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

[Daphne0890]

Day 3 - Part 2
After this meet, it’s time for "Mickey's Halloween Time Cavalcade," a mini-parade during the Halloween season. It’s beautiful with dancers and various characters, followed by Mickey, Minnie, and Goofy in stunning costumes on large pumpkins – very entertaining!

Time for the cavalcade

Pumpkin King

Love the backdrop

Diva Daisy

Minnie

Smile

Duffy

Vamperina

Love the colours

The last one

Then it’s time to go on a ride, we head through Adventureland towards Grizzly Gulch, but then we spot Maleficent with a short line, so we quickly stop for a chat.

The Mistress of All Evil

Decorations in Adventureland

Beautiful Display

Amazing

Afterward, we arrive at Grizzly Gulch, the equivalent of Frontierland in this park. However, this area is significantly smaller than the Frontierlands in other Disney parks and features only one attraction: Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars (mouthful). This roller coaster is a variation of the "Big Thunder Mountain Railroad" rides found in other Disney parks. The Grizzly Gulch version, however, includes unique elements (not going to spoil) But oh, it’s so much fun! It starts off a bit slow but definitely surprises you towards the end – a fantastic coaster. The theming in the entire area is so well done, with countless details to admire.

Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars

Geyser Gulch

Golden Nugget

Let's go to the jail

So many funny quotes

Time to ride (5 min wait)

The waiting queue

The ride

The Bears

This area also hosts the meet-and-greet spot for Brother Bears, Koda & Kenai. These characters are rarely seen in Paris, so this is the perfect opportunity while we’re here. Peeking around the corner, we spot Koda, so we join the short line. He is absolutely adorable, giving lots of hugs, and the backdrop for the photos here is stunning. After this set, there’s a character swap, so we wait to see if his brother Kenai might make an appearance. Instead, Mickey shows up in his cowboy outfit from this area, so we take a moment to say hello to the "big boss."

Bearhugs

Adorable

Koda

Mickelfie

Cute Cowboy​

 

[zanzibar138]

I'm a big fan of Grizzly Gulch too, and love the characters there. I've never been at Halloween time, so it's nice to see all those little extra touches. So lucky to meet Maleficent with a short wait!

 

[Daphne0890]

I'm a big fan of Grizzly Gulch too, and love the characters there. I've never been at Halloween time, so it's nice to see all those little extra touches. So lucky to meet Maleficent with a short wait!

Yes, very beautiful land, very peaceful! I also loved all the Halloween decorations!

 

[Daphne0890]

Day 3 - Part 3

Next, we move on to a new land, Mystic Point, a completely new area specifically created for Hong Kong Disneyland, themed around the jungles of Papua New Guinea. Beside to Mystic Manor, the only attraction, guests
can also visit the Garden of Wonders, the Explorer's Club, the Archive Shop, and the Mystic Point Freight Depot.

The backstory goes that "Lord Henry Mystic first came to the area during an insect collecting expedition,
after rescuing a young monkey from the web of an unusually large spider, Henry Mystic adopted the little creature and named him Albert. The two would go on many adventures and eventually establish a home and
base of operations in the jungle, known as Mystic Point.

Exploring new land

Garden of Wonders

The attraction here is Mystic Manor, and although it’s inspired by the Haunted Mansion, it has a unique story, setting, and tone. We were lucky because Mystic Manor facade had been under renovation for a long time, but now the manor is shining like never before, simply beautiful!

What a view

On the floor


Then it’s time to experience the attraction itself, which (unbelievably to us) always has a short wait time, so we breeze through the queue to the pre-show where we first meet Albert, the little monkey of the house, who is curious about an enchanted music box recently acquired. ​

Beautiful sign

The queue

Pre-show with Albert

After Albert opens the music box, all the artifacts in the house come to life. We move through the house, room by room, and almost every object in the decor
seems to come to life. There’s just not enough time to take everything in, so this attraction definitely needs to be done multiple times—what a gem this is!

After we’ve explored the nearby shop, we head on to the nearby area, Toy Story Land! We quickly stop for a photo with Rex and then continue deeper into the land. This one is very similar to the one we know from Paris, though it feels more spacious, and there’s a nice shop here as well, plus a bit more decoration.

Entrance sign from Mystic Point​

There’s also a large Woody that needs to be captured in a photo. On our way to Fantasyland, we pass the
first Trick-or-Treat point, where we shout “Happy Halloween” and receive our candy.
You definitely have to earn your candy here!

