Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel

Magical coffee foam art of live action Maleficent

We arrive at the charming Victorian-inspired Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel on the verdant island of Lantau at midday; not an indecent hour, but grueling nonetheless, given we had to be at the airport in Manila at the crack of dawn. A cappuccino at Walt’s Café, the hotel’s cozy coffee shop overlooking romantic gardens fit for royalty, proves too appealing to resist. “What Disney character do you want in your coffee foam?,” Allan, our server, asks. With great enthusiasm, I quickly answer: “Maleficent!” He apologizes; my favorite villain isn’t on the menu, to my slight disappointment. Moments later, though, he arrives, cup in hand, a wide grin across his face. Imagine my sheer surprise to see the super-detailed likeness of the shunned Fairy Godmother in my cuppa, after all?

“How???,” I ask, as Allan serves the drink with excited flourish. “Magic!,” he replies.

The bar is set. In that moment, I know that the next two days—at the luxurious hotel and at the iconic amusement park—will be nothing short of marvelously magical.

Hong Kong Disneyland amusement park's Castle of Magical Dreams is a re-imagined centerpiece that shines as a beacon of hope.

The happiest place on earth

After the much-needed caffeine fix and a quick but sumptuous lunch of spaghetti with prawns and scallops at the café, we make our way to Hong Kong Disneyland Resort with our designated guide, Harley. She expertly leads us through the park’s “Seven Lands” to its most popular, as well as its newest, attractions. It is easy to see why the franchise is known as the “happiest place on earth,” as the Disney slogan goes. In this veritable wonderland of mirth, there are character appearances, rides, and shows galore, all of which are designed to provide the ultimate in excitement, enthrallment, and enchantment.

Central to the park and definitely among its main features is the Castle of Magical Dreams, which debuted in 2020. This re-imagined centerpiece shines as a beacon of hope, weaving the stories of 13 of Disney’s beloved princesses and queens in stunning architectural design that is a nod to their unique characteristics. The castle sets the stage for two of the resort’s newest, grandest shows, “Follow Your Dreams” and “Momentous”. The former is a first-of-its-kind live musical celebration that takes place outside the castle, with visually stunning effects, catchy choreography, dynamic vocal styling, upbeat melodies, and a motivational message. The latter is a multimedia nighttime spectacle that transforms the castle into a canvas of light and sound, to a backdrop of fireworks illuminating the night sky. The showcase of laser light displays, water projections, large-scale projection mapping, choreographed water fountains, music, and pyrotechnic effects takes guests on a journey of a lifetime, loaded with milestones and Disney moments. Both shows, of course, have me in happy tears, as I watch in awestruck amazement.

To dare and dream, the Disney way

The Disney brand talks a lot of dreams, and it isn’t mere prattle—it dares to make its dreams come true, despite the odds. Back at the hotel, we meet up with two of the company’s PR executives, Angela Yiu, Associate Manager for Publicity, and Louis Ng, Publicity Relations Associate Specialist, who fill us in not only on the statistics behind, but also on the spirit of, their beloved Disney.

“We are encouraged to see a lot of inbound visitors who tell us that Hong Kong Disneyland is among the main reasons they come to Hong Kong. It’s something I’m very proud of. I’m also very proud of the fact that we didn’t let go of team members during the pandemic; we even launched new features, like the castle, and new shows, after that. We did our best to stay competitive—to make our dreams happen—and our teams were still working to keep up with everything. We are very ready to welcome our guests, once again,” shares Angela.

