Trip Report - Hong Kong Disneyland Resort & Shanghai Disney Resort - Oct/Nov

[zanzibar138]

Normally, the best way to see it is via the cable car, but it closes twice a year for maintenance—turns out, this is one of those weeks.

What a shame Looked like a nice drive though.

We got lucky—the weather is beautiful today, and thanks to the cable car being out of service, it’s remarkably quiet.

Well that's a great bonus! It was very busy when we were there (and raining lol!).

You got some great photos around the monastery, looking forward to seeing the rest! On our visit, partly because of how busy it was, we chose to explore some of the nature trails around the area instead of spending a lot of time around the buildings. It was lovely too, in a different way.

 

[Daphne0890]

What a shame Looked like a nice drive though.


Well that's a great bonus! It was very busy when we were there (and raining lol!).

You got some great photos around the monastery, looking forward to seeing the rest! On our visit, partly because of how busy it was, we chose to explore some of the nature trails around the area instead of spending a lot of time around the buildings. It was lovely too, in a different way.

Yes, it's a shame! But a reason to go back.

We were very lucky that it was calm at the monastery. It's a shame we didn't to the trails because it looks so beautiful, maybe next time!

 

[Daphne0890]

Day 5 - Part 2

Once inside, the walls are decorated with colorful frescoes. The main altar houses three Buddha statues: in the center stands Buddha Sakyamuni, the Buddha of our world. To his left is Buddha Bhaisajyaguru, the Master of Healing, and to his right, Buddha Amitabha, the Buddha of Infinite Light and Longevity.

the main altar

beautiful ceiling

the view from outside the main altar towards the Tian Tan Buddha

zoomed-in Tian Tan Buddha

As we continue walking, we come across the impressive Grand Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas, built in 2014 behind the temple. Covering an area of 6,000 square meters, this five-story building is designed in the architectural style of the Song Dynasty. Inside, it houses a Buddhist scripture library, the abbot's chamber, a Dharma hall, and a permanent ordination platform.

Only the ground floor is open to visitors, where the most striking feature is the five Golden Buddhas—icons of the Mahayana tradition. These Five Dhyani Buddhas, from left to right, are Amoghasiddhi, Amitabha, Vairochana, Ratnasambhava, and Akshobhya. Each represents a different aspect of enlightened consciousness and aids in spiritual transformation. Every Dhyani Buddha has a specific color and symbol, reflecting its meaning and purpose in meditation. Additionally, in Buddhist art, mudras, or hand gestures, are used to distinguish the Buddhas and convey their associated teachings.

Photography is not allowed inside but we take in all the beauty with our eyes.

the five Golden Buddhas

Still in awe of the monastery, it's now time to climb the 268 steps to get an even closer look at the Buddha. Standing at 34 meters tall, this bronze statue is the second-largest seated Buddha in the world. Cast in more than 220 pieces, it sits atop a lotus throne—the Buddhist symbol of purity—and weighs around 250 metric tons. The Buddha’s right hand is raised, symbolizing the dispelling of suffering, while his left hand rests open on his lap in a gesture of generosity. Construction of the statue began in early 1990 and was completed on December 29, 1993—the birthday of Gautama Buddha.

ready for the stairs (or not)

a short break

almost there

view towards the other side

Surrounding the statue are six smaller bronze figures known as "The Offering of the Six Devas." They are depicted presenting flowers, incense, a lamp, ointment, fruit, and music to the Buddha. These offerings symbolize the Six Perfections—generosity, morality, patience, diligence, meditation, and wisdom—which are essential for enlightenment.

