My favorite trip EVER...ABD China, July 2018!

[2littlestitches]

Hi everyone,

My family and I just got back from the ABD China trip, and we are still in awe of the things we saw, the experiences we had, and the wonderful vacation we were lucky enough to go on this year. This trip has been a goal of mine for a very long time, and once Shanghai Disneyland was added, I REALLY made it my mission to get us on this trip. It was worth every penny, and we loved this trip so much, it almost brings me to tears thinking about it.

The highlight for all of us was clearly seeing the Great Wall of China. Wow, just wow! Next up, as a Disney fan, I had a total blast seeing both Hong Kong Disneyland and Shanghai Disneyland. The Shanghai park was truly amazing. My teenagers loved seeing the terra-cotta warriors, and the gumdrop mountains were just gorgeous! Seeing the Shanghai skyline at night was also a real highlight for us.

In short, I'm afraid that no trip is ever going to top this one. I believe we have just gone on the best trip of our lives! It was more amazing than I can really express, and I am so grateful that we had the opportunity to do this.

If anyone has any questions, I would be more than happy to answer. If you have been thinking about this trip, believe me, you will not be disappointed. It was more than I even imagined it could be!

 

[sayhello]

So glad you enjoyed your trip! It truly is an amazing ABD!

Sayhello

 

[upbeatred]

We are leaving in a week so I have several questions. How was the weather? Did you do any extra days on your own at Hong Kong Disneyland or Shanghai? What days of the week were you at the parks and were they crowded? We have been to Hong Kong previously, so I know a bit about that park and location. We are trying to decide if we want to spend our extra day in Shanghai at the park, or seeing the city. (We added an extra night at the end.) Wondering if you felt you got to do most of the park things in the allotted time? Finally did you ever need any type of jacket? The weather looks really hot most of the places. Any general tips on packing are also appreciated! Glad it was a great trip. We are really excited to go. Finally, a lot of previous trip reports have a lot of folks who made advance dinner reservations. We are planning to do most of that based on the weather, and how we feel. Also we have been on previous ABD and think there are already a lot of sit down meals and we might rather grab a quick bite and see some more sights. Did you reserve much in advance? Thanks!!!

 

[DVC Doc]

Thanks for sharing! We are looking forward to going in May 2019! What would you say is your best tip for this ABD?

 

[2littlestitches]

We are leaving in a week so I have several questions. How was the weather? Did you do any extra days on your own at Hong Kong Disneyland or Shanghai? What days of the week were you at the parks and were they crowded? We have been to Hong Kong previously, so I know a bit about that park and location. We are trying to decide if we want to spend our extra day in Shanghai at the park, or seeing the city. (We added an extra night at the end.) Wondering if you felt you got to do most of the park things in the allotted time? Finally did you ever need any type of jacket? The weather looks really hot most of the places. Any general tips on packing are also appreciated! Glad it was a great trip. We are really excited to go. Finally, a lot of previous trip reports have a lot of folks who made advance dinner reservations. We are planning to do most of that based on the weather, and how we feel. Also we have been on previous ABD and think there are already a lot of sit down meals and we might rather grab a quick bite and see some more sights. Did you reserve much in advance? Thanks!!!

The weather was mostly hot, with a few rainy days. This also led to crazy humidity sometimes. We were often sweaty during this trip. We came in a day ahead of time in Hong Kong, but only went to the park with the ABD group. I believe we were at Hong Kong Disneyland on a Monday, and Shanghai Disneyland on a Wednesday. Hong Kong Disneyland was not that crowded at all, and we were able to get on most of the rides we wanted to. It seemed like Toy Story land was the most crowded area here, and we didn't care to go on those rides anyway, so it was no problem. I felt very satisfied with the time spent at the Hong Kong park. Shanghai Disneyland was quite a bit more crowded, but still we were able to do most of the things we wanted to. For both parks, ABD hooks you up with a few Fastpasses that make things a bit easier. I do wish I would have had a little more time at the Shanghai park, or maybe even time to explore their version of Downtown Disney. I think an extra day to spend seeing the city of Shanghai also would have been nice, because our tour of this city was very brief. Not sure what the best way to spend your extra day would be, but I think touring Shanghai instead of the park might be my choice. It's hard to say, since this is a very personal decision based on what you want to get out of it. The Shanghai park was stunningly beautiful, so if you spend an extra day there, I'm sure you won't be disappointed with that decision either. Regarding a jacket, we definitely used our rain jacket. My son gets chilly, so sometimes he wore a hoodie on the plane rides, but I personally never needed a jacket to keep me warm. For packing, we wish we would've packed more dri-fit clothing due to the heat and humidity. My husband brought some dri-fit polos and some cotton polos, and he kept re-wearing the dri-fit because it was much more comfortable throughout the day. I packed way too many dress shirts for myself and didn't end up needing them. I'm the type of person who planned on dining at nice places during the on your own time. Turns out, we were way too exhausted most nights, and my teens were craving food such as pizza, McDonald's, chicken tenders, etc. We ended up going casual on most of the on your own nights. Our family was super busy in the weeks leading up to this trip, and therefore I did not make advance restaurant reservations, which is really out of character for me. LOL. It ended up working out just fine, since we really didn't feel like it most nights anyway. In Beijing specifically, there is a mall near the hotel, and we walked there to grab dinner both nights. No big deal! You are going to have an amazing time, I guarantee it! This was an incredible vacation. Be ready for a crazy adventure!