Other entrance

Cute Alien Pumpkin

In Fantasyland, we’re here for meeting some villains, there’s a rotating schedule of different villains every day, and we’re determined to meet Hades & The Big Bad Wolf, as they’re not available for meet-and-greets back home. These meet-and-greets take place in Fantasy Gardens, which for the occasion has been transformed into Halloween Time Festival Gardens. It’s a garden with four pagoda gazebos where Disney characters are available to meet.

One is dedicated to a pumpkin display, another to a Trick-or-Treat station, where we had to perform a little dance to get our candy, and one for meeting a villain. The villains rotate every 15 minutes, so once we figured out the system, we were able to meet Hades and The Big Bad Wolf. It was so much fun meeting these characters, and they were very enthusiastic, which made for some great photos!

Trick Or Treat

Impressive to meet Hades (lol)

There he is!!

Wolf hugs

Happy Happy


​

 

[zanzibar138]

Another great update!

Love Mystic Manor too, and Albert is super cute. I had to buy a little plush to take home with me.

I'm not the biggest fan of Toy Story Land, but there were some fun elements. I actually enjoyed the Toy Soldier drop ride when I finally decided to go on it. I think I just did a quick walk-through of Toy Story Land in Paris, but don't really remember the differences.

OMG the Big Bad Wolf! I was TERRIFIED of him when I was a kid. So terrified that my parents couldn't even say the word 'wolf' around me! His costume looks very approachable but I'm not sure if I could do it lol!

Are the trick or treat stations just part of the normal experience during Halloween time? I've only ever heard of trick or treating during Halloween parties. That's pretty cool if it just happens all the time.

 

[Daphne0890]

Another great update!

Love Mystic Manor too, and Albert is super cute. I had to buy a little plush to take home with me.

I'm not the biggest fan of Toy Story Land, but there were some fun elements. I actually enjoyed the Toy Soldier drop ride when I finally decided to go on it. I think I just did a quick walk-through of Toy Story Land in Paris, but don't really remember the differences.

OMG the Big Bad Wolf! I was TERRIFIED of him when I was a kid. So terrified that my parents couldn't even say the word 'wolf' around me! His costume looks very approachable but I'm not sure if I could do it lol!

Are the trick or treat stations just part of the normal experience during Halloween time? I've only ever heard of trick or treating during Halloween parties. That's pretty cool if it just happens all the time.

Thanks! I bought the plush of Albert too (and some magnets, lol), so adorable!

To be honest I don't really know much about the story with The Big Bad Wolf, but it was so much fun meeting him! But what a funny story from your childhood!

The trick or treat stations were always there, you just had to look in the app for the times, we didn't to anything special of a Halloween Party, everything was regular entertainment for us.

 

[Daphne0890]

Day 3 - Part 3

This view <3

Afterwards, our stomachs start rumbling, so we quickly grab a bite to eat at the Royal Banquet Hall, a restaurant where you can choose from various dishes, including international options, grilled food, or Japanese cuisine. Besides the wide selection, the decor is stunning, with statues of the princesses and their princes scattered throughout the restaurant, as well as beautiful murals on the walls. We opt for a safe choice with a Meat Combo Pizza, but it’s definitely delicious.

Sleeping Beauty & Prince Philip

Choose your food

Love the mural

Cinderella & Prince Charming

Beauty & The Beast

Back of the Castle in the dark

Next, we take another spin on the Winnie The Pooh ride, which is always fun, and the nearby shop is also nicely themed.

Time for Winnie

Honeypot

Such a cute ride

Hi Winnie

In the shop

After that, we head to the Adventureland area to catch the Halloween-themed show at the Theater of The Wild, 'Let's Get Wicked', which we had heard so many positive reviews about. The show features five villains—Dr. Facilier, Ursula, Gaston, Mother Gothel, and Maleficent—each taking the stage to perform a story and a song. Ursula especially leaves a lasting impression with her colossal gown that stretches across the entire stage, mimicking underwater movements. It’s truly impressive, the singing is top-notch, and all the songs are in English. It’s definitely worth seeing.

Dr. Facilier

Ursula

Maleficent

Mother Gothel

Gaston

Let's Get Wicked!​

Originally, we were planning to head back to the hotel after this, but then we realized there were only 15 minutes left until the evening show at the castle, Momentous. This castle show celebrates moments of hope, laughter, adventure, and love, told through the songs and stories of favorite Disney films. Combined with pyrotechnics, fountains, lasers, and other surprises, the evening ends with an iconic celebration of the Castle of Magical Dreams!

