Disney Magic - Part 2

21 March 2014

Kaeden and Ashlyn were thrilled when they knew that our breakfast companions were none other than their favorite Disney characters!

There were 2 sessions (7:30 AM and 9:30 AM) for the character dining at the Enchanted Garden Restaurant and we booked the later slot for a less hectic morning.

Ash was straining her tiny neck looking for Mickey and Minnie before we even got to our allocated table.. And it was...... Chef Pluto who made the first appearance!

Initially, she seemed pretty wary of this life-size walking dog that had its paw all over her but they soon became friends...

Following the excited screams of little fans (Ash included!), out came Mickey Mouse and Daisy Duck coming over to say "Hi"!

Mickey, Daisy, Pluto and Goofy took turns stopping by every table for some interactions with the children and adult-alike. There is ample time for photo opportunity, a game or two and even stealing a hug or kiss!

We were glad to let Ash experience Disney in the most magical way we could. Don't expect too much from the food though, its not that fantastic although the spread was pretty decent. Then again... its Mickey and friends that we came to meet!

Its then back to Disneyland again, much to the kids' anticipation!

Our highlights for Day No 2 in Hong Kong Disneyland... Mystic Point, Toy Story Land and Grizzly Gulch revisited!

Mystic Point...

P/S: The ride at Mystic Manor can be a tad too frightening for young children like Ash. She practically buried her head behind Daddy's arm! Do take note, ya?

Toy Story Land...

Ash's favorite Slinky Dog Spin!

And yesssssshhh... We are back to Grizzly Gulch again!

Ash definitely enjoyed herself at the parade yesterday looking at the way she swayed and danced to the music. Little did I expected Kaeden to enjoy it too! He even requested to watch it again...

After the "less-than-pleasant" experience with the crowds yesterday, we decided to watch the parade in comfort at the Corner Cafe along Main Street instead...

We went on for more rides... bought more souvenirs... caught the fireworks... and bade farewell to the Happiest Place on Earth at its closing hour for the day.

Thank you Hong Kong Disneyland for the two days of wonderful memories!

Disney Magic - Part 1

20 March 2014

It was definitely a day that the kids were looking forward to... Disneyland!

Cab to MTR Olympic Station ---) MTR Sunny Bay Station ---) MTR Disneyland Resort Station

After checking out of Royal Plaza Hotel, we hopped onto a cab to Olympian City for our long awaited dim sum breakfast at Tim Ho Wan. Cab fare was about 45 HK dollars (SGD 7.50).

Tim Ho Wan has yet to open for the day but locals were already forming a queue outside... Food must be good, isn't it?

and indeed was good!

Tim Ho Wan
Shop 72, G/F, Olympian City, 18 Hoi Ting Road, Tai Kok Tsui
Olympian City Mall
Hong Kong, China (Mongkok)
Opening Hours: 10:00 am to 09:30 pm

The MTR Olympic Station is connected to the UG/F level of Olympian City 2. Very convenient and pretty hassle free for family like us with kids, stroller and luggage in tow.

Within minutes and we were on the train bounded for MTR Disneyland Resort Station!

We settled the registration for our stay at Disney's Hollywood Hotel, left our luggage, redeemed the park's tickets and started our Day 1 of 2 exploration of the Happiest Place on Earth!

Exclusive to Hong Kong Disneyland are the 3 newest themed lands - Grizzly Gulch, Mystic Point and Toy Story Land.

Grizzly Gulch reminisces an abandoned mining town set amidst mountains and woods, founded on 8 August 1888 - the luckiest day of the luckiest month of the luckiest year, by prospectors looking to discover gold.

The centerpiece of Grizzly Gulch is The Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Car, a thrilling adventure on a runaway train that goes forwards, backwards and crisscrosses in and around the entire area! This was Kaeden's favorite ride in the entire theme park!

Mystic Point is set in 1909 at an adventure's outpost established in 1896 in a dense, uncharted rain forest surrounded by mysterious forces and supernatural events. The site features Mystic Manor, sets as a home to a world traveler and adventurer.

Toy Story Land is designed to "shrink the guest" down to being the size of a toy, and to play in Andy's backyard with his toys from the movies. It was done through using bamboo as giant blades of grass surrounding the area and many themed props and characters from the Toy Story movies.

The highlights of our first day in Hong Kong Disneyland...

We managed to cover almost all the attractions in Fantasyland and Grizzly Gulch in that few hours while we were there. Did some shopping, caught the parade (which got Ash super excited!) and left early for our dinner at the award winning Crystal Lotus...

Ocean Park 海洋公园

19 Match 2014

We had a light breakfast of milk and biscuit before setting off for our Ocean Park escapade via the local public transport from our hotel.

(1) 10 mins walk to MTR Mongkok Station (via link way) ---) MTR Admiralty Station.

(2) Exit B to Bus No 629 that takes you directly to Ocean Park

The experience was a breeze and wasn't as complicated as I initially expected it to be... the only challenge would probably be the long flight of stairs with no lift access!

It was quite a crowd at the entrance of the park when we arrived at about half past ten in the morning. Thanks to our earlier purchase of the tickets at the MTR station, we were spared the agony of the long Q...

The park is divided into 2 sections, "The Waterfront" and "The Summit", connected by both cable car and train.

"The Waterfront" focus mainly on wildlife conservation and bringing back the culture of Hong Kong in the '50s to '70s.

The ride up to "The Summit" was terrifying for me as I am not a huge fan of cable cars! The 3 monkies definitely had fun... fun contributing to my fear!

The long winding way up gave high vantage point of Lantau Island and the entire Ocean Park. Despite the fear, I was able to enjoy the breathtaking scenery...

We managed to cover a few attractions in "Marine World" and "Polar Adventure" before Kaeden got distracted by all the thrilling rides "The Summit" had to offer.

Our indulgence in ice-cream while waiting for the boys under such not-so-cold-almost-to warm weather.

After a quick lunch at The Bayview Restaurant which overlooked the awe-inspiring sea, I braced myself for another ride down the park...

Ocean Park was fun and we enjoyed it alot (not as much as Disneyland though). Definitely worth a visit if you have young kiddos with you on your holiday!