disney World’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, both heavily influenced by San Diego’s famous Hotel del Coronado .

Sea View rooms are available and the hotel’s restaurants are top-notch.

Disney’s Hollywood Hotel

Disney’s Hollywood Hotel is a dead-ringer for the Disney Ambassador Hotel at the Tokyo Disney Resort.

It, too, opened September 12, 2005 along with Hong Kong Disneyland and has an art-deco theme. Views of the sea are available and its main restaurant, Chef Mickey , is outstanding.

Hong Kong Disneyland is definitely worth a visit and spending a few days during the off-season at its “on property” resorts makes for a relaxing and unique Disney-going experience.

Getting to Hong Kong Disneyland

Seriously, the Disney Park Nerds couldn’t be more excited for you!

Preparing a trip to explore Hong Kong Disneyland is an amazing adventure and one you will, no doubt, be glad that you did!

Let’s get a few essential Disney tips in order to make the trip as easy as possible and ease some of the intimidation you may be feeling.

Visa Requirements to Visit Hong Kong Disneyland

First things first. There is no Visa requirement for Americans traveling to Hong Kong for leisure.

Just make sure your passport is good for more than six months after the date of entry and your stay is less than six months.

You can always check out these requirements as well as contacting the US State Department .

If your travel plans take you to mainland China, the rules are a bit different. Be sure to contact the Chinese Embassy for specific information.

As of the writing of this article in 2016, Shanghai allows visits for up to 144 hours without a Visa while some cities, like Beijing allow up to 72 hours without a Visa.

If you plan to take a trip without securing a Visa, check with the US State Department, call and speak with the Chinese Embassy/Consulate, research it on the web site and call both agencies to verify everything again.

Measure three times, cut once.

Because getting this particular portion of your trip incorrect could amount to some massive headaches upon arrival as well as potentially barring you and your party from entering the country and exploring Hong Kong Disneyland.

Should you need to obtain a Visa, it will require an in-person visit to a Chinese Consulate or Embassy or engaging a third party Visa company (the Nerds have used Passport Visa Express many times without a hitch) who will visit one of these locations on your behalf.

This requires being without your passport for at least a handful of days as you will be shipping it to the third party company.

These third party companies make the process very easy, offer a selection of expedited options as well as tiered levels of service ranging from travelers who choose to fill the paperwork out on their own (we did this and it was relatively painless, if a little bit confusing) to arranging a call with an expert who will fill out all of the documentation for you and send it to you for signature.

The lower cost options start at about $220 per person, including the $140 application fee to the Chinese Consulate, plus shipping of your document(s) both directions.

Should you choose to visit the Consulate in person, they are located in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, or San Francisco or you can make your way to the Chinese Embassy in Washington DC.

Again, verify everything multiple times and confirm they will be open for the date of your visit as well as the hours of operation for Visa applications.

This sounds intimidating…but it doesn’t have to be!

The $79 (plus shipping) processing fee for a third party firm is well worth the money.

Airline Experience

There are many airlines that travel to Hong Kong and China. Chinese state-run airlines like China Eastern are every bit as good (if not better) than U.S.-based airlines like American or United.

The flight attendants from asian-based airlines, almost always young women, will be able to communicate with you in English, sometimes a bit “broken”, and there is always someone aboard who is fluent for more complex requests and questions.

Announcements, safety videos and demonstrations, movies and everything else will be available in both Chinese and English.

If you’re lucky, you’ll get to watch every safety video twice on each flight and it might be a world record for lengthy videos aboard China Easter and China Southern….seriously, it doesn’t end.

Like…I’m watching it right now and it’s still going.

Websites like www.seatguru.com allow you to run searches based on specific flight routes to see images of the planes and confirm details like specific aircraft, aircraft age, recommendations on seats to request and seats to avoid, seating arrangements, etc.

If you want to plan ahead for your return, check out our article on Global Entry and finding a credit card that will pay for it!

Airport Transfer Experience

If you are lucky enough to travel from the U.S. (or your home country) directly to Hong Kong, skip this section.

If you are connecting through a Chinese city, like Shanghai, read on!

Overall, this experience is pretty easy but there is one thing you can do at your home airport that will avoid confusion and that momentary moment of “what do I do and where do I go” jet-lagged induced panic (I suffered this for about 45 seconds because I failed to follow this step).

STEP 1: Confirm your luggage is checked through to your final destination (e.g. Hong Kong).

That’s the big one!

If you’ve confirmed this (and it cannot hurt to look at the luggage tag before they send your bag down the carousel) deplane and follow the signs – in Chinese and English, thankfully – to connections/transfers.

Be prepared to show your boarding pass, clear much-slower-than-TSA security (take out those laptops, throw away the water bottles and be sure to take your umbrella out of your carry-on….no joke), and head to your assigned gate to board your next flight.

You don’t need to fill out the boarding card since you are continuing to Hong Kong and the flight attendants should confirm this when they hand out the forms.

For flights departing from China, be prepared to sit on the tarmac for an extended period of time and to experience delays for any number of reasons ranging from weather to the 90+ minutes the Nerds sat on the ground due to issues loading cargo.

For the record, the safety video is STILL playing. Just thought you should know.

Airport Arrival and Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel Transfer

Hong Kong International airport follows the same general arrival process as any other international airport. Deplane, head through Immigration (you are a foreigner..so that’s your line!), collect your bags, walk through customs and now you’re out in the world and ready to begin your adventure!

Regardless of your hotel, do your homework.

Email the concierge and inquire about transportation options whether via taxi or hired car.

Our destination was the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel and several emails to the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort Reservation Center ( [email protected] ) helped identify a couple of options for first time visitors.

