Snow will fall at Hong Kong Disneyland Resort this Christmas.
Starting November 14 until January 1, 2020, the nearest Disneyland Resort to the Philippines will be transformed into a Winter Wonderland where you can live all your Frozen fantasies.
Anna, Elsa, and Olaf are returning to the big screen for the much awaited “Frozen 2” this month and they will be bringing the magic of Arendelle to Hong Kong Disneyland for an unforgettable holiday season. Explore the Frozen Fantasy Gardens Village, take in the twinkling lights, glittering ornaments, shimmering trees, and sparkly snowflakes and get a warm welcome from your favorite Frozen characters. Make memories and take lots of photos in this stunning, snowy setting.
You can buy special merchandise and eat Frozen-themed snacks too for the ultimate Frozen Christmas experience.
At dusk, watch out for the appearance of an Arendelle citizen who will announce the arrival of Princess Anna. This signals the start of A Magical Frozen Snowfall which you shouldn’t miss. There will be a royal processional, comical moments with Olaf, music you love and the chance to witness the magic of Elsa’s powers as she makes snow fall.
Classic Christmas celebrations
Celebrate Christmas the Disney way with the exciting Mickey and Friends Christmastime Ball. Your beloved Disney characters will take over Castle Hub Stage to spread holiday cheer with a musical and magical extravaganza. Join in the tradition of sharing your Christmas wishes with Mickey, Duffy and all their friends. Make sure you catch the beautiful A Holiday Wish Come True Tree Lighting ceremony in the evening too-it’s another memorable chance to experience snowfall along Main Street, U.S.A. Watch Hong Kong Disneyland’s iconic Christmas tree light up while listening to a touching medley of Christmas carols.
Feel the Christmas spirit with Mickey and his pals, including Duffy and Friends, who will greet you in their special holiday outfits.
Santa Mickey will be waiting for you at The Annex. At the Emporium Merchandise Cart next to The Annex, you can pick up new collectible postcards featuring Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and Duffy and Friends and send personalized Christmas wishes to your loved ones in all corners of the globe through Santa Mickey’s Holiday Wishes Mailbox (so make sure you come armed with everyone’s addresses). The postcards are HK$10 each and Hong Kong Disneyland will mail them for you for free. All proceeds from the postcards will go to Operation Santa Claus, an annual charity campaign organized by South China Morning Post and Radio Television Hong Kong, so you’re not just spreading cheer to your loved ones, you’re making a difference too.
Stop by Comet Cafe in Tomorrowland to get big hugs from Santa Stitch-it’s Stitch’s first appearance as Santa at Hong Kong Disneyland!
End your wondrous day of Christmas celebrations at Hong Kong Disneyland with Santa Goofy and his merry troop of carolers and lantern carriers in A Holiday Kiss Goodnight. Enjoy a heartwarming serenade before they say a sweet goodbye.
Holiday shopping spree
You can bring home souvenirs of your lovely holiday at Hong Kong Disneyland and buy holiday gifts for your loved ones-over 300 seasonal items will be available across the resort’s stores to help you add a big dose of magic to your Christmas shopping. Get Mickey and Minnie Christmas-themed plush toys that were exclusively designed by Hong Kong Disneyland. Check out the Disney Advent calendar-you’ll get a little plush surprise each day. We also love the little snow globes featuring Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and Chip and Dale. You’ll want to collect them all. Frozen fans would be pleased to know that there will be an abundance of Frozen merchandise at the resort: over 90 of them to choose from. The new Anna and Elsa dolls are a beauty, as are the diary with lock and key and water tumblers. It’s also your chance to pick up fashion pieces or decor in the stunning Arendelle Aqua color-they’re guaranteed to be a hit with young fans. (We love the Arendelle Aqua Minnie Ears headband.) Love Duffy and Friends? Check out their super cute Christmas line. Tsum Tsum collectors will love the new holiday collection too. If the chilly Hong Kong winter air makes you feel cold, stay warm with a Mickey knit hat or a comfy Minnie scarf and then bring it home as a cozy reminder of your Christmas in Hong Kong Disneyland.
We can always count on Duffy and Friends to make us feel warm and fuzzy and this holiday season, they are featured in the Keep Me Warm series, a new winter collection that’s just absolutely perfect for them.
Christmas feast
Food is always good at Hong Kong Disneyland and even more so at Christmas. There will be over 70 Christmas-themed food and beverages available including premium sausage platters and mini snack boxes. Get popcorn in the new Mickey Christmas Tree and Alien popcorn buckets. Go for the Christmas Dinner Buffet at Royal Banquet Hall. Don’t forget to drop by Frozen Fantasy Gardens Village at the park too for your fill of Frozen-inspired delights like the Olaf Coconut and Red Bean Pudding or the Elsa Vanilla and Blueberry Panna Cotta. The hotels have plenty to offer too. Dig into fusion cuisine at Disney Explorers Lodge’s World of Color which will be serving a Christmas Colorful Semi-Buffet dinner. (They have plant-based options as well.) Spend time with your favorite Disney characters while enjoying a lavish Christmas Buffet spread at Enchanted Garden Restaurant in Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel.
