Disneyland - HK Style

The entrance to the park - note the wide open spaces - not normal for HK

No blog about Hong Kong with kids could miss Disneyland.

The first time we went in 2009 (with 3 kids at the time), it was tiny.  This time (late 2013), it's now a decent sized park.

It's no American sized one.  But it is, especially for Hong Kong, spacious. No elbow jostling, no majorly long waits for rides, plenty of merchandise.

HK Disneyland has a very Asian feel.  Think soy-sauce western cuisine, but better.  It feels like an Asian themepark should.

And it's cheap.  For a theme park, that is.  If you are in the US, or you have a decent enough exchange rate with HK, you're going to pay far less than the equivalent in Tokyo, Paris (gasp!) and the US.  I use the bottle of cold water exchange rate - and it's about AUD$2.20 for a bottle.  That's retail in Australia (though expensive for HK).

Hollywood Hotel from the Poolside - it's too big for one photo

The Hollywood Hotel is done in an American Art Deco feel - gorgeous

Hollywood Hotel - outside Chef Mickey (the buffet restaurant)

Hotel (we stayed at Hollywood Hotel for 2 nights), is also way cheaper than staying in Tokyo - about 1/4 of the price.  We got interconnecting rooms.  Seeing the pics of the other one (which is a lot more expensive), it's better looking and cheaper.

Merchanise - adequately priced.

Merchandise in Main Street USA (in the park)

Look, it's not a cheap experience, but it is cheaper.  Well worth it.  Allow for Disney from your budget, stay there.  It cost us as much in our 2 days in Disney as it did for 2 weeks in HK.  HK food everywhere else is cheap enough, the shopping good enough (if you're smart) to save you the money back.

One of the many cool Mickey pens

There's merchandise at the Hollywood Hotel shops as well

My other tips for a big family getting there?

Take a taxi from the airport.  It costs very little and is well worth it after a long flight with kids and all the luggage you will tow.  Make sure they're "official" cabs (Toyota Crowns which will be Blue, Red or Green), not the ones that solicit you.  Get a blue one if you can, the rates are marginally cheaper.  You're welcome.

The buffet at Disney Hollywood hotel isn't cheap (around AUD$30-$40 per adult head), but you'll be thanking them for feeding you and letting you go to bed to recover.  Book in advance (a couple of days will do fine) and check out the website for coupons, you may get it cheaper.

Otherwise, the food there (and the park) isn't great.  The cafe out the back is awful for breakkie (Hollywood and Dine).

Another cheaper cost saving - as you arrive, in the arrival areas of Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), go to 7 Eleven (or Circle K) and grab some instant bowl/pot noodles and some beer (or soft drink) from the fridge.  Get back to your room, boil the kettle and makes some noodles for the family, have a drink (or you'll end up paying about AUD$5 per can in the hotel, which is about 6 times the price) and go to bed.

Grab an Octopus card in the airport (the MTR shop is there just before you leave the airport).  Sure, you could grab it in HK proper, but this will help you the next day, because you can go from the Park (or the use the hotel's free shuttle bus to get to the park) and take a train to Tsing Yi (go to Maritime Square) or Tung Chung (Citygate Outlets) to feed the family dinner (cheaper and nicer).  Find out when fireworks are on, and allow yourself time to get back and see it.