Taking the Metro was “out”.

Arriving many times in my youth to a foreign country jet-lagged and exhausted only to try and unravel the mysteries of the local transportation system (because no matter how much research you do, being there is always a bit unique) was one thing, but arriving in this exhaustive state to Asia – where none of us spoke the language – was not an option.

The Hong Kong Disney Resort recommended I take a taxi from the airport to the hotel; a 15-20 minute drive at a cost of HK$150 (about $20) for up to four passengers.

The Disney Park Nerds opted to splurge on this selection and book a private car at a cost of HK$1150 (about $148).

Boy, oh boy, was this worth it!

Let me tell you….this is the way to go!

Booking a private car eliminated all nervousness about arriving in Hong Kong because it eliminated the need for us to even have to think.

And that “I just spent 15 hours getting here, I’m incredibly jet-lagged, I’m nervous because I do not speak Chinese, etc” feeling in your stomach? Gone!

This option is not only a stress reliever, it is a true VIP experience.

You will be among the only passengers greeted immediately upon deplaning by an English-speaking airport employee holding a sign with your name.

This person will grab your carry-on and walk with you through the airport to Immigration, ensure you have the right forms and direct you to the proper line.

Once you’ve completed Immigration, they will be waiting for you with a baggage cart and guide you to the proper baggage carousel where they will load your luggage and lead you to a Mercedes Benz, trunk open and waiting, parked directly outside the airport.

Your bags will be loaded while you climb in the spacious back seat for the drive to the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort. No fuss, no muss and a heck of a lot of fun.

Departure Information from Hong Kong Disneyland

It’s too soon to think about leaving…heck, you haven’t even arrived yet!

Nonetheless, it’s time to think about heading to the airport.

Again, there are multiple methods from which to choose including Metro, taxi and private transfer.

No doubt, you will be far more comfortable in your surroundings having spent some time in Hong Kong (yes, even outside of Hong Kong Disneyland) and with English as its official second language, surely you found communication easier than expected.

The taxi for a return trip is a very viable and affordable option.

So, too, is the private transfer if you want a car waiting for you, someone to handle your luggage and a private escort, just as when you arrived, to help you check-in, clear Immigration as you leave the country and walk you to your gate.

It’s still fun to spoil yourself sometimes, though if you are going to choose one time to do this, splurge for the private car upon arrival at Hong Kong International Airport.

Now, get to planning and have an amazing adventure at Hong Kong Disneyland!

If you are looking for more guidance, you can read our 1 and 2-day itineraries.

Hong Kong Disneyland: 1 and 2-day Itineraries

Grab your Hong Kong Disneyland map, your itinerary and get ready to explore knowing you can conquer this park in a day if visiting in the off-season.

If you have the time, two days will allow you the ability to explore the park at a pace more akin to a laid back beach vacation rather than a grueling Disneyland or Disney World vacation.

It is truly a relaxing experience….one where you will find yourself wondering many times, “what should I do now?”.

A quick search on Amazon will yield one book specific to the resort publish in 2015. Books by Fodor’s, Frommer’s, Eyewitness and Lonely Planet will provide a good overview on Hong Kong overall, but dedicate little more than a paragraph on Hong Kong Disneyland.

Download the official Hong Kong Disneyland app

The Jungle River Cruise had the most consistently long wait all day long, though we quickly uncovered this is because the “cruise” is given in three languages (Mandarin, Cantonese and English), so the actual wait is often much shorter than posted.

Using the information we uncovered in less than 30 minutes of homework allowed us to plot out our day and during our mid-November trip, we did not wait more than 5 minutes for a single attraction and walked directly on the vast majority of them!

So those who stroll through the gates around 10:15am, grab a waffle or hot dog or corn on the cob at the food cart along Main Street (you cannot even get a pretzel or churro at the original Disneyland at 10am most days despite the park having been open for hours), peruse the shops and amble straight up to the rope with 75 of your closest friends for the official opening time will relish this wonderful cultural difference!

Hong Kong Disneyland opens and closes in stages

First to open is Main Street, U.S.A. generally 30 minutes before the park’s official opening time.

There are special lines for season pass holders (called Magic Access at Hong Kong Disneyland) and for guests staying at the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort hotels.

In the offseason, these lines could save you as much as 60 to 120 seconds (exactly…any line will do).

Arrive as early as you’d like in that 30 minute stretch before the park officially opens – 20 minutes will give you enough time to walk leisurely around Main Street and still be at the rope for the park’s opening.

At “rope drop”, most of Tomorrowland and Fantasyland are open as well as the Jungle River Cruise in Adventureland.

30 minutes later, the rest of the attractions in those lands will open along with those in Grizzly Gulch, Mystic Point and Toy Story Land.

The reverse is the same with Rafts to Tarzan’s Treehouse and the Treehouse themselves closing about an hour before fireworks/official closing time along with Grizzly Gulch, Mystic Point and Toy Story Land.

Undoubtedly, you will make numerous interesting observations during your trip and chief among them will be the lack of school-aged children – owing, no doubt, to Asia’s grueling school schedule and homework expectations – though a handful of kids will show up in the late afternoon/early evening complete with backpacks indicating they hopped on the subway right after school.

The lack of teenagers and the abundance of selfie-addicted women will provide the seasoned Disney park goer a decided advantage for experiencing their favorite attractions.

As you queue up and wait for the lands to open, you might find yourself thinking, “Okay, I’m not far back.

Get it together.

Let’s walk fast and see if we can get in front of that group over there.” Strategy in hand, the rope is dropped and you are ready to go!

But then, the unthinkable happens.

