Hong Kong Disneyland [Archive]

Isan

February 15th, 2005, 02:16 PM

New Opening Date, Prices and Attractions revealed for Hong Kong Disneyland

22 November 2004

Disney and the Hong Kong SAR Government announced today that Hong Kong Disneyland will welcome its first guests, earlier than originally projected, on Monday 12 September, 2005. The world-class theme park and resort, located on Lantau Island, will be Disney’s first theme park in China offering magical experiences for the entire family ranging from Broadway-style shows and signature Disney attractions to vibrant fireworks and parades.

“We are delighted to be joining with the Hong Kong SAR Government to bring guests from Hong Kong and around the world such a unique quality family entertainment experience. Over the past four years since the announcement of this project, we have been working closely with the Hong Kong SAR Government to make Hong Kong Disneyland a success, and we are grateful for their tremendous support in helping us deliver the magic even earlier than expected,” said Don Robinson, Hong Kong Disneyland Group Managing Director.

“The announcement of opening day for Hong Kong Disneyland marks a key milestone for the development of Hong Kong tourism and the economy as a whole,” said Henry Tang, Financial Secretary, Hong Kong SAR Government. Tang said that Hong Kong Disneyland’s opening would be a “driving force for tourism growth for Hong Kong, and family tourism development in particular,” noting that this year’s tourist arrivals are estimated to reach over 21 million, a rise of 37% over last year.

The Financial Secretary also highlighted that the whole economy will continue to benefit from the Hong Kong Disneyland project tremendously. “The project has already created 11,400 jobs during construction. Another 18,000 jobs are expected to be created in phases by opening. In the first 40 years after opening, Hong Kong Disneyland is forecast to bring about a huge economic benefit of $148 billion to Hong Kong as a whole,” said Mr. Tang.

Noting that the project will be completed less than six years since its commencement five years ago in late 1999, the Financial Secretary said, “Never has a Disneyland been built so fast, achieving the same quality as other Disney theme parks and resorts.” The project will also be completed within budget. The Financial Secretary said that Government would continue to render full support for a most successful opening.

Families visiting the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort will be taken on a magical journey through three themed lands, a charming Main Street U.S.A and two Disney-style hotels.

“Hong Kong Disneyland is designed for guests to leave the real world and enter one of fantasy, imagination and adventure,” said Wing Chao, Vice Chairman, Asia Pacific Development, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, and Executive Vice President, Master Planning, Architecture & Design, Walt Disney Imagineering.

“When the guests first enter the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, they will notice immediately the lush landscape, colorful signage, and decorative light fixtures. With the classic Disneyland design, combined with fun and exciting attractions created specifically for Hong Kong, guests from all around Asia will experience the unique Disney brand of entertainment, creating memories that will last a lifetime.”

Captivating Featured Attractions Revealed - Jungle River Cruise and Festival of the Lion King

In addition to the opening day announcement, Hong Kong Disneyland executives revealed two of the many featured attractions expected to enthrall thousands of guests on a daily basis: Jungle River Cruise and Festivals of the Lion King.

Disney Imagineers, Tom Morris, Vice President and Executive Producer in charge of Hong Kong Disneyland and Skip Lange, Vice President, Executive Production Designer in charge of Jungle River Cruise, revealed the conceptual renderings and storyboards of this adventurous journey through an African jungle that will be part of the exotic Adventureland experience.

An expansive river in the heart of Adventureland is set to become a spectacular centerpiece and the perfect setting for Jungle River Cruise. Guests will depart on exploration boats for an exotic journey along the waterways of some of the world’s most hidden regions.

Mystery and intrigue lurk around every bend as the riverboats travel a winding route filled with fascinating sights, sounds, surprises and fun.

An intrepid boat skipper will guide guests on a journey through busy river rafts; elephants, frolicking in water; quaking temple ruins; invading gorillas; erupting geysers and some very mischievous hippos.

“Hong Kong Disneyland’s Jungle River Cruise brings more of the adventure ‘on board’ and allows guests to get closer to the action as they navigate through this intriguing jungle,” said Morris. “We have added new features and surprises to this attraction to create a one-of-a-kind experience for our guests in Hong Kong.”

Hong Kong Disneyland will also present Festival of the Lion King, a joyous and high energy spectacle created through song, dance, puppetry, specialty performances and evocative imagery.

Ten years after its release, Disney’s The Lion King still holds the hearts and minds of audiences around the world. This animated masterpiece, which has become one of the most popular of all Disney classics, is now being brought to life in a unique Broadway-style theatrical spectacle created especially for Hong Kong Disneyland.

The audience is in the middle of the show as a troupe of tribal performers arrives and transforms the Theatre in the Wild into a colorful festival setting. Giraffes strut, birds swoop, gazelles leap! The entire savanna comes to life as the music soars. This is “Festival of the Lion King” – Disney storytelling at its best in a kingdom brimming with fun, wonder and adventure.

“Festival of The Lion King” will be unlike anything our guests have ever experienced in Hong Kong and will be the first Broadway-style production to be staged in Hong Kong on a permanent basis. The show will allow families to join with their circle of loved ones while marveling at this breathtaking spectacle and timeless story, miraculously brought to life by a cast of over dynamic 20 performers,” said Laurie Jordan, Vice President of Entertainment for Hong Kong Disneyland.

Hong Kong Disneyland Admission Pricing

Guests will be able to immerse themselves in this magical Hong Kong Disneyland experience with an admission price of HK$295 per adult during the week and HK$350 on weekends and peak days. Children’s tickets (aged between three and 11 years) will be priced at HK$210 during the week and HK$250 on weekends and peak holidays. Senior citizens tickets (over the age of 65) can enjoy the Disney experience at a special rate of HK$170 during the week and HK$200 on weekends and peak days. Children under the age of three are free. Peak days will include Hong Kong public holidays, summer school holidays (i.e. July and August) and the Golden Weeks (1st week in May and October every year).

“We believe that the ticket prices for Hong Kong Disneyland represent excellent value for our guests who can enjoy a full day of adventure including an array of attractions, world-class hotels accommodations along with special dining and our unique evening firework spectacular. Our extensive research validated that our target customers understand Disney is a premium brand offering unique experiences not currently available in the market. When we open in less than a year, we look forward to welcoming guests of all ages, and from around the region to a great family vacation destination and to a world of fantasy, imagination and adventure," said Roy Tan Hardy, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Hong Kong Disneyland.

Experiencing the Magic

A Hong Kong Disneyland admission ticket will include a full day’s program of magical adventures across Main Street U.S.A. and three themed lands - Fantasyland, Tomorrowland and Adventureland. There are no additional charges for individual attractions or entertainment.

Guests will first enter Hong Kong Disneyland through Main Street, U.S.A., designed after quintessential small town America and evoking a time gone by when the gas lamp was giving way to electricity and the “horseless carriage” was the latest novelty.

Its nostalgic design will help transport guests from the every day world into a “magic kingdom” where they can then venture into the three themed lands.

Rising proudly above Main Street U.S.A. is Sleeping Beauty Castle, the gateway to Fantasyland where the colorful, whimsical, “once-upon-a-time” settings of Disney’s animated classics come to life.

Here guests can indulge their childhood fantasies by riding on Disney’s world famous “Dumbo the Flying Elephant”; the “Mad Hatter Tea Cups”, the majestic Cinderella Carousel and “The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.”

Guests will also be able to enjoy the 3-D animated feature film, Mickey’s PhilharMagic, that will take the audience through an interactive experience featuring the head Mouse and other favorite Disney characters.

In Fantasy Gardens, a unique attraction designed specially for Hong Kong Disneyland, guests will have the opportunity to meet their all time favorite characters including Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh and many of their Disney friends.

Over in Adventureland, guests will begin a journey into the exotic regions of the Asian and African jungles. Here guests can take a daring ride on a jungle river cruise, and explore many other attractions including a whole island devoted to the “King of the Jungle” - Tarzan - and his rustic tree-house.

Adventureland is also home to the 2,200 seat Theater-in-the-Wild, which is one of the most technically advanced theatrical venues in any Disney Park. It is here that guests can take in the Disney musical stage spectacular – Festivals of the Lion King. For guests seeking a hint of the future, Tomorrowland will offer a world filled with science fiction and soaring space adventures. Taking a whole new approach to Tomorrowland that will be different from any other Disney theme park, Walt Disney Imagineers have created an entire land that becomes an Intergalactic Spaceport – and every restaurant, shop and attraction will be filled with robots, rocket ships or floating planets. Guests will be treated to the warp-speed adventure of “Space Mountain”; fly their own flying saucer in the attraction “Orbitron” and blast off with “Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters”.

Dining and Merchantainment

In addition to the Park’s featured attractions and signature entertainment, Hong Kong Disneyland will offer a diverse range of food at eight restaurants, three of which will be table service restaurants and five of which will be self-service eateries, totaling 2,900 seats.

Each restaurant will be themed to match the unique, immersive atmosphere of its land, behind Hong Kong Disneyland’s belief that food is part of the guest experience and of the “magic at work” inside the Park.

Hong Kong Disneyland’s food and beverage team has carefully designed the Park’s menus to feature popular dishes from different parts of Asia – from the Northwest, the Jiangnan region and Guangdong province in Mainland China, to Southeast Asia and Japan. Different kitchens in the Park’s various restaurants will feature different styles of cooking, such as Steam Kitchens, which will serve dim sum and steamed dishes, Wok Kitchens, which will serve stir fries, as well as Curry, Noodle, and BBQ Kitchens.

Guests looking for a special Hong Kong Disneyland memento will be able to indulge in 11 specialty stores selling an exclusive and unique collection of Disney memorabilia and souvenirs. Over 5,000 kinds of products will be available - ranging from plush, apparel and confectionaries to souvenirs, most of which will only be available at Hong Kong Disneyland.

Disney-style Hotels

The resort will feature two Disney-style hotels – the flagship Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel and Disney’s Hollywood Hotel. The Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel, comprising 400 rooms, is set in grand Victorian design built on the shores of the South China Sea. The Disneyland Hotel is patterned after the Grand Floridian Beach Resort at Walt Disney World in Florida.

The hotel will feature two restaurants, several specialty shops, a lounge and tea area, a spa, 15 suites, meeting and convention space (including a grand ballroom), a wedding gazebo and lushly landscaped grounds that will feature formal gardens and a maze in the shape of Mickey Mouse's head.

Disney’s Hollywood Hotel, designed with an Art Deco exterior and features motifs of Disney's world-famous mouse, is a tribute to the heyday of the movie-making capital of the world.

This sleek resort hotel will incorporate elements of Streamline Moderne architecture while capturing the whimsical spirit of Hollywood - not only in its design, but in an outdoor plaza of walkways named after famous Hollywood freeways and boulevards, a piano-shaped swimming pool and iconic representations of well-known Southern California landmarks.

About Hong Kong Disneyland

The Hong Kong Disneyland project was announced in 1999 as a venture between The Walt Disney Company and the Hong Kong SAR Government. With the completion of reclamation for Hong Kong Disneyland Phase I by the Hong Kong SAR Government, theme park and resort construction began in January 2003, with the project now scheduled to open on 12th September, 2005. At opening day, Hong Kong Disneyland will comprise a theme park and two hotels.

The Phase I build-out includes a projected 10 million annual visitor Disneyland-style theme park, 2,100 hotel rooms, and an area for retail, dining and entertainment. The project is estimated to create 18,000 new jobs at opening (both Disney and other employment) growing to 36,000 once the first park reaches build-out. The Hong Kong SAR Government estimated that the first phase of the project will generate a present economic value of HK$148 billion (US$19 billion) in benefits to Hong Kong over a 40-year period.http://www.hongkongdisneyland.com/eng/images/resizemainbanner.gif

Isan

February 15th, 2005, 02:17 PM

Hong Kong Disneyland Opens Hotel Reservations Hotline

15 February 2005

Hong Kong Disneyland, which is expected to open September 12, has launched an Hotel Reservation Hotline for those wanting to be among the first to experience the delights that Hong Kong Disneyland is sure to offer.

During today’s official launch ceremony, Roy Tan Hardy, Vice President Marketing and Sales and Peter Lowe, General Manager Hotel Operations, presented an exciting glimpse into the magical vacations guests will enjoy.

“The Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, which includes two Disney hotels and our world famous Disney theme park, will offer an unparalleled, world-class family vacation experience for guests of all ages,” Hardy said. “Our Disney hotels are the first premium resorts in Hong Kong designed specifically for families and will extend and complement the immersive and magical experience that our Park offers, complete with dining, shopping and entertainment.”

Built on Walt Disney’s founding vision of 'a family place where ‘parents and children can have fun together’, the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort will offer families an ultimate retreat from their usual daily setting to a place where they can actually stay in the heart of the Disney magic.

“In an urban setting like Hong Kong, our hotels are uniquely positioned with our theme park setting and a spacious and naturally spectacular environment. The Hong Kong Disneyland Resort is a world away from the hustle and bustle of city life yet is still close enough - just 20 minutes from Central - to be a convenient retreat for both local and international guests,” Hardy said.

In keeping with the tradition of Disney resorts worldwide, Hong Kong Disneyland’s family friendliness will be reflected throughout, from the hotels’ design and themed dining experiences to the world-class facilities and famous guest hospitality.

Hong Kong Disneyland Resort Disney Hollywood Resort

“Our guests will delight in the unique and special touches that are dedicated to children and families, which include complimentary mini bar, bedtime stories on TV, Mickey wake-up calls and bite-sized kids menus,” Lowe said. “This attention to detail – what we call the Disney Difference – has become the hallmark of a Disney vacation and is why Disney Resorts are the number one family vacation destinations in the world.”

Whether guests choose to stay at the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel or Disney’s Hollywood Hotel, the Resort promises an unforgettable vacation that will inspire family traditions for years to come.

From today onwards, the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel Reservation Hotline, +852 - 1830 830 is open for individual bookings from guests, and will operate from 9:00am to 6:00pm Monday to Sunday.

For the convenience of callers, information is available in three languages - Cantonese, English, and Mandarin. Local calls from within Hong Kong are toll free while standard IDD rates will apply to international calls.

Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel features 400 rooms in a lush and relaxing landscape of gardens, offering a choice of park view, sea view or even sea view rooms with balconies. This world-class hotel will offer a variety of dining experiences featuring local and international cuisines, a wedding gazebo where Disney’s Fairytale Weddings will be held, a Victorian Spa and a Mickey-inspired botanical maze. Room rates start from HK$1,600 for a Park View Room and HK$1,800 for a Sea View Room. The Hotel will also boast a sophisticated convention center featuring one of Hong Kong’s largest and most spectacular ballrooms.

Disney’s Hollywood Hotel is designed in the Art Deco style of architecture with whimsical Mickey Mouse-inspired motifs. It includes dining, shopping, a lounge, a piano-shaped swimming pool, and an expansive lawn that unfolds like a map of Los Angeles with popular and well-known Hollywood streets, landmarks and icons. It offers 600 rooms with garden views, park views and sea views. Room rates start from HK$1,000 for a Garden View Room and HK$1,100 for a Park View Room to HK$1,200 for a Sea View Room.

Above prices for both hotels already include 10% service charge and are subject to government tax.

raymond_tung88

February 18th, 2005, 03:23 AM

Interesting... so when Disneyland Hong Kong opens, the only attraction will be the Magic Kingdom?

BrizzyChris

February 19th, 2005, 01:32 AM

Of course. They are hardly going to open 2 parks before they even know what kind of patronage they are going to get. But Phase 2 involves a 2nd theme park.

hkskyline

March 9th, 2005, 05:24 PM

New Disneyland Takes 10,000 Hotel Bookings
Wednesday March 9, 7:48 am ET
By William Foreman, Associated Press Writer

HONG KONG (AP) -- The Hong Kong Disneyland theme park set to open in September has already booked 10,000 room reservations for its hotel since it opened a customer call center three weeks ago, officials said Wednesday.

"It really took us by surprise, the volume of calls coming in," said Bill Ernest, managing director of operations at Hong Kong Disneyland.

Ernest said Hong Kong residents have made most of the 10,000 reservations at the park's 1,000-room hotel, though the park expects that about 40 percent of the visitors will eventually come from mainland China.

The park, scheduled to open Sept. 12 as a joint venture between the Hong Kong government and The Walt Disney Co., is being built on reclaimed land at Penny's Bay on Hong Kong's outlying Lantau island.

It will employ about 5,000 people, from cleaners and concession workers to musicians and dancers, said Esther Wong, manager of public affairs. It will begin by hiring 3,000 during in third week of April, she said.

About 500 performers will be needed -- and the park will probably have to look outside Hong Kong for many of them, said Don Robinson, the park's group managing director. "We've already been doing auditions for characters, singers and dancers," he said.

The territory's environmental secretary said Wednesday Hong Kong Disneyland is expected to generate 29,000 pounds of trash every day.

Disney operations in France are having financial problems, and Ernest said the company has learned it needs to do a better job of listening to what the public wants. Hong Kong Disneyland will make special efforts to cater to Asian tastes, Ernest said, adding that most of the food will be Chinese.

Isan

April 2nd, 2005, 03:01 AM

Hong Kong Disneyland kicks off Massive Recruitment Drive
31 March 2005

Hong Kong Disneyland today launched one of the city’s largest ever recruitment drives, inviting thousands of candidates to be “part of the magic”.

The world-famous theme park and resort, set to open on September 12 this year, is recruiting 3,000 frontline Cast Members (Disney’s term for employees) to help deliver an immersive entertainment experience to guests.

Service oriented, multilingual, a passion for excellence and a friendly, smiling face are just some of the qualities Hong Kong Disneyland is looking for as it selects the Cast Members who will make dreams come true for millions of guests each year.

Don Robinson, Hong Kong Disneyland Group Managing Director said, “This is one of the most important milestones we have reached in preparation for the opening of Hong Kong Disneyland. We are pleased to be able to contribute to the local economy by creating these ‘magical’ job opportunities for the people of Hong Kong.

“We are confident that with the high caliber of talent and excellent service attitudes we have witnessed here in Hong Kong, we will be able to recruit the very best people in town. Hong Kong Disneyland will be an ideal platform from which to showcase the best of Hong Kong’s hospitality and performing talents to the world.”

From April 1, Hong Kong Disneyland will invite eligible candidates to apply for Cast Member roles from a variety of disciplines including hotel operations, merchandize, food & beverage, entertainment, park operations, costuming, custodial and security services.

“We call our employees Cast Members because they are always ‘on stage’ when interacting with guests, and therefore represent a very important element of the Show. Cast Members are a major reason why our Guests come to visit a Disney theme park time after time as they help to bring the magic to life,” said Greg Wann, Hong Kong Disneyland Human Resources Vice President.

Curt Sanders, Director of Theme Park Design and Operations Development, Hong Kong Disneyland, is an example of how an entry level, front line Cast Member can develop a rewarding career with Disney.

"I joined Disney 31 years ago, beginning my career as a Custodial Host on Main Street USA. Over the years I advanced to a management position working in all areas of the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, including Food and Beverage, Merchandising, Attractions and Guest Services.

“The experiences I was given during my early years with the company eventually led me to Project Development. I have since had the opportunity to open three Disney Theme Parks, including Tokyo Disneyland (1983), Disneyland Paris (1992), and Disney’s California Adventure (2001). Hong Kong Disneyland will be my fourth Theme Park opening when it opens on September 12,” said Sanders.

Emily Wong, Convention and Catering Services Event Planner of the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel, is one of the first local Cast Members hired in Hong Kong and has worked for the company since 1999.

Wong said, “I am most impressed by the friendly working environment at Hong Kong Disneyland. Every Cast member is supportive, and recognition is always given for a job well done. I am confident that new Cast Members will enjoy working at Hong Kong Disneyland as much as I do.”

Hong Kong Disneyland recruitment advertisements will appear in Jiu Jik, Apple Daily and Oriental Daily starting April 5, with interviews scheduled to begin in late April over a period of four to eight weeks. The interviews will take place at Disney’s Hollywood Hotel at Hong Kong Disneyland.

Candidates applying for a role at Hong Kong Disneyland should be 18 years or above.

mtb_nz

April 3rd, 2005, 08:36 AM

awesome... i think i would rather go there than in the USA as it would be cheaper for me to get there :)

Isan

April 12th, 2005, 09:34 AM

Hong Kong Disneyland Magical Tour kicks off in Shenzhen
11 April 2005

Hong Kong Disneyland is taking Mickey Mouse and other Disney friends on a tour of the major cities of Guangdong province starting from April 15. At every stop they will lead guests on a “Hong Kong Disneyland Magical Tour.”

For four consecutive weekends (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) from April 15 to May 8, Mickey Mouse and other Disney friends will go to Shenzhen, Dongguan, Zhongshan and Guangzhou, to showcase Disney’s unique and spectacular stage shows.

The series of mallshows will begin in Shenzhen, with Disney friends taking part in a pageant of music and dance, as they showcase the wonderful experiences awaiting guests to this magical kingdom. Guests will also have a better understanding of Hong Kong Disneyland which is scheduled to open on September 12, by participating in various activities and viewing the exhibits on site.

The Hong Kong Disneyland Ambassador, Angela To, will also be there to introduce the show and other aspects of the theme park to the audience.

The audience will also be invited to go on stage for a specially arranged photo taking session with their favorite Disney friends.

A specially arranged photo competition, “Catch the Magical Moment with Hong Kong Disneyland” will take place during the mallshows. Participants can fill in the entry form and post their photos of a memorable Disney moment taken during the mall show to the designated address. Winners will receive a set of four park tickets and round-trip railway tickets to Hong Kong.

Computer games will also be available around the display area for guests to win prizes from Hong Kong Disneyland. In the meantime, from April 15 to May 31, mainland guests who register on the Hong Kong Disneyland website for the first time will not only receive latest news about the international theme park but will also have the chance to win entrance tickets and hotel accommodation at Hong Kong Disneyland after its opening.

The Shenzhen mall show will be held at The MIX’ C mall from April 15 –17 (Friday to Sunday), with five shows per day. Entrance tickets are free of charge and detailed information can be obtained at the enquiry counter of the shopping mall.

Isan

April 12th, 2005, 05:56 PM

迪士尼迎賓多數遊戲設施就緒
「米奇」領銜北上攬客酒店房間預訂很搶手

【本報香港訊】香港迪士尼樂園已進入尚餘五個月的開幕倒數期，為爭取更多大陸人於9月12日開幕日來港，「米奇老鼠」積極在廣東省多個城市進行宣傳，巡迴表演迪士尼歌舞，務求將迪士尼旋風席捲大陸。與此同時，為配合樂園將於今年8月中安排公眾試玩，工程須分秒必爭，於四個月內完成，根據媒體由直升機鳥瞰樂園所見，大部分遊戲設施已準備就緒，「探險世界」內的「森林河流之旅」甚至有小船航行測試。

米奇老鼠、米妮及唐老鴨等迪士尼卡通人物，將於本月15日至下月8日連續四個周末到深圳、東莞、中山及廣州，為當地觀眾獻上充滿迪士尼風格的歌舞劇，還將舉行「留住香港迪士尼樂園奇妙歡樂一刻」攝影比賽，觀眾可在特別安排的時段上台，與迪士尼人物來一個親密合照，然後憑照片參加比賽，有機會贏取香港迪士尼門票及直通車票四套。

位於竹篙灣的樂園地盤，工程已進入倒數階段，面積達126 公頃的樂園已見雛形。大家最關心的機動遊戲均已接近完成，「明日世界」的地標「飛越太空山」遠遠已吸引遊人視線。由多個小行星組成、設計屬香港獨有的「太空飛碟」亦已準備就緒，日後遊客便可一嘗駕駛太空飛碟，於三分鐘內穿梭於各個行星之中。

而面積佔整個樂園幾近三分一的「探險世界」，恍如一個非洲原始森林，萬眾期待的「森林河流之旅」正有小船在歷險河流中徐徐航行、測試航道安全。

至於迪士尼兩間酒店絕對是樂園另一賣點，香港迪士尼樂園酒店正進行最後工程，迪士尼好萊塢酒店亦設計獨特，室外有一個鋼琴形泳池，「琴鍵」就向著酒店大堂，公眾可於9月13日開始入住兩間酒店，但當日房間已爆滿，9月14日則尚餘小量房間，希望率先入住的市民仍可嘗試預訂。

樂園其他配套設施也接近完成，樂園外的大型停車場足以停泊數百輛私家車，方便市民駕車往遊玩；迪士尼樂園酒店旁的碼頭亦隨時歡迎客人登陸。

香港入境旅遊接待協會主席梁耀霖預計，迪士尼開幕時，每日將有1200多個訪港旅行團，料需要四千名導遊，但全港目前只有千多名全職導遊，業界恐人手供不應求。

2005-04-12

從高空可看到由碼頭（上方）通往迪士尼的花園大道。
http://www.worldjournal.com/news_pics/b115406140201_40201033.JPG

大嶼山拾塱長沙灣六十多個養魚戶11日駕駛十多艘漁船到竹篙灣抗議，指迪士尼樂園二期填海工程汙染海水，導致養魚區不少養魚死亡，要求政府賠償1500萬元。但負責填海工程的土木工程拓展署指死魚與工程無關，拒絕賠償。
http://www.worldjournal.com/news_pics/b115406140201_40201032.JPG

Isan

April 16th, 2005, 02:02 PM

迪士尼9月開幕交通拉警報
十一假期可能變超級黃金周入境處盼業者預售門票分散人潮鼓勵多留港幾天

【本報香港訊】香港迪士尼樂園今年9月開幕，勢令十‧一黃金周假期可能成為歷來最多旅客訪港的「超級黃金周」，入境事務處希望迪士尼能打破慣例，只預售門票不作即場售票，並要求旅遊事務署與迪士尼研究優惠計畫，以分散旅客在不同管制站出入境，否則擔憂澳門金莎賭場開幕時的逼爆場面會在香港出現，成為國際笑話。

據悉，警方正與迪士尼商討控制人潮問題，亦認為預售門券是其中一個解決方案，而現時羅湖已有控制人潮措施，如旅客太多，九廣鐵路可暫停售票減慢人流，其他交通工具亦會配合，警方則可加派機動部隊協助維持秩序。

入境處指出，迪士尼開幕後的十‧一黃金周將吸引大批訪港，擔心會對邊境管制站造成壓力，特別是不少旅行團或會經落馬洲管制站出入境，由於該管制站僅有50個出入境櫃位，或會造成人流擠塞。該處已向迪士尼提出要求，則能採用預售方式銷售門票，不要採即場售票，希望藉此減少早上旅客湧港購票入場的情況。

入境處已與旅遊事務署商討，研究推出一些旅遊優惠計畫，鼓勵旅客除到迪士尼外，亦到其他景點觀光，並多留香港數天，避免集中一日來往香港。

2005-04-15

vincent

April 17th, 2005, 04:47 AM

i dont understand why some hk newspaper like to use "國際笑話". Looks like the "American ego" attitude in coming up in hk.

HKT

April 17th, 2005, 10:22 AM

I don't think the news was extracted from any of the local newspapers because they seldom use the phase "【本報香港訊】"

Isan

April 20th, 2005, 10:32 AM

Yepa, I posted that mostly are come from foreign News agency but based in HKG reporter :)

vincent

April 21st, 2005, 04:06 AM

actually i saw that phase from some local newspaper too. I don't think the world care much what is happening thousands of miles away.

Would the recent breakdowns in NYC subway become "國際笑話" for the city of HK?? HKer never even heard about it. The same thing happens in the other way around.

van_gogh

April 25th, 2005, 03:43 PM

i just saw the Disney MTR passenger cart on TV. It's pretty cute

hkskyline

April 25th, 2005, 06:45 PM

Monday April 25, 3:20 PM
Hong Kong Disneyland unveils rail line for its theme park

AP - With the help of Donald Duck and a cloud of silver confetti, officials unveiled a new rail line Monday for Hong Kong Disneyland _ the world's first train route specifically dedicated for a theme park.

The 3.5-kilometer (2-mile) train line, which cost 2 billion Hong Kong dollars (US$257 million, Â€197 million), will be able to shuttle about 10,000 passengers per hour to the park, set to open Sept. 12, said Disneyland and the city's Mass Transit Rail Corp. The park and subway operator financed the project.

The line will be a branch off the subway line from Central Hong Kong to outlying Lantau Island, where Disneyland is being built.

"Disneyland Resort line will take visitors to a magical world," MTRC Chief Executive C.K. Chow said. "The 3.5 minute train journey is not to be missed for all Disneyland visitors who wish to enjoy the full experience."

The trains' windows and the straphangers are shaped like Mickey Mouse. The ceiling and the sides of the train are painted red, yellow, purple and blue.

The park is a joint venture between the Hong Kong government and The Walt Disney Co. It's being built on reclaimed land at Penny's Bay.

Critics have criticized the government for shouldering most of the US$3.5 billion construction cost for the park. But officials have argued that the park will boost employment and help make Hong Kong a major tourist destination.

Isan

May 9th, 2005, 12:43 PM

BWG — Disney Train

In case you haven’t seen it, the MTRC has rolled out its design for the Hong Kong Disneyland rail service.

Designed in concert with Mouse House engineers, it’s Disney’s first dedicated train line.

The train runs four carriages with red-trimmed, Mickey Mouse head-shaped windows, the body painted with intertwining ribbons of gold and “pixie dust”.

The interior is resplendent in bright colours of yellow, red, blue and violet, and is finished with a star field ceiling.

Hand-rings have Mickey ears. Instead of drab metal, the seats are comfortable L-shaped sofas in sapphire blue.

Completing the theme are vintage photos of Walt Disney, along with bronze statues of Disney characters, including Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Jiminy Cricket, Pluto, Chip ‘n’ Dale, Tinker Bell, and Snow White.

Hong Kong Disneyland is slated to open September 12, 2005.

·Daily BWG·

© 1998-2005 Randall van der Woning

superchan7

May 9th, 2005, 08:49 PM

Looks better (and will probably ride smoother) than the other Disneyland monorails (I never felt that monorails were smooth enough anyhow). I'm glad it's a conventional rail design. This one's a dedicated line from the main MTR network, too...that's a big bonus.

Isan

May 12th, 2005, 12:26 PM

HK promotes its Disneyland in Bangkok
Published on May 10, 2005

Led by Financial Secretary Henry Tang, a large contingent of Hong Kong dignitaries hosted tourism-promotion events in Bangkok yesterday.

Tang told a gathering of industry officials attending the “Discover the Hong Kong Magic” promotion at the Conrad Hotel that the most exciting tourism event in the city this year would be Hong Kong Disneyland’s opening in September.

“This will be the first Disney theme park in the region, and the Hong Kong government is proud to co-own Hong Kong Disneyland and we are working very hard with Disney to ensure that the forecast 5.6 million park visitors in the first year of operation will have a most memorable experience,” he said.

Tang said the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government had over the past few years consistently invested in the city’s tourism infrastructure.
More than US$4 billion (Bt158 billion) in government funds, he said, had been used to develop tourist attractions that would help Hong Kong realise its vision of becoming the premier tourist destination in Asia.

“As it is in Thailand, tourism is a key driving force for our economy,” he said.

Some 21.8 million people visited Hong Kong last year, led by an estimated 11-12 million visitors from mainland China.
“More and more people came to experience Hong Kong’s unique blend of Eastern and Western cultures, our diversity and our dynamism,” he said.

Hong Kong, he added, had long prided itself on being a cosmopolitan city with a state-of-the-art infrastructure and world-class efficiency.

He said new projects such as Disneyland would allow Hong Kong to go beyond its core strengths of fine dining and shopping, with visitors offered a full and diversified experience.

That particularly applies for families, he added.
Hong Kong hosted two major tourism promotions in Bangkok yesterday, including a cocktail party for more than 500 guests at the Conrad Hotel.

Former Miss Thailand and supermodel Areeya “Pop” Chumsai served as MC for both events.

Also in attendance were Selina Chow, chairwoman of the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), and Disneyland Hong Kong president Don Robertson.

Chow said Hong Kong was now entering a new phase in its tourism development.

“Just 15 years from now, in 2020, the World Tourism Organisation forecasts that Hong Kong will rank as the world’s fifth most popular tourism destination, hosting 56 million visitors in a single year,” she said.

With Disneyland’s help, Chow said, the HKTB had decided to undertake its most ambitious marketing and promotional initiative ever: the 2006 Discover Hong Kong Year.

“We are creating a new image for the city as one of the world’s hottest must-visit destinations,” she said.
K I Woo

The Nation

hkskyline

May 26th, 2005, 06:27 PM

Disneyland gears up for expansion
Finance secretary says new rides will entice visitors back
Leu Siew Ying in Guangzhou
26 May 2005

Disneyland has embarked on an expansion programme even before it opens to bring more attractions in the second or third year of operation, Financial Secretary Henry Tang Ying-yen said yesterday.

"They were not thinking of it initially but they are already expanding the project. They have a lot of land for expansion and the construction will not affect operations," said Mr Tang, who is leading a tourism delegation to Guangzhou.

A Hong Kong Disneyland spokesperson said the expansion is within the park's first phase of development, and the company is now focusing on a successful opening in September. Mr Tang said the expansion was necessary so that in the second and third years, visitors could return to the park and find new attractions.

Hong Kong Disneyland expects that two-thirds of its visitors will come from Guangdong, which also accounts for a similar ratio of mainland solo visits to the SAR.

Travel analysts, however, said immigration bottlenecks, inconvenience of travel and the time it takes to issue a solo visit permit might dampen enthusiasm.

Hong Kong and Guangdong officials will have to discuss the feasibility of a proposal by Guangdong Governor Huang Huahua to increase the number of buses licensed for cross-border operations to ensure smooth immigration clearance.

"We have to discuss this further," he said.

"We hope it will not overwhelm the immigration department but will make it more convenient for border crossers."

In a meeting with Mr Tang on Tuesday, Mr Huang proposed increasing the bus routes into Hong Kong by 60.

When round-the-clock border crossings were introduced in 2003 there were 680 coaches plying 150 routes.

hkskyline

June 9th, 2005, 11:03 PM

Disney takes shark's fin off menu
Sylvia Hui, Hong Kong Standard
June 10, 2005

Backing down under global pressure from environmentalists, Disney has decided to take the controversial shark's fin soup off its banquet menu - but will still serve it on request after educating customers on the threat to sharks.

In response to protests against its serving shark's fin soup at wedding banquets offered at the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel, the theme park will give pamphlets detailing the environmental impact of killing sharks to customers who insist on having the soup.

"We have heard many opinions and have given the matter careful consideration," said Irene Chan, spokeswoman for Hong Kong Disneyland.

"But most importantly, [the dish] is an integral part of Chinese banquets in Hong Kong culture, and we strongly believe we should give choice to our guests."