We got the chance to try the Christmas and New Year’s Eve Set Dinner that Walt’s Cafe at Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel will be serving. The meal began with the refreshing crab meat terrines, razor clam, pickled cucumber, lime foam, deep fried herbs fitter snail and avocado jelly followed by the delicious cream of parsnip soup and wild mushroom ball. There are three mains to choose from, all of them delightful: roasted half guinea fowl with truffle, braised red cabbage, apple and chicken jus; steamed dover sole roulade filled with oyster sauteed spinach and champagne caviar cream sauce; or the grilled beef tenderloin with braised ox-tail, onion marmalade and red wine sauce. The meal ended on a sweet, sweet note-with the green tea and mango mousse cake in the shape of a Christmas tree served with seasonal fresh fruit. We washed everything down with the pretty and yummy Snow Time drink which came adorned with a snowflake.
Bedtime stories
We always say that one day isn’t enough to spend at Hong Kong Disneyland-there’s just so much to enjoy. So turn your trip into a staycation at the resort. You’ll be pleased to know that Christmas festivities will be happening across the park and all three themed hotels. From December 1 to 26, guests will be given a complimentary cookie and will find unique Christmas towel art waiting in their rooms. Make Christmas-themed arts and crafts at the hotels too like Christmas Mickey headbands or Olaf-themed Christmas cards.
There’s plenty of family fun to be had at the hotels. Stop by the new Nemo’s Recreation Reef at Disney Explorers Lodge, let your kids sing holiday tunes and join the Christmas Choir Team.
Rooms at the three themed hotels of Hong Kong Disneyland are spacious and comfortable-the perfect haven to get some rest before another full day at the park. If you’re celebrating a special occasion or want to add a splash of magic to your room, you can book themed overlays for HK$899. The Celebrate a Happier Anniversary overlay will celebrate your love story with room decorations, themed towels and amenities, balloons, a towel-folded anniversary cake and card.
Your Disney princess will love the Disney Princess overlay which comes with bed runners, slippers and a plate of macarons. There are Toy Story, Duffy and Friends and Moana themed decoration packages too.
Want to make your stay extra-special? Book the Kingdom Club Cinderella Suite at Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel. This gorgeous room features Cinderella-themed artwork and amenities, a glorious pumpkin carriage-shaped couch, even Cinderella’s glass slipper. Inside the royal chamber is a comfortable bed fit for royalty. Guests who book this suite will get to enjoy a complimentary Cinderella platter. (We really think this suite would be the perfect venue for a wedding proposal too.)
Have a Frozen superfan in the family? Have the most complete Frozen experience at Hong Kong Disneyland by booking the Kingdom Club Frozen Suite. This room will take your breath away. (Even the doors of the special suites are so pretty.) Walk in and be transported to Arendelle as you take in the symphony of beautiful blues and Frozen artwork. You’ll want to spend hours at the cozy corner with Olaf (there are books and toys there) or hang out on the sofa inspired by Kristoff’s sleigh. Inside the bedroom, cuddle with plush Anna and Elsa pillows on ornate beds. Go for a relaxing soak in the tub and admire the bathroom’s Frozen-themed wallpaper. Enjoy a Frozen Afternoon Tea set too when you book this suite.
Guests who stay in Kingdom Club suites get access to personalized service, complimentary dining selections and Kingdom Club kids get a Bedtime Story Session where they can meet Disney characters dressed in their pajamas before saying good night.
Hotel guests at Hong Kong Disneyland Resort can buy a hotel exclusive Mickey in Bathrobe plush for HK$198 until June 30, 2020.
New experiences
One of the things we love the most about Hong Kong Disneyland is that there’s always something new whenever we go.
Those seeking action and adventure at the park should try Ant-Man and The Wasp: Nano Battle! which was launched earlier this year. The world’s first attraction featuring Ant-Man and The Wasp invites you on a high-tech and high-energy immersive adventure with these Marvel superheroes as you fight Hydra and the army of Swarmbots alongside them. Hop aboard D/AGR, S.H.I.E.L.D.’s newest combat vehicle, aim your EMP Blasters and start shooting to help save the day. It was so much fun we went three times and we could have gone again and again.
Duffy’s friend Cookie, who debuted at Hong Kong Disneyland, gets a new name just in time for Christmas-CookieAnn. CookieAnn, the adorable food-loving puppy with a penchant for waffles who has quickly become a favorite of Disney fans all over Asia, completes the increasingly popular gang of cuteness that includes Duffy, ShellieMay, Gelatoni and StellaLou.
To celebrate CookieAnn’s new name, Hong Kong Disneyland released a bespoke merchandise collection on October 29 featuring a mix of apparel, stationery, accessories, homeward and plush. There are keychains and plates, bottles, bags, pins and more. CookieAnn gets a new pink outfit too, with elements celebrating her passion for cooking. Check out the CookieAnn plush with poseable arms-it’s a first-of-its-kind collectible from the Duffy and Friends franchise. Guests who spend HK$400 or more and purchase at least one CookieAnn product will receive a limited collectible embroidery button for free (while stocks last).
