Last time we went to Hong Kong Disneyland with the boys, my eldest, Aidan, commented that “Disneyland is for Girls.” He thought the place was Princess-centric and they couldn’t even buy anything from the stores. It became an internal joke among my sons but that is about to change.
I’m excited to bring them back this 2017. With the addition of the Iron Man Experience, the World’s first Marvel-themed ride in Disneyland, and the Star Wars takeover of Tomorrowland, Hongkong Disneyland is now for boys!
Here’s a complete guide on how to plan your own awesome trip…
THE IRON MAN EXPERIENCE
The Iron Man Experience was officially opened at Hong Kong Disneyland by Iron Man himself and the Disney Executives last January 11, 2017.
Once the park opens at 10.30am, make sure to visit Tomorrowland first to go to the Iron Man Experience and the Star Wars Takeover.
Part I – Stark Expo
I suggest that you go straight to the Stark Tower and through the different Stark Expo Halls, experience the Iron Wing ride, then meet Iron Man himself.
Iron Man Experience Background
Iron Man Experience – Presented by AIA at Hong Kong Disneyland is the first-ever Marvel-themed ride in any Disney Parks around the world. It is found in the all-new Stark Expo, which is the next iteration after the Stark Expo that was held in New York in 2010. Tony Stark chose Hong Kong Disneyland as the location for the latest Stark Expo to celebrate the long and illustrious history of Stark Industries spearheaded by his father Howard Stark and to showcase the company’s latest technological innovations.
Stark Expo is timed perfectly to mark the opening of Hong Kong Stark Tower, the first-ever self-sustaining clean energy skyscraper powered by the largest Arc Reactor ever built. Tony Stark is also using the Expo to ceremoniously unveil Tony Stark’s latest innovation, the Expo Edition Iron Wing, which is a flying passenger vehicle built using the same technology as his Iron Man armor.
During their visit to Stark Expo, guests can board the Expo Edition Iron Wing, and fly directly from Stark Expo across the streets of Hong Kong before arriving at the Hong Kong Stark Tower in Kowloon in mere seconds. The aerial tour of Stark Tower and Hong Kong, however, will turn out to be more than expected! It’s a hair- raising adventure with Iron Man at your side.
The Iron Man Ride is a like a 4D flying simulator experience where the Iron Wing flies through the streets of Hong Kong with Iron Man and involves sharp turns and sudden drops.
The ride is not recommended for:
• People with high blood pressure, heart, back or neck problems, motion sickness
• Expectant mothers
• Kids below the height requirement of 102 cm (40in ~ 3 ft and 4 in)
There are four (4) expo halls showcasing the landmark creations of Stark Industries:
Hall of Legacy, Hall of Protection, Hall of Energy, and Hall of Mobility…
Hall of Legacy
As you wait in line for your ride, you get to explore the different expo halls with an English-speaking Chinese tour guide.
I love the storyline, from the founding of Stark Industries by Howard Stark, father of Tony Stark, to the first World Exposition of Tomorrow in Flushing Meadows, Queens, New York City in 1943. Succeeding expos were held in 1954, 1964, 1974, 2010 in New York by Tony Stark, and now 2017 in Hong Kong.
As the story goes, Tony Stark selected Tomorrowland in Hong Kong Disneyland as the venue of Stark Expo because he sees Walt Disney as a “kindred spirit of his father.”
(Trivia: Iron Man made his first comic book appearance in 1963)
The Hall of Legacy is the most fascinating for fans because it is like a living art installation of the origins of Iron Man (with a cameo by Captain America).
The Mobility Display in the Hall of Legacy features the technology behind M.A.R.I.A., the first flying concept car of Howard Stark introduced during the 1974 Stark Expo.
(Trivia: M.A.R.I.A stands fro Maneuverable Aeronautic Repulsion Integrated Automobile and named after Howard Stark’s wife, Maria)
The Protection Display showcases the crossover story of Captain America with a deconstructed shield, the original uniform design, and a Super Soldier propaganda poster against Hydra featuring Captain Steve Rogers.
At the Energy Display, you’ll find the original, deconstructed ARC Reactor (a clean energy power generator) and its evolution over the years.
