HongKong Disneyland makes holidays even more magical

The “Ber” months are upon us, and it seems the hubbub of the city — its traffic, noise, smog and crowds — is escalating by the day. It’s only natural, then, to dream of a place where one can get lost in magic and wonder, to escape the worries of daily life.

Let me, then, make a case for Hong Kong Disneyland.

First of all are the hotels, which really aren’t spoken about enough. When the park opened, the first hotel that was available was the original Disneyland Hotel — a beautiful, majestic hotel with crystal chandeliers and intricate elevators that seemed to be the home of many a Disney princess. The following property was Disney’s Hollywood Hotel, which, as the name suggests, hearkened to the glory and glamour of Old Hollywood. Its newest establishment, the Disney Explorers Lodge, is really a testament to Disney’s excruciating eye for detail. It’s built on the Latin term “Ad explorare et somniare,” or “To explore and dream,” and that is exactly what it accomplishes. While there might be a sort of comical expectation due to their hotels being products of a company known for its colorful cartoons, the design of everything, down to the smallest detail, is beyond tasteful and extremely beautiful.

A home for explorers

The Explorers Lodge, in particular, is utterly breathtaking upon entry. As a hotel, it really has a quality where, if one looks really close — as a true explorer would — there’s increasingly more depth in detail to discover. It is surrounded by greenery to mimic its own jungle. Its lobby is a masterpiece, with a Cathedral ceiling and epic touches — coffee tables masquerading as vintage travel trunks, lamps that look like telescopes and binoculars, leather club chairs, warm lighting, copper vintage plane propellers, slightly rugged-looking stone floors with hidden Mickeys interspersed and the use of a lot of bamboo. It evokes a clear sense of Jane in the Jungle, where glamping meets the luxury of great hotel service.

The hotel rooms are located in four different wings: Asia, South Africa, Africa and Oceania. I stayed in the Oceania wing, which had Squirt from Finding Nemo as its muse. There was a little cut-out of Squirt to be found in the intricate details along the overhead lamps lighting the corridors, and if one looked closely at the little card that bore the number to each room, it wasn’t just a luggage tag, it had the words “Wallaby Way” written where the address would normally go. The rooms themselves are large, comfortable and equipped with everything one could possibly need.

Apart from design, the fact that this is a hotel that caters to children as much as adults is what puts it over the top. For instance, their check-in counters have three times as many lanes as you would see in a standard hotel, to ensure expedient service. While you wait, there is an area off to the side with a single entrance, where kids can watch cartoons within plain sight of their parents. There is an arts and crafts area right by the lobby as well, where kids who may not be up to roaming the park can tackle all sorts of fun projects. (They have literally thought of everything, and I found this out when all my lightning cables simultaneously broke and the front desk came to my swift aid.)

Their restaurants are also fantastically assembled, with menus that are beyond standard fast-food fare. Halal options are readily available, and the Explorers Lodge has more grab-and-go items than any of the Disneyland hotels. It also boasts its first Chinese restaurant, Dragon Wind, which is delicious by any standard. (Pro tip: Try their take on lemon chicken, which is actually succulent, well-balanced, not too sweet, and quite life-changing.)

Disney-fied holidays

Once one is ready to heighten their stimulation and head to the park, it’s not simply the rides that await. This Nov. 16 kicks off the Christmas celebration of Hong Kong Disneyland, and to say that it’s all kinds of bananas is a legitimate understatement.

Now, Disney is definitely a company that treasures the involvement of Filipinos, not just from its most talented staff, but also from its guests. And so it plays up the feel of Noche Buena with Christmas-themed meals across all its establishments, from character donuts to hot drinks garnished with chocolate Mickey Mouse ears to more sophisticated holiday-themed dishes, totaling 70 new F&B items to bring the holiday cheer.

Beloved characters will be decked out in winter’s best, with Olaf (from Frozen) having his own character greetings. Santa Goofy is an utter riot with his special mailbox where guests can send postcards to loved ones all over the world with a special commemorative stamp. There will likewise be a Christmastime Ball two to three times a day in front of the castle, and the 20-minute show will feature Minnie, Mickey and all their friends performing Christmas music and dances. Evenings will see Main Street covered in snowfall, as its giant Christmas tree lights up for the Holiday Wish-Come-True Lighting Ceremony. Disneyland’s iconic fireworks display to cap off every evening at its park will also be made extra special by Christmas carolers in the Town Square area, sending off guests on a literal festive note.

Of course, what is a trip without pasalubong? If anyone’s going to have you covered, it’s Disney. Hong Kong Disneyland is bringing out a selection of over 100 new holiday merchandise items, including Frozen’s Elsa and Anna in their winter gear, sparkly Christmas Minnie ears, and a Tsum Tsum advent calendar that is too adorable to be believed. (Pro tip at no extra cost: Every member of the Disney staff carries character stickers with them, and if you stop and ask, they will give you some.)

And to wrap up this gorgeous package in the most generous bow, Hong Kong Disneyland is making it even easier for its Filipino guests to come join the fun: if you book now through to the end of the year, directly through Hong Kong Disney, their Advanced Purchase Room Offer allows guests to save up to 40 percent off across all their hotels. As an added incentive, guests will receive Priority Admission Passes for reserved seating at stage shows and select attractions.

Why you should go

It may seem like a lot of hoopla, but what Disney is most gifted at is making sure there’s a little bit of something for everyone. When we, a bunch of fully grown adults, embarked on our press preview, we were ransacked by terrible things in the news, which could have truly dampened our spirits. But a few days at the hotel and park removed us from reality and submerged us back into the simple, childlike joys that come with having iconic characters like Mickey and Minnie giving you a hug, the exhilerating rush of rides that make you scream your lungs out, and the freedom to sing and dance along to songs you love with all the characters down Main Street. These days we need to fight for a little more happiness and hope, and the Disney universe is one of the most reliable in providing an assist. Let it remind you of simpler times, give yourself a well-deserved break, and have all the magical, merry fun you can imagine.

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For more information, see https://www.hongkongdisneyland.com/disney-christmas-intl/.