Castle of Magical Dreams
Hong Kong Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle has been undergoing transformation and its new name has been revealed: Castle of Magical Dreams. It’s a fitting name for a castle that isn’t inspired by just one Disney Princess but 13 Disney Princesses stories
Using architecture to celebrate the stories, characteristics and the pursuit of dreams of beloved Disney heroines, the Disney Imagineers employed color, icons, patterns and cultural features in the creation of the castle. Put together, elements of the princesses’ individuality create a beautiful symbol of unity, diversity and inclusion, a shining beacon of hope, courage and possibility, inspiring everyone to dream big.
It’s the first time that an existing Disney park castle has undergone a transformation of this scale, and its highly-anticipated unveiling will undoubtedly be a major milestone for Hong Kong Disneyland.
Visitors of Hong Kong Disneyland can get a sneak peek now as the new towers and spires are being fitted onto the castle base. It’s fun to point out which heroines we can already see represented in the structure. Guests have taken to shooting beautiful photos of the castle during sunset. We cannot wait to see the fully completed Castle of Magical Dreams in 2020. It will be Hong Kong Disneyland’s iconic centerpiece.
Once open, the castle will be the venue of a daytime show and a nighttime spectacular.
Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique
But little girls ages 3 to 11 don’t need to wait for the unveiling of the castle to be transformed into their favorite Disney Princesses. Fairytale fantasies continue to come true at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutiques in Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel and Fantasyland in the park.
If you go to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique in the park, we highly recommend booking at least the Castle Package for both the access to the deluxe dresses and also the total, absolutely magical Bibbidi Bobbidi experience your child will get. A fairy godmother-in-training walked us through it.
We stood inside a beautiful little room with gorgeous dresses and jewels on display. The magical words “bibbidi bobbidi boo” were spoken, the fairy godmother-in-training waved her wand, fairy dust danced across the walls before settling on a magic mirror where we were able to watch a team of mice create a brand new dress. The dress disappeared from the screen and after another “bibbidi bobbidi boo” and magic wand wave, it was transported to a dressing room, ready to be worn. The little princess can then change into her exquisite gown before going to the salon for hair, makeup and a manicure. The salon is beautiful, featuring artwork of the different princesses’ happily ever afters. The final reveal happens when the princess is twirled in their chair so they can finally see their makeover for the first time (with more fairy dust, of course). There will be a photo shoot too. The Castle Package comes with two photos and a digital download but guests can also choose to order a storybook or a photo album.
Fans of Disney Princesses can spend time with their favorite characters during meet and greets at Fantasyland.
Special deals for Filipino guests
Filipinos have shown Hong Kong Disneyland a lot of love over the years and they’ve shown us love in return by always offering great packages for Filipino travelers.
Buy 1-Day Ticket online to get an extra HK$10 merchandise discount voucher and one of the widely-loved snack items (choose from Mickey Waffle or Disney Friends Sip Sip with a bottled drink) with your purchase! Package costs HK$639 for people ages 12 to 64 and HK$475 for kids ages 3 to 11.
Until March 31, 2020, Hong Kong Disneyland has an Advance Purchase Room Offer. Save up to 20% on rooms at Disney Explorers Lodge, Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel or Disney’s Hollywood Hotel if you book in advance. Book online to get a free room upgrade and Attraction Priority Admission Pass. There’s a special offer for 2-day park tickets too.
Rakso Travel also has a special offer for people who want to experience a magical stay at Hong Kong Disneyland Resort hotels.
Visit https://www.raksotravel.com/destination/fit.aspx?c=107515&m=%2009012019.
Watch out for some really exciting Black Friday offers too (hint: up to 50% off!) that will be announced later this month.
Travel tips
Getting to Hong Kong Disneyland from the airport is super easy-just hop into one of the blue Lantau taxis (yup, taxis are color-coded in Hong Kong) and you can find yourself at the resort in 17 minutes.
And here’s an idea: after checking out of any of the Hong Kong Disneyland hotels, on your way back to the airport, stop by Citygate Outlets in Tung Chung for some great shopping (they have lockers for your suitcases so you can shop conveniently). A new extension just opened, featuring even more shops. They have a great food court too. And getting to the airport from Citygate Outlets is super easy-it’s a quick bus ride that just costs HK$3.50.
If you have time, ride the Ngong Ping 360 too, a cable car that will take you to Ngong Ping island for an adventure in Lantau. You’ll get to see the Big Buddha, Po Lin Monastery, Tai O fishing village and more. There’s plenty of fun to discover in Lantau where Hong Kong Disneyland is located.
Missed out on buying something at Hong Kong Disneyland? Don’t worry. There are two Hong Kong Disneyland shops at the Hong Kong Airport, perfect for last-minute shopping before your flight takes off so you can bring the Disney magic home.