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lau kit wai

The wait is finally over! Tomorrow Hong Kong Disneyland throws open its doors to the general public. But before  you hop on the Disneyland  train  and head for Penny's Bay, let's  find out what some SYP readers  who went to the theme park during the recent rehearsals thought of the much-anticipated tourist attraction and its rides.

The park is divided into four  themed areas: Adventureland, Tomorrowland, Fantasyland and Main Street USA. Many readers  thought Tomorrowland was the best   because of its exciting rides  such as the thrilling Space Mountain and the popular Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters.

'Most rollercoaster rides are  outdoors but Space Mountain is  indoors in the dark. While you are looking up at the  stars and enjoying the scenery, the car suddenly plunges downwards,' says Toby Choi, 14. 'It is quite a thrill.'

Fantasyland was  also  a favourite with teenagers. Elizabeth Biddle, 16, describes the area as 'a place where all your dreams come true'.

'Fantasyland combines Disney's timeless characters, such as Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Peter Pan and Cinderella, into a fun-filled adventure for everyone. It  is my  favourite place to visit in any Disneyland,' she says.

But  most  said they found Adventureland disappointing.

'We were on a cruise ride and there were many fake animals such as hippos, crocodiles and elephants popping up to surprise us,' says Kathy Kam, 14. 'Maybe little children  will get scared, but to me they  were too artificial.'

Elizabeth also  thinks Adventureland's rides aren't exciting enough.

'Not only did they leave out Indiana Jones, which I feel is one of the most spectacular rides at the original Disneyland, but they also left out the Pirates of the Caribbean ride in the New Orleans district of Disneyland,' she explains.

But it is the size of Hong Kong Disneyland that has been mostly criticised by visitors.

'I think it is only perhaps about half the size of Ocean Park and a third of the  size of the Disneyland in Japan,' says Phyllis Lee, 15.

Vivien Li, 17,  went to  the theme park to  be an extra in the overnight shooting of an advertisement starring Jackie Chan. Her observation about Sleeping Beauty's Castle  says a lot about the scaled-down features of the park.

'It was in the middle of the night and I actually thought the castle was far away because it looked so small,' she explains. 'But  when it was dawn and we finally came out of one of the restaurants to go home, I found out that the castle was actually right next to us and it was really very, very small.'

The teenagers also complained about the high price of food. They said an average meal cost about $40 to $50 and a soft drink $15. There were also not enough dining places, they added.

'A small dish of char siu (barbecued pork) rice cost me $40. The quality was average, but the price was too expensive. Also the restaurant was very crowded and I just could not find a seat to eat my meal,' says Phyllis.

The regular prices for admission tickets  are $295 for adults and $210 for children aged three to 11.  But they cost $350 and $250 respectively for peak days including weekends, public holidays,  school holidays in July and August, and the Golden Week holidays in May and October.

Some  thought the admission price was reasonable but others disagreed.

'I believe them too expensive for the average  person who wants to experience Disney magic for a day,' says Elizabeth. 'Many of the rides take over an hour to get on,  so most  sightseers are only able to experience about six of  the rides.'

Thomas Lo, 21, says the fireworks, which feature  outstanding music and visual effects, were wonderful to watch. But he adds that he might not visit the park again.

'It is  too small  so it is enough just to visit the park once. Unless more rides and games are introduced in the future,  I won't consider going there again,' he says.



Disneyland: hit or miss?