We managed to grab a great spot, and it was an absolute delight from start to finish, with beautiful projections, fireworks, and music featuring the soundtrack 'Love The Memory'. The lyrics encourage us to celebrate the many memorable moments of life together, to appreciate our families and loved ones, and to cherish joyful moments while looking forward to an encouraging future.

The words fit so perfectly with the fact that we were standing there, stepping out of our comfortable bubble and into Hong Kong—goosebumps all around.

Ready for the show

Brave

Peter Pan

Firework

The Little Mermaid

Royal Couples

Rapunzel

The End

And so, a beautiful day came to an end!​

 

[DenaRox]

So happy to have found your trip review. Definitely following along. I am hoping to do a solo trip to Hong Kong Disney + Shanghai Disney so I’m taking all the notes

 

[DianaMB333]

Thanks for sharing!
Following along as well

 

[Daphne0890]

So happy to have found your trip review. Definitely following along. I am hoping to do a solo trip to Hong Kong Disney + Shanghai Disney so I’m taking all the notes

Happy to hear! Going to Hong Kong & Shanghai, it's really worth it! Have fun to plan the trip!

Thanks for sharing!
Following along as well

You're welcome, happy to hear!

 

[Daphne0890]

Hi, sorry it's taking so long, but it was very busy with the holidays! But Happy New Year and back with a small update!

Day 4 - Part 1

Today is our second day at Hong Kong Disneyland, and we're starting earlier than usual because our first appointment at the Disneyland Hotel is for Tai Chi with a Disney Master. This session is at 9:00 and 10:00 AM.
It's not possible to reserve in advance, so it's first come, first served.

If you're staying at a different hotel, you can still join the activities at the other hotels. It's a beautiful walk along the promenade at the back of the hotel, leading to Disneyland Hotel, which runs along the South China Sea.

Garden of the hotel

Sign of the hotel in the back

Back of the hotel

Love the Mickey-shaped bench

Some props

Beautiful tree

Stunning view

Very quiet promenade


The Disneyland hotel reminds us a bit of our hotel in Paris, also in Victorian style. The lobby is stunning, smells great, and for Halloween, they have some beautiful pumpkins on display.

Back of the Disneyland Hotel

Grandeur

Lobby

Halloween Display 1

Halloween Display 2

Mickey statue in the lobby

Minnie statue


We’re lucky enough to join the Tai Chi session as the last persons. After some awkwardness and laughs trying to follow the exercises, Mickey joins in with his own exercise routine. Afterwards, each group gets one photo opportunity, and then the session is already over!

Tai Chi with Mickey

Tai Chi Disney Master

Since we're here, Jonas and I decide to try the 'Find The Hidden Mickey' game. Using a sheet of paper with pictures, we have to spot the hidden Mickeys around the hotel and take a selfie with them. It's a really fun activity, and as a reward, we receive a postcard from the hotel.

Searching Hidden Mickey's

What a mural

All the details

Reception

Mirrorpicture


Another activity available is the Mickey Maze, where for Halloween, we have to find various Disney characters card boards, scan QR codes, and then fill out a word on our answer sheet. The maze is more geared towards children, but we still have fun and earn a button as a prize for our search!

Mickey Maze

Answer sheet

Cuties

Chip & Dale

Adorable


Now it’s time to head back to our hotel and take the bus to continue exploring the park!​

 

[zanzibar138]

What a fun morning at the hotels! I LOVE the Disney Tai Chi

 

[DenaRox]

What a fun start to the morning.

 

[Daphne0890]

What a fun morning at the hotels! I LOVE the Disney Tai Chi

What a fun start to the morning.

Thank you, I agree, the Disney is Tai Chi is so much fun and unique!

 

[Daphne0890]

Day 4 part 2

We're finally back at the park and first we're checking out the Duffy and Friends Playhouse. Duffy and his friends are insanely popular here in Asia, and I have to admit, the cuteness factor really gets to you!

You can't get bored of this view

Every day, two of the six Duffy and Friends characters are out, so if you want to meet them all, you'll need to visit the Playhouse for three consecutive days. Plus, each day, you can meet LinaBell, the most recent and popular character of them all. The wait times can vary quite a bit, so it's a good idea to check the app to figure out the best time to meet them. Regardless, the wait is generally longer here than at most other attractions in the park.