 

[2littlestitches]

Thanks for sharing! We are looking forward to going in May 2019! What would you say is your best tip for this ABD?

Hmmm...best tip? I think it is this: on your first night in Shanghai, make sure at the end of the night (no matter how tired you are) to walk across the street from the hotel to see the stunning Shanghai skyline all lit up at night. Our guides made this suggestion, and it was really amazing. Several families on our tour missed this, and I felt sad for them. It's a quick stroll across the street from the Peninsula, and your guides can tell you exactly where to go. The view was amazing and not to be missed.

 

[Cousin Orville]

Hmmm...best tip? I think it is this: on your first night in Shanghai, make sure at the end of the night (no matter how tired you are) to walk across the street from the hotel to see the stunning Shanghai skyline all lit up at night. Our guides made this suggestion, and it was really amazing. Several families on our tour missed this, and I felt sad for them. It's a quick stroll across the street from the Peninsula, and your guides can tell you exactly where to go. The view was amazing and not to be missed.

This would be my best tip as well. See the Shanghai skyline at night. We actually hung out at the Peninsula bar overlooking Shanghai with friends and it's one of my favorite memories.

 

[upbeatred]

Thank you so much for your prompt response. I usually plan ahead myself, but in the past the ABD guides have always had such good restaurant recommendations. I also get bored if there are too many long meals. My favorite meal was at a little local place in Siem Reap, Kimher Kitchen, I think it was called. I live in Texas and it has been 110 here, so anything besides that weather wise will be fine! Glad you got back safe and sound.

 

[Jasrhon]

Hi everyone,

My family and I just got back from the ABD China trip, and we are still in awe of the things we saw, the experiences we had, and the wonderful vacation we were lucky enough to go on this year. This trip has been a goal of mine for a very long time, and once Shanghai Disneyland was added, I REALLY made it my mission to get us on this trip. It was worth every penny, and we loved this trip so much, it almost brings me to tears thinking about it.

The highlight for all of us was clearly seeing the Great Wall of China. Wow, just wow! Next up, as a Disney fan, I had a total blast seeing both Hong Kong Disneyland and Shanghai Disneyland. The Shanghai park was truly amazing. My teenagers loved seeing the terra-cotta warriors, and the gumdrop mountains were just gorgeous! Seeing the Shanghai skyline at night was also a real highlight for us.

In short, I'm afraid that no trip is ever going to top this one. I believe we have just gone on the best trip of our lives! It was more amazing than I can really express, and I am so grateful that we had the opportunity to do this.

If anyone has any questions, I would be more than happy to answer. If you have been thinking about this trip, believe me, you will not be disappointed. It was more than I even imagined it could be!

Thanks for your post. We just arrived in HK for a few pre-nights for the tour that starts on Sunday. Any suggestions for what to do in HK before the tour. Today we plan to explore the area around the hotel. We plan to do a day trip to Macau and see the big Buddha on Lantau Island on another day. We still have a half day unplanned. Anything we shouldn’t miss?

 

[Jasrhon]

We are leaving in a week so I have several questions. How was the weather? Did you do any extra days on your own at Hong Kong Disneyland or Shanghai? What days of the week were you at the parks and were they crowded? We have been to Hong Kong previously, so I know a bit about that park and location. We are trying to decide if we want to spend our extra day in Shanghai at the park, or seeing the city. (We added an extra night at the end.) Wondering if you felt you got to do most of the park things in the allotted time? Finally did you ever need any type of jacket? The weather looks really hot most of the places. Any general tips on packing are also appreciated! Glad it was a great trip. We are really excited to go. Finally, a lot of previous trip reports have a lot of folks who made advance dinner reservations. We are planning to do most of that based on the weather, and how we feel. Also we have been on previous ABD and think there are already a lot of sit down meals and we might rather grab a quick bite and see some more sights. Did you reserve much in advance? Thanks!!!

What day does your ABD start? We are on the July 29 tour.

 

[Cousin Orville]

Thanks for your post. We just arrived in HK for a few pre-nights for the tour that starts on Sunday. Any suggestions for what to do in HK before the tour. Today we plan to explore the area around the hotel. We plan to do a day trip to Macau and see the big Buddha on Lantau Island on another day. We still have a half day unplanned. Anything we shouldn’t miss?

We did a food tour with Hello Hong Kong and it was a lot of fun. Let me know what you think of Macau. I’ve been to HK a couple of times and have considered Macau but keep putting it off.

 

[Jasrhon]

We did a food tour with Hello Hong Kong and it was a lot of fun. Let me know what you think of Macau. I’ve been to HK a couple of times and have considered Macau but keep putting it off.