As with abalone and roast suckling pig, shark's fin soup is a traditional Chinese delicacy featured on most banquet menus.

Hong Kong Disneyland plans to serve the dish to newly-weds who request it at the Chinese-style banquets it offers when the park opens on September 12.

But environmentalists around the world are outraged, saying that consumption of the dish is responsible for a sharp decline in shark numbers worldwide.

They have accused Disney of being "unethical"and have threatened a boycott of all things Disney.

Insistent guests will be handed information pamphlets, which will show how sharks are killed, how the fins are harvested and the environmental impact of killing sharks.

The information will be prepared in a manner "suitable for a wedding," Chan said. "We will give them an informed choice, and we fully respect their choices."

She denied the move is a result of heavy pressure from environmentalists, and gave no indication of what dish will replace the pricey shark's fin soup on the menus.

According to Man Chi-sum, chief executive of local group Green Power which is preparing the pamphlet for Disney, the theme park consulted local green groups on their views on shark's fin soup two weeks ago.

Green Power is helping Disney voluntarily and has not received any fees, he said.

"We hope [Disney] will observe customers' reactions and consider not serving the dish entirely in the future," Man said.

"Any environmentalist would not want to see the soup served. But it is also important to have a discussion platform."

The theme park giant has also stressed it will only source shark's fins from "reliable and responsible suppliers" that adhere to relevant international treaties.

But some environmentalists remain unconvinced.

Brian Darvell, a marine protection activist and a member of the South China Diving Club, described the idea of handing out pamphlets as "ludicrous."

"It does nothing for them. The message is contradictory," he said.

"It's like saying, `I have principles, but if you give me a lot of money I can break them.' The word for it is `prostitution."'

The World Wide Fund for Nature , which is in discussions with Disney executives, said Thursday it could not comment while talks are underway.

hkskyline

June 14th, 2005, 07:10 AM

Hong Kong Disneyland to tell customers about environmental harm of shark fin soup
By HELEN LUK
10 June 2005

HONG KONG (AP) - Customers who want shark fin soup served at their banquets at Hong Kong Disneyland will be told about the harm done by the industry that supplies the fins, a Disney spokeswoman said Friday.

Disney will work with the Hong Kong environmental group Green Power to produce leaflets about the topic, said spokeswoman Irene Chan.

The pamphlets will be given to people booking banquet tables at the park, which opens Sept. 12, she said.

But Chan said the brochures will not be too graphic, and guests can decide "to read it or not."

Activists have been pressuring Disneyland to take shark fin soup off its menus. They say millions of sharks are killed each year for the traditional Asian delicacy, with fishermen often hacking off the fins and dumping the sharks back into the water where they face certain death.

But Disney has refused to remove the staple Hong Kong banquet dish from its menus.

"We feel that we need to give a choice to our guests," Chan said. "We believe this is important because we need to respect the culture, since most five-star hotels and restaurants are serving it (shark fin soup). But we want to ensure our guests have information to make an informed decision."

Chan also said Disney will use fins from "reliable and responsible suppliers" who kill the shark and use the entire fish.

She said the company wants to strike a balance between "environmental concerns and respect for the local culture."

Environmentalist Cheng Luk-ki of Green Power welcomed Disney's new measure. "It's better than putting shark fin soup on its menu and not discouraging customers from having the dish," Cheng said.

However, he said Disney should drop the dish altogether. He criticized the company for stressing its environmental concerns in its corporate policy, while serving food that he said damaged marine ecology.

"We think it's a bit hypocritical," he said. "It is not too serious about its policy."

The park is a joint venture between The Walt Disney Co. and the Hong Kong government.

hkskyline

June 14th, 2005, 07:11 AM

New shark slap at Disney
Doug Crets and Sylvia Hui
13 June 2005
Hong Kong Standard

Disney's pledge that it will source its shark fin from "reliable and responsible suppliers" is impossible to achieve, says a green group.

The company is working to salvage its environmentally friendly image that took a beating last month when it was revealed it will serve shark's fin soup when Hong Kong Disneyland opens September 12.

Representatives of WWF, formerly known as the World Wildlife Fund, said the idea of sustainable shark fins is illusory because there is no way to determine how fins are harvested.

The entertainment giant's official line is that Disneyland will only source fins from farm-raised sharks and those caught from well-regulated sources where entire remains of fish are used.

But Hong Kong WWF spokesman Clarus Chu said it is impossible to tell where a shark fin comes from or whether fishermen in areas where "finning" is banned have exploited legal loopholes.

"There is no regulation of the identity of sharks or their locations," said Chu. Disney was not available for comment. Green groups have long called for a ban on finning _ the practice of harvesting only the fins and throwing the rest of the shark back into the ocean.

"That's exactly why finning is being banned. It's a waste of resources," he said.

The only agreement regulating the shark fin trade is the voluntary Food and Agriculture Organization's International Plan of Action for the Conservation and Protection of Sharks, which Hong Kong does not recognize because China is not a signatory, Chu said.

According to conservationists, shark farms do not exist and fishermen skirt the law by harvesting the fins at sea and taking them into ports not governed by regulations. The only precise way to pinpoint their origin is through DNA testing, according the Chu.

"Currently, yes, it's very difficult _ almost impossible. And we are asking [Disney] to go for a certified and well-managed fishery. If you can't find it, stop serving the dish altogether, and wait till you can find it. It's simple," he said.

Environmentalists worldwide have conducted a heated campaign against shark finning.

Disney executives have been deluged with e-mail appeals, with most arguing that the demand for shark's fin soup in Asia has led directly to the global decline in shark populations.

Other than stressing it will only source shark fins from "reliable and responsible suppliers" that adhere to relevant international treaties, Disney last week said the dish will be taken off the banquet menus but will remain available to customers who request it. Conservationists have called this hypocritical and cynical because Disney regularly gives money to Asian organizations that work to protect and preserve ecology.

In the United States, a WWF education program called the Windows on the Wild is sponsored by the company.

Disney has also said it will distribute pamphlets designed by local organization Green Power to educate consumers of the environmental impact of shark finning.

Hong Kong is a hub in the global trade of shark fins. In 2003, more than 10,000 tonnes of dried shark fin were imported to the territory, accounting for about 50 percent of the world's trade. Some of these were re-exported.

Shark's fin soup is also popular in Japan, Singapore and other parts of China.

The US Senate banned shark finning in all US coastal waters in 2000.

The international plan of action prohibits the taking of threatened shark species and targets fishermen who do not use the entire shark, suggesting countries provide the means to regulate "un-utilized" sharks.

Most sharks are migratory, so banning their slaughter in one ocean area does not protect them everywhere or allow them to breed successfully, since most sharks breed in one section of the ocean and travel to others.

Sixty shark species are on the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources list of those endangered. It is estimated that of the 400 or more species, 185 are near extinction.

However, according to 2001 data compiled by the organization and available on its Web site "Bite Back," some of the most endangered come from areas that shark fin sellers to Hong Kong trade from.

According to the site, Hong Kong imports shark fins from 125 countries and exports them to 75. Conservationists say little of that trade comes directly from Hong Kong waters.

Local and international environmentalists have launched a campaign taking Disney to task for avoiding the conservation issue in Hong Kong, accusing the company of setting double standards by promoting marine protection in the United States but not doing so in Asia.

Disney has received support from legislator Tommy Cheung, chairman of the Hong Kong Catering Industry Association, who doubts whether sharks are a threatened species.

But environmentalists seem to have a more potent force on their side: children. Recently more than 500 students at the English Schools Foundation drew up a petition calling for a boycott of Disneyland until shark fins are taken off the menu completely.

Paul Bayne, a biology teacher at West Island School, told The Standard that students took up the issue on their own accord when they learned that Disney would be serving the dish.

Bayne, a diver with the South China Dive Club who receives regular e-mails from a diverse gathering of environmentalists who are bringing the case against Disney, said he had shown the e-mails to students, but they had been presented without bias.

The students now have plans to take their petition campaign to other schools in Hong Kong.

In fact, in recent weeks, children from the lower forms at West Island School have come up with their own arguments against the trade in fins.

hkskyline

June 15th, 2005, 04:14 AM

Disneyland faces green call
Chester Yung
13 June 2005
Hong Kong Standard

Pro-Beijing lawmaker Choy So-yuk has urged Hong Kong Disneyland to be greener, saying its decision to serve shark's fin soup at wedding banquets cannot be justified on the grounds that is a Chinese custom.

Her comments follow the recent announcement by Disneyland that it plans to serve shark's fin soup at Chinese- style wedding banquets when it opens in September.

Choy, a legislator and member of the pro-Beijing Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, said Sunday just because eating shark's fin soup is a custom, that does not necessarily make it a good tradition.

"There are different kinds of traditional culture. We've to encourage and promote the good ones but correct the bad ones," Choy said.

"Unlike other cultural activities such as the bun festival, the custom of eating shark's fin has a global impact."

Choy, who chairs the Legco environmental affairs panel, said the controversial shark's fin trade is endangering shark species and severely damaging the marine ecosystem, which many consumers and suppliers may not be aware of. It is estimated that up to 85 percent of the world's shark fin trade passes through Hong Kong.

The US-based environmental group WildAid said the lucrative Asian market for shark's fin soup has played a significant part in the decline of shark populations worldwide.

Choy said shark's fin is a "non- environmentally friendly food" that Disneyland should not supply to its customers.

"The demand for eating shark's fin creates the incentive to kill more sharks ... I suggest Hong Kong should ban the import of shark fin," Choy said.

"It's not good for health and a waste of money."

Choy said Disneyland, as an internationally recognized corporation, should take the lead in practicing corporate social responsibility.

Backing down under global pressure from environmentalists, Disneyland last week decided to take shark's in soup off its banquet menu _ but will still serve it on request after educating customers on the threat to sharks.

WildAid accused Disneyland of being "hypocritical" by serving shark's fin while saying it cares about the environment.

Choy argued Disneyland should establish "forward-looking" objectives to promote environmental protection rather than simply following the "basic requirements" of existing laws.

As the Hong Kong Tourism Board will spend more than HK$900 million on global marketing campaigns for Hong Kong in the coming two years _ with Disneyland one of the key promotion _ Choy said the government should demand that the multinational entertainment conglomerate fulfill a higher requirement on environmental protection to establish a "sound image" for Hong Kong.

She criticized the government's environmental policies as outdated and lacking teeth to push Disneyland to do more.

Choy is calling on Disneyland to adopt more environmentally friendly measures at its theme park and hotels before the official opening on September 12.

hkskyline

June 15th, 2005, 10:55 PM

LCQ7: EPD closely observes trial fireworks displays at Hong Kong Disneyland
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
Government Press Release

Following is a question by the Hon David Li and a written reply by the Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works, Dr Sarah Liao, at the Legislative Council meeting today (June 15):

Question:

From April 29 to May 7 this year, the Hong Kong Disneyland held in-situ trials of the nightly fireworks display planned for the theme park once it opens. During the trials, it was observed that the fireworks rose to a lower maximum height than that at the initial test held in January this year. As such, the resultant smoke tended to hover at a low level and, due to the prevailing wind conditions, drift inward towards the former Penny's Bay. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council of :

(a) the average wind speed and direction measured at the Hong Kong Disneyland site on each night during the trial period;

(b) the locations and types of all instruments used by the contractors of Hong Kong Disneyland and by the authorities to measure the impact of the noise, particles and chemical substances of the fireworks on each night during the trial period;

(c) the specific chemicals substances measured by the above instruments, the rationale for the choice of chemicals to be recorded by the contractors and Government for reporting purposes, and the sensitivities of these instruments in respect of each of these chemicals; and

(d) the maximum instantaneous reading for each of the specified measurements recorded by each of the above instruments on each night during the trial period, broken down by location?

Reply,

Madam President,

The firework display trial is a requirement stipulated in the Environmental Permit issued to Hongkong International Theme Parks Limited (HKITP) under the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO), for the construction and operation of the Hong Kong Disneyland at Penny's Bay, Lantau. According to the Environmental Permit issued under the EIAO, the details of which have been made public on the EPD's website since 2000 (http://www.epd.gov.hk/eia/register/permit/latest/fep0292000.htm), the HKITP is required to carry out trial fireworks displays and associated air quality and noise monitoring. The details of the trial and monitoring programme should be submitted to the Director of Environmental Protection for agreement at least one month prior to the trial fireworks displays. The results of the trial fireworks displays should be submitted to the Director for agreement prior to the operation of the Project. Also, the results of the trial tests and associated air quality data should be provided to the Advisory Council on the Environment (ACE) for consultation, as directed by the Director of Environmental Protection, and made available to the public through the project's web site and the web site of EIA Ordinance.

(a) According to the trial and monitoring programme submitted by HKITP in April 2005, HKITP would record the weather data during the trial tests, including wind speed and direction. We have maintained close liaison with HKITP on their initial test results. We are awaiting the final submission around end of June from HKITP of their trial test results.

(b) According to the Environmental Permit issued under the EIAO, HKITP would carry out the air quality and noise monitoring during the trial. According to the proposal of HKITP, the air quality monitoring would be conducted using high volume and polyurethane foam samplers, tapered element oscillating microbalance ambient particulate monitor, canister and absorbent tube samplers.

The instruments used for noise monitoring are sound level meters specified under the Technical Memorandum of the Noise Control Ordinance.

The air quality monitoring was conducted at the following locations:

(i) rooftop of Peng Lai Court on Peng Chau;

(ii) rooftop of Management Office of Crestmont Villa at Discovery Bay;

(iii) Hollywood Hotel within Theme Park;

(iv) building #304 (Buzz Lightyear) within the Theme Park; and

(v) building #609 (Central Maintenance Facility) within the Theme Park.

Regarding noise monitoring, according to the HKITP's proposal, the noise levels would be recorded at the following locations:

(i) Tai Lei on Peng Chau; and

(ii) Rooftop of Cherish Court at Discovery Bay.

EPD, as the statutory authority under the EIAO, has closely observed the trial test and monitoring process conducted by HKITP, and would carefully vet the final submission of the trial test results. The initial monitoring results from HKITP show that the environmental requirements can be met.

(c) According to HKITP's proposal, the following chemicals/metals would be measured:

(i) Total Volatile Organic Compound;

(ii) Volatile Organic Compound (speciated);

(iii) Repairable Suspended Particulates;

(iv) Metals (Aluminium, Antimony, Arsenic, Barium, Chromium, Copper, Iron, Lead, Magnesium, Manganese, particulate Mercury, Molybdenum, Nickel, Potassium, Strontium, Titanium and Zinc);

(v) Sulphate;

(vi) Dioxins; and

(vii) Hydrogen Sulphide.

The choice of chemicals monitored was based on the parameters used in the Theme Park EIA report having regard to their potential air quality implications.

According to the trial firework display proposal put forward by HKITP, sampling instruments and procedures would follow the standards of the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

(d) In accordance with the internationally recognised practice, the firework noise criterion adopted in the Theme Park EIA report, which was presented to the public from March to April 2000 and endorsed by the ACE in April 2000, is based on 15-minute Equivalent Continuous Noise Level (i.e. Leq (15 min)) instead of instantaneous maximum noise level. The initial monitoring results from HKITP show that the noise criterion can be met. The monitoring data recorded by other instruments mentioned in (b) above are generally within the prescribed limits and the details will be available in the final submission. We are maintaining close liaison with HKITP and awaiting their final submission around end of June.

Isan

June 16th, 2005, 11:56 AM

Hong Kong Disneyland Strengthens Partnerships with Hong Kong Travel Trade
16 June 2005

Hong Kong Disneyland held a briefing in Hong Kong Wednesday, on the progress of the theme park and two Disney themed hotels for over 1,000 travel agents and industry participants as it counts down to the exciting Grand Opening on September 12, 2005.

Hosted by Hong Kong Disneyland Vice President of Marketing and Sales, Roy Tan Hardy, and senior members of the park’s travel industry marketing and sales team, the gathering was organized to provide participants with the latest update of its pre-launch preparations and an overview of its ticket and reservations facilities catering to the travel trade.

At the gathering, Hong Kong Disneyland also gave a detailed explanation about its ticket distribution channels, and its plans for establishing a closer working relationship with travel agents.

“The travel trade is an important constituent in our overall distribution channels. Our travel industry partners play an integral role in broadening our reach to guests from all over the world and to provide our overseas visitors with access to a wide range of packages that promote Hong Kong and Hong Kong Disneyland,” said Roy Tan Hardy.

The theme park is in the final stages of completing its wholesale contracting with major overseas agents in addition to local inbound operators, who play a significant role in bringing large amount of overseas visitors to Hong Kong. Close to 50% of these are Hong Kong-based agents.

Retail travel agents will also be provided with access to theme park ticket inventory when making group bookings for 25 persons or above during weekdays and non-peak days. Special group commissions will be provided.

For hotel reservations, bona fide travel agents who book a hotel room for a guest at either the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel or Disney’s Hollywood Hotel, or purchase park tickets as part of their hotel stay, will also receive special commission.

Hong Kong Disneyland expects its first year attendance to comprise one-third local residents, one-third Mainland Chinese guests, and the remainder from countries around the region. The majority of local guests are expected to purchase their tickets directly from Hong Kong Disneyland including at the gate on the day of visit.

“The increased business opportunities Hong Kong Disneyland provides will benefit travel agents all over the region, not just in Hong Kong,” said Ronnie Ho, Chairman of Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong. “I am pleased to see the high level of interest from all our members at today’s event as we work with Hong Kong Disneyland to help promote Hong Kong as the premier family vacation destination.”

To further strengthen its travel industry relationships, Hong Kong Disneyland also announced the launch of a dedicated travel agent hotline that has been designed specifically to handle trade enquiries and take bookings.

The hotline number - 1830 8000 - will operate seven days per week from 9am – 6pm. It will initially be available to travel trade in Hong Kong before being rolled out overseas as a toll-free number at a later stage.

raymond_tung88

June 17th, 2005, 01:33 AM

Just curious but are there any attractions in HK Disneyland that are NOT available in any of the other Disneyland/ Disneyworld parks?

hkskyline

June 21st, 2005, 01:29 AM

WWF seeks sustainable solution to shark's fin dispute
Norma Connolly
18 June 2005
South China Morning Post

Conservation body WWF Hong Kong says it plans to meet shark traders and government officials to find a solution to the controversy over Disney's restaurants serving shark's fin soup.

The environmental group said yesterday it also intended to organise 20,000 students to petition Disney to remove shark's fin soup from its menu.

Eric Bohm, chief executive of WWF HK, said: "Our next step will be to approach the Shark Fin Traders Merchant Association to see if we can work together to identify certifiable sustainable means for [shark fins]."

The WWF has already met Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food York Chow Yat-ngok to discuss creating no-fishing zones over 20 per cent of Hong Kong's fishing waters to allow stocks to replenish. Mr Bohm says he hopes the government will also become more involved in the shark fin discussion.

Mr Bohm said he hoped to arrange meetings with the traders and government representatives from next week.

Claude Martin, director-general of WWF International, on his final visit to Hong Kong before his retirement at the end of this year, said between 50 and 80 per cent of the global shark fin trade goes to Hong Kong. He said: "We are seeing a very fast decline in shark populations worldwide. This is because of sharks being targeted specifically for products such as shark fin but also because sharks are caught as by-catch by unsustainable fishing methods worldwide."

Dr Martin said that the Hong Kong government, as a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (Cites), "has an obligation to control the shark fin trade".

WWF HK claims Disney originally agreed to take shark fin soup off its menus until a "certifiable sustainable source" could be found. Currently, WWF cannot identify any such sources of shark fin.

Disney has announced it will serve shark's fin soup, but will also provide diners at its Disneyland Hotel with leaflets explaining the potential ecological harm caused by eating the soup.

Mr Bohm said WWF HK will approach the 20,000 students with whom it interacts on nature projects to explain "the threat to sharks and other species and we will ask them to sign a petition to Disney to have the dish removed from the menu".

Disney Hong Kong could not be reached for comment yesterday.

hkskyline

June 21st, 2005, 08:23 AM

Hong Kong activists take Disney sharks' fin fight to politicians

HONG KONG, June 20 (AFP) - Environmentalists have taken their campaign against Disney's plan to serve sharks' fin dishes at its Hong Kong theme park to the city's political leaders, activists said Monday.

A leading local green group urged the government to step in and force the US giant to pull the dish, the popularity of which they say has led to sharp declines in shark populations.

"As a major stakeholder in the Disneyland project, we would ask the government to use its considerable influence to persuade Disney to take sharks' fin off their menus as an example to other major food outlets and to show, particularly to their younger clients, that Disney and Hong Kong are environmentally responsible," the Friends of Hoi Ha group said in a weekend letter to the Chinese territory's environment minister Sarah Liao.

Hong Kong's government is a majority shareholder in the city's Disney resort, which is due to open on September 12.

It has chipped in a large chunk of the 3.2 billion US dollars it has cost to create the park on an old shipbuilding bay near Hong Kong's international airport. It has also stumped up some 700 million dollars to decontaminate the former industrial site.

Disney sparked a worldwide firestorm of protest when it revealed it would serve the dish at wedding banquets. An email and online campaign was directed at Disney boss Michael Eisner in the United States.

Opponents object to the inhumane way in which the fins are removed -- a process called "finning" whereby sharks' fins are hacked off and the body thrown back into the sea to die.

Demand in Hong Kong from traders and consumers is believed to account for as much as 80 percent of the global trade in sharks' fins. Activists say millions of the fish, many from endangered species, are killed each week to supply the trade.

Disney said it was obliged to serve the dish to satisfy cultural demand for what they say is a traditional Chinese dish.

Bowing to complaints it offered to serve sharks' fin -- a tasteless gelatinous substance usually cooked into soups -- only on request and said it would hand out leaflets explaining the environmental impact of eating the food.

The letter from Friends of Hoi Ha, formed ostensibly to protect a nearby marine and nature park, said Disney's charge that shark's fin was traditional was a smoke screen to allow them to profit from the expensive, luxury dish.

"There needs to be a concerted education effort to convince people that eating sharks' fin should go the same way as foot binding or opium smoking," said the letter, signed by group chief Nicola Newbery and emailed to AFP.

"Sharks' fin is a Hong Kong problem and Hong Kong's response to the irrefutable scientific evidence now available will decide nothing less than the future of sharks on our planet," it added.

hkskyline

June 22nd, 2005, 10:49 PM

Wednesday June 22, 2:26 PM
Hong Kong Disneyland expected to draw 30,000 on opening day, a third from mainland China

AP - Hong Kong Disneyland is expected to draw its daily maximum of 30,000 visitors on its opening day, with a third of the guests coming from mainland China, officials said Wednesday.

Hong Kong's Commissioner for Tourism Eva Cheng told reporters at a new conference to outline the details of the opening that the park was expecting to welcome 30,000 visitors when it opens on Sept. 12.

Concerns about crowd control have led officials to consider setting up signs near mainland border checkpoints showing ticket availability for the park.

Some of the immigration lines at the Lo Wu border which handles rail and bus passengers from the mainland will be reserved exclusively for Chinese Disneyland tour groups, said Simon Peh, assistant director at the Immigration Department.

Peh said a third of the park's guests were expected to come from the mainland.

A 3.5-kilometer (2-mile) dedicated rail line that links up with Hong Kong's existing subway and supports roads and bus services, will be opened in phases starting in August, the government said in a statement.

Select guests will be invited to test the park itself from Aug. 16 until opening day, it said.

The theme park, built on reclaimed land on the outlying Lantau island, is a joint venture between The Walt Disney Co. and the Hong Kong government.

Hong Kong taxpayers are footing the bulk of the US$3.5 billion construction bill for Hong Kong Disneyland, and critics question whether the government got a good deal. Officials have said the park will boost employment and tourism.

hkskyline

June 23rd, 2005, 09:01 AM

Hong Kong Disneyland Open Day Entry Limited
By HELEN LUK, Associated Press Writer
Wed Jun 22,11:20 AM ET

HONG KONG - Hong Kong Disneyland will only sell 12,000 tickets for its opening day, with the majority sold online through the theme park's Web site, Disney executives said Wednesday.

Earlier, Hong Kong officials said at another media event that the theme park was expected to draw its daily maximum of 30,000 visitors when it opens on Sept. 12. But the park Group Managing Director Don Robinson said it will be closed to the public that morning for private events.

The theme park, built on reclaimed land on the outlying Lantau island, is a joint venture between The Walt Disney Co. and the Hong Kong government. Officials have said the park will boost employment and tourism. Hong Kong taxpayers are footing the bulk of the $3.5 billion construction bill.

Guests will be able to access the park via a 3.5 kilometer (2 mile) dedicated rail line that links up with Hong Kong's existing subway, bus and road transport routes. The rail line will be opened in phases starting in August, a government statement said.

Officials are also considering setting up signs near mainland border checkpoints showing ticket availability for the park.

Simon Peh, assistant director at the Immigration Department, said some of the immigration lines at the Lo Wu border which handles rail and bus passengers from the mainland will be reserved exclusively for Chinese Disneyland tour groups. Peh said a third of the park's guests were expected to come from the mainland.

Tickets go on sale from July 1 on the park's Web site, which is expected to account for at least 70 percent of all sales.

Telephone bookings will only be accepted from guests staying at the two Disney hotels in Hong Kong and for groups of 25 people or more, Robinson said. The remaining tickets will be sold through travel agents and at the park's ticketing booths.

rt_0891

June 24th, 2005, 05:31 AM

Just curious but are there any attractions in HK Disneyland that are NOT available in any of the other Disneyland/ Disneyworld parks?

I hope so, or it's going to be quite boring, given its small size.

hkskyline

June 24th, 2005, 07:54 AM

South China Morning Post
June 23, 2005
Disney maps out 3-phase opening
Rail link will lead the way, followed by public access to promenade and Inspiration Lake
Dennis Eng

Hong Kong Disneyland will open to the public in three phases starting in early August to allow for last-minute fine-tuning and to better gauge public opinion before its full opening on September 12.

The phased opening will begin with the launch of the Disneyland Resort Line rail link, although this will mainly benefit park staff who need to travel to the area.

The link connects the park to Sunny Bay station on the MTR's Tung Chung line.

About two weeks later on August 16, the public will gain free access to the park promenade and the Inspiration Lake.

Authorities stress that the Inspiration Lake Recreation Centre can only safely accommodate 5,000 people and that a one-way visitor flow will be implemented once it reaches capacity. The promenade can host about 27,000 people.

Six franchised bus services as well as taxis will serve the park on the new Penny's Bay Highway and other public roads during this phase.

The 24-hour pier will also be open to vessels free of charge.

The park and its two hotels will remain off-limits to the public during these phases.

To cope with the expected crowds, especially visitors travelling from the mainland, Immigration Department assistant director Simon Peh Yun-lu advised people crossing the border at times other than the 8am-10am rush hour to use the Lowu crossing to avoid long queues at the Lok Ma Chau crossing.

Mr Peh added that signs might be erected at border checkpoints to update visitors on the availability of tickets.

The park has a capacity for about 30,000 people and one-third of visitors are expected to come from the mainland.

"The Guangdong and Hong Kong governments have also agreed to a quota of 60 cross-boundary buses operating directly between the mainland and Disneyland via Lok Ma Chau," said Lo Yat-cheung, a Transport Department principal transport officer.

Assuming each bus has room for 50 passengers, the 60 daily trips to the park will only bring in 3,000 mainland visitors. There is enough parking space for about 300 such buses.

Operators expect the journey to cost between $ 80 and $ 100 each way.

"This is quite reasonable considering that the cost of travelling by rail and other public transport adds up to about $ 50 or $ 60," said Hong Kong Inbound Travel Association chairman Paul Leung Yiu-lam.

"Paying a little bit more for a faster trip by direct bus is not bad."

About 1,000 cars and 50 motorcycles will be able to park at the site. Overflow traffic will be redirected to an emergency vehicle holding ground for 800 cars next to Sunny Bay station.

Police will post nine officers to man a joint command centre at the Penny's Bay police post and patrol the area.

Isan

June 25th, 2005, 07:36 PM

http://www.failforum.net/forum/attachments/rX2kaKWnr7i5z6T5NXBy_PaCrssBbt2C6.jpg

http://www.discuss.com.hk/attachments/pic32391_gPEdZIMJTyAz.jpg

http://www.discuss.com.hk/attachments/pic18716_dbKHoj9WslN0.jpg

Syd-Hk

June 26th, 2005, 02:09 PM

that looks so nice.. i wanna have a ride of on it!

hkskyline

June 26th, 2005, 06:06 PM

Disney pulls shark's fin from Hong Kong park menu
Fri Jun 24,11:23 PM ET

HONG KONG (AFP) - The Disney company has pulled shark's fin dishes from the menu of its Hong Kong theme park after pressure from environmentalists who had protested loudly against the product.

In a short statement, the company said it had decided to abandon plans to serve the controversial dish after failing to find ecologically sound suppliers.

"After careful consideration and a thorough review process, we were not able to identify an environmentally sustainable fishing source, leaving us no alternative except to remove sharks' fin soup from our wedding banquet menu," the statement read.

Activists struck up a global protest after the company said it would serve the luxury delicacy at wedding banquets at the southern Chinese territory's Disney resort, which is due to open in September.

They said Disney was failing in its corporate responsibility by promising to serve a dish they claim contributed to sharp declines in shark populations.

Environmental groups are opposed to the expensive item as the gelatinous cartilage is harvested by a process called "finning" in which the fins are hacked off and the shark thrown back into the water to die.

Disney had defended its plan saying shark's fin soup was a traditional Chinese dish and would be served in respect to cultural sensitivities.

Don Robinson, Hong Kong Disneyland's group managing director, said the company had a good environmental reputation to keep.

"Striking the right balance between cultural sensitivities and conservation has always been out goal," he said.

hkskyline

June 27th, 2005, 08:42 AM

Sunday June 26, 3:57 PM
Disney officials consulted feng shui experts for Hong Kong Disneyland

AP - Disney officials consulted Chinese feng shui experts before building Hong Kong Disneyland, making changes such as tilting the site of the park several degrees and setting up "no fire zones" in kitchens, a company spokeswoman said Sunday.

Feng shui is the Chinese belief that harmonious energy and therefore better fortune can be achieved by the correct positioning of furniture and other objects.

Other feng shui influences include the park's orientation to face water with mountains behind, Hong Kong Disneyland spokeswoman Esther Wong said.

The park's groundbreaking date and opening date of Sept. 12 were picked after conferring with feng shui specialists, she said.

Feng shui experts also designated "no fire zones" in the kitchens, to try to keep the five elements of metal, water, wood, fire and earth in balance.

Wong said U.S.-based Walt Disney Co. decided to observe feng shui because it wanted to defer to local custom.

"It's cultural considerations," Wong said, noting, "all the food and language in the park must follow the habits and tastes of our consumers and future guests."

Hong Kongers tend to be Westernized, but Hong Kong Disneyland is expected to draw droves of guests from neighboring mainland China.

However, Disney's cultural sensitivity drew a backlash recently. The park had planned to serve shark's fin soup, a Chinese delicacy, but dropped the dish after protests from environmentalists who expressed fears about the extinction of sharks.

Hong Kong Disneyland _ built on reclaimed land in the outlying Lantau island _ is a joint venture between The Walt Disney Co. and the Hong Kong government, but local taxpayers are footing most of the construction bill.

Critics have questioned whether the government got a good deal. Officials have said the park will boost employment and tourism.

hkskyline

June 28th, 2005, 12:29 AM

Huge rush for special Disney tickets
Discovery Bay residents complain of long queues and poor allocation
Norma Connolly
28 June 2005
South China Morning Post

Disney released 5,000 pre-opening tickets for Discovery Bay residents yesterday, triggering long queues and complaints about allocation.

Tickets for rehearsal days at the amusement park ahead of its opening on September 12 were snapped up by residents who queued for up to six hours. The district council was flooded with complaints from people who said they had not been told of the ticket sales or who were upset about long queues.

Discovery Bay resident Judy Mathews, who queued for at least four hours, said that at one point the queue had stretched from the plaza as far as the beach.

"Some people came at 6am and finally got their tickets after 12 0'clock," she said as she waited to buy tickets to attend one of four rehearsal days, planned for August 24 and 28, and September 2 and 3.

She said she had to pay for the tickets at the Discovery Bay Activity Centre but would receive them at a later date. "I really hope I don't have to queue up all over again," she said.

Islands district councillor Amy Yung Wing-sheung said she had been inundated with complaints from residents who had waited for hours for tickets or who missed out because they had not received leaflets announcing the sale.

"Quite a lot of people did not get the information. I can understand why people are upset about it," said Ms Yung, who also lives in Discovery Bay. "I think the whole arrangement is not very satisfactory and the management should have anticipated it. There should be proper planning."

HKR International sent leaflets with details of the sale to all Discovery Bay's 7,500 households on Saturday, a spokeswoman for the management company said yesterday. She said posters had also been put up throughout Discovery Bay.

The spokeswoman said the arrangements had been put in place to prevent tickets being resold.

Each household was entitled to four tickets on a first-come, first-served basis. All weekday tickets, for $198, and weekend ones, costing $230, were sold out last night.

Esther Wong Wing-han, spokeswoman for Disney Hong Kong, said the tickets had been allocated to Discovery Bay residents because "they are our good neighbours". She denied the tickets had been sold to appease residents unhappy about recent fireworks trials.

During designated rehearsal days, all rides, shows, hotels and films will operate as normal, and fireworks displays will be held.

Previous fireworks trials prompted complaints from residents, which Ms Yung passed to the Environmental Protection Department. She said she had asked Disney to suspend fireworks when air pollution levels were high.

More tickets go on sale today, for a September 4 charity day to raise money for the Community Chest.

A command centre co-ordinated by police will be set up to monitor crowd and traffic conditions at Disneyland, Commissioner for Tourism Eva Cheng Yu-wah told legislators yesterday. She said a contingency system would operate in case of emergencies.

hkskyline

June 28th, 2005, 04:13 AM

Disneyland Fireworks Rehearsal
More photos : http://www.pbase.com/eddie_the_buzz/disneyland_firework

http://www.pbase.com/eddie_the_buzz/image/42847837.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/eddie_the_buzz/image/42847838.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/eddie_the_buzz/image/42847841.jpg

hyacinthus

June 28th, 2005, 04:25 AM

I love to watch fireworks! :happy:

hkskyline

June 28th, 2005, 07:56 AM

An aerial from February 2003 showing the Disney site being reclaimed :

http://www.globalphotos.org/malaysia/20030220/RIMG2482.jpg

hkskyline

June 28th, 2005, 08:08 PM

Tuesday June 28, 7:01 PM
Tickets for charity day at Hong Kong Disneyland sell out within hours

AP - Customers snapped up tickets to attend a pre-opening charity day at Hong Kong Disneyland within hours of them appearing for sale on the Internet Tuesday, Disney officials said.

