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When speaking to someone and realize you have things in common, you sometimes say, “its a small world!”
Well, I kind of felt that way when I found out their was a Disney park in Hong Kong.
Paris, Tokyo, California, Orlando, Yes….Hong Kong?
As well traveled as I am, how did this escape me?
When my children were younger, we made many trips to Disneyworld in Orlando. Or…as my youngest likes to tell me…we made many trips with our two older children. He claims that as the youngest, he didn’t have the number of trips that they experienced.
Frankly, I think he just doesn’t remember.
Anyway, when he found out that a Disneyland was located in Hong Kong, I think that he insisted that he wanted to visit that he could “one-up” his brothers!
We already knew the way, since we had passed through the MTR station on our way to see the Big Buddha and Po Lin Monastery, and we got an early start to make the most of our day in the park.
As we arrived into the Sunny Bay station, we crossed over to the Disneyland Resort Line which is timed to meet the incoming MTR train. The train cars are appropriately Disney-themed with mouse-eared shaped windows and mouse-eared shaped handholds.
I have to admit, walking under the massive Hong Kong Disneyland Resort sign, I was a bit excited and a bit more for my son. This was something he was looking forward to and I hoped that it was all that he wanted it to be.
Paying our admission, we were greeted by the same Main Street promenade that had always greeted us in Orlando’s Disneyworld, however, as we made our way down the street, there seemed to be something lacking. Where we would normally see a large grey and blue castle, the iconic Cinderella’s Castle, there was a shorter castle-like pink building. Where was the rest of it?
The structure, christened Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, was walled off as construction was in progress, however, it was disconcerting to find it not quite as grand as what we were accustomed to. Maybe the renovations would be adding a few taller turrets?
Checking our map, we headed in the direction of the attractions that we wanted to enjoy first. Starting with the Big Grizzly Mountain, we were able to savor the wind in our hair on the thrilling roller-coaster ride without much of a wait. It was such a rush and a great start to the day! Mystic Manor followed with it’s ghostly apparitions popping out at every corner and then the Jungle Cruise, much like the one in Disneyworld, complete with wild animals and hostile cannibals. Although we boarded the English speaking boat, it was a bit difficult to understand our guide and her stories, one of the unique features of this attraction.
Moving on, we found ourselves in one of my favorite parts of the park, Toy Story Land, where everything in its existence brought back fond memories of the five children’s movies we had enjoyed when our children were younger. Giant Christmas lightbulbs criss-crossed the pathways, a giant Mr. Potato Head greeted visitors, tinkertoys littered the area and Popsicle stick benches offered a reprieve to tired park visitors. We enjoyed the Slinky Dog Spin, RC Racer, Barrel of Fun rides, but especially loved the Toy Soldier Parachute Drop, which lifted us high into the sky and dropped us down to the ground at varying speeds.
Fantasyland was next with rides on Dumbo, the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, The Cinderella Carousel and Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups. Mickey’s Philarmagic gave us a chance to cool off in the air conditioned theater and rest our feet for a while as we enjoyed the animated feature.
After a quick lunch in Fantasyland, we headed over to one of the rides that I think everyone recalls fondly when they remember their trips to one of the Disney parks, Its A Small World. After a 30 minute wait, we finally boarded one of the boats and glided through the waters of the exhibit, while admiring the multicultural dolls singing their signature song.
Leaving the building with the memorable song stuck in our heads, we finally made our way to Tomorrowland and The Orbitron, Ironman Experience and Hyperspace Mountain. Since my son had only heard about the pitch black space-themed ride, as he was too young when we had last visited, he was most excited to experience it and we actually braved the line twice.
The Hong Kong Disneyland park was a complete about-face from my activities on my recent far-flung vacations, but it was something special that I was able to share with my son. We were quite impressed with the friendly staff, the cleanliness of the park and the attractions unique to this particular park. After a long day in the Hong Kong heat, waiting in longer-than-usual lines (thanks to a local holiday) it was time to head back to Kowloon.