The Howard Stark memorabilia keeps his memory alive and reveals a bit more about his character.
The first generation Iron Man Mark I suit display features the first helmet, reactor, armor, and the first mention of Iron Man in the newspaper.
Hall of Protection
The Hall of Protection showcases the latest in Protection technologies from Stark Industries.
(Note: You won’t get bored waiting in line as you explore the different halls)
A life-sized Iron Man Mark III suit greets you in the hall with its iconic red and gold colorway.
Check out the virtually unbreakable Stark Everglass display, which breaks with a diamond crack pattern and then repairs itself.
Marvel at the MyJARVIS display of the most advanced artificial intelligence Tony Stark created in the 1980’s when he graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) at age 17.
You’ll love the evolution of the Stark Vision Glasses, from the Mark I’s single-lens prototype, to the Mark II’s with chest harness and mini-Arc Reactor, and finally to the Mark III’s latest, sleek design.
Don’t miss the highlight of the Hall of Protection–the Iron Man Suitcase that transforms into his Mark V armor.
Hall of Energy
The Hall of Energy establishes the Stark Tower in the Hong Kong Skyline and sets the context for the Iron Man ride.
It showcases Asia’s first self-sustaining clean energy-powered skyscraper using Tony Stark’s largest Arc Reactor ever built and his greatest achievement to date.
Hall of Mobility
The last Hall of Mobility showcases the Instagram-worthy 1:10 scale versions of the five evolutions of the Iron Wing, inspired by a specific Ion Man suit.
Iron Wing Mark III – Firefighting and Emergency Medical Drone
Stark Fun Fact: The Doc has a flight ceiling of 10km, allowing it to battle fires and perform rescue missions atop the world’s highest locations.
Trivia: Inspired by the Mark XXXIV disaster rescue prototype suit known as “Southpaw.”
Iron Wing Mark VI – Deep-Sea Service Drone
Stark Fun Fact: During its most recent undersea expedition, the Mako descended 11km to the bottom of the Mariana Trench–the deepest location on earth.
Trivia: Inspired by the Mark XXXVII deep sea suit known as “Hammerhead”
Iron Wing Mark V – Heavy Construction Drone
Stark Fun Fact: The Heavyweight can comfortably haul up to 26,000 kg, while sustaining flight for 23,300 km; that’s the distance from Hong Kong to Los Angeles and back.
Trivia: Inspired by the Mark XXV heavy construction suit known as “Striker.”
Iron Wing Mark VII – Space Exploration Drone
Stark Fun Fact: With speeds of up to 80km per second, the Supernova has recently sealed its reputation as the fastest man-made object.
Trivia: Inspired by the Mark XXXIX sub orbital suit known as “Gemini.”
Iron Wing Mark VIII – Flying Passenger Vehicle
Stark Fun Fact: Modeled after Iron Man technology, the Expo Edition Iron Wing is the culmination of unparalleled research and design in the realms of protection, energy, and mobility.
Trivia: It is labeled number 8 for luck, reinforced with an unbreakable Stark Everglass windshield, its own upgraded Arc Reactor, and auto-piloted by Jarvis.
Part II – The Iron Wing Expo Edition Experience
After the Expo Halls, you get to try your very own Stark Vision Glasses, which make it feel like looking through the Iron Man helmet.
There are 5 rows of 9 seats inside the Iron Wing (Capacity of 45 persons at one time). They say it’s good to sit at the back to get additional interactive effects.
You have to stow away all your things under your seat and your hands should be free from any objects.
We sat at the front row seats so it really felt like the action was happening right in front of us. It’s just like watching in front of a mini-movie theater that you can get dizzy.
Part III – Iron Man Tech Showcase
The Iron Man Tech Showcase is where you meet and greet Iron Man, who loves taking pictures with his fans.
Stark Industries has a brand new Iron Man suit and the Tech Showcase explains the secret of the Iron Man chest armor, Iron Man gauntlet, and Iron Man boot.
You’ll get scanned by JARVIS first before you can enter to meet Iron Man. The presenter speaks in Chinese but Iron Man speaks in English.