The groups diverge in different directions and the largest contingent rush to take pictures in front of statues, signs, decorations, etc before other people can ruin their selfies.

You’re still in first gear, ready to make a full sprint appear more like a walking speed so the Cast Members don’t yell at you, you look around and you find that you’ve distanced the entire crowd in less than 30 yards.

Now, you’re standing in front of the castle 60 seconds after the park opened and there is not a person in sight.

You literally have the magical picture opportunity you’ve dreamed of your entire Disney-going life… you can have a picture of the park’s centerpiece without another soul in the shot!

But what do you do?

Do you stop?

Do you forge ahead to get in line for your favorite attraction before the throngs of Hongkongers rush past you?

Take your time, get a good picture and leisurely walk to your first attraction.

As an aside, you’ll have plenty of time for all of those other pictures by mid-afternoon.

We Nerds were blown away at what a different Disney Park experience this was.

The visit to Hong Kong Disneyland was so relaxed, there was no need to walk quickly/run/sprint to the first several attractions of the day; meandering from attraction to attraction worked just fine.

Now….for those wise enough to visit in the offseason, here is a sample itinerary for your days in Hong Kong to minimize waiting times should even larger crowds arrive.

On to the itineraries!

• Get a Fastpass for Hyperspace Mountain (good for +/- 60 minutes in the future)
• Ride Hyperspace Mountain. If you walk here directly following rope drop, odds are you will have to wait a couple of minutes before there are enough people to fill up the first car. We know..crazy, right?
• Ride Orbitron
• Ride The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• If it’s not yet open, line up for the second “rope drop” at the entrance to Toy Story Land as accessed from Fantasyland
• Ride Toy Soldier Parachute Drop
• Ride RC Racer
• Ride Slinky Dog Spin
• Ride Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars
• Ride Mystic Manor
• Use your Fastpass and ride Hyperspace Mountain
• Ride Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters (and keep re-riding until you are happy with your score)
• Ride the Jungle River Cruise aboard the first available boat (the jokes largely fall flat in English, take the trip in Mandarin or Cantonese.
• Ride It’s a Small World
• Ride the Mad Hatter Tea Cups
• Work in an afternoon show of Mickey and the Wondrous Book (arriving 10 minutes early in the off-season is sufficient)
• Ride the Hong Kong Disneyland Railroad from the Fantasyland Station (you will have to exit at Main Street and hustle to get back in line to complete the round trip to Fantasyland)…and make it a round-trip
• Explore Fairy Tale Forest
• Take the rafts to Tarzan’s Treehouse
• Explore Tarzan’s Treehouse
• Explore Geyser Gulch and WildWest Photo Fun
• Repeat any of your favorites
• Make time for the “Disney Paint the Night” Parade
• End the day with “Disney in the Stars” Fireworks

Anything that you miss can easily be experienced the second day along with repeats of favorites.

Take the time to try some new restaurants and snacks while checking out every shop that interests you.

What you are likely to find is that you will explore the entire park and possibly even have time for an afternoon swim or nap; on Day 2 a swim and a nap are near certainties!

BONUS: How to spend non-Disney time in Hong Kong

Hong Kong Disneyland here you come!

But now what?

You’re planning to jet-set halfway around the world and your friends might mock you if you only spent time at Disneyland.

So you want to see more of Hong Kong? No problem!

The city is full of spectacular things to do, see and experience for all ages and interests.

Time to map out your itinerary, eh?

Not sure what to do?

Well, let’s start at the very beginning (I hear it’s a very good place to start).

You’re going to lose some time traveling to Hong Kong.

If you leave, say, California late Friday evening around 11pm, you will arrive in Hong Kong mid to late Sunday morning.

What happened to Saturday?

Due to the time-space continuum – coupled with the international date line – you arrived in the future.

Remember, your bound to be a bit jet-lagged and sleepy from your 20+ hours of travel.

Doing anything productive that first afternoon is likely a waste of time because you will be hallucinating and will not remember a thing.

Go for a walk to explore your surroundings, find a pool, get some food and do your best to stay up to a respectable time (like 6pm).

This will pay huge dividends as you have a strong shot at being reasonably rested the next morning and can kick off your touring in fashion.

If you’re visiting in the off-season, Hong Kong Disneyland can be done in a day though we’d highly recommend two to thoroughly enjoy the park as discussed in our Ultimate Guide to Hong Kong Disneyland .

If Hong Kong Disneyland was your impetus for the trip, make two days a priority and you’ll have the time to smell the roses, see every nook and cranny and bask in every detail of every shop and every attraction throughout the park.

Now the question becomes, how much time do you need for Hong Kong? It’s a question for the ages.

How much time do you need for Los Angeles or San Francisco? It just depends and here, a little research will go a long way.

What’s important to you?

• Is it Buddhist monasteries and Chinese gardens?
• Is it immersing yourself in the daily lives of Hongkongers?
• Is it dining?

The options are endless.

We reached out to our favorite – and highly rated on Tripadvisor – Hong Kong tour guide by the name of Jamie over at J3, an Englishman who has lived in Hong Kong going on four decades, for his top recommendations…though we promised to tell you that you can always customize a tour!