Duffy and Friends tree at the entrance

Since we’re here, today it’s Olu Mel’s turn, a turtle who first appeared in Aulani and loves singing and playing the ukulele. As we enter the building, we need to tell the cast member which of the three lines we want to wait in. We choose Olu Mel’s line, and after waiting a bit longer than expected, we finally get to hug this turtle. Honestly, I have to say, he is very cute!

Olu Mel in Halloween outfit

Cutie

It's striking to see the popularity of these characters; the entire queue is filled with people dressed from head to toe in Duffy and Friends gear, some even carrying handfuls of plush toys.

We join in and decide to wait for ShellieMay, Duffy’s girlfriend, so we get two out of the seven characters in one go. ShellieMay is also excited to see us and gives us plenty of hugs, and we get a cute photo with the bear!

Meeting ShellieMay

Smile

Next, we head to Tomorrowland, which, for us, is most comparable to Discoveryland. While Discoveryland has a more steampunk vibe, this area focuses on metallic finishes, with lots of blue and purple tones.

Entrance sign

The first thing that catches our eye is Orbitron, the attraction that's found in all six parks, but it's fun to see how it’s slightly different in each one.

Orbitron

But we move on to Hyperspace Mountain, which, as the name suggests, has had the Star Wars makeover. The boarding area is really well done, with planets in the sky, and the ride itself is a lot of fun, though it doesn’t go upside down like the one in Paris.

Hyperspace Mountain building

Inside the queue

Love the vibe

Next, we check out the Ant-Man & The Wasp Nano Battle, part of the newer Stark Expo area. It’s a modern version of our Buzz Lightyear attraction (which has been replaced by this one here).

Ant-Man & The Wasp Nano Battle

The queue is already impressive, as we’re visiting the S.H.I.E.L.D. Science and Technology Pavilion, a newly opened facility at Stark Expo showcasing S.H.I.E.L.D.’s latest technological advancements.

The queue

More queue (walk-on)

However, Hydra attacks us with Zola and his Swarmbots, and we need to team up with Ant-Man and The Wasp to defeat them using our blasters. It's super fun to do, and the targets are very modern—there’s so much going on that you can hardly keep up!

Green is target

Mission Accomplished

In the afternoon, we head to the newest area of the park, The World of Frozen, which includes three attractions, a shop, and some restaurants.

World Of Frozen entrance

Arendelle Castle

Wandering Oaken's Sliding Sleighs

The attention to detail here is incredible, and you really feel like you're in Arendelle.

The fountain is beautifully designed

We first stop at the bakery/shop 'Northern Delights' for a snack shaped like Olaf, and then make our way to the Frozen Ever After attraction.

Treats from Northern Delight

Yummy Olaf donuts

Love the detail

Close-up

Anna roaming around, playing games with kids

Entrance

I had done this ride seven years ago at WDW, so I remembered bits and pieces, but wow—this attraction is fantastic! The animatronics are so well done, the faces are real, not projections. I hope the one in Paris turns out just as great!

Sven

Let it gooooo

The End​

 

[KEK1]

Great report! We were there the same time as you. Agree Let's get Wicked was great (now I have the song in my head ) and I also loved Ursulas gown the most.
Grizzly gulch was my fave ride, loved how fast it got! We loved the HK donuts from the cart on main street. And most of all enjoyed walking onto all of the attractions with no wait time!

 

[Daphne0890]

Great report! We were there the same time as you. Agree Let's get Wicked was great (now I have the song in my head ) and I also loved Ursulas gown the most.
Grizzly gulch was my fave ride, loved how fast it got! We loved the HK donuts from the cart on main street. And most of all enjoyed walking onto all of the attractions with no wait time!

It's so fun that you were there too! Yeah, the wait times are so low there, it’s really something I'm not used to in Paris. I can only agree that the donuts are delicious!

 

[Daphne0890]

Hi, I'm back from two weeks at WDW, so continuing with this trip report!

Day 4 part 2

Next, we’ll visit Donald in his cute costume and make friends with the local brass band — a band really adds so much atmosphere to Main Street!

Hi Donald

Donald in his beautiful costume

The Main Street Band

Fantasyland​

After that, I discover a hidden gem, the Fairytale Forest, an interactive maze based on the princess stories! Each fairy tale also had a box with moving figures and music, it's so charming and sweetly designed!

