Do the words “Disney” and “bargain” ever belong in the same sentence? Probably not. Unless we’re talking about Hong Kong Disneyland.
I’m traveling to Hong Kong with my daughter this fall. And yes, we will be going to Hong Kong Disneyland. I decided we should stay at an on-site Disney hotel for a couple of days as a treat. Out of the 3 hotel choices, we picked Disney Explorers Lodge. It looks like a cross between Disney’s Aulani Resort (near the water, palm trees) and Disney’s Wilderness Lodge.
Hong Kong Disneyland currently has a promotion for 30% off the rate if you book 2 or more nights:
With that promotion, I was able to book a sea-view room at Disney Explorers Lodge for $258 per night! For comparison, a night at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge in Florida for that same time period (actually a week earlier because of the Thanksgiving holiday) is currently running around $600 per night. Now of course it’s possible that Disney World will run a promotion closer in to those dates. But, I still don’t see it getting as low as $258.
Ticket prices are lower as well. A two-day ticket at Hong Kong Disneyland is $136 for our dates compared to $319 at Disney World in Florida.
But is it really a bargain?
While Hong Kong Disneyland may share the same name as its counterparts in other parts of the world, it’s not the same. Most notably, Hong Kong Disneyland is one of the smallest of the Disney theme parks. The park itself is around 68 acres, similar in size to Disney California Adventure park but much smaller than Disneyland Park or Magic Kingdom.
So, whether it’s a bargain is in the eye of the beholder. If you count acres and numbers of rides, it might not be a bargain compared to other Disney parks. However, it has unique rides and experiences that other Disney parks don’t offer (like Mystic Manor, World of Frozen, Iron Man Experience). So for Disney fans like me, it’s a must-see!
I’m just thrilled it isn’t as expensive as the U.S. Disney parks, and I’m excited to check it out this fall.
nice
I went about 5 years ago. having never been to any Disneyland/ World it seemed like a cheaper way to get an intro.
It is pretty small and I think I would struggle to spend 2 days there given I am not a big Disney fan. I would not suggest spending a large % of your trip at Disney as big a fan as your family might be.
@Reney Thanks for sharing your perspective. The new World of Frozen is now open, which makes the park a little bigger, but it’s still one of the smallest parks.
You’ve got a bargain – HK Disney prices definitely much better over US Disney.
It is became a norm in USA to have high-priced park tickets and anything associated with Disney – not the original Walt Disney vision of how it’s suppose to be. He wanted to share with the world, especially with underprivileged population. But corporate greed took over… Plus parks became more adult-oriented, moving away from the fairytale awe for the children.
I’ve been in the Orlando area parks since 1990s, and, similar to Las Vegas, everything switched to make money (versus enjoyment) – from transportation, parking, lodging, resort fees, extra-fee bands, food, tickets, rides.
I don’t go to Vegas anymore, but still wish to visit Disney parks once in a awhile. Even I do not care much about the rides, rather the atmosphere and excitement – but that seems to play lesser and lesser part in Disney’s money-making machine. So far the SeaWorld parks keep more people-friendly approach.
Have fun in HK!
@Aleks I agree–Disney parks in the USA have out-priced many families. Even with award flights and free hotel, it’s the ticket prices that are crazy!