Hong Kong Disneyland $1.4 Billion Overhaul

[Nick]

Land looks beautiful, but it seems to lack substance. I do have to say I’m disappointed in the coaster as I always expected that that was essentially a SDMT clone since I first saw the concept art.

 

[Michael S]

Land looks beautiful, but it seems to lack substance. I do have to say I’m disappointed in the coaster as I always expected that that was essentially a SDMT clone since I first saw the concept art.

I was disappointed too. But then I realized Hong Kong doesn’t really have a Goofy Barnstormer, Gadget Coaster equivalent in their park already. So I guess this sort of fills the gap for what will be a lot of people’s first coaster there. I wish they found another way to incorporate that style of coaster cuz this is a little underwhelming but I think I’m starting to get its purpose in the park as a whole.

 

[Mad Dog]

I was under the impression that the park rebounded significantly post-Covid (doing better than Ocean Park, which is its real rival). Is that not the case?

Also, are my eyes deceiving me or does it not look like Olaf has enough room to ‘walk’ beside the boats in the first scene? It’d be a shame if that doesn’t make it to the international versions of the rides.

Even with any increase, and they had almost no attendance in the period compared due to covid closings, their attendance has always been way way lower than any of the Disney Castle parks. Generally in normal times on the level of, or lower, then the abysmal Disney Studios park in Paris. Both Shanghai and Hong Kong attendances were being compared to periods when the park was shut down for many days. Kind of like an artificial fairy tale increase.

 

[SkiBum]

Land looks beautiful, but it seems to lack substance. I do have to say I’m disappointed in the coaster as I always expected that that was essentially a SDMT clone since I first saw the concept art.

Agree. An overreach probably but it is another example of a land lacking substance.

 

[Michael S]

Agree. An overreach probably but it is another example of a land lacking substance.

A lot of these “single IP lands” have that in common. Besides the Wizarding World-Hogsmeade and Cars Land (and I guess Jurassic Park counts as well;Nintendo gets a pass with interactivity and expansions coming to Orlando and Japan) these lands look cool and nice but there’s not much to them. None of them feel like a full experience.

Cars and Harry Potter started the trend right. Things like Frozen are showing how that model isn’t necessarily satisfying, regardless of its success.

 

[Jamesh22]

A lot of these “single IP lands” have that in common. Besides the Wizarding World-Hogsmeade and Cars Land (and I guess Jurassic Park counts as well;Nintendo gets a pass with interactivity and expansions coming to Orlando and Japan) these lands look cool and nice but there’s not much to them. None of them feel like a full experience.

Cars and Harry Potter started the trend right. Things like Frozen are showing how that model isn’t necessarily satisfying, regardless of its success.

I guess it depends on guest expectations. Avengers Campus & San Fran Sokyo are unfortunately proving hugely popular (they were rammed the other day) despite just being F&B and M&G's the public seems to be really into them.

 

[Michael S]

I guess it depends on guest expectations. Avengers Campus & San Fran Sokyo are unfortunately proving hugely popular (they were rammed the other day) despite just being F&B and M&G's the public seems to be really into them.

Oh yeah, that’s why I said it isn’t “necessarily satisfying” regardless of success. I guess I mean satisfying for theme park/casual fans vs fans of the franchise or IP.

 

[Jamesh22]

Oh yeah, that’s why I said it isn’t “necessarily satisfying” regardless of success. I guess I mean satisfying for theme park/casual fans vs fans of the franchise or IP.

Agreed. Sometimes I just wish the GP had higher expectations/standards.

 

[Michael S]

Agreed. Sometimes I just wish the GP had higher expectations/standards.

100% across the board.

Something I’m curious about with how they are doing Frozen here is this:

If anybody saw the Imagineering documentary on Disney+ you’d remember that when they mentioned HKDL they talked about a disconnect between guests and the attractions.

I wonder if this is why they would build lands these ways for the park. Basically with a lot of places to take photos and look/walk around, with the rides being an addition without being the main draw.

Just a theory.

 

[Jamesh22]

Some new (to me) drone type footage. Have to admit they did a fantastic job in bringing the world of Frozen to life, even if it is a mini coaster and a not very good water ride. Kids are going to LOVE this.


Credit to Themeparx

 

[saint.piss]

 

[Nick]

Their version looks a bit more polished. Not a fan of the clunky lift hill on a sparkly new ride. That's what happens when you clone Maelstrom around the world though. Who would've thought we'd see the day! Japan will show people how a real Frozen ride is done.

I'm actually a fan of FEA too, but know a better Frozen ride could've been made from the ground up (which this one was). It's a cute little ride and tbh, i'm not someone who is a stickler for it being in Norway (although it would've been better as a boat ride using SHDL Pirates tech and with the ride being in DHS imo).

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

So it’s true, that’s the utterly best themed kiddie coaster on planet earth.

 

[Jamesh22]

I've never seen FEA before, and if this was a retheme of an old rde I'd be ok with it. But the fact they built this from scratch is really bizarre

The Paris plans decibe this ride as an E-Ticket and it's a million miles away from being that.

 

[Nick]

I've never seen FEA before, and if this was a retheme of an old rde I'd be ok with it. But the fact they built this from scratch is really bizarre

The Paris plans decibe this ride as an E-Ticket and it's a million miles away from being that.

Nice for a D-ticket and maybe a secondary ride in a land. But as the star attraction from the ground-up, it's a let down. There's a reason TDS isn't porting this ride over.

 

[Mad Dog]

It's similar to Epcot but much better. Looks pretty good to me.

 

[SkiBum]

So it’s true, that’s the utterly best themed kiddie coaster on planet earth.

That is definitely underwhelming.

 

[PerceptiveCoot]

Caves!

 

[Jerroddragon]

Yeah, its a better version of the cloned ride

The land it self is.....also apart of this so to me this looks pretty great. I'd love at least the land at Disneyland because...I think near the Matterhorn it would just be so beautiful and I think if the little coaster was...just a little longer would not mind it coming as well but for a 60 second ride, not sure if it's worth the space at other resorts

 

[PerceptiveCoot]

I wouldn't mind this at Disneyland, but it would probably need to be alongside one or two completely new rides for people to think it's not a disappointment for what it is.