No Sign of Crowds at HKDL whereas HKOP was packed today.

[HongKongDisneyland]

海洋公園迫滿內地旅客迪士尼人流疏落
2007-02-20


連續幾日的春節假期，吸引不少內地旅客來香港玩。海洋公園迫滿內地旅客，各種機動遊戲都大排長龍，就算買小 食亦要排隊，但迪士尼樂園就人流疏落。

大批旅客和本地人，趁假日來海洋公園玩。場內迫滿人，每樣機動遊戲都大排長龍，起碼等一小時以上才有得玩， 連去洗手間都要排長龍，扶手電梯站滿 人。旅客說：「今天非常多人，最長時間是等吊車，等了一小時，吃完一頓飯也未上到車。」「等很久，等了一小 時以上也要等，來一趟不容易。」

就算買東西吃，一樣要等：「吃東西要排隊，就算買魷魚絲也要等一百個位。」

有內地旅客表示，香港迪士尼樂園比較小，跟美國的差很遠，所以選擇帶小孩子到海洋公園。」

同樣在假日，迪士尼樂園就顯得有點冷清。去年春節期間，迪士尼樂園爆滿的情景，今年沒有再出現 。

Source : HK ATV News

According to the latest News from HK ATV News

HK Ocean Park was packed with mainland tourists and local HongKongers celebrating Chinese New Year. HK Disneyland wasn't crowded today.

They all picked HK Ocean Park over HK Disneyland because they all felt HKDL is too small (compared with other Disney Theme Parks)

The crowds that HKDL Predicted earlier didn't materialize.

[tloolgb]

They all picked HK Ocean Park over HK Disneyland because they all felt HKDL is too small (compared with other Disney Theme Parks).

And yet they all turn around and claim they don't know Disney or its other parks well enough...yeah ok...

[nish221]

And yet they all turn around and claim they don't know Disney or its other parks well enough...yeah ok...

Exactly... they can't use both halves of the argument to justify things depending on what
fits at the time.

[Witches of Morva]

ORDDU: If the people in charge were able to learn valuable lessons from the Disney Company's past mistakes, things would be so different.

ORWEN: Maybe the opening of IT's A SMALL WORLD will do something to boost attendance--a little bit...

[V1213]

Well at least we've had reports that tickets for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are strong.
At least they bought the tickets, even if they didn't turn up on Tuesday. Though it would be nice for them to turn up and spend more money buying food and souvenirs.

[Loomis]

Disney's official line is here:

http://www.hkdlsource.com/news/viewstory?story=117

One line did make me chuckle. "Some of the thousands of Guests who visited the Park today included more than 10 enthusiastic Annual Passholders"

Wow - TEN!

As V1213 mentioned, we've had reports telling us that tickets for the next few days are selling fast or have sold, although people on the ground are also saying it isn't as busy as the previous few months have been.

Perhaps after Halloween; Christmas; New Year; Valentine's and now Chinese New Year in the space of a few months, the 'increased seasonality' Disney mentioned a few weeks back has been increased too much.

We've heard no official word on Easter celebrations (I don't believe there was anything big last year), but I wouldn't be surprised if they cool their jets and let it slide without too much fuss, especially with the build up to summer and the opening of the new parade and animation workshop.

[TDLFAN]

One line did make me chuckle. "Some of the thousands of Guests who visited the Park today included more than 10 enthusiastic Annual Passholders"

Wow - TEN!

Would that be the only few who have bought the NON-restricted AP? Because when I was there last friday the 16th (my value AP was blocked from use for the next few days from saturday on) Mind you the park was not packed to the gills but was rather busy, in fact, the busiest I have ever seen HKDL on my many visits there.

[NickCharles]

Why would they even celebrate Halloween and Christmas or Easter when the Chinese certainly don't do Halloween and the overwhelming majority do not celebrate Christmas or Easter? Yeah I get that it's an American company and imported park but still.....I guess because Hong Kong was British ruled for so long....maybe the HK population does moreso than the Mainland Chinese.

[TDLFAN]

It's all advertizement. Just because the Chinese do not celebrate Halloween or Christmas perse, does not mean these celebrations have filtered into their every day lives due to retail and business agendas. Same for Japan.. a short few years ago, no one knew what Halloween was, and now? It's becomes one of the most popular events at the park every year. Pop culture from the western world has been well received in the far east. Which begs the question... how long will it be before we start having "Chinese New Year" sales at our local mall tennants? Maybe never, because American doo not reciprocrate in the same fashion in regards to *other* people's cultures and beliefs, me thinks. Our loss, and retails' too.

[Loomis]

I don't know about the rest of the world, but there were certainly a few Chinese New Year events happening around Sydney over the weekend. A trip to the movies on Sunday night at the old Fox Studios (now the 'Entertainment Quarter') had dragon dancing and drums. It was low-key, but then again, so is the Entertainment Quarter these days. In the busier parts of Sydney, especially 'Chinatown'/Haymarket, there were naturally bigger celebrations.

As far as HKDL celebrating Halloween/Christmas/New Year/Easter (the latter of which I don't think HKDL has done in a big way yet), lest we forget that Hong Kong is a former British colony and many of the locals would celebrate these events. Even if Anglo-Christian elements of some of these events are not applicable to mainland Chinese guests, there is undoubtedly a 'presence' required for these events to be seen in a Disney park. Besides, Disneyland - as is evidenced by the Main Street, USA in Hong Kong - is a very much a symbol of Americana. If all of the other major Disneylands around the world are celebrating the events, from a marketing point of view, HKDL HAS to be seen as doing something too.

I do like the idea of Disney exporting some of the local customs to their overseas parks. Having some of the Chinese New Year events in California, a state that has a strong Chinese heritage, would be something quite different, enjoyable and highly appropriate. In fact, this kind of multicultural celebration would be right at home in DCA, founded as it is on the diversity of the state of California.

[aimster]

Same for Japan.. a short few years ago, no one knew what Halloween was, and now? It's becomes one of the most popular events at the park every year. Pop culture from the western world has been well received in the far east.

Especially in japan. I used to have a friend that lived in Tokyo and she told me even though Christmas has no religious meaning to the Japanese, they celebrate it anyway. For them though, the big holiday is New Year's (a 3 day celebration).