Beauty

Everything is breathtakingly beautiful, and with the perfect weather, we’re lucky to have a clear view of the surrounding mountains, making the scene even more picture-perfect!

the five-story building in the monastery

Next, we head to the nearby village of Ngong Ping to browse the little shops and pick up some souvenirs. The village is located close to the Buddha and was built in response to the rise in tourism. While it’s designed in an old-style aesthetic, don't expect anything traditionally authentic—it’s more of a charming place to stroll through. I especially love the 'Lucky Cat Store'!

entry

the cable car service (in maintance)

After that, it's time to take a taxi back to Disneyland Resort!​

 

[Daphne0890]

Day 5 - Part 3

Arriving at Disneyland Resort, we first want to check a few meet & greets off our list. These usually have the longest queues, while the rides only have an average wait time of about 15 minutes. So, we head to Fantasy of Wonders, a pavilion with several meet & greets. Here, we first meet Goofy and then Tigger, both dressed in their Halloween outfits.

Back at the resort

first up: meeting Goofy

second Tigger

cutie

Halloween Trick or Treat Fantasyland

Next, we want to visit Duffy’s Playhouse for another special meet: Duffy, Mickey’s cuddly bear! On our way there, we come across Pocahontas, who takes her time for a nice chat – definitely an advantage if you speak English
as a Westerner!

lovely Pocahontas

Adventureland

Background about Duffy:
"Duffy lives in Cape Cod. Minnie made him for Mickey so he could take him on his voyages around the world."
Very cute bear and lovely to meet him.

Love the background too

After giving Mickey’s adorable bear a hug, we watch the Castle Show: 'Follow Your Dreams'. This is a musical journey featuring Mickey Mouse and a whole lineup of Disney characters, including Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck,
Daisy Duck, Goofy, Pocahontas, Moana, and Elsa, as well as Miguel from Coco and Nick and Judy from Zootopia. They are joined by singers and dancers – a super catchy show to enjoy in between!

Group pic

Coco scene

three powerwoman

Nick and Judy
​

 

[Daphne0890]

Day 5 - Part 4

Now that we're at the castle, this is the perfect moment to take a photo and take in some details. What a stunning castle! And if you look to the side, you'll see a lovely scene featuring Snow White & the seven dwarfs.

Castle of Dreams

beautiful detail

cute scene

Next, we head to Tomorrowland for the Stark Expo attraction. It’s kind of like Star Tours, but with Iron Man – absolutely amazing! We also pass by the Trick or Treat location in this themed area and decide to join the queue. Here,
we see a giant Spider-Man pumpkin, which fits perfectly with the atmosphere.

Stark Expo

the queue

Iron Man

Trick or Treat Tomorrowland

The next thing we desperately need is ice cream – because it’s 29 degrees Celsius! I go for the LinaBell version, and it tastes absolutely delicious in this heat. After that, we head back to Fairytale Forest for a visit to Tinker Bell.
She has a stunning location here, surrounded by flowers and plants – a truly magical setting!

mmmmmmm

Meeting Tinker Bell

Afterward, we split up for a bit, as I make my way to CookieAnn, the dog from Duffy’s Playhouse. She’s a true chef who loves coming up with new recipes and ideas – it’s her favorite thing to do! She was also the first of the Duffy
& Friends characters to make her debut here in Hong Kong. The rest of the group isn’t interested in this meet & greet, but I want to meet all of Duffy & Friends – plus, she was really sweet during the meet!

Kisses

By then, our stomachs start rumbling, so we grab a quick bite to eat before heading to the 7:00 PM park show: 'Mickey and the Wondrous Book'. Wow, what a breathtaking show! All the songs are beautifully performed in English,
while the dialogues are in Cantonese – but luckily, there are subtitles, so everything is easy to follow. A must-see and a visual masterpiece!

the entrance - didn't take pictures of the show, just enjoying the moment

After the show, we squeeze in a few more rides, with Frozen Ever After as our grand finale – that one is always a winner! With that, our magical day comes to an end, and we get ready for tomorrow: our final park day!

Frozen Ever After

Frozen land

End of the day​

 

[zanzibar138]

Another amazing day!

I love Duffy and friends and will always take the chance to meet them. My favourite is Gelatoni

The new castle looks beautiful - I can almost see elements of the DLP castle in there. Can't wait to see it for myself one day!

