Tuesday, April 26, 2005

Disney park on track for success

CHANDRA WONG

Tourists may be confused when trying to navigate the MTR, but they will find it hard to miss the train to Disneyland when it opens in September.

The $2-billion line, Disney's first dedicated track to any of its parks worldwide, will feature red, white and blue trains with Mickey Mouse-shaped windows.

The trains will take 3-1/2 minutes to travel the 3.5-km Disney Resort line from Yam O, also called Sunny Bay, on North Lantau to the theme park at Penny's Bay.

The service starts on September 12 and prices have been set at $5.60 for an Octopus card and $6 for a regular single ride, it was announced yesterday.

The trains will have violet velvet-padded seats in the four 180-passenger carriages.

Each carriage also has Mickey Mouse-shaped grab handles and is decorated with bronze figurines of classic cartoon characters and photos illustrating Disney's history. Passengers using the MTR to get to Disneyland from Hong Kong Island can expect to pay $26.

However, people flying into Hong Kong may find it a bit more expensive to travel all the way by rail to the park.

They can get the Airport Express to Tsing Yi and change to the Tung Chung Line, before catching the resort train at Sunny Bay - all adding up to a one-way trip of $74.

Alternatively, budget-conscious air travellers can catch a bus from Chek Lap Kok to Tung Chung for $3.50 and take the train to Disney for $14. There are also plans for ferry and franchised bus services to the park.

The station at the theme park will have a 19th century Victorian-themed garden.

Chow Chung-kong, MTR Corp chief executive officer, estimated the trains would transport up to 40 per cent of an expected 5 million visitors to the park each year.

~ SCMP (thanks to my friend Mark for his SCMP subscription which makes this sharing possible)