All tickets for the charity day set for Sept. 4 were sold out within the first three hours of going online, Disney said in a statement. Hong Kong Disneyland spokeswoman Esther Wong said 15,000 tickets were sold.

Visitors on the charity day will see the Hong Kong theme park eight days before its official opening on Sept. 12.

"The response from the public to the ticket sales has been overwhelming and demonstrates tremendous support for both the local community and for Hong Kong Disneyland," said Hong Kong Disneyland Group Managing Director Don Robinson.

He said all the ticket proceeds will be donated to local charity group, the Community Chest, which raises money for social welfare agencies.

The theme park, built on reclaimed land on Lantau island, is a joint venture between The Walt Disney Co. and the Hong Kong government.

Hong Kong taxpayers are footing the bulk of the US$3.5 billion (euro2.88 billion) construction bill for Hong Kong Disneyland, and critics question whether the government got a good deal. Officials have said the park will boost employment and tourism.

hkskyline

June 29th, 2005, 08:35 AM

Police warn against Disneyland ticket scalping
Tuesday, June 28, 2005
Government Press Release

Police today (June 28) warned members of the public not to participate in any ticket-scalping activities, including the Disneyland admission tickets.

The Hong Kong Disneyland will be officially opened on September 12 while on-line admission ticket-booking will take effect from July 1.

The Hong Kong Disneyland is licensed under the Places of Public Entertainment Ordinance. According to Section 6 of the Ordinance, no person shall sell, or offer or exhibit or have in his possession for sale, or solicit the purchase of, any ticket or voucher authorising or purporting to authorise admission to any place of public entertainment licensed under this Ordinance in any public thoroughfare, or in the entrance hall of, or approaches to, any such place as aforesaid, except at a box-office, booth, turnstile or counter appointed by the proprietor or manager of such place or by the organiser of the entertainment, exhibition, performance, amusement, game or sport held therein.

Neither can a person sell, or offer or exhibit or have in his possession for sale, or solicit the purchase of, any ticket or voucher authorising or purporting to authorise admission to any place of public entertainment licensed under this Ordinance at a price exceeding the amount fixed by such proprietor, manager or organiser to be charged therefor, inclusive of the duty, if any, payable.

Any person who contravenes the provisions shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine of $2,000.

The Technology Crime Division (TCD) of the Commercial Crime Bureau will monitor any on-line ticket-scalping activities and will strictly enforce the law.

Police urged members of the public not to act against the law. Enquiries on on-line ticket-scalping activities can be made to the TCD on 2860 5012 or by email at cpu-tcd@police.gov.hk. Members of the public can also report related criminal activities to the TCD.

hkskyline

July 4th, 2005, 04:36 PM

Hong Kong Disney Gives Away 20K Free Tix
Sat Jul 2, 7:16 AM ET
AP

HONG KONG - Hong Kong Disneyland has given 20,000 free tickets to poor families and the disabled to visit the new theme park before it opens to the public, officials said Saturday.

Those receiving the free tickets will be able to come to the park — set to open Sept. 12 — on the last two days of August, a government statement said.

It said priority will be given to children from poor and immigrant families, the disabled, and people affected by Hong Kong's 2003 outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS.

Hong Kong Disneyland began selling tickets through its Web site on Friday.

Tickets are still available for all dates in its first three months of operation, including opening day, said a Hong Kong Disneyland spokeswoman, Esther Wong.

However, Wong described sales as "strong," and said the park's operators "are pleased to see the public's support for Disneyland."

The company will only sell 12,000 tickets for its opening day because the park, which can normally cater to a daily maximum of 30,000 visitors, will be closed to the public the first morning for private events.

The theme park, built on reclaimed land on Hong Kong's Lantau island, is a joint venture between The Walt Disney Co. and the Hong Kong government.

Hong Kong taxpayers are footing the bulk of the US$3.5 billion construction bill for Hong Kong Disneyland, and critics question whether the government got a good deal. Officials have said the park will boost employment and tourism.

hkskyline

July 4th, 2005, 06:46 PM

July 01, 2005
Hong Kong Disneyland starts on-line tickets selling
People's Daily

Hong Kong Disneyland started its on-line tickets selling Friday and its spokesperson said the process had been smooth so far.

Hong Kong Disneyland announced its on-line ticketing plan on June 22. People who want to visit the theme park need to use their credit card to book tickets through the website of Hong Kong Disneyland. Each credit card can buy at most 10 tickets.

The theme park said that starting from Friday, guests can buy tickets for its grand opening day on Sept. 12 and the first 90 days after its opening.

Hong Kong Disneyland will begin its rehearsal on Aug. 16 and it will last for approximately four weeks.

Rehearsal days have been a long-standing tradition at Disney theme parks and present an opportunity for cast members -- Disneyland's term for employees -- to practice and adjust their performance.

Specially invited guests include business affiliates, travel trade associates, contractors, consultants, alliance partners, government officers who have been involved in the disneyland project, and certain charitable organizations.

Among the first guests to be received during the rehearsal days will be Hong Kong Disneyland cast members and their families.

Invitations to guests will range from several thousand to 30, 000 on a daily basis.

Source: Xinhua

hkskyline

July 7th, 2005, 07:48 PM

Ticketing of Hong Kong Disneyland
Wednesday, July 6, 2005
Government Press Release

Following is the question by the Hon CHEUNG Hok-ming and a written reply by the Secretary for Economic Development and Labour, Mr Stephen Ip, in the Legislative Council today (July 6):

Question:

According to the ticket types and prices announced by the Hong Kong Disneyland (HKD), elderly people aged 65 or above may purchase senior tickets and children under three years old may be admitted free of charge. Moreover, ticket prices for "peak days" (including weekends, Hong Kong public holidays, summer school holidays (July and August) and the Mainland Golden Weeks (May 1 to 7 and October 1 to 7 every year)) are higher than those for "regular days". In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether it will appeal to HKD for:

(a) offering concessions on ticket prices to the elderly of Hong Kong, including lowering the age restriction for senior tickets to 60 or above, allowing elderly people over 75 years old to purchase senior tickets at half price and granting free admission once for the elderly born in the same year as the Mickey Mouse;

(b) altering the age restriction for free admission to under four years old; and

(c) exempting Hong Kong residents from being charged the higher ticket prices for "peak days", so that they can be admitted all year round by holding tickets at "regular days" prices?

Reply:

Madam President,

Hongkong International Theme Parks Limited (HKITP), the Management Company of Hong Kong Disneyland (HKD), is responsible for the operational management of the theme park. Ticketing strategy is a commercial decision for HKITP. The current pricing strategy of HKD provides senior patrons with preferential admission rates, which are about 43% lower than the adult rate, whereas admission for children is 28% lower. Children under three enjoy free admission. HKD is also the first Disney theme park to offer two-tier pricing for normal calendar days versus holidays and peak days. This provides consumers of all ages the option of enjoying lower admission prices on non-peak days.

We have reflected the Hon CHEUNG Hok-ming's suggestions to HKITP. According to HKITP, it has considered carefully local market conditions and carried out market research before arriving at the current pricing strategy.

hkskyline

July 8th, 2005, 05:11 PM

Hong Kong park Disney's main focus
Second Chinese theme park in Shanghai unlikely to open before 2010, entertainment company says.
July 8, 2005: 8:09 AM EDT

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co. said Friday its immediate focus is to open the Hong Kong Disneyland -- its first theme park in China -- later this year and that it is unlikely to open a second park in China before 2010.

"If we were to reach an arrangement for a second park in China, in all likelihood it would not open before 2010," the company said in an e-mail response to Reuters.

A local newspaper reported Friday that the U.S. entertainment giant was planning a joint venture to build and open a theme park in Shanghai's Pudong district before 2010.

Disney (Research) said it has a continuing dialogue with China about a variety of Disney initiatives, including television, motion pictures, consumer products and theme parks.

The company said in February that it was considering a theme park in Shanghai but would first expand the Hong Kong park, which is scheduled to open in September.

The Hong Kong theme park, which will be Disney's second in Asia after Japan, aims to attract tourists from across Asia and especially from mainland China.

The park is expected to provide a major boost for Hong Kong's economy, which relies heavily on tourism, trade and financial services, but local officials have long worried that competition from another Disney park in China would make it less profitable.

The planned Shanghai park will cover an area of 6 square kilometers, four times the size of Disney's Hong Kong park, Wen Wei Po reported Friday.

Disney will provide technology and capital for a 51-percent stake in a joint venture with Shanghai's government-backed Lujiazui Group company, which will contribute land near the Pudong International Airport, the newspaper said.

Isan

July 12th, 2005, 02:39 PM

Hong Kong Disneyland announces Wholesale Travel Providers
11 July 2005

Hong Kong Disneyland today announced the first group of wholesale travel providers who will play a key role in bringing overseas guests to Hong Kong Disneyland when the park opens on September 12, 2005.

The Hong Kong Disneyland travel provider network includes travel companies and international airlines in Hong Kong and from around the region. The travel providers will develop and market tour packages throughout Asia.

“The travel providers are an important constituent in our overall distribution network,” Hong Kong Disneyland Vice President Marketing and Sales Roy Tan Hardy said.

“They play an integral role in broadening our reach to guests from all over the world, and provide our overseas visitors with access to a wide range of packages to assist them in planning their magical vacations to Hong Kong Disneyland.”

In addition to travel providers, Hong Kong Disneyland will offer a range of distribution channels to ensure that all local and overseas guests have the most convenient, efficient and accessible means of purchasing park tickets.

Guests can now purchase tickets online via Hong Kong Disneyland’s website, or by calling the Hong Kong Disneyland Reservation Call Center (852-1830-830). Guests will also be able to purchase tickets directly at the Hong Kong Disneyland ticket counters at the front entrance, with such purchases being subject to availability.

The list of wholesale travel providers as of July 11 is as follows:
Base Wholesale Travel Providers Key Markets Served
Singapore • Sino-America Tours Corporation Pte Ltd Southeast Asia

Taiwan • Lion Travel Service Co. Ltd Taiwan
• EvaSion

Beijing • China CYTS Tours Holding Co Ltd Mainland China
• China Travel Service Head Office

Guangdong • Guangdong China Travel Service Co Ltd Mainland China
• GZL International Travel Service Ltd
• Guangdong CITS Co Ltd
• Guangdong SZL International Travel Service Co. Ltd.

Shanghai • Shanghai Ctrip Charming International Travel Service Co Ltd Mainland China

Hong Kong • China Travel Service (Hong Kong) Limited Mainland China
• Sincere International Travel Service Company Limited
• Million Tour Limited
• Amsito Travel Service Limited
• Cathay Holidays Limited Worldwide Southeast Asia
• Southsea Tours Limited
• Holiday-World Tours Ltd
• Ann’s Travel Service Co. Ltd
• United Holidays Company Limited
• Win’s Travel Agency Ltd
• Vacation Asia (HK) Ltd Southeast Asia / Taiwan
• JTB (Hong Kong) Limited Japan
• Jalpak International Hong Kong Company Ltd.
• Sunrise Tours Enterprises Ltd. Mainland China/ Taiwan
• Best Travel Service Company Limited Thailand

Isan

July 16th, 2005, 09:22 PM

迪士尼婚宴取消魚翅菜單

【中央社香港十六日電】原先入境隨俗、將於9月開幕的香港迪士尼列有魚翅菜單，在香港環保團體抗議後已決定取消。

港人喜吃魚翅，迪士尼原先也入境隨俗，在婚宴菜單列有魚翅，但部分環保團體施壓後，香港迪士尼樂園從善如流決定「童話婚禮」與「魚翅婚宴」不能共存。

迪士尼取消婚宴供應魚翅菜式，改以「松茸野菌燉螺頭」、「高湯蟹黃百花釀竹笙」及「竹笙摩利菌龍蝦羹」來代替，酒席價格亦調低一千至兩千港元，減幅逾一成，但12萬港元的最低消費則維持不變。

另外，迪士尼在網上公開預訂開幕門票至今有15天，一萬二千張門票於昨天已全部售罄。

香港迪士尼發言人表示，迪士尼婚宴的吸引人處在於其獨特地點及獨有的配套服務，相信取消魚翅供應，影響不會太大。他認為價格下調後，新人可有較多空間選取其他配套服務。

2005-07-16

Disney pulls shark's fin from Hong Kong park menu

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The Disney company has pulled shark's fin dishes from the menu of its Hong Kong theme park after pressure from environmentalists who had protested loudly against the product.

In a short statement, the company said it had decided to abandon plans to serve the controversial dish after failing to find ecologically sound suppliers.

"After careful consideration and a thorough review process, we were not able to identify an environmentally sustainable fishing source, leaving us no alternative except to remove sharks' fin soup from our wedding banquet menu," the statement read.

Activists struck up a global protest after the company said it would serve the luxury delicacy at wedding banquets at the southern Chinese territory's Disney resort, which is due to open in September.

They said Disney was failing in its corporate responsibility by promising to serve a dish they claim contributed to sharp declines in shark populations.

Environmental groups are opposed to the expensive item as the gelatinous cartilage is harvested by a process called "finning" in which the fins are hacked off and the shark thrown back into the water to die.

Disney had defended its plan saying shark's fin soup was a traditional Chinese dish and would be served in respect to cultural sensitivities.

Don Robinson, Hong Kong Disneyland's group managing director, said the company had a good environmental reputation to keep.

"Striking the right balance between cultural sensitivities and conservation has always been out goal," he said.

hkskyline

July 17th, 2005, 02:56 AM

Lobster replaces shark's fin at Disney
Caroline Li, Hong Kong Standard
July 16, 2005

Newlyweds celebrating at Hong Kong Disneyland will have to make do with lobster now that shark's fin soup is off the menu, Disney representative Irene Chan said Friday.

Shark's fin soup was yanked from the wedding menus after environmentalists threatened to stage protests, so Disney will offer lobster soup and seafood boullion instead.

"We are very confident that this choice can give [customers] the satisfaction and fulfill the same requirement," Chan said.

The new soup and other dishes have been designed to serve the same purpose of significance and custom that shark's fin soup does in Chinese weddings.

"We congratulate Disney as a leader on its decision to take shark's fin soup off its menu," said Clarus Chu, WWF Hong Kong assistant conservation officer. He also suggested that Disney use MSD-certified Western Australian lobster in its new dishes.

"This method makes sure that the harvesting of lobster will not have a negative long-term impact on fisheries," he said, adding that it was a matter of sustainability.

Disney's Chan said that, instead of simply omitting the soup course, the company "wanted to provide an alternative that reflects the same prestige and is acceptable for Chinese wedding celebrations."

Guests who have already made reservations for weddings at the theme park have been notified, and Chan said the general response has been positive.

"They understand our decision and appreciate the replacement. Most are happy with the alternative."

Wedding dinner packages are separated into three options. The Crystal Package Menu offers double-boiled sea whelk soup with mushrooms, the Diamond Menu includes lobster soup with bamboo piths and mushrooms, while the Emerald Menu will have bamboo fungus stuffed with shrimp paste and crab roe in superior bouillon soup.

The overall prices of each wedding dinner package have been lowered by at least HK$1,000 due to the menu change. The Crystal Fairy Tale Wedding Package, originally HK$8,888, is now HK$7,888. The Diamond Fairy Tale Package is now HK$ 9,388, revised from HK$10,888, and the Emerald Fairy Tale Package is HK$10,888, down from HK$12,888.

Chan said the menu is just one part of the overall "unique, magical Disney experience."

Disney anticipates that hosting weddings at the theme park will be popular among Hong Kong locals, so extras - such as personalized Fairytale Wedding certificates, wedding invitations and card designs, on-site personal wedding specialists and a Fairy Tale wedding cake for photographs - are available only at Hong Kong Disneyland.

Environmentalist groups began their campaign against Disney serving shark's fin soup last month, arguing that serving the dish added to the depletion of sharks.

Chu attributes the success of the menu change to all environmentalist organizations who supported the campaign. "It resulted from everyone who had a concern," he said.

hkskyline

July 20th, 2005, 06:37 AM

Monday, Jul. 18, 2005
A new Disneyland will bring in the tourists, but can it turn workaholic Hong Kong into Fun City?
BY MICHAEL SCHUMAN | HONG KONG

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Main Street, U.S.A., at the new Hong Kong Disneyland looks exactly like the one most Americans remember from their childhood. The classic Disney thoroughfare of quaint buildings and gas streetlights is a painstaking replica of one of the original attractions at Walt Disney's Anaheim, California, theme park, which opened 50 years ago this month. But resurrected in China, Walt's idyllic vision of small-town America has a surprisingly un-Iowan flavor. Inside one Victorian building is Main Street's first Chinese restaurant, the Plaza Inn, crafted as a stylish tea shop from early 20th century Shanghai. The interior has finely carved wooden columns, and walls painted with traditional Chinese landscapes based on the Disney animated movie Mulan, which was inspired by a Chinese legend. The crew of workers in white hard hats, who are still screwing the last filigrees into place, will soon hang fish-shaped Chinese lanterns from the ceiling. "It's turn-of-the-century America, with a Disney overlay, with a Chinese overlay," says Tom Morris, one of the park's chief "imagineers"Disney lingo for a creative designer. "You can go to different places and different times. That's what's so great about Disneyland."

Disney has certainly proved it can transport tourists to different places. The company's theme parks in California, Florida, France and Japan saw nearly 100 million visitors last year alone, according to Amusement Business magazine. But can Disneyland vault an entire city into a new era? Hong Kong will begin to find out on Sept. 12, the scheduled grand opening of the $3.6 billion Hong Kong Disneyland. TIME recently took an exclusive tour of the park as it was nearing completion on sparsely populated Lantau island, west of the city center. A lot is riding on Disney's success here. Not only is Hong Kong Disneyland the foundation for a major push by Disney into China, but it is also seen by many as the catalyst for a transformation of Hong Kong from a narrowly focused capitalist bastion into a playground of gentle family amusements such as whale shows and roller coasters.

The prospect of millions of free-spending mainland Chinese visitors descending upon the former British colony has already had a profound local impact. The Hong Kong government has invested $4 billion in tourism projects over the past six yearsincluding its stake in Disneyland, of which it is the majority ownerwhile the private sector is kicking in other attractions, among them a bevy of new hotels. Factor in the glitz and gambling of nearby Macauwhich American casino kingpins are helping to convert into a Las Vegas of the Orientand the Pearl River Delta, previously known mainly as a vast factory, is beginning to acquire serious drawing power as a tourist destination. In a few years, "anyone with a kid will be forced to say: 'Let's go to Hong Kong,'" says Allan Zeman, developer of Lan Kwai Fong, Hong Kong's chic nightlife district.

In the past, Hong Kong lured its fair share of visitors, who came mainly for the shopping. But while the workaholic city offers excellent food and special events like the annual Rugby Sevens tournament and international dragon-boat races, it is known primarily as a place for nose-to-the-grindstone accumulation of wealth (and conspicuous displays of it), not as a place for frolicking, with or without kids. Hong Kong lacks cosmopolitan diversionsthe outdoor concerts, grand museums and banner cultural events that give larger cities like New York and Tokyo their leisure-time sparkle. (A government attempt to fill the void, at least partially, with a massive theater-and-art-museum complex in West Kowloon has been stymied by disagreements over how to allot the development rights.) Kwok Wah, a 27-year-old computer programmer, is a typical Hong Konger who says he spends many of his waking hours in his office pursuing the means to live the Good Life. On weekends, he finds very little of the Good Life is actually on offer. He usually watches movies or plays video games at home. "I wouldn't really say my life in Hong Kong is fun," he complains.

For the sake of its future, Hong Kong must loosen up. In recent years, many of the commercial advantages that made the city a rich trade-and-financial-services hub have become equally or more available in mainland China, where seaports and airports are developing at a frenetic pace to compete with Hong Kong's. At the same time, the territory's close ties to the mainland have helped the economy bounce back from the SARS crisis in 2003. Hong Kong's GDP grew 8.1% last yearthe fastest rate in four yearsthanks in part to a financial-sector boost from China-related deals and rising spending by visitors from the mainland.

Hong Kong is trying to build upon those gainsand that's where Mickey Mouse comes in. The territory's government has latched onto tourism to create jobs, elevate growth and, most of all, provide another outlet to tap into China's economic boom. "In order for us to prosper, we must bring value to China," says Henry Tang, Hong Kong's Financial Secretary. Disney expects the park to attract 5.6 million visitors in its first 12 monthsat least a third of them from the mainland. The government estimates that Disney will directly and indirectly generate $19 billion in economic benefits over 40 years and 36,000 jobs over the next 20 years. Disney itself is hiring nearly 5,000 people to staff the park, almost all of them local. Disneyland will be "quite a significant factor in the Hong Kong economy," says Goldman Sachs economist Enoch Fung. "The Chinese consumer is on the rise, and Hong Kong is in pole position" to profit from such spending.

Already, the Disney effect is stimulating sympathetic development. Eighteen hotels are opening in Hong Kong this year, up from only two in 2004. The expansion is "nothing we've seen before," says James Lu, executive director of the Hong Kong Hotels Association. Hong Kong department store Sogo is opening a new outlet in Kowloon timed to Disney's launch, hoping to capitalize on a rush of shoppers. "We don't want to lose the opportunity," says Eliza Lo, Sogo's deputy general manager. Zeman, the Lan Kwai Fong developer, is planning a $700 million overhaul of Ocean Park, a government-owned amusement park on Hong Kong island. Three years ago, the administration considered shutting the park, figuring its tired thrill rides and aquariums couldn't compete with Disney's Space Mountain and Jungle River Cruise. But Zeman, Ocean Park's chairman, is taking a cue from the winning Disney-Sea World combination in places like Orlando, Florida. He wants to remake Ocean Park with killer-whale shows, exotic-bird exhibits and a pool where visitors can see sharks underwater from a protective cage. "Rather than seeing Disney as a threat, I look on it as a complement," says Zeman. Meanwhile, not far from Disneyland, on Lantau, one of Hong Kong's most famous attractionsa giant statue touted as the world's largest outdoor, seated, bronze Buddhais being made more tourist-friendly. MTR, Hong Kong's subway operating company, is building a cable-car ride to the hilltop where the Buddha is situated. Tickets will cost $18.60 for a round-trip, which is called a "Journey of Enlightenment." The ride will end at a village with souvenir shops, the "Monkey's Tale Theatre" and an exhibition on the life of Buddha, complete with a man-made bodhi tree.

For sleepy, rural Lantau, that's just the beginning. The government and private investors are building a $300 million convention center, called the AsiaWorld-Expo, near the international airport. A government development plan for the island calls for the eventual arrival of resorts, sports facilities and another theme parkmuch to the chagrin of local environmentalists, who wish to preserve the island's natural charms. "Lantau is a national treasure," says Clive Noffke, a member of the executive committee of the Green Lantau Association, who favors an ecotourism approach. "We have the sun, we have the water, but we don't have the vision of government."

The train has already left Tomorrowland station. To attract Disneyland to picturesque Penny's Bay on the coast of northern Lantau, the government agreed in 1999 to put up $417 million for a joint venture with Disney, and another $1.7 billion for related infrastructure such as land reclamation and transportation links. The U.S. company is getting a sweet deal: it's sinking $316 million into the project for a 43% stake. Two years ago, Disney moved in with 5,000 construction workers and began shaping the new theme park. Among the first jobs was landscaping: Disney imported 18,000 trees and 1 million other shrubs and plants. John Sorenson, one of Hong Kong Disneyland's chief landscape architects, hired a van and drove through isolated villages in southern China with sketches from designers, searching for the perfect trees. After price negotiations with villagers and meals of fried wasps, teams dug up the trees and hauled them by truck to Hong Kong, including a 14-m-tall, yellow flame-of-the-forest tree, now sitting in Adventureland, a part of Disneyland that takes visitors into the world's exotic jungles.

Yet in many respects, the park looks as if it's been airlifted directly from America. Imagineers used Walt Disney's original designs for the first Disneyland in Anaheim as a starting point. Many Disney classics are present in the Hong Kong park, including Sleeping Beauty Castle, the Space Mountain roller coaster and a Dumbo the Flying Elephant ride. Adventureland boasts a Broadway-style Lion King show and an improved Jungle River Cruise featuring a new grand finale of fire-spewing gods. Tomorrowland is also being updated. Gone is Disney's original, sterile vision of a glass-and-steel future; in its place is a purple spaceport, with a spinning planet and a flying spaceship ride at the center.

Will this thick slice of Americana appeal to the Chinese Disney executives believe so, banking on the fact that China is eager to connect with a global pop culture that poverty and Communist policy had previously kept out of reach. The Chinese "have heard so much about the parks around the world and they want to experience the same thing," says Don Robinson, managing director of Hong Kong Disneyland. The Chinese, says Kevin Wong, a tourism economist at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, "want to come to Disney because it is American. The foreignness is part of the appeal."

Still, Disney's experience in opening parks in other countries has shown that certain adaptations to local tastes are essential. Cultural faux pas have bedeviled Disney in the past. When Euro Disney opened in Paris in 1992, its restaurants wouldn't serve wine, an affront to French dining tradition. The park, which now serves wine and has been rebranded as Disneyland Paris, has become one of Europe's most popular attractions. But the European company is ridden with debt and has been a financial sinkhole. Earlier this year, it finalized a $2 billion restructuring plan, which included new capital and loan concessions, to rescue the operation. Disney has also had the occasional misstep in China. In 1996, Beijing blocked the firm's films after Disney backed Martin Scorsese's Kundun, which dramatized the life of the Dalai Lama and China's invasion of Tibet. (Beijing considers Tibet to be part of China.) Mulan, which tells the story of a girl who fought in the Chinese Emperor's army in place of her crippled father, was originally rejected for showings in China. When Mulan finally hit Chinese theaters in 1999, it flopped at the box office, in part because the story was said to be too Westernized.

This time, Disney is trying to incorporate Asian culture to arrive at a happy theme-park fusion. "We've come at it with an American sensibility, but we still appeal to local tastes," says Sorenson. Fantasyland hosts a garden where photo-happy Asian tourists can always find Mickey, Minnie and other popular characters. Mulan will have her own pavilion, designed like a Chinese temple. Mickey even has a red-and-gold Chinese suit to wear. Restaurants boast Asian farefrom curry to sushi to Chinese mango pudding served in containers shaped like Mickey Mouse heads. The park's designers brought in a feng shui master, who rotated the front gate, repositioned cash registers and ordered that boulders be planted in key locations to ensure the park's prosperity. He even chose the park's auspicious opening date.

Ironically, Disney took this policy of cultural adaptation a little too far by planning to serve shark's fin soup at banquets; the local favorite got yanked from the menu in June after environmentalists, who blame the delicacy for endangering the global shark population, howled in protest. (Company officials said they took it off the menu only because they could not find environmentally sustainable supplies.) "They've bent over backward to make Hong Kong Disneyland blend in with the surroundings," says analyst Dennis McAlpine of McAlpine Associates, a securities-research firm. "Disney has learned that they can't impose the American willor Disney's version of iton another continent."

Indeed, success is far from assured, despite the feng shui. Disney faces a special hurdle in selling itself to mainlanders: until a few years ago, hardly any knew of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. Though Disney first entered China way back in the late 1930s when the original Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs animated movie premieredDisney cartoons were later banned in Mao's China. Nowadays, Chinese kids are familiar with the classic charactersin part from pirated DVDs but their knowledge is limited. "This is the first market where we've opened a park in which we don't [already] have a long-term relationship with our guests," says Jay Rasulo, Burbank-based president of Disney's parks and resorts.

Disney has launched an all-out marketing effort to fill in the blanks. The company partnered with the Communist Youth League of China to run special events in which kids entered Mickey Mouse drawing contests and read Disney stories. Disney is using a TV program, The Magical World of Disneyland, to broadcast movies linked to park attractions. Although the free-to-air program appears on Hong Kong TV, it can be received in southern China. During each broadcast, Hong Kong pop star and Disney pitchman Jacky Cheung introduces behind-the-scenes reports on Disneyland, featuring interviews with ride designers. Even Walt Disney himself, who died in 1966, has been enlisted. He talks up the original Disneyland in 1950s footage, with Chinese subtitles.

The Hong Kong park is Disney's biggest and boldest jump into the burgeoning China market, and executives hope it will pave the way for the company's DVDs, TV shows, stuffed toys and other goods. "At the highest level, Hong Kong Disneyland is a beachhead for the Walt Disney Co. in China," says Rasulo. Disney already sells toys and other branded paraphernalia in China through a chain of 1,100 Disney Corner outlets, and has movies and television programs, such as the popular Dragon Club, on local TV. The firm has also been successful in getting its movies into restricted mainland cinemasin 1995, the Lion King was one of the first Western films authorized to be screened since the Communists conquered China in 1949. But Disney wants much, much more, including a Disney TV channel in China and better access for its films. With 290 million mainland consumers under the age of 14, "we know we have an addressable market just crying out for Disney products," Walt Disney International president Andy Bird told investors in February.

Disney also wants to expand its theme-park business into the mainland. Rasulo confirms that Disney has been in discussions with government officials to bring a Disneyland there, possibly in Shanghai. "There will be a second Disney destination in China some day," he says. Meanwhile, the company is already imagineering new attractions for Hong Kong, such as an updated version of popular racing ride Autopia, due to open in mid-2006. On the drawing board are plans to nearly double the park's capacity and possibly add a second theme park. "We're in for a long-term commitment," says Robinson. "It's not like just opening an office and selling a product. We have a castle."

Still, skeptics say Disney isn't the answer to Hong Kong's long-term needs. "For those who want to go to Disney, fine. But Hong Kong needs other sides to it as well," says Benny Chia, director of the Fringe Club, an independent downtown arts center. "Hong Kong always goes for the big projects, but people keep returning to Paris for things like the little corner galleries." Lantau resident Wong Wai-king has deeper concerns. Disney, she fears, is just one sign that Hong Kong's own history and culture will be sacrificed in a mad rush for tourist dollars. She runs a two-room museum of local antiques and yellowed photographs in Tai O on the southern coast of Lantau. In this quaint villageaccessible by a narrow road that winds precariously over mountains thick with green forestcows graze peacefully in grassy fields, and many houses are built on wooden stilts stuck into mud along the shoreline. Residents are famous for homemade shrimp paste, which ferments in wicker pans in the hot sun. It's amazing that such a place can still exist in hyper-modern Hong Kong, with its lofty skyscrapers and superb high-tech infrastructureand Wong wants to keep it that way. "What's important for Hong Kong is the local culture, not these attractions," she says. "If we don't protect our culture now, Hong Kong will become a place where people don't have a sense of belonging."

Yet Wong appears to be a voice in the wilderness, even in her own village, where other locals buzz about the possibility of Disney's creating a bigger market for the town's dried squid and shrimp paste. Wong Tak-yau, a 77-year-old Tai O retiree, can't wait for the Happiest Place on Earth to open next door. "I've never been to other countries," he says, "so I want to experience what Disney is like." The rest of Hong Kong will be going along for the ride.

With reporting by Chaim Estulin, Ling Liu and Scarlet Ma/Hong Kong and Jeffrey Ressner/Los Angeles

From TIME Asia Magazine, issue dated July 25, 2005 Vol. 166, No. 4

hkskyline

July 21st, 2005, 07:09 AM

Wednesday July 20, 11:31 PM
Hong Kong Disneyland Gives Reporters Peek

AP - Hong Kong Disneyland gave journalists a sneak peek Wednesday, two months before the newest park opens to the public, showing off an East-meets-West mix of classic thrill rides like Space Mountain and restaurants serving Asian cuisines.

The park features a trademark Sleeping Beauty Castle and a Main Street that recreates small-town America. The food is distinctly Asian, catering to the masses of tourists Disney hopes to attract from across the border in mainland China.

When the park opens Sept. 12, its eight restaurants _ with 2,900 seats _ will cook up all the major Chinese cuisines, like Cantonese, Shanghainese and northern noodle dishes. Visitors also will be able to dig into Japanese sushi and tempura.

A pastry shop serves Hong Kong-style barbecue puffs and pineapple buns alongside chocolate croissants and cinnamon rolls.

The food is served in Western settings, such as at Royal Banquet Hall, inspired by "Sleeping Beauty." Throughout the park, signs are in Chinese and English.

Along with popular rides like Space Mountain, the park will have a Mickey's PhilharMagic movie theater with a massive 3-D screen. The cinema will show Disney staples such as the "The Little Mermaid," "The Lion King" and "Beauty and the Beast" mixed in with special effects.

A long, palm tree-lined driveway leads to the park. At the front gate, there's a huge water fountain with a bronze statue of a whale spouting a stream of water on which Mickey Mouse is surfing.

The park is a joint venture between the Hong Kong government and The Walt Disney Co. It is built on reclaimed land on an outlying island.

