It looked like last Saturday was going to be “cold” and rainy, so we woke the boys up early and headed to Hong Kong Disneyland. The boys were excited by the destination, and Tommy felt the need to be out of the apartment, doing something. Last Saturday Tommy’s grandfather’s wake was held in New Hampshire, and we couldn’t travel home to be there. Great Grampy was an amazing man, with a gift for enjoying the company of others and experiencing life with joy. Luke’s memories of Grampy are few, but Jed and Ty both remember him as quick with a pun, and eager to teach them a trick or three.  It seemed fitting to spend the day of his wake in a place suffused with cheer, laughter and fun.

The trip didn’t take long – about 30 minutes on the MTR and we were there. The boys were delighted with the MTR Disneyland Resort Line. Even though it appears to be part of the regular train system, the MTR Disneyland line train is done up in full Disney style. Luke thought it was “like riding in a giant limousine.” I particularly appreciated the Mickey-shaped windows, and the bronze sculptures of various disney characters were a nice touch. However, I was most impressed with the cleanliness, spaciousness and speed of the regular MTR. Granted, we were riding at 8.45 AM on a Saturday (very early here), but still! The stations are spacious and spotless, with plexiglass enclosing and dimming the actual track. Signage is clear and in English. When a train arrives, doors slide open and you step into a clean, spacious, quiet car. The whole experience casts a new light on the loud, sweaty, packed journeys I’ve had on both the Tube in London and the T in Boston.

Hong Kong Disneyland was pleasantly uncrowded. The park in general is smaller than other Disneys, but it was a scale that we enjoyed. The exit from the MTR, the actual entrance, MainStreet USA, the rides, the layout – they all replicate the Orlando model. In fact, it is so much the same that the smaller, less majestic “Sleeping Beauty’s Castle” is more disconcerting than it should be.

We were first to Autotopia, HK Disney’s very civilized electric version of the noisy gas driven Tomorrowland Speedway ride in Orlando. We much preferred the HK Disney version, although the steering wheels were on the right instead of the left. Luke was excited to try Space Mountain, and was just as excited for it to end. The Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters were a hit, as were the Mad Hatter Tea Cups (a fave of mine as a kid that I can no longer tolerate) and the Slinky Dog Spin (like the Matterhorn).

At Jed’s request, we had lunch at The Main Street Corner Cafe, which advertised a “premium American menu”, including “Cream of Wild Mushroom Latte” and “Napolitano Farmers Tomato Soup.” Very warm water (not iced) was offered before our meal, which the boys found enormously entertaining, if not very refreshing. Jed was a bit disappointed; I think we would have had better luck at one of the many places serving local fare. Expectation has a lot to do with how a meal goes for our family. But Jed took it in stride, comforted by the fact that the Small World Ice Cream stand was not far away. As we sat down to lunch, we told the boys about Great Grampy’s death and discussed his joyful approach to life, his love of music and his cheerful nature. As if in celebration, a marching band emerged from around the corner and played its way down the street.

The familiarity of the park was a strong counterpoint to how foreign it felt. Food carts that looked exactly the same as those at Disneyworld served caramel and chocolate popcorn, corn on a stick, “frozen lollipops” or “pizza cones”. Although we were not the only Westerners in the park (not by a long shot) or foreign appearance earned us searching stares from some of the mainland tourists. Tommy was easy to spot, because everywhere we went he was several inches taller than most everyone else. Even I could see over at least half of the crowd. I was physically reminded – more than once – of our cultures’ profound differences in personal space. As we lined up to take in the parade (remember this was an uncrowded day) we were jostled and shoved as those around us looked to compress our space even further – and we already felt squeezed. The other phenomenon that while not unexpected, is still remarkable in its pervasiveness is the desire to take jokey snapshots – even at the expense of everyone else. We seemed to be some of the park’s only “guests” not invested in recording every moment of our visit on video or in snapshots. That parade we lined up for? When the music began announcing the arrival of the floats, nearly every person raised some sort of recording device. Lucky for you, I have no video to share, but I can offer a picture or two – enjoy!