
Vanessa Huang kicks off this adventure by introducing Hong Kong Disneyland as the smallest Disney park in the world, spanning just 120 acres. She navigates the morning rush hour to catch the MTR to Sunny Bay, then transfers to the magical Mickey Mouse train. After a surprisingly long 20-30 minute wait through security and ticketing on a supposedly quiet Wednesday, she finally enters the park.
Her first stop is the brand-new World of Frozen, where she hops on Frozen Ever After, a boat ride with two drops and incredible sound. The queue is cool and detailed, making the wait pleasant. Next, she tackles Sliding Waves, a roller coaster that finishes in under 30 seconds—so fast her hair doesn't even move. She grabs an Olaf soft serve for $70, noting it tastes like Indonesian Milkita candy.
Exploring Adventureland, she spots Zootopia characters like Gary the snake. For lunch, she chooses the Wayfinder's Table, a Moana-themed spot that is 40% cheaper than the Frozen restaurant. She orders the Massaman prawn and Wayfinder's chicken, finding the curry creamy and tasty, though the open-air setup makes it hot.
A highlight is the Jungle River Cruise, where tour guide Hugo delivers a performance so funny that Vanessa suggests he should be a comedian. She rides Big Grizzly Mountain coaster using Disney Premier Access, declaring it the best ride in the park with its forwards-and-backwards thrills. Mystic Manor, another fast-tracked ride, impresses with its haunted music box tale.
Wandering through Toy Story Land, she admires the vibrant details and the talking Rex and Woody figures, though ride queues hit 50 minutes. She also visits Fantasyland, noting it is very kid-friendly with strollers everywhere. As the sun sets, the castle glows beautifully.
She buys a Mickey Mouse egg waffle, finding it overly sweet, and enjoys the Iron Man Experience, which lets her fly through a digital Hong Kong. To end the day, she rides 'it's a small world', one of the park's oldest attractions since 2005, though she finds the dolls a bit creepy.
She leaves before the closing show to beat the MRT crowd. Vanessa's final verdict: despite being the smallest Disneyland, it is absolutely worth visiting for unique rides like Mystic Manor, Grizzly Gulch, and the stunning Frozen area.
FAQs (From the traveler's perspective)
- Q: Is Hong Kong Disneyland worth visiting if it's the smallest park?
- A: Yes, it is still worth it because the rides are really fun, especially Mystic Manor, Grizzly Gulch, and the Frozen area, which looks beautiful day and night.
- Q: What was the best ride in the park?
- A: Big Grizzly Mountain Roller Coaster was by far the best, it lasts about 2 to 3 minutes with elements going forward and backward, and it's not scary at all.
- Q: What was the most surprising thing you found?
- A: Probably the hilarious English tour guide Hugo on the Jungle River Cruise. He was so funny we didn't have to queue at all for his boat.
- Q: How was the food at the park?
- A: The Wayfinder's chicken curry was creamy and tasty, a 6 out of 10, and the Massaman prawn was good. The Mickey Mouse egg waffle was too sweet, a 7 out of 10.
- Q: How long did it take to get into the park?
- A: The whole process for security and ticketing took around 20 to 30 minutes, even on a Wednesday which we thought would be less crowded.