Isan

July 21st, 2005, 04:16 PM

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逛香港迪士尼　TVBS帶您先睹為快
記者:張家齊　梁偉雄報導

香港迪士尼樂園雖然開幕在即，但還是神秘感十足，從來不肯對外公開園區內遊樂設施的真面目，不過今天，TVBS記者就要帶您一起去先睹為快，看看香港迪士尼到底有哪些獨特、好玩的地方。

米奇米妮、唐老鴨還有高飛狗，所有您熟悉的迪士尼卡通人物今天都很忙，因為這是第一次，有機會到香港迪士尼樂園。

這座睡美人城堡，除了香港之外，只有加州迪士尼有，可以跟東京迪士尼的灰姑娘城堡有明確區隔，又能相互輝映。

接下來，再趁香港迪士尼樂園全球首度開放的機會趕快逛一逛，園區內其它4大主題，不但明日世界裡，風馳電掣的雲霄飛車，保證讓你魂飛魄散，還可以到美國小鎮，體驗西部拓荒時期的豪邁，再到荒野探險，尋找不知道會從哪裡竄出的毒蛇猛獸。

幻想世界，則要用3D動畫，帶您進入每一部迪士尼電影的劇情中！不過最能讓你明確感受到，自己身在亞洲的，是一邊玩樂的，還能同時吃到道地的香港美食。

Isan

July 21st, 2005, 04:19 PM

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港警迪士尼分局　外觀很「卡通」
記者:莊志偉柯勝雄報導

為了因應香港迪士尼樂園要在九月份開幕，香港警方特別在園區附近設立了一處警察局，有趣的是，為了不影響遊客玩樂情緒，這座警局不但不掛警徽，連建物造型都要特別配合迪士尼風格。

走出香港迪士尼樂園大門，不遠處的這棟建築物，維持著跟迪士尼同一風格的西洋式建築，如果不是門打開，走出一個荷槍實彈的警察，您恐怕很難發現它原來是一間警察局。香港迪士尼轄區警長：「因為樂園地方大，有需要迪士尼樂園的同事配合我們到現場，才會比較省時間。」

這間警局只有一名警長加九名員警，但不僅是房屋外觀專門設計成符合迪士尼園林主題，裡面的員警更是經挑細選，不但要中英文流利，還要個性開朗。香港迪士尼轄區員警：「我覺得在迪士尼樂園內感覺很高興，每個人都要很高興，若員警服務不太好或禮貌不太好的話，會有好大的影響，遊客會有深刻陰影。」

香港警方評估，迪士尼樂園裡的勤務會以反扒竊跟尋人為主，抓賊還要顧及遊客心情，香港警方真的是用心良苦。

Isan

July 21st, 2005, 07:34 PM

搶先曝光香港迪士尼九月開幕
2005-07-21 02:23／陳汶彬／香港報導

眾所矚目的香港迪士尼樂園，即將於九月十二日正式開幕，昨天迪士尼樂園終於掀開神秘的面紗，首度開放給來自台灣、中國大陸，以及香港本地的媒體參觀，這是該園自規畫興建以來，第一次正式對外曝光。

每年可供一千萬名遊客入園、有二千一百間房間，有購物、飲食和娛樂設施的香港迪士尼主題樂園，昨天下午首度開放美國小鎮大街、睡公主城堡和幻想世界花園、探險世界，以及明日世界的四大主題區，給亞洲各地區的媒體參觀採訪，正式宣告香港迪士尼樂園的歡樂世界即將誕生。

部分設施及商品全球獨家香港迪士尼樂園的佔地雖不比美國、日本等地，但「巴斯光年星際歷險」和三Ｄ立體「米奇幻想曲」兩大遊樂設施，卻是全球首見，同時香港迪士尼內的十一家商店發售的五千多種商品、紀念品和食品等，大部份都是全球獨家販售。

「巴斯光年星際歷險」是由迪士尼擅長的創意，結合科技和藝術的結晶產品，設計來自動畫影片「巴斯光年」和「反鬥奇兵二」的靈感，遊客坐上可以旋轉三百六十度的貝殼外型戰艦，以雷射槍打擊銀河中邪惡的敵人，戰艦裡的電子顯示器上還會自動記錄分數，應會深得小朋友的歡心。

擁有一百五十英尺寬超大螢幕的「米奇幻想曲」，號稱是目前全球最大型的三Ｄ立體動畫設施，遊客觀賞時須戴上特製眼鏡，享受米奇和唐老鴨飛出螢幕直奔眼前的震攝效果，更新奇的是坐在椅子上，還將身歷其境被風吹、雨淋及食物香味的「色、香、觸」感覺，噱頭十足。

規畫兩間中餐廳入境隨俗此外，為了向華人世界示好，迪士尼總部記取法國迪士尼經驗教訓，做了諸多「入境隨俗」的規畫，除與香港最大的美心美食餐飲集團合作，在廣場餐廳區內特別規畫了兩間中餐廳。「廣場餐廳」針對華人烹調廣東名菜及其它中國各省的美食；「校匠歡宴坊」備有中國西北風味菜，而在「皇室宴會廳」有燜燉類、蒸煮類，以及日式生魚片、天婦羅和西式燒烤等美食；此外，迪士尼樂園著名的「米老鼠婚禮」，也設計有華人菜單，堪稱不折不扣的「華宴」。

雖然距離正式開張日還有近兩個月，香港迪士尼樂園，包括迪士尼樂園酒店和迪士尼好萊塢酒店早被預約客滿。目前，香港迪士尼已與台灣長榮假期與國泰假期等簽署代理，另有新加坡、泰國、香港、北京、上海和廣東的旅行業者也取得代理權。

台灣的雄獅旅行社針對迪士尼樂園搶先推出香港三天二夜的自由行產品，含門票又入住在迪士尼酒店，每人團費從台幣一萬零九百元至三萬三千九百元不等，若不住在迪士尼而住宿於香港市區酒店，從二星酒店的台幣九千九百元，至六星酒店的一萬七千九百元不等。

遊客可以登入香港迪士尼樂園網站：

www.hongkongdisneyland.com預訂門票，也可以在每天早上九時至晚上六時，撥打（○○二）八五二／一八三○八三○訂房熱線，預訂包含門票及其中一家迪士尼酒店的住宿。

新聞來源：中時電子報

Isan

July 21st, 2005, 08:05 PM

港龍推出迪士尼旅遊套票
7月 21日星期四 16:05 更新

港龍航空公司宣布推出香港迪士尼樂園旅遊套票，連來回機票、住宿及入場票費用約2700港元起。

這套票適用於港龍18個服務網路市場，包括北京、上海、台北及高雄等城市，包括前往香港的經濟艙來回機票、一晚迪士尼樂園酒店住宿、香港迪士尼樂園單日門票一張，以及專車接送往返酒店及機場。

該旅遊套票備有多個住宿選擇，旅客可入住迪士尼荷李活酒店的園景或海景客房；或香港迪士尼樂園酒店

的海景客房或露台海景客房。

Dragonair Holidays launches Hong Kong Disneyland packages
21 July 2005

Dragonair Holidays has launched its first Hong Kong Disneyland package in 18 cities throughout Dragonair’s network including Beijing, Shanghai, Taipei and Kaohsiung. Hong Kong Disneyland opens to the public on September 12, and is the first Disney theme park in China.

The Dragonair Holidays package comprises round-trip Economy Class ticket to Hong Kong, one night’s hotel accommodation in the theme park, one single-day Hong Kong Disneyland Park Ticket, and round-trip coach transfers between the airport and hotel.

There is a choice of hotels: Disney’s Hollywood Hotel, with either Garden View or Sea View rooms; and Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel, with either Sea View or Sea View with Balcony rooms. Package prices start from the equivalent of HK$2,700.

“Hong Kong Disneyland is going to be a fantastic must-experience addition to the attractions of the Hong Kong SAR,” said Andy Tung, Chief Operating Officer of Dragonair. “There’s huge excitement building about the opening of the theme park, and we expect these packages to prove very popular given the value and quality they represent.”

Isan

July 23rd, 2005, 03:13 AM

香港迪士尼逆時針玩到High
2005-07-22 08:53／記者王雪美/專題報導

9月12日即將開幕的香港迪士尼，進入倒數第52天，本報記者獨門秘招無保留傳授，你就不必在迪士尼裏排隊排到發飆，曬太陽曬到發暈啦！

第1站：探險世界叫到喉嚨啞

仿亞洲和非洲原始叢林，有奇珍異卉，還有泰山在和他的女朋友在樹屋迎接你，可搭船來一趟叢林冒險之旅，給迪士尼第一個驚聲尖叫！

香港迪士尼最靠近赤道，比台灣還熱，7月20日香港迪士尼第一次開放讓媒體團進入拍照時，人人都是汗水淋漓，如果你帶著小小朋友和阿公阿媽，而且你也不想從白雪公主變成黑美人的話，開園時請迅速穿過門口的「美國小鎮大街」，然後逆時針方向走，先到炎熱指數第一的「探險世界」，如此也可避開大部分遊客順時針依序玩每個園區的人潮，減少排隊機會。

第2站：幻想世界唐老鴨下廚

由睡美人城堡揭開序幕，米老鼠、白雪公主、小熊維尼都在這裡，可以搭小飛象上青天，或和灰姑娘一起玩旋轉木馬。太熱的時候，快鑽進3Ｄ動畫劇院，戴上眼鏡，就會乘著魔毯進入幻想世界，聞得到唐老鴨親手下廚傳出的香味。

如果還未到日正當中時，第二站可到幻想世界，假使進園時間晚，走到這裏太陽已在頭頂，可先用餐，下午先到「明日世界」，再回到「幻想世界」。

第3站：明日世界太空山必玩

到太空漫遊去了，一向在全球迪士尼中人氣最旺的「飛越太空山」一定要搶先玩，再到「巴斯光年星際歷險」和外星人開雷射槍碰碰，拯救地球，或是駕著「太空飛碟」穿梭在各大行星之中，肚子餓了，別忘到「火箭餐廳」或「慧星餐廳」哦！

清涼指數第一名的明日世界，因為都在太空中，冷氣強，是酷熱時最佳避暑之地，算一算你入園時何時最熱，就那個時候去！

第4站：美國小鎮讓你滿載歸

重返20世紀初的美國小鎮，市政廳、警察局、麵包店…，街上還有古董車。迪士尼相關商品也在這裏！

到迪士尼，小朋友這個也要，那個也要，沒有在這裏消費，大概出不了園，排在最後一站，大包小包就不妨礙你的玩樂囉！

End閉園前15分放煙火

Happy ending的煙火，每天在閉園前10～15分鐘在睡美人城堡施放十分鐘。還有各個露天舞台的表演、迪士尼卡通人物大遊行等節目，目前尚未完全敲定時間表，到時候可先確認各項表演時間，穿插在各個遊戲中，就不會錯過啦！

獨家中式料理出頭天

和其他迪士尼比起來，香港迪士尼小得多，堪稱「迷你迪士尼」，因此，只賣單日券，不像東京迪士尼還有二日券、三日券、四日券。不過，再迷你，其實也有5個中正紀念堂大，對體力有限的小朋友和阿公阿媽，也許還小得恰到好處。

最棒的是，每天閉園前都一場燦爛的煙火秀，其他迪士尼樂園則是選在特殊節日或假日才有。

而中文在這裏出頭天了，園內有中文標示，服務人員都會說中文，要是白雪公主開口跟你說「您好」，也不必吃驚。吃不習慣西餐和速食的，還有烤鴨、餛飩麵等中式美食。

撇步熱門5項有FASTPASS

要是跟著以上教戰守則走，還是排隊排到發暈，沒關係，還有一招，最熱門的「飛越太空山」（明日世界）、「巴斯光年星際歷險」（明日世界）、「森林河流之旅」（探險世界）、「小熊維尼歷險之旅」（幻想世界）、「米奇幻想曲」（幻想世界）等5項設施，設有「FASTPASS」快速通行發券機，只要將入園門票插入發券機中，就可領到一張FASTPASS，在指定時間內憑票可隨時入場，省去排隊之苦！

新聞來源：聯合新聞網

Isan

July 24th, 2005, 08:33 PM

A new Disneyland will bring in the tourists, but can it turn workaholic Hong Kong into Fun City?

By Michael Schuman | Hong Kong

Posted Monday, July 18, 2005; 20:00 HKT
Main Street, U.S.A., at the new Hong Kong Disneyland looks exactly like the one most Americans remember from their childhood. The classic Disney thoroughfare of quaint buildings and gas streetlights is a painstaking replica of one of the original attractions at Walt Disney's Anaheim, California, theme park, which opened 50 years ago this month. But resurrected in China, Walt's idyllic vision of small-town America has a surprisingly un-Iowan flavor. Inside one Victorian building is Main Street's first Chinese restaurant, the Plaza Inn, crafted as a stylish tea shop from early 20th century Shanghai. The interior has finely carved wooden columns, and walls painted with traditional Chinese landscapes based on the Disney animated movie Mulan, which was inspired by a Chinese legend. The crew of workers in white hard hats, who are still screwing the last filigrees into place, will soon hang fish-shaped Chinese lanterns from the ceiling. "It's turn-of-the-century America, with a Disney overlay, with a Chinese overlay," says Tom Morris, one of the park's chief "imagineers"—Disney lingo for a creative designer. "You can go to different places and different times. That's what's so great about Disneyland."

Disney has certainly proved it can transport tourists to different places. The company's theme parks in California, Florida, France and Japan saw nearly 100 million visitors last year alone, according to Amusement Business magazine. But can Disneyland vault an entire city into a new era? Hong Kong will begin to find out on Sept. 12, the scheduled grand opening of the $3.6 billion Hong Kong Disneyland. TIME recently took an exclusive tour of the park as it was nearing completion on sparsely populated Lantau island, west of the city center. A lot is riding on Disney's success here. Not only is Hong Kong Disneyland the foundation for a major push by Disney into China, but it is also seen by many as the catalyst for a transformation of Hong Kong from a narrowly focused capitalist bastion into a playground of gentle family amusements such as whale shows and roller coasters.

The prospect of millions of free-spending mainland Chinese visitors descending upon the former British colony has already had a profound local impact. The Hong Kong government has invested $4 billion in tourism projects over the past six years—including its stake in Disneyland, of which it is the majority owner—while the private sector is kicking in other attractions, among them a bevy of new hotels. Factor in the glitz and gambling of nearby Macau—which American casino kingpins are helping to convert into a Las Vegas of the Orient—and the Pearl River Delta, previously known mainly as a vast factory, is beginning to acquire serious drawing power as a tourist destination. In a few years, "anyone with a kid will be forced to say: 'Let's go to Hong Kong,'" says Allan Zeman, developer of Lan Kwai Fong, Hong Kong's chic nightlife district.

In the past, Hong Kong lured its fair share of visitors, who came mainly for the shopping. But while the workaholic city offers excellent food and special events like the annual Rugby Sevens tournament and international dragon-boat races, it is known primarily as a place for nose-to-the-grindstone accumulation of wealth (and conspicuous displays of it), not as a place for frolicking, with or without kids. Hong Kong lacks cosmopolitan diversions—the outdoor concerts, grand museums and banner cultural events that give larger cities like New York and Tokyo their leisure-time sparkle. (A government attempt to fill the void, at least partially, with a massive theater-and-art-museum complex in West Kowloon has been stymied by disagreements over how to allot the development rights.) Kwok Wah, a 27-year-old computer programmer, is a typical Hong Konger who says he spends many of his waking hours in his office pursuing the means to live the Good Life. On weekends, he finds very little of the Good Life is actually on offer. He usually watches movies or plays video games at home. "I wouldn't really say my life in Hong Kong is fun," he complains.

For the sake of its future, Hong Kong must loosen up. In recent years, many of the commercial advantages that made the city a rich trade-and-financial-services hub have become equally or more available in mainland China, where seaports and airports are developing at a frenetic pace to compete with Hong Kong's. At the same time, the territory's close ties to the mainland have helped the economy bounce back from the SARS crisis in 2003. Hong Kong's GDP grew 8.1% last year—the fastest rate in four years—thanks in part to a financial-sector boost from China-related deals and rising spending by visitors from the mainland.

Hong Kong is trying to build upon those gains—and that's where Mickey Mouse comes in. The territory's government has latched onto tourism to create jobs, elevate growth and, most of all, provide another outlet to tap into China's economic boom. "In order for us to prosper, we must bring value to China," says Henry Tang, Hong Kong's Financial Secretary. Disney expects the park to attract 5.6 million visitors in its first 12 months—at least a third of them from the mainland. The government estimates that Disney will directly and indirectly generate $19 billion in economic benefits over 40 years and 36,000 jobs over the next 20 years. Disney itself is hiring nearly 5,000 people to staff the park, almost all of them local. Disneyland will be "quite a significant factor in the Hong Kong economy," says Goldman Sachs economist Enoch Fung. "The Chinese consumer is on the rise, and Hong Kong is in pole position" to profit from such spending.

Already, the Disney effect is stimulating sympathetic development. Eighteen hotels are opening in Hong Kong this year, up from only two in 2004. The expansion is "nothing we've seen before," says James Lu, executive director of the Hong Kong Hotels Association. Hong Kong department store Sogo is opening a new outlet in Kowloon timed to Disney's launch, hoping to capitalize on a rush of shoppers. "We don't want to lose the opportunity," says Eliza Lo, Sogo's deputy general manager. Zeman, the Lan Kwai Fong developer, is planning a $700 million overhaul of Ocean Park, a government-owned amusement park on Hong Kong island. Three years ago, the administration considered shutting the park, figuring its tired thrill rides and aquariums couldn't compete with Disney's Space Mountain and Jungle River Cruise. But Zeman, Ocean Park's chairman, is taking a cue from the winning Disney-Sea World combination in places like Orlando, Florida. He wants to remake Ocean Park with killer-whale shows, exotic-bird exhibits and a pool where visitors can see sharks underwater from a protective cage. "Rather than seeing Disney as a threat, I look on it as a complement," says Zeman. Meanwhile, not far from Disneyland, on Lantau, one of Hong Kong's most famous attractions—a giant statue touted as the world's largest outdoor, seated, bronze Buddha—is being made more tourist-friendly. MTR, Hong Kong's subway operating company, is building a cable-car ride to the hilltop where the Buddha is situated. Tickets will cost $18.60 for a round-trip, which is called a "Journey of Enlightenment." The ride will end at a village with souvenir shops, the "Monkey's Tale Theatre" and an exhibition on the life of Buddha, complete with a man-made bodhi tree.

For sleepy, rural Lantau, that's just the beginning. The government and private investors are building a $300 million convention center, called the AsiaWorld-Expo, near the international airport. A government development plan for the island calls for the eventual arrival of resorts, sports facilities and another theme park—much to the chagrin of local environmentalists, who wish to preserve the island's natural charms. "Lantau is a national treasure," says Clive Noffke, a member of the executive committee of the Green Lantau Association, who favors an ecotourism approach. "We have the sun, we have the water, but we don't have the vision of government."

Isan

July 24th, 2005, 08:52 PM

HK Disneyland gives sneak preview
Wednesday, July 20, 2005 Posted: 1013 GMT (1813 HKT)

http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/07/20/disney.hk.ap/story.hk.disney.afp.jpg

HONG KONG, China (AP) -- Hong Kong Disneyland gave journalists a sneak peek two months before the park opens, showing off classic thrill rides like the Space Mountain roller coaster and giving tours of restaurants serving all the major Chinese cuisines.

The park features an East-meets-West theme, with a trademark Sleeping Beauty Castle and a Main Street that recreates small-town America. The food is distinctly Asian, catering to the masses of tourists Disney hopes to attract from across the border in mainland China.

Robert Iger, who takes over as Disney's CEO in October, told reporters he dreamed of going to Disneyland when he was a child.

"I'm convinced that the children of this region will have that same dream. They will dream of one day being able to come to Hong Kong Disneyland," Iger said.

The park plans to attract 5.6 million visitors a year and opening day on September 12 is already sold out, said Don Robinson, managing director of the Hong Kong Disneyland Group.

Robinson said 95 percent of the park is complete and that workers are rehearsing shows and testing rides.

The park has eight restaurants -- with 29,000 seats -- serving all the major Chinese cuisines, like Cantonese, Shanghainese and northern noodle dishes.

Visitors will also be able to dig into Japanese sushi and Kashmiri chicken curry.

The food is served in Western settings, such as at Royal Banquet Hall, inspired by the Sleeping Beauty movie.

The park will feature popular rides like Space Mountain as well as a jungle river cruise and a Buzz Lightyear ride, named after the spaceman warrior in the movie "Toy Story."

A long palm tree-lined driveway leads to the park. At the front gate, there's a huge water fountain with a bronze statue of a whale spouting a stream of water on which Mickey Mouse is surfing.

Throughout the park, signs are in Chinese and English.

Robinson said the park hopes to eventually attract 10 million people a year, and when that goal is reached, Disney will expand the attractions.

The park is a joint venture between the Hong Kong government and The Walt Disney Co. It is built on reclaimed land at Penny's Bay on outlying Lantau island.

Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Isan

July 25th, 2005, 07:28 PM

香港迪士尼撲殺流浪狗愛護動物團體痛批
【中廣新聞網】

香港迪士尼撲殺流浪狗，引發愛護動物團體的抨擊。

據報導，環境署應香港迪士尼樂園之請，最近派遣捕狗大隊，在迪士尼園區內，捕捉了45隻流浪狗，除了其中的三隻透過拯救動物組織找到收養人之外，其餘的都被注射毒針撲殺。有人投書南華早報說，這些狗都是建築工人飼養，在迪士尼樂園施工期間，牠們負責看守工地，工程結束後，許多狗被工人棄養，投書者說，這些狗好歹也替迪士尼賣過命，迪士尼多少也該對牠們負一點道義責任，怎麼可以利用完了，就棄之如敝屣，這不是一個自詡散播歡樂散播愛的企業該做的事。

迪士尼澄清，這些狗純粹就是流浪狗，絕非迪士尼的看門犬，牠們數量愈來愈多，成群結隊的出沒在園區，對人身安全構成威脅。

Isan

July 25th, 2005, 07:38 PM

http://www.dlp.info/Guide/images/News/HongKongDisney/HK-Fantasyland-Aerial-March05-01x.jpg http://www.dlp.info/Guide/images/News/HongKongDisney/HK-Snow-Whites-Grotto-01x.jpg http://www.dlp.info/Guide/images/News/HongKongDisney/HK-Sleeping-Beauty-Castle-March05-01x.jpg http://www.dlp.info/Guide/images/News/HongKongDisney/HK-Festival-of-Fools-01x.jpg http://www.dlp.info/Guide/images/News/HongKongDisney/HK-The-Many-Adventures-Of-Winnie-the-Pooh-01x.jpg http://www.dlp.info/Guide/images/News/HongKongDisney/HK-Dumbo-March05-01x.jpg http://www.dlp.info/Guide/images/News/HongKongDisney/HK-Sorcerer-Mickey-Fountain-next-to-Fantasia-Gardens-01x.jpg

hkskyline

July 25th, 2005, 11:56 PM

Hong Kong Disneyland Launches Fashion Line
Thu Jul 21, 6:24 AM ET

HONG KONG (AP) - Less than two months before Hong Kong Disneyland opens, Mickey Mouse and company are taking their publicity blitz to the shopping masses, launching Disney-themed clothing with the Hong Kong-based clothing chain Giordano.

The line features adult and children's T-shirts and sweatshirts, Giordano International Ltd., which has more than 1,500 outlets in Asia, Australia and the Middle East, said in a statement on its Web site Thursday.

The deal, signed with Walt Disney Co. (Asia Pacific), was the first licensing agreement that Giordano has entered into with another brand, the fashion retailer said.

One outlet in Hong Kong's Causeway Bay shopping district was recently blanketed with the Disney T-shirts featuring characters from Mickey to Nemo.

Giordano, whose style resembles U.S. retail chain Gap, is popular because of its low prices. A standard T-shirt costs 40 Hong Kong dollars ($5).

Hong Kong Disneyland, set to open Sept. 12, is hoping to draw throngs of tourists from mainland China, where wages are much lower than in affluent Hong Kong.

The Disney clothing line is priced above Giordano's typical range but still cheaper than the higher-end apparel available on site at Hong Kong Disneyland.

The Giordano Disney T-shirts cost HK$80 ($10) each. By comparison, a sequined T-shirt featuring Mickey Mouse in a magician's outfit on sale at Hong Kong Disneyland is priced HK$380 ($50).

The Disney collection will launch in China next week, Taiwan and southeast Asia in August, then South Korea and Australia in September.

hkskyline

July 26th, 2005, 12:00 AM

Fireworks displays upset DB residents
Wendy Leung, Hong Kong Standard
July 26, 2005

http://www.thestandard.com.hk/stdn/std/Metro/images/fire0726.jpg
Disneyland rehearses for its nightly fireworks display. SING TAO

More than 30 complaints about fireworks displays at Disneyland have been received by the Islands District Council from Discovery Bay residents.

But an attempt by Islands District councillor Amy Yung to get two compromise proposals discussed by the Environmental Protection Department's environment improvement and food hygiene committee meeting Monday got nowhere.

The government instead issued an environmental permit allowing Disney to put on a nightly show after it opens on September 12.

"The public was not consulted when Sunny Bay was selected as the site for Disneyland. Now our two requests concerning the reduction of pollution have been rejected," Yung said.

She said her main aim in bringing up the issue was to urge Disney to use a gunpowder-less, compressed-air technology to launch its fireworks.

This new technology uses compressed air to lift the fireworks, instead of gunpowder. It is quieter and causes less air pollution.

"It can effectively help reduce air and noise pollution. It will also lower the risks during the transportation and storage as well as the fireworks displays," Yung said.

She also proposed that Disney abandons fireworks displays on nights when pollution is high.

But instead of a discussion, Yung was given a written response which did not include a convincing explanation as to why her proposal was declined.

The EPD said that the Environmental Impact Assessment report for Disney had been approved, and an Environmental Permit was issued under the EIA Ordinance for the construction and operation of Disney, including the fireworks displays.

Disneyland spokeswoman Esther Wong said that, as Disney theme parks are configured differently, the use of an air launch was not feasible or effective in places like Hong Kong Disney.

"The trial methodology and the results of the trial tests show that the fireworks shows comply with all the requirements set forth by the EIA," Wong said.

But Yung said the reports of the two fireworks tests were not complete and that some data were missing. "Discovery Bay is a quiet place and the nightly fireworks displays are almost certain to irritate the residents," Yung said. "We thought our suggested compromises were reasonable, but these were rejected."

Isan

July 26th, 2005, 10:23 PM

香港迪士尼地鐵站充滿歐洲風情
2005-07-26 12:19／黃重添梁偉雄

香港迪士尼樂園月份即將開幕，而香港現在有一條專為迪士尼樂園而設的地鐵專線，地鐵車站有198個米老鼠的圖案，相當可愛，跟著新聞鏡頭，一起去看看這個充滿迪士尼特色的地鐵車站。

從首次曝光的香港迪士尼樂園車站，可以感受到充滿十九世紀維多利亞女皇時代的歐洲特色，支柱上掛有古典大鐘，鐵路服務員和服務大使也穿上維多利亞時代的服飾，仿如穿越時光隧道，從現代香港回到19世紀的歐洲。

整個車站以墨綠色及咖啡色為主色，198個米老鼠的圖案分別隱藏在天幕的橫樑和燈架上，不過可能要花點眼力才能一一找得出來，為免等不及的迪士尼迷急於到迪士尼車站觀光，造成人滿為患，香港地鐵公司作出了以下的呼籲。

香港地鐵公司車務主管劉焯民：「8月1日開始的這兩個星期，就不用急著來搭這條專線，我們是歡迎你來搭，但就不用急著來，使車站很擁擠的。」

8月1日通車的迪士尼地鐵支線，耗資折合台幣80億元興建，是香港首條無人駕駛的地鐵，只有欣澳和迪士尼兩個車站，旅客可以乘坐市區的的地鐵接駁，由欣澳站至迪士尼站單程成人車費折合台幣為25元，每卡車廂內有48個座位，最多可容納180人，每4至10分鐘就有一班。
新聞來源：TVBS

Isan

July 26th, 2005, 10:25 PM

香港迪士尼夜間放煙火附近居民抗議
2005-07-26 12:39

香港迪士尼樂園即將開幕，迪士尼最近晚間試放煙火，引起附近居民抗議連連。不過，港府不理會民眾抗議，昨天核發許可證，准許這座造價三十億美元的主題樂園開幕時施放煙火。香港迪士尼樂園預定九月開幕，在開幕期間，將夜夜施放煙火。最近這幾個月，迪士尼已經進行多次測試。當地的議員試圖說服迪士尼使用壓縮氣體高科技來施放煙火，這樣一來，就可以降低噪音及空氣污染。這名議員的訴求獲得附近居民大力支持，但是迪士尼發言人表示，目前在香港還沒有辦法實施這種新技術的煙火。而且香港迪士尼遵守所有相關規定試放煙火，並無違法之處。

新聞來源：中廣新聞網

E=mc²

July 28th, 2005, 02:44 AM

HK's Disneyland will much smaller compared to other Disneylands.. I like Tokyo Disneyland better :|

Manila-X

July 28th, 2005, 09:06 AM

It would be better to compare once the HK Disneyland is completed and you've visited it. HK Disneyland is an alternative to Tokyo Disneyland asia-wise

Those Disney MTR trains look impressive

Scorpion King

July 30th, 2005, 04:36 AM

wowwwwwwww Love to Go Back to see DL

Isan

July 31st, 2005, 12:29 AM

傳上海迪士尼2012年開幕面積較港大3倍
2005-07-30 13:12／中央社記者盧健輝香港三十日電

香港經濟日報今天報導，上海迪士尼樂園已有明確計劃，籌備工作明年中開始，預計二零一二年開業，較香港迪士尼面積大三倍，而且上海迪士尼則比香港迪士尼第二期早兩年落成。

報導指出，對於上海迪士尼會否在二零一二年落成，迪士尼發言人重申，即使達成協議在中國開設第二家主題公園，亦不可能在二零一零年前在上海開幕；但上海迪士尼會否在二零一二年開幕，發言人則不作進一步回應，只強調現在只專注在香港的開幕事宜。而港府發言人回應亦相同。

迪士尼一直公開否認，二零一零年前在中國興建第二個迪士尼。報導引述可靠消息人士說，上海迪士尼將於明年開始設計；二零零八年開始建造；但卻不會趕在二零一零年上海世界博覽會前落成，而是待二零一二年才啟用。整個籌備興建過程約為六年，需時與香港迪士尼相若。上海迪士尼顧客對象絕大部分是中國人；香港迪士尼預計每年五百六十萬人次，中國客佔三分之一。

報導指出，上海市與迪士尼公司商訂樂園落戶，雙方有關人員近期多次往來，兩周前上海一批官員曾來港考察香港方面開幕的準備；負責香港迪士尼管理及專業人員今年底至明年初陸續被調派到上海，作前期籌備工作。香港方面則再招聘，發展第二期主題公園。

據了解，首批從美國來港迪士尼樂園設計及規劃師，已逐步轉移工作陣線，調往上海，明年中起作詳細規劃。上海預留了浦東新區川沙鎮近五百公頃土地，與港樂園第一期擴建比較，面積大三倍。按其初步計劃，上海迪士尼內不會像香港般有多間酒店。

上海過去一直與香港爭奪迪士尼到自己地方興建，在北京中央政府介入後，一九九九年前才讓給了香港。

迪士尼與港府商談時，其中默契是樂園在今年啟用前，不會在中國興建另一個，以避免互相搶客，影響收益。
新聞來源：中央社

Isan

August 1st, 2005, 07:19 AM

迪士尼地鐵今通車　遊客先過乾隱

香港迪士尼即將在下個月開幕，不過有興趣的民眾可以率先體驗一下迪士尼，第一班迪士尼地鐵今天一早在香港正式通車，大約有200多名香港民眾，一早搶搭頭班車，到迪士尼車站先過過乾癮。

早上6點15分，第一班迪士尼地鐵從欣澳站開出，米奇圖案的窗戶，讓大家一眼就知道它是開往迪士尼樂園，有不少人一早就趕來撘頭班車。

香港民眾：「好開心可以坐上頭班車，因為這次迪士尼車，的主題是比較特別，是用很多迪士尼人物，來做這班列車。」

香港民眾：「香港迪士尼樂園，在香港開幕是一件盛事，我想參與其中。」

車站廣場的噴水池，米奇站在衝浪板上左右搖晃，讓遊客拿起相機拍個不停，雖然樂園還沒開幕，不過大家還是興奮的到處閒晃，而這個擁有19世紀歐洲風味的車站，更是迪士尼迷可以率先體驗歡樂氣氛的地點，這些有如穿梭時空來到香港的地鐵服務生，將會展現熱情招待所有遊客，這條花費約台幣80億元的迪士尼地鐵，預料在假日期間，會湧入更多的迪士尼迷。

Isan

August 1st, 2005, 07:57 AM

Disney in fireworks row
Wendy Leung - The Standard
August 1, 2005

http://www.thestandard.com.hk/stdn/std/Front_Page/images/fire0801.jpg

Company claims environmentally friendly pyrotechnics are impossible on Lantau despite complaints

Hong Kong Disneyland is facing pressure to consider a quieter, more environmentally friendly technology that can significantly reduce pollution from its nightly fireworks displays when the park opens next month.

Air-launch technology, which uses compressed air to launch the pyrotechnics as an alternative to gunpowder, in combination with low-gunpowder fireworks, reduces noise and air pollution levels caused by fireworks by up to 60 percent and is currently used by California's Disneyland under an agreement with state pollution-control authorities.

Despite complaints from residents, Hong Kong Disneyland has so far rejected the new fireworks technology, which made its debut earlier this year, saying it is technically impossible and ''unnecessary'' for the SAR.

However, in an Orlando Business Journal article published last year entitled ''Smoke-free pyrotechnics, the future of theme park fireworks'' - the spokeswoman for Walt Disney Imagineering, Marilyn Waters, was quoted as saying ''it's possible the next place to install the new [air-launch] system will be the new Disney theme park in Hong Kong.''

When contacted by The Standard, Waters was somewhat reticent.

''We have consistently said that the air-launch system will be implemented in other Disney theme parks where it makes sense to do so,'' she said.

California Disney's chief scientist Ben Schwegler, who was involved in developing the air-launch system, declined to comment on whether it can be deployed in Hong Kong.

Waters said it was ``too complicated to explain'' why the system could not be used in Hong Kong.

California Disney began using environmentally friendly fireworks in addition to the air-launch system in June.

According to Sam Atwood, media manager for the agency responsible for pollution control in Southern California, the South Coast Air Quality Management District, air-launch technology combined with low-gunpowder fireworks reduced emissions by 50 to 60 percent.

He told The Standard that California's Disneyland Resort signed an agreement with the agency last year to embark on a gunpowder elimination strategy for its displays. Under the agreement, Disney was to take three steps: deploy air-launch technology; use a ``low-smoke substitute'' for gunpowder as an interim measure; and eventually switch to an ultra low gunpowder substitute.

The agreement came after Los Angeles residents complained for years about the nightly fireworks, demanding that Disney should stop the shows when pollution is high.

``The complaints were for smoke and fallout of particles,'' said Atwood.

After Hong Kong Disneyland's May fireworks trials, the Islands District Council received 31 complaints.

Hong Kong Disneyland spokeswoman Esther Wong said she is not aware of the California agreement but added that Hong Kong and California Disney have been working closely together on fireworks technology.

She said deploying air-launch technology is technically impossible for Hong Kong because the system is not suitable for low-level fireworks displays.

However, a local pyrotechnician told The Standard that the advantage of using the air-launch system is that it controls the height of explosions and is thus suitable for low-level firework shows.

``Air-launch technology gives you more flexibility than gunpowder,'' the pyrotechnician said.

Julie Heckman, executive director of the American Pyrotechnics Association, said, ``air launch may be suitable for both low-level and high-level fireworks.''

Both Heckman and Australian Pyrotechnics Association chairman Mike Moir said air-launch is costly and requires expensive and bulky equipment that is not practical for a one-off fireworks show.

But they said it should be suitable on a fixed site such as Hong Kong Disneyland.

California Disney's Web site praises the air launch technology because it ``significantly reduces ground-level smoke and noise while continuing to provide a highly entertaining show.''