A cool hotel room, hot shower and a soft bed were waiting so that we could prepare for our long journey home the next day. But guess what? As we were departing, we ran into a flight attendant, from my company, and her daughter also enjoying a day at Disney…it really is a small world!
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Hong Kong Disneyland
- https://www.hongkongdisneyland.com/
- Address: Lantau Island, Hong Kong
- Hours: 1030-2030, daily, hours may vary with certain events
- Admission: Adults, HK $619 (about US$79), Children ages 3-11 years, HK $458 (about US$58).
- Getting There: Take MTR to Sunny Bay station on Lantau Island. Transfer to Hong Kong Disneyland Resort line.
Tourists crowded the entrance and ticket window and lined up under the overpass across the street moving when directed to do so. We took our place at the end of the line, enjoying the shade and respite from the Hong Kong heat. An hour later, we queued up to board the funicular, fighting to find a seat on the crowded vehicle. Despite the amazing views we expected to see, it was hard to get much of a glimpse through the windows, while traveling at such a steep angle and with dozens of arms raised, grasping cameras attempting to get pictures of the climb.
After emerging from the Tsim Sha Tsui MTR station, we headed south toward the harbor. Walking along Salisbury Road, we passed the lavish Peninsula Hotel and the Hong Kong Space Museum directly across the roadway. Making tracks around the Hong Kong Cultural Center, we admired the famous landmark, the former Kowloon-Canton Railway Clock Tower, which is the only remnant of the original site of the former Kowloon Station on the Kowloon-Canton Railway. Since the clock tower is presently closed for renovation, we continued on to our destination, the Tsim Sha Tsui ferry pier. Walking into the terminal, we followed the signs to the departure point, only to find that we had just missed the boat!
With such regular schedules, we didn’t fret as we knew another would be leaving for Hong Kong Island soon.
Before long, we were climbing aboard, taking seats near the rail and admiring the exquisite skyline as we motored away from the Kowloon coastline. All around us, boats cruised through the harbor, cruise ships awaited their departure and freighters and barges carried their cargo out of the busy port. The blue skies enhanced the incredible architecture, including illustrious and distinctive buildings like 2IFC Towers, Bank of China building and Central Plaza on the Hong Kong side and the ICC Tower on the Kowloon side. Though the ride was short, the breeze was cool and the waters calm. Staring ahead at Hong Kong Island, we looked upward at Victoria’s Peak…our next destination.
After making our way past the Pai Tau village, we followed the directions to the beginning of the path to the monastery. Posted signs warned of “fake monks” known to hit on tourists for money. Thankfully, we only encountered local residents climbing the 431 steps to make offerings at the monastery.
Finally, we made our way to the main temple. Though a sign informs visitors of no photography, we were able to capture some of the beauty displayed in this temple, where the walls are lined with almost 13,000 miniature gold ceramic Buddha statues stacked on shelves. Each twelve inch statue displays a different pose and expression and contains an inscription bearing the name of its donor.
The embalmed body of Reverend Yuet Kai is prominently displayed in a glass case in the main hall and three large gilded Buddha statues are also presented to its rear.
Heading to the upper terrace, we encountered the Amitabha Hall, Avalotiskesvara (Kwun Yam) House, Cundi House, Ksitigarbha House, Jade Emperor Hall, Sprinkler Guanyin, YueXi Pavilion and Naga-puspa Court.
Most interesting to note within the pavilions and houses are the Horseback bodhisattva in the Avalotisvara (Kwun Yam) House and the massive gold Amitabha Buddha statue in the columbarium (Amitabha Hall). In the two story columbarium, gold framed drawers, each with a Buddha image are stacked around the hall and contain the ashes of the deceased.
A unique site featured in many films and television series, the Ten Thousand Buddha Monastery is one of the most interesting and historic places that we visited in Hong Kong. Though the monastery is in a bit of disrepair and construction continues to stabilize the upper hillside, the statues were most mesmerizing and the architecture quite interesting.
