Disneyland Hong Kong is a fairly small but popular theme park attracting about 8 million visitors a year as of 2019, and they are adding new facilities. It can get highly crowded, lines can get long, and it is a complex park. It can be confusing to navigate and know how to optimize your visit.
We at Travel China want you to enjoy your trip, so we've put together some touring information, tips, and suggestions to help you have a great memorable day in one of Hong Kong's most popular theme parks.
What Is Disneyland Hong Kong?
Thrill rides and Disney-themed buildings cover 1.3 square kilometers (320 acres) of hill and coast on the far eastern side of Lantau Island, and it is conveniently close to Hong Kong International Airport. It has modern world-class thrill rides and 3 luxury hotels to choose from.
It's small size makes it generally suitable for a day visit, so unless you wish to have an overnight stay in one of their luxury hotels, it isn't necessary to get a ticket for more than a day.
Hong Kong Disneyland ParkThrill rides: The park's main attractions for adults and most children are the roller coasters and thrill rides.
It is the smallest of the world's Disneyland resorts. It has the California Disneyland design (including Sleeping Beauty Castle). Three large luxury hotel/resorts take up substantial space and are three of the main attractions.
Overall, it is a special attraction for children, but adults as well might enjoy the performances and shows, entertainment facilities, souvenir shops, and restaurants in a scenic hillside and ocean setting.
What are Disneyland's Highlights?
For your visit, we recommend seeing these highlights and doing these things as priorities in this order in a day tour:
- Big Grizzly Mountain Coaster
- Space Mountain
- Ironman Experience
- Show for entertainment: Festival of the Lion King
Our Suggested Disneyland Hong Kong Day Tour Plan
Here we detail some tips and suggestions for having an optimal one-day Hong Kong Disneyland tour. In general, try to ride the most popular rides that interest you before the pushy crowds arrive around lunchtime, and in the afternoon, leisurely see the shows, entertainments and other park attractions.
Arrival
Get there early and when it isn't busy: The Chinese crowds arrive about two hours after the park opens. Opening is 10:00 or 10:30 am most days, but may vary on holidays. So to avoid the lines and the push crowds, try to be there before the park opens and definitely avoid the busy holidays and weekends. Try to purchase your tickets directly online or through agents before you go.
Transport: For public transport, we recommend taking the MTR to Disneyland Station. You'll get the added bonus of a Disney decorated train to the station. The transfer station is the Sunny Bay Station. From there, it takes about 5 minutes to Disneyland Resort Station. Trains are frequent: every 5 minutes during peak hours and every 10 minutes otherwise. However, taxis from Central are relatively quick. See the Transport information below.
Travel China' agents can help with purchases and private transport.
Get an Octopus card: Hong Kong is fairly unique in the world because you can purchase a card that you can swipe to pay for MTR and bus fares, and it might also be used to pay for many other things such as purchases at supermarkets, convenience stores, and restaurants.
The card allows people to travel without standing in line to buy tickets. Cardholders simply swipe their cards and their fares are deducted electronically. You can buy these at the MTR station ticket windows and then use them for more convenience to pay for things in the park.
No ID is required to buy one, and you can add money as you wish and return the card to a station window for some money back.
App: Get the app for your phone if you want since WIFI is freely available in many places in the park.
Morning — Do the Best Rides First
Quickly do the best rides first: Go to the best rides and ride your favorites before the long lines form. In the afternoon, the lines might require waiting for a half hour or more.
Have lunch: When the lines get long, take a rest and have lunch. For special Asian/vegetarian cuisine in a special luxurious setting, we recommend the Enchanted Garden in Disneyland Hotel.
Afternoon — Enjoy the Shows/Entertainment/Snacks
Then see some of the shows and entertainment. Festival of the Lion King is a hit with many tourists. You might choose to have snacks or dinner before you leave the park.
Leave before closing: If you started in the morning, by early evening, after all shows and rides, you might be tired. Leaving earlier instead of having a hassle with busy crowds at closing makes sense. However, once renovations are completed in 2019, there will be nightly fireworks shows before closing.
What Is the Layout of Disneyland Hong Kong? — 7 Theme Areas
Disneyland is divided into seven distinct theme areas that are designed so that visitors can't see or hear the other areas in the area that they are in. The idea is to make visitors feel they are entering and leaving different worlds as they traverse the theme areas.
1. Main Street, USA
On Main Street, USA, you can enjoy the typical old architectures from America and all kinds of classic antique cars, as well as taste the delicious food from both Western and Eastern countries.
