Disney's Hong Kong park construction starts in January

I have driven by the site where this is going to be and I am not sure how they will accomplish this. It is in a very hilly area on an island famed for it's giant budda. Very interesting...

It is amazing that they can build a 2.9 billion dollar park in Hong Kong while cutting in all aspects of the American parks.

My edit was million to billion. A 2.9 million dollar Disney park will look like California Adventure. Joke. *** This post was edited by wahoo skipper on 10/18/2002. ***

I've not actually been to Hong Kong, but looking at photos, is there any place left to build something like that? It seems like wall-to-wall development as far as the eye can see.

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The Hong Kong park is being built on reclaimed land near the airport.

Let me try to explain this. There is the Island of Hong Kong which is the most crowded place in the world on one side with hundreds upon hundreds of skyscrapers. The other side of the Island has some beaches with expensive townhomes and apartements. Across the "Harbour" from the built up area is Kowloon, which is also crowded and I think was the part in Rush Hour 2. Connected by (a huge) bridge to Kowloon is Lantau Island, which is not really developed except a few apartment buildings. This is where Disneyland will be. It is a fairly hilly area. Across from this is the reclaimed island where the airport(Chep Lap Kok) is on. Right next to the airport. To get from Central(downtown) to Disneyland, you would just take the airport highway, but there will be an exit for Disneyland. I have only been there once, but I am good with Geography.

It's really quite simple, even if you haven't been there. When they announced this project several years ago, they made it quite clear with maps and pictures that they would be literally building a plot of land by using "fill" in the sea. This "fill" needed a few years to settle and become solid, stable ground, thus the delay in building until now. To a much lesser extent, The Magic Kingdom at WDW was built the same way. The utilidors are actually at ground level and the park built on top. The difference being the Florida swamps offered a bit more solid ground with which to work so construction there could start almost immediately. It is quite a feat of engineering in Hong Kong and someone somewhere must see a profit in the long run, because recouping the construction costs seems unrealistic at first glance.

Am I the only one that just doesn't get this? Why is Disney building more parks around the world. More than half of the guests that visit WDW are from outside the country. If they continue building parks (like they did with the Disney Store), you are going to saturate the drawing crowd. I mean, why fly to Flordia when you go to the one down the street. They complain about not getting people in the gates at WDW, yet they open two parks outside the country. I just don't get this at all. How is this a smart business move? Disney used to be something special that you had to go to in Florida (yes Disneyland was around as well, but IMHO it's not the same thing). Whatever though, they just better do the park right and not cheap like DCA.

Anyone looking for photos of the site and news and progress look no further than the following website :

http://www.disney.com.hk/hkdisneyland/index-flash.html

They are indeed building on reclaimed land as it would not be possible to build it on the existing land. FYI, Hong Kong is practically build all on reclaimed land, so this is nothing new. Unlike the airport, the land is attached to the island.

Swoosh~

Hong Kong is the most densely populated place on earth and I believe (I may be wrong) that China is the most populous country in the world. Now I have been to WDW and DL many times, and I am aware of the # of foriegners at those parks, but if you really look at the people that make up these crowds, you will see that most are Japanese, European, or South American. You will see VERY little in the way of people from China and that part of the world. It may have to do with economic reasons, but southern Asia is a hell of a long way from eitherWDW or DL, so this is a great option for the millions of peeps there.

I do agree with another comment made though, that they should really concentrate on what they have, what with the stagnant attendance and all. Remember though, this deal was made LONG before the economy went south and obviously before 9/11, so at the time it was a good business decision.

Swoosh, Disney Califronia cost quite a pretty peeny and they are sloqly expanding it. We're lucky it didn't open with on;y two rides like MGM Studios. Why do so many expect a complete park by the end of the first season? Between now and the end of 2005, Disney California Adventure will have gotten 6 new rides, seven if Aladdin is actually going in still, so calm down already.

I'm just glad that they're getting the Matterhorn version of Thunder Mountain at Disney Paris instead of the tame one from WDW. And that Lion King themed adventure coaster is gonna' go perfecet. If you look at the pictures, the trains have the characters sculpted on top of the trains and they're supposed to talk or move, not sure which one. It's gonna' be funny hearing Zazu speak in Mandrin ;) We got to get some recording Nasai. Peabody will probably get there before us, so why not ask him to bring back a soundtrack :)

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Vertigo - when I said "cheap" I did not mean in "cost", I meant in "quality".

Vertigo said:

It's gonna' be funny hearing Zazu speak in Mandrin

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Actually, they speak Cantonese in HK.

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Cool...they should name it "Pleasure Island"....they could have "Tobacco Row" and everything....even the turning kids into Donkeys part. ;)

Sounds cool though. How could you not love any park near water.