We decided to join the locals at a very traditional Hong Kong
Cha Chan Tang just 5-minute walk from our hotel. The moment we stepped into the cafe, we knew right away that we were fish out of water. Locals have the habit of going to the same cafe for breakfast so they know who the regulars and foreigners (like us) are. Everything here is in Chinese/Cantonese so thankfully we read and speak the language!
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| Simple but tasty breakfast that the locals typically eat |
This meal was the cheapest we had in Hong Kong! 😄
After breakfast, we prepared to check out of our hotel to go to Disneyland! This Disney fan needs her annual dose of Disney magic! 😄
We like to stay at the Disney official hotels for its amenities and proximity to the park. Previously
we stayed at Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel so this time we decided to stay at the newly built
Disney Explorers Lodge for a different experience.
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| Entrance to Disney Explorers Lodge |
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| Interior reminds me of an Africa Safari |
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Left: We got a Priority Admission Pass for certain attractions, which was one of the perks of staying at the hotel;
Right: Love the crafty Mickey rings that they were giving out to the kids while waiting for check in. |
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| Our very cute room card |
The hotel was very deserted when we arrived as a result of the drop in tourism ever since the start of the protests. We were able to check into our room immediately, which was located on the same level as the lobby.
We booked the
Standard Double Room via Agoda and paid S$235 per room per night (no breakfast). We didn't find it expensive because we've certainly paid a lot more to stay at other official Disneyland hotels. The room can accommodate up to 4 adults on 2 queen beds.
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| Two queen beds and they even put in a bed rail to prevent a baby/child from falling off |
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| Baby girl enjoying herself on the bed |
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Left: Super cute handmade Chip and Dale;
Right: Disney Explorer Lodge toiletries box. Love it! ❤️ |
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| The sink is located beside the bed and has a stool for little kids |
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| The bathroom is simple with the usual Disney bottles |
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| Bedroom slippers and bathrobes are provided |
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| Love that the bin allows you to separate recyclable trash and regular trash! They should have this in every hotel! |
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| The awesome view from our room! |
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| Selfies with the baby, who was in a really good mood! |
We had a little bit of time so I brought the kids to
Nemo's Recreation Reef to participate in the craft activity that they organised. There're different activities at different time slots so do check their schedule for more details.
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Nemo's Recreation Reef,
most ideal for kids 2 to 10 years old |
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| Sunken ship play structure |
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| Climbing up and into a fish net |
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| Little area for smaller children |
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| Slide down the slide |
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| Busy working on their craft activity, which was a door hanger |
It was a small play room but kids still had fun. They liked the craft activity a lot!
When we were done with the activity, we rejoined the rest of the family to head to
Citygate Outlets in search of shopping and food. We took the hotel's free shuttle bus to Disneyland Resort Station and took the MTR to Tung Chung Station (transfer at Sunny Bay Station).
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| In the Disneyland train from Disney Resort Station to Sunny Bay Station |
Shopping wasn't that fun as it wasn't a sale period but we still managed to buy winter boots for the kids and I for our upcoming trip to Nagoya. We had a simple lunch at the food court and headed back to the hotel for a swim in their pool.
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| The Disney Explorer Lodge in the evening |
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| Beautiful waterfall |
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| Noodles and pool toys were provided to guests for use |
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| Both us and the kids love the pool noodles! So fun! |
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| Baby and grandma watching at the side |
I have to say, this pool was definitely smaller and a lot less fun than Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel because the latter had a slide! But not to worry, if you have time you can go visit the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel pool as guests of the 3 official hotels can visit and use the amenities of the other hotels during their visit! Another great perk of staying at the official Disney hotels!
The Disney Explorers Lodge was nice and new but I still prefer
the princess vibe of the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel. If I get the chance, I will stay there again 😄
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P.S: Here's the full list of our experiences at Disney Hotels around the world:
Continue to >> HK VIII Day 4-5: Hong Kong Disneyland with Littlest Baby
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Download the printable itineraries of our previous trips to Hongkong in 2014 and in 2016;
OR
as well as other travel itineraries!