Tangled

Book Tangled

Musical Box

Snow White Book

Sleepy

Beauty & The Beast

Book & Castle Beauty & The Beast

Be Our Guest

Book Cinderella

The Little Mermaid

Book The Little Mermaid

In the evening, we have Indian food at Tahitian Terrace on Adventure Isle, and just for Halloween, there’s an Ursula Cupcake I must try! Delicious!

Tahitian Terrace

Delicious Food

Ursula Cupcake

Atmosphere

Beautiful

Then we go to an attraction we absolutely must see, It's a Small World! The lines are practically nonexistent, and we even have a private boat! This version is so much fun, and it's great spotting the Disney characters in different countries. So cute! We don't have this in Paris, but I really love the extra touch of the Disney characters.

Façade It's A Small World

Spotting Marie

Prince Charming & Cinderella

Peter Pan & Wendy

Pinocchio

Aladdin & Jasmine

The Lion King

Pocahontas

Woody & Jessie

The Jungle Book

Mulan

Ariel

Lilo & Stitch

Ending of the ride​

 

[Daphne0890]

Photolimit so...

Day 4 - Part 3

Afterwards, we head over to the Frozen area to admire it in the dark — absolutely stunning! We quickly ride a mini rollercoaster, Wandering Oaken's Sliding Sleighs. It’s short but fun, and by then, it’s enough for today. Early morning tomorrow for a bit of culture!

Ready for the ride

Trolls

Probs in the queue

Love the detail

Animatronic in the beginning of the ride

Beautiful at night

The fountain

love the vibe

Inside the restaurant Golden Crocus Inn

Royal Family​

 

[Daphne0890]

Day 5 - Part 1

This morning, we're off to admire the Tian Tan Buddha. 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. A bit of a bummer, but no worries! There's an alternative: taking a taxi. Luckily, the route is quite scenic, and it’s completely normal to spot a cow or two wandering along the roadside—something you definitely wouldn’t see back home.

Off we go

The view is not bad

Watch out for cows

After a 40-minute ride, we arrive, and there it is: the massive Buddha emerging in the distance.

To reach the Tian Tan Buddha, we first pass through the New Pai Lau, a traditional Chinese archway also known as the 'Mountain Gate' (Shan Men), which symbolizes the entrance in Buddhism. This elegant gate leads us to a path lined with the Twelve Divine Generals—guardian deities, each representing an animal from the Chinese zodiac. Every general has its own personality, time of day, weapon, and a unique creature perched on its head.

the path lined with the Twelve Divine Generals

The General Mihira represents 5-7 PM and the rooster of the Zodiac, armed with a vajra

We got lucky—the weather is beautiful today, and thanks to the cable car being out of service, it’s remarkably quiet. We can take our time to explore, with only a handful of other visitors around. For now, our main companions are the many dogs roaming freely in the area.

cute dogs

here he is

Since the Big Buddha isn’t open yet, we decide to visit the nearby Po Lin Monastery first. One of the most significant Buddhist sanctuaries in Hong Kong, it's often called "the Buddhist world in the South." Established in 1906 by three monks, it started as a small, secluded monastery hidden in lush greenery. Today, it's one of Hong Kong’s most famous and popular tourist attractions. The monastery consists of several impressive buildings, including the Great Hall of Treasure and the Hall of Ti-tsang Bodhisattva.

the entry

The main entrance of the monastery leads to the Hall of Skanda Bodhisattva. As you step inside, the first thing you see is the plump, welcoming, and cheerful Buddha Maitreya—the Buddha of the Future. Opposite him stands Bodhisattva Skanda, the brave general who, as a Bodhisattva, has the power to subdue and tame all evil and demons. He watches over the Main Altar of the Buddha and is considered his protector.

Buddha Maitreya—the Buddha of the Future

Bodhisattva Skanda - the brave general

On either side, you’ll find ‘The Four Heavenly Kings’—each one guarding a cardinal direction and serving as its protector.

Guardian King of the East (Dhritrashtra)

Guardian King of the West (Virupaksha) & Guardian King of the North (Vaishravana)

the main altar

As we continue across the central square and climb the steps to the main altar, we are amazed by the breathtaking beauty around us. We see columns adorned with dragons, roof edges finished with decorative ridge ornaments, and good luck charms.

Breathtaking​