But Hong Kong Disneyland's Wong said: ``The air launch system would not have any effects on noise levels at [nearby] Discovery Bay and Peng Chau [Island], as the [fireworks display] is inside the theme park.''

Moir pointed out, however, that compressed-air technology reduces smoke to almost nothing at the point of launch, and also reduces noise levels by approximately 60 per cent.

``Reducing smoke and noise at ground levels will have a dramatic effect on improving pollution,'' he said.

``Using common sense, the reduction of smoke and noise, even at the ground level, should help reduce air and noise pollution. But we still have to observe the real situation,'' said Jimmy Yu, a chemistry professor in the Chinese University.

Choy So-yuk, environmental affairs panel chairwoman in the Legislative Council, demanded Disney use the new environmentally friendly fireworks technology.

She said that the government, which holds a majority stake in Hong Kong Disneyland, should press Disney to explain why it is not using the new technology.

``Since I know there is a new technology which can be applied to Hong Kong, I will ask the Legislative Council to follow up,'' said Choy.

The Environment Protection Department said last week it ordered Disney to undertake an additional monitoring program this month, following criticism of its fireworks trials. Disney held trial firework displays May 6 and 7 at the park's Penny's Bay location on Lantau, during which air quality was monitored at five locations.

The locations included three areas within the theme park and two ``off- site'' areas in neighboring Peng Chau and Discovery Bay, both 2.7 kilometers from the fireworks.

Although the Disney report insisted the firework trial result showed that it had satisfied ``all detection limits on all parameters,'' the Advisory Council on the Environment criticized it July 11, saying the fireworks trials were flawed as the data was based on only two days, when the ``winds were mild,'' and also that one of the instruments used to test suspended air particles failed on one trial day. Noise pollution data was also reportedly compromised by ``extraneous noise.''

Isan

August 4th, 2005, 02:36 AM

香港迪士尼商品採用立體防偽雷射標籤
2005-08-03 12:35／中央社記者陳倖嫚香港三日電

不知是否香港盜版問題嚴重，香港迪士尼樂園為了防止商品被假冒，從美國引進「三維防偽雷射標籤」，是全球唯一引進這種防偽標籤的迪士尼主題公園。

官方香港電台報導，「三維防偽雷射標籤」內有城堡圖案立體設計，標籤不能重覆使用，目前只有美國擁有生產這種標籤的技術。

不過，迪士尼公司不肯評論是否因為香港盜版問題嚴重，但強調十分重視智慧財產權。

香港迪士尼樂園的五千款商品，八成是樂園內獨家販售，不少加入中國元素，首次發售的水墨畫版米老鼠商品，由中國畫家繪畫。迪士尼並與香港餅家合作，推出多款中式糕餅。
新聞來源：中央社

hkskyline

August 4th, 2005, 02:40 AM

Disney fever brings economic benefits to Hong Kong

HONG KONG, Aug 3 (Reuters) - As Disney puts the finishing touches to its Hong Kong theme park, the territory has high hopes for the entertainment giant's contribution to the local economy.

Due to open next month, the US$1.8 billion Hong Kong Disneyland on Lantau Island will create thousands of jobs for a city grappling with severe unemployment and will fuel a boom in tourism that is already spurring the economy.

"It's a psychological boost," said Paul Tang, senior economist at Bank of East Asia. "It will attract tourists not just from mainland China but other destinations and stimulate domestic spending because local people will go to Disneyland."

With just six weeks to the opening, Disney fever is rife.

On Monday 18,000 people turned up just to ride a train to the new Disney Resort station. Meanwhile, property sales in neighbouring Tung Chung town have quadrupled in the past month, newspapers reported.

Enthusiasm for the project prompted investment house CLSA to upgrade its 2005 gross domestic product forecast for Hong Kong to 6.7 percent from 6.4 percent early this year, and its 2006 forecast to 6.5 percent from 6.1 percent.

Disneyland would boost consumer spending, offset rising interest rates and lift the local stock market, it said.

Some 5.6 million visitors are expected at the park in its first year, accelerating a tourism boom triggered by Beijing's easing of travel restrictions.

FAMILY MARKET

Spending by Chinese visitors increased to 12 percent of Hong Kong's retail sales in 2004 from 5 percent in 2000, says Goldman Sachs, and that spending power has been enhanced by the recent appreciation of the Chinese yuan.

Mickey Mouse and Snow White have recently been on promotional trips to China, and the Hong Kong Tourism Board expects a record 23 million visitors in Hong Kong this year, more than half from China.

Hong Kong Disneyland says the park, which includes two hotels, will draw a new class of visitor to the territory.

"We hope to bring more family tourists to Hong Kong," a spokeswoman said.

The Hong Kong government, a joint venture partner in Hong Kong Disneyland with Walt Disney Co. , estimates the park will generate HK$148.5 billion (US$19 billion) in revenue over 40 years, create 18,000 jobs across the economy in its first year and another 36,000 jobs in the next two decades.

The government has invested over US$1.7 billion in infrastructure for the project, mainly on reclaiming land from the sea and on road links.

"Job creation will be a fillip," said Mohan Singh, head of Asian consumer research at BNP Paribas Peregrine, as the city is struggling with near 6 percent unemployment.

Singh recommends investors buy shares in local consumer companies, such as retailer Giordano International Ltd , which is selling Disney T-shirts, and those with franchises at the park.

Jewellery retailer Hang Fung Gold Technology Ltd , expects a 30 percent surge in sales once Disneyland opens.

Not everyone is thrilled by Disney's arrival though.

Residents at Discovery Bay on Lantau have complained about pollution from fireworks at Disneyland and many Hong Kongers have balked at the park's US$38 entry fee.

Still, Internet tickets for the opening day are sold out.

Hong Kong Disneyland predicts visitor numbers will reach 10 million a year within a few years. That would be well below the 25 million a year that Tokyo Disneyland attracts, although a second phase is planned for the Hong Kong park.

For the longer term the outlook is more cloudy: reports say a Disneyland in Shanghai is planned for 2012 that will be four times the size of the Hong Kong park. (US$=HK$7.8)

raymond_tung88

August 5th, 2005, 07:09 AM

Don't worry guys. Although HK Disneyland will not be as big and have as many attractions as the other Disney parks, there will be a LOT of tourism simply because of all the tourists coming to HK from the mainland.

IMO, there's always an expansion that Disney can build. Also that plan of building one in Shanghai sounds good... although I think China should diversify its parks and build a Universal Studios there instead...

hkskyline

August 7th, 2005, 04:18 AM

Disney stages new test, but it's all quiet in Discovery Bay
Winnie Yeung
4 August 2005
South China Morning Post

The latest fireworks test run staged at the Disneyland site in Penny's Bay last night passed a noise test in nearby Discovery Bay.

About 40 residents turned out to watch the display, which began half an hour later than scheduled at 9.30pm.

Fireworks rose into the night sky but spectators on the beach said they detected little noise.

The only sounds that could be heard were screams from children thrilled with the display.

"It is beautiful and I am happy," said four-year-old Carine Au Ka-yu. Although there was little noise from the 15-minute firecracker display, Wong Sin-lun, who has lived in Discovery Bay for 15 years, said he had enjoyed the show.

"The effect is really mild, which I think is acceptable," he said.

Islands district councillor Amy Yung Wing-sheung said the noise from the fireworks display was acceptable given that the events would be staged nightly after the theme park opens.

But she criticised the park for not consulting residents directly and urged the government to closely monitor the effect on the environment.

Six more rehearsals will be held up to August 15 before the park's main rehearsal on August 16.

Disney last month won official backing for its fireworks after deeming its own tests met environmental standards, despite gaps in the information it provided to an environmental watchdog.

The Advisory Council on the Environment said in July that a fireworks trial on May 6 and 7 met noise and air quality requirements in general but it wanted Disney to provide more information.

hkskyline

August 7th, 2005, 04:47 AM

By "LE3009" from a Hong Kong transport forum :

http://www.tintinphoto.com/tintinphoto/imgFiles/personal/637136G4s9G.jpg

http://www.tintinphoto.com/tintinphoto/imgFiles/personal/6371371q904.jpg

http://www.tintinphoto.com/tintinphoto/imgFiles/personal/637138l5cfl.jpg

http://www.tintinphoto.com/tintinphoto/imgFiles/personal/637152iudgq.jpg

http://www.tintinphoto.com/tintinphoto/imgFiles/personal/637142yC4Qy.jpg

http://www.tintinphoto.com/tintinphoto/imgFiles/personal/637148j580k.jpg

http://www.tintinphoto.com/tintinphoto/imgFiles/personal/637153e2wyf.jpg

Isan

August 7th, 2005, 05:15 AM

Some Pic taken from freind on June

http://tinypic.com/a30b4o.jpg

http://tinypic.com/a30bcm.jpg

http://tinypic.com/a30bjk.jpg

hkskyline

August 8th, 2005, 04:52 AM

Report: Hundreds of stray dogs roaming Hong Kong Disneyland raise concerns
6 August 2005

HONG KONG (AP) - Hundreds of wild dogs are roaming around Hong Kong Disneyland's grounds a month before the park opens, raising concerns that guests and staff could be attacked, a Disney spokeswoman and a news report said Sunday.

Park officials are seeking advice from animal experts -- including the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals -- on how to clear out the dogs, which haven't attacked anyone, said Hong Kong Disneyland spokeswoman Esther Wong.

Packs of dogs surface by the hundreds from neighboring hills after dark and pester staff, The South China Morning Post reported Sunday. Wong said she didn't know how many dogs wander the theme park.

Hong Kong Disneyland, which is scheduled to open Sept. 12., is located on reclaimed land on the outlying Lantau island, which is sparsely populated.

The dog issue came under scrutiny two weeks ago when the Post reported that Disneyland staff were using the animals as guard dogs, which were later rounded up and killed. The accusations drew criticism from animal activists.

The park denied using any as guard dogs, but Hong Kong's conservation department confirmed 45 dogs had been caught around Disneyland since May, and some had been euthanized.

Isan

August 8th, 2005, 10:49 AM

四萬市民逼爆迪士尼線
2005-8-8
圖：迪士尼噴水池吸引大批市民參觀（本報攝）

【大公報訊】全球唯一專為迪士尼主題公園而設的鐵路專線─香港地鐵迪士尼線自本月一日啟用後，昨日踏入首個星期天；儘管是天氣炎熱，仍無損大批市民扶老攜幼試乘專線的意欲。截至昨晚八時，已吸引近三萬八千人次來回試搭列車，較前日高出一倍，其間地鐵曾將列車加密至每四分鐘一班疏導人潮。

迪士尼站昨日全日均擠滿人群，尤如上下班繁忙時間，但秩序良好。

http://www.takungpao.com/news/images/20050808-gw-42.jpg
噴水池最受歡迎

記者所見，昨日到場參觀的市民，甫登車已急不及待拿著相機不停為車廂內的迪士尼物品拍照，包括「米奇頭」車窗、迪士尼人物銅像，而迪士尼站的維多利亞懷舊式設計，亦深得拍照人士喜愛。但若論最受歡迎的，始終是距離迪士尼站二百多米，位於迎樂路上的米奇鯨魚噴水池，該噴水池上的米奇老鼠踏著噴水鯨魚的水柱，高高低低在滑浪，引得大人細路童心盡現。

由於昨晚適逢迪士尼於九時至九時半進行煙花總綵排，距離綵排前一小時，迪士尼專線已是座無虛席，而逗留在噴水池前等待欣賞煙花的有逾千人。

Isan

August 9th, 2005, 08:08 PM

香港迪士尼九月十二日才開幕，但越接近開幕，其公關造勢活動就越頻繁。地鐵迪士尼專線八月一日開通，就提前造勢，引起廣泛興趣，愛湊熱鬧的香港人，當然不會錯過迪士尼地鐵的首航式。

迪士尼地鐵從欣澳站到迪士尼主題公園，其實只有短短的三分鐘車程，這短短的一站路，收費是六港元。以單位時間計，每分鐘車程付出二港元，這在香港是第二貴的交通工具。

第一貴是機場快線，車程是約三十分鐘，折扣後的車資是一百港元，則每分鐘約三港元。

而這欣澳站是孤零零地在機鐵快線上，到欣澳站之前，旅客分別要從青衣站、九龍站、香港站等，搭乘機鐵東涌線來轉乘，這樣又要付出東涌線的最多十三港元左右的車資。

就算未來有別的交通工具接駁到欣澳站迪士尼專線，多數本地人不會那麼麻煩去轉乘，專門來坐這三分鐘的地鐵車，不如直接搭巴士、乘的士等到迪士尼，當然的士可能因要收三十港元的過路費而略貴。

旅行團方面，相信多數旅行團也是有觀光大巴接送，不會由導遊像趕鴨子那樣，不斷轉乘地鐵。

雖然如此，這條短短的迪士尼專線，大概只會賺不會虧，因為以迪士尼計算的首年到香港迪士尼公園遊客有五百六十萬計，那怕只有三成約二百萬乘客，地鐵就收回票務費一千二百萬港元，而那短短的幾公里火車線，是極好維護，營運成本會極低，這大概也是一個低投資、低成本、高回報的投資案例。（朗然）

2005-08-09

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香港地鐵迪士尼支線在今天上午6點15分正式通車。

許多民眾特地起個大早，搶搭第一班彩繪著卡通圖案的迪士尼列車。

迪士尼首班列車是在早上6點15分由欣澳站開往迪士尼站，第一個小時內就有大約有200名乘客搭乘。

現階段維持每10分鐘一班車，末班車是凌晨12點40分，搭上列車的市民都稱讚車廂的設計新穎漂亮，他們特別喜歡車廂內的迪士尼卡通人物銅像以及柔軟的沙發。

http://news.xinhuanet.com/photo/2005-04/25/xin_59204022522342182058236.jpg

Isan

August 9th, 2005, 08:11 PM

香港迪士尼樂園兩家飯店首度公開
【中央社記者馮昭香港九日電】

即將於九月十二日開幕的香港迪士尼樂園，今天召開國際記者會，首度公布園區內迪士尼樂園酒店和迪士尼好萊塢酒店等兩家飯店設施，其中融合維多利亞風情的迪士尼樂園酒店為旗艦飯店，最高價的總統套房售價隨入住者身分而定，有錢不一定住得到。

香港迪士尼還沒有開幕，不久前又傳出上海也可能新建迪士尼樂園，今天迪士尼人員特別消毒，強調上海迪士尼只是初步接觸階段，還沒有定案。香港迪士尼則已確定將進行第一階段的擴建工程，預期第一階段擴充完成時，將為香港帶來三萬六千個工作機會。

繼主題樂園區在七月亮相後，香港迪士尼樂園的飯店區也接近完工，迪士尼樂園及度假區副主席趙永濤指出，園區內有兩家飯店，其中融合米奇與維多利亞風情的迪士尼樂園酒店為高價位的豪華飯店，有四百間客房；有大量好萊塢電影海報的迪士尼好萊塢酒店為中價飯店，有六百間客房。

兩家飯店共同特色是，招牌卡通人物米奇老鼠隱藏在裝潢中，例如復古油畫中有米奇的大耳朵，欄杆或窗戶為米奇造型，甚至地毯上也有圓滾滾的米奇大耳朵。

隨著兩座飯店亮相，飯店內最高檔的總統套房隨之曝光，這個位於迪士尼樂園酒店頂樓的總統套房，面積一百九十六平方公尺 (約六十坪]，有大型客餐廳、廚房、更衣室，主臥房就佔了將近二十坪，但沒有公定售價，據迪士尼樂園飯店表示，訂房者必須取得迪士尼總裁批准，價格隨入住者身分與用途而定。

價格排名第二的迪士尼樂園酒店國賓廳房間，為兩房一廳設計，價格約港幣六千元 (約新台幣二萬四千元〉。迪士尼樂園酒店的一般標準房最低價一千六百港幣(約新台幣六千四百元]，迪士尼好萊塢酒店的標準房則為港幣一千元 (約新台幣四千元]起。

香港迪士尼飯店也考慮家庭旅遊可能有老人家或身心障礙者同行，迪士尼樂園酒店內有八間客房、迪士尼好萊塢酒店有十二間客房設施，是專為身心障礙者設計，廁所空間加大，並增設扶手。940809

http://tw.news1.yimg.com/tw.news.yimg.com/xp/tvbs/20050809/22/1869333201.jpg

香港迪士尼飯店　全球首度曝光！
【TVBS新聞】

香港迪士尼樂園即將在九月盛大開幕，而今天兩座嶄新的迪士尼飯店，也在全球媒體前首度曝光，其中最讓「迪士尼卡通迷」瘋狂的，就是隱藏在建築和擺設中的卡通人物；還有，包括好萊塢風格和維多莉亞式建築的飯店，更足以讓一家大小，體會米老鼠領軍的迪士尼魅力！

香港迪士尼為了照顧全家總動員的遊客，貼心的在園區推出兩間全新飯店，除了卡通人物是一定要的之外，光是放在床頭和浴室的小方巾就有20多種折法，兩種風貌不同的飯店，一個走好萊塢美式風情，從餐廳到庭院，處處都是美國風，當然想打球或是游泳，這裡都想滿足迪士尼的老朋友和小朋友，至於向來是迪士尼FANS最愛發掘的隱藏人物，也都等你一個個挖出來！

像這樣的米老鼠和米妮，在四處高掛的壁畫、檯燈甚至整棟建築裡，都有蛛絲馬跡，連點心也不例外。

除了擁有全港挑高最高的大廳，以維多莉亞式建築和裝飾藝術為主軸的另一個主題飯店，更是精緻的要你吃驚，像結合傳統五行的餐廳，讓你用各種視覺享受體會中國的金木水火土，互動式的電子魚池、象徵冒火的飲料，再加上全套健身中心，想徹底挑戰米老鼠嗎？保證你有個甜美的夢。

Isan

August 9th, 2005, 08:15 PM

香港迪士尼開幕強尼戴普將現身
【大成報記者林延洲／綜合外電報導】

香港迪士尼樂園 9 月 12 日開幕，強尼戴普、約翰屈伏塔和茱莉安德魯絲擔任特別來賓，亞洲影迷將可一睹「巧克力人旺卡」強尼的巨星風采。

安德魯絲是迪士尼樂園的官方大使，強尼拍過迪士尼公司的「神鬼奇航」和「尋找新樂園」，約翰屈伏塔也演過1998年的「法網邊緣」，都和迪士尼有淵源，其中最受矚目的，就是近年大紅特紅的強哥，這也是強尼首次蒞臨日本以外的亞洲國家。

據傳強尼等3人將在開幕典禮晚宴現身，但迪士尼樂園當局「不予置評」，僅說會盡力把開幕典禮辦的風光。

迪士尼樂園以32億美元打造，預計每年能吸引 500 萬名遊客，它的開幕是今年亞洲一大旅遊盛事。

Isan

August 9th, 2005, 08:22 PM

香港迪士尼撲殺流浪狗愛護動物團體痛批

香港迪士尼撲殺流浪狗，引發愛護動物團體的抨擊。

據報導，環境署應香港迪士尼樂園之請，最近派遣捕狗大隊，在迪士尼園區內，捕捉了45隻流浪狗，除了其中的三隻透過拯救動物組織找到收養人之外，其餘的都被注射毒針撲殺。有人投書南華早報說，這些狗都是建築工人飼養，在迪士尼樂園施工期間，牠們負責看守工地，工程結束後，許多狗被工人棄養，投書者說，這些狗好歹也替迪士尼賣過命，迪士尼多少也該對牠們負一點道義責任，怎麼可以利用完了，就棄之如敝屣，這不是一個自詡散播歡樂散播愛的企業該做的事。

迪士尼澄清，這些狗純粹就是流浪狗，絕非迪士尼的看門犬，牠們數量愈來愈多，成群結隊的出沒在園區，對人身安全構成威脅。

The fate of dogs roaming the site of Hong Kong's Disneyland theme park is causing embarrassment to the entertainment group.

Since May, Disney has called in local officials to round up and destroy at least 40 dogs, the South China Morning Post newspaper reported.

Disney, whose cartoons often portray cute animal characters, said the packs of dogs posed a threat to its staff.

"We felt that they posed a safety threat to our staff, so we asked the government to take them away," said Esther Wong, a spokeswoman for Hong Kong Disneyland.

Previously, the theme park operator has dropped shark fin soup from park menus in Hong Kong following pressure from campaigners.

Dangerous

Albert Hui, a spokesman for Hong Kong's agriculture department, said 45 dogs had been rounded up at the Disneyland site since May, the Associated Press reported.

He added that some of the animals had since been destroyed, though there were no records of how many.

"They're unofficial guard dogs," insisted Sally Andersen, of Hong Kong Dog Rescue.

"They are fed and looked after by the workers. They're friendly and used to humans."

Disney has denied that it used the animals as guard dogs at the site that is due to open on 12 September.

Shopping and leisure

Hong Kong Disneyland will be the entertainment group's second theme park in Asia, after Tokyo.

Disney hopes to tap into Hong Kong's appeal to newly-wealthy mainland Chinese and their often-pampered only children as a shopping and leisure centre.

The resort is being built on Hong Kong's outlying Lantau island, where semi-wild dogs are common.

This is the second animal-rights embarrassment Disney has suffered over the $1.8bn (£1bn) theme park.

Last month, it withdrew shark fin soup from planned banquet menus after campaigners criticised the dish - a local luxury - as cruel and destructive.

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41343000/jpg/_41343855_hkdisneygetty203b.jpg
Publicity is well underway for Hong Kong Disneyland's opening

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41343000/jpg/_41343859_disneyap203b.jpg
Disney hopes to appeal to Chinese children

Isan

August 9th, 2005, 08:30 PM

港迪士尼酒店房間預訂理想
2005-8-9

【大公網訊】香港迪士尼樂園市場及銷售副總裁陳敬考今日表示，樂園內兩間酒店房間預訂情況理想，中秋節期間的房間預訂已超過一半。

下月十二日開幕的香港迪士尼，今日招待傳媒參觀園內的兩間酒店，分別為香港迪士尼樂園酒店及迪士尼好萊塢酒店。陳敬考在發佈會上表示，兩間酒店的房間預訂情況理想，部份節日如中秋節，已接獲超過一半房間預訂。

陳敬考說，預計「十．一黃金周」會有大批內地訪港旅客到香港迪士尼遊玩，迪士尼會在邊境公佈樂園的票務情況供旅客參考，避免大量旅客湧到樂園購票造成擠迫情況。

香港迪士尼樂園酒店樓高六層，共有四百個房間，是香港迪士尼的旗艦酒店。酒店參照維多利亞式風格設計，處處洋溢維多利亞時代的懷舊風情，並加入「米奇多利亞」風格，以帶有迪士尼感覺的淺色木製傢俱等，替代維多利亞時代建築常用的深色木製傢俱及沉厚色調。

香港迪士尼樂園酒店內的一大特色，是無處不在的「隱藏米奇」，由地氈上的圖案、設施的按鈕、餐具、欄杆，甚至服務員頭戴的高身禮帽頂部，均出現米奇老鼠的大耳朵標誌。此外，酒店內有舉行迪士尼童話式婚禮的婚禮台、維多利亞水療中心，及以米奇老鼠為設計靈感的花園迷宮。

酒店樓高八層，有六百個房間的迪士尼好萊塢酒店，設計取材自裝飾派建築藝術風格，到處可見奇特趣怪的米奇老鼠裝飾。整間酒店以米奇為主題，在米奇廚師餐廳里，由食物、餐具到座椅均融入米奇標誌，而每間客房均掛上一幅充滿好萊塢電影感覺的米奇畫像。

陳敬考表示，無論是樂園門票及酒店房間的預訂情況均十分理想，集團對樂園及酒店的擴展前景甚感樂觀。

中通社八月九日電

hkskyline

August 10th, 2005, 05:30 AM

Rare eagle could be scared away by Disney fireworks
Chester Yung, Hong Kong Standard
August 10, 2005

Disneyland's nightly fireworks and laser shows at Penny's Bay are expected to attract a lot of visitors, but environmentalists warned that they could also scare away a rare bird species that breeds in the area.

A nest belonging to a white-bellied sea eagle - a species so rare that only 10 to 20 breeding pairs are thought to inhabit Hong Kong - has been found virtually on the doorstep of the Disney theme park.

An Agricultural, Fisheries and Conservation Department spokesman said Tuesday the species had been discovered in Pa Tau Kwu in north Lantau.

He said the fireworks might have a "minor impact" on the habitats.

Yu Yat-tung of the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society said the government was reaching a premature conclusion by making the claim.

He said the species is sensitive to human disturbance and fears the fireworks might cause the parent sea eagles to abandon their young.

The possibility was mentioned in a 2000 environmental impact assessment report by the Environmental Protection Department, which stated the theme park's fireworks may result in "a disturbance to the white-bellied sea eagles, leading to possible site abandonment or breeding failure as a worst-case result."

Despite the department's confidence, "we worry this threat will prove true," said Yu, adding that the birds are extremely sensitive to disturbances.

Disney has begun a series of firework rehearsals that end Monday.

The displays will become a nightly feature when the park opens September 12.

"It is too early to draw a conclusion. We have to look at the long-term impact, which can be reflected by their breeding rate," said Yu, adding that the society had observed a drop in the species' fertilization rate in recent years. "According to my understanding, there was no breeding of white-bellied sea eagles last year," he said.

The first recorded sighting of the eagles in Pa Tau Kwu was considered "the most significant finding" of the avian survey in 1999 when the department conducted its environmental impact assessment on construction projects planned for the theme park and related infrastructure.

The report said Disneyland's operations had the potential to disturb the birds through noise and light from its fireworks and laser shows, transportation noise and operational plant noise.

World Wide Fund for Nature Hong Kong senior conservation officer Alan Leung said the impact of the fireworks "cannot be underestimated" and urged the government to monitor the effect on the birds.

"If necessary, Disney should adjust the frequency as well as the location of the fireworks to minimize the disturbance," he said.

A department spokesman said no fireworks would be launched within 800 meters of Pa Tau Kwu to minimize disturbances to the birds, and said the department would monitor the situation.

The white-bellied sea eagle is about 75 centimeters long and can be found in Tolo Harbor, Mirs Bay, Port Shelter, Hong Kong Island and Lantau.

It ranges from India and Sri Lanka, as far east as New Guinea and as far south as Tasmania. In the mainland, it is found only in Guangdong and Fujian.

Isan

August 12th, 2005, 01:20 PM

The world’s most lovable Disney friends were spotted taking in the sights of Hong Kong just 33 days before the grand opening of their new home at Hong Kong Disneyland.

Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, accompanied by “cultural tour guides” - 14 children and their parents from the Hong Kong Disneyland First Family competition – started their big day out at the Avenue of Stars in Tsim Sha Tsui, where Mickey Mouse, resplendent in traditional Chinese attire, surprised onlookers with his participation in the morning tai chi session conducted by Master William Ng.

Heading next door to the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse were treated to a demonstration in the ancient art of Chinese calligraphy and were delighted when Master Li Wai Wang produced a special work featuring a “Welcome to Hong Kong” message for the Disney friends.

Next on the itinerary for Hong Kong’s newest residents was a trip aboard a true Hong Kong icon, the Star Ferry, where the First Family contestants joined Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse on the upper deck to cruise around Victoria Harbour while pointing out some of the city’s most impressive buildings on the world-famous skyline.

Disembarking at the Star Ferry Terminal at Central, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse bade farewell to their young tour guides and clambered on board one of the city’s famous “old rattlers”, the open-top tram, for a scenic tour through downtown Hong Kong. And as Mickey and Minnie waved excitedly to passersbys, delighted pedestrians extended an enthusiastic welcome to the pair.

Hong Kong Disneyland announced last month the launch of its “Coming Home” campaign, which kicked off on July 17 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the original Disneyland in Anaheim, California. In recent weeks the Coming Home Campaign, has sprung to life across Hong Kong in a series of TV spots, billboards and commemorative posters - and signaled the arrival of Disney’s most beloved friends who brought with them 50 years of fun and magic.

The Coming Home Campaign will culminate on September 12, 2005, when Hong Kong Disneyland – the very first Disney theme park in China - opens, an event which will officially mark the next chapter for Walt Disney Theme Parks.

The Hong Kong Disneyland project was announced in 1999 as a venture between The Walt Disney Company and the Hong Kong SAR Government. With the completion of reclamation for Hong Kong Disneyland Phase I by the Hong Kong SAR Government, theme park and resort construction began in January 2003, with the project now scheduled to open on 12th September, 2005. At opening day, Hong Kong Disneyland will comprise a theme park and two hotels.

The Phase I build-out includes a projected 10 million annual visitor Disneyland-style theme park, 2,100 hotel rooms, and an area for retail, dining and entertainment. The project is estimated to create 18,000 new jobs at opening (both Disney and other employment) growing to 36,000 once the first park reaches build-out. The Hong Kong SAR Government estimated that the first phase of the project will generate a present economic value of HK$148 billion (US$19 billion) in benefits to Hong Kong over a 40-year period.

http://www.asiatraveltips.com/newspics/058/DisneyHKTour3.jpg http://www.asiatraveltips.com/newspics/058/DisneyHKTour2.jpg

Isan

August 13th, 2005, 06:45 AM

迪士尼展開宣傳　米奇逛街拉人氣
記者:黃重添　梁偉雄香港報導

香港迪士尼樂園下個月即將開幕，兩個招牌卡通人物米奇和米妮開始到香港市區宣傳，乘坐渡輪和搭電車觀光遊覽，還到處手牽手逛大街，沿途果然不少小粉絲。

家喻戶曉的迪士尼卡通人物，米奇和米妮趁著香港迪士尼樂園還有一個月就要開幕的空檔，忙裡偷閒的第一次拍拖到香港市區遊覽，乘坐香港有名的天星小輪，吹著海風，欣賞美麗的維多利亞海港景色，然後乘坐電車到市區觀光，吸引了不少路人的圍觀。

米奇和米妮的突然出現，帶給小粉絲無限驚喜，和得到香港民眾的熱烈歡迎。

米奇和米妮還穿上唐裝與一群小朋友在星光大道上打起太極拳，然後又變身穿回燕尾禮服，到文化中心觀賞中國書法，書法大師還替兩隻米老鼠寫了一幅「米奇米妮」的書法大字。

米奇和米妮這一趟香港一天遊，是故意低調不通知媒體採訪，希望可以真正近距離與香港民眾接觸，擔起迪士尼融入香港社會的親善大使。

hkskyline

August 14th, 2005, 06:05 PM

Green groups keep up pressure on Disney
Gavin Bowring and Chester Yung, Hong Kong Standard
August 13, 2005

Environmentalists continued to lambast Hong Kong Disneyland Friday even though the fallout from its fireworks tests fell within permitted limits.

According to the results submitted to the Environmental Protection Department Friday, the noise levels during the fireworks rehearsal on August 8 reached 53 decibels compared with 48.7 decibels the previous day. The maximum level was 55 decibels.

As for air pollution, the highest measurement of respirable suspended particulates (RSP) on August 8 was 26 mg/m3, well below the statutory RSP criteria of 180 mg/m3.

The survey was conducted in response to a request by the EPD after results from a fireworks trial in May were criticized as being flawed.

However, critics insist the tests are inconclusive over the long-term for accumulated air pollution.

"The readings were measured under weak wind, and the analysis spanned just one day," said Mei Ng, director of the Friends of the Earth.

Ng accused Disneyland of seeking to fulfill only the minimal requirements.

Disneyland came under fire from residents of Discovery Bay and Peng Chau over what they regarded as excessive noise and smoke from the May fireworks tests.

The Islands District Council received 31 complaints after the trials.

"I still have worries that air quality in Discovery Bay and Tung Chung will get worse. Will we continue to explode these pollutants if it does?" Ng asked.

Ng described exploding fireworks as something from the 19th century.

"This is the 21st century," she said. "Why can't we look at other alternatives, such as more eco-friendly fireworks technology? Surely, equal entertainment can be achieved with zero pollution," she said.

Ng's call follows The Standard report on August 1 that Hong Kong Disneyland is reluctant to introduce the more environmentally-friendly fireworks used in California under an agreement with the US state's pollution control authorities.

These "air-launch" fireworks use compressed air and cleaner gunpowder that reduce noise and air pollution levels caused by fireworks by up to 60 percent.

Ng said that Disneyland officials are "hiding behind their non-commitment of comparing the technology of California with Hong Kong.

"How can Disney, as a multi-national company, maintain double standards?

"This only demonstrates their minimal regard for social responsiblity," Ng said.

Ng stressed that Hong Kong people should be informed of the different technologies involved, as well as the costs, and that a decision should be left to the citizens themselves.

"Furthermore, the government, as a major investor and shareholder in this venture, should explain to the public whether or not it agrees with Disneyland's minimum standards compliance," Ng said.

"This isn't Paris or Tokyo or California," Ng said. "The park is based alongside highly densely populated communities in an area that is already extremely polluted."

hkskyline

August 16th, 2005, 07:17 AM

By EH4312 from a Hong Kong transport forum :

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hkskyline

August 17th, 2005, 12:15 AM

Disneyland put to the test during rehearsals
Wendy Leung, Hong Kong Standard
August 17, 2005

Five thousand "visitors'' - made up of Disneyland staff and their families, business partners and contractors - braved the heat and damp Tuesday to put the Penny's Bay theme park through a dry-run rehearsal ahead of its grand opening September 12.

Guests arriving in the morning were greeted by Mickey and Minnie, who were immediately swamped for photo sessions.

"I'm so excited to be here for the first-day rehearsal,'' chimed one little girl. "I just want to see Mickey and Minnie.''

The rehearsal period will last almost four weeks to ensure all the rides and other attractions are ship-shape for the opening, Disney managing director of operations Bill Ernest said.

All rides, shops and transport facilities were up and running Tuesday. To make the rehearsals as realistic as possible, the park will operate for the full opening hours of 10am to 9pm. The nightly fireworks start at 8pm.

Monet Maelle from France said the Hong Kong Disneyland is much smaller than the one in Paris, "but the Space Mountain is very exciting. The souvenirs and food are cheaper.''

The Ma family was very satisfied with the service of Disney staff. "The waiting time of the rides is not too long. The staff are very nice and the atmosphere inside the park is very good. We will stay for the fireworks show before leaving,'' Mr Ma said.

The Mok family, though, expressed disappointment, saying the park is too small.

Others complained some of the washrooms around the Inspiration Lake were messy. "There was toilet paper all over the floor,''one woman said.