We had some very specific requests for our first tour with Jamie and accomplished the following in about 8 hours:

• We took the MTR (subway system) to many stops with expertly efficient guidance
• Rode a Blue Taxi to the Giant Buddha and saw a lot of wild cows
• Visited the amazing Giant Buddha (and walked up 268 steps to the statue)
• Had fun with the Echo Chamber
• Saw the “old and rather fabulous” new Po Lin Monastery
• Gawked at a jade bracelet priced at $1,935,000
• Dined at Din Tai Fung at the Miramar Mall – fusion dim sum, Michelin 1 star restaurant
• Toured Nan Lian Garden with its bonsai trees, rocks, koi, waterfalls, pagoda, “red” bridge and more
• Gawked some more at a 24K gold Mickey Mouse statue weighing more than 23lbs and a price tag of $498,000
• Walked down the longest road in Kowloon – Nathan Road – with nearly 2 miles of shopping
• Explored the iconic Peninsula Hotel during Afternoon Tea (and saw 14 Rolls Royce Phantoms)
• Traversed the waterfront and TST Promenade for the amazing view of the harbor and Hong Kong Island
• Set sail on the Star Ferry across the harbor to Hong Kong Island
• Took pictures of the Hong Kong Ferris Wheel
• Peppered Jamie with endless questions that he was gracious enough to answer (and answer…and answer)

Dining out in Hong Kong

24K Gold Mickey Mouse

Nerd Alert: Jamie easily allowed us to see nearly 3 days’ worth of DIY touring in a no-stress, though very exhausting day. We Nerds believe this time savings more than offset the cost and left us plenty of time for Hong Kong Disneyland.

7 Hong Kong Disneyland Tips

Sometimes the Nerd learns of a Disney tip the hard way… such is the case with a recent visit to Hong Kong Disneyland!

So, take it from the Nerd and follow these simple Disney tips and tricks to save time on your Hong Kong Disneyland Adventure.

1. Study the Traffic Patterns

The most impactful Disney tip studying can be done from the comfort of your couch on a smart phone.

Making the most of your time at Hong Kong Disneyland includes avoiding crowds. Download the official Hong Kong Disneyland app in the weeks ahead of your trip.

Simply log on to the app when the park opens and at a few sporadic times during the park’s operating day.

Make note of the wait times (taking a screen shot with your phone is even easier) and some very obvious patterns on when wait times are at their longest.

Use this information to come up with your touring plan for the day or use our sample plan.

2. Email Hong Kong Disneyland with Questions

The folks at the Hong Kong Disney Reservation Center do their best to help answer questions and provide guidance about your upcoming visit to Hong Kong Disneyland.

If you have questions, want to confirm your itinerary or do some homework ahead of your trip, email them at [email protected].

Be forewarned, they can be a little slow at responding and it can sometimes take a day or two to hear back, so communicate well ahead of your trip.

3. Book a Private Transfer Upon Landing in Hong Kong

The Hong Kong Disney Resort generally recommends taking a taxi from the airport to the hotel; a 15-20 minute drive at a cost of HK$150 (about $20) for up to four passengers.

They also offer a private car at a cost of HK$1150 (about $148). If this splurge is in your budget, this is the way to go!

This Disney tip eliminates all nervousness about arriving in Hong Kong – especially for first-time visitors – because it eliminates the need to think and stress.

And that “I just spent 15 hours getting here, I’m incredibly jet-lagged, I’m nervous because I do not speak Chinese, etc…” feeling in your stomach?

This option is not only a stress reliever and huge time saver, it is a true VIP experience.

You will be among the only passengers greeted immediately upon deplaning by an English-speaking airport employee holding a sign with your name. This person will grab your carry-on and walk with you through the airport to Immigration, ensure you have the right forms and direct you to the proper line.

Your bags will be loaded while you climb in the spacious back seat for the drive to the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort .

No fuss, no muss and a heck of a lot of fun.

4. Book a Private Tour to See Hong Kong

There is a lot to see and do in Hong Kong and undoubtedly you will want to explore at least some of the city during your trip. While the Nerd is a fan of “getting lost” in foreign cities – you often find some wonderful off-the-beaten-path treats – if your time is limited, book a tour.

If timing is extremely limited or you want to spoil yourself, book a private tour.

A full-day private tour will cost in the neighborhood of $650 plus transportation costs and entrance fees.

5. Confirm Your Luggage is Checked Through to Hong Kong

Prevent a minor panic attack with this Disney tip.

If you are connecting through another mainland China airport, like Shanghai.

Be prepared to show your boarding pass, clear much-slower-than-TSA security (taking out those laptops, throwing away the water bottles and being sure to place your umbrella in a separate bin….no joke), and head to your assigned gate to board your next flight.

6. Plan Your Arrival to the Park in Advance

If you are not staying at a Hong Kong Disney Resort property and need to plan on using a taxi, bus, or metro, be sure to ask your concierge for specific instructions on how to get to Hong Kong Disneyland .

It will be very important that you know how long it should take to arrive 20-30 minutes before the park’s scheduled opening time being mindful of rush hour or closures that will impact your travel time.

If you are staying at the Hong Kong Disney Resort, ask the Concierge about the timing of the bus/shuttle or obtain a jogging map with approximate distances from the hotels to Hong Kong Disneyland.

The Nerds and Nerdlings enjoy the peaceful – almost eerily empty – walk from the hotel to the park in the off-season.

7. Stay at a Hong Kong Disney Resort Hotel

Our final Disney tip. If saving time is a priority, spend the extra money to stay at least one or two nights at a Hong Kong Disney Resort property.

In the off-season, prices can be very affordable especially once transportation costs are factored in.

Final thoughts on Hong Kong Disneyland

Hong Kong Disneyland is a wonderful park and definitely worth the trip.

We Disney Parks Nerds have a thing or two to say about it in our Hong Kong Disneyland: How it Compares article.

After gushing over so much of what the park has to offer, we also found a few things we would LOVE to see…they would have made our day all the more magical!

1. More Popcorn Options!

One of the Nerd’s favorite things about the Tokyo Disney Resort is the seemingly endless selection of popcorn flavors at carts all around Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea.