We may reconsider that plan. We just ventured out walking around Kowloon in the area around the hotel before 9am and we may want to limit the walking around outside until we are more acclimatized to the humidity. We are considering a hop on hop off tour instead. Stay tuned.

 

[2littlestitches]

Thanks for your post. We just arrived in HK for a few pre-nights for the tour that starts on Sunday. Any suggestions for what to do in HK before the tour. Today we plan to explore the area around the hotel. We plan to do a day trip to Macau and see the big Buddha on Lantau Island on another day. We still have a half day unplanned. Anything we shouldn’t miss?

Hi there, we hired a private guide to go see the Big Buddha, and it was well worth it. During this half-day tour, we stopped at a nearby beach to put our feet into the sea, did a boat tour of Tai O Village, saw the Buddha and the temple. We only came in one day ahead, so we didn't have a lot of time. The other thing we did was walk a few blocks from the hotel to hit some of the shops. I have teenagers, and they were interested in checking out the Nike and Adidas stores, etc. Have a blast on your trip! I know you will!

 

[upbeatred]

I guess we are just going to miss you. We are going on the August 5 tour. However, we went to Hong Kong two years ago prior to an the ABD Asia trip. Hong Kong is really easy to get around. The subways are well-marked and it seems very safe. We went to the Big Buddha on our own via subway and it was super easy. If you look at Klook you can get tickets on-line. I would highly recommend the trip. The AcuaLuna is also something really fun to do if you have a free night. It is a boat trip across the harbor. I was thinking about Macau, myself, but it sounds like a bit more of an ordeal because it is further. I know the first day or so can be a bit brutal with the weather and time difference.

 

[MKMK]

Could not agree more... it is the best trip ever! We went last July and still refer to it as the epic "Hot Kong" and "Shang Hot" road trip. Doubt ABD would ever confirm it, but would venture to guess we had the hottest/typhoon ridden/humidity off the charts/flight delayed/smoggy (bad pics of the Great Wall) trip ever in China ABD history. But that didn't matter -- we loved absolutely every second of it.

Wanted to emphasize that dri-fit clothing is a best practice for this trip. Despite all my research, I didn't stumble on this advice and we were a hot, sweaty mess. We actually threw away our tennis shoes after 6 hours of driving horizontal rain at "Hot Kong Disneyland". Changing your clothes after 107 degree heat at "Shang Hot Disneyland" for the Club 33 dinner was a real experience as well.

Enjoy to all on future trips... you will love it (but invest in dri-fit clothing and perhaps quick dry shoes)!

 

[Jasrhon]

Hi there, we hired a private guide to go see the Big Buddha, and it was well worth it. During this half-day tour, we stopped at a nearby beach to put our feet into the sea, did a boat tour of Tai O Village, saw the Buddha and the temple. We only came in one day ahead, so we didn't have a lot of time. The other thing we did was walk a few blocks from the hotel to hit some of the shops. I have teenagers, and they were interested in checking out the Nike and Adidas stores, etc. Have a blast on your trip! I know you will!

We are considering that option. Which company did you book it through?

 

[Jasrhon]

We did end up doing the HOHO bus today and it as a great way to get an overview of the city. We started on HK Island and ended up doing both routes. We got off at the temple and also explored the mid-level escalators and stopped for lunch. After lunch w3 switched to the other line @nd got off to do the Sanpam boats. We even had time for a swim before the night bus on the Kowloon side. My DH was able to get great photos up top while I enjoyed the AC inside with my DS.

 

[2littlestitches]

We are considering that option. Which company did you book it through?

Hi there, we used "This Is Asia" tours, and would highly recommend! Great experience! They picked up and dropped off at our hotel.

 

[Jasrhon]

Hi there, we used "This Is Asia" tours, and would highly recommend! Great experience! They picked up and dropped off at our hotel.

Thanks for the recommendation. We contacted them this morning and it looks like our best option. We were stressed about the fact that our DD18 arrives at the airport at 6:45am and she will not make it to the hotel in time to book a morning tour. An afternoon tour would mean being late for the welcome dinner. They said they could pick us up at the hotel and collect her and her luggage at the airport on the way to Lantau Island and be back at the hotel by lunch. Considering dim sum room service just like Cousin Orville. .

 

[Jasrhon]

We did a food tour with Hello Hong Kong and it was a lot of fun. Let me know what you think of Macau. I’ve been to HK a couple of times and have considered Macau but keep putting it off.

We would love to do the food tour but our DS10 is quite picky. Just re-read your latest China trip report and we also went to Tim Ho Wan on the first day. We live in Vancouver which has some great dim sum given the large Chinese population but upon recommendation from a friend we took a taxi to try it. I can easily say this was the best dim sum we have ever had. The pork buns were amazing!

It looks like we are going to pass on Macau this trip. The Big Bus gave us an extra day free for the Deluxe tour so we are going to take advantage of the add on harbour tour and Sky 100HK Obseratuon deck that were included.