Isan

August 17th, 2005, 03:17 AM

【本報香港訊】香港迪士尼樂園開幕在即，雖然警方暫未接獲情報指香港迪士尼可能遭受恐怖襲擊，但因美國企業一直是恐怖活動的攻擊對象，警方亦未敢掉以輕心。據悉，警方將於本周四晚在樂園進行大規模的反恐演習，屆時警方更會派出拆彈車到場模擬拆除炸彈危險物品，演習將由深夜進行至翌日凌晨。

香港迪士尼樂園開幕可容納三萬名旅客進場，警方對樂園已進行風險評估及制訂反恐應變措施。目前，香港迪士尼樂園內的保安由樂園負責，樂園已聘請逾百名保安員；而警方則只負責巡邏樂園外圍及車站，不會在樂園內站崗，不過一旦發生重大事故，大嶼山警區及新界南總區會調派衝鋒隊或機動部隊支援。據悉，樂園內設有九條緊急通道，供緊急部隊使用。

2005-08-16

香港迪士尼樂園將於9月12日揭幕，當局決定於當日發行郵票小型張、金郵票小型張及明信片。（圖片由港府提供）（中央社）

http://www.worldjournal.com/news_pics/b122013040202_40202032.JPG

Isan

August 18th, 2005, 01:53 AM

開幕在即香港迪士尼彩排門票炒漲四倍
2005-08-17 11:56／中央社台北十七日電

預訂在九月十二日正式開幕前十八天推出香港迪士尼樂園總彩排活動，包括彩排和開幕當天的門票都在網路上被炒得熱滾滾。香港文匯報報導，包括台灣、香港、北京、上海等地的網友，在網路上叫賣門票、迪士尼精品，部分價格已經被哄抬到四倍以上。

今年六月份還因為選在九月開幕，而不被旅遊業看好的香港迪士尼樂園，離開幕時間愈近行情愈好。報導指出，由於總彩排和開幕當天的門票求大於供，給了網拍的運作空間，有人上網賣門票，更多人上網買票。

原本迪士尼公司預計總彩排的門票是大人三百五十元港幣、兒童票二百五十元、老人票二百元，報導指出，現在網路上已經叫價到一張票一千元以上。連不公開對外賣票的一些彩排日門票也很搶手。

報導指出，香港迪士尼公司表示，在網上公然炒賣門票和精品的行為是違法。由於許多票都是透過與迪士尼有合作關係的信用卡公司或其他團體送出的，對此迪士尼表示會密切留意。
新聞來源：中央社

hkskyline

August 18th, 2005, 05:58 AM

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_00_deathscar

August 18th, 2005, 02:30 PM

I went on the 'opening' rehearsal day.

Bit small, but fucking brilliant!

EricIsHim

August 18th, 2005, 10:21 PM

http://www.tintinphoto.com/tintinphoto/imgFiles/personal/647705B5WZK.jpg

Disneyland used HK's flag to indicate traditional chinese.
I'm wonder what does Disney use for simplified chinese and englihs.

vvill

August 21st, 2005, 02:55 PM

sorry guys.. i understand the quality of the pictures aren't great cos it's been raining like mad today and i was in a car so couldn't really get out to take some quality photos! hope you guys will still enjoy.. hehe.

Tsing Ma Bridge
http://www.willienet.net/photos/dlhktsingma.jpg

Kap Shui Mun Bridge
http://www.willienet.net/photos/dlhktsingma2.jpg

Access Road from North Lantau Expressway
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Highway towards Hong Kong Disneyland Resort
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Main Entrance Sign
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Space Mountain in Disneyland at a distance
http://www.willienet.net/photos/dlhkspacemountain.jpg

Main Roads within Disneyland Resort
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Disneyland Hotel Hong Kong
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Hollywood Hotel
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:)

vincent

August 22nd, 2005, 08:20 AM

i think the blue color for that hotel kind of look weird. I thought it is supposed to be art-deco style. Maybe we can't see it clearly til we get really close.

hkskyline

August 23rd, 2005, 08:08 PM

Disneyland 'not delivering' on its green promises
Wendy Leung, Hong Kong Standard
August 24, 2005

Hong Kong Disneyland will not be quite "cut off from the rest of Hong Kong," environmentalists say.

Mei Ng, former director of Friends of the Earth, said Thursday that Disneyland is promising too much and under-delivering.

She was referring to Disney's promotions saying that visitors will find themselves "cut off from the rest of the world" once inside the theme park.

"Disney used such glorified words in the beginning," Ng said. "In 2002, it promised to camouflage unsightly fixtures such as chimneys, and said it would create a natural green buffer zone around the park."

Chu Hon-keung, of Friends of the Earth, said aircraft are still visible from the park, as are two buildings and even the Penny's Bay CLP Power plant. There is also a construction site next to the park, Chu said.

Hong Kong Disneyland spokeswoman Esther Wong said Disneyland, in principle, is "a fantasy land."

"We promise our guests will enter the world of fantasy. Through our entertainment and facilities, we will provide a magical environment and deliver the promise everyday," she said.

But, on a more prosaic note, Friends of the Earth members said after visiting the park on its final rehearsal day that the theme park should use fewer plastic food containers and provide more recycling bins.

Disney's Wong would not say if the park would heed this advice, but maintained: "We value the issue of environmental protection. We always look for opportunities to minimize waste."

The park's five self-service restaurants use degradable plastic food containers, and recycling bins are easily accessible to guests, Wong said.

But Chu said that Disneyland, as a multinational corporation trying to present a strong corporate social responsibility image, should reduce waste in all ways possible and encourage visitors to be more environmentally friendly.

In a report submitted to the Environmental Protection Department earlier this month, Disney expects its daily waste to be 20 tonnes from catering facilities and 100 kilograms from the fireworks displays. The company will provide the department with a monthly waste audit after the park opens September 12.

hkskyline

August 28th, 2005, 08:36 PM

HK companies unveil plans to increase HK Disneyland's attraction
24 August 2005

HONG KONG, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong companies of different industries on Wednesday announced plans which help increase attraction of Hong Kong Disneyland.

Cathay Pacific Airways said that it will fly some 600 journalists to experience Hong Kong's attractions and the opening ceremony of Hong Kong Disneyland.

Those reporters will come from 19 Cathay Pacific destinations including Beijing, Manila, Tokyo, Sydney, New York and some other cities.

To help bring in more tourists and conferences to Hong Kong, the airline has created special Disney tour packages available to overseas visitors to attract them to the city. Deals include return airfares, hotel accommodation and park entrance.

Cathay Pacific General Manager Marketing Charlie-Stewart Cox said that Disneyland will add to Hong Kong stature as a world-class tourist destination.

At the same day, Lee Kim Kee, a worldwide famous brand name for Chinese sauces, announced an alliance with Hong Kong Disneyland.

Lee Kim Kee said that it will provide a variety of savory sauces whilst also featuring new sauces created especially for Hong Kong Disneyland.

hkskyline

August 28th, 2005, 08:40 PM

Minibuses protest at Disneyland route denial
Wendy Leung
25 August 2005
Hong Kong Standard

Minibus drivers Wednesday threatened to cause road chaos on the opening day of Hong Kong Disneyland if they are not allowed to take passengers to the theme park.

They also accused the government of colluding with the big transport companies, thereby forcing Disneyland patrons to pay more than they should to get there.

Accusations came during a protest "slow drive" from Sham Shui Po to Wan Chai by more than 20 minibus drivers Wednesday. Disneyland officially opens September 12 and to date the government has only granted transport franchise licenses to buses, taxis and the Mass Transport Railway Corporation. Nonfranchised buses are allowed into the area if chartered by tour groups.

"I cannot see any other reason except discrimination," said Lai Ming- hung, chairman of an alliance representing a group of minibus operators.

"Even nonfranchised bus are allowed to enter Disneyland. This is grossly unfair," Lai said.

"Obviously, the government is in cahoots with the business sector. The interests of citizens are being sacrificed as the fares proposed by minibus drivers are cheaper than those being charged by bus companies. Patrons to the park are being forced to pay more."

The fare set by City Bus for the run from Yau Tong to the theme park is HK$38. Lai said the alliance had proposed a fare of about HK$25.

A Transport Department spokeswoman said a request from the alliance had been received and was being studied.

"Certainly, we are not discriminating [against minibuses].We will look at the traffic situation and consider actual traffic demands after Disneyland's opening on September 12," the spokeswoman said.

To avoid traffic chaos, she said, the department is concentrating on mass transport systems such as the MTR and franchised bus companies.

"Taxis provide personalized services for tourists who are not familiar with Hong Kong's roads, while nonfranchised buses are hired by travel companies for particular tours," the spokeswoman added. However, the arguments did not please Lai who said the alliance will continue to fight for the right to serve Disneyland.

"We are even prepared to hold another protest on the opening day of Disneyland if the department does not give us a satisfactory response."

Hong Kong Disneyland spokeswoman Esther Wong refused to discuss the threat, saying the Transport Department is responsible for all transport arrangements with regard to the opening of the theme park.

_00_deathscar

August 29th, 2005, 07:47 AM

I've got Disneyland pics but I don't know how to upload them ...

Isan

August 31st, 2005, 04:54 AM

迪士尼海外掀高薪挖角潮
菲流失近三百名演藝人員國家芭蕾舞團幾近真空美、澳、日也有人跳槽

http://www.worldjournal.com/news_pics/b122734340201_40201032.jpg

【本報香港訊】香港迪士尼樂園除為香港創造大量就業機會，亦在海外掀起演藝精英「挖角潮」，單是菲律賓已有近三百名國家級芭蕾舞蹈員、著名歌手、演員及音樂師等，令國家芭蕾舞團幾近真空。

港府及迪士尼均強調，因在港未能找到合適人才方「借助外力」。

香港迪士尼的高薪挖角行為在菲律賓引起極大回響，當地估計合共流失近三百名各範疇的演藝人員，當地報紙更形容為「右腦（主管藝術天分）的人才流失」，其中菲律賓國家芭蕾舞團Bllet Philippines原有的17名舞蹈員，只剩4人留守，幾近真空。

該舞團藝術總監ugustus Dmin稱，迪士尼的薪酬條件超於當地數倍，即使在迪士尼扮演迪士尼人物亦有九千元月薪，薪酬較身為舞團最高層的他還要高，故沒有挽留赴港團員。

香港芭蕾舞團及香港管弦樂團均表示，沒有表演者被迪士尼挖角，只有少量幕後人員跳槽。而演藝學院則指，今年有近150名畢業生被迪士尼招攬，其舞台及技術管理系更有三成三人受聘於迪士尼。

香港迪士尼發言人強調，大部分演藝人員在港招聘，但因部分指定角色及劇情需要，為忠於「故事」而需在全球招聘演藝人員，而除來自菲律賓外，尚有來自美國、澳洲、中國及日本等地的演藝人才。

2005-08-30

Isan

September 1st, 2005, 01:02 AM

迪士尼樂園一連兩天舉辦社區關懷日
2005-08-30

迪士尼樂園一連兩天舉辦社區關懷日，招待二萬名弱勢社群人士。有機構員工表示，活動能夠幫助弱勢社群融入社會。

迪士尼樂園門口一早已經擠滿市民，他們手持免費門券，有秩序地進入樂園。明愛是其中一間獲招待的志願機構，他們將樂園門券作為對庇護工場員工的獎勵，有職員表示，活動能夠幫助弱勢社群融入社會：「其實弱勢社群未必有這麼多機會接觸到，例如迪士尼現在新開，即他們都很好，舉辦社區關懷日給我們的工友，可以帶他們見識一下。」

樂園方面也有提醒殘疾人士，部分機動遊戲可能過分刺激，未必適合他們。但有殘疾人士表示，可以到迪士尼玩已經很高興：「沒有辦法，因為很危險，我們都很驚，我們不會玩，不會說失望，適合我們玩才給我們玩。」「有少少（失望）不過還有很多其他遊戲可以玩。」

迪士尼共捐出二萬張入場券，每日一萬張，獲招待的還包括受沙士影響的家庭、新來港及綜援家庭等。

AnOnImO

September 3rd, 2005, 03:40 AM

hkskyline

September 4th, 2005, 06:20 PM

By "AP108 Kit" from a Hong Kong transport forum :

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hkskyline

September 5th, 2005, 05:23 AM

Mickey is friendly but queues take forever
Rain failed to deter more than 30,000 visitors who flocked to Disneyland's charity day Sunday, eight days ahead of the grand opening September 12.
Wendy Leung, Hong Kong Standard
Monday, September 05, 2005

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Rain failed to deter more than 30,000 visitors who flocked to Disneyland's charity day Sunday, eight days ahead of the grand opening September 12.

Many had bought their tickets several months ago.

Hong Kong Disneyland group managing director Don Robinson said the event will raise about HK$9.7 million for local charities.

Anita Wong said her family wanted to see how Hong Kong Disneyland compared with Paris Disneyland, which they visited a week ago.

"The Mickey Mouse at Hong Kong Disneyland is much friendlier than the one in Paris," said Wong, adding that she was pushed away from a Paris Mickey Mouse when she asked for a photograph.

Wong and her children found the Lion King and Winnie the Pooh attractions were " surprisingly good," even though the family had to wait more than two hours to enjoy them. "It's worth the wait," she said.

Chris Chan, a middle school teacher accompanied by his girlfriend, however complained that "the park is rubbish."

"We had to wait for more than two hours for Buzz Lightyear. There are also no clear instructions on how to queue up. Everyone around is confused and keeps asking `which line should I be in?"' Chan said.

"The food is also terrible and there was a long queue."

"They [the Disneyland management] totally underestimated the number of visitors when they designed the restaurants and rides."

The theme park can cater to 30,000 visitors at a time, Disney said. All public holidays and some weekends are already fully booked for September.

Disneyland public affairs manager Esther Wong said the number of visitors "is within estimation. We hope our guests will be getting more familiar with the facilities."

The restaurants had prepared 10,000 meals an hour, Wong said.

She added that Disneyland carries out onsite surveys of guests to see if the park is operating properly.

After two weeks of dry-runs, the theme park added 100 tables and 600 chairs to its restaurants Sunday.

Robinson said that guest behavior in Hong Kong is different from the United States, which caused the long lines. For example, Hong Kong visitors are more interested in taking photos than Americans, he said.

Bank worker Carol Lo said she is a big fan of Disney and did not buy the tickets with charity in mind.

She described the morning traffic as "horrible," adding "it was really packed in the train and we had to wait a long time."

MTR Corp public relations officer Teresa Pun said the train from Tsing Yi to Tung Chung broke down at 9am, and passengers had to get out and wait for a replacement.

"We dispatched more manpower to manage the crowd during peak hours," she said.

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trueapprentice

September 5th, 2005, 02:37 PM

wow, 30,000 people inside a disney !! it must get jammed packed when it offically opens,i hope it doesn't get too crazy when i visit there

hkskyline

September 6th, 2005, 02:05 AM

By 3ASV196 from a Hong Kong transport forum :

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hkskyline

September 6th, 2005, 08:18 AM

Two politicians say they will demand that the government reveal full details of its joint-venture agreement with Hong Kong Disneyland
Doug Crets, Hong Kong Standard
Tuesday, September 06, 2005

Two politicians say they will demand that the government reveal full details of its joint-venture agreement with Hong Kong Disneyland.

Frontier Party legislator Emily Lau and Central and Western district councillor Cyd Ho said they will demand that the government allow public scrutiny of the agreement when Legco reconvenes after its summer break on October 12.

"The [government's] economic services panel should ... give a much fuller picture about the financial side [of the agreement] with Disney," Lau said.

The secrecy has left the public in doubt about the territory's relationship with Disney, she claimed.

In response, Disney's Esther Wong said: "Disney is a commercial entity, so I think those are commercial terms. As with any business entity, [privacy] is something that should be respected."

Disney received a HK$6.1 billion government loan, payable in 25 years, to build the project.

Estimates put the cost of construction at HK$14.1 billion and initial first- year revenue from tourism at HK$$25.2 billion.

The government has estimated that income from the park could reach more than HK$148 billion in 40 years.

Ho said the lead-up to the Hong Kong opening on September 12 has increased critical attention on the agreement.

Several public gatherings by the Students and Scholars Against Corporate Misbehavior and Disney Hunter have charged that Disney merchandise is created in harsh labor conditions in China. Activists have argued that the media should expose the agreement because of ambiguity over its positive or negative economic effect.

Ho said the primary worry is extra- territorial rights granted to Disney in theme parks in Tokyo and Europe, where the company was allowed to operate outside the jurisdiction of the country in which it operates.

In France, for example, Disney and the government concluded that allegations raised over practices in the theme park would be settled outside the court system.

Ho and others are asking if the same is true for Hong Kong. They have also questioned whether emergency personnel will be allowed full access to the park, though Disney and the Fire Services Division have both denied reports that access will be limited.

Ho said the public is concerned that the government is acting more like a corporation than a government, which must act transparently.

"We welcome investment of companies like Disney, but not a joint venture, because the administration's major job is to run the territory," she said.

But the joint venture has proven to be a thorn in the side of civil society leaders, who charge that government has a conflict of interest.

"Once [the SAR] enters into a business contract, it's a basic conflict of its duty and function," Ho said.

Questions about the Disneyland joint venture began in 1999 and early 2000 when legislators were invited to a Government House briefing held by then-Chief Secretary for Administration Anson Chan. "We were never given any substantial information," Ho said. She recalled that Chan said the agreement was a marriage between two world-class brand names, Disney and Hong Kong, and that the contract would help to correct the economic slump.

"The finance committee voted 'yes'... for this joint venture, and now that it is in operation the finance committee has the duty to follow up on this matter," Ho said.

Lau, who chairs the finance committee, said it is up to the Economic Services Panel to disclose details of the agreement.

Notes from a November 15, 1999 panel meeting say only that Disney and Hong Kong have a "predetermined mechanism," which would ensure that Disney's government loan would "bring equity support to the government" if Disney profits fell.

In that case, the loan would be repaid by its maturity.

Isan

September 6th, 2005, 01:03 PM

迪士尼線擠爆怨聲四起
人多班次不足有人拍照留念延誤登車

【本報香港訊】迪士尼樂園4日為公益金籌募善款接待超過三萬名市民入場共襄善舉，達到樂園最高流量的設計，但亦向地鐵迪士尼線挑戰載客及班次流量，加上4日亦有大批市民前往迪士尼站及迪欣湖參觀，令迪士尼鐵路線面對通車以來最大的衝擊，不少乘客不滿車廂太擠及班次不足以疏導大批市民，地鐵一度在欣澳及迪士尼車站實施人流管制，令大批乘客擠在車站及月台等候出閘，出現怨聲四起場面。

4日晨9時過後，地鐵迪士尼線兩個車站—欣澳及迪士尼站均出現人潮。在欣澳站，有大批市民準備前往迪士尼樂園的公益日，在太多人及列車班次不足，加上不少市民在車站內拍照留念延誤登車，造成大批乘客擠在月台，要等下一班列車，一群又一群的市民從東涌線湧入欣澳站，一時間車站及月台亦擠滿乘客。

當迪士尼列車駛至，人人都擠上去，但仍然有很多人擠不到上車。其中一位乘客說：「我連站立的位置也沒有。」去到迪士尼站，幾乎寸步難行。

2005-09-05

Isan

September 6th, 2005, 01:06 PM

港府要香港迪士尼加強入園人數限制
2005-09-06 14:40

香港迪士尼上星期天試運，許多乘興而去的遊客敗興而歸，因為每個遊樂設施前都大排長龍，民眾最久可能要等上三小時，才能玩到一個設施，大家怨聲載道，港府今天呼籲香港迪士尼加強入園人數限制，不要讓園內一下子擠進太多人。

據報導，香港迪士尼上星期天試運，三萬遊客蜂湧而入，遊樂和餐飲設施，全部都大排長龍，遊客試玩後只有一個感想，就是到處都要等等等。

香港迪士尼將在下星期一正式揭幕，香港財政司長司長唐英年呼籲迪士尼加強入園人數的限制，迪士尼的回答是，全世界的迪士尼在旅遊熱季的時候，都那麼擠。

香港迪士尼有五成七的股份歸港府所有。
新聞來源：中廣新聞網

Isan

September 6th, 2005, 01:10 PM

香港迪士尼樂園前日首次讓接近樂園容納上限的人數進場試玩，換來遊客「慘過輪米」的指摘。政府昨日要求迪士尼採取彈性處理方法控制人流，並建議增加樂園設施﹔迪士尼行政總裁羅彬深表示，正積極考慮增加樂園設施或延長營業時間來疏導人潮，而調低入場人數上限亦是考慮之列。\大公報記者黃慧琪

由財政司司長唐英年領導的迪士尼督導委員會昨日召開會議。唐英年於會後表示，根據迪士尼樂園的資料，港人在樂園內逗留的平均時間為九個半小時，較其他樂園的人均時間長﹔而港人喜歡拍照，亦間接令等候機動遊戲的時間延長。自前日迪士尼公益日發生大混亂後，當局已要求迪士尼考慮延長開放時間。

促彈性管入場人數

唐英年說，當日園內接待近三萬名遊客，是刻意安排出現逼爆場面，以便作為日後高峰期的參考。他又說，在過去三周總綵排日，迪士尼已汲取不少經驗，已經增加了部分設施，如等，致力令下周一迪士尼正式開幕日時可以運作得更暢順。而當局已要求樂園在高峰期，彈性處理入場人數。

出席同一會議的羅彬深表示，迪士尼將會考慮多項措施以改善遊客過多的情況，包括增加設施或延長營業時間。他說，政府亦有向樂園提出多項建議，但他沒有透露具體內容。問到會否調低入場人數上限時，羅彬深回應指，會考慮各方面因素。

旅遊事務署發言人指出，大家應該給予時間迪士尼，讓他們汲取總綵排日的經驗作出調校。發言人又說，三萬人的入場上限是迪士尼根據遊樂設施及進膳輪候時間等因素推算出來，但相信他們萬料不到香港市民的消費模式與外國人大有不同，「起碼他們不會想到有人會先找人霸、吃完飯伏在上睡覺，外國一定看不到這些情況 ﹗」

港人消費模式不同

發言人續稱，目前迪士尼除要解決調低人流問題外，有關樂園擴建工程的商討工作亦進展良好﹔另外，有關在羅湖及皇崗口岸設門票售賣顯示板的建議，當局已「敲定」進行，但礙於涉及的單位部門很多，相信未能趕及在九月十二日樂園開幕前成事。為掌握內地旅客入境情況，署方早前已就黃金周訪港意欲、旅遊模式及迪士尼吸引力等問題，於廣東省旅行社及辦證部門機構外進行調查，成功訪問近三千名已持有或準備申請個人遊證件的旅客，稍後將作出公布。

旅發局主席周梁淑怡昨日出席購物節抽獎活動後表示，迪士尼前日只是預演，出現問題是意料中事，不應太快下結論，作出負面的評價。周梁淑怡強調，市民的投訴只是集中在排隊輪候機動遊戲的問題上，對園內演藝人員的表現是滿意的，她有信心樂園會汲取經驗並作出相應調校，不擔心下周一開幕會再出現大混亂。

投資推廣署署長盧維思表示，迪士尼樂園前日開放予市民只是綵排，並且找出不足之處，從而作出改善。他說，前日迪士尼樂園接待了接近三萬人，目的是為了測試其接待近於上限遊客的能力。他認為到下星期一迪士尼樂園正式開幕之前，日前出現的混亂情況將得到解決。

立法會經濟事務委員會成員李華明說，希望在本周內召開特別會議，商討迪士尼公益日的安排。他認為，以當時擠擁的情況看，樂園根本不可能容納三萬名遊客，估計以二萬人為入場人數的上限較為適合﹔海洋公園主席盛智文亦認為，迪士尼設定人數上限為三萬人太多，但前日的混亂相信不會影響樂園形象，因為赤?角機場落成時，亦曾出現混亂，但現時運作良好。

http://www.takungpao.com/news/images/20050906-gw-61.jpg

hkskyline

September 7th, 2005, 05:42 PM

New Disneyland Holds Promise For Hong Kong
By Geoffrey A. Fowler
7 September 2005
The Wall Street Journal Europe

Hong Kong -- THE DISNEYLAND theme park opening here Monday could give an extra jolt of energy to Hong Kong's already-humming economy. But it isn't certain which consumer stocks will gain from the opening.

Hong Kong Disneyland is a joint venture that Walt Disney and the Hong Kong government created in 1999, in the wake of Asia's financial crisis. It's a play on the growing purchasing power of mainland China's emerging middle class, which Disney predicts will make up more than one-third of the 10 million annual park visits the operator expects eventually.

About a week before it opens, Hong Kong Disneyland looks set to lure a lot of new tourists, at least for a while. An independent telephone survey last month by market researcher AC Nielsen found one-third of the 1,500 Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou residents polled are already considering a visit; 14% of them said they wouldn't go to Hong Kong were it not for the park.

One likely winner is Disney itself, which contributed US$314 million, or about 250 million euros, for a 43% stake in a park that cost US$3.2 billion to build. Most important, Hong Kong Disneyland will help the Burbank, California, entertainment company spread the lore of Mickey Mouse & Co. in the potentially huge Chinese media market, where Disney has limited access.

But the Hong Kong government, Disney and -- increasingly -- securities analysts tout much wider benefits from the park.

The government says the park will add US$19 billion to the city's economy over 40 years. A surge in visitors from mainland China, combined with a domestic-spending pickup from increasing local employment rates, will push the city's annual gross-domestic-product growth to almost 7% by the end of the year, up from 6.8% in the second quarter, CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets analyst Amar Gill predicts. He believes unemployment will fall to 4.9% by the end of the year from 5.7%, thanks to jobs created by the park and momentum spurred in the rest of the economy.

To be sure, many of the anticipated mainland tourists have already made a trip to Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China, since the Chinese government began lifting restrictions on their travel in 2003. Today, some 190 million are eligible to enter Hong Kong on their own, and more than 12 million did just that last year -- even without Disneyland.

"We see huge growth in these high-volume, low-margin tourists," says Yuwa Hedrick-Wong, an economic adviser for MasterCard International.

The risk lies in assuming the retail sector will benefit uniformly. Playing the Disneyland opening requires a sharp eye on where these tourists will spend their money and which retailers can turn it into profit.

While the average mainland resident still is relatively poor, even the first-time Chinese tourists coming to Hong Kong last year spent an average of US$125 a day, according to Mr. Hedrick-Wong. European and American tourists spend an average of US$190 a day.

Mainland tourists generally do only one-third of their spending on hotels, usually low-end ones, with the rest used on eating and shopping. They regularly buy brand-name gifts and souvenirs on the assumption that purchases made in Hong Kong are less likely to be knockoffs than those made on the mainland.

It might be difficult for investors to capitalize on that retail potential now, as many stocks in the sector have already risen strongly after being snapped up earlier this year as Hong Kong's economy was strengthening. Shares of clothing retailer Esprit Holdings have handily beaten Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index in the past year, rising 66%, compared with 16% for the index.

"When the park opens, a lot of retail stocks will retreat. . . . Many people will [take profits] on the good news," predicts Paul Pong, managing director Pegasus Fund Managers, based in Hong Kong.

In addition, high expectations for Hong Kong retailers have helped push rents on shopping-space as much as 30% higher in recent months, sharply cutting into retailers' bottom lines. Last week, Hong Kong-listed jewelry retailer Chow Sang Sang Holdings International blamed rental increases for slashing its first-half net profit by one-third compared with last year, despite higher sales at its shops.

Similarly, casual-wear retailer Giordano International, which has an exclusive deal with Disney to sell Mickey Mouse T-shirts in certain markets, last month reported a lower-than-expected first-half profit, citing higher rents. Merrill Lynch, noting a squeeze on the company's margins, reiterated its "sell" rating on Giordano and target price of HK$5, or about 51 European cents,a share. Giordano's stock, trading at about HK$5.80 in late July, yesterday closed up 10 Hong Kong cents at HK$5.15.

As the battle between Hong Kong landlords and tenants rages, "property companies will be the final beneficiary," Mr. Pong of Pegasus says.

Take MTR. As the mass-transport operator that opened a special train line for the park, MTR may realize some gains, but it must bear the costs of amortizing the new line. As a major Hong Kong property owner, though, MTR last month reported a sharp increase in first-half net profit thanks to higher real-estate prices and growth in property sales. The price of its Hong Kong-listed shares has risen about 28% so far this year, to HK$16.

Of course, even if Hong Kong Disneyland does as well as expected, there's no guarantee the magic will last forever. Oriental Land's Tokyo Disneyland has drawn throngs for more than 20 years largely because of its success with a very big niche: young working women who return to the park again and again. Hong Kong can't rely on that kind of return demographic because its core low-margin Chinese audience probably can't afford multiple trips. Instead it will rely on a steady stream of new visitors.

"For the next 15 years, there will be people entering the middle class in the pipeline," says MasterCard's Mr. Hedrick-Wong.

An additional Disneyland park in Shanghai could eventually divert some of that flow, drawing travelers from northern China. Disney has said a Shanghai park isn't likely to be built until at least 2010.

hkskyline

September 8th, 2005, 05:46 PM

Disneyland refuses to cut crowds despite fears
Park running risk of negative publicity from long queues, says lawmaker
Dennis Eng
8 September 2005
South China Morning Post

Hong Kong Disneyland has refused to cut the maximum number of people it will admit to the park and is sticking to its capacity of about 30,000.

But group managing director Don Robinson said closing time would probably be extended from 9pm to 10pm over the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday weekend.

He said closing the park later would cause problems for Disney workers going home by public transport because the MTR service shut at 12.45am. The extra hour would allow visitors to continue enjoying the rides and shows or do some last-minute shopping after the fireworks display, which traditionally closes the theme park.

During peak holiday periods, when public transport runs all night, he said the park could stay open until midnight or 1am. It could also close in the evening and then reopen an hour later for special-event ticket holders.

But lawmaker Fred Li Wah-ming, who wants the theme park to reduce its maximum capacity to 20,000, warned that ticket holders would just stay longer if the hours were extended.

"That is the mentality of Hong Kong people and mainlanders. They are paying $350 each to get in so they want to get the most out of it and maximise their experience," Mr Li said.

He felt that the difference of a few thousand visitors was not worth the negative publicity Hong Kong Disneyland would get as a result of complaints about long waiting times and service deterioration.

Some of the 29,000 visitors to the charity event on Sunday complained of long queues to enter the park and two-hour waits to get on rides. Mr Robinson said this was a reflection of "created demand" as ticket holders for the event could only go to the theme park on that day.

By 9pm, when the fireworks show was held, more than 95 per cent of visitors were still in the park, compared to Disney's US average of 65 per cent, he added. Sunday's closing time was extended to 10pm.

As of Tuesday, the theme park had entertained 260,000 to 270,000 visitors, served about 300,000 meals and used 40 metric tonnes of rice over 16 rehearsal days. But Mr Robinson said the real test would come on Monday, when it officially opened to the public.

He also noted that there was still excess capacity on weekdays, despite the adoption of a two-tier pricing schedule that was not used at any other Disney theme park. Weekday tickets for adults cost $295 and rise to $350 at weekends and peak periods.

Mr Robinson said he had also discussed the possibility of discounting ticket prices for entry after 5pm or 6pm to boost weekday visitor numbers.

This is the arrangement that is used at Tokyo Disneyland, which offers cheaper passes for weekday admission in the late afternoon or early evening.

Isan

September 9th, 2005, 11:15 AM

Rollercoaster ride to Hong Kong Disneyland opening

http://sg.yimg.com/xp/afp/20050909/79560400.jpg

When Mickey Mouse officially welcomes visitors to the three billion US dollar theme park here for the first time next week, he will no doubt breathe a sigh of relief that the rollercoaster ride to its opening has ended.

With problems from scam artists, run-ins with environmentalists and complaints about everything from the park's size to the food at its restaurants, the run up to Monday's opening day has been anything but a fairytale.

"It appears Disney has never had to deal with the likes of Hong Kong people before," quipped local commentator Nury Vittachi.

Disney is more sanguine: "We have already seen that our guests love the resort once they have a chance to experience it first hand," it said in a statement.

"We are confident that 50 years of operating experience will allow us to create a fantastic guest experience."

The most notable hiccup was an episode that Nemo, Disney's loveable cartoon fish hunted by a shark in the "Finding Nemo" movie, would no doubt have approved of.

In a huge promotion, Disney proposed to serve shark's fin soup at wedding banquets in the resort's two hotels.

Environmentalists, however, saw red and launched a global online campaign to have the item scrapped, blaming consumption of the luxury traditional Chinese dish for plunging shark populations.

In a bruising row, Disney initially resisted, saying it would serve the soup out of consideration for cultural sensitivities in Hong Kong where it is regarded as a delicacy.

But with its image as an animal-loving company threatened, Disney was forced to climb down and pull the meal.

Sharks were not the only aquatic creatures at risk; marine conservationists predicted catastrophic consequences for nearby coastal waters when the park was given the go-ahead in 1999.

Situated on 126 hectares of partly reclaimed land on leafy Lantau Island, it stretches across Penny's Bay Bay, an area that once housed a shipbuilding yard.

Green groups blamed the stirring of coastal mud laden with contaminants from the ship yard for a decline in the numbers of rare Chinese pink dolphins that once thrived nearby.

Among the most anticipated of Disney's attractions are the daily fireworks displays. However in smoggy Hong Kong, where air pollution is a growing concern, campaigners also complained the smoke posed a health risk.

Although repeated, government-monitored tests found no fault, Disney's refusal to use virtually smoke-free -- and more expensive -- launch technology angered Friends of the Earth Hong Kong.

"It will make the already bad pollution even worse," said a spokesman, Hahn Chu. "We expect the smog levels to reach record highs as a result."

For a company that makes cuddly caricatures of insects like crickets and caterpillars, Hong Kong Disneyland has been troubled by real wildlife.

An infestation of wood-boring insects reportedly forced the replacement of some guest-room furniture and dozens of wild dogs took to scavenging for food in the park.

After a pack reportedly chased park chief Don Robinson as he drove onto the site, Disney had 45 caught and killed. The public outcry, however, forced the company to adopt more humane -- and more expensive -- controls.

Disney's arrival was heralded with the promise of tourism riches for all -- and some took that literally, cashing in with scams.

Elected official Law Kam-fai was jailed for two years after stealing 800 tonnes of rocks to sell to landscapers building a nearby ornamental pond, in the process destroying a pristine local river.

And only this week, Disney was presented with what is likely to be an ongoing problem when touts were found to be selling tickets for a pre-opening charity day in an online auction.

Isan

September 9th, 2005, 01:11 PM

http://www.atchinese.com/disney/images/bigBanner.jpg

Cover Story (http://www.atchinese.com/disney/index.htm)

hkskyline

September 9th, 2005, 05:27 PM

Hong Kong Disneyland cross-boundary transport arrangements
Government Press Release
Friday, September 9, 2005

Mainland visitors are expected to flood into Hong Kong with the grand opening of Hong Kong Disneyland on Monday (September 12).