From Nerd favorite Corn Pottage (the name does not do the taste justice) to soy sauce or curry or honey and more….your food budget will quickly be challenged with the “I’ve got to try this” mentality.

Hong Kong Disneyland offers regular “U.S. style” popcorn and a mediocre caramel popcorn.

We’d pop over more options!

2. Fresh Baked Cookies

The Nerds LOVE, LOVE, LOVE a white chocolate chunk cookie at the Disneyland Resort and the Walt Disney World Resort.

Unfortunately, fresh baked (or even “non-packaged”) cookies are extraordinarily difficult to come by at the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort.

Even if you find one, it won’t take the place of the vast selection available in the U.S. parks. Souvenirs are big (BIG!) business in Asia and people returning from vacation are expected to bring gifts – food gifts are often the “go to” choice.

Therefore, it’s no surprise that pre-packaged souvenir cookies in everything from bags, to plastic packages and collectible tins are found everywhere around the resort.

We just wish there was a a little love in the form of a freshly baked white chocolate chunk cookie was available to satisfy a hungry tourist’s sweet tooth.

3. Mickey Pretzels

Need we say more?

There are no Mickey Pretzels (capitalized due to its importance in Disney lore) available at the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort. It’s sad, it’s true, and it should be changed.

End of story.

4. Longer Hours for Mystic Point and Grizzly Gulch

Mystic Point’s Mystic Manor attraction and Grizzly Gulch’s Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars are two of the best attractions at Hong Kong Disneyland (Nerd Alert: Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars is expected to fall to number three when Iron Man opens in January 2017).

Yet, neither land is accessible when the park opens and both close about an hour earlier – at least in the off-season – than the rest of the park.

The Nerd is a fan of ending Disney visits with the best attractions and the absence of lines would make experiencing Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars and Mystic Manor an enviable 1-2 punch at the end of an amazing day visiting Hong Kong Disneyland!

5. Round Trips Aboard the Hong Kong Disneyland Railroad

The Nerd, like everyone before and millions after, likes a good ol’ fashioned rest aboard any Disneyland Railroad. With only two stations – Main Street, U.S.A. and Fantasyland – the ride is relatively short, though there are a couple of interesting and unique things to see (though not as amazing as the dioramas at Disneyland in California, but fun nonetheless).

Unfortunately, guests are required to disembark after each leg of the journey. Maybe this makes sense on the more crowded days, but during the off-season, this rule does little more than force people to exit the train and hustle through the exit and back in line to join the boarding process for the same train.

Oh…to be able to ride the train on a complete round trip journey….

6. More Theming on Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars

Grizzly Gulch’s headliner is Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars!

Combining the smooth-as-silk track technology used in the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train along with the surprise backwards ride element of Animal Kingdom’s Expedition Everest, Hong Kong Disneyland’s coaster is a lot of fun!

What could make it better?

More animals and props alongside the track and inside the caves and caverns a la Big Thunder Mountain. No need to go overboard, but a little spice is awfully nice.

7. A Bigger Castle, Additional Hotels, More Attractions and New Themed Lands!

Okay, this is a gimme given the announcement Disney made about upcoming improvements to the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort .

Hong Kong Disneyland recently announced a multi-billion dollar investment in its park.

Rumors include a larger Hong Kong Disneyland castle , additional Marvel-themed attractions and a new land!

The Disney Park Nerd loves Hong Kong Disneyland….but there is always room for improvement (and a Mickey Pretzel …did we mention that?).

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Hong Kong Disneyland: Adventureland

Our Photo tour continues into Adventureland. This once remote jungle is now filled with outposts and river cruises, bringing explorers and eager tourists. With the spirit of travel and discovery, this lushly landscaped zone offers park guests with three main attractions – set in the wild and exotic.

According to Hong Kong Disneyland, this is Disney’s largest Adventureland.

Festival of the Lion King is staged within the Theater in the Wild (like you know: Theater-in-the-round). This is a reduced (about half an hour long) version of The Lion King. The classic story and songs are presented in a retelling of Simba’s story. Visually, I find it to be a mix of the Lion King (animated film) and the broadway musical production.

Set List Circle of Life I Just Can’t Wait to be King Be Prepared Hakuna Matata Can You Feel the Love Tonight Grasslands Chant Circle of Life Finale Medley (Hakuna Matata / Can You Feel the Love Tonight / Be Prepared / I Just Can’t Wait to Be King / Circle of Life)

I’ve never really had to plan ahead for this show. However, if you want unobstructed views (first few rows), you have to get into the queue early. It’s also quite a crazy rush once the doors to the theater opens.

Rafts to Tarzan’s Treehouse leads to well, Tarzan’s Treehouse . It’s a walkthrough attraction around an island (which I think is called Tarzan’s Island).

The last attraction here would be Jungle River Cruise . This is a river tour along the Rivers of Adventure , with a cast member on the boat as guide and driver – or more commonly: skipper .

The queue is split into 3 lines – Cantonese, English, Chinese. The actual length of each queue is different, but a boat rotation plan somewhat regulates the wait time for each line. I’ve been on Jungle Cruise several times (all three lanes) and no matter how fluent the cast members were, the Cantonese version is logically, the best. As it is their native tongue, most of the cast members are very confident presenting the Cantonese version of the experience.

That’s mainly because the skippers have a vast library of cheesy lines and cold jokes – and it takes confidence to deliver those lines.

The cruise is somewhat “different” each time due to the skippers’ performances, although it’s ultimately limited by the amount of animated props built at the ride itself.

I’m not sure if it’s because it’s autumn/winter season, but most of the “splashy” effects were toned down or turned off – namely, the piranhas, elephants, gigantic water spout at the end.

