Not many people outside the United States know it, but there are actually more Disneyland theme parks out of the US than within it. US has two (Anaheim and Orlando), while the rest of the world has 3 (Paris, Tokyo and Hong Kong)! There is even a new one opening in Shanghai in 2016!
We got the opportunity to visit the Hong Kong Disneyland resort in the last few days and we had a great time! This is our review in two parts.
In this part, we will review the Disneyland Hotel, which is around 700 m (0.43 miles) from the actual Disneyland theme park. We will review the park itself in the next part of this review.
The hotel is situated on the same island (Lantau) as the Hong Kong International Hotel. A short taxi ride takes you to the resort or you can pre-book a resort shuttle service.
The hotel is a Victorian styled classic Disney hotel. There are subtle Disney touches all over the place, from the classic characters staring at you from the Hotel carpets, to the 7 dwarfs around the Hotel mirrors.
We really liked the idea of having a mini sit-down area near the check in where tired and bored kids could stop and watch some Disney cartoons while the adults completed the check-in process.
The rooms are comfortable and spacious, with most featuring a balcony. Most rooms will accommodate 4 guests (2 kids and 2 adults). Cots and other items are available on request.
The service is excellent, with polite staff being able to communicate in multiple languages (Chinese and English being the primary ones). We had some mix up with our luggage, which was resolved after a simple explanation and apology.
The resorts signature buffet service is at the Enchanted Garden restaurant. If you are staying at this hotel, you should get a buffet service included as this is an experience that your kids will not forget.
The buffet caters for almost all food types and you would be hard pressed to find something that doesn’t suit your taste palette. But the highlight of the buffet service is the visit by the characters for a meet and greet.
Of course, the experience is nothing without the food! Especially, Mickey pancakes and waffles!
It is hard not to get caught up in the excitement of the kids!
One other attraction at the hotel that sets it apart is the “My Little Princesses” experience. If you are un-lucky enough to have a little princesses (3-10 years of age) of your own, you can shell out around a $100 US to literally transform her into a little princesses of her choice (Tinker Bell, Aurora, Cinderella, Belle, Snow White or Giselle). She will get her make up and hair done, and get a special costume to keep. You can see the before and after shots.
We found the experience interesting but a tad too long for our 4 year old. She was getting tired at the end of all the posed photographs, so we would suggest that you only get this done for kids who are slightly older. There is also a lot of wastage. The staff took and printed literally 100’s of photographs in an effort to up sell, but we declined as we had taken enough photographs ourselves.
Finally, we also took advantage of the free bedtime story reading option that is available at the kids club. The kids are read to by an enthusiastic reader and both Chinese and English readings are available. However, the service is only available from 9:45 – 10:00 PM so you better hope your kids are awake for it! Our 4 year old was so excited to be read by someone else that she managed to stay up but fell asleep straight afterwards while being carried to the room!
OVERALL
Great hotel, fantastic staff and lots of activities for you and your kids. It is a true family hotel in the traditional Disney style. It is 700 m (0.43 miles) to the resort so staying here makes sense if you intend to visit the park.
We found the prices a little on the higher side for an average family with two kids. It is not a cheap place to stay and eat at (for slightly cheaper option try the Disneyland Hollywood hotel next door). The lack of anything else nearby besides the park also makes it a bit boring after a few days. Recommended stay is 3-4 days.
Continue on to read part 2 where we review the Hong Kong Disneyland park.
We’re planning to visit Hong Kong next month and we are still decisioning on where to stay. Thanks I found this post. One thing I am choosing this hotel because there are benefits to us like children will be happy because of the Disney characters in the hotels and there are more activities for children. Also, it is only near to the resort and services are good for family vacation. Looking forward to be there next month.