The Hong Kong and Mainland authorities have allocated 60 quotas in relation to cross-boundary coach services. Some of the quotas are dedicated to shuttle cross-boundary service between Huanggang Control Point and the theme park. Other quotas are for long-haul services between various places in Guangdong (such as Guangzhou, Zhongshan, Shunde and Shenzhen) and the theme park.

The Transport Department called on the visitors from the Mainland to plan their journeys in advance. They are advised to use the Lo Wu Control Point and to avoid coming to Hong Kong during peak hours. Waiting times at Lok Ma Chau Control Point may be longer, especially during peak seasons, holidays and weekends.

"Mainland visitors should buy return tickets and check in advance if admission tickets are still available before going to the theme park," Principal Transport Officer (Special Duty) Mr Lo Yat-cheung said today (September 9). "We encourage Mainland visitors to take the rail and come to Hong Kong via Lo Wu. Lo Wu Control Point can handle a larger number of visitors than other control points.

"The Transport Department has put up banners at the Huanggang/Lok Ma Chau Control Point, and distributed leaflets to visitors at Lok Ma Chau and Lo Wu Control Points, as well San Tin Public Transport Interchange. We advise them to use Lo Wu Control Point as far as possible, and remind them that they may have to wait longer if they use the Huanggang/Lok Ma Chau Control Point.

"To facilitate visitors coming to Hong Kong by the China Ferry Terminal (CFT) in Tsim Sha Tsui, we have arranged to re-route the franchised bus route R21 (Hung Hom to Disneyland) to stop at the bus terminus at CFT from Monday onwards.”

The following transport modes will start service on Monday:

* KCR Railbus – operating to/from Disneyland via Lo Wu Control Point. A single trip package of the KCR Railbus includes a Lo Wu Station – Sheung Shui Station KCR Travel Pass and a Sheung Shui Station – Disneyland bus coupon. The frequency of KCR Railbus ranges from three to 30 minutes. It will operate daily from 7.30am to the hour after the end of the fireworks display.

* Hong Kong Disneyland – Huanggang Shuttle Cross-Boundary Coach Service – operating to/from Disneyland via Lok Ma Chau Control Point. The frequency of the shuttle service ranges from three to 60 minutes. It will operate daily from 7am to one and a half hours after the end of the fireworks display.

The following six franchised bus routes are already in service:

R8 – Disneyland Resort Public Transport Interchange – Lantau Link Toll Plaza (circular)
R11 – Disneyland Resort Public Transport Interchange – North Point Ferry Pier
R21 – Disneyland Resort Public Transport Interchange – Hung Hom (Laguna Verde)
R22 – Disneyland Resort Public Transport Interchange – Yau Tong
R33 – Disneyland Resort Public Transport Interchange – West Rail Tuen Mun Station
R42 – Disneyland Resort Public Transport Interchange – Tai Wai Station Public Transport Interchange

Details of the transport arrangements have been uploaded onto the Transport Department's website, www.td.gov.hk. The public may also call the Transport Department Hotline 2804 2600 for enquires, or refer to the Tourism Commission's website, www.hkdisneyland.gov.hk.

Isan

September 10th, 2005, 09:11 PM

Hong Kong mulls legal action over Disney food poisoning row

http://sg.yimg.com/xp/afp/20050910/2474689576.jpg

Hong Kong hygiene officials are considering legal action against the Disney company over a row that erupted following the discovery of three cases of food poisoning at its soon-to-be opened Disneyland resort.

Director of food hygiene Leung Wing-lap said his department was seeking legal advice after it emerged inspectors were asked to remove their uniforms and badges so as not to frighten customers when they went to probe allegations of food contamination at the resort, which is due to open Monday.

The government confirmed that three cases of food poisoning were reported from two of the parks restaurants.

It is the latest setback at the three billion US dollar park in the southern Chinese territory, following rows with green groups over the resorts impact on the local environment and amid complaints from customers that staff were rude and there were too few rides during rehearsal days.

A Disney spokesman told reporters the company had apologised for asking officials to remove their uniforms, and promised to comply with local laws in future.

Isan

September 10th, 2005, 10:14 PM

香港迪士尼開幕慶典展開中港台藝人出席派對
2005-09-10 22:57／中央社記者馮昭香港十日電

香港迪士尼樂園將於十二日開幕，開幕慶祝活動自今天起展開，由香港迪士尼代言人張學友的迪士尼主題曲首播揭開序幕，晚上在迪士尼好萊塢酒店舉辦的派對中，莫文蔚、楊采妮、李玟、張國立等中港台知名藝人，都踏上紅地毯表達祝賀。

晚間踏上紅地毯的藝人多半與迪士尼有淵源，周華健主唱迪士尼動畫電影「泰山」的國語和粵語版主題曲；許志安主唱迪士尼得獎動畫「熊之歷險」粵語版主題曲，並為片中主角的哥哥配音；李玟曾擔任「花木蘭」動畫電影的國語版女主角配音；莫文蔚和楊采妮也都曾為迪士尼動畫電影配音。

中國大陸名演員張國立也曾為「海底總動員」配音，難得一家三口亮相，今晚他和妻子抱著一歲多的女兒參加派對。張國立表示，才一歲多的女兒很高興，最想看到海底總動員玩偶，他自己則想看泰山木屋。

晚間派對在迪士尼好萊塢酒店的庭園裡舉辦，在絢麗煙火中結束。

連續三天的開幕慶祝活動吸引中、港、台、泰國、韓國、日本等地上千名記者參加，明天活動最豐富，香港迪士尼樂園看好的「飛越太空山」遊樂設施和「獅子王慶典」舞台表演，都將於明天首度公開；在其他迪士尼樂園相當受歡迎的遊行表演，香港迪士尼也將在明天上演，晚上還有煙花表演。
新聞來源：中央社

Isan

September 11th, 2005, 12:05 AM

張學友演唱香港迪士尼主題曲音樂帶今首映
【中央社記者馮昭香港十日電】

「歌神」張學友受邀擔任香港迪士尼名譽大使，他為香港迪士尼演唱的主題曲「讓奇妙飛翔」音樂錄影帶，今天在迪士尼樂園完整首映。華特迪士尼樂園及度假區總裁羅思樂並贈送張學友一把金鑰匙，讓張學友日後可在迪士尼暢行無阻。

張學友接下金鑰匙時興奮地表示，以後可以隨時看到米奇等迪士尼朋友，讓他有賓至如歸的感覺。羅思樂也對張學友表示，「希望迪士尼成為你離開家後另一個家」。

香港迪士尼樂園將於下週一九月十二日開幕，今、明兩天有一連串活動，為開幕暖身。

香港迪士尼下午在主題樂園內的「米奇金獎劇場」播映這支主題曲音樂錄影帶，張學友展現健康的形象，穿插米奇、米妮等經典迪士尼卡通人物。張學友錄製的迪士尼CD和DVD專輯，已在香港唱片行接受預訂。940910

Isan

September 11th, 2005, 12:43 AM

Uniform row rocks HK Disneyland
Minnie and Mickey Mouse at Hong Kong Disneyland

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40785000/jpg/_40785886_disney_ap203.jpg

Local officials have clashed with Hong Kong Disneyland after it ordered health officers investigating food poisoning cases to remove their caps and badges.

The row comes ahead of the theme park's official opening on Monday.

Hong Kong officials, angered that food inspectors were asked to take off their uniforms to avoid scaring clients, have told Disney it is "not above the law".

Disney has apologised for its action - made during open days last month - and has promised to comply with local laws.

The embarrassment is the latest in a series of setbacks for the $1.8bn (£1bn) theme park, set to be the Disney group's second in Asia, after Tokyo.

'No special rights'

The row risks overshadowing the opening festivities, which start on Saturday.

China's Vice President Zeng Qinghong is due to attend the official opening ceremony on Monday.

The health inspectors were called in after three cases of food poisoning, still under investigation, were reported in two of the park's restaurants from "rehearsal days" ahead of the opening.

The two officers complied when they were asked to dress less conspicuously - but the request has been widely criticised by government officials.

"Anyone in Hong Kong has to obey the law. Disney isn't above the law," Security Secretary Ambrose Lee is quoted by the Associated Press news agency as saying.

Financial Secretary Henry Tang said: "We welcome Disney to come to Hong Kong to invest in Disneyland, but in the process of building Disneyland, no-one has special rights. Everyone is equal before the law."

An editorial in the Ming Pao Daily News says Hong Kong residents suspect Disney "wants to engineer special rights and turn the theme park into an independent kingdom that Hong Kong laws can't reach".

Hong Kong's government has issued a statement saying police officers will not need permission to enter the site on the outlying Lantau island.

The park faced criticism from animal welfare groups in July, after reports local officials had been called in to destroy at least 40 dogs roaming the site.

A month earlier, it withdrew shark fin soup from planned banquet menus after campaigners condemned the dish, a local luxury, as cruel and ecologically destructive.

Disney hopes the park will tap into Hong Kong's appeal to newly-wealthy mainland Chinese and their children as a shopping and leisure centre.

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40786000/gif/_40786136_lantau_map203.gif

Isan

September 11th, 2005, 01:34 AM

迫衛生幫脫帽迪園再道歉
文匯

【本報訊】(記者潘頌禧]香港迪士尼樂園再被揭不止一次要求食環署人員脫帽及襟章才能入場巡查。一名衛生督察上周二前往樂園執勤時，被樂園再提出該種無理要求，不同之處，是遭該名督察拒絕，最終亦未能完成工作。

　食環署署長梁永立直言事件不能接受，並正尋求法律意見，保留檢控樂園的權利。迪士尼則再次道歉，強調樂園上下必定奉公守法。

唐英年：無人可享特權

　財政司司長唐英年強調，在投資興建香港迪士尼樂園的過程中，從來無人享有特權，在法律面前人人平等，是香港賴以成功的重要因素。

　食環署署長梁永立昨日出席電台節目時表示，一名衛生督察於本月 6日到樂園的彗星餐廳進行例行巡查時，又被要求脫帽脫章，該名職員即時拒絕，結果未能完成巡查工作。他批評樂園的做法不能接受，「根據法例，我們同事有權這樣做，我們正徵詢法律意見，是否已構成違反法例132章。」他又承認，當天晚上才得知事件是該署反應太慢。

　立法會衛生事務委員會主席李華明稱，將會去信政府要求當局澄清，是否和迪士尼就公職人員進入樂園有協議。

迪園：公司願遵守法例

　華特迪士尼樂園及度假區副主席趙永濤則再就事件致歉，他重申今次的處理手法並不適當，亦都不應該發生，並強調：「我們公司是要守法的，我們公司在香港，我們要接受香港的法例，我們去到巴黎，去到日本，都是一樣的。」

　香港迪士尼樂園餐飲部總監梅嘉樂估計，當時職員提出該種要求，目的為了減低對樂園表演的影響，現時所有的職員已清楚守則，相信不會再發生同類的事件。他又否認食物中毒事件是與樂園有關，「他們在進入迪士尼之前吃了甚麼？他們有沒有帶食物入迪士尼吃？有太多途徑，未必是出於迪士尼。」

Isan

September 11th, 2005, 01:38 AM

2005年9月10日
執法
*
食環署擬就除帽事件興訟
*

食物環境衞生署署長梁永立表示，正尋求法律意見，了解迪士尼樂園要求進入樂園執行職務的衞生督察除去制服帽和徽章，是否構成可以檢控的行為；他重申，制服代表部門和尊嚴，迪士尼的該等行為完全不能接受。

梁永立今天出席電台節目時表示，已去信香港迪士尼樂園，表明食環署的職權範圍，並要求樂園保證不再發生同類事件。

他說，由於事件特殊，也理解當天執行職務的衞生督察，主要是考慮到時間緊逼，希望盡快進入園內抽取食物樣本化驗，完成調查工作。

他透露，該署在9月6日，即在事件曝光前，也有衞生督察前往迪士尼樂園巡查餐廳，但園內職員再次要求先除去帽子和徽章，遭衞生督察拒絕，故未能完成巡查。

梁永立表示，相信經過這次事件後，迪士尼樂園應合作，不再讓同類事情出現。

雖然近期食物中毒個案的情況與往年相若，但由於約15％的衞生督察參加自願離職計劃，令該職系的人手較緊張。

梁永立表示，該署較早前已聘請一些非公務員執行部分較簡單的工作，讓衞生督察處理食肆巡查的工作。

食環署根據風險評估巡查食肆，並將加強巡查有食物中毒紀錄、環境
衞生較差和售賣高風險食物的食肆

September 10, 2005

Hygiene
*

Legal advice sought on Disney uniform incident
*

Advice is being sought on whether Hong Kong Disneyland's request that health inspectors remove part of their uniform while inspecting the park is illegal.

Director of Food & Environmental Hygiene Gregory Leung said on a radio talk show today the incident has occurred twice. He said the move is unacceptable and has sent a letter to the park's management reminding them the statutory role of law enforcement officers.

Meanwhile, Mr Leung admitted that about 15% of health inspectors have joined the voluntary retirement scheme causing a manpower shortage. The department has recruited some contract staff to conduct simple health-related work, while health inspectors will focus on food premises inspection.

http://www.news.gov.hk/NR/ebulletin/Images/en/themes/en/ebulletin_title.jpg

Isan

September 11th, 2005, 07:48 PM

香港發起「獵奇運動」抗議迪士尼
2005-09-11 19:03／黃重添粱偉雄

擅長塑造歡樂氣氛的迪士尼樂園，在開幕前夕卻惹出的不少麻煩，除了要求香港官員脫帽進場，遭到輿論抨擊外，港星陳慧琳以及吳彥祖，也都發出不平之鳴，大罵迪士尼工作人員極不友善，態度相當傲慢。

迪士尼樂園大門口，不是米奇或米尼，而是拉起白布條的抗議人士。

抗議活動叫做獵奇行動，很清楚，就是衝著米奇而來。這些抗議人士要求迪士尼重視勞工、環保以及性別歧視等問題。獵「奇」行動成員李穎妍：「我們集合其他的民間團體一起，去表達對迪士尼的問題及關注，直接在這裡向迪士尼施壓，我希望他們改善他各方面的問題。」

對迪士尼不滿的不只這些，香港藝人陳慧琳在替迪士尼拍攝MV時，也被迪士尼的的人氣的半死，認為迪士尼太過高傲，目中無人，吳彥祖甚至在網路上大罵迪士尼眼睛高過頭，發誓終身不再進入迪士尼。

對此，身兼迪士尼親善大使的港星張學友，出面緩頰。

開幕前夕，這樣的反彈聲浪在藝人的助長下，一時難以平息。對此，香港迪士尼高層，也展開會商，檢討公關政策，不希望迪士尼的歡樂形象，因此變色。

新聞來源：TVBS

Isan

September 11th, 2005, 08:09 PM

香港迪士尼倒數　智慧恐龍亮相
【TVBS新聞】

http://tw.news1.yimg.com/tw.news.yimg.com/xp/tvbs/20050911/20/1592813959.jpg

香港迪士尼樂園將在明天隆重開幕，在園中可以看到不少在其他迪士尼樂園所沒有的設計，包括造型獨特的恐龍玩偶，還有一個會說話的垃圾桶，TVBS香港特派員張家齊和區國強帶您一起到現場看看。

這可以說是全世界第一隻互動式的卡通玩偶，特別從美國運來，在香港迪士尼開幕這段時間展出。

工作人員：「我們在找其他迷路的恐龍，你有沒有看到恐龍？」記者：「只有這一隻。」工作人員：「如果有看到，請告訴我，謝謝！」

記者：「記者所在的位置在香港迪士尼，坦白說，這麼熱的天氣很多東西吃了要丟，垃圾桶這個東西啊！我們可以看到很多小朋友在這邊，你看到的正是一個會講話又會跑，還會走路的垃圾桶。」

迪士尼垃圾桶：「你們好，我叫『推』。」記者：「你們喜不喜歡？」小朋友：「喜歡！」迪士尼垃圾桶：「當然喜歡，大家都喜歡我，我是最可愛的。」記者：「剛剛小朋友打你，你有反應？」迪士尼垃圾桶：「幹嘛打我？你好兇。」記者：「我們可以丟垃圾嗎？」迪士尼垃圾桶：「當然可以，我最喜歡吃垃圾。」

記者：「沒錯！這就是香港迪士尼你所看到的神奇垃圾桶，會走還會講話。」

hkskyline

September 11th, 2005, 09:53 PM

By "GK9398" from a Hong Kong transport forum :

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hkskyline

September 11th, 2005, 11:40 PM

Disney now part of our Tomorrowland
12 September 2005
South China Morning Post

The official opening of Hong Kong Disneyland today quite literally launches our "Tomorrowland". Whether people support the theme park or not, it is ours - an investment in our future made by the government with our tax money in a bid to help our city prosper, move forward and succeed in a competitive world.

How we use what we have been given is up to us. We may patronise the tourist attraction frequently or never go near it; but one thing is certain - Disneyland is here to stay.

Rarely has a project so singularly caught our attention. The $27 billion price tag has been scrutinised from every angle since being announced 61/2 years ago and even as the gates swing open, continues to be hotly debated.

Our biggest infrastructure project to date, Hong Kong International Airport, was seen as less an investment than essential to ease the over-bearing congestion of the airport at Kai Tak. The teething problems encountered when it opened were far more serious than those so far experienced at Disneyland (although the biggest test for the theme park will come after the opening today.)

Love or loathe Disneyland, no magic wand will now make it go away. The fairytale castle, amusement rides, hotels and restaurants are in place and, it is hoped, fine-tuned to begin generating income today. Disney has a big responsibility to ensure that the various problems which have emerged in the last week of preparations are dealt with - and that everything goes well on the day.

Poor timing

That is, after all, the bottom line of any investment - and this is among Hong Kong's biggest. What has made Disney so controversial is that the decision for its construction came at difficult time.

After the uncertainty that accompanied the run-up to Hong Kong's return to China, the Asian economic crisis just months after the handover in 1997 came as a shock. Overnight, spectacular growth and prosperity began eroding. Profits turned into deficits, unemployment soared and property prices, the surest indicator of economic health, collapsed.

Hong Kong had famously weathered such storms before. Through war, disease outbreaks and social and political instability, it had survived and reinvented itself, with impressive results.

So in March 1999, when it was announced that the American cultural icon, Mickey Mouse, would be our saviour, public scepticism seemed to heavily outweigh enthusiasm. With Hong Kong newly reunited with China and still coming to terms with how it was now perceived internationally, turning to the American corporation Disney rather than to the mainland for help seemed, to some, to be a backward step. As details of the deal emerged, debate grew. For shouldering $23 billion, or about 82 per cent, of the cost of developing the Lantau Island site and building Disneyland, the government would get a 57 per cent stake and Disney the remainder.

Given such favourable terms for Disney, government justification through arguing that the benefits far outstripped the costs only heightened the scepticism. Doubts have since been cast over forecasts of $148 billion in profit over the next 40 years, the creation of 36,000 jobs and projections of 3.6 million extra tourists in the first year of operation. There is also the concern that Disney will open other theme parks in Asia, particularly on the mainland.

Dogged by Controversy

The controversies have not been limited to economic considerations. The loss of part of Lantau, our last great parkland reserve to development; environmental damage caused by land reclamation at Penny's Bay; destruction of archaeological treasures at the site; wild dogs; air pollution from fireworks; the presence of shark's fin on menus - later removed - and concerns about overcrowding, have all featured. And the controversy has continued throughout the preparations for the opening. The entertainment on offer today has certainly come at a cost.

Some of the worries have been dealt with, but others will remain impediments to "the magic kingdom" being embraced by all of Hong Kong.

Nonetheless, as Vice-President Zeng Qinghong prepares to officiate at the opening ceremony and a capacity crowd celebrates, the benefits are already apparent.

Most noticeable are the 5,000 new jobs created at the theme park. In coming months and years, the number will increase through expansion and as hotels come on stream to cater for the increased tourist arrivals. These may not be the highly paid jobs some would wish, but they are the beginning of careers for many young people and, at the least, reduce our unemployment.

Nor should we be overly worried about the financial figures; Disneyland in Florida and Paris opened with as much controversy, yet have become overwhelmingly as successful as Disney's other resorts.

If our reputation and ability to attract future investment is to be the cornerstone of our success, no harm can be done by being home to an iconic global brand.

A great deal of taxpayer's money has been invested. Hong Kong is entitled to have high expectations - and to demand that all goes well. But quality of life is a priority. If Disneyland provides this through promoting family togetherness and fun, the benefits will far outstrip the costs.

hkskyline

September 11th, 2005, 11:43 PM

Hong Kong Disneyland gets ready to open on Monday
By WILLIAM FOREMAN
Associated Press writer
11 September 2005

HONG KONG (AP) - Mickey Mouse was busy Sunday spiffing up Hong Kong Disneyland on the eve of the park's official opening -- a bold move for the U.S. entertainment company seeking a stronger foothold in China's massive market.

About 1,000 reporters from around the world flew in to cover the opening of the Walt Disney Co.'s theme park -- an attraction with two resort hotels on a bay surrounded by mountains on Lantau, Hong Kong's largest island.

Disneyland held a "rehearsal day" on Sunday that gave thousands of guests a sneak peak of the park. The day's festivities included a fireworks show and a party featuring a concert with some of the biggest Chinese-language pop stars, including Coco Lee, Joey Yung and Jacky Cheung.

"Now we're poised to begin the next chapter of Disney history when Hong Kong Disneyland will officially open to the world," said Jay Rasulo, president of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, said Saturday.

"Hong Kong Disneyland is (our) first theme park in China. It's also the first Disney theme park that's modeled so closely to the first Disneyland in California," Rasulo said.

But not everyone thinks this new chapter is as magical as Disney would have it.

After the park closed Sunday, about 25 activists and anti-Disney groups set up loudspeakers in front of the park's entrance to greet the exiting crowds.

The protesters, who accused Disney of exploiting workers at factories making Disney goods in mainland China, stretched out a long white banner that said "Appealing to Mickey's conscience."

A couple of stern-faced Disney security guards tried to push the banner down but they backed off when the activists began shouting and resisting them.

"The workers in mainland China and inside the Disney park, their salaries are very low and the work days are very long," said Rex Cheung with Disney Hunters, a local anti-Disney group.

Disney has said it's investigating labor abuse reports.

The park features a pink Snow White Castle and the popular rides found at the U.S. Disneylands, including Space Mountain, Mad Hatter Tea Cups, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, Dumbo the Flying Elephant and the Jungle River Cruise. It also features the Broadway-style show "Festival of the Lion King" and daily parades with Disney characters on Main Street, USA -- the park's main strip lined with shops and restaurants.

Disneyland -- with a capacity of 30,000 people -- has received a generally warm welcome in Hong Kong. Large crowds strolled around a long red-brick public promenade outside the park over the weekend.

Many of the visitors who got a sneak peak in the past month have complained that the park is too small. It's Disney's most petite park, with only about 100 acres devoted to rides and other attractions -- a fact Disney doesn't highlight.

After having her picture taken with Cinderella, Joyce Yue, who works for a marketing firm, complained about the park's size. "I won't come back until it has the expansion," said Yue, who was in her late 20s.

The entire attraction -- including the two hotels -- is 298 acres -- and it can be expanded to 494 acres.

Disney President Robert Iger told The Associated Press that the park was a "giant step" in his company's push into the huge China market. The park plans to draw about 40 percent of its guests from across the border in mainland China.

Iger, who takes over as Disney's chief executive officer next month, said the park should boost interest in Disney's movies, TV shows and other products in China -- where generations have grown up with little familiarity with the American brand.

Visitor Wei Jun, 34, a businesswoman from Beijing, said she would definitely return with friends. "I like the indoor attractions, the theaters. I didn't care too much about the outdoor things. They're too crowded," she said.

The $3.5 billion park is a joint venture between Disney and the Hong Kong government. It employs 5,000 workers -- or "cast members" as Disney likes to call them -- and the park estimates that it will attract 5.6 million visitors in its opening year.

The park is a 30-minute subway ride from central Hong Kong, and it's served by its own public rail line -- the only one in the world specially built for a theme park. The train has windows shaped like Mickey Mouse's head and the subway cars sport velvet theater seats and statues of Disney characters.

The project was announced in 1999 and construction began in 2003. Disney's other parks are in Tokyo, Paris and the U.S. states of California and Florida.

hkskyline

September 11th, 2005, 11:44 PM

Disney marketing chief works to bridge cultural divide with Hong Kong park

HONG KONG, Sept 11 (AFP) - Roy Hardy's task was simple when he was hired in 2002 to market Hong Kong Disneyland: make Mickey, Donald and company as familiar to families in China as they are in the West.

To kids in America and Europe, where for three generations Disney's cartoons and movies have been a part of growing up, it may seem a no-brainer.

But in China, the smiling face of Mickey Mouse is still alien to many youngsters and the task is daunting.

"A market like China is a green-field environment and so we have to build awareness and knowledge of what Disney is," Hardy told AFP during a break in a hectic schedule ahead of the park's opening day Monday.

"The better you understand the stories and the characters the better you enjoy the theme park experience -- it's a process of education," he added.

There are many reasons why Hong Kong was chosen as the launchpad for Disney's expansion into China, among them the readiness of the local government to cough up 1.8 billion of the 3 billion dollars needed to build the park.

But just as importantly, said Hardy, the former British colony is an oasis of Disney understanding, and a springboard from which word of the company can be spread.

"Hong Kong, like Singapore and Japan, has been exposed to Disney for many years through the TV and so on, but China is different," he said from an office in the park's Hollywood Hotel, one of two 500-room properties in the resort.

Although Hardy could tap into Disney's huge multimedia network to promote the park to most of the world, he was unable to use in China the most effective marketing tool the company has -- its cable and satellite TV channel.

The channel feed barely penetrates China, leaving Hardy only the merchandising arrangements to directly push the parks.

Instead, he struck a deal with southern China's prominent commercial TV channel TVB to carry the Disney message, securing the key 8:30 pm to 10:30 pm time slot when family viewing is at its peak.

"It's worked very well for us," he said, adding that recognition of the characters and stories has risen.

When the Hong Kong Disneyland project was first proposed in the mid-1990s, critics said Chinese and Asian audiences would not respond well to a giant corporation opening up its peculiarly American brand of entertainment in a region rich in its own heritage.

Hardy, however, said research showed that an American-style theme park was just what China wanted.

"We thought about customising it to this and that but when we got the data back it was clear people were telling us they wanted an American Disneyland," he said. "They want a bona fide Disney experience."

But to make Disney a little more accessible, the American giant hired Jackie Cheung, a Canto-pop superstar who is as recognisable to Chinese pop fans as Michael Jackson, to act as the park's public spokesman.

Before each TVB show airs, Cheung is seen on screen introducing the stories and the characters.

"We use Jackie to talk about the heritage of Disneyland and the stories behind it. The films that we show have a direct correlation to the rides we have at Disneyland -- Toy Story, Tarzan and so on."

Disney expects the resort to attract five million customers in its first 12 months of operation, split equally between visitors from China, Hong Kong and the rest of Southeast Asia.

Though significantly less than the 13 million that went through the turnstiles at the Tokyo Disneyland last year or the 15 million at the Walt Disney World Park in Orlando, Florida, it's a start that the company believes it can build on.

"Like the parks in the US our intention is to build a lifetime relationship with our guests so that multiple generations of families keep coming back," Hardy said.

So far, efforts to sell Disney have been concentrated on the nearest markets -- Hong Kong and southern China.

"It's the most logical way to do it," he said. "Within a 300-mile radius of Hong Kong there are 140 million people.

"We concentrate on that area first before moving to the rest of China."

hkskyline

September 11th, 2005, 11:53 PM

Year of the mouse - Disneyland
10 September 2005
The Economist

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Will Disneyland work in Hong Kong?

HONG KONG is in the grip of Mickey mania. It is pouring, unbearably humid and the official opening on September 12th is days away. But Hong Kong Disneyland is already packed. During a “rehearsal” last week it attracted close to its 30,000 daily capacity, forcing visitors to queue for hours. Ten thousand a day could visit from China's mainland alone: hundreds of extra border guards are in place this weekend in readiness.

It is a good omen for those hoping to profit from Asia's newest theme park—six years in the making at a cost of $3.5 billion. One is Walt Disney itself. This is only the American group's third international amusement park and its track record is mixed. Tokyo Disneyland makes money, but Euro Disney in Paris (of which it owns 39%) nearly went bankrupt and remains heavily indebted. This time, Disney's money should be safe. The Hong Kong park is predicted to attract a healthy 5.6m visitors in its first year, with numbers rising as it taps into the growing wealth of China's middle class. Disney's financial exposure is through a joint venture with the Hong Kong government—Disney paid $314m for its 43% stake. In return it gets management fees and royalties on merchandising, food and the nearby hotels.

Hong Kong should also profit. The government has invested heavily in securing the park: granting Disney a beautiful site on Lantau island, lending construction money and laying a dedicated train line (the carriages come with Mickey-shaped windows). Some costs will be defrayed through profits on its 57% stake in the park. But the main gains will come indirectly. The new Disneyland should help almost double tourist numbers this year, according to the city's tourist authority.

To extract the most from its guests, Hong Kong Disneyland has tried to adapt to local tastes. Though its attempts to serve shark's fin soup, a local delicacy, were thwarted by Greenpeace, dim sum restaurants sit, incongruously, on the wild west-themed “Main Street, USA.” Cartoon character-emblazoned merchandise comes in solid gold, and for the camera-mad Chinese there are fewer scary rides and more costumed staff scattered about for “photo-ops”.

The park's layout and opening date are ruled by strict feng-shui principles, but Disney may need more than this to persuade the cost-conscious Chinese to spend. Rather than buy official photographs, they tend to snap their own, even posing with shop toys which they then do not buy. Prices at HK$295 ($38) for an adult ticket on a weekday are cheaper than at other Disney parks. But whether such concessions create enough repeat business for long-term success remains to be seen. Several visitors complained to your correspondent that the park was too Chinese—with too many shops and not enough American razzle.

Jose Luis

September 12th, 2005, 06:07 AM

Looks so cool!! i wanna visit sometime

Isan

September 12th, 2005, 11:56 AM

【記者蔡宜玲/綜合報導】

香港迪士尼樂園今天正式開幕了，香港許多大牌藝人都受邀參與香港迪士尼的宣傳計劃，但雙方的合作似乎不像迪士尼樂園總是呈現給遊客的歡樂氣氛，其中陳慧琳、吳彥祖都一肚子氣，連向來和善的天王劉德華也忍不住對香港迪士尼說了重話；但阿B、梁詠琪、張學友等人則似乎是合作愉快。

陳慧琳日前和香港迪士尼合作宣傳，卻搞得她一肚子氣，之前就有傳聞，美方派來香港的管理階層人員態度惡劣，陳慧琳入園拍攝MV，把園內3個經典童話故事的主題曲串連在一起演唱，迪士尼管理人員卻一再指責他們拍攝時音樂太大聲，或拍攝時間太短等等，陳慧琳雖然隱忍拍完，但在消息傳出後，她終於忍不住証實確有此事，並說自己絕不去香港迪士尼樂園玩，除非管理階層人員重換一批。另外，由吳彥祖等人組成的alive團體，也表示美方工作人員態度惡劣，他說了解美國人較難控制情緒，但還是很不滿。

對此，有些藝人持不同意見，梁詠琪說迪士尼安排活動沒問題，容祖兒公開和陳慧琳唱反調，直說迪士尼工作人員對她都很好，希望大家多去樂園玩。而正當演變成各說各話時，一向謹言慎行的天王劉德華開口說話了，他表示，陳慧琳一直是迪士尼的忠實fans，會做出這樣的指責絕非空穴來風，他認為迪士尼的外國工作人員應了解在香港工作時應有的態度，應該要改進，劉天王這番話也讓香港媒體認為是陳慧琳批評迪士尼的最佳憑據，也足見劉德華在港人心目中的份量。

而身為迪士尼名譽大使的張學友則表示，確實接到許多藝人好友的抱怨，他充當和事佬和美國方面人員開會，終於獲得共識，純粹是因美方工作人員和香港人對工作認知不同，美國總公司也親自致電或寫信向陳慧琳及吳彥祖等人道歉。

昨天迪士尼和中港藝人合作關係似乎已好轉，阿B、王敏德、張國立等十幾位藝人都攜家帶眷，都應邀前往迪士尼試玩，也都盡興而歸。

【2005/09/12 聯合晚報】

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香港迪士尼今天開幕的歡樂氣氛，因為場外的抗議活動而變了調。一名戴著「惡魔版」米老鼠面具的抗議人士，把原本可愛的米奇關在籠子裡，抗議迪士尼剝削製造紀念品的勞工。
美聯社

Isan

September 12th, 2005, 12:06 PM

Disney deal anger mounts

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Poised to throw open its gates to the public today, experts doubt Hong Kong Disneyland and the government can live up to promises of grand economic benefits.

Chester Yung and Doug Crets/ The Standard

Monday, September 12, 2005

Poised to throw open its gates to the public today, experts doubt Hong Kong Disneyland and the government can live up to promises of grand economic benefits.

In a sign of the times, criticism about the park has turned toward the government, as some politicians and academics question the SAR's role as a business partner in the venture.

The government has claimed since 1999 that Hong Kong Disneyland will attract millions of tourists to the park.

That claim was backed by Ko Wang, a business professor who studied two summaries of the joint-venture agreement - made available to him from the Hong Kong government and a source in the tourist industry - but he roundly criticized the Hong Kong government for "absolutely ridiculous" assumptions that formed the backbone of the joint-venture agreement.

"A lot of money from the government side [is] used to subsidize Disneyland that you cannot see from looking at the contract," said Ko, who holds the Newman Chair in Real Estate Finance at Baruch College in New York.

"A lot of people will not be able to see the true cost [of what it takes to earn revenue]," he said.

Ko said that the projections are just assumptions disguised through clever business techniques, such as a floating interest rate that protects Disney from loss.

And Hong Kong has assumed that droves of mainland tourists will flock to the city because of the theme park and that they will spend massive amounts of cash.

"That is total baloney," he said. "That argument leaves out a major economic principle. There has to be a cost on the Hong Kong side. If you open a restaurant, people spending HK$100 doesn't mean you earn HK$100."

The presence of these gaps, which cannot be verified, has driven public figures to demand the government reveal details of the joint-venture agreement to test these assumptions.

"The government is a public servant, why would a servant keep secrets from its master?" former legislator Cyd Ho said.

The decision to build the theme park in Hong Kong was made during the 1997 Asian financial crisis. The government entered into the joint-venture agreement with Disney in 1999 with a view to boosting tourism and the economy.

A property consultant was doubtful that financial predictions made in the past could hold true today.