Make sure to talk to Iron Man because he does like to talk and socialize with his fans. 🙂
Part IV – The Iron Man Expo Store
The experience is not complete without bringing home an exclusive HK Disneyland Iron Man memento to relive the memories at home.
The best memento for me is the Become Iron Man Augmented Reality experience!
You can download a photo collage and a 35-second long simulation video of how you transformed into Iron Man for HKD 98 (~P629).
You get to defend Hong Kong from the bad guys as Iron Man.
(Tip: There is no age or height restriction but it just caters to one guest at a time).
The Expo Shop has a vast collection of exclusive Hong Kong Disneyland Iron Man merchandise and more than 250 items of other Marvel-themed memorabilia.
Stark Expo Backpack (HK$438 ~ P2,812)
Iron Man Mug (HK$98 ~ P629)
Stark Expo Mug (HK$98 ~ P629)
Iron Man Cap (HK$168 up ~ P1,079)
Iron Man Mark XLV Hong Kong Disneyland Expo Edition (HK$1,198 ~ P7,695)
Iron Man Adult T-Shirt (HK$215 up ~ P1380+)
Iron Man Kids T-Shirt (HK$198 up ~P1,271+)
Iron Man Notebook (HK$68 ~ P437)
Iron Man Folder (HK$65 ~ P417)
Iron Man Candy Container (HK$198 ~ P1,272)
Iron Man Pencil Case (HK$148 ~ P951)
Iron Man Helmet Keychain (HK$98 ~ P629)
Iron Man Figure Keychain (HK$128 ~ P822)
Iron Man Glove Keychain (HK$128 ~ P822)
Iron Man Torch Keychain (HK$98 ~ P629)
A special Limited Iron Man Experience Pin (HK$198 ~ P1,271)
Part V – Iron Man Room (with priority admission pass for Iron Man Experience)
All guests staying at Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel and Disney’s Hollywood Hotel get a Priority Admission Pass upon check-in (up to a maximum of 4 passes per room for each booking).
Hotel guests enter the attraction through the FASTPASS return entrance on the time slot and date specified on the pass. No need to line up!
To complete the experience with the kids, you can add an Iron Man Decoration package for an additional (HK$600 ~ P3,851).
The decorations include Iron Man Bed runner, Slippers, Door Sticker, Mirror Sticker, and…
…Iron Man Macaroons at night. The package includes a one 6R photo print with digital download (valued for HK$128).
We stayed at Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel with a spacious restroom with bathtub…
…a nice garden view to wake up to, and a better hotel experience overall.
Room rates start at HK$2,600 up ~ P16,703 up per night. (TIP: Make sure to check out their special online offers)
For more information, visit https://www.hongkongdisneyland.com/hotels/hong-kong-disneyland-hotel/
Enchanted Garden Breakfast with Disney Characters
Make sure to reserve for the first seating (7.30am) of the Enchanted Garden Breakfast to meet and greet your favorite Disney Characters!
(TIP: The second seating starts at 9.30am and you’ll miss the opening of the Disneyland park at 10.30am)
The kids will enjoy the Mickey and Darth Vader pancakes…
…and the Hakaw and other Dimsum specialties.
There’s also boiled and scrambled eggs, omelette…
…and Seared Salmon Fillet.
We love the different cheeses and the red onion cucumber salad.
Get your cameras ready for a meet and greet with Mickey, Minnie, Chef Goofy, and Pluto.
You can get a Disney Photo Pass: 1 Digital Download & 1 8R Print (same image) costs HK$168 ~ P1,079. Check out the Disney Photo Pass packages.
For more info, visit the official Enchanted Garden Disney Character Dining page.
STAR WARS EXPERIENCE
A lot of people are equally excited for the take over of Tomorrowland by Star Wars!
The Space Mountain has been rebranded as Hyperspace Mountain with a complete Star Wars ride theme.
It’s a roller coaster ride, as if you were on an X-Wing Fighter going through hyperspace, giving you a preview of what it feels like to fight the Empire in space. It’s so cool! 🙂
Meet the Stormtroopers and Captain Phasma along the streets of Tomorrowland.
Visit the Command Post to meet and greet your favorite Star Wars Characters. Make sure to check out the time of their appearance.