Not much communication was given about the surrounding area, however, it was nice to get an overview of the island and some of the houses and temples located there. Cruising out of the main channel, we picked up speed entering a wider waterway on the far end of the island near the raised highway. As the boat slowed, it appeared that the captain was scanning the waters. Before long, I noticed something breaking the surface in the distance. Suddenly, I remembered reading about Chinese white dolphins (also known as pink dolphins) during my Hong Kong research. This is what we were searching for!
After a few minutes, we noticed more rounded backs and fins breaking the surface. Though none came extremely close to our boat and they were quite difficult to capture on camera, we did see quite a few of the strangely hued aquatic mammals in the area.
Making our way around the complex, we noticed the pristine condition of the grounds and buildings and the artistry of the colorful architecture. There are many pronounced structures, including the Main Hall of Buddha and the Hall of Bodhisattva Skanda, with the older buildings at the rear of the property.
As we approached the main courtyard, we first encountered a smaller temple leading to the main courtyard that faces the Temple Gateway. Inside the temple there are deities and guards safeguarding the entrance.
There are a few eateries located near to the monastery’s main buildings as well as reasonably-priced souvenir shops. One thing I learned later, however, was that the monastery is known for making wooden bracelets. They are only sold near the Tian Tan Buddha. I wish I had been privy to this information as we would have purchased a few, to not only subsidize the monastery, but to remember the tranquility experienced here.
You can continue your path to wisdom and enlightenment by taking the Wisdom Path, a short walk from the monastery. Here, is a sort of a colonnade where a series of wooden posts forming a figure eight are engraved with the Heart Sutra, a revered prayer by Buddhists, Taoists and Confucians, which is generally chanted during the morning services or other occasions such a funerals. The path is well-marked and can be accessed from either the monastery or the Big Buddha.
No matter what your religious affiliation, you will certainly appreciate why the Jiangsu Province monks chose this site.
After arriving at the Tung Chung station, we made our way out to the Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car station across the street. Taking our place in the line that had already begun to form, we eventually purchased a combo ticket offering round-trip transportation in the cable car, entrance to the Ngong Ping village and bus transportation from Ngong Ping to the Tai O fishing village.
Although we enjoyed the village and all that it had to offer, I must admit, after many years of taking my children to theme parks, I decided that Ngong Ping village exhibited a too much of a theme-park atmosphere. Glad that this was not all that we had come for, we were anxious to experience the Po Lin Monastery and the Tian Tan Buddha, both a short walk from the village.
The Big Buddha can be spied from the cable car while approaching Ngong Ping village as well as during your walk from the village. Nothing prepares you, however, for its magnitude, especially while gazing up at the effigy from the base of the hill.
Climbing the 268 steps up the hill to reach the Buddha is definitely a test of one’s physical fitness. Though I work out a couple of times a week, I found myself stopping occasionally to rest, reminding myself of the reward waiting at the top. As I languished in the shade of one of the many urns on the stairway, I found myself wondering what those who were unable to climb would do in order to appreciate the statue from a closer perspective. I later learned that the site also features a small winding road for vehicles to accommodate the handicapped.
Since we did not purchase an offering for the Buddha, we were not allowed to see the Buddha’s most esteemed element, the relic of Gautama Buddha, which consists of some of his alleged cremated remains. There are also three floors beneath the statue, the halls of the Universe, of Benevolent Merit and of Remembrance, which we were under the impression that we were not allowed to visit since we did not purchase admission at the base of the stairway. We did peek inside, however, pictures were strictly forbidden. The thought crossed my mind to make the long climb down and back up again, in order to have admission, but as time was limited, we decided against it.
Another amazing feature under the Buddha is a huge bell inscribed with images of Buddhas and is designed to ring every seven minutes, 108 times a day, symbolizing the release of 108 kinds of human vexations. I must admit, however, I did not know this fact during our visit and do not remember hearing the bell ring.
After admiring the view one more time (and taking a peek at my watch to make sure we were still on schedule), I prepared myself for the long climb down.