"It's going to draw people from mainland China and obviously within Hong Kong, but the question is how long that novelty value will remain fresh," said Nicolas Brooke, who directs Insignia Brooke.

Disneyland's agreement relies on the fact that more visitors would mean more investment.

According to the Disney estimates used by Ko in his report, the company would spend HK$580 million this year on additional attractions and a total of HK$10.5 billion between 2000 and 2005.

The creation of Tokyo Disneyland, which is operated by Oriental Land, led to the development of 60 other theme parks across the country since its formation in 1983.

That prompted chief executive Michael Eisner to say that staying out of the joint venture had financially hurt the company.

Disneyland Paris, which opened in 1992 and was Disney's first joint venture with a government, sought to correct that.

However, it has suffered losses of US$3.3 billion (HK$25.74 billion) from 2002 to last year partly because of dwindling attendance.

To avoid an economic failure in the Hong Kong theme park, commercial development will have to expand, Brooke said.

"We need to have a wider range ... [but] we're a bit thin," he said. Developers will have to "come up with something to fly on its own."

Brooke did not rule out casinos on Lantau in the next few years.

Lui Ting-ming, a professor and the director of the Center for Economic Development at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, said the economic assessments made by the government as well as Disney were twisted.

"The key to my analysis is that the so-called economic benefits could be used in an abusive way," he said.

Lui assumes four million tourists will come to Disney every year.

"We can assume that the net profit is 20 percent of the expenditure. That would bring the net benefit per year to HK$800 million," he said.

"If you multiply it by 40 years, that would be HK$32 billion [not HK$148 billion, as projected by the government]."

"This could hardly be regarded as a very profitable social investment," he said, noting that it cost US$25 billion, including infrastructure tie-ins, to build the park.

A spokeswoman for Disney said the company could not comment on the government's projections on costs.

"Hong Kong Disney is very confident about the tourist situation and that we can help draw more tourists here," public relations manager Esther Wong said.

Ko is sure Disney crafted a design that will mean the company will stop caring about Hong Kong in the mid- term.

"Initially, most of the money goes to Disney," he said.

Intoxication

September 12th, 2005, 08:13 PM

Disney launches new HK theme park

Top officials and cartoon characters attend the opening of Disney's Hong Kong theme park.

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Disney has opened a new $1.8bn (£1bn) theme park in Hong Kong, the firm's biggest foray into the Chinese market.

Hong Kong Disneyland, based on Lantau Island, is expected to attract more than five-and-a-half million visitors in its first year.

The project is 57% owned by the Hong Kong government, and is expected to generate $19bn over the next 40 years.

Characters such as Alice in Wonderland sing and speak in Cantonese, while Chinese food is sold around the park.

The theme park was opened by Chinese Vice-President Zeng Qinghong and other guests included Hong Kong's chief executive Donald Tsang and Disney boss Michael Eisner.

Guests watched a traditional Chinese lion dance performed in front of an enormous fairytale-style castle.

Disney hopes the park will tap into Hong Kong's appeal to newly-wealthy mainland Chinese and their children as a shopping and leisure centre.

Inspection row

On the eve of the opening ceremony, local officials clashed with the theme park after it ordered health officers investigating food poisoning cases to remove their caps and badges.

Hong Kong officials, angered that food inspectors were asked to take off their uniforms to avoid scaring clients, told Disney it was "not above the law".

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Disney apologised for its action - made during open days last month - and promised to comply with local laws.

The health inspectors were called in after three cases of food poisoning, still under investigation, were reported in two of the park's restaurants from "rehearsal days" ahead of the opening.

The two officers complied when they were asked to dress less conspicuously - but the request has been widely criticised by government officials.

The resort - the Disney group's second in Asia, after Tokyo - suffered a series of setbacks in the run-up to its official opening.

It faced criticism from animal welfare groups in July, after reports that local officials had been called in to destroy at least 40 dogs roaming the site.

A month earlier, it withdrew shark fin soup from planned banquet menus after campaigners condemned the dish, a local luxury, as cruel and ecologically destructive.

Isan

September 12th, 2005, 09:41 PM

Mickey marches in smog

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The Magic Kingdom officially landed in the Middle Kingdom as the gates of Hong Kong Disneyland opened Monday.

Doug Crets
Tuesday, September 13, 2005

The Magic Kingdom officially landed in the Middle Kingdom as the gates of Hong Kong Disneyland opened Monday.

In scorching heat and under a blanket of thick smog, gongs, lion dancers, dignitaries, and Vice President Zeng Qinghong were on hand to welcome about 16,000 visitors to the Lantau park's long-awaited grand opening and to predict that the joint venture between the SAR and Disney will pump billions of dollars into the economy.

Through the course of the day at Penny's Bay, it seemed that the Disney formula of fantasy was working, despite temperatures reaching 34 degrees Celsius, which caused many to seek first aid for heat-related illnesses.

Hundreds of people lined up outside the gates for the sprint into the park, the 11th overseas Disney attraction, after an opening ceremony of speeches.

Zeng, SAR Chief Executive Donald Tsang, outgoing Disney chief executive Michael Eisner and his successor Robert Iger all lauded the US$3.5 billion (HK$27.3 billion) project, of which the government is the largest investor.

Eisner said Hong Kong is just a beachhead for Mickey Mouse and Co. The real prize is China.

"You go to the park and you see mothers, daughters and kids and grandparents. The family unit in China is unbelievably strong. It's not just Hong Kong, it's mainland China," Eisner said.

They stood in front of Sleeping Beauty's fairy-tale castle, the mountain behind it cloaked in smog, and said the Hong Kong people would enjoy prosperity, hope, optimism and a magical fantasy where imagination rules and anything is possible.

Zeng's message was more practical: the park is about money and prosperity. "I truly hope the Hong Kong compatriots will try to enjoy the sound environment for development and economic success," he said, calling the park "Hong Kongers' eternal carnival."

Tsang focused almost entirely on the "billions of dollars" of tourist cash that would pour into Hong Kong.

"We will capitalize on the drawing power of the Disney brand to complement our renowned strengths in dining and shopping, and as a city that perfectly blends East and West," he said.

"Hong Kong Disneyland is a strategic investment by the Hong Kong SAR Government in our tourism sector.

"The park will provide thousands of direct and indirect jobs and, over the long term, bring billions of dollars of economic benefit to our economy."

The project has been plagued by controversies over environmental issues, an attempt to put shark's fin soup on the menu and worries over whether the government's rosy economic projections are realistic.

Outside the gates, a small knot of demonstrators, ranging from Falun Gong practioners to labor and human rights activists stood chanting "No Conscience" and "Evil Mickey" as they protested alleged labor abuses at factories making Disney products in China.

Disney has said it is investigating the claims.

But all controversy was pushed aside by the optimism in the air as the visitors seemed ready to start spending money.

Barry McIntosh and his wife, Julie, from Australia, sporting grins, walked briskly into the park to make one circuit and then head for the shops. "Where is the first place Disney enthusiasts go," Julie called out. "Shopping."

"We've been planning this trip ever since we knew about the opening [in February]," Barry said, adding that the heat was no bother.

As the signature ragtime music on Main Street played, visitors lined up for meals, and continued streaming into the park until well after 3pm.

Relaxing in the air-conditioned restaurant in a dark suit and silk tie was Marty Skolar, vice chairman and principal creative executive. He was hired as one of the company's original "Imagineers" and helped create the first Disneyland in California, which opened on a similarly sweltering day in July 1955. He was enthusiastic about his 11th theme park, the only Disney employee to have earned that honor.

"It's Disneyland's 50th year. The Chinese have a great respect for age," said Skolar, who was sitting with his wife, Leah.

He said the company would help expand the tourist market in Hong Kong and bring new advances in hospitality and amusement parks, even though the park is the smallest in the Disneyland constellation.

Just before the gates opened, a woman who identified herself as Hidey, who attended an internship with Disney in the US, asked visitors to try the rides.

"Do they train you to be happy?" she was asked. "Yes. No. We are happy anyway, that's why we are here," she said. And with that, the clickers started counting the first of what the government and Disney hope will be tens of millions of visitors enchanted by the possibility of magic.

Isan

September 12th, 2005, 10:14 PM

港迪士尼設計風水擺第一
群山環抱「左青龍、右白虎」大門方位調整12度提升正能量入口處設水池聚財

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【本報香港訊】全球第五座迪士尼樂園，12日天在香港開幕，這也是華人地區首座迪士尼。香港迪士尼從設計、完工，到劇場表演，都融入很多中華文化元素，園區內建築物的方位，甚至要風水師認可後才能拍板，因而有西方媒體稱之為「風水迪士尼」，很有「迪士尼中國化」的味道。

香港迪士尼從2003年1月動工，歷經兩年九個月完工。

為興建迪士尼樂園，香港政府整出280公頃基地，新開一條長八公里的公路，一個碼頭，一個消防救護站，還闢建香港最大、12公頃的迪欣湖，另有專為樂園興建富有迪士尼味的地鐵線。

香港迪士尼在興建過程中融入很多中華文化和風俗民情，所有建築物的方位和園內設計，經徵詢香港知名風水師意見，一再修改後才定案。

迪士尼在新聞稿這麼說：樂園兩旁被群山環抱，正是「左青龍、右白虎」的格局；園區大門口經風水師指點後，將方位調整12度，以提升正能量和人潮；兩家園內酒店的位置也是精挑細選，確保能將西南邊的水源引入，讓客人如水般的湧入；水池能聚財，因此入口處特別設計一座噴水池。

酒店宴會廳占地888平方公尺，因為「8」這個數字在中國人是「發」；開幕日9月12日，也是挑選過的好日子。

除了硬體建設，軟體服務也看得出中國味：園內標示是中英文雙語，廣播是廣東話、普通話、英語三聲帶。這也是首座提供中餐的迪士尼，米老鼠現在能說廣東話，獅子王一劇中有綵帶舞，伴著夏威夷草群舞出現的海浪以耍大旗方式呈現，酒店還有燈籠高掛。

2005-09-12

hkskyline

September 13th, 2005, 05:41 AM

曾慶紅祝福迪士尼永遠的嘉年華
13/09/2005
《太陽報電子報》

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全港市民期盼六年、富中國特色的香港迪士尼樂園昨終於誕生，開幕典禮以中國傳統鼓舞及舞龍舞獅配襯卡通人物，主禮嘉賓國家副主席曾慶紅祝願「樂園將永遠成為香港市民的嘉年華」。迪士尼樂園代表人物米奇說：「依家等我展開奇妙體驗啦！」將整個開幕典禮推至最高潮。今後，迪士尼樂園的璀璨花，將每晚劃破香港夜空，為港人帶來歡樂。

迪士尼樂園的奇妙體驗，由充滿中國傳統色彩的擊鼓作為序幕，接近中午十二時，園內響起一通又一通的鼓聲，十多位身穿金色或紅色衫褲的鼓手不停擊鼓，主禮嘉賓國家副主席曾慶紅，在鼓聲和樂聲中緩緩地由香港迪士尼樂園地標—睡公主城堡步出，他滿面笑容向台下嘉賓揮手致意，尾隨的三位主禮嘉賓，包括行政長官曾蔭權、迪士尼公司行政總裁邁克．艾斯納、迪士尼公司總裁及營運總監羅伯特．艾格。

醒獅鼓舞揭序幕
四位主禮嘉賓由台上步至台下，欣賞開幕慶典，此時，台上有數名小朋友步出，分別以廣東話及普通話說：「早晨，大家好，歡迎各位光臨迪士尼樂園。」此時，五頭金獅隨即登場，四位主禮嘉賓上台進行點睛儀式，再步下禮台欣賞醒獅及鼓舞表演，其中一頭金獅上到樁柱頂部後，「吐出」一個紅色底的迪士尼標誌，象徵香港迪士尼樂園誕生。

香港迪士尼樂園名譽大使張學友及香港迪士尼樂園親善大使杜苡樂也上台恭賀樂園開幕，來自全球四個迪士尼樂園的親善大使也上台致賀。稍後，《世界真細小》的音樂響起，香港兒童合唱團的成員出場，唱出樂園的主題曲《讓奇妙飛翔》。

曾蔭權致詞指出，迪士尼樂園是香港特區政府在旅遊業的策略投資，提供成千上萬職位，本港一系列適合一家老少遊玩的旅遊新景點，未來半年將陸續啟用。

國家副主席曾慶紅在壓軸致詞時說，歡樂的迪士尼將永遠成為香港市民的嘉年華，並為市民和訪港遊客增添一個充滿魅力的旅遊新景點，也為香港經濟繁榮發展提供一個新的增長點。他形容，在香港建設迪士尼樂園正是國際資本更看好香港的生動例證，他真誠地希望有更多的外國投資者來香港投資創業。

隨四位主禮嘉賓主持剪綵儀式，《世界真細小》的音樂再次響起，迪士尼公司行政總裁邁克．艾斯納以英語宣布：「香港迪士尼樂園正式開幕。」兩條龍由城堡出場，尾隨的是包括米奇和米妮在內的全體迪士尼樂園的卡通人物，他們隨音樂起舞，此時，城堡四周也放出花及彩帶，場面熱鬧，見證香港迪士尼樂園正式誕生。

一萬六千人盡興
開幕儀式後半小時，樂園正式開放予公眾人士，昨日入場參與感受開幕日的遊人共有一萬六千人，下午魚貫進場及盡情到各個機動遊戲遊玩，並沒有出現混亂情況。

樂園於晚上九時舉行的壓軸花匯演歷時約十二分鐘，在睡公主城堡上空綻放的花百變多端，一時如流星劃破夜空、又如火柱直沖天際，最後更是萬花齊放水銀瀉地，在多首迪士尼經典金曲及七彩繽紛的燈光襯托下，令逾萬名遊客經歷了一次奇妙之旅。花匯演結束後，遊客亦有秩序地朝樂園出口方向離去。

hkskyline

September 13th, 2005, 05:42 AM

遊樂園神采飛揚賞電影會米老鼠
曾慶紅體驗夢幻國度
13/09/2005
《太陽報電子報》

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為迪士尼樂園主持揭幕的國家副主席曾慶紅，昨日在主持開幕儀式前四十五分鐘到達參觀。米奇等一眾卡通人物排排企，輪流與曾慶紅握手合照。在樂園走了一圈，曾慶紅未有機會試玩機動遊戲，只觀看「瘋帽子旋轉杯」，但抽空欣賞了一套四維影片《米奇幻想曲》，親身感受立體的卡通人物奇幻之旅。

結束三日緊湊訪港行程之前，曾慶紅到迪士尼樂園主持揭幕。雖然經過連日來的奔波勞累、又遇上昨日的悶熱天氣，但曾慶紅到達迪士尼樂園時仍顯得神采飛揚。財政司司長唐英年與迪士尼樂園集團行政總裁羅彬深負責講解樂園的背景，行政長官曾蔭權一直陪伴曾慶紅在樂園參觀。

港府樂園悉心安排
樂園高層及港府為曾慶紅悉心設計了一個濃縮節目，集中前往幻想世界，與迪士尼卡通人物見面。他們先參觀以鐘樓駝俠作設計的餐廳「笑匠歡宴坊」。

曾慶紅在迪士尼的第二站是參觀「瘋帽子旋轉杯」，這個咖啡杯遊戲不斷旋轉，就如進入了電影《愛麗絲夢遊仙境》的情節，不過，由於時間緊迫，曾慶紅只在「派對」外觀看，並沒有坐進旋轉杯。

在咖啡杯旁的是「夢想花園」，在花園內五名迪士尼卡通人物齊集向曾慶紅等賓客招手。曾慶紅在花園中親身感受這個夢幻國度。高飛狗搶先握手，但米奇始終深入民心，曾慶紅高興地與米奇打招呼。

五名卡通人物一同與嘉賓合照，米奇腰板挺直、與曾慶紅同樣英姿颯爽。愛搶鏡的米妮則搔首弄姿，左手輕輕掀短裙、右手不斷擺動，但站在旁邊的曾蔭權卻未被迷倒。曾蔭權旁邊還有雙手叉腰、顯得甚為醒神、英文名同為Donald的唐老鴨。

一行人之後前往欣賞四維電影《米奇幻想曲》，米奇、唐老鴨和一眾好友，演繹一場滿載驚喜的視覺表演。在該處逗留了十分鐘，曾慶紅即前往小熊維尼精品店。短暫的參觀行程就此結束，曾慶紅隨即步往睡公主城堡，主持開幕禮、為醒獅點睛。

hkskyline

September 13th, 2005, 05:46 AM

Disneyland Opens!

Dazzling start to Disney carnival
Crowds enjoy a smooth ride as heat and pollution fail to take the gloss off theme park's big day
Dennis Eng and Ambrose Leung
13 September 2005
South China Morning Post

Local newspaper covers
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Hailed as an "everlasting carnival" and a multibillion-dollar "strategic investment", Hong Kong Disneyland was finally inaugurated yesterday with few of the problems and complaints that plagued it during a month of teething troubles.

Amid the highest pollution levels of the year, dignitaries including Vice-President Zeng Qinghong and Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen gathered in front of the pink Sleeping Beauty Castle as lion dancers gave the occasion a local flavour before the familiar Disney characters poured out for a grand parade.

"The joyous Disneyland will become an everlasting carnival for the Hong Kong people," Mr Zeng said.

"It has been said Hong Kong is a playground for entrepreneurs and a shopper's paradise. I hope that, with the establishment of Hong Kong Disneyland and other cultural and entertainment facilities, Hong Kong will further become a major tourist destination."

Mr Tsang, who marked the occasion by wearing a Donald Duck bow tie, said the government's much-criticised $23 billion injection into the park was a "strategic investment" that would enable the city to "capitalise on the drawing power of the Disney brand to complement our renowned strengths in dining and shopping, and as a city that perfectly blends east and west".

With the park filled to only about half its capacity and many problems ironed out, the chaotic scenes that plagued the month-long rehearsal period were not repeated yesterday and any complaints were mostly about the 30-plus temperatures and the pollution. But the real test will be today, the first official day of business, when a capacity crowd of about 30,000 is expected.

Some of the longest queues yesterday were at the shops and one unofficial estimate put total spending by the 16,000 visitors at more than $20 million. The park is projected to generate $148 billion of economic benefits to the city over the next 40 years and has already created 5,000 jobs.

Disney's fifth park, and its third outside the US, was inaugurated soon after the air pollution index at nearby Tung Chung hit the dangerous level of 105 at 10am. By early evening, the index had fallen to 85, which is still considered high.

"The air is filthy. My eyes were stinging," one visitor complained.

Secretary for Environment, Transport, and Works Sarah Liao Sau-tung acknowledged the threat to Hong Kong's image from the poor air quality on a day when the world's eyes were on the city.

"Air pollution is a long-term battle and we will strive to improve it as it is related to the city's international image," she said.

Exco member Bernard Chan complained: "It's way too hot."

Ocean Park chief Allan Zeman, his white shirt translucent with sweat, welcomed the rival park's opening, but said he would give it more time to "get its feet wet and understand the market and customers" before gauging its success.

Vice-President Zeng used his speech to renew his call for social harmony in Hong Kong.

"Time has proved that only with harmony can there be stability and prosperity. I wholeheartedly wish compatriots in Hong Kong will treasure and cherish the present good situation of economic development and investment atmosphere together, and work hard to build a more harmonious and prosperous Hong Kong," he said.

Mr Tsang said the park would "provide thousands of direct and indirect jobs and, over the long term, bring billions of dollars of economic benefit to our economy".

Outgoing Walt Disney Company chief executive Michael Eisner called the theme park a "breathtaking achievement", while his successor, Robert Iger, applauded the partnership between the US entertainment giant and Hong Kong. Both Disney officials greeted the audience in English, Cantonese and Putonghua.

Most of today's tickets had been sold by last night, although the park said visitors could "try their luck" at the gates when they open at 10am.

The park opened at 1pm and was to have closed at 10pm, an hour later than the regular time. But at almost 11 pm, guests still lingered.

hkskyline

September 13th, 2005, 05:51 AM

Mainland tourists gave Hong Kong Disneyland two thumbs up on its debut
Winnie Chong and Mimi Lau
13 September 2005
Hong Kong Standard

Chen Suiseng, 63, from Dongguan, joined a day tour for 478 yuan (HK$458), which he said was good value as it included meals, transport and a ticket into the theme park.

As a man who rarely travels, Chen said Hong Kong Disneyland is a good place for him as it is convenient and cheap.

"Disneyland is a famous international park. If I traveled to Disneyland in Japan, it would cost a few thousand yuan, which we can hardly afford," Chen said.

Lin Fuchuan, 36, from Fujian, joined a five-day tour of Hong Kong, Macau and Zhuhai for 2,500 yuan. He was staying a whole day at the park and a night in Hong Kong.

He said he liked the Disney characters and plans to come back again with friends.

A middle-aged man named Ng from Dongguan got tickets from a friend for a day trip to Disneyland.

"It's a brand new park and I'm so happy I have a chance to visit on its opening day," Ng said.

About a third of Monday's 16,000 visitors were mainlanders, according to television news reports, with some 1,600 reportedly from Guangzhou. News reports said that hundreds arrived in dozens of buses via Lok Ma Chau.

It was a smooth process which took mere minutes for more than 1,000 visitors to cross the border.

One man from Guangzhou said: "It only took 30 minutes for about 1,000 people to get through customs. We queued for 20 minutes only at the entrance gate."

For him, it was important to witness the first Disneyland to open on Chinese soil and he brought HK$2,000 to mark the occasion with a shopping spree for souvenirs.

Many came with children dressed as Snow White while parents wore Mickey Mouse ears.

"It's worth waiting up to two hours, this is such a happy day," said a man queuing outside the entrance gate.

hkskyline

September 13th, 2005, 06:49 AM

To build 2nd China park, Disney wants more TV access
Keith Bradsher
12 September 2005
International Herald Tribune

Even as Hong Kong Disneyland prepares to open on Monday, Disney is holding off building a similar theme park in mainland China, according to Robert Iger, president of the company, until it has been assured that it will be able to air Disney shows on Chinese television.

Disney's firm stance underlines the unhappiness of many Western media companies at the Chinese government's issuance on Aug. 1 of a new and stricter interpretation of the country's media ownership regulations.

Presented by culture and propaganda officials as a way to preserve Chinese culture and limit foreign influence, the rules essentially bar foreign television channels like the Disney Channel. They also make it harder for foreign companies to produce movies and TV shows in China even if they find local partners.

Shanghai has been actively seeking a Disney theme park for several years, with strong support from Beijing's leaders. Discussions between Disney executives and Shanghai officials have caused considerable alarm in Hong Kong, which has invested $2.9 billion of taxpayers' money in helping to build a park here, mainly to reclaim land from the sea for the park and to lay roads and a subway line to it.

Hong Kong Disneyland would face strong competition if a similar theme park opened in Shanghai. But Iger, who will succeed Michael Eisner as chief executive on Oct. 1, said that before building another park in Shanghai, the company needed assurances that it would be able to introduce Disney characters to Chinese audiences through television.

"In order for us to even consider a park there, we need to be sure we have access to television," Iger said in an interview Friday at the new, oceanfront Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel.

Disney's ABC division, which Iger used to run, recently sold its "Desperate Housewives" show to Chinese television companies. But Iger said that Disney's goal was to start the Disney Channel in at least some Chinese cities, especially Shanghai.

"The restrictions in general do thwart our efforts to grow television in that marketplace," he said, while adding that he remained confident that, "over time, we'll gain access to the market."

Iger said other countries have demanded that television channels include at least some local productions, and that this was a possibility for China. He voiced confidence that the company would not run into censorship problems, saying, "It's rare that there are content issues for our product."

Disney does not necessarily need a majority stake in local productions in China either, Iger said, pointing out that Disney has only a 43 percent stake in the new Hong Kong theme park; the Hong Kong government owns the rest.

"We're more than willing to have a partner" for television productions in China, he said, adding that it would be "safe to conclude we are in discussions" on TV deals. Copyright violations and other thefts of intellectual property have been a chronic problem for many companies in China. But Iger said that he did not believe that taking on local partners would make matters worse in this regard.

"If we don't do anything, Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse are going to end up there anyway, and we're not going to get anything," he said.

Iger said that after the Hong Kong Disneyland opening ceremony on Monday, he planned to fly on to Beijing "to discuss Disney business initiatives in China in general." But the trip is not intended primarily as a lobbying effort for the lifting of the restrictions, he added.

If Iger wants to lobby, however, he could have an opportunity much sooner. Vice President Zeng Qinghong of China, a Politburo member with particular responsibility for propaganda, culture and Hong Kong issues, is scheduled to join Iger and Eisner for the brief opening ceremony. Beijing's new media rules and the possibility of a delay in setting up a Disney theme park in Shanghai are likely to cement Hong Kong's role as a media hub for China in particular and for Asia over all. Tighter restrictions on the mainland also make the success or failure of Hong Kong Disneyland even more important to the company's long-term performance in Asia.

Some visitors have complained of crowding during 17 testing days, when thousands of local residents were invited to the park, prompting questions about whether visitors, fearing overcrowding, might shun the park at first.

Dick Yang, manager of the Guangdong Nanhu International Travel Agency in Guangzhou, 160 kilometers, or 100 miles, up the Pearl River from Hong Kong, said his agency had expected to sell 1,200 tickets to Hong Kong Disneyland for September but had sold only 400. Potential patrons are leery of the possible crowds and are unhappy that many Hong Kong hotels have raised prices by 20 percent in anticipation of an influx of park-goers, he said.

But Yang noted that demand was brisk for the so-called golden week in early October, a weeklong national holiday.

Instead of letting most people choose when to take vacations, the Chinese government schedules three "golden weeks" each year, national holidays during which most economic activity stops. That heavy concentration of tourism into three short spasms of travel poses a dilemma for Disney, which needs to keep the park fairly full all year long to cover investment costs.

Disney is charging lower prices on weekdays, which it has never done at its other parks. Jay Rasulo, chairman of the theme parks and resorts division, said the company was confident that through various techniques, like promoting the park at various times of year in different Asian countries, it could even out considerably the number of visitors coming to the park each day.

Isan

September 13th, 2005, 11:23 PM

HK Disneyland to boost Thai visitor numbers

Published on September 13, 2005

The number of Thai travellers to Hong Kong is expected to rise 20 per cent following the opening of Hong Kong Disneyland yesterday, which has increased the number of reservations for tour packages to the island, said local tour operators.

The theme park had its official launch yesterday. During the first year of operation, Disneyland expects to welcome 5.6 million visitors, one third from the local market, one third from mainland China and one third from Southeast Asian markets and others.

The theme park’s opening was attended by Walt Disney chief executive officer Michael Eisner.

“With a spirit of goodwill and friendship, we invite the people of Hong Kong, China and all of Asia to share in the magic, imagination and soaring spirit of Disney,” Eisner said.

According to local tour operators, an initial period of marketing strategy will focus on three important areas – showcasing the Disney characters recognised by Southeast Asia, conveying the Disney experience to families around the region, and advertising to attract people to visit Hong Kong Disneyland.

Yongyut Lujintanon, Cathay Pacific’s sales and marketing manager for Thailand and Burma, said more than 400 Thais have booked packages of two days/one night offered by the airline and travel agents.

The package costs Bt17,200 per person, including airfare, hotel rooms located in the Disneyland area and entrance fees. The promotion will end in October 2005.

One local tour operator said Hong Kong Disneyland would attract more international tourists than Tokyo Disneyland, which is three times more expensive.

Sofy Sky Travel Co is offering a package tour of three days/two nights at a cost of Bt12,900 per person. The company expects more students will travel to Hong Kong during the school break this October.

Currently there are 300,000 annual Thai visitors to Hong Kong. Once travel agents begin including Hong Kong Disneyland in packages, an increasing number of Thais are expected to visit Hong Kong since the theme park positions itself as a family destination and Thai people are familiar with the Disney brand.

The Hong Kong Tourism Board selected travel agents who focus on the Hong Kong market and have a large sales volumes to visit the theme park a few weeks before the opening ceremony took place.

Not only focussing on leisure travellers, Hong Kong Disneyland is also interested in the MICE market (Meeting, Incentive, Convention, Exhibition).

The park has received inquiries for MICE events from groups of 50 persons up to 20,000 people, not just from Asia but from the United States and Europe as well.

The opening day crowd enjoyed a full day of entertainment including encounters with such famous Disney characters as Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh and Cinderella, classic attractions like the Jungle River Cruise and live Broadway-quality entertainment.

Suchat Sritama

The Nation

hkskyline

September 14th, 2005, 05:52 AM

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A view of Disneyland in Hong Kong during a gala evening prior to the official public opening of the giant theme park(AFP/Andrew Ross)

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An elderly tourist has his picture taken with Mickey and Minnie Mouse at Hong kong Disneyland in Hong Kong as the park opens to the public(AFP/Ted Aljibe)

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A family poses during a parade at Hong kong Disneyland in Hong Kong as the amusement park opens its dorrs to the public(AFP/Ted Aljibe)

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Walt Disney characters Mickey and Minnie Mouse wave at the opening of Hong Kong Disneyland. Mickey Mouse has thrown open the doors to Disney's latest theme park, a three billion US dollar resort in Hong Kong which marked the company's first step into the growing Chinese market.(AFP/Ted Aljibe)

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A child plays at Hong Kong Disneyland as celebrating the grand opening in Hong Kong Monday, Sept. 12, 2005. It is Disney's first-ever vacation resort in China. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

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Fireworks and special effects explode over the Sleeping Beauty Castle at Hong Kong Disneyland as celebrating the grand opening in Hong Kong Monday, Sept. 12, 2005. It is Disney's first-ever vacation resort in China. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

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Fireworks and special effects explode over the Sleeping Beauty Castle in Hong Kong's Disneyland after the grand opening of the theme Park Hong Kong Disneyland Monday, Sept. 12, 2005, It is Disney's first-ever vacation resort in China. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

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Fireworks and special effects explode over the Sleeping Beauty Castle in Hong Kong's Disneyland after the grand opening of the theme Park Hong Kong Disneyland Monday, Sept. 12, 2005, It is Disney's first-ever vacation resort in China. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

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Fireworks explode over the Sleeping Beauty Castle at Hong Kong Disneyland on the first day of its official opening September 12, 2005. Disney officially opens its new Hong Kong theme park on Monday, bringing a slice of the Magic Kingdom to the Middle Kingdom with a careful blend of American showmanship and Chinese characteristics. REUTERS/Bobby Yip

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Fireworks and special effects expose over the Sleeping Beauty Castle in Hong Kong's Disneyland after the grand opening of the theme Park Hong Kong Disneyland Monday, Sept. 12, 2005, It is Disney's first-ever vacation resort in China. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

Isan

September 14th, 2005, 09:26 AM

迪士尼飯店台遊客罵入住等4小時
2005-09-14 12:26／黃重添梁偉雄

香港迪士尼樂園風光開幕後，卻惹來不少埋怨，園區內的兩家飯店，就有台灣遊客抱怨，光是完成入住手續就要花整整4個小時，台灣旅客說，以後不想在到香港迪士尼受氣了。

香港迪士尼樂園盛大開幕之後，全天開放後的遊樂設施並沒出現大排長龍，不過主題樂�
新聞來源：TVBS

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入住迪士尼酒店遊客等到火滾

　香港迪士尼樂園的兩間酒店昨日首天開業，但旅客辦理登記入住酒店手續時出現大排長龍情況，有旅客投訴花了四小時仍未能辦妥手續，也有旅客指酒店職員登記動作「漏氣」，而且不夠人手為客人辦理登記手續。但香港迪士尼樂園發言人則回應表示，酒店的運作一切暢順。記者李見安、盧怡安報道

　樂園內的「迪士尼好萊塢酒店」和「香港迪士尼樂園酒店」昨天正式開業，原先預定下午3時才正式接待旅客，但由於旅客均想先在酒店放下行李箱，再把握時間到迪士尼樂園遊玩，因此樂園內兩間酒店放寬要求，准許旅客在3時前先到酒店辦理登記入住手續和放下行李箱，若房間準備妥當便會安排旅客上房。
台客等四小時未入住

　昨日早上約11時，迪士尼好萊塢酒店的登記處外早已擠滿人群，約40多位等待辦理登記手續的旅客表現得煩躁不已，雖然酒店已啟動八個櫃位疏導人潮，惟人龍至下午亦未見改善。

　有台灣旅客投訴指，昨日等待四個小時，惟酒店仍未能為她辦妥登記入住手續，她表示不滿迪士尼安排不周，「真的好生氣，可能我要再考慮會不會再來（香港迪士尼）」。

　另一位麥小姐亦向本報稱，她與四位家人，昨日早上10時前往好萊塢酒店辦理登記入住手續，本應計劃先辦理妥當登記手續後，再趕赴迪士尼樂園遊玩，但未想過辦理登記手續會如此花時間，「我排隊用個幾鐘頭，登記又用半個鐘，無時間去樂園玩」。她認為酒店職員動作非常慢，且不夠人手為客人辦理登記手續，「我間房係三個月前一早預約，但依家登記手續都要辦理咁耐，可能職員未熟手。」
「動作好慢人手唔夠」

　有從廣州自由行來港的旅客稱，昨天花在排隊辦理登記手續上用了一小時，她怒氣地道：「內地的酒店亦不用排隊這麼久，這間新開的酒店（好萊塢）不值1600元一晚。」她表示，不知道去迪士尼樂園會如此麻煩，否則早就打消到迪士尼遊玩的念頭。

　曾有顧客向酒店職員表示不滿，指登記情況混亂，但酒店職員只道：「唔好意思，多謝你寶貴意見，但今日都係開幕後酒店第一日運作。」

　至於香港迪士尼樂園酒店方面，昨日共啟動了九個櫃位為顧客進行登記手續，其人龍情況明顯較好萊塢酒店輕微，惟職員登記的「漏氣」程度與前者不遑多讓。

　從事廣告業的周先生表示，他與太太昨日特意請假兩天，陪同兒子來迪士尼遊玩，因此時間對他們來說非常寶貴，但到酒店辦登記手續卻用了一小時，「職員動作真係好慢，明顯佢地人手唔夠」。
樂園回應指運作暢順

　周先生不滿稱，酒店的登記手續非常繁複，例如填寫顧客的地址資料，不論二人是否居住在一起，酒店亦會要求所有顧客重新填寫地址一次，他認為酒店理應簡化登記手續，這樣便不用浪費時間。

　對於昨日酒店登記出現混亂情況，迪士尼樂園發言人昨晚表示，昨天酒店的房間早已爆滿，但總括而言，昨日以來酒店的運作都暢順，她又指，其實酒店方面曾作總綵排，而賓客都喜歡這裏，職員的服務態度亦良好。