Deep into Disneyland

I can open your eyes/ Take you wonder by wonder
Over, sideways and under/ On a magic carpet ride...

Disneyland truly feels like a magic carpet ride with a hundred thousand things to see. My luck turned after that Whelk wallop and as we stepped into the park, we ran right into the Disney parade.

Parking ourselves on a sidewalk, our eyes were glued to the Dinsey characters — from Snow White and Cinderella to Winnie the Pooh, Tinker Bell and Lilo Pelekai — dancing and singing on the streets, welcoming guests to Disneyland.

Our next stop was Mickey’s PhilharMagic — the 4D film where we felt every sensation playing out on screen. This 12-minute film has 3D effects, scents and drizzling water creating the ambience, while Disney characters play on screen. When the Disney characters munched cookies on screen, our mouths watered as the bakery-fresh scent wafted in. When they got wet in the rain, we could feel the drizzle.

Next up was the photo-op, though to be honest every moment in Disneyland is one — a chance to pose with your favourite cartoon characters. But then there is every chance of being photobombed too. As I waited in queue to click a picture with Chipmunks, a gang of girls came running and screaming “awwww, cutie pie... so handsome!” and posed with them! I was reminded of the frenzy over Shah Rukh Khan back home, as I patiently awaited my turn.

The first bite

A whole new world/ Don’t you dare close your eyes/A hundred thousand things to see/ Hold your breath — it gets better...

You’re supposed to feel tired after a five-hour flight, but as soon as I parted the Mickey Mouse curtains of my room to get a glimpse of the Hong Kong skyline, the Aladdin song was the only thing playing in my head.

The view from the window of my room in Disney’s Hollywood Hotel (inside Disneyland) was that of the blue sea, with skyscrapers on the other side. Red taxis, double-decker buses and criss-crossing flyovers... the city stole my heart at first glance.

I had not immersed myself in the Disney theme fully though. For lunch I chose what seemed an appropriately adult Chinese dish — Double-boiled Sea Whelk. Not a wise choice. A frighteningly big bowl of soup, boiled chicken and eerily worm-like fat noodles set me right on course.

The next few meals, at Chef Mickey’s restaurant in Disney’s Hollywood Hotel, were all about Mickey-shaped buns and waffles, sausages and an abundance of Disney shapes on my plate. And Mickey Mouse dressed like a chef (hence the name of the restuarant) posed for pictures with us. Also, from then on, I made it a point to make a beeline for the buffet to check out the food.

Spring Geyser at Grizzly Gulch

Grizzly Gulch

The largest themed area in Disneyland, Grizzly Gulch, recreates an abandoned mining town in the Wild West. With the Grizzly Peak and spring geysers, it is as real as it gets. The best part was posing in the old jail (yes, the township has everything from a jail to a smithy complete with water bellows). You even get to have your personalised ‘Wanted’ poster! Don’t miss out on the thrilling Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars, zipping around the mountain and caves at super-high speed. The drop from the peak, the sharp turns and the dash across the Geyser Gulch.... whooosh! The “aaaaaaaaaaaaa” moment? When the car slows down and lulls you into believing that the ride is over, only for it to start up again, that too at double the speed and amidst lightning and thunder through caves with bear growling at you!

Parade by the Disney characters

World of Toy Story

This part of Disneyland brings the magic of Toy Story to life. As we posed with the characters — Andy, the scary Halloween baby, the six-metre-tall Woody and, of course, Jessie — Sarge and his soldiers came charging at us, out of their Toy Soldier Boot Camp. Draped in green, the soldiers ordered us to follow them and perform their regular exercises. Of the rides here, Toy Soldier Parachute Drop and RC Racer are the two highlights. If you have a head for heights, Toy Soldier Parachute Drop is a real treat. The view of the city you get from up there is to die for. RC Racer is another story altogether — as the “car” moved up and down the U-shaped roller coaster at high speed, my heart was stuck in my throat.

Cultural show at Mystic Point Freight Depot

Mystic Point

A site of mystic forces, home to Sir Henry Mystic and his companion Albert, a monkey. We entered his home, Mystic Manor, where everything comes to life when Albert opens a music box to release enchanted dust.

As we entered the Mystic Manor in a Mystic Magneto-electric carriage, Lord Henry greeted us and Albert mischievously opened the music box. The enchanted dust wafted through the manor along with us as we toured the museum. We moved from one room to the other, watching a young woman transform into a snake-haired gorgon, bugs flying out from the wrappings of a mummified figure, ancient exotic musical instruments coming to life, paintings on the wall going flap-flap, hieroglyphic figures on stone tablets dancing to the music and much more.

We then walked out to an exotic cultural show at Mystic Point Freight Depot. Dressed as Egyptians, Bulgarians, Americans, Indians and Mexicans, men and women danced and welcomed us to Mystic Point. We wrapped up the visit with a sumptuous lunch at Explorer’s Club,a restaurant where you can thrive on food from different continents.

A jewellery stall at Jordan night market

Night bazaar

It is possible to have too much of a good thing in life. After holding out for two days, a certain amount of Disney sickness took over. The solution? A trip to the Jordan area of the city for the famed HK night markets. A metro ride took us there and though it was already midnight by the time we finished shopping, the streets were still abustle with crowds. If only Calcutta had something like this!