 

[Daphne0890]

Another amazing day!

I love Duffy and friends and will always take the chance to meet them. My favourite is Gelatoni

The new castle looks beautiful - I can almost see elements of the DLP castle in there. Can't wait to see it for myself one day!

It definitely was! Yeah, I think Duffy and Friends are a great addition, especially in the Asian parks! The castle is and always will be stunning—though I've never seen the previous version, the difference must be huge!

 

[Daphne0890]

Day 6 - Part 1

Today is our last day at Hong Kong Disneyland, so we make sure to be there right at opening time. That way, we can make the most of the day, take in the final details, and check off the things we still wanted to do.

Love the wreath at the closed gate

Just before opening time

First, we want to take a photo with Mickey or Minnie at the entrance of Main Street. It's also Halloween today, and we’re in luck—they’re both there! The queue closes quickly, but fortunately, we manage to get in just in time. After quite a long wait, we finally get to say hello to the two mice and snap a fun picture.

Mickey Pumpkin at the gazebo

Hello Mickey & Minnie

Happy Halloween

best selfie

Further ahead, we spot Daisy, and her line is short, so we take the opportunity to greet her.

Diva Daisy

After that, our stomachs start growling, so we decide to grab some breakfast. I go for a delicious bagel and a Duffy donut again. The snacks here all look amazing! I'm also happy with my first coffee of the trip—and it tastes perfect.

Some Halloween stuff

Duffy Donut

Coffee Girl

Next, we head back to Duffy’s Playhouse because today we want to meet Gelatoni, the artistic cat. He became part of Mickey and Duffy’s life when they were traveling in Italy. Duffy accidentally dropped his ice cream (gelato),
and Gelatoni, who happened to be passing by, started painting with it using his tail. And just like that, a new friendship was born!

It’s such a fun meet & greet, and sometimes it’s hard not to get completely caught up in the Duffy &
Friends excitement . But honestly, they are just too adorable!

Gelatoni

After this, we want to explore the castle a bit more. At the back and along the sides, there are several pillars engraved with images of the sidekicks of various princesses. We spot Pua, Abu, Pascal, Merida’s brothers from Brave, and many others. These beautiful details make the already stunning castle even more magical.

can't get enough pictures of the castle!

Spotting Meeko

Pua

Abu & Iago

so beautiful

Ray & Louis

all the details

Next, we visit the iconic Dream Makers statue, where Walt and Mickey are sitting together on a bench. This statue was placed last year to celebrate the 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Company, located between the Castle of Magical Dreams and the Cinderella Carousel. Walt gestures toward the carousel with one hand and toward the castle with the other, while Mickey looks at him with admiration. The bright sun makes it a bit tricky to take good photos, but it remains a beautiful and iconic statue.

Mickey & Walt

Book next to the statue

After that, we take a photo with an adorable yellow bear, who is dressed up in a cute Halloween outfit. Then, we go in search of our last Trick or Treat stop, but on the way, we unexpectedly run into Moana! Of course, we take the opportunity to chat with her and snap a picture together.

Meeting Winnie

Photo-op in Fantasyland

bumping into Moana

The final Trick or Treat location is in Mystic Point, and we’re lucky—it’s there! The pumpkin here is shaped like Albert, which is just incredibly cute.

Adore the Albert Pumpkin

And then, the moment comes to say goodbye to Mystic Manor as well—an attraction that is so unique and beautiful in Hong Kong Disneyland. What a special experience!

such a beautiful land

snapping a butterfly​

 

[zanzibar138]

What a great last day so far! Great photos

 

[stacey6disneyparks]

Loving your photos and narration! I am planning a trip to Shanghai and Hong Kong and this is so helpful, especially since I am doing Disney and other outside disney sightseeing too like the Buddha. Can't wait to see your Shanghai pictures.

