Archive for January, 2009

Christmas in HK Disneyland

This year, we spend Christmas in Disneyland.

We have always dread going away.

Reason being Ashley would cry non stop the whole night through in a strange hotel room. And if we were on a flight, she would cry non stop throughout the whole flight until she is too exhausted and fell asleep.

With the uneasy sleeps and the night-through-fretting being the main deterence, we have always avoid vacations where we need to spend several nights away. The one night of fretting we can withstand, but a whole stretch of 4 or 5 sleepless nights is another matter.

However, we have promised Kimberly that we would bring her on a holiday. She has been saying, “Claudia went to America, can we go?”, “Lauren went to Japan, can we go?” etc etc. I think it’s unfair that Kimberly has to take a step back in view of her sister, so this year we attempted a short holiday with a short flight for Kimberly’s sake.

So Hong Kong, it is.

Because Hong Kong has Disneyland. haha !

DAY 1

 

Hubby went in office for awhile in the morning that first day to sort something out and the office boy offered to send us to the airport, so hubby paid him the limo rate just to be fair.

With ample warnings of, “Ashley, the plane will be noisy, okay?”, the flight with Ashley turned out to be a smooth one. I rather think at her age she is more ready for flights as compared to when she was 12 months old, the stage where she thrives on familiarity.

Both kids drifted off to slumberland after having their meals and woke up fresh and feisty when we touched down.

When we reached the hotel, which is at Tsim Sha Tsui, we dumped our luggage in the rooms and strolled along the many rows of stores there looking for food for the kids.

We had noodles and rice at one of the many char-chan-tengs lining the streets. I had beef brisket noodles, the kids had wonton and hubby had barbeque pork rice, but being the bad blogger than I am, I forgot to take pictures.  I had wanted to show how the wontons are bursting with prawns, unlike our wontons back home. You will find that throughout our vacation, I forgot to take pictures of food as well, among other things. haha.

After food, we checked out the stores along the streets and I got the kids some Princess Disney bedroom slippers, kids’ thick long tights, Hello Kitty hairclips and knee lenght socks just cos they are cheaper than back home.  Then we walked back to the hotel to hit the sack.

Ashley didn’t cry at the hotel that night. It was a relief. Each time we spend the night at Genting, she would fret the whole night through and none of us would get any sleep. But in Hong Kong, she was fine. She slept soundly. Maybe it’s the exhaustion of travelling. But was I glad ! And was I refreshed from a good night sleep the next day ! ha ha !

DAY 2

 

The next day, we went the much awaited Disneyland.

Kimberly was excited the moment she woke up. 

I had wanted to go Fantasyland first where all the princesses are, but hubby say we go to the nearest first.  Not a wise choice, cos with all the queueing Kimberly didn’t get to explore Fantasyland much.

So the first stop is at Tomorrowland.

Took some pictures and the kids played at the giant watergun playground.

That watergun actually shot out large sloshes of water upon thumping on the huge button.

Then we spotted Donald and Daisy and decide to queue for a photoshot.

It was a long queue for the photoshot so Ashley hung around the ornamental christmas tree while we lined up.

It was a christmas eve so there was a huge crowd. Each photoshot queue  and rides turned out to be an hour long, so we didn’t get to try out many rides.

This is Kimberly lingering around the window displays.  They are rather awesome window displays.

This is Kimberly asking the Wizard of Oz whether he is the Wizard of Oz.

Having fun is thirsty business.

That’s the princesses’ castle in Fantasyland back there.

We got Kimberly an autograph book and she ask Buzz LightYear to sign the autograph after the photoshot with Buzz. Ashley keep calling him ” Bus Liar” but too bad he couldn’t correct her. haha !!

Ashley saw an almost lifesize Mickey doll and wouldn’t let go.

… so we took a picture.

Ashley dozed off soon after in her stroller and Kimberly went to the Tarzan and the Jungle walk, the Sleeping Beauty Enchanted Castle Pillar Magic walk and other rides with her dad while I mind Ashley.  She came back raving about it. I should have left the camera with hubby. He caught them on video though. Now if I can just figure out how to put them up here.

Ashley woke by then and Kimberly was starving, so we tried the buffet place at the “castle”. There queue was way too long so we stopped by the next first food place we saw. It was fastfood !! Haha.

We were happy to find that for a fast food chain,  they offered braised honey chicken wings with corn on the cob, and got that for picky eater Ashley,   Hubby, of course, opt for the pork chop bun cos we don’t get non-halal food at fast food chain back home, and we got Kimberly a mini chicken burger with fries. Don’t you just love food places that offered kid’s portion?

I thought those paper cups are so festive !

Kimberly’s kid’s chicken burger is so itty bitty but any food there is well worth the money cos the kids ate everything.  Back home they dont even eat even if they are starving if they don’t like the taste of the food. Abd I like the fact that even the hawker fares at Disneyland offers mostly braised and/or steamed food, unlike the fried fares we get at fastfood chain and hawker stalls back home.

Price is slightly steeper for just a small burger at HKD32 but its to be expected. 

By the way, this is the one and ONLY food picture I took in the entire vacation. I forgot most other times.  *sheepish grin*

Me, I was stuffed after wolfing down all the hawker fares whiile waiting for Ashley to wake up and for hubby and Kimberly to get back from those walks and rides. I thought it’s great that the stalls there offered snacks like soya and peanut sauced squids and soya braised chicken which is a refreshing change from those snacks sold back home at vacation plcs like Genting Highland, Zoo Negara etc, ie. hotdog, fried chicken, fried chicken and more teeth cracking fried chicken. Ha ha.

And I love it that Ashley likes the food in Hong Kong.  

I didn’t get to take pictures of most of the walks and the rides cos Ashley had woke up by then and wanted to be carried everywhere.  But fortunately I didn’t miss out on the parade.

 This is Snow White and Cinderella..

Another picture of Cinderella, just because her castle float is so pretty.

Alice in wonderland

and her “carriage”.haha.

i don’t remember what this is, though, but its pretty.haha

The Toy Story float

When the float parade is over, we went to Fantasyland again for the “It’s a small world”  ride. Bad blogger me forgot to take pictures again, and was trying to lighten Ashley’s fear of all the lifesize dolls.  She loves those with white background but cringe at the jungle theme background and the darker shades backgrounds.  Those dolls sang the song in different languages. Cute !

This is the enchanted castle that changes colour every so often at night.

We stayed back for the fireworks. it was amazing. But I couldn’t locate my camera in my dense backpack.  *another sheepish grin*

Hubby and I had seperated and so I got Ashley this Princess Disney swirling lights thingy to pass the time while waiting for him and Kimberly to catch up. 

A photographer asked for permission to take picture of Ashley and start snapping away in quick successions till hubby turned up. Then he asked to take pictures of Kimberly as well.  Wonder what it’s for though.

This is the crowd after the firework. That’s fake snow falling down to the ground. haha.

 

Isn’t Disneyland pretty by night?

It took us a good 30 minutes back to back walk out to the exit. 

We got back at the hotel around 10.30pm.  Again, we unloaded all the heavy stuff, then walk out to the streets for some light shopping and looking for supper.  it was a good and relaxing day.

Will blog about the rest of the trip later when time permit. And oh,..haha.. forgot to take pictures of the Disneyland loot. Not much loots but will post at the next post anyhow.

Meanwhile, have a great new year ahead, all, and here’s to a wonderful new year celebration tonight !!!