With Grizzly Gulch and Mystic Point just beyond a layer of trees, it’s possible to see some parts of the new themed lands from Jungle Cruise!

Jungle River Cruise in Hong Kong Disneyland has a special finale scene unique to this park, where two rock sculptures, depicting gods of water and fire, duel right in front of guests. There are dramatic fire and water effects, which are bound to surprise guests on the right side of the boat.

And we’ve come to the end of our short journey around Adventureland.

Hong Kong Disneyland - Photo Tour series

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The History and Evolution of the Disney’s Jungle Cruise

Since it opened in Disneyland Park in July of 1955, Jungle Cruise has become one of the most iconic attractions in Disney’s theme park catalogue. Everything from the distinctive ride vehicles, comical tableaus, animatronic animals, and even the purposely over-the-top skipper spiel have become iconic elements of the Disney theme park experience, explaining why the Jungle Cruise has been cloned to nearly every Disney resort around the world.

However, despite its beloved stature, the attraction has met its fair share of controversy over the years, which has led to numerous changes, including a major refurbishment in 2021 .

To analyze this attraction’s controversial history, we must first look at its origins, years before Disneyland was constructed.

The origins.

The origins of the Jungle Cruise can be traced back to the late 1940s, when Walt Disney Pictures began production on their True-Life Adventures series. Beginning with Seal Island in 1948, these somewhat staged wildlife documentaries followed various groups of animals in their natural habitats. The series was so successful with movie-goers and critics that it eventually evolved from two-reel shorts to full-length documentary films that quickly became a cornerstone of Walt Disney Studios.  

Guests would view the animals from skipper-guided ride-vehicles modeled after the titular boat from the 1951 hit film The African Queen, while traveling through a jungle designed by Disneyland landscape extraordinaire Bill Evans.  

Welcome to the Jungle

Jungle Cruise opened with the rest of Disneyland on July 17, 1955. However, a modern guest would be hard-pressed to recognize much of the attraction. Sure they would be familiar with Goff’s general concept, and if they squinted they could imagine how the rather light jungle Evans planted would grow into the lush greenery seen today, but many iconic elements of the attraction would be absent. There was no ad-libbed humor from the skippers, who played the entire experience straight. In fact, there was no humor period.  

The Jungle Cruise, like Disneyland overall, was a massive success upon its opening, quickly becoming an integral part of American pop culture. However, as the park’s first decade came to a close, Walt Disney felt his park needed some new blood. According to legend, he once overheard a child ask his mother to ride the Jungle Cruise and was aghast when the mother responded that they’d ridden it last time and didn’t need to again. Whether this story is apocryphal or not, in the early 1960s Walt brought over animator Marc Davis from the Studios to “plus up” some of Disneyland’s attractions.  

One of the first attractions Davis – who would go on to become one of the company’s most influential Imagineers – worked on was Jungle Cruise. A visual comedian by nature, Davis decided to liven up the attraction by adding the playful elephant pool and comical trapped safari sequences.

These comedic elements in-turn influenced the ride’s skipper narration, which became more and more comical over the years. Davis’ changes led to the attraction becoming even more popular.  

Disney World’s Jungle Cruise

The Jungle Cruise’s status as one of Disney’s premier attractions was further solidified when a version of the ride opened with Walt Disney World and Magic Kingdom in 1971.

The Orlando version of the ride was similar to its Anaheim counterpart, though not a direct clone, and served the same purpose as the anchor attraction of the park’s Adventureland section.

Jungle Cruise International

A near-direct clone of the Magic Kingdom version of the attraction opened with Tokyo Disneyland in 1983, but when Disneyland Paris, then known as EuroDisney, opened in 1992, the park became the first “castle park” not to feature a Jungle Cruise on opening day. This was due partially to the cold French climate not being hospitable to water rides and partially because there were several knockoff Jungle Cruises already built at various French amusement parks.

Disneyland Levels Up

While these alternate versions of the Jungle Cruise were being built around the world, the Disneyland original continued to be “plussed” over the years. Throughout the 1960s and 70s, various new animals and show-scenes were added to the attraction. The biggest changes up to that point came in 1994, when the attraction was rerouted and shortened to make room for the then-upcoming Indiana Jones Adventure attraction. In addition, the ride (and the entirety of Adventureland) were rethemed to be set in the 1930s to tie into Indy.  

While these changes were substantial, they were nothing compared to the original plans , which were going to see a portion of the Jungle Cruise take place inside the Indiana Jones show building, as part of a plan to build a massive complex that would house four attractions.  

Holiday Overlays

Following these mid-90s refurbishments, the Jungle Cruise continued to be one of Disney’s marquee attractions. As a testament to said importance, in 2013, both American versions of the attraction were given a holiday overlay and temporarily renamed The Jingle Cruise.

The overlay was so successful that it was greatly expanded for 2014, and remained in both parks through 2016. For reasons unknown, Disneyland dropped The Jingle Cruise from its Holiday offerings in 2017, though the overlay remains a Magic Kingdom staple to this day.  

Controversy in the Jungle

Despite Jungle Cruise’s ongoing popularity, in recent decades the attraction has become controversial due to its purported negative depictions of native people, specifically the “headhunter” party as well as the Trader Sam “head salesman” character.  

In January 2021,  Disney announced that it would be making significant story changes to the Jungle Cruise at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World to alleviate these issues. Carmen Smith, creative development and inclusion strategies executive at Walt Disney Imagineering, explained the changes in a statement to the Los Angeles Times , saying:  

As Imagineers, it is our responsibility to ensure experiences we create and stories we share reflect the voices and perspectives of the world around us. With Jungle Cruise, we’re bringing to life more of what people love – the humor and wit of our incredible skippers — while making needed updates.

Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger added , “The exciting changes we’re making to one of Disney’s most popular classic attractions, Jungle Cruise, reflect our commitment to creating unparalleled experiences that reflect, not only the best in storytelling, but also the values and rich diversity of our world.”

As part of these announcements, Disney made it clear that these changes to the attraction were not going to be related to the upcoming film based on the attraction.

Said film, simply titled Jungle Cruise , was released in July of 2021. The film starred Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Édgar Ramírez, Jack Whitehall, Jesse Plemons, and Paul Giamatti and was directed by Jaume Collet-Serra. It was such a hit, a sequel is already in the works.

How do you feel about the upcoming changes to the Jungle Cruise? Do you agree that they’ve been years in the making? Beyond that, how do you feel about the attraction overall? Let us know in the comments below.  

Jungle Cruise

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Visitors Guide to Hong Kong Disneyland

Hong Kong Disneyland opened September 12, 2005 and drew 5.7 million visitors in 2019, narrowly beating Walt Disney Studios in Paris as Disney's least-attended theme park. But Disney is expanding Hong Kong Disneyland, plussing its Sleeping Beauty Castle into the Castle of Magical Dreams, themed to 13 Disney queens and princesses, with a Royal Reception Hall meet and greet within. And in 2023, the park opened its most ambitious land yet, World of Frozen.

Our recommendations below come from our ongoing survey of Theme Park Insider readers. Locations with star ratings ★ ranked especially highly among our readers. Vote here to take part in our surveys and submit your picks for top attractions.

Other attractions throughout Hong Kong Disneyland include:

• Animation Academy: Learn to draw Disney characters in this guided step-drawing class.
• Hong Kong Disneyland Railroad

• Hyperspace Mountain: A "Star Wars" overlay of Tomorrowland's Space Mountain indoor roller coaster. Height requirement: 40 inches
• Iron Man Experience: Marvel-themed 3D motion-base theater show where you and Iron Man save Hong Kong from Hydra. Height requirement: 40 inches
• Orbitron: Spinner ride
• Cinderella Carousel
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant
• Fairy Tale Forest: Walk-through
• Fantasy Gardens: Walk-through and character meeting

• Mad Hatter Tea Cups: Spinner ride
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: Dark ride
• Mickey and the Wondrous Book: Live musical revue

• RC Racer: Intamin surfrider halfpipe coaster
• Slinky Dog Spin: Caterpillar ride
• Toy Soldier Parachute Drop
• Jungle River Cruise: Narrated boat ride
• Moana - A Homecoming Celebration: Live stage show
• Rafts to Tarzan's Treehouse: Short boat ride
• Tarzan's Treehouse: Walk through

Where to Eat

• Explorer's Club "Semi-buffet" themed to Disney's Society of Explorers and Adventures, serving cuisines from around the world. Located in Mystic Point.

Other table service options include the River View Cafe in Adventureland, and the Main Street Corner Cafe and Plaza Inn on Main Street. For the cheapest western-style fare, hit up The Lucky Nugget in Grizzly Gulch.

Or head over to the Crystal Lotus at the nearby Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel for the Disney Dim Sum - steamed buns in the shape of Disney characters.

Hong Kong Disneyland is located on the eastern edge of Lantau Island, conveniently located about eight miles from Hong Kong International Airport. Download the Uber or Octopus app prior to arrival and use that to book a taxi or UberX to the resort for the most convenient access. From elsewhere in the city, take the MTR to Sunny Bay station and transfer to the Disneyland Resort line.

Hong Kong Disneyland will feel like a throwback to Walt Disney World visitors. Paper tickets. No need for advance dining reservations. There is a paid "Lightning Lane"-style line-skipping system called Priority Access, but it's not often used and not really needed to enjoy the park's attractions.

Disney's on-site hotel guests get 15 minutes of early access to the park. Note that Grizzly Gulch, Mystic Point, and Toy Story Land open 30 minutes after the rest of the park. Use your first moments in the park to buy a freshly-made Mickey waffle on Main Street, then head over to Big Grizzly Mountain, followed by Mystic Manor. Unless you have little kids who must do Toy Story, skip that and head next to World of Frozen.

Use the Hong Kong Disneyland app to find showtimes for the Festival of The Lion King show, as well as Mickey and the Wondrous Book, if you are interested in that Disney Cruise Line-style "Disney's greatest hits" production. And we also recommend - as always, where it is offered - a trip to Animation Academy to draw your own Disney character. Here, you'll find it often is Duffy, whose character friends dominate almost every retail location in the park.

Pick up the rest of the park's attractions at your convenience, but plan to save a space on the hub 30-60 minutes early for Momentous, which is an excellent nighttime spectacular.

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River View Cafe Afternoon Tea Review

River View Cafe is a table service restaurant in Hong Kong Disneyland, overlooking Adventureland and the Jungle River Cruise. This review covers Afternoon Tea and features photos of the experience, our take on ambiance, and other assorted tidbits. River View Cafe serves Southeast Asian and Chinese dishes in an open-air restaurant. Some regular menu options including River View Cafe’s signature braised beef in Nanjing style, sweet and sour fish fillets with pineapple, Fujian fried rice, wok-fried noodles with beef tenderloin, and Singaporean vermicelli with scallops.

Since we were going specifically for the Afternoon Tea Set, we didn’t have a chance to try these, but our experience with Hong Kong Disneyland restaurants has generally been that counter service is the better option, as quality at counter service restaurants is really high, whereas you don’t see much of a gain at table service restaurants–except in the prices.