1) How was the weather change from Hong Kong to Shanghai? Did you need warmer clothing in Shanghai? How hot was Hong Kong in October and would it be possible to wear long pants/jeans?
2) How was the flight? Hoping to see tips/advice and airport photos or details on how you got from HK to Shanghai.
3) Do you think 1 day at Hong Kong Disneyland would be okay? I was debating leaving the park for the Dim Sum lunch at the hotel, but if I only have 1 day there, is the hotel too far away to go for lunch?

 

[Kewz1]

In the very early stages of planning at rip to the 3 Asian Disney resorts. Loving your report!

Kristen

 

[Daphne0890]

Loving your photos and narration! I am planning a trip to Shanghai and Hong Kong and this is so helpful, especially since I am doing Disney and other outside disney sightseeing too like the Buddha. Can't wait to see your Shanghai pictures.

1) How was the weather change from Hong Kong to Shanghai? Did you need warmer clothing in Shanghai? How hot was Hong Kong in October and would it be possible to wear long pants/jeans?
2) How was the flight? Hoping to see tips/advice and airport photos or details on how you got from HK to Shanghai.
3) Do you think 1 day at Hong Kong Disneyland would be okay? I was debating leaving the park for the Dim Sum lunch at the hotel, but if I only have 1 day there, is the hotel too far away to go for lunch?

Thank you! This is also the reason for writing this trip report—so that maybe someone will find it helpful! Good luck with planning!

1) In Shanghai, the weather was a bit cooler and perhaps more bearable than in Hong Kong. In the mornings and evenings, I could wear a light sweater, but I still had bare legs. Even in October, Hong Kong was quite warm—around 28 degrees (82.4° F) Sometimes, it felt sticky, though we were lucky to get some breeze now and then. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend wearing long pants, but of course, that’s a personal choice.

2) The flight was very pleasant. In the next chapter, I’ll talk about our transfer. I don’t have that many photos, but I can still share some details.

3) If you have a quiet day during the week, one day is definitely doable—it all depends on what you want to do. If you focus only on the attractions, you can get a lot done. The park opens quite late; you can pay extra for early access, but we didn’t do that since we had 3.5 days. The Disneyland hotel isn’t too far —it’s the closest of the three within walking distance, probably around 10-15 minutes, you also could take the bus. If you have lunch, you’ll lose some time, but the Dim Sums do look adorable!

In the very early stages of planning at rip to the 3 Asian Disney resorts. Loving you report!

Kristen

Thank you! Hopefully, you’ll be able to visit all three parks! I also hope to cross Tokyo off my bucket list someday.

What a great last day so far! Great photos

Thank you!

 

[Daphne0890]

Day 6 - Part 2

On our way to Grizzly Gulch, we admire a little band playing beautifully, adding so much charm to this area.

So cool

After another ride on Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars, I meet Chip and Dale in their cowboy outfits—what a perfect touch! All these little moments of joy!

Cutest Cowboys

During our meet & greet with Moana, Jonas had previously asked the character attendant if he knew whether Lotso had a special Halloween meet & greet in the Toy Story area. He whispered to us that it might just happen, so we make sure to check in time to see if a cute pink bear will make an appearance.

And we’re in luck—there he is! And what an incredibly charming bear he is; you’d almost forget he’s a villain!

Gentleman behavior

a villain? Who?

Next, it’s time for two attractions that are still high on our list in Adventureland. First up: Jungle Cruise, where you sail the waters with a skipper and encounter all kinds of animals. In the U.S., this attraction is known for its sometimes lame but funny humor, but due to the language barrier, that’s a bit tricky here. So, unfortunately, not many jokes—but that’s
understandable. We board the Nile Nellie, ready for an adventurous journey through the jungle.

our boat is ready

View of the treehouse from the water

lovely afternoon

spotting an elephant

beautiful scenes

Our Skipper

through the jungle

hippo

SPOILER ALERT!