The life-sized Chewbacca was so tall, funny in person, and really fun to hug and take pictures with.
R2-D2 in real life!
Make sure to keep your boys out of the Space Traders Star Wars Surplus shop! You won’t survive without buying anything from this Star Wars store.
For Chewbacca moms!
We love the t-shirt and jacket designs in this official Star Wars store.
You can even make and customize your own lightsaber!
Lightsaber (HK$190 ~ P1,224)
Deluxe Lightsaber (HK$238 ~ P1,533)
Double Lightsaber (HK$318 ~ P2,048)
Double Deluxe Lightsaber (HK$368 ~ P2,370)
Star Wars Lego, Star Wars Figurines, and Bobble Head Collectibles.
Takara Tomy Star Wars Vehicles.
Special Star Wars costumes.
Official Star Wars Cap and Jackets.
Storm Troopers!
Star Wars merchandise–pens, pencil case, pins, notebooks, keychains, and our favorite Star Wars USB collection!
Star Wars Tsum Tsum!
Where to Eat for Boys?
The best place to eat in Hong Kong Disneyland Park is at the Royal Banquet Hall. Just make sure to avoid the peak lunch time.
Check out Royal Banquet Menu (Grill, Japan, Guang Dong, International).
Here are some favorites that your boys will love:
Char-grilled Beef Steak Combo (HKD139 ~ P895)
Royal Mixed Grill Combo (HKD145 ~ P960)
Baked Sole Fillet Florentine Cream Sauce with Rice Combo (HKD129 ~ P831)
Pork Bone Ramen Soup with Breaded Prawns and Vegetable Tempura Combo (HKD139 ~ P895)
It’s also tempting to eat at Starliner Diner, which is located in Tomorrowland. Check out Starliner Diner Menu.
You can buy a Hero Burger Combo (HKD109 ~ P702) and Starliner Grilled Steak Specialty (HKD135 ~ P870)
(Note: The food is just OK. It’s good for a quick bite but we aren’t fans of this diner.)
We would recommend the Tsum Tsum Popcorn Bucket (HKD 98 ~ P631) and BB8 Sipper (HKD 88 ~ P567) for snacks.
Overall, we can’t wait to go back with our 4 boys to enjoy the Iron Man Experience and the Star Wars takeover together!
It’s quite an investment but also a special treat to visit Hong Kong Disneyland, so hopefully this guide will help you plan for your experience and budget.
For more info on the Iron Man Experience, please visit https://www.hongkongdisneyland.com/iron-man-experience-intl/
HONG KONG DISNEYLAND
Lantau Island, Hong Kong
Website: http://www.hongkongdisneyland.com/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/hkdisneyland.pa/
Youtube Channel: Hong Kong Disneyland
General Admission Ticket (Aged 12-64)
1 day – HK$589 ~ P3,796
2 days – HK$759 ~ P4,892
Child Ticket (Aged 3-11)
1 day – HK$419 ~ P2,700
2 days – HK$539 ~ P3,474
Senior Citizen (Aged 65 or above)
1 day – HK$100 ~ P645
2 days – HK$170 ~ P1,096
Live an Awesome Life,
Founder, www.OurAwesomePlanet.com
Disclosure: Our Hong Kong Disneyland Experience was courtesy of Hong Kong Disneyland. I wrote this article with my biases, opinions, and insights.
P.S. Don’t miss the “Disney Paint the Night” Night Time Spectacular that starts 6.30pm. Make sure that you reserve your spot along the road as early as 5.30pm.
Monsters, Inc!
Ka Chow!
The Disco Mack Truck!
Toy Story!
That’s it! Hope you enjoy this guide and please share this post with your family and friends who are visiting Hong Kong Disneyland this 2017!
Do all guests staying at the HKDL hotels get Fast Pass or is it only with the Iron Man room? Its not in the room offerings..
Also Enchanted Garden is the best for the kids but you can take your own pictures and have them use your camera, no need to buy a photo.
Hi Andre,
The official press release is that all HKDL hotel guests get a Fast Pass up to maximum of 4.
how was the weather there? thanks
Cool. only light jacket needed
If you are not staying on the hotel, how can you get a pass and how much? Thanks.