As Angela and Louis show us around the hotel—pointing out details like hidden Mickey designs, Cinderella’s glass slippers, a crown and a tiara atop the majestic chandeliers, and characters incorporated into fixtures and fittings, along the way—you can sense their earnest excitement. Their eyes still light up in eagerness, for instance, as they open the gorgeous door, intricate with traditional Norwegian rosemåling, to one of a very limited number of Frozen Suites on the exclusive Kingdom Club floors, even if they are presumably showing it for the umpteenth time. They still speak of the park and its three hotel properties—Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel, where we are billeted; Disney’s Hollywood Hotel (the contemporary, superstar-themed property, soon to reopen after an ongoing renovation); and the newest addition, Disney Explorers Hotel (a more adventure-themed, exotic hotel)—with pride and passion. This is the hallmark of a Disney team member: the zeal is ever-bright; an effect of working at such a happy, dream-filled place.

Beloved Disney princesses join the parade at the park

Mages of magical moments and memories

I ask about the best time of the year to visit; Angela’s answer is straightforward: “Every season is special, as there are different campaigns throughout the year. There’s always something new and exciting to experience. I have to say, though, everyone loves Disney Christmas because we have snow and holiday-themed shows,” she shares.

“For Halloween, among our biggest seasons, we have the best show in the world, ‘Let’s Get Wicked’. It’s spectacular and Broadway-level, really,” Louis, who has been with the company 12 years and is a self-confessed Disney superfan, adds. “Guests join the big Halloween parade in their ‘Disneybounding’ outfits,” he says of a fan-driven global trend in which Disney aficionados show their love for their favorite characters through fashion homage.

"In this veritable wonderland of mirth, there are character appearances, rides, and shows galore, all of which are designed to provide the ultimate in excitement, enthrallment, and enchantment."

Truly, there is no shortage of magical moments and memories here. Like masterful mages (think of Mickey, as the Sorcerer’s Apprentice), the brand cleverly conjures nostalgia and delight. And the magic is everywhere—whether in your favorite park ride or show, a meet-and-greet with a well-loved idol, or in thoughtful touches like goldfish-fashioned dim sum (remember Cleo from Pinocchio?) at Crystal Lotus, the hotel’s upscale Chinese restaurant. It’s in Mickey-shaped waffles and Pluto saying hello over breakfast at the hotel’s Enchanted Garden, in joining a Tai-Chi class led by Goofy at the hotel’s lobby, and also in a fanciful rainbow-lit soda at the park’s super delicious Explorer’s Club Restaurant. It’s definitely in simply standing out on the balcony of your Sea View Deluxe room, gazing upon a postcard-perfect panorama and half expecting a chirping bird to alight on your shoulder (I kid you not).

The impressive 6-story Grand Lobby of the Victorian-inspired
Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel.

Cherishing the charms of childhood

One last time, we queue for a photo with Mickey at the hotel’s impressively elegant Grand Lobby. Live piano music (Disney tunes, of course) gracefully glides through the air. A woman in line emotionally exclaims: “This really takes us back to our childhood!” You see, anyone who has been an adult long enough will likely admit that this business of “adulting” is often highly overrated. For all its stressors and sucker punches, it’s no wonder Peter Pan was so adamant about never growing up.

And herein lies Disney’s true wonder: In the happy realm of fireworks and music, toys and trinkets, fun and frolic, superheroes and adventure, fantastical creatures and animated animals, castles and princesses, and yes, even villains, kids stay younger, for longer. In this same realm, adults reconnect with the joys of being kids at heart.

Disney offers us all a wonderful way back to bygone, better days. How, you want to know? As a server named Allan so wisely said when I inquired the same of him: “Magic!”

Why spoil it?

REAWAKENING THE MAGIC, ONE HAPPY HEART AT A TIME

The happiest place on earth

To dare and dream, the Disney way

Cinderella's glass slipper atop the stunning chandelier at the Grand Lobby.

The Hotel's Frozen Suite.

The Hotel's Frozen Suite.

Pluto says good morning over breakfast at Enchanted Garden.

Mages of magical moments and memories

"In this veritable wonderland of mirth, there are character appearances, rides, and shows galore, all of which are designed to provide the ultimate in excitement, enthrallment, and enchantment."

Cherishing the charms of childhood

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