Fairy tales do come true

Can you imagine growing up in a world without fairy tales? Come to think of it, the very concept of good and evil is first learned by a child through stories like Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and the like. Through heroes and villains in stories of faraway magical lands, enchanted gardens and princesses who find their Prince Charming, one vicariously identifies with the hero in his trials and feels victorious when good triumphs over evil. In fact, one of my favorite subjects during my graduate film studies at Boston University was Fairy Tales 101. Our textbook by Bruno Bettelheim, The Uses of Enchantment in the Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales, is a classic read. The fairy tale simplifies situations, as it educates, supports and liberates the emotions of both the child and adult. While it entertains, it also provides an inner sanctum that fosters personality development. It offers essential meaning and magically enriches the child’s existence. The great American visionary Walt Disney was once asked to define the goals of his company as concisely as possible. "Our business," Disney replied," is making people, especially children, happy." Disney not only superbly mastered Fairy Tales 101; he went far beyond by creating the places where such fairy tales come true and well-loved characters come alive.

Fifty years after Walt Disney fulfilled his dream to build a haven where parents and children could share joyful moments together, Hong Kong Disneyland Resort opens its doors to millions of new guests. Like a giant movie set where entertaining stories unfold, the family can bond not only in Hong Kong Disneyland Park but in its adjacent resort hotels and recreation facilities, all designed with the imagination and creativity uniquely Disney.

The world-class resort represents Disney’s 11th theme park globally, its first in China, the fastest growing tourism market in the world. Guests will be treated to a theme park of four magical lands radiating from Sleeping Beauty Castle, a faithful recreation of the original at Disneyland in Anaheim, California.

Hong Kong Disneyland officially opened last Sept. 12 with festive grandeur led by Asian celebrities Lea Salonga, Coco Lee and Jacky Cheung, but it isn’t the only shining star in the scene for vacation-minded families in Asia. Two magnificently-themed hotels – Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel and Disney’s Hollywood Hotel – complement the park on Lantau Island, about 24 minutes from Hong Kong by car, bus or the specially designed MTR Disney Train complete with Mickey Mouse-shaped windows.

According to Peter Lowe, the gracious general manager of Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel, its location makes it very convenient to travel to. In both hotels, Disney entertainment abounds. Disney characters mingle with jovial hotel guests the whole year round, posing for photographs and signing autographs. On a good day, you can even find Goofy swimming beside you in the grand piano-shaped pool. In the Enchanted Garden Restaurant, character dining is a treat as Disney’s most beloved characters, led by Mickey Mouse, join guests for breakfast and dinner. Bedtime stories are read to children, wake-up calls are made by Mickey Mouse himself, and an exquisite variety of Western and Asian cuisine creates the perfect gastronomic fare.

For honeymooners on romantic sojourns, you must experience the Victorian opulence and modern luxury of the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel. As you register at the lobby, which reeks of colonial charm, you will feel transported to the set of Somewhere in Time. This hotel exemplifies the romance and luxury of distinguished hotels made famous in Europe and America. British architects also brought their elegant style to Asia more than 100 years ago but few have survived the ravages of time. The flagship hotel of Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, the 400-room hotel was also inspired by Disney’s grand Floridian Resort and Spa at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Paris. The luxurious six-story resort, complete with 21st century amenities and standards, transports guests to the charm of the late 1800s, with its lacelike lattice work, carved moldings, balustrades and botanical gardens. Like all Disney hotels around the world, the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel has a distinctive theme that carries through its architecture, landscape, furnishings, and even the costumes worn by the hotel’s cast members. Rooms radiate from a grand lobby that rises to a spectacular ceiling adorned with two massive stained-glass domes and ornate chandeliers. In contrast to many of the darker colors used by the Victorians, architects used light woods, brighter colors and printed wall coverings with a touch of Disney whimsy dubbed "Micktorian" architecture. As in other areas of the resort, the silhouette of Mickey Mouse is hidden in many places – carpets, buttons, the tops of luggage hosts, pillbox hats, dinnerware and railings. Delighted guests also find other characters such as Snow White’s Seven Dwarfs marching around a vanity mirror in the guestrooms or Sneezy’s face on a facial tissue holder.

Fairy-tale weddings will be sights to behold as they can be held in the formal outdoor gardens, wedding gazebo and elegant Victorian salons. Tropical palm trees and colorful blooms surround the building with well-manicured gardens. Guests may choose from breathtaking views of the verdant hills and the South China Sea as well as nightly fireworks over nearby Hong Kong Disneyland Park. Children will surely enjoy frolicking in the traditional British garden maze in the shape of Mickey Mouse, with boxwood-type hedges trimmed just high enough for precocious kids. Other facilities include fine dining in the Crystal Lotus Chinese restaurant, whose specialty of the house is fillet of sole in black bean sauce on wok-dried bones, the Grand Salon for high tea, and the Sorcerer’s Lounge off the lobby. Take an early morning dip in the outdoor pool, watch the sunset from the Sea Breeze Bar or get pampered like royalty at the full-service Victorian Spa with a fitness center and indoor pool.

On the other hand, the Hollywood resort features an Art Deco Mickey Mouse theme for the younger generation. This hotel takes guests to the 1930s and era of movie moguls, glittery premieres and flamboyant events. The eight-story hotel overlooks the waters of the South China Sea and Hong Kong Disneyland Park. The 600 guests rooms are arranged in a U-shaped building around a garden courtyard full of the many scaled-down icons of Hollywood and Los Angeles that movies have made famous around the world. More modestly priced than the nearby Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel, Disney’s Hollywood Hotel features a piano-shaped swimming pool and icons from Hollywood in its heyday. The garden unfolds like a map of Los Angeles with walkway-thoroughfares of the Hollywood Freeway, Hollywood Boulevard, Mulholland Drive, the Hollywood Hills landscape and the famous Sunset Boulevard. The garden includes a walk of stars, which over time will feature handprints of famous film stars and celebrities.

Fairy tales are unique, not only as a form of literature, but as works of art. Inevitably, such enchanting places where fairy tales come true play an essential role in the art of creating fantasy for its guests. Walt Disney will surely agree with the wise alchemist who said: "When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you achieve it." Here in Disneyland, let it be told, nothing is impossible. Just sit back, relax and let the magic unfold.

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Cathay Pacific flies to Hong Kong daily. Call 832-2979 for inquiries and reservations.

For details on Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel or Disney’s Hollywood Hotel, call (852)1830-830. To purchase Hong Kong Disneyland park tickets, visit www.hongkongdisneyland.com.

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E-mail the author at miladay_star@yahoo.com.