The ending here is different and truly a fun addition! In a rocky canyon, the boats stop at two unusual rock formations that resemble faces. The skipper reveals that these are the fire and water gods, who constantly argue due to their differences. The fire god sets the river ablaze, while the water god unleashes a massive water bomb, extinguishing the
flames and covering the entire canyon in a cloud of steam. A seriously cool effect!

the ending scene

Fire God

Water God​

 

[zanzibar138]

I love that area of the park, it's so much fun! I'm not really into the usual corny jokes on the Jungle Cruise, so I actually like HK's version the best. It's fun to go around the treehouse and share the river with the rafts, and the ending just adds a bit of a finale.

Sad your time in HK is coming to an end, but I'm looking forward to reading about your time in SDL too!

 

[Daphne0890]

I love that area of the park, it's so much fun! I'm not really into the usual corny jokes on the Jungle Cruise, so I actually like HK's version the best. It's fun to go around the treehouse and share the river with the rafts, and the ending just adds a bit of a finale.

Sad your time in HK is coming to an end, but I'm looking forward to reading about your time in SDL too!

I can still appreciate the jokes, but without them, it was also certainly a pleasant experience!

Yes, the Shanghai part is coming up soon!

 

[Daphne0890]

Day 6 - Part 2

Once we’ve safely escaped the jungle, the next stop on our list is Tarzan’s Treehouse.

The Tarzan's Treehouse

We take a raft across to the island where the treehouse stands. This tree is 19 meters tall, has 717 branches, and over 10,000 leaves. The Disney Imagineers even gave it a scientific name: Disneydendron semperflorens grandis, meaning “large, ever-blooming Disney tree.”

taking the raft

love the detail

To reach the top of the treehouse, you have to climb a total of 157 steps and cross several elevated platforms. As we make our way up and around the towering tree, we admire cleverly designed rooms and illustrations from Jane’s sketchbook. These bring Tarzan’s life to life—showing how he was rescued from the fierce leopard Sabor, raised by the
kind-hearted gorilla Kala, and eventually fell in love with Jane Porter.

Entrance sign

taking the steps

leopard Sabor scene

Kala & baby Tarzan

the crib hanging in the tree

view on the castle

Jane & Tarzan

love the reflection in the mirror

part of the camp

cute elephant

Back on the mainland, it’s time to check two more characters off our list: StellaLou the bunny and LinaBell the fox.

We were especially eager to see LinaBell here in Hong Kong because in Shanghai, her wait time is a staggering 360 minutes daily—and that’s just too much for us! Though, I must admit, she’s definitely the cutest of them all. I haven’t quite caught the Hong Kong fever yet—where fans are decked out in merch from head to toe—but I do think it’s all incredibly fun!

The first one up is Stella-Lou, the lavender-colored ballet bunny. She entered Duffy’s life when he saw her dancing and she told him that she dreamed of a career as a dancer. Duffy thought that a dream was just something you had while sleeping, but StellaLou explained that a dream also means envisioning what you want to become in the future. I'm doing this meet alone as well, but that doesn't matter at all because she’s so sweet and adorable!

Stella-Lou in Halloween outfit

cutieeeeeee

Next up is Miss Popular! We're pretty lucky because the wait time isn't too bad. LinaBell came into Duffy’s life when he got lost. She searched for ‘clues’ on his fur to figure out where he had come from. Thanks to her detective instincts, Duffy was finally able to find his way back to Mickey Mouse. Happy to meet her and she just looks absolutely adorable!

Hugs

Happy (Photopass picture)

LinaBell

After that, we take some more photos at the Duffy Playhouse, where the meet & greets take place.

Paint stuff Gelatoni

cute corner

Kitchen CookieAnn

Duffy's living room

cute details

beautiful painting

After a few more attractions and having dinner, it's time to end the day with the evening show at the castle: Momentous! We're standing a bit further back than on Monday, but it's just as magical.

Momentous!

And with that, our adventure in Hong Kong comes to an end. What a charming park! Even though we spent 3.5 days here, I still haven’t seen every little corner. But I’m leaving with a satisfied feeling. And now… on to the next adventure!​

• 

  ​
• Goodbye Hongkong Disneyland​