As for the Afternoon Tea Set, a little background might be in order for those of you who might be puzzled as to why a Chinese park is serving high tea. Until 1997, Hong Kong was actually a British colony (it’s now a partially-autonomous Special Administrative Region of China), and as such, many of its customs have been heavily influenced by the British. Setting aside politics and all that, this had at least one undeniable benefit for Hong Kong, and that was making it a true “world city” that formed a bridge between the East and West.

This may seem irrelevant to a Hong Kong Disneyland restaurant review, but I mention it because, by extension, Hong Kong Disneyland is also a “world theme park” in the sense that there’s really no language barrier for English-speakers. Anyway, one of the customs that the British brought to Hong Kong was high tea ( here’s some background on afternoon high tea in the United Kingdom ), a social event that remains popular in Hong Kong to this day.

With that background, let’s take a look at the Afternoon Tea Set at River View Cafe…

There are several places at Hong Kong Disneyland that offer an Afternoon Tea Set, with two of those spots being in the park at Main Street Corner Cafe and River View Cafe. We have done Afternoon Tea at both, and while it’s not a strictly traditional High Tea, we have really enjoyed the unique experience these sets offer. Main Street Corner Cafe is the more traditional, Victorian setting for High Tea, with River View Cafe sort of offering its own “East Meets West” experience in terms of the High Tea itself in the jungle environment that is reminiscent of Lantau Island (Hong Kong) just outside of Hong Kong Disneyland.

In terms of ambiance, there really isn’t much to say about River View Cafe. It’s very simple, and actually feels a lot like a counter service restaurant. The setting area is fairly large and the decor is simple, with only some posters and random decorations that comprise the theming.

The main draw is the open air views into the Jungle River Cruise, but even those views aren’t all that much of a draw, as the restaurant is located across a walkway from Jungle River Cruise. Most views in the Cafe are of lush vegetation rather than the river.

As for the Afternoon Tea Set itself, we are both fans. While I don’t really go out of my way to have tea, this set isn’t really about the tea. In fact, I don’t order tea to drink with it. Rather, it’s about the spread of finger foods that accompany the drinks, and this spread is pretty good.

The highlight is absolutely the dim sum, which Hong Kong Disneyland does very well. If you’ve seen our Crystal Lotus Review, you know that they make some really, really cute dim sum , and the same is true of the River View Cafe. My only complaint here is that the dim sum at River View Cafe are generic pigs…it would be cooler if they were Disney characters from the Jungle Book or something. That’s hardly a knock, though, as the dim sum tastes good and is photogenic.

Dim sum is not the only thing included in the Afternoon Tea Set. There’s also nicely presented little gelatins…

Plus egg rolls, wontons, and other assorted items…

As is the case virtually everywhere you go, there’s something edible (I believe this was a pineapple chunk?) shaped like Mickey Mouse. Kawaii definitely isn’t as big in Hong Kong Disneyland as it is at Tokyo Disney Resort, but it’s still big. The kawaii dim sum should be evidence of that.

Overall, it’s a nice little spread, and while it’s not filling enough to be a full meal for 2 people, it definitely accomplishes the goal of high tea in providing a bridge between lunch and a late dinner. At around $40 US for the set, I wouldn’t say it offers particularly great value–you can get something more filling from a counter service restaurant for about $15 per person–but the presentation is excellent. Also, and most importantly, there’s something to be said for having High Tea in a Disney theme park. It’s that unique experience, and the quality of the Afternoon Tea Set that really makes me recommend it. Having an Afternoon Tea Set is a nice way to relax and reflect in the middle of the day in Hong Kong Disneyland, and it is a fun offering that you won’t find at any other Disney park. If you’re on a tight budget or are interested solely in value, you should probably skip the Afternoon Tea Set, but I think the experience is well worth the money for everyone else.

If you are planning a trip to Hong Kong Disneyland, make sure to check out our Hong Kong Disneyland Park & Attraction Guide for reviews, strategy, and other information about every attraction at Hong Kong Disneyland! For more photos and a look at what we did during our first visit to HKDL, check out our Hong Kong Disneyland Trip Report (I know there has been some delay, but I’ll be finishing this report next week).

Overall Score: 8.5/10

To read other Disney restaurant reviews from Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Tokyo Disney Resort, Disneyland Paris, and Hong Kong Disneyland, organized by location, check out our Disney Restaurant Reviews Index .

Your Thoughts…

Have you tried an Afternoon Tea Set at Hong Kong Disneyland? What did you think of it? Is it something you’d like to try? Are you a fan of High Tea, in general? If you have any questions or thoughts to share, please post them in the comments. We love hearing from readers!

Written by Tom Bricker

Thank you for the information as it is incredibly sparse on Hong Kong Disney. We LOVED this place. I would give it a ten from a family perspective with picky eaters and a family of five of us ranging from 6 to 50. We did high tea both English and Chinese and it was a hot day. Thankfully we sat in front of a fan that kept us cool. We sampled a variety of beverages from the tea to the beer along with a variety of dishes and desserts. This was one of the best dining places we have been with only two parks to go and the price was incredible. The portions weren’t huge but plenty for us left me full the rest of the day!

We are going to HKDL later this year. My first ever trip to any disney park so loving your reviews especially on HKDL. Excited :))

Do they accept octopus cards in the parks and the restaurants within the parks?

We never tried to use our Octopus cards, and I’m pretty sure that’s because they don’t accept them. I know I didn’t see any of the scanners. Have a great trip!

Actually, I remember seeing signs indicating that the Octopus card was accepted at the vending cart in Grizzly Gulch (Lucky Nugget Saloon?). I didn’t try to use mine though 🙂

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