2. Adventureland
In Adventureland, traveling along several wide rivers, through the extensive African grassland, in the mysterious Asian forest, and across Taishan Island, a brave pilot will lead you to explore the wonders and secret, remote scenes that nature has to offer.
3. Grizzly Gulch
The themed land resembles an abandoned mining town called "Grizzly Gulch", set amidst mountains and woods. You can dash in and out of twisting caverns and rumble through Grizzly Gulch aboard a speeding mine train.
4. Mystic Point
It is set in 1909 at an adventurer's outpost that was established in 1896 in a dense, uncharted rain forest surrounded by mysterious forces and supernatural events. The site features Mystic Manor, the home of Lord Henry Mystic – a world traveler and adventurer – and his mischievous monkey, Albert.
5. Toy Story Land
Toy Story Land is themed using bamboo to act as giant blades of grass surrounding the area. You can meet and greet some of your favorite toys from the Toy Story movies.
6. Fantasyland
Fantasyland is a fairy-tale world full of happiness from your dreams, featuring the beautiful and kindhearted Snow White, lively little flying elephants, and cute and naive little Winnie Bears — all the characters from tales that give you happiness and pleasure.
7. Tomorrowland
In Tomorrowland, you can experience a thrilling trip in outer space and explore the endless universes.
Hong Kong Disneyland Luxury Hotel Resorts and Parkland
Hong Kong Disneyland Castle
At the 5-star Hong Kong Disneyland Park Hotel and the 4-star Disneyland Hollywood Hotel, you can enjoy both the fairy-tale world and movie world and be surprised by Disney characters here and there. The 4-star Disney Explorers Hotel is the newest and biggest hotel there, and it is 1920s and exploration themed.
The Inspiration Lake Resort Center is a reservoir and public park area that is managed by Disneyland. It is free and open to the public daily from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm. You can go there for strolls in the park, to exercise, and for fun on the water.
Travel Tips and Essentials for Planning a Trip
The Best Time for a Visit
Hong Kong Disneyland ParkOctober, November, and December are good months for a visit to Disneyland. It is usually warm and dry in Hong Kong until around the end of December or early January. You are recommended to avoid China's National Day (October 1st to 7th) when a large number of tourists go there from Mainland China.
Hours
Generally 10:00 am or 10:30 am to 8:00 pm or 9:00 pm. Check their web information for the precise times for the day you want to visit. During holidays, the park hours vary.
Getting Tickets and Prices in 2019
Getting tickets directly at the gate generally costs more than getting them online through Klook. You can see below that two-day tickets are cheaper per day. These two-day tickets can be for a second day within 7 days after your first visit and not necessarily on two consecutive days.
Staying at the hotel ticket discounts: If you book at one of the three Disneyland hotels, you can get a price discount on tickets. Then getting a two-day ticket makes sense.
Recommended stay: However, the park is so small that a day visit is optimal for most people.
| Ticket | General Admission (ages 12–64)| | Child (ages 3–11)| | Senior (ages 65+) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Day | HK$ 619 (about 79 USD) | HK$ 458 (58 USD) | HK$ 100 (about 13 USD) |
| 2-Day | HK$ 799 (about 102 USD) | HK$ 589 (75 USD) | HK$ 170 (22 USD) |
Transportation — How to Get to Disneyland
TransportationLocation: It occupies the far eastern part of Lantau Island. It is about 12 kilometers away from Hong Kong International Airport.
Mass Transit Railway (MTR): You can take the special Disneyland line to go to Disneyland Resort Station. It takes about 14 minutes to get from Sunny Bay Station to Hong Kong Disneyland including a 9 minute walk.
Passengers taking the Airport Express can access the Disneyland resort by changing to the Tung Chung line at Tsing Yi Station. Then, transfer at Sunny Bay Station for the Disneyland Resort line.
Taxi: From Central, taxis go to Disneyland in about 27 minutes and prices start at about 40 USD.
Nearby Attractions
- Hong Kong Ocean Park — Introduction, Guide and Tour Plan (Updated 2019): a top quality marine world, aquarium, and zoo with good thrill rides.
- Lantau Island: an island of parks, tourist sites, villages, mountain paths, and natural areas to enjoy.
Touring Hong Kong Disneyland with Travel China
Hong Kong is a great city to enjoy with your children.Please feel free to contact us if you want to include the Disneyland Park in your Hong Kong tour. We could design a tour for you that combines the park and other highlights in the region. Here are our customizable Hong Kong tour ideas including Disneyland:
- 4-Day Hong Kong Family Tour: You will have fun in Disneyland Park and visit the highlights of Hong Kong Island.
Let us know your interests and requirements, and we will be glad to design a tour for you.
